Hooray, Adrith is registered! And hooray! Mojo has started her training! Me? I guess you could say I'm in pre-pre-training. I'm not ready physically but emotionally and mentally there is a part of me that is thinking half-marathon thoughts in the background and wondering how big Julia will be by race day so I can buy her Disney half-marathon related clothing or toys.
(Speaking of Julia... she is napping with Daddy and I know she's fine but I'm anxious because Paul is a deep sleeper and he may not hear her cry. So I'm back here on the computer so I'm only 8 ft from the bedroom door with the baby monitor on my desk listening for every peep, whimper or sigh. I have it turned on so high I hear her breathing... that's reassuring.)
So health and fitness talk...
I still haven't gotten my 2 appointments down at my OB despite leaving messages. One for getting these staples out of me and the other for my 6 wk postpartum check-up.
I've been up and walking around the house a lot today. Paul said if I feel up to it this weekend we can do a stroller walk around our block. We can cut it at an eighth of a mile or a fourth of a mile or if need be, make it shorter than even that. I'll see how it goes and how I feel. I think we're having visitors this weekend so I want to save some energy for that.
For now on the exercise front it's just been Kegels when I nurse and reading about postpartum workouts and how to pace them.
I'm trying to spread out my pain pills a little more each time as I get better and my staples quit aching me. They are every 4-6 hrs as needed and right now I'm doing 6-8 hrs. I can't bend over to get things because of the staples so my two biggest problems Paul actually does -- inspecting my incision for healing progress and bathing and drying off the lower half of my body. My back hurts from this poor posture I've adopted to accomodate the staples. I am really looking forward to having them removed so I can get back to standing upright!
It's very weird being in my body right now. I've never had body image issues so I'm not upset or anything... just kind of in shock and amazed at the dramatic change from one day to the next. The day before birth I was like THIS and the day after I was like THAT. Usually the only body change that is that dramatic from one day to the next are haircuts. Everything else happens gradually and you get used to the changes before you even realize things are changing. Nobody says, "Wow! Your hair grew since yesterday!" to you. Know what I mean?
I lost 14 lbs immediately and the rest keeps coming off in spurts over the days as my swelling goes down. I keep wondering where it will stabalize and how much higher than pre-pregnancy it will be.
The most obvious difference in my stomach -- there's no baby in there any more and it's kind of sunken in the center. All the skin is poochy and ripply and no longer stretched out. My stretch marks that used to be purple are black as they've collapsed as well. My belly button that was starting to stick out in late pregnancy? It's sunken back in and looks like it was bruised. I have this bikini incision I cannot bend over to see. I have blisters from the dressing tape pulling some skin off when it was removed. Can't twist to see those either. My belly is semi-numb to the touch -- sensitivity is returning slowly. It feels really good to be able to hug Paul and be close rather than working around a gigantic belly. Not that he can hug me as tight as I want to be hugged yet -- but it's better. I've missed him.
My breasts were always large and now they are pendulous and heavy with milk. Forget nursing pads. I opened the box and looked at these little circle pads and just about laughed my butt off. I've got cloth diapers stuffed up my shirt! So now apart from the staples that's the other reason why I walk with a stoop -- heavy breasts. I've ordered two more bras in bigger sizes but I don't know that I'll be ready to wear them.
Right now I only wear loose shirts and nightgowns because I don't want anything touching my boobs, incision, blisters, or other tender spots. Mom went out and bought me some clothes at Ross because she said instead of sending me flowers in hospital she'd rather "nurture the new mother" in more practical terms. So I've got a mess of new shirts and 2 pants and she's gone to return the stuff I didn't like or did not fit. She's planning on making me a few nursing tops or converting some of my favorite T-shirts into nursing tops for "play clothes" at home. I have no idea what I'm going to do with workout clothes once I'm at that point. If my feet have changed permanently I'll have to get new sneakers.
My legs have strange dimples in them. I have no idea why my legs changed other than perhaps is swelling going down unevenly. I miss seeing my quad muscle "lines" sharply rather than vague lines underneath weird skin... My overall skin tone right now is all soft and squidgy. Again most likely weird swelling issues resolving themselves.
Paul tells me I have a bruise on my back from the spinal I got in surgery. I feel like I have a pimple, blister or boil on my butt -- probably from so much time in bed in hospital and at home. I can't twist around to see it so I have to get Paul to tell me what the heck it is. My neck rash (eczema) is not too horrible given all we've been through this week. I was expecting it to flare up form the stress.
My arms and upper body apart from my breast look like they shrank! Maybe all the rest of me oozed down to the bottom? I miss upper body weight workouts.
My face cleared up dramatically -- even my dad noticed that in hospital. It was practically overnight that all the pregnancy pimples disappeared. My hair is gorgeous! Shiny, full and luxurious. It really is too bad I'm mainly at home with it up in ponytails as I go about my day. It's like a waste of great hair days. I'm a bit pale in the face, lips and tongue though. I have to take iron pills for the next month to help with that.
My energy level is good overall. Emotionally I'm joyous. Mentally I'm alert during good parts of the day and a bit stoned during pain pill time. (Which is also kind of good, but in a different sort of way. Ha!) Physically I tire easily but I'm bouncing back better than I or Paul thought I would be.
Paul's a HUGE help around the house and with the baby. He's our hero. :)
# posted by Cat @ 5:58 PM
Well, I'm registered for the half. And as soon as the tax return shows up, I'll be buying me a new pair of trainers.
I need to also replace my track pants, which have worn holes in unfortunate places, and should get some new coolmax socks for good measure. And some new toys, I'm sure, to fill up my New Balance track bag.
Ch-ching! Yay tax returns.
(And while I'm here - LOOKIT THAT BABY! YAY!! :-D)
# posted by Adrith @ 9:48 AM
Congratulations on a beautiful baby. Made me want another of my own. And that is when my weight issue really asserts itself. I don't want to be pregnant at this weight. I realized this morning, though, I'd be emotionally comfortable getting pregnant at about 145 pounds, which is my goal weight for this December. Hubby and I have been having the 'baby talk' for a week now and I know he is thinking the same thing I am, he's just afraid to bring it up.
I've been in a holding pattern with my training and I think, psychologically, I've been waiting for Cat to give birth and start, too. That's terribly unfair and well, illogical, but I admit that it has crossed my mind. Guess Cat gave me the "push" I needed.
Har har, bad joke.
Working on my training schedule right now.
# posted by Mojo @ 12:56 PM
We are all home -- including baby Julia. Thanks everyone for your emails, calls, comments, and all around good wishes! :)
She was born 1/31 at 10:12 PM by emergency C-sect after 20? hours of labor.
Julia was 20.75 inches long and 9 lbs, 5 oz. at birth. She has a full head of hair and we've posted one photo:
I'll be back after my postpartum check-up. Kegels away! :)
# posted by Cat @ 12:34 PM
