Encouraging Healthy and Active Pregnancies Not just a hobby, it's a movement! T h e p u rp o se o f th e 9 M o n th s o f 5 K is t o d is p e l t h e m is c o n c e p t io n t h a t p re g n a n t w o m e n s h o u ld n ’t w o r k o u t o r r u n a n d t h a t it is h a r m fu l t o t h e b a b y . T h e n o n -p ro fi t w a s s t a r t e d t o h e lp g e t w o m e n m o v in g a n d e d u c a t e t h e m o n t h e b e n e fi t s o f p h y s ic a l a c t iv it y d u r in g p re g n a n c y . W e h o s t q u a r t e r ly w o r k s h o p s a n d a m o n t h ly w e lln e s s w a lk a n d t a lk t o g e t o u r p re g n a n t m o m s m o v in g . W e p ro v id e s e r v ic e s t o lo w -in c o m e w o m e n , in c lu d in g w o r k s h o p s t o a s s is t w it h g e t t in g s ig n e d u p fo r h e a lt h c a re , p o s t p a r t u m jo b t r a in in g a n d c a re e r p la c e m e n t , s c h o la r s h ip s a n d e d u c a t io n a l fu n d in g , a s s is t a n c e w it h t r a n s p o r t a t io n , m o n t h ly w a lk s a n d w e lln e s s t a lk s , q u a r t e r ly w o r k s h o p s , d ia p e r s a n d b a b y e s s e n t ia ls . T h e M is s io n o f 5 K is t o e d u c a t e a n d e m p o w e r p re g n a n t w o m e n o n h o w t o c a re fo r t h e ir b o d ie s t h ro u g h p a ir in g n u t r it io n w it h lig h t e x e rc is e , w a lk in g a n d /o r r u n n in g d u r in g p re g n a n c y . W e b e lie v e , w it h p ro p e r e d u c a t io n , w o m e n c a n e x p e r ie n c e e a s ie r la b o r, lo w e re d r is k s o f p o s t p a r t u m d e p re s s io n , a n d s h o r t e r g a p s in a c h ie v in g a s e n s e o f n o r m a lc y a s a n e w m o m . W h a t d o y o u s p e c ia liz e in , w h a t a re y o u m o s t k n o w n fo r ? M y n o n p ro fi t o rg a n iz a t io n , 9 M o n th s o f 5 k , e n d o rse s th a t v e ry m e ssa g e a n d h o sts a n a n n u a l 5 k fo r e x p e c t a n t m o t h e r s . P ro c e e d s fro m t h e r a c e fu n d m a t e r n it y w o r k s h o p s , d ia p e r d r iv e s , jo b p la c e m e n t a s s is t a n c e a n d v a r io u s s e r v ic e s t o lo w -in c o m e m o th e rs. E v e ry o n e h a s a sto ry a b o u t w h y
t h e y s t a r t e d , w h a t ’s y o u r ’s ? I b e g a n 9 M o n th s o f 5 K b e c a u s e I w a s d is c o u r a g e d t o s e e s o m a n y w o m e n w it h u n e n jo y a b le p re g n a n c ie s a n d b ir t h in g e x p e r ie n c e s . T h e a la r m in g r a t e s o f M a t e r n a l M o r t a lit y fo r w o m e n o f c o lo r h a v e a ls o s e r v e d a s a c a t a ly s t fo r m y m is s io n . M y g o a l is t o a d v o c a t e fo r w o m e n ’s h e a lt h b y w a lk in g t h e w a lk m y s e lf a n d e n c o u r a g in g o t h e r s t o ru n th e ra c e . B e in g in b u s in e s s c a n b e h a rd a n d d iffi c u lt s o m e t im e s , w h a t k e e p s y o u m o t iv a t e d ? I a m m o t iv a t e d b y t h e m a n y fa m ilie s w e h e lp t h ro u g h 9 M o n t h s o f 5 k . N o t o n ly h a v e I b e e n a b le t o w it n e s s t h e jo y o f h e a lt h y p re g n a n c ie s fro m r a c e g o e r s , b u t I h a v e a ls o b e e n a b le t o g iv e b a c k t o a c o m m u n it y o f w o m e n w h o o f t e n la c k in fo r m a t io n a n d re s o u rc e s t o e x p e r ie n c e t h e ir o w n h e a lt h y p re g n a n c ie s . W h a t s e t s y o u a p a r t fro m o t h e r s w h o a re d o in g t h e s a m e t h in g ? W o r k in g t o d is p e l t h e m y t h t h a t w o m e n s h o u ld re fr a in fro m p h y s ic a l a c t iv it y d u r in g p re g n a n c y , I s u c c e s s fu lly c o m p le t e d 5 k r a c e s u p t h ro u g h m y e ig h t h m o n t h o f p re g n a n c y a n d w e n t o n t o e x p e r ie n c e s m o o t h la b o r, d e liv e r y a n d p o s t -p a r t u m re c o v e r y . I h a v e s e r v e d a s a n in s p ir a t io n t o o t h e r w o m e n b y r u n n in g 5 K r a c e s d u r in g m y o w n p re g n a n c y. F o r m o re in fo r m a t io n c o n t a c t 9 M o n t h s o f 5 K a t (8 3 2 ) 8 4 4 -1 7 5 4 e m a il t h e m a t in fo @ 9 m o n t h s o f5 k .o rg o r v is it t h e m a t h t t p s :// w w w .9 m o n t h s o f5 k .o rg / B e s u re t o fo llo w t h e m o n s o c ia l m e d ia t @ 9 m o n t h s o f5 k
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