Next week, on Christmas Day, he will be 4 months old.
Hello from the other side.
So much has happened in the last 4 months to be captured in just the one posting.
From the days of struggling to get out of bed, or to get any form of proper sleep, to putting on my trainers, to running my first 5km, to getting back to the gym.
It isn't easy to just pick up and go anymore. For one, you cannot simply just lock the door and go for a 4 mile loop around the block.
It always has to be a day when hubby is at home, and I have fed and cleaned, feeling less exhausted.
I said, 'this has to be the day', and off I went, donned my larger sports gear I have procured during my pregnancy days.
That was November 1st.
Too scared to have missed the window, I forgot to visit the bathroom before heading out, and had to suffer the slight unfortunate consequences.
Everyone seems to have emphasised the importance of pelvic floor exercises after childbirth, and times like this you understand why.
To understand whether I am doing them properly, I engaged the services of a physiotherapist that specialises in this area. I had to explain to the GP, 'not just any physiotherapist', as I am no stranger to spending time in these practices.
Thankfully the situation isn't as bad as I initially imagined, but it does take time to build up those muscles again. The first few visits got me keeping a diary of my liquid inputs and outputs, which gave myself and the physiotherapist a good understanding of my capacity.
From then on its the diligence of doing those various types of squeezes, holds and releases several times a day - and then, no running til January. The physio said, you need to have stronger muscles before you can lift those weights (high impact of running on the pelvic floor).
On December 1st, I resumed my membership at the gym - tandemed with baby spending an hour in the creche (which needed to be booked not more than 10 days in advance).
It was surreal being back, to be able to use the rowing machine, the powerplates (which had been a no-no during pregnancy) and the steam room. However, it was very difficult to not look at the treadmill and jump on.
I had to keep my word, to make it work.
My first 2 weeks back have been focused on reactivating my glutes, a lot of cycling, time on the elliptical, and the relevant weight machines.
The one hour usually goes by too quickly, and too long before the next one.
So last friday, I had a longer session with 'hubby creche' in tow - an extended gym and swim.
But it has been too long, my body wasn't used to it and the immune system got attacked....
I have been down with the cold this week. Every cough and sneeze, tests the strength of my exercises.
There's still more to do - but first, I must not veer from the path to recovery.
Then - perhaps, perhaps, I can still do my first race of the year (free entry to Wokingham Half based on last year's volunteering). But I won't be disappointed if I don't make the starting line, or have any expectations of anything but just to get round.
Just with every new experience on motherhood, things happen slowly, but surely.
I hope to update you all soon with more activity. in my own time.
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| On one of my buggyfit sessions waiting for hubby to finish his run in our local park, back in October |
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