Gym moms, if your child is a future Olympic athlete, you'll always be able to say you were their first-ever gym partner. 

Becoming pregnant doesn't mean you have to toss your exercise plan to the side, says Mfowethu Langeni, DO, a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare who specializes in Obstetrics. 

In fact, it's the opposite!

As your baby sits and kicks in the womb for nine months, Dr. Langeni says core exercises and strength training like lifting weights are great ways to prioritize both mom and baby's health.

"(Labor) does take a lot of stamina, strength and core strength. But all women are different," Dr. Langeni says. "Some women push for hours during labor; some don't need to push much at all. Either way, strength conditioning and core training before and during pregnancy will help overall."

 Are you a marathon runner? That doesn't have to stop either. 

Dr. Langeni says high intensity cardio and even power squatting are recommended for pregnant moms. 

He recommends talking any exercise plan over with your OB/GYN before getting started, and to make sure you avoid any exercises that could cause trauma to your stomach.

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“The milk dispensary is a great option as a short-term bridge while families work to determine the best long-term feeding plan. Most often, a mom is working to build her milk supply and is able to use the donor milk from the dispensary while she consults her lactation team,” says Susan Urbanski, program manager at Mothers’ Milk Bank WGL.

The milk offered is safe, pasteurized breast milk collected from healthy, lactating women in Illinois and Wisconsin. Each donor undergoes a thorough screening process, including clearance by a physician. The milk is also tested multiple times before distribution.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children who are breastfed experience improved dental health and neurodevelopmental outcomes. They also have decreased risk of diarrhea, respiratory tract infection, SIDS, asthma, Celiac disease, Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, being overweight and obesity.

There are also maternal health benefits to breastfeeding such as decreased risk of excessive menstrual blood loss, breast, ovarian, endometrial and thyroid cancers, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Kelsie Schlueter, a registered nurse and lactation consultant at OSF Saint Francis, says this milk dispensary will help many local families.

“Having the option of donor milk helps many families meet their breast milk feeding goals. Many moms struggle initially to establish a good breastfeeding relationship, and it can take time for mom and baby to both learn this new skill,” Schlueter says. “Having good lactation support is critical for these families, and outpatient donor milk is an important piece of that puzzle when supplementation is needed.”

In addition to an in-house breastmilk dispensary at the hospital located in OB triage, families can pick up from the Breastfeeding Resource Center at 5114 North Glen Park Place, Ste. 1143, in Peoria, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.