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.

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Week 38

Busy and active week. I lost a few pounds, but the baby is still growing (and kicking) fine so…. A couple of contributing factors: 1) super active and 2) change in diet. I discontinued dairy, eggs and peanuts since those are foods my son is allergic to, I figure that will give us a good starting point to see if this child has food allergies or not; my breast milk will already be free of those allergens by the time she is born. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the next week with the weight loss and to see how big this second child ends up being at birth.

Day 1: 7:15 AM 15 minute brisk walk, 45 minute moderate walk and leg stretches, 15 minute brisk walk.

9:30 AM short walk to playground and back (10 minutes each way)

3:30 PM 1 hour walk to Brooklyn Heights and back while pushing stroller and sleeping Mateo.

Day 2: 6:05 AM  10 minute brisk walk, 2 sets of lunges, 2 sets pushups, 2 sets of deep knee squats,

8:10 AM 15 minute brisk walk home followed by 15 minute brisk walk at 8:40 and another 15 minutes at 10:00

Later in afternoon: 20 minute moderate walk with Mateo on scooter, more moderate walking and running errands, followed by 15 minute brisk walk (over 1 1/2 hours walking at a moderate to brisk pace–no wonder I’m not gaining weight anymore, but I feel good and strong and the baby feels strong inside of me…)

Day 3:  7:10 AM 15 minute brisk, 35 minute moderate with leg stretches, 15 minute brisk walking. I used the pedometer and it recorded 6166 Steps!

12:00 PM  25 minute speed walk. I also wore the pedometer but with a different pair of pants and it only recorded 50 steps, obviously inaccurate.

2:00 PM 40 minute moderate walking while pushing stroller and running errands, again the pedometer didn’t record anything.  I am doing lots of nesting, and buying supplies for the birth and for after the birth, that’s why I’m running so many errands.

Day 4: 6:00 AM 17 minute not so brisk walk, 10 minute walk, 1 hour walk (with errands across Park Slope),

Super tired the rest of the day. I had only slept 4 1/2 hours of sleep the night before and I just couldn’t do anything.

Day 5: Ran to and around Cadman Plaza. Brought Mateo with me, he rode his scooter and I ran. It worked better than I expected, except I would have liked to run one more loop, but he was too tired. ran 3 loops then down the hill to the playground where I did two sets of pushups and two sets of pull ups for the upper back using the playscape.

Lot’s of cleaning of the house.

4:00 walked around Fort Greene Park and to restaurant. Then 15 minute walk pushing stroller, arms super tired while pushing stroller. (Lot’s of Braxton Hicks contractions between 6:00 and 10:00 pm)

Day 6:  Lot’s of household cleaning, mopping, laundry. 3:00PM  20 minute walk to Fort Greene Park, various activities, including sprinting, climbing, pushing swings, carrying a stroller up steps while holding Mateo’s hand so he wouldn’t slide, then 10 minute walk to restaurant and 40 minute walk home after eating at restaurant.  Now when I get the Braxton Hicks contractions I need to slow my pace, even if I’m just walking.

Day 7:  Calf cramps during the night.  7:30 AM  3 sets of lunges, 2 sets of push ups on knees 10 repetitions, but not too low since my belly was hitting the floor, 2 sets of rows (11 pounds), shoulder flys and rotator flys.

8:50 AM  12 minute super brisk walk, 10:10 40 minute walk and errands, but mostly walking briskly.

5:00 10 minute walk to park and around park and back 10 minutes

Week 33 – Oh my aching pelvis

Okay, this week, in general, my pelvis has been aching. The bones must be shifting a bit especially around the sacrum. Also, my legs have given up on my a couple of times, not so that I hit the floor, but they have buckled out from under me, mostly when I need to move quickly or change direction all of a sudden. This seems to be connect with my hamstring muscles feeling overstretched and sore all the time (I’ve been using lots of tiger balm on them). They seem to be over stretched from the shift in bones and the increased lordosis (the curve in the lower back is exaggerated). I’ve been focusing more on Kegels and abs to counterbalance that tendency.

Day 1: 7:05 am 2o minute moderate walk, 45 min moderate walk, leg stretches

8:25  20 minute moderate walk

4:00 PM carried Mateo from Harry Chapin playground to our house, he fell asleep halfway home. Also, carried his scooter.  Took over 20 minutes carrying the extra weight and my legs and arms were dead afterward.  

Day 2: 6:00 AM brisk walk 16 minutes ( it now takes an additional minute to do the same walk I used to do in 15 minutes — I am getting slower), 

6:20   ran to park (5 minutes) and back, did 4 sets of lunges and 2 sets of pushups (on bench). 

8:10 20 minute walk

11:00 20 minute walk

1:30  20 minute walk

Day 3: 7:05 AM  20 minute moderate walk followed by 35 minute moderate walk (hill and stairs 4 flights are now very challenging)

8:25  15 minute very brisk walk

11:00  Slow walk with stops to Brooklyn Heights (30 minutes walking with break in the middle)

2:00 25 minute walk

Day 4: 6:00 brisk walk 16 minutes, 

6:20 ran to hill (5 min.) couldn’t run the hill, can’t do it anymore at my client’s pace, did 4 sets of lunges, 2 sets of wall pushups, 8 minute run back, leg stretches

8:05 10 minute brisk walk followed by 8 min brisk walk

9:30 1 hour walk across Park Slope while running errands

5:00 PM 20 minute walk to Brooklyn Heights 

Day 5: 35 minute run around Cadman Plaza Park – 4 loops! It was so difficult!  Also, it’s not a run, it’s a jog at this point. Still felt good to do it. Did 2 sets of one arm rows, 2 set of shoulder flys.  Lot’s of cleaning.  More walking 20 minutes and 20 minutes later in day. 

Day 6:  Light walking.

Day 7:  15 minute walk, 15 minute walk, 10 minute walk, 20 minute walk.  Light day.

Week 31 – the hard to breathe week

Day 1:  6:00 am  15 minute brisk walk, run to park and one loop around Cadman Plaza park. I can no longer keep up with my client, I’m just too winded too easily with the extra 23 pounds I’m carrying and the Braxton Hicks contractions are very noticeable, they went away when I slowed down, hate to slow down, but it’s only for a couple more months and then running without a belly can begin again. I did two sets of lunges and one set of bench pushups. Ran back 5 minutes.  

7:25   30 minute moderate walk, some stretches

8:25 15 minute brisk walk

Walked around the Museum of Modern Art, carried Mateo from F train station at York street home. Really difficult with all the stairs!  

Day 2:  8:45 am  15 minute brisk walk

11:30 am taught Sling Your Baby™  dance class. Felt good to move in a dance way, but winded!

5:30 pm ran up and down the hall kicking a ball for about 15 minutes or more.

Day 3: 7:00 am  25 minute moderate walk, 40 minute moderate walk, leg stretches,  

8:25 am 15 min. brisk walk

11:30   30 minute brisk walk with stroller, Mateo on scooter.

2:00 30 minute walk with Mateo sleeping in stroller.

5:45 Mateo on scooter and me walking briskly to keep up with him, 10 minutes to park, threw rocks into the water and walked across rocks — good balance exercise, much climbing on the playground equipment and sliding down slides, 10 minute walk back with more balance work while walking on the train tracks that can still be found in our neighborhood streets.

Day 4:   6:45 am –15 minute brisk walk, short run to Columbia Heights hill, one run down and up – definitely a rating of 9 on a scale of one to ten with ten being extremely hard, I was completely out of breath, but it only took about 2 minutes to recover, so not so bad – did two sets of lunges and 2 sets of wall pushups, 10 minute run back, leg stretches.

9:35 am – very brisk 30 minute walk – felt good to do even after the early morning activity.

11:45 am – moderate walk about 20 minutes

Later in day various sprints to catch Mateo, some activity putting together a bookshelf. So winded just all the time, the uterus is squishing my diaphragm muscle and I can’t even sit relaxed or it gets squished and I can’t breathe.

Day 5 : light walking

Day 6: more walking, moderate not very long distances, flew a kite

Day 7:  15 minute walk brisk, 25 minute walk brisk, two more 10 minute walks, stretching,

Week 30

Day 1:  7:00 am: 20 minute walk, moderate. I was super winded walking up the hill to Columbia Heights. The 20 extra pounds and 7 months of pregnancy is starting to take it’s toll.  30 minute moderate walk, 15 minute brisk walk, leg stretches.  Later in day 1:30 15 minute walk and scootercise, frisbee playing and jumping off a wall.  3:30 more walking and following Mateo around a playground. 5:00 long walk home with stop in other park to throw rocks (I didn’t throw any). Super tired before I arrived home, just not off my feet enough.

Day 2: 6:00 brisk 15 minute walk, 6:20 ran one hill, two sets lunges, 1 set wall pushups, ran back along promenade, all took approximately 25 minutes, leg stretches,

8:00 15 minute brisk walk

1:15 30 minute slow walk carrying sleeping Mateo in the Ergo on my front, while the baby kicked in my belly. Super tired legs after that. 

Day 3: 7:10  15 minute brisk walk, 40 minute walk moderate (but now the moderate pace walk is becoming challenging, especially when walking up hills or stairs), 15 minute brisk walk.

11:45  30 minute brisk walk pushing stroller, 

1:00   40 minute walk, tennis, 10 minute walk. –Legs super tired by end of the day.

Day 4:  6:00 am  15 minute brisk walk, 8:00 am 40 minute slow walk and errands.  Manhattan walking with various shopping, legs were super tired.

Day 5:  Cleaned and mopped all day. short walk to neighborhood park, hit a couple of tennis balls.

Day 6:  40 minute jog (my pace is no longer the pace of a run), two sets pushups on my knees (7 reps/ 10 reps.), two sets rows.  Some yoga stretches.  10 minute walk to bus.  30 minute walk from Atlantic terminal to Prospect Park, some walking in park. 30 minute walk back from park.  Exhausted.  

Day 7: 15 minute brisk walk, 30 minute walk moderate.

Pregnancy Week 21

Day 1

7:05 brisk 15 minute walk,

leisurely 30 minutes

ran 10 minutes

5865 Steps

12:00 pm Walk and play in park

Total Steps: 8078 Steps

Day 2

8:45 Brisk 15 minute walk

Barre, pushups, rows, stretches, inversion 40 minutes

12:00 Brisk walk home

4:15  15 minute walk, carried Mateo

5:30  15 minute walk, carrying Mateo– upstairs -super challenging with the added weight and Mateo 45 pounds.

Day 3

7: 05 Forgot to wear pedometer (walked 15 minutes brisk, 30 minutes leisurely, 15 minutes walk and jog) 

12:00 long leisurely walk to Post Office and then back and halfway across the Manhattan Bridge and back. Carried Mateo for the last 45 minutes or more.

Day 4

6:00 13 minute brisk walk/jog 

8:15 30 minutes walk/errands

Pedometer: 5460

Day 5 

shopped in Ikea and Fairway, forgot to wear my pedometer… no other exercise

Day 6

No organized exercise, some walking, walking around the MOMA museum

Day 7

6:00 am  15 minute brisk walk followed by 3 loop run around Cadman Plaza Park

Steps: 7460 

2:30 walk to teach and return from Creative Movement class

Total Pedometer Steps: 10,000

Week 19

Day 1

Short walk with Mateo, at his pace, then jog while he ran two blocks, then carried him on my shoulders for 10 minutes.

Day 2

Travel day home, some leg stretches on the airplane.

Day 3

Nothing: home cleaning and laundry — nothing like being home to have to do all the chores again…..

Day 4

15 minute brisk walk

10 minute brisk walkk

20 minute super brisk walk (bitter cold walk from Brooklyn Heights to Dumbo)

Day 5

30 minutes stepping at home, light stretching

Day 6

light walking, lots of cleaning

Day 7

10 minutes carrying Mateo in Ergo, Taught 45 minute Creative Movement Class

25 minute leisurely walk home

Week 18

Day 1

Ran 35 minutes. Again as before, walked up the hill, sun salutes with chaturanga and side plank,

short tennis (5-10) minutes

pool – light playing/swimming, very light

more pool @ 45 minutes

Day 2

Lots of pool, stretches, abs, back extensions, leg lifts all in the pool. 10 laps, then 4 more laps in the pool, one of them while carrying Mateo- that was really really hard, very winded.

Day 3

30 minute run, stetches, 1 hour pool playing and ballet in the pool.

Day 4

 30 minute run, 15 minute sun salutes, side plank, triangle, tree pose

Some ballet and stretches in the pool 1 hour or more in the pool

rode in car

Day 5

Nothing

Day 6

25 minutes on treadmill approximately 3 1/2 miles. Treadmills are boring, at least for the first 15 minutes! Leg stretches and lots of chasing Mateo for 2 1/2 hours all over a tennis club.

 Day 7

Nothing

Week 13

So, I have been lax about inputting the data over the last almost 4 weeks (week 17 starts tomorrow); I have continued to record the data though. I will continue with weekly entries instead of daily. I also have slacked on the wearing of the pedometer. I will recommence the pedometer when I return from vacation mid January.

Week 13, Day 1 —

6:00 am : Brisk walk

6:20 25 minute run , 3 loops around Cadman Plaza  and leg stretches

7:10 am 15 minute brisk walk

7:35 40 minute walk

8:25 15 minute brisk walk

Pedometer: 13, 185 steps

10:45 -12:00 moderate /leisurely walkto and around parks

Pedometer: 15, 717 Steps

Later in day crawling through Fresh Direct box tunnels with toddler.

Week 13, Day 2

8:45 brisk 15 minute walk

11:30 – 12:00 pushups, one arm rows, Barre, inversion, stretches

12:00 -12:30 – run, chase, dance, jump, fall with Mateo

Steps: 8902

Week 13, Day 3

6:00 am 15 minute brisk walk

6:20-6:40 run (2 hills)

7:30 30 minute moderate walk

8:30 15 minute brisk walk

3:30 Some walking, some carrying Mateo, then 10 minutes carrying Mateo in Ergo

Week 13, Day 4

12 minute brisk walk, followed by 8 minute brisk walk, followed by 15 minute brisk walk.

Pedometer total for two days: 18,000 Steps

Week 13, Day 5

Mopped house, moderate walking, and additional 20 minute moderate walk

Week 13, Day 6

Laundry, dishes etc.

Week 13, Day 7

15 minute brisk walk, 10 minute brisk walk, 8 minute brisk, 10 minute brisk walk

12:00 16 minute brisk walk

2:30 15 minute brisk walk carrying Mateo

3:15 Creative Movement class

5:00 15 minute brisk walk carrying Mateo

Week 12, Day 5

9:00 am – Run!  Ran the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge loop, without the extra in Cadman Plaza Park. It felt pretty good, until the bottom of the Brooklyn Bridge, then getting up the incline of the bridge was really, really tough with difficulty breathing and I went very slow. Then down the hill was fine. Total 3.75 miles plus another half mile walking. 

10:00 am — Yoga, pushups (two on toes each set of 8 reps), one arm rows with 11 pounds, stretches, big backbend. I am dreading the day when I can’t lie on my back because the baby is pressing on my vena cava….

Pedometer: 7727 Steps

Nothing much the rest of the day, except chasing Mateo around Macy’s. That involved a few sprint to catch him before he was lost behind a rack of clothing and many other people.