A different type of marathon training

I just finished my first time through The Perfect Pregnancy Workout DVD.  I like it!  If I can look half as good as the chick on the cover when I'm that far along, I'll be happy. I also recently purchased a prenatal yoga DVD and a prenatal Pilates DVD, so I'll have some variety to keep me motivated.  I've also been spending time at the gym on the eliptical machine whenever I can- I got in a great session last night that was even more fun because Tyler left his iPod at home this week and I got to listen to his mixes for a change.  My goal is to prepare for childbirth in much the same way I did for the marathon- lots of physical and mental preparation for an event that I know won't be easy, but will be worth all the effort.  

I'm even planning a little bit of a taper off towards the end of my pregnancy- I officially notified my supervisor at work that my last day will be Friday, October 23, giving me 3 weeks before my due date.  I'm resigning from my teaching position now so that the search for a new teacher can begin over the summer.  I decided to resign because I know that I won't be able to handle commuting every day knowing that I could be spending that time with my daughter, especially since daycare would cost almost as much as I make teaching.  After the holidays, I'll look for something I can do part time from home, though I haven't a clue yet what that will be...  I am just hoping now that my body will be physically capable of working that long into the pregnancy.  My job is a physically demanding one, even without the physically aggressive students.  

While there are benefits to working up until labor (one of my friends, Susannah, just told me that if she had taken off early, she'd only be sitting around thinking about how miserable she was the whole time), some studies show that women have an easier labor after taking time off before the birth.  That made me think instantly of the marathon training method of tapering before the race- running less the month prior so that the body can rest and recover before the big event.  Not surprisingly, a well-rested body performs better in labor, too.  Since I have the option of leaving a bit early, I'm taking it.  For now, I'll keep preparing physically for my big event.  If I could just figure out how to keep Mico off of my yoga mat...