Postpartum fitness: Getting My Body Back

Seven weeks after my cesarean I had technically "lost" all my baby weight which to me seems pretty remarkable. I can really only credit that to breastfeeding seeing as for the first 5 weeks I did pretty much nothing, so for 35 pounds just to come off I am pumped about that, but on the other hand... my jeans still don't fit right. They do up, but there is a muffin top, so I refuse to wear them until I get toned up and get that back under control. So, this week, which is week 8 postpartum, I am dedicating myself to a two week clean eating "diet" and daily attempts at exercise to see if I can tone up!

I have to admit the hardest part of the first few weeks with a new baby was my body. I had tons of help, so I was sleeping & eating good and my baby was well cared for, but the one thing really out of my control was the look of my stomach, and for some reason it shocked me. Now when I look back and can see the progression and how fast you really do bounce back it amazes me what my body was capable of, so I've decided to share some pictures of the progress from very pregnant, to a very hard stage for me, and where I am now.

I also had decided to get and wear a Bellefit Medical grade C Section recovery corset that I wore from about from weeks 3-6 and I immediately could see my swelling going down and I should still wear it now, but most days I just don't. Maybe I will today...

Fitness: So far I am still keeping it pretty light. I go for a walk with my dog and baby in the stroller at least once during the day, I am trying to get through the entire video of Jillian Micheal's Yoga Meltdown Level one, but I've only made it halfway through every time because of Scotlyn needing me and being too tired to finish once I could, and I downloaded and really love the app 7 minute Work out which I think costs like 2 bucks but its great for mamas with little time to get quick work outs in during the day! Soon I am hoping to have enough energy to be all ready when Kyle gets home from work and start going for jogs because I HAVE to have serious jams to run and I don't want to be blasting music in my ears with just me and the baby home.

My meal plan moving forward includes things like:

Raw veggies. I love going to the farmers market and buying veggies like radishes, celery, and cauliflower, chopping them, and keeping them handy in the fridge for anytime I need a snack, or want to whip up a salad.

Greek yogurt + Pumpkin puree + honey + nuts

Salad dressing: Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil, Honey

Fruit Smoothies w/ground flax seed, yogurt, & soy milk

Chocolate Vega shakes + almond milk

Pureed Soups (butternut squash is my favorite)

Quinoa + tuna (I like the little flavored cans)

Broccoli Omelets

No carbs after lunch, lots of water, & minimal cheating haha

Picture Progress (Sorry these are such bad quality, I obviously snapped them with my phone not really planning to post them, but here they are & hopefully they will make other new mamas feel better with their post baby bodies!)

April 18th, 2015 ( Had Scotlyn April 25th)

 May 4, 2015 (9 days after delivery & the hard part on me mentally)

 May 25th, 2015 (Bellefit Corset & super sexy nursing bra)

June 4, 2015 (8 weeks after delivery before dieting & exercise)

Hopefully in a couple weeks I can add a much more toned looking and feeling good picture after some dedication to my fitness!

My Truths of Motherhood: 6 weeks postpartum

I am officially 6 weeks postpartum which feels like such a milestone for me because after my cesarean the general timing was that I would start to feel a lot better by 6 weeks and I do!

Scotlyn has started rolling from tummy to her back in the last week too- she does it at least once a day now which is both cute and scary because I still want to be able to swaddle her, so she sleeps good, but I don't want her flipping over in the night... conundrums. I will have to change from my Ollie wraps to the Zipadee-zips (which most babies don't start using til around 4-6 months, so we'll see how she does in them).

As for Motherhood, I found that during my pregnancy mostly what people talked about was how hard it would be. The sleepless nights, the difficulties of breastfeeding, the changed relationship with your friends and spouse, the resentment of the life you left behind. "Your life will never be the same" was the quote I heard most.

Sure, there have been days when it feels like she won't stop crying and when my husband asked to play golf that night I said No, because hell.. being a stay at home mom with a newborn is a full time job and some days it feels like your working back to back to back overtime shifts. Those are the days when I hold it together all day with patience I never knew I had, but the moment my husband walks in the door tears stream down my cheeks and when he asks what's wrong all I can say is, "I'm just so glad your home" and hand him the baby to take the evening shift of pacing the halls, the only thing that stops her screaming on that particular night.

Yes, it is harder to get ready to do anything and takes triple the time to get out of the house.
Yes, I smell like spit up and have to change my shirt and even sometimes my pants multiple times a day and yes, my hair doesn't get washed very much anymore. I've been projectile vomited on in the mall, the dark circles under my eyes are getting harder and harder to cover, and some days I like her a lot more when she's sleeping.

The truth is, I wouldn't change any of it. I love being a Mom more than I ever thought possible. Breastfeeding came really natural for us and I am so thankful for that. My relationship with my husband is about same, but I can see how other relationships could and will change, some for the better and some not. My husband  is thankfully very willing to help when he gets home from work (he's even started doing laundry!). I also make sure that when I need his help I am not afraid to let him know and I try to make sure intimacy still plays a significant role in our post-baby life which I feel helps us feel connected as a couple and not just as parents.

I also had 21 days of live in help and learned lots of tips from my mom, so maybe that kicked start my journey into motherhood because I never had the first month to get too run down, or frustrated, or too exhausted because she did so much for me and I am so thankful for that.

I am also a 100% believer in the theory "nap when the baby naps". The thought of two children kind of terrifies me right now because if she's up at 2:30 and then again at 5:30... when she goes back down at 7am I am snuggled right next to her either on the floor, or in our bed getting an extra hour. If that doesn't happen I am sure to drift off at some point in the day when she does, or else I know I will be too tired to function. So I give huge credit to the moms of more than one child because a baby and a toddler will be so tough.

Scotlyn is now 6 weeks and I feel like it just keeps getting better. This week has been full of real baby smiles and roll overs that just light up my life and even her cuddles feel more real, like she knows I'm her momma. I am so thankful for her.