3 Months Postpartum: the Body

3 months Postpartum: the Body

Happy weekend peeps! So glad this week is over-I always find coming back from vacation is so busy. Laundry, cleaning, unpacking, and then being slammed at work! Yikes! Also, sleep has been few and far between so this mama needs some chill time this weekend!

Last week my little guy and I celebrated 3 months old and 3 months postpartum, respectively. I always found 3 months to be such a milestone. Everything is still hard, no doubt, but by this point nursing is usually in a rhythm, you’re getting some (key word: some…I guess some is better than none!) sleep, some smiles, and you’ve somewhat gotten used to baby and the new family dynamic.

State of Mind

This month brought an interesting dynamic to the postpartum body edition. Going on vacation at 3 months postpartum with your 3rd baby can be tough on your confidence and mind. I would be lying if I didn’t admit that it weighed a little bit on me (no pun intended ha!). I am definitely heavier than I was, and what I want to be, and was reminded of this about 100 times when packing for the trip haha. Packing shorts, bathing suits, etc. was tough especially when hardly any of it fit. Not to mention making sure I had nursing friendly clothing! Basically 70% of my closet still does not fit me.

However, I was determined to not let it ruin an ounce of my excitement for or during the trip.

I focused on these things heading into this trip and threw my bathing suits on with confidence:

1. My body has created 3 human beings in 4 years (!!!!)

2. The extra that I’m carrying is allowing me to feed and nourish my baby.

3. I’m only 3 months out and I need to respect the process

4. My experience will not be determined based on whether or not I’m at my pre-pregnancy weight. End of Story.

In saying that, you can bet your bottom dollar I took advantage of the weather and was extremely active down in florida. Tons of walks, runs, good eating and gym sessions were had because I have some goals to crush. And, yeah, body positivity is great. But something I always remind myself is that there’s nothing wrong with respecting and loving your body and still wanting to see change!

The Stats

The good news: down a pants size. The bad news: I only have lost one more pound. I’m slowly inching my way into the 140s which is going to be a HUGE milestone for me (I was around 135/136 pre-pregnancy). On delivery day, I was rocking about 170 lbs so getting into that 140s range is going to mean a lot to me. Also, disclaimer here that many people may not believe I was 135 when I got pregnant but I was strong/muscular and muscle is so much more dense than fat so that is why I weigh a lot more than what people may think. I know a lot of people are very touchy about disclosing how much they weigh (I totally get it) but I want to be completely transparent on my road to fitness so I’ll be sharing everything!

The scale can be tricky. As I’ve stated before, I know that by being consistent with workouts and nutrition may not show on the scale right away, and show in other ways like losing inches or just looking leaner. So, my hope is that from month 3—>month 4 is when I see a 2-4 lb drop that gets me into the 140s. Because whether we want to admit it or not, the scale does matter to all of us, at least a little bit! I think the fact that its measurable has something to do with it.

Nutrition

I’m definitely doing a much better job of increasing my protein macros and decreasing my carbohydrate macros which was a goal of mine over the last month. Since I’ve returned from vacation, I’ve been more strict with my post dinner snack which is going to help me for sure in the long run.

My meals for breakfast and lunch are always pretty basic. Breakfast i generally have eggs and oatmeal. Mid morning snack is a quest bar, followed by lunch which is usually chicken and a salad. Mid afternoon is a protein shake and dinner varies every night. I usually post my dinner on my instagram stories so hop on there for meal ideas!

My biggest battle from Month 2 continues to be eating some sort of processed carb at night (ie. cereal and granola). I’ve not had any all week since I got home from vacation and I’m determined to stick to it. Instead, I choose greek yogurt with some fruit.

Goals for the next month include staying strict with the bedtime snack, and ensuring my macros are on point every day, not just 4 or 5 days of the week.

The workouts

Right now I’m grinding out about 3-4 strength workouts per week. Generally, they are broken up into lower and upper workouts. Usually I get 2 lower, and one upper in. The 4th day is usually a workout filled with some HIIT weight exercises and simple accessory work that I make up on my own in my basement with bands, and kettlebells.

Cardio wise I’m slowly trying to increase my HIIT workouts. All the way through 10 weeks postpartum I strictly focused on steady state cardio with some HIIT thrown in here and there.

My goal is to ideally get 3 days of HIIT in with one steady state. On average right now I’m getting 2 HIIT and one steady state, which is alright. As the weather continues to improve I would love those workouts to be at the track doing intervals. I find that these work excellent for me in terms of fitness and burning fat.I also find that being active outside of workouts is super important, so I try to ramp up my general activity. Getting anywhere from 8-10 miles a day is definitely a goal of mine over the course of May, June, and July.

How I’m feeling & how I battle sleep deprivation when working out

How am I feeling? I guess thats a loaded question. I feel 100 times better than I felt when I was pregnant. And about 2000 times better than the first month postpartum. My incision is fine and I feel great working out-no issues other than fatigued muscles lol!

But I still have such a long way to go before I really, truly feel like myself. I’m up 2-3 times a night and I think thats not so bad….but when you’re going on month 3 , 4, 5, 6 of doing it …it gets real old, real fast.

How do i find the motivation/fit in working out when I’m not sleeping well?

Well, thats pretty tough. Because there are some days where I don’t want to do it. Sure, not sleeping is definitely a legit reason to not workout.

But, at the end of the day, it is still an excuse regardless of whether or not its valid reason.

So, I grind it out. And getting to where i want to be is an accumulation of little choices I make each and every day that add up to be big choices. Like, take a nap or go for a walk. Eat the yogurt or the processed cereal. Tons of tiny decisions on the daily that will make or break whether I get to where I want to be.

I also get creative with workout times-I try to avoid super early AM workouts for obvious reasons (normally when I get a good amount of sleep I love them), and try to do more on the weekends when I have help.

My biggest motivators are knowing how good I will feel about myself when I’m strong. How much more energy I’ll have because I’m fit and healthy. And …. the feeling when my clothes fit me great, and I’m a confident Bad ass bitch.

Exercise of the month:

I’m (hate) loving burpees at the moment. What a great exercise. No equipment needed, works the whole body, raises the heart rate, and you don’t need much space for it! BOOM.

Thats all for now!

Have a great day! xo

Alex

2 Months Postpartum: The Body

Stash Pocket Salutation Peony 7/8 Tight • Athleta • $71.99
Athleta Athleta Women's Encore Tank Top • Athleta • $33.93
Nike Pro Classic Mid-Impact Swoosh Sports Bra 842398 • Nike • $30

2 Months Postpartum: The Body

It’s been 2 months since my little guy was born. Sometimes it seems like just yesterday he was born.. but at the same time I can’t even remember life without him. Does that even make sense? 🤷🏼‍♀️

There is so much that goes into the postpartum period of having a baby. Not only adjusting to the baby, but the mental and physical side of things for YOU, the mama. Everyone provides so much support right after the baby, but when that first month is over and everyone goes back to work, and their own lives it can be HARD. You’re at home with a crying baby and it can get overwhelming especially if its your first baby. The 24/7 care can be exhausting. Combine that with hormones, breastfeeding, as well as with the physical changes that pregnancy and postpartum brings its no wonder there are so many women with the baby blues or even PPD. So little attention is brought to a woman’s mental state after pregnancy.

As you know, I write about everything…baby, mom stuff, recipes, fashion…it has super therapeutic in a way for me with this third baby. Having a baby can be isolating but this has given me an outlet when I might be otherwise cut off a little bit from society and my “regular” life.

But my favorite posts by far have tp be these body/fitness updates because even though I get frustrated on the DAILY- weighing myself, seeing an unflattering angle in the mirror, trying pre pregnancy jeans on.. the list goes on LOL... (I’m just being real with you during this postpartum phase) when I look back on my previous monthly posts, I can see that I’ve made progress. And I know there are SO MANY other women who feel the same way. And if I can see positivity & progress in my own journey, so can you.

Sometimes progress is hard to see when you’re grafting day and in and day out and things aren’t happening as fast as what you’d like. I encourage you to take progress photos and look at all of this from a “big picture” standpoint. How far you have come, rather than how far you have to go.

I know I feel inspired when I see other women work hard for things they want and I hope in a small way I can do the same for you. I’m not where I want to be yet (not even close), but I’m loving sharing the journey in depth with all of you.

Postpartum Feelings

I've been a mother for almost 5 years. To some of you, I'm still a rookie. And let me tell you, a lot of the time I sure do feel like a rookie. I think in our own way we are all newbies trying to find our way not only for our children, but for our new life as parents, caregivers. Because just when you think you've figured it out, they go and change on you again :) 

I can't tell you how many times over the last 4 1/2 years I've come across messages of "love your ____(insert either body, scars, battle wounds, mom pooch, tiger stripes, curves, stretch marks" etc. ) in social media, magazines, tv. It’s everywhere. Don't get me wrong. I love messages of positivity to uplift women whether you're a mom, a teen, or a twenty something post college graduate. But I guess a part of me has fought this message internally. And its always made me feel weird and to be honest, like an outsider when it comes to this topic. I don’t know if this message is realistic, for me anyway.

I don't love my postpartum curves. I don't love my stretch marks. I don't love my loose skin. I don't love my c- section scars. What I do love? MY SONS. My beautiful three boys. (they of course were worth every ounce of pain, sacrifice, skin sagginess, scars, and stretch marks FYI !)

If you asked me if I could have heathy children and do without the loose skin & stretch marks I wouldn't think twice. Absolutely I would take that. And I bet I'm not the only one who would -whether people want to admit it or not. Those battle scars…They’re just human.. and part of the process for some of us.

What I do is thank my pre-pregnancy body for being STRONG, fit and healthy enough to carry my babies…not my stretch marks or loose skin.

And my postpartum body? I might not love every part of it. BUT I RESPECT the HELL out it. My curves, stretch marks, loose skin and scars.

In my opinion, the most important way (and most realistic way) you can love your body is by respecting & appreciating it throughout all the crazy seasons of life us women go through.

Now…on to Month 2!

Post surgery:

This was the best recovery by far from all of my C sections. I think because my incisions opened (superficial layer, not infected or anything) the last 2 times I was really careful. In addition, I had a lot of help at night with my husband bringing baby to me in the middle of the night to nurse (not getting up out of a chair holding baby) which was #husbandgoals. Lastly, the horrible weather we had the first 4 weeks postpartum actually went in my favor because I didn’t go for walks or leave the house. Haha.

I have no issues with my incision and hopefully every day the scar will fade. Although having the scar doesn’t really phase me, to be honest. I think out of all things “postpartum” that is the thing I least care about.

Workouts

I’m getting 3-4 strength training workouts in during the week and trying to get 2-3 days of cardio in. I’m careful with my cardio; I want to be sure my body is able to handle the impact. Because of this, I’m really focusing on weights and getting stronger right now. During pregnancy I lost so much muscle- and gained a lot of extra fat so I’ve got to ease my way into it. In addition, I have about 2 cm of separation still between my abs-which I am doing DR exercises to improve.

I’ve gone on 3-4 runs and my times have already started to lower. I’m soooo far off where I used to be but I’m trying to focus on what I CAN do and not what I used to be able to do. I know I’ve done this twice before; and I can do it again if I want it bad enough.

Nutrition

To be honest, my nutrition has been better this postpartum period than it was with the other two. I’m eating less cereal/empty carbs at night and if I need a snack at night I choose Greek yogurt. During the day I’m pretty structured and disciplined. Breakfast is usually eggs with turkey bacon, eggs on its own, or chicken sausage always paired with oatmeal. Lunch is usually chicken or salmon with salad, and you have all seen my dinners throughout the week in my Monday meal plan.

Of course, I have “splurge” meals (like pizza last week saturday, for example) and I usually have a treat or two after going to the grocery shopping (I blame the “hungry me” for buying my fave love crunch granola haha)

For those that have breastfed, you know the struggle is real with nursing hunger…or HANGER. Ha. I literally CANNOT go to bed without eating something because I’ll wake in the night hungry.

I definitely don’t portion out my meals too much, I would say breakfast and lunch I know pretty much the macros I’m eating but dinner and before bed all bets are off. For me, maintaining my supply is most important and if it takes me 3 months longer to achieve what I want, then so be it.

Weight/ body image

My clothes are definitely fitting better but I would say 70% of my closet doesn’t fit, or it doesn’t fit comfortably/ the way I want it to. Which is super frustrating, but it is what it is. I’ve accepted it, respect it and I’m going to keep showing up like a bad penny at the gym getting after it.

I’ve also bought 2 new pairs of jeans because I’m not putting some ridiculous pressure on how fast “i bounce back”. Some of my pants are going to take about 6 MONTHS to fit back into, and thats just reality. You don’t get a medal, a trophy or anything special for fitting into your jeans quicker! I’ll get there and I know from my other two babies it takes time. A lot of time. Like over a year. And it takes sweat. Discipline. And of all things, consistency.

Weight wise the scale hasn’t budged in about 4 weeks. It has. not. budged. a. single. pound.

4 weeks of being intentional about walking (the first 2 weeks. Working out the last 2 weeks, 5 days a week.

4 weeks of intentional, healthy eating.

So, basically, I’m still 15-ish lbs above pre-pregnancy weight.

Frustration is an understatement.

I found with my other two babies I was able to lose a majority of the weight (over a 12 month period-let’s be clear!!) but I coulden’t get as lean/lose the last 3-4 lbs until I stopped nursing. Whether that was hormones, or my hunger, I’m not sure. We will see this time around! Everyone’s body is different and reacts a different way to nursing.

So, if you’re in the same season as me (this awkward postpartum phase), know that taking small victories like FEELING good, fitting into pants better, having more energy, being able to lift a heavier weight, or running faster/longer means far more than the scale anyway.

And as those small victories keep piling up ….you’ll see movement in the scale. Because that’s really how it works.

End of Story.

xo

Alex

Birth Plans & What I wish I knew about C-Sections

Birth Plans

I always took an interest when I was pregnant reading people’s labor stories prior to having my first. I was incredibly nervous about labor, child birth, etc. I read everything I could get my hands on. I also had an image in my mind of what my labor would look like and I assumed because I was so fit & healthy that childbirth would be something that I, of all people, could do well…and like KICK ASS at (haha, clearly I was delusional). I also had a personal goal (that I didn’t necessarily share with anyone) to give birth without an epidural (also, clearly extremely delusional !!!!) . I think in some ways our society glorifies “natural childbirth”- and don’t get me wrong- if you delivered that way, you’re a rockstar. But there are many ways to deliver a baby and all that matters is getting baby out safely-for mom and baby.

At the end of the day, I couldn’t have been more wrong about my birth experience and the one thing I always tell first time moms is KEEP AN OPEN MIND.

My labor experience was something I never could have expected and I felt completely blindsided by how everything went down. Long story short, my water broke, I didn’t progress past 2 cm, my baby went into distress from pitocin, the labor pains from the pit were the WORST PAIN I HAD EVER FELT IN MY LIFE, and I begged for an epidural after about 12 hours. Baby was slightly transverse, and I ended up getting a C-section after 20+ hours of labor after my water broke. So…I wanted to share some things that EVERY first time mom should read about C-sections because YOU NEVER KNOW. I wish I would have researched it, and kept an open mind about my “birth plan”.

C-section’s seem to be a hot topic in America. WHY, how, should you or shoulden’t you. I consider myself an extremely confident female (and mother) and whenever someone asked me about my due date or we got on the subject of my babies births/birth stories, I felt the need to explain why I had a C-section. And its completely ridiculous.

I’m currently reading “Bringing up Bebe: One American Mother discovers the wisdom of French Parenting” by Pamela Druckerman and even she mentions:

“Very few women make a fuss about this. French moms often ask me where I plan to deliver, but never how. They don’t seem to care. In France, the way you give birth doesn’t situate you within a value system or define the sort of parent you’ll be. It is, for the most part, a way of getting your baby safely from your uterus into your arms.

In French, giving birth without an epidural isn’t called natural childbirth. Its called ‘giving birth without an epidural.’ “

I’m not taking anything away from someone who has given birth without an epidural. Or has gotten an epidural. I guess my point is..let’s all do whats best for our bodies, and babies.

Rather than sharing my birth story and the play by play of it-which to be honest isn’t really that interesting considering it was a scheduled C-section…. I’m sharing what I wish I knew about C-sections in general prior to ‘going under the knife’. I honestly hope ALL moms to be read this because like I said, you may think things will go a certain way, but sometimes they don’t!

What I wish I knew about C-Sections

Pre Surgery Vibes!!!

Surgery:

1. Stay Calm & BREATHE: If I could give any tips, this would be it! Especially if it isn’t a planned C, or you have never had surgery before-it can be really scary. With my first because things happened so fast, and I wasn’t really prepared mentally, I asked to listen to music. Being strapped down and being operated on while you’re fully awake isn’t for the birds! It helped calm me for sure. I also try and think about anything BUT what they are actually doing. Like what baby is going to look like, etc.

2. Be prepared that you might get the shakes: With my first, I had so many different drugs in me to try and get baby to come, that I was shaking so hard in the surgery room. I mean…arms shaking, teeth chattering. Crazy. Again, see #1.

3. You can still feel it: Kinda freaky, but you can still feel them moving around in there. You shouldn’t feel pain, BUT you will feel pulling, tugging, etc. I remember with my second they couldn’t get his head out and they had to reallllly push and pull. Let’s just say that I could feel all that going on! Please revert to #1.

4. It’s COLD AF in there. They will give you blankets but its still chilly!

5. You can still have skin to skin. With my first two, they pretty much whisked the baby away to get his scores, weight, and clean him up. This time, at the new Children’s hospital, they didn’t take him for a bath right away. They checked baby out, and then brought him over to me and laid him on my chest (obviously with my husband holding him) and this was AMAZING. I definitely think they are trying to do more “baby/mom” friendly practices which is awesome because I always felt like I lost out on those first moments with my other two being C-sections.

6. Some people’s doctors request for no makeup-mine never did. However, nails have to be unpainted so save that pedi for another day!

   Post Surgery:

7. You may feel nauseous (sometimes some people feel sick during surgery too!). With my first two, afterwards I felt super groggy and tired but was OK. This time around I threw up a few times and honestly was super nauseous for probably 12 hours. This sucked big time-especially since I literally haven’t thrown up since I was like 12. So, I’m not one to get nauseous easily! I was told it was a different pain medication they give you (which was great for the pain) but for my overall state was a bummer! I feel like I coulden’t even enjoy baby because I felt so sick and horrible.

8. Take the stool softeners: I know I mentioned this before, but if they don’t give them to you. ASK for them.

9. You may have shoulder pain post surgery. I don’t remember this with my other two babies but this time around I totally thought I slept bad in the hospital bed (which I did, don’t get me wrong haha!) but the pain in my neck/shoulder was really from gas that was caught in my system due to everything slowing down post surgery! It was painful!

10. Get a belly Bandit: I didn’t wear mine in the hospital but pretty much when I got home I slapped that baby on. It helps so much supporting the core, and laying over your incision. Also…it helps flatten out that postpartum belly!

11. Get the C-panties: If I could go back and purchase one thing after my first baby, it would be this! Not only do these help with a silicone strip for healing of the incision so there isn’t any rubbing on your clothing, etc., but they are high rise and suck everything in. I swear I wore these for like…6 weeks postpartum with baby 3!

12. HELP, HELP, HELP!! Get help where you can! Honestly..sit on the couch, turn on netflix, read a book, close your eyes, watch instagram stories. Whatever—just relax. Let others do the cooking, cleaning, laundry. If people ask, TAKE THE HELP. I definitely didn’t take this advice the first 2 times around. Remember, at the end of the day you don’t get an award for doing it all. Rest, recover, and save the cleaning/cooking/etc for 6 weeks from now! You’re no less of a person, mom, woman if you take help!

13. Don’t weigh yourself- because alllll of the swelling and water retention!! I mean…1. you just made a human and 2. you may have tons of water retention from the fluids pumped in you pre, during and post surgery. EVEN a few days later when you come home they can still be lingering! Drink tons of water!

14. Laughing and sneezing hurts….put a pillow or the boppy up against your incision if you have to the first week or so!

15. IT IS A REAL BIRTH. Enough said.

My C Section Must Haves:

I have linked a bunch of my C-Section must have’s including The belly bandit, the C panty, the boppy and of course HIGH RISE leggings because you definitely do not want ANYTHING rubbing on that bikini line where your incision is!!

A Pea In The Pod C-Panty Recovery & Slimming Panty • A Pea in the Pod • $40
Upspring C-Panty Small/Medium High Waist C-Section Recovery Panty in Black • Upspring • $39.99
Belly Bandit Post Pregnancy Belly Wrap • $69.95
Belly Bandit(R) Post Pregnancy Belly Wrap • $69.95
Belly Bandit(R) Post-Pregnancy Belly Wrap • $69.95
Zella Live In 7/8 Leggings • Zella • $54
Zella Live In High Waist Leggings • Zella • $54–59
Zella Live In High Waist Crop Leggings • Zella • $55
Lululemon Align Pant Super High-Rise *28" • Lululemon • $98
Boppy& Luxe Sherpa Sheep Nursing Pillow and Positioner in Cream • Boppy • $49.99

xo

Alex

3 weeks Postpartum Thoughts & My #1 PP Must Have

Happy Thursday everyone!

Hope you all are having a good week and enjoyed the warm up we had at the beginning of the week! It def gave me spring fever 🌸 🌺 ☀️ It also made me totally want to book a getaway ASAP!! 🏝 LOL

Hopping on to give a lil update on 3 weeks postpartum and some of my Postpartum must haves...

3 weeks postpartum

I remember the days going by so slowly postpartum with both of my first two kids, but I feel like this time it’s flying by. Maybe because I have two other guys to look after? I’m not sure but it sure is going by fast. 

The newborn honeymoon phase is clearly over at this point and it’s GAME ON. I know sooo many people who are like “newborns are so easy”. I think they may be on some sort of drugs or .. they had a super easy baby. I prefer toddler phase SO SO much more. Probably because 99% of night waking is my responsibility ((nursing))so home girl is tired AF. So let’s get to it...

Sammy 

Our big guy loves cuddles, milk, and being warm. Tolerates tummy time better than my other two ever did, and likes the bottle definitely less than the others. Hates to be swaddled (wants his arms free) and is the only one of my kids who actually likes to baby wear! All in all, he’s growing, healthy and we coulden’t be more blessed. truly. ((even with the lack of sleep lol))

SLEEP 

Sleep was actually going okay. At first I was getting 2-3 hour stretches at night. Bedtime is all over the show ((which is normal I guess)) and the last week was pretty rough. There were 2-3 nights where he was up 11 pm-1:30 am and then up every 90 min after- which is brutal considering my other kids are up at 6:30/7 am. Last night I resigned to the fact that I needed to go to bed when my older two hit the sack around 8 pm and that’s what I did. So I was able to get two 3 hour stretches of sleep and then once we hit 2 am he was up every hour or 90 mins. I was so happy he wasn’t up for the happy hour at 11 pm! 

How am I managing it? Some days are better than others. Most days I’m okay... but tbh yesterday I felt completely defeated.

Like...I’m never going to sleep again or get anything done ever again??!!. Before I had Sammy, I was usually up before 6 am to get myself ready, work out, emails, work on stuff for our business, blog, etc. Now that’s clearly not going to happen and it’s driving me crazy. It was my “time” to be productive and going to bed at 8 or 9 pm also means I get ... nothing done at night. Ugh. 

I’m not much of napper but I have forced myself to when I have help. I also remind myself 55 times a night on how fast this will go, and how my little guy is so used to being with me 24-7 and that he needs me. His mama ❤️.

Also, caffeine helps. Lol. A lot. Gimme allll of the spark. 

Breastfeeding

All of the pains of the first couple of weeks have subsided including sore nipples, massive engorgement, super leaky boobs, etc. and we’ve settled into a pretty good routine. 

Sammy only has taken the bottle 2 or 3 times; he’s not a huge fan which is okay for me now anyway because I’m with him so much and not working atm other than doing some things remotely at home and a meeting or two every week that I need to head in to the office for.

He’s gaining weight really well and I’m so grateful for my body and ability to nurse him. I’m definitely going to write up a breastfeeding post to share with y’all including tips, things I wish I would have known, and my favorite nursing friendly clothing!! 

Body

I did a big post on this last week. In the past week, I’ve started to walk a little bit weather permitting. My incision feels better and better and no signs of any issues there.

Also ...true story ....after my first walk my abs were sore! Haha! I don’t force the walking though- if the weather is crappy (like today) I just roll with it!

I’m not going to lie that I don’t feel a little frustrated - I weighed myself yesterday for the first time in a week and I haven’t lost a single ounce. So, I’m still up about 18-30 lbs. 

On top of that I ((stupidly)) tried on a pair of my normal size jeans and couldn’t get them over my thighs. On the same day that I weighed myself #ROOKIEMISTAKE lol.

Literally cried for the first time since having the baby. Not sure why I decided to do both of those things in one day 🤦🏼‍♀️Anyway, I have soooo much work to go to get back where I was and I’m definitely feeling down about that. 

It’s actually FUNNY to me typing that. I mean, I did just birth a 8 lb human 3 weeks ago….I guess patience and grace is an area that I need to work on lol. Also I’m not even walking consistently so I’m not sure why i think my body should be back to the way it is. I guess its just been a reality check and thats been a tough pill for me to swallow about the work and grind I’m gonna have to put in starting at 6 or 7 weeks PP. I’m mentally gearing up for it though and ready for the challenge.

I’m definitely going to do a “body image” post sometime soon because its something I’m really passionate about and I have sooo many thoughts about the “body positivity” movement!

Brothers 

The boys have adjusted really well ((so far)) actually. Max is definitely more interested in his baby brother and is pretty helpful!! but Seb loves him as well. Managing all three at one time on my own is a bit of a circus. I resort to a little more TV time than I would normally especially because I have to nurse so much ... and baby wearing 🤷🏼‍♀️when I have to. Newborns DO sleep a lot which helps, and my boys are in school (Seb twice a week, Max 4 times) so the mornings are easier. Early afternoons are okay because both older boys nap so its pretty much the 3-6 pm time slot and I mostly have help for now.

Tuesday night I was on my own with all three boys for bedtime. Luckily the baby napped the hour leading into their bedtime so all was good 🙌🏼I’m looking forward to a month or so from now where I can start to have a routine for the baby (or at least a ball park scheduled bedtime) and it will give us a little more structure. 

Postpartum Must- haves

I thought I’d share a few things that have been crucial to the bane of my existence for the past 3 weeks! These are great for postpartum…but also just COZY and COMFY wear for those on the lookout!!

-My #1 PP Item- The belly bandit. I wear this thing 24-7. Helps me keep my core stable, gives me support, and helps with reducing size of my tummy post baby. Cannot recommend this enough!!!

-Barefoot dreams cardigan. Wearing a sweater at times can be cumbersome when you nurse 10 times a day lol! these are soo warm and easy to wear.

-Another barefoot cardi

-Barefoot socks….wore around house or out and about with boots!

-I wear these C-panties day and night to help protect my incision! A must for C Section mamas.

-Cannot live without my boppy for breastfeeding.

-I wear joggers around the house alllll day. Love these joggers from Loft. Honestly they are like a soft blanket!

-My Dylan joggers from Anthro are on mega sale. Great if you’re pregnant, not pregnant or PP. Come in tons of colors!

-When I actually have to look presentable I wear the Align legging from lulu (high waisted and suck it all in) or the Zella legging!!

-Can’t say enough about these Wit and Wisdom jeans. Elastic on jeans? yesssssss.

-BP t shirts- easy to nurse in and great for layering. ( i sized up for PP life) I have these in solid and striped. Wearin them all day everyday. Also. $10. Add to cart.

-The january tee is an easy postpartum option made by Free People!

Have a great day

xo alex

Week 1 Postpartum & 10 Hacks to surviving the first week PP

My outfit: Free People top | Zella Legging | New Balance sneaks

Hey friends!!

Happy Hump day…although for me right now it seems like groundhog day lol. Allll of the days meld together and I don’t even have a day or night haha #postpartumlife

We welcomed Samson Alexander on January 16, 2019 💙💙we are so over the moon and BLESSED beyond belief

Wanted to give you an update and a few postpartum hacks for every new mama! Below is a few items I have been LIVING in this week cause just give me all the comfiessss.

Barefoot dreams socks- so comfy while the weather has been so cold ||| Barefoot Dreams Cardigan ||| Barefoot Dreams Cardigan || Graphic Tees | Loft Sweats literally the softest things I’ve had on my body!! || Ugg slippers ||

Update:

Birth

Everything went smooth during the surgery. We were scheduled for a 7:30 am, but it went a few minutes late. My spinal worked great and I was actually the most calm I’d been during any of the 3 of my C Sections. I did have some pain when they were taking Sammy out but other than that I felt fine. He had some problems breathing so the first 24 hours was pretty stressful but we got through it! I had a rough 24 hours post surgery, nauseous and throwing up (this didn’t happen with my other two kids)…honestly I felt HORRIBLE. I could hardly open my eyes I feel like…and combine that with trying to nurse your baby, etc. made for a tough day. More about the birth later….

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is going really well other than the fact that I feel like my boobs are the size of Texas and that someone is stabbing me with a knife in the nipple the first 30 seconds after latching… LOL. Its actually not funny though. Its so weird how I’ve nursed for over 2 years total with my other boys and my nipples are so sore still? Like why? It should be one of those things where it hurts the first time and then the next couple times you’ve paid your dues and you’re good- no pain. haha. Actually the whole child birth thing should be like that…who’s with me??!

Its always so crazy “learning” how to breastfeed again. I say “learning” because every baby is different and I feel like you almost forget how to breastfeed a newborn after a couple years. Older babies and toddlers are so different because they have the head control and know how to latch on their own so easily.

Breastfeeding a newborn is tough because you literally have to hold their head in place, and help them latch on and it can almost feel like you need an 7 arms to try and work through those first few feeds. Luckily Sammy caught on after the first day and has been doing great ever since. I definitely think the worst part of the first few days of breastfeeding is getting to know your baby and helping them learn how to eat…but also the engorgement ((and painful nipples!!).

I noticed for sure that the engorgement process got worse each time with each kid. With my second I was in a ton of pain and could hardly sleep when my milk came in…and with baby Samson even more so. I’ve finally JUST come through it and I’m so happy lol. They were rock hard and so sore for 4 days straight. Luckily, they gave me a hand pump at the hospital which helped a little, and this time around I was able to use my pump at home and that helped relieve a little bit. For some reason NOTHING would come out when I tried to express milk with Seb and I just had to keep nursing, and icing and it finally just worked itself out. I have about 30 ounces of milk already in my fridge ((um yes total oversupply over here lol) so I’m off to a good start. Its hard because I don’t want to pump too much; but at the same time I need relief!!
Sammy has already hit his birth weight 6 days after birth and I am so grateful for that! Our bodies really are amazing.

Home

The transition home was pretty seamless, mostly because my older two were still with their grandparents (Thank god!!) .

I stayed an extra day in the hospital- I’m so glad I did. I always get anxious when I get home and can’t take care of things myself. The first night home with Max is one my husband and I will legit never forget LOL. I don’t think we slept more than an hour. he honestly didn’t sleep AT ALL his first night home (haha this should have been foreshadowing for his first 8 months) and all he did was cry.

Seb didn’t sleep great on his first night home, but did ok. Sammy, the same. We were just grateful to settle him in and have some quiet time before the others came home! The boys just got home sunday so we are just trying to transition into 2 kids to 3!! It definitely is a lot louder with them home haha.

My biggest challenge is going to be getting rest and recovery but still carving out time for my two older boys. Also, our oldest is up super early ((like 6 am…ouch)) so there won’t be any sleeping in if I’ve been up all night with the baby. I think I’m going t o be permanantly exhausted the next year…but I guess you have done it twice so you kind of know what to expect. I also feel like right now I’m sleeping better than I was when I was pregnant ha! I had the worst insomnia and was so uncomfortable.

Recovery/Body

After the first initial few days, I am definitely feeling a lot better. I am still trying to sit/lay as much as I can to minimize movement with my incision and am avoiding stairs where I can. I haven’t really needed much pain medication since I came home which is great. Its a slow process but I keep reminding myself that every day I will feel 5% better. I came home from the hospital only dropping 8 pounds (like WHAT lol!!??Thats it?>)

I know from experience a lot of that is fluid retention(let the night sweats begin lol) so I’m trying to not read into it and give it time. My stomach is ((slowly)) going down and I know thats just a process!! I didn’t weigh myself the last 2 days (its been like a circus around here lol) but 5 days PP I was down 13 pounds/out of 35 total gained.

I wanted to share some advice/few of my Postpartum Hacks for surviving the first week postpartum cause it can be rough, yall!

1. Stool softener.: Ok peeps, if this your first kid this is a must have. Just thinking about going #2 PP is enough to make you cringe regardless of how that baby came out. This is my third time around so I knew to ask for it but they did not readily give it to me this time around (not sure why I had to ask) but it helps SOOOO much. Plz take it!

2. Nipple Cream: another must have for any breastfeeding mom. This has been a savior for me…it keeps your nipples hydrated when they get so irritated in the initial phases of breastfeeding.

3. Hospital Stay: I always recommend to people to stay in the hospital as long as you can. Yeah, I know there’s always people coming in your room checking on you, taking your vitals, etc. but BELIEVE me. Stay there as long as you can. Everything is at your finger tips. The second you get home you are instantly more active and have to be more mobile. I stayed in the hospital the full 3 1/2 days this time around and it was 100% better than the previous 2 deliveries.

4. Preparation is key: I can’t stress prep work enough!! Washing babies clothes, blankets, having a nursing station set up, baby items all set up, having items you need for postpartum life readily accessible (like clothes you’ll be wearing). I tried to get as much food prep in as I could too! As the female…you know where everything is so having it set up before hand so your hubby/SO doesn’t have to search for it is super important!

5. Ice Packs will be your BFF: Ice packs for everywhereeeeee. Down there, and for your boobs. Trust me. The best ones are the small kiddie ones from like the dollar store.

6. Belly Bandit: Get a belly bandit. I can’t say enough about this product and giving you support after you have baby…also it helps (I think) shrink the area and keeps your core “all together” and flattens it. Your core went through soooo much so its important to help it those first few weeks/2 months.

7. Rotate activity with rest: This is one I have a hard time with because when I’m home I just want to go, go, go regardless of how little sleep I get! I try to get 20-30 mins of activity (if baby is sleeping) and then the same ratio in rest time-ie. napping, sitting, reading, checking emails..just resting.

8. Take a shower everyday: Before I had my first, I heard these horror stories about people not showering for days so I always made it a priority for myself to shower every day. no matter what. It always made me feel more put together even if my life was a shit show! And my first was horrible - cried all the time-and I had zero help (as in was on my own with him about 8-10 hours per day every day) but I always showered. Self care people.

9. Take items from your hospital room: Use the products at the hospital as a resource and bring them home with you to make your transition home easier. Pads, granny panties, diapers, vaseline…bring it home!!

10. This is a season: Remember that honestly this is a season. things are going to be crazy, chaotic, frustrating, overwhelming…just remember that babies don’t keep. and that this too shall pass…!!!

Haven’t e a great wednesday loves!

xo

Alex