3rd Week Post Partum

I need a new way to organize this log; since I gave birth on a Sunday, I guess I’ll just use the days of the week beginning with Sunday. This week the sore throat was still hanging around, but was better on the days following a good nights sleep.

Sunday (day 15): Pushups, one arm rows, 1 set of shoulder flys, planks, leg floats and various stretches. Did this around 9:00 PM. The little one was sleeping and the big one was actually sleeping also, he took a 4 hour nap from 5:30 – 9:30 Pm. Not ideal, but I did exercise.

Monday:  Walked to Atlantic avenue, Mateo in the stroller, Ana Lupe in the baby carrier. That took about 25 minutes. Walked back, but went also out of the way to a playground and spent some time at the playground. Approximately 40 minutes walking.

Tuesday: 10 minute walk to local park and back.

Wednesday: Same as above, total of 20 minutes walking. Did some kegels at night and some activating of the abdominal muscles.

Thursday: Workout at home while Ana Lupe was awake and looking at the world around her: lunges (front, back and side), sun salutations, 2 sets of pushups (I’m still on my knees and I can only do 8, but it will get easier), single knee floats, plank and side plank. Plank with lifting one foot off the ground: great abdominal strengthener. Later in day: long slow walk 30 minutes and then another 45 minutes. In between the two walks we went to the playground and ate at a restaurant.

Friday: Nothing of note, not sure I even left the house…

Saturday:  45-50 minute walk/jog with Mateo. We did 3 loops, but Mateo really wasn’t into just doing the loops, so lot’s of starting and stopping and negotiating, but still it was some exercise. Did pushups, rows, shoulder flys, knee floats, planks with Mateo climbing on top of me and other pelvis stabilizing exercises since I did begin to feel the looseness of the pelvis while doing the morning jog.  Later in day 20 minute walk to Fort Greene Park while carrying Ana Lupe.

Week 34 — Realizing my limitations

Day 1: 7:05 AM — 20 minute walk, 35 minute walk, leg stretches, 15 minute brisk walk (so hard now!)

11:00 AM — 20 minute leisurely walk, push swing, partial pull ups on swing set, 

4:00 PM — various sprints in park to catch Mateo

5:30 PM– 15 minute walk home

Day 2:  6:00 AM — 16 minute brisk walk (can’t do the same distance in 15 minutes anymore), no running with client, I just can’t do it at his pace anymore, I’m too heavy. 

8:10 AM– 10 minute leisurely walk followed by another 10 minute leisurely walk

10:00– 30 minute leisurely walk

11:30 — 2 sets pushups on knees (belly hits floor now), 2 sets rows (10 pounds), lunges, deep knee squats ( 2 sets, starting to strengthen for labor now, super deep squats) , plank and hold, and plank and lift one leg, stretches.

12:00 –15 minute walk, 

4:30 pm — 10 minutes to park for playing, sliding, rock throwing, etc.

Day 3: 7:05 AM  20 minute walk, 35 minute walk moderate pace, at the end of the walk, I seriously considered taking the elevator up the 3 flights of stairs, leg stretches,  17 minute brisk walk home (again can’t do it in 15 minutes anymore, too hard)

11:45 AM — 30 minute walk to gymnastics class for Mateo, sat for one hour, 15 minute walk to ice cream shop (I ate a sorbet, very good), 20 minute walk to Fort Greene Park, sat mostly for another 45 minutes or hour, then played actively with Mateo (slides, climbing, walking a lot) for another 30 minutes and 30 minute walk home pushing stroller and sleeping Mateo.  Way too much walking even with all the rest in between locations.  Completely exhausted when I arrived home.

Day 4:   6:00 AM 16 minute brisk walk — planned on running with client, but just couldn’t make myself do it. I just know that I can no longer do it as I have been doing it. I am sad about that but I am also being realistic.  8:10 am 10 minute walk, 10:30–  45 minute walk through and around Park Slope. Again overdid the walking a bit, completely tired and then took Mateo to park at 1:00 for about 1 and half hours with me participating in some sliding and climbing. 

Day 5:  8:15  AM 40 minute jog with 4 loops around Cadman Plaza Park! I was so happy to have done it and proud of myself, even though throughout the run I was having to work very hard to keep myself going mentally!  Ran into my former running partner and chatted for about 10 minutes then ran the rest of the way home. The rest break was actually very good for me, recovered fully and was ready to do more.  2 sets pushups, 2 sets rows, stretching and planks, 1 set shoulders.

3:00 PM went to MOMA, ate late lunch and walked around a bit, super tired though after the morning’s workout and walked super slow until I needed to sprint at one point to catch Mateo before he ran too far away from me. That sprinting after Mateo is when my pelvis/ hamstring muscles actually, really hurt. It’s so difficult to do now, but still must be done on occasion to keep him safe, but he is slowly beginning to understand that he can’t do that as much as I used to let him.

Day 6:  Went to Brooklyn Children’s museum, leisurely walk for 20 minutes to subway, then walked around Museum, Mateo completely overtired, but he walked 10 minutes to the bus stop and then fell asleep on bus.  My exercise: carrying sleeping Mateo 20 minutes from bus stop to home since all cabs were off duty or full…. Later in evening some wrestling with both Mateo and husband. At night strange pain on right side of abdomen– not the usual Braxton Hicks or round ligament pain, but quite painful and continuous, woke up later and called the midwife to rule out the scary possibilities. Seems to be just a pulled muscle or possibly a bruise from the girl inside kicking out against my son sitting on my abdomen….

Day 7: 8:43 AM —-17 minute walk leisurely, felt my abdomen pain as I walked, also felt it earlier in the morning when I picked up Mateo.  Pain went away as I sat, returned during 17 minute walk home. It’s gone after I rested an hour.  It seems I need to take it easier than I have been. I guess that’s a good thing to during by the middle of the 8th month!!!!!