Reclaiming my body

I was having a little moan to my husband about how my body just doesn't feel like it belongs to me anymore: it belongs to our girls.  Hours are spent feeding, cuddling, calming and carrying the baby.  When I'm not holding her the toddler wants a cuddle or is doing a great impression of a shadow and clinging on to me when we're out and about, or following me around when we're at home so I can't even go to the loo on my own.  


I moaned that I feel I'm always looking after them but don't have the time or ability to look after myself.  I really meant that I would like to have a shower alone, with the door shut, and actually enjoy the experience of steam, zesty shower gel and squeaky clean hair.  Instead it is a chore involving jumping in and out and trying to wash myself while observing the toddler pulling down the towels and waking the baby by enthusiastically bouncing her chair.  


My husband's response was that he thought I was looking after myself very well... through my exercise programme.  His response really made me think again about my body.  Instead of seeing it as something that has been taken from me, I am actually  reclaiming it.  Exercising is something that I do for myself.  Almost the only thing that I do for myself at the moment.  Looking back at my motivations for exercising I am reminded that looking and feeling good is important for me mentally as well as physically.  Of course, it also benefits the children as they have a happy and healthy mum, but I am driving this forward and I am motivating myself and I am doing this for me.


I may be looking a bit dishevelled but I am up and about and will be clothes shopping soon!     

Five weeks postpartum

I do have a forearm by the way, it's just pulling
my top back to give you the full belly effect! 

I’m out of my maternity jeans... but I'm not into my regular jeans.  At least I don't think I am, I haven't actually tried to get them on and am wearing the stretch jeans that I wore in the early months of pregnancy.

I've lost 11cm from my waist since the birth and my belly looks more like a muffin top now.  It's still too early to do any abs work, so I'm concentrating on my core strength and pelvic floor and generally just trying to keep moving.  I'm happy with how it's all going.

    

Life with two

The first month has flown by and while the baby is napping and the toddler is playing in her cot (she should be napping too) I'm enjoying a bit of peace and contemplating life with two children under two years old.

I was overwhelmed by everything after the birth of number one and felt like my old self had been replaced by a slightly mad woman with a crying baby!  This time I'm still me and very aware that when things are chaotic that this is just how it is at the moment and it will pass.  

So why is it different this time?  I'm better prepared: I knew through experience about the demands of a newborn, I don't think you can really understand what is going to happen until you live it despite antenatal classes, books and talking to others; I had a fair idea of how my toddler and husband would respond to the baby; and I had a very clear idea of how I would feel and what I would find difficult.  I've mentally planned how to cope.

How do we cope?  For me, going out is really important.  It might take half an hour for us to actually get out of the flat and we may only be out for a short while but it breaks up the day.  I also ensure that I have breakfast.  If the baby is crying I eat more quickly and try to  ignore it, but I don't give up on it or put it off until mid-morning.  

When the baby is sleeping I try to have fun one-to-one time with my toddler so that she doesn't feel neglected.  Our home is a mess but nevermind.  I also try not to be telling the toddler off all the time.  She pushes the boundaries but she is nearly two and her life has just been turned upside down and most of the time she is dealing with it in a way that makes me proud to be her mum, so some battles can wait.  In the evening my husband and I fall into the same daily pattern of doing things so that we can get through the madness knowing that everything that needs to be done will be done by one of us.  

Last but not least, we also have some brilliant people to help us, especially the grandparents, providing moral and practical support, so thank you to you too!    

Three and a half weeks postpartum

I'm certainly feeling the three weeks of sleep deprivation but trying to get on with some normal things in life is helping me feel less like a zombie.  Just getting us all up, dressed and fed takes hours, so having gone to the effort of brushing my teeth (when did I last wash my hair?) I might as well go out.


Yesterday was a good day to go out: no rain!  I went to the park for another workout and was encouraged by the number of mums that had brought toddlers to the session.  I recently read a blog entry from another mum blogger who talked about her frustration of not being able to do a workout at home with the kids about, and also of the wish for her children to see her exercising so that she is setting a good impression to them.  I really empathise with that.  I tried to do yoga at home while I was pregnant but ended up doing it when our daughter was asleep as otherwise she was trying to climb on top of me or push her toys into me.


The toddlers at this session stayed in their buggies for a bit, played together or on their own and occasionally wandered off and let mum have a bit of extra exercise chasing them back to the group.  With other mums around there were lots of eyes to check that they were all safe and didn't wander too far.  So now I am planning on going to another workout session with both kids in tow.  


What about exercising at home?  After reading the other mum's blog I've decided to adopt her attitude of doing what you can.  Maybe yoga is best saved for nap times, but I can do stretches and play active games.  My toddler really loves to jump at the moment so maybe more of that (apologies in advance to our neighbours below) or some enthusiastic renditions of "head, shoulders, knees and toes"?