Let me start by saying I am not a nutritionist or a certified trainer. I'm just someone who loves eating well and exercising. When I became pregnant I was in great shape, and though I had no energy and was easily winded, I made an effort to do some sort of fitness at least 5 times a week until having the baby. I believe that getting back in shape was a balance between what I was eating and my level of activity.
I had an emergency c-section leaving me feeling like I was hit by a mack truck. I was panicked I wouldn't be able to hold my baby let alone take him for walks for weeks. However I had a relatively quick recovery and I attribute that to staying active beforehand. I was out walking 5 miles with the stroller two days after getting out of the hospital in January, leisurely, but walking none-the-less.
I do not have a nanny, sitter or daycare at my disposal, and the majority of my workouts are done with my son at my side.
First 8 weeks:
My doctor prohibited strenuous fitness for the first 8 weeks, because I had to let the scar heal. What I did for these 8 weeks was to walk everyday for miles. I have a dog who has a ton of energy and demands exercise, so regardless of snow freezing temperatures or rain, getting outdoors was a necessity. I bundled the baby in the stroller and walked with them both twice a day, which kept my sanity and helped get my abdominals to wake back up.
At 6 weeks I started doing 30 minutes of post natal yoga at home using Yogaglo which was the same site I used for prenatal yoga at home.
Living in NYC means access to tons of great workout classes. I did some research on a baby and me yoga class to do, and at 7 weeks we began going once a week to a class in the upper east, which we still go twice a month.
8-16 weeks:
I did my first run at 8 weeks on the nose, I ran 2 miles on the tredmill in my building, and then could hardly walk for three days. After that I decided to slow my pace down and my mileage, keeping in mind that my body was still in recovery.
I introduced myself to the Tracy Anderson post pregnancy workout video at 8 weeks, which I still do now.
We went on a trip to Jackson Hole Wyoming at 9 weeks, and hiked daily.
16-26 weeks:
At 16 weeks the weather had started to thaw out a little, and I could start running outdoors. I would either run first thing in the morning while my husband was still home or right after he got home from work, this ensured a little bit of me time and the ability to run outside.
We took another trip and took the baby on 3 more hikes, which seemingly was harder as his weight was now at 15 lbs up from 10 lbs at 8 weeks.
At 23 weeks my doctor confirmed that his neck was strong enough for me to start running outside with him. I do not have a jogging stroller, because I don't have space for more than just one, and felt that a city stroller was the way to go. I have been running with the Uppababy vista and once you have locked the wheels it runs beautifully. Running with the stroller is upping my cardio indurance and toning my arms, and abs a great all around strengthener.
I am still doing the Tracy Anderson method once a week and either a Barre class or baby and me yoga once a week to keep my body on its toes. I walk everyday anywhere from 3-10 miles, which when you live in Manhattan is easy to do. I run 5-6 times a week, I still can't seem to break a 5k and my pace is way down, but being able to run outdoors is very freeing.
I can confidently say that my post baby body is not the same one I had before pregnancy, however it is strong and lean thanks to staying active and eating a very vegetable heavy diet. It is easy after you have the baby to say I don't have the energy to workout, but you will have more energy from going on a brisk walk with your babe than from laying on the couch. Eating lots of leafy greens and lean proteins will help give you the energy you need to get through the day after getting only two hours of sleep.
I had an emergency c-section leaving me feeling like I was hit by a mack truck. I was panicked I wouldn't be able to hold my baby let alone take him for walks for weeks. However I had a relatively quick recovery and I attribute that to staying active beforehand. I was out walking 5 miles with the stroller two days after getting out of the hospital in January, leisurely, but walking none-the-less.
I do not have a nanny, sitter or daycare at my disposal, and the majority of my workouts are done with my son at my side.
First 8 weeks:
My doctor prohibited strenuous fitness for the first 8 weeks, because I had to let the scar heal. What I did for these 8 weeks was to walk everyday for miles. I have a dog who has a ton of energy and demands exercise, so regardless of snow freezing temperatures or rain, getting outdoors was a necessity. I bundled the baby in the stroller and walked with them both twice a day, which kept my sanity and helped get my abdominals to wake back up.
At 6 weeks I started doing 30 minutes of post natal yoga at home using Yogaglo which was the same site I used for prenatal yoga at home.
Living in NYC means access to tons of great workout classes. I did some research on a baby and me yoga class to do, and at 7 weeks we began going once a week to a class in the upper east, which we still go twice a month.
8-16 weeks:
I did my first run at 8 weeks on the nose, I ran 2 miles on the tredmill in my building, and then could hardly walk for three days. After that I decided to slow my pace down and my mileage, keeping in mind that my body was still in recovery.
I introduced myself to the Tracy Anderson post pregnancy workout video at 8 weeks, which I still do now.
We went on a trip to Jackson Hole Wyoming at 9 weeks, and hiked daily.
16-26 weeks:
At 16 weeks the weather had started to thaw out a little, and I could start running outdoors. I would either run first thing in the morning while my husband was still home or right after he got home from work, this ensured a little bit of me time and the ability to run outside.
We took another trip and took the baby on 3 more hikes, which seemingly was harder as his weight was now at 15 lbs up from 10 lbs at 8 weeks.
At 23 weeks my doctor confirmed that his neck was strong enough for me to start running outside with him. I do not have a jogging stroller, because I don't have space for more than just one, and felt that a city stroller was the way to go. I have been running with the Uppababy vista and once you have locked the wheels it runs beautifully. Running with the stroller is upping my cardio indurance and toning my arms, and abs a great all around strengthener.
I am still doing the Tracy Anderson method once a week and either a Barre class or baby and me yoga once a week to keep my body on its toes. I walk everyday anywhere from 3-10 miles, which when you live in Manhattan is easy to do. I run 5-6 times a week, I still can't seem to break a 5k and my pace is way down, but being able to run outdoors is very freeing.
I can confidently say that my post baby body is not the same one I had before pregnancy, however it is strong and lean thanks to staying active and eating a very vegetable heavy diet. It is easy after you have the baby to say I don't have the energy to workout, but you will have more energy from going on a brisk walk with your babe than from laying on the couch. Eating lots of leafy greens and lean proteins will help give you the energy you need to get through the day after getting only two hours of sleep.
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| Pretty much how the first three months in Central Park looked |
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| Our first yoga class at 7 weeks where he stayed in shavasana the entire time. |
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| Hiking in March in Teton national park, Jackson Hole Wyoming |
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| Hiking in May at Indian Springs Canyon, Palm Springs |
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