Parenting

Mom-To-Be Single-Handedly Proves That Pregnant Women Can Still Get Down

by Meredith Bland

If you think moms-to-be are fragile, this pregnant dancer will prove you wrong

For many women, the last few months of pregnancy involve a lot of trying to stand up, trying to sit down, and trying to roll over in bed.

That is not the case for Elizabeth Marberry from Colorado.

Marberry posted a video of herself on YouTube doing some pretty impressive hip hop dancing while rocking a very pregnant belly. This is not only awe-inspiring to those of us who couldn’t bend over, let alone jump in the air at that size, but it also shows the world that yes, pregnant women can still get down.

Pregnant women are usually seen as fragile and uncoordinated; they are treated like ticking time bombs who could blow at any moment. Not only is that not always the case, but it can scare women away from the physical activities they loved before they were pregnant. The fact is that as long as it’s something you were involved in before you got pregnant and you listen to your body (and your doctor says it’s okay), you can still jog, bike, swim, CrossFit, and dance like a badass while you’re pregnant.

Amazingly, (or, not amazingly if you’ve ever read any comments on the internet ever about anything) pregnant women who exercise get a lot of criticism. They are called “selfish” and “reckless.” They’re told they’re endangering the life of their baby just to suit their own vanity. Well, not only do such reputable institutions as the Mayo Clinic disagree , but this is just another pregnancy myth, like “dying your hair is bad for the baby,” or, “using moisturizer will prevent stretch marks.” It’s just false. False false falsity false false. “Pregnant women require chocolate, foot rubs, and pancakes,” however, is true.

We don’t see enough videos like Marberry’s which show that pregnant bodies are a lot more resilient than most people think. She also — hang on to your short hairs — shows that pregnant women can be sexy. Did you see her bend over at the end? Yeah, you did.

Under the video, Marberry wrote, “I…hope [the video] empowers other pregnant women to keep pursuing whatever makes them happy.” How about a hearty amen to that?