In conclusion...

Six weeks postpartum today. 8lbs from pre-pregnancy. My son is up 3.5lbs from birth.
I fit into all my clothes (which isn't saying much since I wore my regular clothes my entire pregnancy...), the weight is mostly muffin top and boobs, and just a little extra junk in the trunk. I somehow found that place where I'm able to resist being a glutton for sweets and am eating properly again, so I've stopped playing with the same 2lbs and am a pound under what I was 2wks postpartum. I hope to have lost the remaining 8 in the next 6wks, and then another 4-9lbs by the end of the year (to reach my goal of being 135-140). But really, I want to fit into some of my favorite items again, so if I can do that before reaching goal weight, then whatever!
I've done some interval training and that was fun to mix it up and got me a little sore. As much as I like running in the cool morning air, I actually miss the gym and the equipment. Or maybe it's more of missing the "me" time and not worrying about getting back. I worry about Bauer waking up and being hungry while I'm out now.
Despite not hitting my postpartum goals as quickly as I aspired, I'm really glad I maintained my fitness throughout my pregnancy. I felt fantastic in all facets; physically, emotionally, self-esteem. My birth experience was awesome. And I am way ahead of where I was 6wks postpartum after my daughter.

5 weeks postpartum

Cravings for sweet junk are irresistible. As the empty Nutella jars and disappointed look on my daughter's face when she asks for a cookie and I have to tell her the batch I made yesterday is GONE, can attest to. Can I blame breastfeeding? Maybe. Exhaustion? Probably. Weak self-control? Definitely.
Most people say I should give myself a break, that I just had a baby. True, and maybe my expectations for bounce-back were a little over-ambitious. But I can't help but be upset with myself for slacking on the parts that should have been easiest, like not eating sugar laden junk all day long.
Exercise is going well though. I'm up to 3.5mi on my runs. And on days where the kiddos manage to wake up before me, I throw the baby in my sling and take a brisk walk instead. Which, when you keep your abs engaged and clench your butt-cheeks, ends up feeling like a decent workout!
While it doesn't look like I'll be back to pre-pregnancy weight by 6wks, I am on my way. And I'm healthy. And I have beautiful children. So, I have to just chill out.

Okay, this is kinda hard

Even though it feels good to get out and be active, giving birth and taking a 2wk break from exercise to heal really does mean I'm starting over. I expected it, but at the same time I'm disappointed. It was easier to run 38wks pregnant than it is now! I keep getting a cramp in my neck and feeling like I can't get my breathing under control. I think the constriction of the double bra might be a factor, but without that, I can't run at all. I haven't done any lunges and squats because the thought of being exhausted AND sore while dealing with a newborn and a 3yo all day just makes me want pull out my hair! Soon though.
My tummy has continued to pull in pretty well, even though I haven't lost any more weight. It's still pretty mushy under my navel. Patience.

First Run

I was enjoying myself, just sitting on my money-maker, nursing away my baby weight. And I have lost 17 of 26lbs doing nothing else. But over the weekend I started to feel an itch. I wanted to run. Insane, right?!
I talked with my midwife at our appointment yesterday and got the okay to get back to exercise! And then my son slept for a nearly 5hr stretch last night, so it was as if the stars were telling me I better get up and run. I did get up. Pulled two sports bras on over the milk jugs and stepped out into the 6am heat. I did intervals of speed walking and running for 1.5mi. It felt pretty good. I'm having a little lower back pain, but I figure that's from my abdominals not quite doing the work they should yet. I'll do some more stretching and some pelvic tilts and hopefully tomorrow will be even better!
Now, if I could just lay off the chocolate cherry oatmeal cookies, I'm sure that I'll finish off the baby weight and feel fantastic in no time!

1wk Postpartum

I've been relaxing and recovering. I don't clearly remember how long it took to for my tummy to go down last time, but I'm pleasantly surprised with how much it's gone down in one week, having done nothing! Well, caring for two children and breastfeeding, but no work outs ;D. This weekend I plan to start doing floor work for abs and buns and see how it goes.

My son is here!

Tuesday, July 20th was my estimated due date, but I had no signs of imminent labor, and aside from being anxious to meet my baby and wanting my mom to be around for the birth, I was actually content to still be pregnant. I went to the chiropractor that morning and had my back adjusted, but my chiropractor also performed some labor inducing acupressure on my palms and legs. My mom and sister also periodically did some acupressure techniques that we found. Other than some crampiness that seemed normal these days, nothing appeared to be happening.
After we picked my daughter up from daycare, I was going into the kitchen to fix her a plate for dinner. It was a little after 5:30. I felt a gush when I went to lift my leg over the child gate. My brother and sister asked "what was that?" because apparently there was an audible "pop," but I didn't hear it. I called my midwife's apprentice and let her know. Since the water was clear and I hadn't had any contractions, she suggested that I eat and rest and let them know when contractions started, otherwise they'd call me in the morning to check in.
I ate, but I felt pretty excitable so I tried listening to my birthing day affirmations to relax. Well, between the dvd player skipping on the cd and intermittent gushes of fluid, I couldn't relax too well. I did have a couple contractions while listening though. I came downstairs, deciding to just watch TV and time any contractions that came. They did start, and were pretty intense but totally erratic. 8min, 14min, 5min, 30min! I decided to call Allyson (the midwifery apprentice) back because with the broken water variable, I didn't really have a clue about when I should call them to come. She and the midwife, April, decided that she would stop by to listen to the baby before I tried to go to bed and come up with a plan from there. I helped get my daughter ready for bed, and while I was standing moving around, the pressure waves became consistently closer together, but less intense. I wasn't sure which was better, and did a combination of sitting on the birth ball and pacing. By the time Allyson arrived just after nine, it felt real and like it was going to happen tonight, that there would be no going to bed for me. She listened to the baby through a contraction, watched me, and decided she wouldn't be going home and would call April. I felt like I needed to get upstairs and sit on the toilet before the intensity found me stuck downstairs! I found toilet really effective for laboring with my daughter.
So I propped my pillow up on the back of the toilet and sat down backwards. I had my husband put my "Deepening" cd in and I began moaning low through the contractions, thinking "relax, release, open," being conscious of relaxing my jaw and shoulders. I don't know when April arrived, but soon Allyson, April and my husband were offering me sips of water, wiping my brow and neck and fanning me. Then a pressure wave hit me where I could really feel the baby's head coming down. I didn't say anything though, because I felt like it was too soon and that I was imagining it. But then the next pressure wave made me push at the end. I told April. She said to just listen to my body, and said if I wanted, I could reach down and see if I could feel anything. They hadn't checked me at all, so I was curious. I went ahead and felt around and there was something immediately inside my birth canal. It felt too squishy to be a head, but since my water was broken, I thought it must be the baby. I went through one more pushy wave on the toilet and as soon as it subsided, I immediately moved to the chux-pad draped area set up for me in front of our bed. I would push just enough to feel relief during the beginning of a pressure wave, but by the end, my body was almost in spasm forcing me to push harder. My hypnobabies was really helping with my perception of the birth canal hugging and stretching over the baby's head, rather than focusing on the size disparity between a baby's head and a vagina. And then there was another pop! I guess there was still a bit of sac in front that burst, and that was what I had touched earlier. I felt an intense stretching feeling and had to kind of pant to keep from pushing really hard. Out came the head, which was relieving, but I remembered my daughter sliding on out with barely a push at that point, and this baby was still in there pretty good. This ended up giving my sister enough time to wake up my daughter. Next pressure wave, I birthed the shoulders and baby had a fist curled up by the neck, so that's why the rest of the body didn't just slide out. Damon caught the baby and announced that we had a boy! Happy Birthday! He was born less than 5hrs from my water breaking, 3.5hrs from the onset of contractions, and 24min after that first "pushy" pressure wave. I didn't tear at all, but did get an abrasion, likely from the fist curled up under his chin. I sat back and we just rubbed and kissed on him. He built into a good cry since he was still attached. Big sister wanted to touch and kiss him but was taken aback by the newborn slime LOL She also took a little convincing that it was in fact a brother, not a sister, but she was excited and happy none-the-less. Within 10min, I had delivered the placenta and I took a shower while they did all the measuring and wiped him down. Then we climbed into bed and Bauer latched on and nursed like a champ practically all night! So in love with our new little man!
My only complaint about my 2nd wonderful birth experience is the afterpains. The cramping is intense, even with staggering tylenol and ibuprofen. I heard that it's worse with each subsequent birth, but I was still surprised.

Training

So now I consider myself training for labor. I've been going to the gym every chance I get, instead of napping, LOL, because I figure I won't work out for 4-6wks once this baby pops on out. Going in the afternoon is different from my usual mornings. It's more crowded. The crowd is younger. And stares more.

39w,2d!

Jinx!

I jinxed myself. It was cooler in my house this morning when I stepped outside to run. I keep my house at 80 degrees and it hasn't been getting there until 7 or 8am lately, but today, at 5:30, it was already 80-something. I ran, but checked out the 10 day forecast when I got home and the lows are just climbing higher. I was hoping I would have one last run Wednesday before ideally going into labor next weekend, but I'm done running outside. And a treadmill sounds like torture right now. So elliptical and bike cross-training for the remainder it is. I'll probably just swim Wednesday in place of my run. I'm sure my mother is pleased :P

No!

I had an interesting evening a couple days ago, the kind where you just feel so off that it crosses the mind that it could be a precursor to labor. But alas, it was apparently nothing. I maybe should have kept it to myself though. My mom asked me twice if I would be stopping the exercise/running now. >:0 No! How anticlimactic would that be!?! To quit with less than two weeks left, especially when the "off" evening happened on a rest day anyway! But according to my mom, my dedication to prenatal fitness is just a big sham to make sure yet another baby makes its way before she can be present. Yes. That was my plan all along. LOL.

Status Quo

My goal now is to just avoid excuses and not lose steam as I barrel toward this baby's birthday.
While I generally feel fantastic, I'll be honest and run through my short list of complaints. Right now I struggle with staying properly hydrated in this heat. I hate having to pee every 15minutes, especially if I'm not just hanging out at home. But I get lots of pressure and braxton hicks in the evening if I don't stay on top of it. And if I don't, it takes a couple days of being well hydrated for the nightly braxton hicks performance to leave town.
The pelvic pain has started to be there every morning no matter what. This is about when it started in my previous pregnancy too. It makes it suck to sit up in bed or try to put on regular underwear, let alone jimmy up the shaper to get out for a run. During runs lately, I have a lot of lactic acid build up in my calves. I don't know if there's something in-discernibly different about my form or what, but in burns. And then I get charlie horses in the middle of the night, disturbing my unusually-great-for-9mo-pregnant sleep. Keeping hydrated and couple bananas keeps the charlie horses at bay, but I don't know what is up with the burn while I run.
And sometimes I'm just so tired. But a couple weeks ago, due to circumstances beyond my control, I had two days in a row where I didn't get in a real workout, just some walking and pool time with my daughter. I didn't feel more energized. I was still tired, but then also feeling crappy about having not worked out. So, suck it up and get it done. According to James Clapp's book, to get the full benefits of exercising through a pregnancy, I have to keep it up at 75%+ of my pre-pregnancy routine, all the way to the end. And if I were to quit, the uber-placenta I've grown with all the exercise would fatten up the baby with the calories I had been burning. I'm not so much worried about a fat baby, since fat is squishy, but if the head is going to get bigger, that's not so cool. Anyway, between chiropractic care and the exercise, this baby better just slide right out!

Here are my latest pics, one of me geared up to run, and another regular one, just to compare how much the shaper sucks that belly in tight. I wonder if the baby will be affected by my pregnancy habits. Like will the running mean the baby has to be bounced to sleep. And will my use of the shaper mean the baby likes to be tightly swaddled... We'll see!

I have arrived!

Yesterday marked 36wks. And I ran 2.5mi this morning. So if I quit now, I can still say I ran into my 9th month of pregnancy :P I'm not stopping though. Aside from residual mild pelvic discomfort that causes a little waddling for the rest of the day, my runs still feel great.

GREAT Morning

It was cloudy yesterday so I was pretty sure it would be a cool morning. I got out there at 5:45, and it was perfectly cool and breezy. In fact, as I started my second mile, I thought, I'm going to run 4 miles! But I always think that, after I get over the initial "Why am I doing this to myself," as I settle into a good rhythm with my breathing and pace. And then I as finish up my requisite 3rd mile, I'll change my mind. Today though, I felt great. I went for it. I ran 4 miles in just over 42min, which is the most I've ran at once since completing the half marathon. Then, as I walked home, I passed a tall, lean middle-aged man who was getting ready to run and he said "Congratulations, keep it up!"
Here I am, once I got home this morning, in all my trappings that keep me running as I close in on 9mo's of pregnancy:



You're thinking, "Certainly, once this get-up no longer does the trick, she'll stop running until the baby's born." You're wrong. There's still duct tape ;)

ETA: While I thought I previously used mapmyrun to determine my usual route to be 3mi, I just did it again and found out that it's only 2.5! And what I thought was 4mi today, was only 3.4. Buzzkill!

I can do jumping jacks?!

Today I decided to keep it inside and do something OnDemand. I did Elle's Bikini Revolution Workout 1. I did the whole thing! I only had to modify two moves. The one where you hop down into plank, hop up and jump. I did it at half time. And then "mountain climbers" where again in plank position you're supposed to bring your knees to your chest rapidly. I just brought my knees in as far as I comfortably could, at about half time.
But jumping rope and jumping jacks? Fine! This is surprising to me because back in my first trimester, I was doing Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred and I felt "off" doing any jumping moves and after one workout, I actually spotted, I'm guessing from the moves irritating my cervix. I don't know how having a 5+ pound baby in there is better, lol, but I did the moves with no discomfort!
Oh, and I got out yesterday morning early enough to run comfortably. My new plug for the high waist shaper is to say it makes running in month 8 feel like running in month 5 :D
Last, here I am, 34wks in my Brazilian cut bikini that I wouldn't even put on last year! Exercise does the body good ;)

Desert Heat

I woke up just before 6 today to run. But I let my daughter's pleas for snuggling keep me in bed and I didn't get outside until 7. OMG. Crotch-hot. I think it was already over 80, since the high for today is 109. I ran my 3mi, but that's the last time. I was dripping when I got home. I sat down, drank a sports drink and was still sweaty. I took a cool shower and once I dried off, beads of sweat were still collecting on my brow. I'd say that's too close to being overheated.
At least it was still early enough for me to see some rabbits and quail on my run.
Of all the reasons for a pregnant woman to stop running, I really didn't think the heat would do me in. But glancing at the forecast, it appears the days with lows below 80 are swiftly ending. I'll keep getting out there in the morning until they do.

Keep on keepin on

I flew back to my mom's for my little sister's graduation last week. Aside from that, my plans revolved mainly around where I would be stuffing my face.
But I wasn't too bad! While I did eat whatever I wanted, the fear of bloated, gassy, heartburn and that taut, "my belly is going rip open at the navel" sensation kept me from going overboard. And I dragged my mom with me to the gym every day.
On the day of my flight out there, I did not enjoy my morning run. So I had resolved to find more support or give it up for cross-training. While shopping with my mom I found a high-waist body shaper, not maternity, that offered some nice compression and came up over my belly button. And I figure I can use it post-partum too! I ran with it on under my running shorts, with my maternity support belt, and while the pressure created a more intense sensation like I needed to pee while I ran, I was pubic/groin/round ligament pain free! I'm too excited!
BUT... the weird spring we were having in Vegas is apparently over. It's hot. So if I'm going to run, it has to be in the early morning. So I haven't run since being back because my husband was out of town and I don't have a padded room in which to lock my three year old LOL
You win some, you lose some.

Why is it so easy?

I've been thinking about why it's so much easier for me to make healthful choices while I'm pregnant than when I'm not. I don't think it's just because my choices affect the baby, though that's the most obvious. I've concluded it's the lack of restriction. I feel like I can eat however much I want. So if after eating all the stuff that's nutritionally required, I still feel like some candy or ice cream, cool. Where as non-pregnant, I focus more on weight loss/maintenance and the idea that a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. So do I want an egg sandwich for breakfast or an caloric-ly equal portion of brownies? For non-pregnant me, brownies would frequently win. But pregnant me is realizing that when I eat healthfully, the cravings for the nutritionally void are not only fewer, but less intense.
And because it's fun, here's a side by side comparison of yesterday, 31w3d, and five weeks ago, 26w3d. It was actually kind of comforting to be able to see a difference because although it certainly feels like Baby B is bigger and stronger, sometimes it seems like my belly isn't getting any bigger. It is! And could I possibly carry any lower? :)


ETA: A friend wanted to see a pic from my last pregnancy. Here I am at 31w4d with my daughter. It's cleverly cropped because I didn't like seeing my big ol' butt, but I can still see in my face the fact that I'm about 20lbs heavier than I am now!

*Crazy* Pregnancy Strength

This morning I added 5lbs to the chest press machine. For a total of 5lbs. That's right, the weight of the equipment alone was all I could manage to get through 3 sets of 10. So watch out, I can now hurl a small cat across a field should it have the gall to piss me off LOL
I'm learning to ignore my "all or nothing" mentality. I find now that my heart rate barely gets up before I feel out of breath. I'm not sure why, since as recently confirmed, this baby is low in my pelvis. But somehow my lung capacity has been affected. Maybe it's hormonal. Anyway, part of me wants to either try to push past that or just quit because if I can't go harder than that "it's not worth it." So, I'm still on the bike, step mill and elliptical, going slower than I want to, accepting that the activity is still "worth it."

30 weeks and 3 days

I had an appointment with my midwife today. Everything is great, even my blood pressure, which had started to creep up around now in my pregnancy with my daughter. The baby already has his/her head engaged in my pelvis. Hmmm, might that be why I can't run more than one day at a time? LOL! Baby noggin bruising up my insides...

Karma...

...or something... was looking favorably upon me today! It was a BEAUTIFUL day to run. Cornflower-blue skies dotted with cotton-candy clouds, high in the 60s and a breeze that wasn't too windy. Just in time to keep me motivated. If I didn't know that my ligaments and pubic bone would scream at me tomorrow, I would've thrown in an extra mile...

Strange, strange people

First of all, Happy Mothers' Day!
Now, this morning at the gym I opted to stay downstairs in the dedicated women's gym because climbing the stairs to the regular cardio area puts me so out of breath when I come in the early morning without having eaten much (the gym playroom opens later on Sundays, so I leave my daughter at home and show up nice and early by myself). There was this older lady in there, and the whole time I'm doing cardio, she's singing out loud to herself and cussing at the machines. Since she had earphones in, I don't know if she realized she was talking so loud, or if she thought we all really wanted to hear her self-narration. And then when I start doing my weights, she comments on my pliet squats. But again, loudly, and to herself. Apparently, she thought I was killing my knees. Squats can be hard on the knees, but I know I have great form, so... shut up old lady LOL And then she started contemplating the meaning of the initials on the rear of my cheer shorts. She correctly concluded that it must be a California University. By then I just wanted to get away from her. Luckily I was done, and so I did!
I'm not feeling as enthusiastic about my workouts anymore. My energy levels have seriously nose-dived. I feel like I'm back in the first trimester where I force it because I know I'll feel better for having done it. And I do feel better afterward and I of course enjoy the results, I'm just saying my gung-ho spirit has taken a hit LOL Just 10 more weeks. I can make it :)
Last, here I am post-gym this last Friday, about to go play at the park:

Ego boost!

I mostly find my confidence from within but it's definitely still nice to hear something complimentary! The clerk at the front desk of my gym told me that I was 'so beautiful' and marveled that I was still up on the machines going strong. Then a little bit later at Costco, I was at will-call picking up my jamba juice gift cards ($50 worth for just $39.99!), and a female employee came up to me and told me that I was "doing something right" because my body is "bangin'" and told me to shut up when I told her I was 7mo along.
So either prenatal exercise is doing my body right, or those purple yoga shorts are magical! LOL

AND! I did look up more info on water workouts a while ago and wanted to post a link for anyone who was looking for ideas:
http://www.theharrier.com/marcbloomrunning/trn/waterworkouts.php

Nighty-Night!

While I didn't find any extra energy before the clock ran out on my second trimester, I have discovered another plus to exercising. Sweet, delicious sleep. I fall asleep practically as soon as my head hits the pillow and I only wake up if my daughter is calling for me. When I was pregnant with her, it seemed like I woke up on the hour, either to pee or because I was tired of laying on a particular side. Now, every once in a while, I do get plagued with insomnia, usually when I've been awakened after midnight. But definitely an improvement still over my last pregnancy. I can only hope it lasts!

Bikini Season

It was nice and warm this weekend, and not windy! So out came the bikini.
I've learned recently that pregnant women in bikinis make some people uncomfortable. Probably the same people who think that women who nurse should stay home or go to a bathroom. Luckily, I have yet to meet any of the people with these odd hang-ups, or if I have, they were smart enough not to say anything to me about it. :)
Anyway, I've worked pretty hard to stay in good enough shape that I feel fine baring my belly to the sun! I already loved my belly, but it had the same winter pallor as the rest of me and a little tan does wonders! Do slather on sunscreen though because while most skin tans, stretchmarks do not. No thank you zebra skin LOL.
To any pregnant woman that has not used a pool, find one ASAP. It was just getting warm when I was due with my daughter, and I was so big and out of shape that no one could convince me to put on a swim suit, let alone get in a pool. But today I got in the pool and it was... awesome. Awesome is the only fitting word. I don't feel like my belly is particularly heavy, but the sensation of weightlessness felt great. I did variations of the leg slimmer Pilates moves with absolutely NO pubic bone or round ligament pain. And while I didn't want to get my hair wet, I spent some time just kicking and got my heart rate up a little without getting hot.
Ideally, I like running when it's in the upper 50's or in the 60's, then I just start to feel too hot. Now I know to just get in the pool if I couldn't get a run in in the morning! I'm going to look up other workouts to do in the water.




Side note, I notice that since I've quit the long runs, my quads are losing definition. My "generous" thighs need all the muscle definition they can get, but I apparently put too much emphasis on the hamstrings and butt and need to pay more attention to my quads. Hopefully I'll find some exercises I can do in the pool LOL

Prenatal Fitness Discussion

I recently asked a friend due just after me to fill out a questionnaire because she's always been in great shape as long as I've known her. Elise happily obliged me. I decided to open it up to entire discussion board dedicated to women due this July. I asked that women still exercising at least 3x/wk at moderate intensity respond. I was disappointed that I got a mere 4 responses from a board with over 9 thousand members! Surely that can't be the ratio of pregnant women still exercising to those taking it easy. Then I thought maybe I shouldn't have limited it to mom's still exercising and asked about those who had given it up already and why. *shrug* On the positive side, it's easier to evaluate the answers!
Interestingly, not everyone that responded was particularly fit before getting pregnant. I think that's great. You CAN improve fitness while pregnant.
For one lady, this was the fifth pregnancy that she's exercising through.
The women do a wide array of activity: running, walking, yoga, pilates, elliptical, biking, swimming, and surprisingly most are still strength training! I'm impressed with this because women tend to shy away from strength training, pregnant or not.
Unless they experienced intense nausea/vomiting that kept them from normal activity, let alone exercise, they found that exercise helped them get through the typical first trimester experience.
Nearly all had received criticism. Usually from people who are misinformed, about both the safety and the benefits (some seem to think there are none for the baby, that it's simply for the vanity of the mother-to-be). But they were happy to politely enlighten. And most had also received support for their active lifestyle.
One mom-to-be aptly related labor and early motherhood to being like a running in a marathon; how could maintaining one's strength and stamina possibly be anything but beneficial?
I asked all the mom's to come back once the baby is born to share how long they ended up maintaining an exercise routine (all planned to until they went into labor or it was medically counter-indicated), what their labor was like and their babies' stats.
Again, big thank you to all that participated!

Victories!

I've been hanging on to several large pairs of jeans in anticipation of needing them again while pregnant (just as I've been saving several pairs of 26s in anticipation of needing them when I get a tapeworm LOL). I went through them earlier this week and they're not just ill fitting, they won't even stay on. But it makes sense. I haven't even reached the weight I was at my first appt at 9wks in my pregnancy with Emberly. So I added them to my Goodwill donation pile, because with less than 14wks left, if I keep exercising and eating well, I'll be hard pressed to gain the 30lbs it would take for those pants to fit!
It felt really good for those pants to not even being close to fitting! Victories. Small victories.
And tracking my food is going well! I'm trying to pay closer attention to the amount of sugar that's added to foods that I wouldn't normally suspect. Some days I'm surprised at how much food I can eat and still come in under 2400 calories. It's all about making healthier choices. Which, for me, is really all about not having the bad choices in the house!

Taking notes...

So I am nearing the end of my second trimester. But I still have a couple weeks, and I want them and their energy entitlement! Why have I passed out between 7:30 and 8 the past few nights? Maybe it's the sugar withdrawal, so I'll keep eating well and hope that I still have some weeks of feeling relatively energetic ahead of me.
I still feel great during my workouts. Wednesdays have turned into a light day of walking and strength training because my pubic bone just can't take two days in a row of running.
A mom friend told me about a woman at her Y that ran and swam up until the day she went into labor and her "labor" was only 90min. And at 3wks post-partum, when she's regaling this tale, the only evidence of her pregnancy is a still visible linea negra (where's mine by the way? I don't remember when it showed up for Emberly...). I'm really trying to envision myself still running come 39wks, and 90 minutes from pregnant to baby is definitely an inspirational incentive!
Okay, so here I am, still looking pretty fit at 6.5mo. Please ignore my face. I hadn't been crying, I promise. I guess that's just what I look like at 7am after a night where pregnancy insomnia tortured me from 1-3am LOL





And yes, those are my snazzy christmas gift nikes, colors courtesy of my two year old ;)

Apparel Awareness

Around 22wks I discovered that even my longest workout tanks wanted to ride up to my new "waist" under my boobs. I'm constantly tugging at the hem and it's... annoying. Since I didn't try to workout last time, I naively expected my current wardrobe to get me through the whole thing. I scored some empire waist tops at the Champion outlet for $11 after Christmas and while those are plenty wide, my belly still peeks out of the bottom.
I thought I'd go ahead and list some links for places where I've found good looking maternity athletic apparel, for those that have budgeted for such and expense (it's not cheap to cover a baby belly)
http://www.fitmaternity.com (this is also where I picked up my support belt, which I wore during my half marathon, and has helped keep me still running at 25 weeks).
http://www.maternityactivewear.com/aboutus/home.php
http://www.fit2bmom.com/
http://www.runningskirts.com/maternity-skirts.html these seemed really cool, but the price tag, not so much
http://www.bornfit.com/

Nike and Athleta also have tunic length tops with some spandex which should work over a belly, but again, not cheaply. And people that know me, know I'm a budget girl.
So, since our budget priority is a decent maternity leave, I'm really doubting that I'll be springing for any of the lovely options I listed and I'll be working out in my sports bra when the last of my longer tops just refuse to stay down:

I ran 3mi like this today, and I admit, I felt weird and like people were staring at me at first, but I told myself, "you've walked down runways in underwear and swimsuits, get over it!" I didn't even remember until afterward, that my best friend and I got naked on Baker Beach more times than I can count every summer when I lived in California. So, stare! LOL

Refocus

When I found out I was pregnant, I was amidst a serious weight loss expedition and I was using Sparkpeople to journal my food. I continued to do it even afterward, obviously changing my goals from keeping my calories under a certain level to making sure they reached a certain level, including 80g of protein per day.
Well, I quit right before the race, about a month ago. I felt like I knew what I was doing and just didn't want to do it anymore. But I think I should start again. Between homemade cakes, cookies and Easter candy, the last week has been a sugar fest. I need my calories to count, and the only way I'll feel accountable to myself is if I'm honest and put it down where I can see how it all adds up.
So tomorrow, I'm back to journaling food. I'll be 25wks, and as of this morning I'm up 11lbs, so I can still keep this pregnancy within the 25-30lbs range. Here's to new focus for lean, mean baby and mama!

Argh, the wind!

What is with this crazy weather?! Yesterday it was 80 and super windy. Today it's 55 and super windy. Cramping my usual outdoor workouts. My sinuses are killing me as is, so I've opted out of running in swirls of dust and pollen. Also, we're up against a deadline at work and when I'm on a roll, I hate to quit. So I've been brushing up on my OnDemand options after work! The ExerciseTV ten minute and twenty minute workouts have been fun and not that hard to modify for the burgeoning belly.

New Goals!

Now that I've completed the half, I've reevaluated my goals. I want to continue to focus on proper nutrition so that I can make the most of the inevitable weight gain and hopefully keep it to 1lb/wk. I took measurements of hips and thighs and I will endeavor to keep them where they are for the duration of this pregnancy. I'm secretly hoping that my thighs might even shrink from more frequent strength training, since I hardly did any the last several weeks (long runs kind of sucked when my glutes and legs were sore from lunges and squats). But, I'll settle for just firmer so that I can strut in my bikini, belly all out!
So to that end, I found a workout OnDemand, Bootylicious Buns 2. There was the jumps that obviously had to be modified (i just popped up on my tip toes rather than actually jumping). But then I was surprised that an inverted kick hurt! You start in side plank position and kick the top leg out. If my ligaments could shout expletives, they surely would've. So I just stayed on the floor rather than getting in the plank position. I felt the burn, so whatever!
Also yesterday I took Emberly to Sees (read: she picked out a piece of candy and I picked out 5 or 6 LOL), and this lady said she needed to get out of there. Because I'm pregnant and I look better than her. I took it as a compliment, as she probably meant it, but then I was thinking, well, what the hell, am I supposed to look fat and frumpy!? I'm glad to be kicking the stereotypes of what pregnancy has to be in the butt!

I did it!

I have no idea why I've procrastinated coming on to post about the half!
I loved it! It was not torturous and it didn't feel like forever! I woke up, ate a banana and peanut butter on toast as recommended by a friend and we got on the road. I decided on shorts and a long sleeved Nike top over my tank and support belt and was surprised by how cold and windy it felt. But once we started running, it felt great. The first half of the race was scenic and beautiful. I finished the first 6mi in barely over an hour. I had to pee, but I didn't want to leave the course to use the port-o-pots set up at start and I kept going.
Some of the tunnels were long and difficult for my eyes to adjust from the contrasting brightness outside, so I had to slow down because I didn't want to risk falling. But they were cool. Then the course went into a reclamation area that was boring and hilly. The turnaround was at a view of the dam, but I was too focused on finishing to care to stop. It was in the reclamation area that one of the aid stops had two pots and I was finally able to go!
I maintained the run 3min, speed walk 2min throughout the race, and often walked less than two minutes because I felt great and ready to run. I finished in 2hrs41min, #519 of 593. Not too bad for 21wks pregnant!
I would love to see how I do when not pregnant, but I don't know when that'll happen since the training was quite a commitment for me and with 2kids and huge sore milk jugs, it might be awhile before I want to again.

Tomorrow's the day!

And I'm ready to run!
I've read that everything you wear/use on a race should be road tested, but I became worried that the 8 water stations wouldn't be enough for me, so I went belt shopping. But... I'm already wearing a support belt for the belly. And those snazzy belts are pricey. So I opted for a handheld bottle with a soft strap. The strap has a pocket where I can put my gels. I usually hold my phone and keys on my outdoor runs, so I figure an ergonomic bottle should be okay.
The only thing I'm worried about is what to eat in the morning. I don't want to have to go #2 out on the course. I was thinking just eggs, but a friend suggested that I need carbs... I've been doing my long runs early in the morning and not eating anything beforehand. But maybe I'll take her suggestion of a banana and peanut butter toast.

The chiropractor worked wonderfully. He adjusted my back and did some weird thing to the ligament that stretches from my sacrum to my hip because it was over-firing. That's the area that was bothering me most.
So, that Saturday I was visiting my mom and had an opportunity to run outdoors. I ran 10mi and it felt great. My main motivation being the breakfast pizza from Sacramento's Buffalo Pizza that I would indulge in later than morning! My hip was stiff that day, but by Sunday, I was all good.
This last Saturday I ran 9mi on the treadmill and had no hip pain at all. Though my abs/round ligaments were sore the rest of the day. To be expected.
I had my anatomy scan and everything looked wonderful. I even got a 3d pic of baby's face and s/he looks like my daughter. Can't wait to meet Baby B!
My race is in a week and a half. Unfortunately, my dear husband misunderstood the return/exchange policy for NikeID shoes so I will not be getting my Christmas present shoes before the event. So I headed over to Finish Line and got new inserts for my good ole New Balances.
H&M being next door, of course I had to go in. And of course they had cute bikini's, cheaper than what they have at Target. I got one. I had no interest in putting on a bathing suit last pregnancy. I'm excited to keep exercising, growing a mean, lean baby and feeling sexy all the while!

The Pain!

I was having a little hip pain toward the end of my long run a few weeks ago. But then last week, after 11mi, it really hurt. And didn't feel better for two days. Any time I put weight on my left heel, I feared my hip would come out of it's socket. And then it was worse yesterday after a shorter, 10mi run.
Of course, I'm not allowed to so much as wince after a run without my husband, the former track athlete being full of advice. I can't take any ibuprofen. I soaked in a bath. Iced it. Still hurts. Now he wants me to see a doctor. I know I should, but, I don't wanna! What if I'm told to stop running! It's not as if running is the only way I can work out and stay fit through this pregnancy, but I do feel very attached to it. The goal has proved to be much more motivation than I expected. The hesitation I had to really commit to an event, only to not be able to run in it, would really suck. But, I don't want to end up causing myself to be in horrible pain the remaining 19wks after the event. Or beyond!
So, I told my midwife, and asked for a referral to a physical therapist or chiropractor. She suggested a chiropractor first.
And I read a little online and my symptoms sound like simple overuse. Which is probably exacerbated by the hormone-induced loosening of my joints. So I'm trying to stretch it, ice it, and rest. And do a Pilates workout that seems to strengthen the surrounding glute/hip flexor muscles and relieve the pain.
My appointment with the chiropractor isn't until Monday. So my plan is to run on Sunday, but if it starts to hurt, I'll quit and move to the elliptical for the remainder of my extrapolated time.
In lighter news, my almost 3yo is really excited to go to our anatomy scan ultrasound in 2.5wks and see inside my belly!

Half Marathon

Working out can get boring without a goal. And pregnancy in itself has so many built-in excuses to just not make the effort. I decided early on my goal would be a half marathon. I didn't have an event in mind and at first thought that I wouldn't really do one, I just wanted to know I could run that kind of distance. 5k or 10k didn't seem challenging enough since I was regularly doing rigorous cardio for 1hr+.
So I run Tuesday through Thursday at 10min intervals 3x throughout the day. It really helped with my nausea in the beginning. And the fatigue that was exacerbated by my 10hr work days. Fridays and Saturdays I cross train on the elliptical and bike for 40min and do a chest, arms and back routine with weights. Then Sunday is my long run, increasing in distance from 5mi every week. Monday is rest, with a focus on stretching. And I try to do a leg/butt routine on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings, but no later in the week because I learned early that long runs kind of suck when your muscles are sore!
I hit a wall early, at 7mi. Eating before and immediately after the long run wasn't cutting it, especially with how long the runs take since I have to keep my level of exertion at a pace that I could maintain a conversation (12+min mi after the first 4mi). I was getting hungry during the run. I really thought about maxing out there, since I wasn't preparing for an actual event. But a mom-athlete friend of mine, Jessica, suggested energy gels. Success! With the energy gels (honey stinger gold and strawberry banana gu being my faves so far), I feel energized and accomplished at the end of a long run, rather than like I just want to eat and pass out.
So, a few weeks ago, I learned about a half near me: Six Tunnels to the Dam. I can take as long as I need to finish because there's no traffic. It's not hilly. And it's March 13th, and I'll be 21wks, perfect timing for me to peak in my distance!

Recommended Reading

I never start anything without researching it do death, so I recommend reading the following:

The Runner's World Guide to Running & Pregnancy
Exercising through Pregnancy by James Clapp

These helped me decide how much of my former routine I could continue and correct outdated notions that still proliferate amongst pregnant women, such as keeping my HR under 140.

This time will be different!

In my pregnancy with my daughter, I was very focused on getting the birth experience I wanted. I was dedicated and the result was a great home birth. So this pregnancy, I feel very "been there, done that," so on what should I focus? Being fit! I had quickly gained 20lbs before even conceiving Emberly because I was in love, ate out all the time and quit my daily gym regimen. Then I moved to another state, knew nobody and essentially sat on my butt all.day.long. I made sad attempts to walk and do floor work occasionally, but I was soon a water-retaining swollen version of my former self. I gained 41lbs, which actually isn't terrible, if not for the 20lbs I'd gained before.
This time I'm starting out about 5lbs lighter and with a plan!