Run # 1

Pearl and I going solo!

This morning I got out all my outdoor winter running gear brimming with slightly nervous, very excited energy.  The pants fit fine, (last night I actually got into my skinny jeans for a bday party we went to, legs fit fine, and they buttoned up, but I admit I had to hide an ungainly muffin-top...) the shirts, however, were snug, on account of a mummy-tummy and big chest!

I was going for my first ever run since, about 33 weeks pregnant, I am today officially past the 6 week post partum marker.  I thought an easy 30min would be a good start, and Pearl was pumped!  Breastmilk was pumped, Colin was ready for an emergency feeding (Reed has yet to experience a bottle, he has been experimenting with a soother with minimal success...).

So off we went and I felt a bit weird going out without Reed, but it was so nice to run.  I felt fine in my legs, but a bit taxed in the lungs.  It was pretty slow, but so fun to go harder and not be concerned about the baby in my belly, just able to run hard downhill and uphill, let my legs work, let my heart rate rise and let my breath get heavy and fast with pleasure not concern!

The best past of the whole thing was when we came home.  I peered into the kitchen and saw a beautiful sight, father and son bonding, Colin was feeding Reed, who was happily sucking and lovingly looking up at his daddy!  So precious! 

A few new developments...

1. Life with Reed continues to go along very well.  He makes it easy for us, not to say that he doesn't have his moments where I am at a loss trying to figure out how to soothe him  We have had a couple evenings of endless crying, we have had a couple nights of endless feeds, and we have had a couple of outings that were very fussy.  But overall, I can't complain... yet... he has long naps in the morning, he loves his swing (which is my favourite thing ever!), and he seems to know that nighttime is sleepy time, he sleeps 3-4hrs at a time, which seems to be enough for me to feel relatively rested the next day.
2. I have been advised to stay away from major exercising, but from what I've been reading, 6 weeks is very very cautious.  I feel great and so have continued to do micro-workouts with general core, squats, lunges, and upper body focus.  Throughout the day, I manage to do multiple micros. 
3. It has been cold!  -30-40 below, has us laying low.  Which means the only couple of outings I prioritized everyday, walking Pearl in the morning and afternoon, have become impossible.  I have been going stir crazy!  Yesterday, I didn't leave the house all day!  Lying around doing nothing all day, is not my thing!  So...
4. Today, I got on my bike for 30min.  It felt great, and I have made it to 5 weeks delaying my start, but can wait no longer.  I am willing to take the risk - I'm throwing the dice and living on the edge!  I also bundled Reed up in a bunch of layers, me as well, tucked him in the snuggly-wrap, zipped one of Colin's jackets around us both, and headed out in -36 with Pearl this morning.  We were able to walk for about 30min.  It felt great to be outside in the fresh, very fresh air!
5. With nothing other to do than feed Reed (which actually does seem to take up the better part of the day!) I have been busy planning my return to fitness.  Yes, I have planned out the next 4 months of training.  I realize it all may change, but you need to start somewhere, and since I have to take into account when Colin works, when he has a day shift, night shift or day off, it all affects what kind of traning I can do, so you gotta PLAN!  I have even emailed my mom all the days in the next 4 months that I need to come in and look after Reed for a couple hours!  Yes, I am slightly type-A!  I have about 5-6 races that I want to do this summer, and I am excited.
6. On the work front, I have been accepted by the Calgary Board of Education!  That is a big relief.  I have the option of full-time, contract, part-time or substituting.  I still want most to work here in Cochrane, but Calgary is a very good back-up plan.  I will start back in September, unfortunately Reed will only be 9 months old, but that's life, and I am sure he will survive.  And I am excited already to get back to work - atleast I think I am ...
7. We potentially found a great dayhome for Reed.  I am waiting to hear back from her to confirm, but we had a great meeting, and I feel very comfortable with leaving Reed at this place.  Great mom, and only 4 children total.
8. I have started stockpiling breastmilk in the freezer.  I was nervous that pumping would be hard or painful, but it was easy.  So Colin's turn to feed Reed is right around the corner, a couple more weeks until we introduce a bottle.

Happy Winter Training!

3 weeks post partum

Last week I went through a bit of a depression, but not from post pregnancy hormones or anything, it came from the words: "...and no exercise until 6 weeks...".

We had our two week midwife visit last Wednesday.  This is where we go into the clinic and Reed and I get a full check-up.  He weighed in at a hearty 10lbs 10oz, so that's a two pound gain, which is quite good considering that they are happy if the baby gains back to their original birth weight!  Everything checked out great, until the midwife asked how I was healing up and I made the mistake of saying: "Great!  I've even been able to get on my bike trainer in the past week!" 

Immediately she shook her head frowning (good thing I didn't tell her I'd been doing a daily core strengthening workout since the first week...!).  She explained that no matter how good I'm feeling, my musclesand ligaments are still too stretched and I can wreck my pelvic floor if I go for it too early and have lifelong incontinence problems.  I then inquired about swimming, as another midwife had told I could go after a couple weeks, but she gave a big no-no to going into public waters, there being a considerable risk of infection, which could affect my future fertility.  (Although, I am still not certain I want to have another... )

So I spent the next couple days depressed, another 4 weeks seems an eternity!  After 9 months of dreaming of hard workouts and running, I have to wait another 4 weeks!  I've lost 24lbs, down to 140, but I seem to have stagnated and need to get exercising to get the last 15lbs off.

On the bright side, Reed and I have 4 more weeks of quiet snuggling and bonding... and more walking!