body after bump #2: 1 week
Dang, has it really already been (over) a week since Miles came into our lives?! I'm already wishing for time to slow down a little bit. Not knowing whether or not this will be our last baby, I'm trying to cherish every single moment with him and trying not to wish time away. Of course, I can't wait until his first smile, laugh, etc., but I also want to enjoy the early stage of infancy too because I may never get to hold a 1 week old of my own every again.OK, enough hormonal, weepy crap. It only took a week but I'm already itching to get back into the gym. Last week, I had no interest in exercising whatsoever, but mostly because it was still difficult for me to walk. But, I am feeling better every single day and ready to get some endorphins flowing again, mostly for my sanity. Let's just say Miles is the easy child right now... by a long shot.RecoveryAs far as recovery from my C-section, it's going pretty well. I feel like it's taking me a little longer this time around to feel like myself again, but I also wasn't chasing after a 3 year old after my last C-section. Not being able to lift more than my baby has been extremely difficult. It kills me to tell MacKenna every night that I can't hold her for prayers. Her response is always, "Your tummy still hurts? You sick?" It breaks my heart. Of course, I've broken the "don't lift anything heavier than your baby" several times, especially when it comes to time outs and boo boos. And I just simply cannot sit still - part of my personality.Otherwise, I'm feeling better every single day. I still have some swelling around my incision site, but pain has been extremely manageable. I can actually cough and sneeze now without having to brace my stomach, and getting out of bed is much easier. I'm moving around a lot better and don't feel completely exhausted by the end of the day (which is a huge change after being exhausted constantly for the last 9 months). I am hoping that by the end of the week, I'll be feeling just about normal, minus some swelling and pain around my incision.MeasurementsI didn't take measurements before having Miles, so I really have no idea how many inches I have lost so far, but I at least have a starting point to getting back to my pre-pregnancy weight. And I know how much weight I gained during my pregnancy, so I know how much I have lost so far. But, I will say that I am pleasantly surprised with my body right now. Sure, I still look about 5 months pregnant (but not as cute, obviously) but I'm OK with that, as I know that's how I looked after MacKenna too. I'll just be happy to be seeing progress over the next several months and I fully expect it to take 9 months to get everything off (which would be September and seems sooooooo very far away from now). 12 pounds to go, so not a bad starting point (and actually, I'm really at 10 pounds now, so I'll take it)!
1 Week Postpartum
Weight: 132.4 poundsArms: 10.25"Chest: 31.75"Stomach: 36"Hips: 38.5"Thighs: 21.5"
Returning to Running
Reading about everyone's running lately has been killing me. I'm just so ready to be running again. Like I said, last week I had no urge to even get out of bed, but this week, I'm so ready to lace up my running shoes and go for a run. However, I know I have a loooooong way to go before I'm completely recovered. Even 6 weeks postpartum won't mean I'm completely healed, so I know I really need to ease myself back into running. I know last time around (which, by the way, I'm really kicking myself about because I didn't post my training plan and I cannot find it anywhere), I started working out again at 2 weeks postpartum and running right around 4 weeks. While I certainly hope I can do that again, I'm not going to push it. I have no big goal races in the spring, so there is really no point in rushing to begin running again. I'll get back to serious training at some point.
I am still working on creating an actual "training plan", but I have the ideas in my head. What I do know for sure right now is that I am going to start walking again next week. Mainly for my sanity more than anything (again, Miles is the easy one) but because I feel ready and I know it will be good for me to actually be moving again. (And good Lord, I really need to get out of the house.) So, the plan to start with is to walk on the treadmill (or outside if it's warm enough) for 20-30 minutes a few days a week. I'm hoping that I can either walk on our crappy treadmill in the basement during MacKenna's nap time (hopefully Miles will be sleeping too) or go to the gym after Matt is home from work and take MacKenna with me to play at the daycare there (I can't take Miles until he's 6 weeks old). It'll be a lot easier for me to fit in exercise once I go back to work in March since I can workout right after school, so just trying to find time now is going to be the real hurdle. But, I'm beyond ready to be running again!