Fit Friday: 5 Tips to Getting Your Pre-Baby Body Back

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WHAT WE’RE WEARING

My outfit details here (or in the widget below) + shoes recently restocked here! // Benjamin’s outfit is Old Navy and Converse c/o Rack Room Shoes.

I have come a long way since I had Benjamin last March. And I’m not talking about my physical fitness, I’m talking about my perspective on fitness, my imperfections and my self-acceptance.

I remember just a few weeks after Benjamin was born I was getting back into photoshoots for my blog, and my mom mentioned that she remembered losing most of her pregnancy weight at about 4 months postpartum. I responded, “FOUR MONTHS?! I can’t wait that long. I have a blog I have to look good for or people will not pin my photos!”

Major eye roll going on over here as I type this.

Now that I’m almost 9 months postpartum, I cannot believe I said or even thought that. But the pressure to get back in shape after baby is real… if we let it be real.

My first couple months of mom life were tough. Not just in adjusting to the new sleep routine (or lack thereof) and learning how to be someone else’s sole source of food, but in learning to be patient while my body healed.

I’ll spare you the details of the entire recovery (most of you probably know from experience), but my ankles and feet were swollen for weeks and I felt like my hips were never going to shrink, let alone my stomach. I literally didn’t recognize myself and didn’t know how to identify with this “new” body I was in. Add to that the lack of exercise (doctors don’t clear you til week 6) and then when you’re ready to exercise you feel like your uterus is going to fall out when you run, your muscles are still in hibernation, and where oh where are you supposed to find the time to exercise on 4 interrupted hours of sleep a night with a baby who eats every 2 hours?

Whew, am I glad all that’s behind me.

Here’s the truth, patience is the cornerstone of postpartum recovery and fitness. Your body has just performed a miracle. The kind you’ll look back on at 9 months postpartum and wonder if it really happened or if you dreamed the whole thing. It is seriously amazing that we live to be with our babies after that kind of trauma. I hope you’re starting to see where this is going.

Our bodies are amazing!

My experience turned out to be pretty closely aligned with my mom’s. At about 4 months postpartum (+ 4 months of breastfeeding), my body started to look more like what I was used to. While I’ve never relied too much on the scale to tell me if I’m healthy or not, the weight was consistently coming down and my old clothes were fitting again, if not looser. I currently weigh less than I did in high school. And I’m not saying that to impress anyone (I really don’t even care myself). I say it to make the point that your body will change after pregnancy.

The reason I don’t care about the weight is because the number doesn’t feel like I always thought it would. Yes, I’m admitting I’ve made goals in the past to weigh a certain amount and the wake up call is that weight only tells part of the story (and muscle really does weigh more than fat)! I lost all of my muscle tone and strength and even though I weigh less , I still have areas for improvement in terms of reaching my fitness goals. And I’m okay with it.

It’s really just been one incredible journey of learning what I’m capable of.

Even the months following month 4, I continued to see changes. My stomach is mostly back to normal now, but I still have yet to try a set of ab workouts (going to try this 30-day ab challenge from my friend Sara over at LovebyLynn.com) because I know my muscles were pretty stretched out while Benjamin was growing inside. In a nutshell, these are the things that helped me through the waiting game (no pun intended… “weighting” lolz)…

  1. Going on regular walks with Benjamin. During the summer, I used a stroller, but now that he’s bigger, I like to bundle him up and go out with this amazing Baby Bjorn carrier. Seriously, forget all those fancy wraps and slings. This thing has no learning curve and is easy and comfortable for both Mom (or Dad) and Baby. You can even wear it around the house.
  2. Breastfeeding as long as possible. I didn’t believe the stories at first about breastfeeding helping you lose the baby weight, but it worked for me and I’m pretty sure this was a huge contributor to my bounce back. I’ll be sharing more of my breastfeeding experience next week, but you can also check out my blog post with tips for surviving breastfeeding.
  3. Eating a diet of healthy, natural, REAL foods. This may surprise you, but I think I’ve been to the gym less than 5 times since I had Benjamin. LESS THAN 5! I guess all the walks outside count for something, but I am that classic example of not having time to fit it in. I’ll figure it out eventually, but I can’t express to you enough how important eating healthy was for my postpartum body. About a month after having Benjamin, I started juicing fruits and vegetables and even did a 5-day juice cleanse. It’s not as crazy as it sounds if you educate yourself first. Check out my blog post about 3 documentaries that will change the way you think about food! Then come back and let me know if you plan to try juicing. I really, really love it.
  4. Introducing sleep training earlier than later. Yep, I’ve got a blog post on that, too. You need sleep as much as your growing baby does! It’s not just for your mind, your body needs it to recover from the labor of your new routine. Mom life is literally the hardest job I’ve ever had. And of course, the most fulfilling. But it’s easier to remember all the special moments when I get as much sleep as I can. So do yourself a favor and make sleep a priority.
  5. Using every available tool to make mom life easier. I’m now thinking I should do a roundup post of every product and resource I’ve used so far as a new mom. They seem to be endless. From nursing tips and tricks and sleep training support systems to snot suckers and YouTube songs (that work every time), motherhood requires you to be resourceful. One adjustment I didn’t see coming until the first time I was home alone with Benjamin and had to go to the bathroom was that I had to bring him with me EVERYWHERE. Like, what? I didn’t even think of that. That’s when I started using a baby bouncer and I’d literally buckle him in and take him all around the house in it. He’d sit in it when I’d pump, when I’d eat breakfast, sometimes when I’d take a quick shower or change my clothes. This thing is amazing because it’s light enough to take with you to other people’s houses if you need to, and babies looove them. I also love the beautiful colors this Baby Bjorn bouncer comes in with their new Woods Collection. Anyway, more to come on all the tools! But the more you know, the easier the adjustment and hopefully the less stressed you’ll be (which is good for your body and your recovery).

I know that’s a lot to digest, but I assume it’s a topic almost every new mom worries about at some point after having her beautiful baby.

Enjoy every moment with your little ones, but be sure to take care of yourself, be kind to yourself and appreciate this challenging yet incomparable journey you’re on.

Now, I want to hear from you! What has helped you bounce back after having a baby? 

Special thanks to Baby Bjorn for partnering on this post. Select products provided c/o Baby Bjorn. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Photos by The High Pines.

Amanda

Comments

  1. These photographs are so sweet and I love your athleisure outfit!

    Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
    http://charmainenyw.com

    Posted December 16, 2016 | Reply
  2. Kailyn says:

    I love this post! Thank you so much for sharing. It’s definitely a hard adjustment after having a baby. I try to go on walks with my baby around the neighborhood. I’ve also been exclusively breastfeeding, which helps a lot! And I try to cook healthy meals at home. I’m 8 months postpartum and only 2 pounds away from my pre-baby weight!

    Posted December 16, 2016 | Reply
    • Thanks, Kailyn! What do you cook for dinner? I keep telling my husband I’m going to work on that in the new year and I’m so afraid I’m setting myself up to fail! Ahh! I only know how to make the most basic things right now (plain chicken, rice, sauteed veggies) and I’m also a little impatient when it comes to cooking with several ingredients. Would love to know your favorites. Thanks for commenting! XO

      Posted December 16, 2016 | Reply
  3. Christy says:

    Benjamin is getting so big — I swear you just had him!! Time takes off after you have a kid, mine is 2. :*( I think with the first baby it’s hard to imagine that your body will ever go back to normal, so it ignites a fire of pressure to try (and stress) until it happens. Plus social media makes it worse. I will be much kinder to myself next time around.

    Posted December 16, 2016 | Reply
    • Ugh, you are so wise, my friend. The pressure is real and it’s too bad social media does that too us. I plan to be kinder to myself next time, too. Especially DURING pregnancy, which I struggled with.

      Time really does fly. I feel like I just had him, too! He’s going to be 1 before I know it. I just want it to slow down. 🙁

      Posted December 16, 2016 | Reply
  4. erin says:

    i just discovered your blog. so cute. this is off topic, but love your living room rug. your style overflows beauty into your home. would you mind sharing where you purchased it? thanks!

    Posted January 14, 2017 | Reply
    • Hi Erin! Thanks for such a sweet note. My rug is from Lulu & Georgia. Here’s the direct link: http://bit.ly/2iLul2F.
      It is so soft and I feel like it hides any dirt really well with the grey lines. Let me know if you have any other questions! XO

      Posted January 18, 2017 | Reply
  5. Jenna says:

    I’m looking to buy the same bouncer online and I was wondering if the one you have is the ‘frost green’ color? I ask because yours looks like a nicer color than the one pictured elsewhere online. Thanks!

    Posted February 23, 2017 | Reply