Happy New Year! It’s crazy to think that just over a year ago, I was making resolutions for 2011, and here we are already, two days into 2012. It also blows my mind that Katie nearly 3 weeks old already. It seems like just yesterday we brought her home from the hospital and I was dreading the thought of being stuck in the house for six weeks before returning to work part time for a few weeks and then transitioning to full time. Now I’m sad about the thought of only being home with her for another 3 weeks before going back!
She has grown a TON in the past 3 weeks. We measured her the other day – she has grown over an inch and we’re sure is close (if not at or over) 6 lbs by now. I remarked earlier that she looks like a normal newborn now, but let me tell ya, I am really glad I birthed a 5 pounder. My lady parts are still a little sore! More power to any woman who births a bigger baby. Ouch. Moving on….
Last Monday at 12 days post partum, I trekked back to the gym – partially to get out of the house and partially because I wanted to get moving. I was cleared to start walking at 10 days postpartum, so being the person who normally ignores advice that I am, I tried running a little bit on the treadmill. I haven’t run since 35 weeks, so it’d been six weeks at that point. My lungs hurt –a LOT. I had a second degree tear with delivery, so I have stitches that are slowly dissolving, and they itch like crazy while running. I stopped after .75 miles and just walked the rest of the time. I’m really ready to have my body back to normal. But I know that in this case, it’s better not to push it. I don’t want to be set back any further than I am, so I have been trying to get out for a walk every other day. Next Wednesday at 4 weeks pp, I may go to the treadmill boot camp class and walk instead of run, but we’ll see.
Life will start to fall into some sort of routine starting tomorrow. My parents have been visiting since last week, and we’ve had family filtering in and out of our home since Christmas. Everyone returns home tomorrow and my husband returns to work (boo, not looking forward to that! I love having him around!) so Kate and I will be on our own. Right now, she is up about twice a night to eat so it really hasn’t been too difficult. There have been some days where it’s overwhelming just to have to take care of something (what seems like) 24 hours a day, but once the postpartum hormones calmed down, things have been better. I crave routine and so does my kid apparently, so we’re two peas in a pod when it comes to that respect. And my husband is super helpful and has been so supportive of every little thing that it has made life probably as easy as it could be. But still, having a baby is a life changing thing. I can’t help but wistfully think of what I would have been doing over the past 3 weeks if I didn’t have a newborn. Would I have gone on several runs? Would Mr. Marathoner and I have taken a road trip somewhere, spent money carelessly, stayed up until all hours of the night? Maybe. But our new normal is a good trade off. We spend a lot of time just talking with each other. We rediscovered some board games from our childhood. We take delight in our mini excursions to get out of the house. For better, our lives have changed permanently and it’s a huge adjustment – after all, we had 8 years where it was just the two of us.
But even though the nights are long, the weeks seem to be flying by and she will be in a different stage of life and so will we. For now, I am content to be settling into a routine which hopefully includes working out more than I have been. I’m about 10 lbs above my “happy weight”, (I gained about 25 total with pregnancy), and I’m eager to get back into some clothes that I haven’t seen for about 7 months. I hope to start personal training after I get the go-ahead from my doctor in a few weeks… and my first goal is to be back into 5k shape come mid-March and the St. Patrick’s Day 5k!
What are your goals for the new year? Are resolutions just made to be broken, or do you take them seriously and try to hardest to achieve them?
4 comments:
I was just thinking about you today :) Yeah girl don't try to do too much too fast! Your body needs to heal properly, you'll get back to where you used to be- no worries :)
Whose taking care of the baby after week 6? I read it's hard to get daycare for infants younger than 6 weeks.
Obviously I have a million questions since I'm now going through what you were :)
My neighbor is taking care of her one day a week while I go into the office, and then I work from home the other few days of the week. We'll be putting her in in-home day care when I go back full time when she's 3 months old. Feel free to email me if you have any questions, too! :)
I'm impressed! When I had my boys (now 19 and almost 22) I was told to not even drive for 2 weeks! Of course, I didn't exercise back in those days. I had episiotomies with both so can "feel your pain." I made the mistake with one of looking between my legs with a mirror. Freaked me out!!!!
I'm so glad to hear that things are settling in nicely for you. How great that you have a neighbor that you trust that can sit once in a while. Only 10 pounds to lose after having a baby? All I can say is YOU GO GIRL!
I'm back blogging at: http://www.3fatchicks.com/diet-blogs/sunnydayz/
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