Photo By Sgt. Jasmine Higgins | U.S. Army Soldiers participating in the Pregnancy Postpartum Physical Training...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Staying physically fit is no strange concept in the United States Army, but what happens when weight gain is inevitable, nine months of weight gain to be exact? The Pregnancy Postpartum Physical Training Program, P3T, helps Soldiers stay fit while pregnant and, more importantly, return back to their unit in fighting shape.
Postpartum Soldiers throughout Joint Base Lewis-McChord meet every day, for approximately 180 days, post pregnancy, at the Soldiers Field House for hour workout sessions consisting of various exercises.
“The NCO’s are pretty good at switching up the exercises that we do on the daily basis,” said Spc. Amanda Heup, a health care specialist, Headquarter Support Company, 864th Engineer Battalion. “They try new things to keep us engaged and motivated”
The words “You can do it!” and “Don’t give up” are echoed in the gymnasium throughout the workout sessions.
“We motivate them as much as needed, allowing them to feel more comfortable in their skin while whipping them into shape,” said Sgt. Jillian Johnson, a P3T leader, A Company, 2D Brigade Support Battalion.
The postpartum Soldiers face the everyday challenges of any average Soldier plus the added weight of being a new mother.
“We have to handle new moms coping with daycare issues, nursing moms and new moms that don’t feel comfortable with their weight,” said Johnson. “So we try to motivate them and help accommodate them the best we can.”
The P3T program has been around for years and participants are very adamant about the need and importance of the program to continue to stick around.
“It’s an important program because it’s a rough deal not being able to do a lot of things while being pregnant so you lose some of that “fitness” you had worked up,” said Heup. “There is no way I could have entered your standard (physical training]) at a unit without some sort of transition. This is needed!”
| Date Taken: | 01.26.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 01.26.2015 14:58 |
| Story ID: | 152733 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASHINGTON, US |
| Hometown: | BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, US |
| Hometown: | VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 1,051 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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