Body After Baby: 2 Months

See my first post at 1 week pp HERE.

At 8 weeks postpartum, my stomach has changed quite a bit. It has definitely tightened up some and I can feel my strength coming back. I definitely still have a fair bit of loose skin and I know that'll take time to firm up- I accept and am totally fine with that!  I can fit into more of my pants/shorts now and have resisted the urge to buy new ones haha

I'm still being kind to myself, remembering what my body has been through and loving it rather than shaming it.  You often hear moms talk about viewing their body more for what it's truly capable of after having a baby rather than just its appearance and that is true for me too. 

I was at 165lbs for quite a while but dropped a few pounds recently by cleaning up my diet a bit more. Nothing drastic, honestly. I mainly added in some more smoothies/juice and cut back on refined sugar. I'm still not in a regular workout routine. It's tough to find not only your stride again but to find the time and energy while taking care of a newborn! No excuses though. I know I can do it and I will.  I am walking at least a few miles every day with the stroller or babywearing. I get in a quick workout 1-2x a week.  

I bought a Bellefit corset while in my third trimester. I used the size chart to find my size ad was comforted by their good return policy.  Unfortunately, it still doesn't fit comfortably! I'm trying to decide if I should return it or wait. I had emailed customer support after I had my baby and they said as long as it fits any time within the first 6 months that it'd be beneficial but I want something to wear NOW. I'm thinking about just getting a shapewear nursing cami... I know it'll be much more comfortable. It won't have all the benefits of the belly binder but it'd be nice to comfortably fit into more of my pants you know? Any recommendations?

Some goals for this next month are to start jogging with the stroller. I'd also like to do yoga and barre 1-2x a week each.

Pre-pregnancy weight: 158 lbs

End of pregnancy weight: 184 lbs (up 26 lbs)

Current weight: 161 lbs

Body After Baby

I wasn't really sure what my body was going to look like after giving birth. I mean, there's really no way of knowing! I didn't give it too much thought though, honestly. Pregnancy made me appreciate my body on such a deeper level that I promised myself I'd hold onto that and treat my body with the respect it deserves. That said, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw my belly sans baby haha Sure it's soft and squishy, adorned with some new stretch marks and of course still bigger (uterus takes a month or so to go back down to size)... but it's not "scary". I don't even think it's ugly which is how it seems women are made to feel about their post baby bodies.  I'm proud of what this body did during the past 10 months and will happily treat it well while it continues to change.  Loving your body doesn't mean you have to feel 100% satisfied with it and not want to make changes!  (something I learned after losing 60lbs years ago)

Having said all that, I thought it could be interesting and perhaps helpful to document the changes here. By no means am I saying women need to whip their bodies back into shape (whatever that means... obviously we are always a shape haha) or feel any sort of pressure- you don't!  Just be healthy.  I'm still eating the same way I have been (extra calories because I'm breastfeeding) and trust me, there will be no "dieting". I'm not for restricting what you eat in that way.  Sure I'm vegan and I enjoy a detox now and then but I still feel it's a healthy, guilt free balance that I enjoy. I am excited to be able to start working out again but I'm only 1 week PP (postpartum) so still have a while until that's really feasible.  My body has been through a lot so of course it needs time to recover!

I'll try to update once a month with a picture, perhaps some meals or recipes I've been enjoying, workouts I've been doing etc.  I want this to be an honest, realistic look at "body after baby". No quick fixes just good ol' treating your body right! I feel like this time in a woman's life isn't really talked about enough. I don't want to wait until I have an "after" picture to show, I'd rather share the entire journey.

Here's a look at my stomach and stats so far.  I'm going to include weight but it's by no means my focus! I'm all about how I feel- do I feel confident? Do I like how my clothes are fitting? That sort of thing.

Pre-pregnancy weight: 158lbs

End of pregnancy weight: 184 lbs (up 26 lbs)

Current weight: 169 lbs (down 15 lbs)  -  note: I was down 11.5 lbs the day after giving birth. That's just the weight of baby, placenta, fluid etc! 

4 weeks pregnant

42 weeks pregnant

1 week postpartum 

Pregnancy Favourites: The Last 20 Weeks

Well, I guess at 40+ weeks I can write this post now!  I am still loving a lot of the things from my first 40 weeks post including the pregnancy pillow (must have item!), Target camisoles and VS leggings but here are a few more things I've been enjoying...

1. Ina May's Guide to Childbirth - If you read ONE book while pregnant (or trying), read this one. It's beautiful and embraces childbirth in such a wonderful way.  Ina May Gaskin is such a blessing! Other books I've enjoyed include Dr Sears The Vaccine Book, Nancy Bardacke Mindful Birthing, American Academy of Pediatrics New Mother's Guide to Breastfeeding, Harvey Karp The Happiest Baby on the Block and American Academy of Pediatrics Your Baby's First Year.
2. VS No Show Cheekster Panty -  My  new favourite underwear! I fit into my regular size and yet even at 40+4 weeks they still fit wonderfully. They don't dig into my hips at all which is what some of my other underwear had started to do. They are impressively "no show" for not being a thong too! The material is really soft and super stretchy.
3. Merona Striped Maxi Skirt - So comfortable! It does tend to slip down under my belly now that it has grown so much but with a long top, totally works. It's just a nice change from wearing maternity bottoms and I'll be able to wear it post-pregnancy.
4. Vitamix - Ok so I always enjoy this one but lately it's been a must. I have been having a smoothie every day lately... sometimes two!  It's an easy way to get extra calories and nutrients in. I always try to have frozen bananas, chia seeds and hemp powder on hand to add. I also like coconut water, mixed berries, Vega protein and greens powder, liquid chlorella, leafy greens, unsweetened almond milk, cacao powder, nut butter etc So many options! I definitely see myself continuing to rely on smoothies while I'm breastfeeding since you need extra calories then too.
5. Jamberry Nail Wraps - Easier to apply than nail polish and no waiting for them to dry! I was obsessed with painting my nails for a couple years and while I do still paint them at times, I have been using Jamberry wraps a lot. They will definitely be more practical when I have a newborn- no wet nails!

Pregnancy Update: 39 Weeks

I didn't realize the last time I did this I was only 26 weeks! Geez, time flies! I'm in the home stretch now!

39 weeks

cravings:  I do find I'll get very specific cravings now but I honestly ignore them more of the time since it's rarely for something healthy haha I find I'll want, say, cookies really bad but then once I get to the store I end up not buying them. Then again, I ate two pints of ice cream this week...

weight gain: 26lbs.  I know 25-35lbs is generally recommended (if you were at a healthy weight prior to becoming pregnant) so I feel good about where I'm at.  It's been going up and down the past few weeks so I suspect 26lbs is where I will remain.

comments:  More people ask me how much longer I have now and the other day someone asked if I was having a boy (because he has dropped some and I'm now carrying low which people associate with carrying a boy). 

fears:  I actually feel pretty calm about everything. I'm slightly nervous about the pain just not knowing how intense it'll be or how long it'll last overall but obviously since I have planned for a natural birth, I have planned to handle it myself and I truly believe I can.  I had some fears about things going wrong and having to go to the hospital (instead of the birth center) but now I'm more in a place of acceptance. I can only control so much so I just have to go with it. No matter what happens, it is my baby's birth story and I will embrace it.

general mood: So emotional! haha I'm already mourning the loss of my bump and I haven't even had my baby yet! At the same time, I'm so excited for him to finally be here.  I do find myself getting easily annoyed by things/people lately but I try not to speak on it most of the time, knowing that it's just me being hormonal. I'm also feeling a lot less comfortable physically, as expected.

things I was surprised by: I guess I hadn't expected the baby to drop as early as 36 weeks even though I now know that's quite normal.  I didn't realize it could happen weeks before you actually go into labour. I get sharp pains from his head pressing against my cervix and such now. I'm also surprised I don't have to get up to pee more at night. I was averaging once a night and now it's usually twice but I expected it to be more! I pee pretty much every hour during the day haha

things I am most looking forward to:  My parents visit in a couple weeks and I'm very excited to see them and for them to meet the baby (since he has to arrive by 42 weeks which is before they'll be leaving here). I'm also excited to eventually wear regular pants again haha I know weightloss and all that will be a process but as much as I LOVE my bump, part of me is definitely looking forward to not having it I guess.  I look forward to getting back into really working out hard again too (not right away obviously!)!  Of course I am most looking forward to having this baby home and also seeing my husband as a father. We finished up our baby classes and I can tell he's feeling a little more confident now. I've had 10 months of bonding with this baby but I think it's different for the father you know?  I just know he's going to be so over the moon when the baby is here and I can't wait to witness that love.

food aversions:  Still none, really.  I mean sometimes I won't be "in the mood" for a certain food but it varies as far as what it is.

shopping for baby: Pretty much done at this point!!  I mean, you're never DONE shopping for a baby haha but I feel like we have everything we need at this point. I've been buying some postpartum stuff for me lately (still need a nursing cami).  I could be forgetting some things but we'll see!

maternity clothes: I bought some denim shorts at Baby Depot for cheap so it's been nice to have those with the weather warming up. I think everything else has been non maternity. This maxi skirt has been a favourite lately. 

Life Lately

Sorry about the lack of posts! Third trimester is just a busy time tackling my to do list, birthing classes, midwife appointments etc Plus I'm trying to rest and get extra sleep (like everyone tells you to do haha).

My dang camera battery charger is still missing! I have been snapping some outfit pics with my iPhone though so I figured I'd do another "Life lately" post.

People still tell me I look so small but I'm 5'10! That does make it easier for me to hide "extra weight".  The belly is feeling pretty big these days anyway haha

I wear these shorts a ton now that our weather has really heated up! They're from ASOS but I don't see them on the website anymore. Shoes are Target. Shirt is Everlane.

Spirulina smoothie bowl with homemade granola

Old Navy jacket. Old Navy maternity top. Target shorts and shoes.

I dyed my hair purple! I figured it'd work okay over any red I had left. I plan on trying Artic Fox's purple soon. I also have a couple aquas to try... oh and a dark green. hehe

I attended a Solly Baby warehouse sale and snagged a wrap at a discounted price! Super excited to wear B in it. The other stuff is Target.  How tiny are newborn leggings??

Enjoying a tropical smoothie I made

Chocolate covered frozen banana!

Buckwheat pancakes with homemade soy yogurt

Steel cut oats (lots of protein and fiber!) with blackberries and lemon zest.

Jamberry love!

Eli's Farms CSA with a Groupon deal. I am going to sign back up with a CSA though! It's just more convenient than getting to the farmer's market each week.

I swear I am not always at Target... haha  Target top and sandals. Old Navy maternity skirt.

Gardein "chicken" soft tacos!

Oatmeal with another batch of homemade yogurt (I used firm tofu instead of soft so it's thicker here) and Teeccino <-- alternative="" awesome="" coffee="" p="">

Orange smoothie and pancakes!

Cauliflower lasagna. 

Mint smoothie

Outfit: Midi Skirt

These pictures are from a few weeks ago. Pretty sure that skirt won't fit now, haha. It's not maternity but it's so cute, I couldn't resist it! I love the length. 

I'm still missing my camera battery charger... ugh. Preggo brain makes it impossible to find things, I swear!  I had to buy a new laundry card this week because I couldn't for the life of me find ours.

 Target skirt

Life Lately: 01/22/15

I've decided to get back into doing more regular themed posts like I used to!  If there's any you'd love to see, let me know. I for sure will be doing life lately and food posts more often.

Hello third trimester! I used to think you were scary and intimidating but now I'm feeling happy that you are here!

I'm a bit obsessed with Jamberry. Anyone else? This is "Slatted Herringbone". Also, that Tate nail polish remover is awesome!

Nap time. He's always been a cuddly cat but every since I became pregnant he loves to be right up on my belly/chest! It's sort of stupidly adorable and I love it. haha

Devoured this book recently. If you enjoy the show Girls, you'll enjoy this book. Similar feel.

I'm loving purple lipstick right now. This is OCC Lip Tars "Strumpet" and "RX" mixed together.

Pregnancy Update: 26 Weeks

I don't know why I didn't start doing these sooner but oh well, haha. Better late than never I suppose! I have been writing in a pregnancy journal so maybe I'll go back and do a few of these for earlier in my pregnancy.

26 weeks

cravings: I have't really had any major pregnancy cravings during second trimester. I know, I'm so boring! haha I definitely have loved me some bread products this pregnancy though, that has been pretty consistant. I've also craved fruit but that's nothing new. I really feel like my appetite right now is very normal (although I have to eat more than usual and I find I get quite hungry in the evenings!).

weight gain: Just over 10lbs. Definitely on the low end but I eat very healthy and my midwife says she isn't concerned at all.

comments: "So are we expecting?" was finally said by my landlord haha She sees me at least once a week but it wasn't until last week that she finally said something. My husband says I am definitely showing now though and that there is no question that I am pregnant so I guess people finally feel safer commenting on it. I have't had any total strangers say anything though.

fears: Going into labour too early. I feel very calm about labour itself right now but I want this baby to keep on brewing for a while!

general mood: Just overly grateful for this family of mine and very excited for the rest of the year!
sleep: This is really the only thing I've been having some issues with for the past few weeks or so. It's just falling asleep that takes a while and then when I roll over, it tends to wake me up. My pregnancy pillow, oil diffuser and salt lamp definitely all help though and I'm still gettig like 8 hours of sleep haha So I can't really complain! I sometimes get heartburn when I lay in bed or leg cramps during the night but thankfully it's not an every night thing.

things I was surprised by: How powerful baby's kicks have gotten! The weirdest is first thing in the morning, when I'm laying on my side and my stomach is touching the bed, baby basically kicks the bed through my stomach! That'll wake you up real quick.

things I am most looking forward to: Holding this baby in my arms. The yearning I have to hold him lately is SO strong it's almost overwhelming. I mean, I love him in my belly but I cannot wait to be able to kiss his little head!

food aversions: Honestly, none. I only had them in first trimester (so far). For months I didn't want hummus which was weird because it's a favourite of mine but now I'm back to loving it. Chocolate too.

shopping for baby: So many clothes. haha I think I need to put myself on a baby clothes shopping ban for a month or two! It's all so adorable but it's easy to start being less practical about it as I buy more and more. Some of my go to sites are zulily, diapers.com, groopdealz, psIadoreyou and Gap.

maternity clothes: I recently ordered a few dresses (this, this and this) to carry on over into Spring. My maternity jeans have been great but I find dresses more comfortable. I've still only bought one maternity top (sweater) but did recently pick up a workout tank. I definitely need some maternity workout capris as my leggings are a bit see through and none of my workout ones fit comfortably now!

Pregnancy Favourites: The First 20 Weeks

Seeing as I'm currently almost 26 weeks, I've been meaning to get this post up! Originally I thought I'd do it for my entire pregnancy but I quickly realized some of your "must have" items change over time. I'm sure I will have more to add before this is all done and over with!  So here are a few of my favourite items for the first 20 weeks of pregnancy.

1. Victoria's Secret most loved yoga leggings. I discovered that these actually make for pretty great maternity leggings! As my belly grew, I just stopped folding the waistband down. It's always nice to have items you know will still fit post-pregnancy, I think. I wore these a lot before becoming pregnant and I'm sure I will continue to do so after.
2. Target seamless camisole.  This is another non-maternity item that I have worn a TON. It's actually starting to pill a bit now so maybe it's time to pick up a new one but for $12 I really don't mind. I love that these are very fitted but stretchy; I find them very comfortable (even at times where I wanted NOTHING tight on my stomach). They are also super long! They are a lot longer on the model than on me though since I'm 5'10. Normally I'm not into layering camis under tops but with pregnancy, it becomes a bit of a must. It's really great if the shirt on top is starting to get a bit short as your belly expands. 
3. Trader Joe's ginger chews. Ginger is said to help when you are feeling nauseous so I picked some up from Trader Joe's. They weren't a miracle worker or anything but I found them comforting (and delicious).  I also juiced ginger regularly during weeks 8-13 (the only time I've dealt with nausea so far).
4. Citrus essential oils.  During weeks 8-13 (my rough period haha), everything seemed to smell awful to me! And my sense of smell was super strong. Citrus was the only thing that really smelled good so I made a few mixes. Grapefruit is supposed to help with nausea; bonus! I wish I'd had an oil diffuser at that time because it would have been a great way to disperse the scent.  Note: A lot of essential oils are not safe during pregnancy but citrus oils like lemon, lime, sweet orange, grapefruit etc are. Just don't apply them topically before sun exposure.
5. Sleep Keeper pillow.  Life saver!! I ordered this quite early on in my pregnancy and was so glad I did. I found it so comfortable to sleep with. Now that I'm in my second trimester and need to avoid sleeping on my back (not an easy task for me), this pillow really helps keep me on my side while offering support. I chose this particular one because of the price and while maybe the pricier ones are even better, I've been perfectly happy with mine.
6. Sunsella mighty pops. First trimester I craved fruit, including smoothies and popsicles like crazy! So these freezie (as we call them in Canada) molds were awesome. I'd basically just make a smoothie or juice, pour it into the mold and freeze! I was even able to make my own preggie pops. 

Outfit: Layered Midi Dress

So far dressing my bump hasn't really been too challenging. I have my go to items (capsule wardrobe helped!) that work this time of the year and make getting dressed easy.  Stretchy midi dresses like this are the most comfortable! Definitely more so than my maternity jeans (which always want to sag down, grr).  I figure next month I'll pick up some more maternity items like basis tees/tanks and shorts to get me through early Spring. Our weather warms up a fair bit here!  Plus this belly is still going to get a lot bigger. :)