Here it is ladies, the honest reality of exercise after pregnancy. Remember, this is just my experience thus far. It is important to consult with your doctor before resuming regular exercise.
I've come to realize these main things when it comes to exercise after pregnancy:
1. "2 steps forward, 1 step back." When cleared by the doctor to resume my regular activities at 6 weeks post delivery, I was oh so excited to jump on the treadmill and resume group fitness. I quickly realized that getting back into shape was going to be slower process than I wanted it to be. The doctor advised me to rest if bleeding resumed, and it did. I felt that for every step I took toward getting in shape, I took 1 step back by having to rest more often than I wanted to. I started working out 1 time per week and slowly added/subtracted according to how my body was doing. It was tough, everything was sore, and I felt frustrated that I couldn't do more. I had to remind myself often that I had to start somewhere and to look how far I had come; from only being able to do housework and short walks to being able to jog a minute or two at a time and taking a strength class every week. My abdominals and ribs still get sore when running (everything is trying to stich back together) but it's getting better every week.
2. Support your lady parts. I have never been well endowed in the chest area, so actually having boobs due to nursing created a new challenge while exercising. Bouncing with milk laden breasts is not exactly comfortable. How the Bay Watch babes could handle that bouncy run in the sand, I have no idea. My first step was to go out and get a good sports bra. I chose a bra that was adjustable in the back and straps for ultimate comfort and one with pads in case I started to leak (got milk?) The TaTa Tamer from lululemon has been my boobies saving grace :)
The other area that needs support are your lady bits,; your "downstairs" area if you will. This has to be done internally. We're talking kegels and keeping your abdominals tight. I quickly found out just how important these were when I started jogging. See #3 below.
3. "I peed my pants!" You have to be comfortable enough to laugh at yourself ladies, because at some point you will probably leak urine. Sneezing, jumping, laughing hard, and jogging can cause some leakage. My first attempt at jogging at 6 weeks post baby knocked the pee out of me, literally. I came to the realization that kegels needed to be a part of my daily routine (I try to do them every time I nurse). Kegels, they sound dirty, but they are oh so important. The other additions to my routine include going to the bathroom right before working out, and sometimes a pantyliner, just in case. Now, after exercising regularly for the past 8 weeks, I rarely leak urine unless I try running too fast or increasing my mileage too quickly. As Billy Madison would say, "You ain't cool unless you pee your pants."
So there you have it. Post-natal exercise can be frustrating at first, but it gets better! Just keep going:)
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Welcome Hayden Leigh Eaton!
We did it! Our sweet baby girl was rapidly born into this world on January 17, 2013 at 10:39pm. How rapidly you ask? 2 hours and 39 minutes, from start to finish! Obviously I will attribute the "ease" (not to say that this was an easy task by any means) of delivery to exercise! Here is a condensed breakdown of Hayden's birth story...
Hayden's Grand Entrance
-felt frustrated and restless: feeling like I would be pregnant forever- had no signs of labor whatsoever
-went on 40 minute brisk walk with the hubby and the dog: best I felt on a walk in a long time
-baby was very active in my tummy that day making it hard to get comfortable
-did a lot of sitting, swaying, and rocking on my exercise ball
-got on all-fours and swayed from side to side periodically throughout the day to ease restlessness
-ordered take-out for dinner: Sweet N Sour chicken, rice, and salad
-rented movie: contractions started at 8pm on the dot
-thought the cramping might have been from food, so went to the restroom: contractions continued
-decided I was truly in labor so had hubby draw me a bath and got in the warm water-thought I would be there for awhile. I was mistaken.
-contractions continued to get stronger, starting in my lower back and radiating to my lower abdomen. It was a very deep/tight sensation: Painful but manageable
-hubby made the call to head to hospital as contractions were 3-4 minutes apart from the start, and lasted 40-55seconds each. I was in denial as the "average" first time labor will generally last 17 hours
-husband was so calm and collected and coached me to keep breathing. He went outside to warm up the car and turn on the heated seats for me
-got in the car and I promptly took off my sweatshirt and rolled down the window. The crisp air helped me focus
-we turned on my relaxing music, I closed my eyes, and breathed deeply, in through the nose and out through the mouth on our 25 minute drive to the hospital
-got to hospital, said "hi" to mom and dad, got in a wheel chair and checked in
-undressed, got into hospital gown and on bed, water broke (audibly) contractions became INTENSE
-nurses asked if I wanted pain meds. I said "I don't know, I think I'm doing fine without them."
-checked by nurse, dilated to an 8, felt the urge to push, and they rushed me off to delivery room
- hubby held my hand, I squeezed tightly and started to get nervous. This was happening too fast. Nurse coached me to "pant" through contractions to resist pushing until checked by doctor. This was very helpful for me
- doctor came and checked me out, directed to follow urge to push. Husband and nurse each held one of my legs and i pulled with my hands and pushed hard
-nurses brought in a "squat bar" to place my feet on the sides and a sheet was tied to the top of the bar for me to pull myself up with. This made my "pushing" much more affective
-nurse told me to visualize my abs squeezing the baby out. This was helpful as I could relate it to exercise
-baby's shoulder got stuck and doctor directed me to push really hard and hold it as long as I could. On next contraction I said "come on baby!" and pushed with all my might. Felt a lot of pressure and burning
-baby was born and immediately placed on my chest. I cried but no tears came out. I was overwhelmed with love and joy. Mom and husband were amazing coaches!
Hayden Leigh Eaton: 7lbs 12.4ounces, 19.5inches long
I am currently recovering from 2nd degree tears (tearing through top layer of skin and into muscle) from "top to bottom." You do the math. So exercise is a totally different form at this point. Breastfeeding, caring for the baby, doing housework, walking around the house every hour or so, and kegels are part of my current routine. With this form of exercise and eating nutritious meals (still taking in at least 400 extra calories for breast feeding) I am starting to feel more like me.
More updates to come on post-natal exercise after I'm cleared by the doctor in another 5 weeks:)
Hayden's Grand Entrance
-felt frustrated and restless: feeling like I would be pregnant forever- had no signs of labor whatsoever
-went on 40 minute brisk walk with the hubby and the dog: best I felt on a walk in a long time
-baby was very active in my tummy that day making it hard to get comfortable
-did a lot of sitting, swaying, and rocking on my exercise ball
-got on all-fours and swayed from side to side periodically throughout the day to ease restlessness
-ordered take-out for dinner: Sweet N Sour chicken, rice, and salad
-rented movie: contractions started at 8pm on the dot
-thought the cramping might have been from food, so went to the restroom: contractions continued
-decided I was truly in labor so had hubby draw me a bath and got in the warm water-thought I would be there for awhile. I was mistaken.
-contractions continued to get stronger, starting in my lower back and radiating to my lower abdomen. It was a very deep/tight sensation: Painful but manageable
-hubby made the call to head to hospital as contractions were 3-4 minutes apart from the start, and lasted 40-55seconds each. I was in denial as the "average" first time labor will generally last 17 hours
-husband was so calm and collected and coached me to keep breathing. He went outside to warm up the car and turn on the heated seats for me
-got in the car and I promptly took off my sweatshirt and rolled down the window. The crisp air helped me focus
-we turned on my relaxing music, I closed my eyes, and breathed deeply, in through the nose and out through the mouth on our 25 minute drive to the hospital
-got to hospital, said "hi" to mom and dad, got in a wheel chair and checked in
-undressed, got into hospital gown and on bed, water broke (audibly) contractions became INTENSE
-nurses asked if I wanted pain meds. I said "I don't know, I think I'm doing fine without them."
-checked by nurse, dilated to an 8, felt the urge to push, and they rushed me off to delivery room
- hubby held my hand, I squeezed tightly and started to get nervous. This was happening too fast. Nurse coached me to "pant" through contractions to resist pushing until checked by doctor. This was very helpful for me
- doctor came and checked me out, directed to follow urge to push. Husband and nurse each held one of my legs and i pulled with my hands and pushed hard
-nurses brought in a "squat bar" to place my feet on the sides and a sheet was tied to the top of the bar for me to pull myself up with. This made my "pushing" much more affective
-nurse told me to visualize my abs squeezing the baby out. This was helpful as I could relate it to exercise
-baby's shoulder got stuck and doctor directed me to push really hard and hold it as long as I could. On next contraction I said "come on baby!" and pushed with all my might. Felt a lot of pressure and burning
-baby was born and immediately placed on my chest. I cried but no tears came out. I was overwhelmed with love and joy. Mom and husband were amazing coaches!
Hayden Leigh Eaton: 7lbs 12.4ounces, 19.5inches long
I am currently recovering from 2nd degree tears (tearing through top layer of skin and into muscle) from "top to bottom." You do the math. So exercise is a totally different form at this point. Breastfeeding, caring for the baby, doing housework, walking around the house every hour or so, and kegels are part of my current routine. With this form of exercise and eating nutritious meals (still taking in at least 400 extra calories for breast feeding) I am starting to feel more like me.
More updates to come on post-natal exercise after I'm cleared by the doctor in another 5 weeks:)
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
My Top 10 Things I look forward to after having the baby...
As I approach the 2 week mark from my due date, here is a list of things I miss the most about NOT being pregnant...
1. My body- not sure what this will look like after having a baby but I look forward to being able to see my feet again at the very least
2. Deli sandwich- it's advised not to eat cold lunch meat in pregnancy... I just want a stinking bologna sandwich! Don't judge me
3. Running/ high intensity exercise: so excited to really be able to push myself again!
4. Being able to roll-over with ease: right now it's a 3-point turn just to get from my right side to my left side
5. Tying my shoes- with a basketball in my gut and swollen feet, tying my shoes has become quite the event
6. Copious amounts of caffeine- not that i will really drink a ton of caffeine but its the fact of being able to again if needed:)
7. An ice-cold beer: need I say more?
8. What's going on down there?- going to the bathroom at this point is a guessing game, I'm always hoping I wipe the correct areas, and peeing in a cup every week at the doctor is a cruel joke!
9. Go shopping for cute clothes/shoes- maternity clothes can be great but I sure miss regular clothes and cute shoes
10. Not having to pee every 1-2 hours: I didn't think it could be possible to have to urinate so often but with a baby sitting on my bladder all day I guess it makes sense:)
Don't get me wrong, I have truly enjoyed being pregnant and I know I will enjoy it again in the future, but I'm ready to meet this little girl!
1. My body- not sure what this will look like after having a baby but I look forward to being able to see my feet again at the very least
2. Deli sandwich- it's advised not to eat cold lunch meat in pregnancy... I just want a stinking bologna sandwich! Don't judge me
3. Running/ high intensity exercise: so excited to really be able to push myself again!
4. Being able to roll-over with ease: right now it's a 3-point turn just to get from my right side to my left side
5. Tying my shoes- with a basketball in my gut and swollen feet, tying my shoes has become quite the event
6. Copious amounts of caffeine- not that i will really drink a ton of caffeine but its the fact of being able to again if needed:)
7. An ice-cold beer: need I say more?
8. What's going on down there?- going to the bathroom at this point is a guessing game, I'm always hoping I wipe the correct areas, and peeing in a cup every week at the doctor is a cruel joke!
9. Go shopping for cute clothes/shoes- maternity clothes can be great but I sure miss regular clothes and cute shoes
10. Not having to pee every 1-2 hours: I didn't think it could be possible to have to urinate so often but with a baby sitting on my bladder all day I guess it makes sense:)
Don't get me wrong, I have truly enjoyed being pregnant and I know I will enjoy it again in the future, but I'm ready to meet this little girl!
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