I cannot believe 2 weeks has passed since Ava was born. Time flies when you are changing diapers, feeding a newborn and trying to catch up on sleep.. all while leading a normal life!!  I think I am managing well and I can honestly say I am not stressed one bit and I am feeling more like myself this past week.

My normal self doesn’t sit still and I am constantly finding something to do around the house. My energy has increased and I have been able to clean, do laundry, organize, study for work, get paperwork done and bills paid. When it comes to daily tasks I am usually on top of things and now I can truly say I feel that I am able to do everything I was doing before Ava’s birth. The only thing that has not been the same is exercise.

Exercise

oh my dear friend… exercise. I definitely didn’t miss it or think about it for the first 10 days. I was too caught up being amazed by everything Ava did that I hadn’t given it a thought. This is also because my body wanted nothing to do with it and needed rest and recovery. My recovery has been smooth and pretty fast however I took it very seriously. As hard as it was to sit and do nothing for a few days, it was necessary and my body appreciated it.  After a few days I felt comfortable moving around more and sometimes moving made me feel better. I think we all know our bodies and can tell when they need a break or when they are ready to go.

I am mentally and physically ready to do some sort of activity… Yesterday I took Cooper out for a stroll, it wasn’t a long walk but it felt amazing and I can tell he enjoyed it!  I think I might take him again today and try to increase the distance. I am not ready to jump into a boot camp or group power class but I can’t wait to build back up to it!

Everyone recovers differently. and I am feeling like I make progress each day. Once I get the all clear from the doctor I will expand my activities.  I really feel fortunate that I was able to exercise right up to my labor and delivery.. I had literally done a workout 4 hours before I went into labor! This has played a huge role in my postpartum recovery, and I am thankful for it!

AVA

Ava has been such a joy and we couldn’t be happier that Christmas came early for us. The past two weeks have been amazing but definitely an adjustment. We were more then ready to have her join our family and we have been loving all the late night feedings and diaper changes.  Ava eats just about every 3 hours.. sometimes more, sometimes less, but she is pretty punctual. She starts squirming and moving like crazy when she’s hungry so it’s not too difficult to realize she needs to eat. I’m the same way, I can’t focus or relax if I am hungry!!! She is very alert and lifts her head off my chest/shoulders when I hold her. I can already tell she is going to be an independent girl and want to be on her own crawling before we know it.

Weight loss

I wasn’t too sure I wanted to post about my weight loss because it hasn’t been a priority since her birth. I decided that because I had shared my pregnancy journey with you, I should post some updates so you can see my progress. I had focused a lot on healthy eating during my pregnancy, and after Ava’s birth I’ve been eating very healthy.  This has helped tremendously with shedding the baby weight.  I had gained 22 1/2 pounds during my pregnancy and I am officially back to my pre-birth weight. I couldn’t believe it when I stepped on the scale,  it was pretty amazing. I owe it to the healthy food choices I made during my pregnancy and also keeping up with my exercise.  Does my body feel the same?? NO. Not yet. My mid-section feels a whole lot different. It is a little mushy and definitely not tight at all. Regaining core strength will be my primary focus when I do get back to training.  I can’t wait to incorporate balance and stability exercises to my workout routine to increase my abdominal strength!

My Goals

One of my top goals going forward is to regain muscle. Being strong is important for me and will help with taking care of Ava. I feel like I am already getting exercise from carrying her around the house and going up and down stairs! My second goal is to increase my core strength. I will do this by doing full body training once I am cleared.

 

We are off to Ava’s 2 week doctor check up! I am sure she’s packed on some weight this past week and a half, she eats like a champ!