Motherhood in the Time of Covid

I know I’m not the only one struggling. In fact, if you’re not having a hard time right now then I would have to say I wouldn’t believe you, which is why it’s been 8 month since my last blog post. Which makes me the worst blogger ever. However, in my defense having 2 kids under 4 right now during a pandemic is all I have to say and I’m pretty sure everyone will understand.

To say that this year has been challenging is an understatement. A huge understatement. I was practically a stay at home mom before the pandemic started since I only worked part-time anyway because I was just coming back from maternity leave. But something about not being able to do the things you take for granted has made being a “stay at home” mom now a constant battle of “what am I going to do today to entertain these kids”. There’s no park or play dates or even school. I don’t just “run to the grocery store” or “run errands” anymore. My 18 month old daughter has missed out on so many things my now 4 year old son and I used to do all the time. She doesn’t know what it’s like to sit in the basket of the cart at the store and look at all the over stimulating things she wants to touch and grab. She was only 7 months when all of this started so she has no idea what’s going on in the outside world. This is her new norm. My 4 year old is handling things pretty well. He doesn’t mind wearing a mask since he wants to be a superhero anyway. I do know that withdrawing him from starting school for the first time was very upsetting for us as parents. I didn’t want to risk anything and I wasn’t sure if I wanted this to be his first experience at school: the uncertainty of when this would be over, wearing masks, being without his mom for the first time. It all seemed too much.

However, as challenging as all of this was, there were many positives. I ended up with a new job that allowed me to continue to do what I love as a personal trainer and health coach as well as be home with my kids, my immediate family stayed healthy with none of us getting Covid, and I found that no matter what adversities come my way I still manage to find a way to persevere. So that’s the lesson I’m taking out of this really crappy situation we all have been forced into. This could have been so much worse and it was for so many others. Every year is a new beginning but this year is really going to be a year of reinventing what I want for my future and reimagining it with a new perspective. All of the things we thought were important, 2020 showed us it wasn’t. To have your health and your family as all you really need so with that in mind I’m keeping things simple within my own life and I challenge you to do the same.

I organized (and am still organizing) my home. Room by room. I’m organizing what I want to do with my life and I’m focusing on the little things that make me happy, and part of that is being able to watch my kids run and yell and play without any worries in a time where worry is everywhere.

Motherhood is a piece of cake.

Said no one ever.

And motherhood during Covid is not for the weak and neither am I.

My little 18 month old!

My 4 year old!

Staying Well In A Crisis

No doubt there’s a lot more stress going around in everyone’s life right about now. Much more than any of us are accustomed to. It’s so easy to see how life can change drastically from one month to the next. In one day, one hour everything can change. Now more than ever we must continue to carve out time for ourselves to de-stress and focus on our health, both physical and mental.

Being “stuck” at home with the kids has been my life lately, so this being “quarantined” is not too far out of my everyday. Granted we are forced to stay home, so that of course makes you want to go out and do something, but we all know that things could and probably will get worse, so staying home doesn’t have to be miserable. It’s been a couple of weeks so far and we’re finally realizing that we need to establish a new norm. Starting some type of routine is going to be the only way that I will be able to stay sane and keep two kids under the age of 3 from losing their minds as well.

There’s all kinds of mom hacks floating around the internet. A lot of them have me thinking are moms really doing all of these impressive arts and crafts or is it all wishful thinking amongst the majority of us? I may get around to making mosaic chalk art or homemade slime one day (they have their dad for that, right?) but in the mean time staying active and keeping off this baby weight is my main focus. My kids love to be outdoors so why not try and get them involved in my exercise routine instead of waiting for their naps everyday (because we all know naps are unpredictable).

My 9 month old is crawling and on the move these days and while playing with her on the floor, I started doing some ab exercises. She was crawling all over me and I picked her up and started using her as my weight. Believe me, her solid 20 lb body felt heavier than any weight I was lifting at the gym. So below are some exercises that you can do with your baby or toddler. My 3 year can plank and pushup with the best of them. I bet yours can too!

 

 

 

Grab-n-go Snacks For On The Go

Everyone is busy these days and it can be hard to find healthy options when you’re on the go. It’s been a struggle but I’ve found some healthy alternatives that I love to make and they’re filling too!!

Fruit and yogurt parfaits

• Yogurt of your choice (I like Dannon Light and Fit Greek yogurt but choose whichever you like best)
• Fruit of your choice (my favorite combo is bananas, strawberries and blueberries)
• Honey
• Granola (my favorite is Mason St. Bakehouse granola or you can make your own)
• I layer the yogurt then fruit add a little honey and granola on top then continue to layer as much or as little as you want. The best part is you can change your toppings to fit your mood!

 

Overnight Oats

I posted previously about my overnight oats but just as a reminder if you didn’t read my last post here’s how I make them. They’re easy to make ahead and it’s great for breastfeeding mothers. Plus it tastes great too!

• 1/2 cup of rolled oats (Bob’s Red Mill is my go to)
• 1/2 cup of milk of your choice (I like almond milk)
• Fruit or nut topping of your choice

This is another recipe where you can be creative and put whatever toppings and fruit you like in it. Below is a great chart to help get you started from the producemom.com:

I love to add just the basics: bananas, peanut butter and honey is my usual overnight oat of choice mix.

 

Hope these recipes help you make some good choices for future snacking!

 

Time Oat: Overnight Oatmeal is the Best Thing You’ve Never Had

Before I was pregnant I had never tried overnight oatmeal. The thought of cold oatmeal in the morning didn’t really sound appealing but I couldn’t have been more wrong.

When I was breastfeeding with my first baby, I had a hard time producing milk in the beginning, so I looked up ways to increase my production. Hence the previous posts on lactation cookies. I also discovered oatmeal was a great source of iron and perfect for breastfeeding moms and women in general.

The best part is that it’s easy to make. You can make batches ahead of time (I like to store them in mason jars in the refrigerator) and it’s a great way to get a healthy breakfast in when you’re a new and/or busy mom.

Below are some recipes that I’ve tried and loved but feel free to put any toppings you choose once you have the base.

Overnight Oats

• 1/2 cup of rolled oats (I like Bob’s Red Mill Oats)
• 1/2 cup of milk of your choice (I’m not a big milk drinker so I use Silk Almond Milk)

Refrigerate in a jar and the next day add your toppings

*Topping suggestions:

Banana, peanut butter or other nut butter and honey

Apple, chia seeds or flax seeds, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg

Nutella and banana

Berries, yogurt, nuts and honey

Skies the limit with this simple yet filling recipe.

Give it a try and add anything healthy you like! It’s perfect for morning, noon or night!

Life after Pre-eclampsia: How My Second Pregnancy Differed From My First

The 21st of July was my due date and the day has come and gone. Instead of going in on my scheduled induction date, I’ve spent these past days with my new two week old daughter and navigating life with a newborn and almost 3 year old. I may not have had any pre-eclampsia symptoms like I did the first time around but I still delivered 2 weeks early. It may seem surprising, and believe me no one was more surprised than me when I woke up one morning to use the bathroom and my water broke, but it ended up being a much less stressful situation this time around and even though she was early, she was full term and already 8lbs!

Going back to my water breaking, everything about this second delivery was different from the first. From my new doctor and my trust in her, to the attending doctor and staff once I got to the hospital, everything was completely different than when I had my son just 3 short years ago. That being said, I was lucky enough to have people around me telling me to put aside all the anxiety and all the preconceived notions from the first delivery and focus on this delivery. And that’s what I would tell anyone today who is having fears and doubts about having more children after a rough first time.

Every. Pregnancy. Is. Different.

I heard it before but until you experience it, you won’t believe it. I had faith. And I hoped and I prayed that this time would be different and it was. I didn’t have pneumonia. I didn’t have preeclampsia. My newborn didn’t have jaundice where I had to go back to the hospital once we were discharged. I did have some ankle and feet swelling but after 2 weeks I’m back to feeling and looking like myself again instead of months later still feeling sick and while trying to take care of a newborn. I couldn’t ask for a better situation this time around. Believe me, I had doubts. I googled all kinds of things: “second pregnancies after preeclampsia”, “will I have preeclampsia a second time if I’ve had it once”, “what to expect after having preeclampsia”. Too much googling can make you crazy. Trust in your body. Trust yourself and make sure you surround yourself with people you trust as well.

My little Zoe ❤️

After all my nervousness not only surrounding my health but whether I could deliver vaginally or if I was going to have a c-section, I delivered my healthy 8lb girl naturally and she is perfect.

Now comes the easy part…raising two kids under the age of 3! 😉

Bosu Ballin’

One of my favorite pieces of work out equipment is the Bosu Ball. I love when you can do a million exercises on 1 thing. It’s easy to use and transport, while still being tough on you!

For these exercises shown below, I usually do this as part of a complete hour workout. Which means if I’m doing a circuit workout, I may run for 5 mins, then do strength exercises for 10mins, run for 5 then do something else. This Bosu workout below is the something else. Each exercise is done at my own pace, as many reps as possible for 30-45secs and I do it twice.

Have you tried the Bosu lately? You’ll be glad you did once you start.

Mommy Struggle #3

In this “struggle series” I wanted to discuss my anxiety about having more children. I’m not sure if anyone else has ever felt this way after having kids, but now that it’s time for us to start trying for another baby, I can’t help but be nervous that my pregnancy will be difficult or I’ll have preeclampsia again. I guess it’s like any new endeavor: going to a new school, moving to a new city, starting a new job. All of those things bring that same uncertainty of the unknown, but somehow you rise to the challenge and come out ok, sometimes better than before.

Not to mention I’m 35 now and according to modern medicine once you’re over 35 you’re too old to have kids. My doctor is wonderful, however and relays the basics but doesn’t dwell on it. She cuts to the chase, yes I’m 35 and it might be harder but it also depends on each individual and each pregnancy is different, so bottom line is I shouldn’t worry. I can’t help it though, I’m a natural worrier.

I’m also stuck on trying to lose the last 15lbs of post-baby weight so that I don’t start off heavier the second time around. That means more consistent exercising, healthier meals and staying more active. Fall is slowly approaching us here in the south so that means hopefully we can do more things outside, take more walks and enjoy the outdoors. It’s a constant battle between wanting to sleep and wanting to workout. It never used to be this hard but I’m not giving up.

So what else is there to do? Well if I can’t worry I’m going to focus on the positive. I’m going to continue to work out, try to eat healthy and let things happen naturally. If I’m meant to have another baby, I will. Meanwhile I have the most amazing son and husband and family and I’ll continue to try and be the best mother and wife I can be. I guess that all any of us can do!

My cute little family at Disneyworld 👆🏽

How Finding the Right Doctor Can Determine Your Health

I’ve been struggling with how to start this post and how I was going to explain what exactly I mean by this statement. I never thought much about my search for a doctor, mainly because I was rarely sick and just went to whoever: urgent care, a recommendation from a friend. Until I got pregnant, and saw how important it is to have the right doctor. I saw firsthand how incredibly important it is to have someone you trust, someone who is on the same page as you in terms of what you will and won’t do, someone you are entrusting your life with to have your best interest at heart. That’s hard to do. Doctors see so many patients and deal with so much. They can be amazing. Or they can be the worst. How can you be sure they actually care about you? This isn’t important only for expecting mothers but for anyone who may be feeling out of sorts or might need a basic check-up.

Healthcare is something we know is important but that we all take for granted until it’s absolutely necessary. We as a society don’t focus on health enough. My mom used to tell me that without your health, what do you have? And she’s right. How can you work and enjoy the things you work for, enjoy your family, your friends without being healthy and feeling your best? You can’t. And I mean overall health too. Your mental as well as the physical. I could write for hours debating the benefit of each but I just wanted to give my opinion using my past pregnancy.

I’ve written before about my troubles with pre-eclampsia before. I was fortunate enough to have gotten it late in my pregnancy so I only had to deliver about 9 days earlier than my due date. What I didn’t realize was how I didn’t know anything about pre-eclampsia other than what you find on google. I was always pretty healthy and had low to normal blood pressure so I wasn’t a high risk pregnancy and no one thought anything of it. I also didn’t factor in that my doctor would send me to be admitted and then go on vacation with her family and not deliver my baby. Or that they would discharge me only to have me go back in days later because my baby developed jaundice. Or that I would get pneumonia and still be severely swollen a week after delivering. None of these factors could have been predicted. What I did have a choice in was how it was handled and who my doctor was. I went through a couple of doctors after that, trying to find one that I felt comfortable with and finally settling on the actual doctor who delivered my baby. I tried to complain about how I was treated but it fell on deaf ears and I didn’t try hard enough. I was too exhausted with having a new baby and feeling so bad, I gave up on pursuing the lack of care I received. It was traumatic to say the least, but the one good thing that resulted from this medical disaster (other than my healthy baby) was I found a renewed sense of power. Over my body, over my life. I was a mom now. And I was responsible for someone other than myself. I wasn’t going to let anyone tell me or force me to do something I wasn’t comfortable with from now on. Not my husband, not a family member, no one.

Not everyone has that luxury or is that lucky. And I’m thankful for every lesson I’ve learned and continue to learn. I’ve met and talked to so many young women who had similar or worse experiences than me and it’s unsettling. We have to demand more from our community, our doctors, from our government when it comes to healthcare because as a society if one is sick then we all are. We’re all here living on this planet together.

And we deserve better when it comes to how we view our health and others. So please, do your research and take your health seriously no matter what.

Mommy Struggle #2

So it’s only been 15 months as a mom and it seems much longer! I’m just now starting to get the hang of things. How am I going to make it the next 17 years?! Forget that, the next 40! Because let’s face it, it’s not going to end when he turns 18. I still count on my mom and I’m 34. I don’t know if I can make it that long.

This leads me to the next mommy struggle: prioritizing your life and getting on a schedule. Otherwise known as the “I don’t have enough time” phase. I feel like most complaints I hear are about how moms can’t get anything done. I have to admit that even though a 15 month old can get into much more mischief now that he’s walking and older and more curious, it is a bit easier to get things done around the house. I allow him to play and explore (within reason of course) so that I can do the dishes, wash clothes, make the bed.

One thing moms kick ass at is multitasking, but don’t let it take over your life. I almost had a meltdown trying to do too much that I had to take a step back and calm down. Whenever you take on too much is when something suffers and usually that’s your child.

Instead of being stressed out about nap times and meal times, I let things happen naturally. That doesn’t mean I forget about nap time all together. I just don’t stress about it too much. Now when I want to get some things done, I put him in his high chair, let him feed himself some snacks and keep my eye on him while I get some things done.

Instead of worrying about working out during nap time, I work out while he plays next to me in his pack and play or on the floor. Sometimes I use him as added weight too 😉 And if worse comes to worse, I drop him off at his grandma’s house and do what I have to do!

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Motherhood is a learning experience and no one has all the answers. Being a perfectionist like myself doesn’t help either, because no matter how much you plan, or prepare, nothing will ever be perfect when it comes to kids. And no two experiences are the same. You do the best you can and ask for help when you need to.

How do you keep your sanity when trying to get things done with a baby or toddler? Tips and suggestions welcome!

Mommy Struggle #1

So in this “mommy struggle” series, let’s talk about the things that test all moms’ patience, drive all mommys crazy and make all of us want to give up and crawl back into bed. But won’t. Because we’re moms and our husbands and kids won’t let us.

I bring you the dreaded: “Why can’t I lose this baby weight?”

Well I don’t have the answer, not really anyway. But I do have words of advice. Don’t give up. Especially if it really means a lot to you. As a fitness professional, the pressure to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight was something I felt every time I looked in my closet and tried to find something to wear. I worked out here and there but nothing as consistent as before I was pregnant. I always had an excuse I guess. Too tired. No time. The baby won’t sleep. The key is to find your motivation, whatever it is, and use it to eliminate the excuses. Since I was fortunate enough to stay home this past year with my son you would think I had all the time in the world to get in shape. Well, running after a one year old is a lot harder than I thought and running after him doesn’t burn as many calories as you think. Big disappointment.

But it’s ok because my motivation just reared it’s head: first, a wedding coming up and then a Mardi Gras ball. 2 occasions where I would need to dress up, wash my hair and look presentable instead of wearing baby food stained shirts and sweatpants. I could do this. I wanted to do this. I needed something that was going to give me the added push. Something aside from being upset about all the clothes I couldn’t fit into. So I gave myself a few small tasks to complete each day. I would clean one room of the house, I would work out for at least 20 minutes everyday while the baby slept and I would set aside time to work on my blog. If I didn’t get to one of those things, well I would try to do it the next day and maybe for longer. Giving yourself small goals makes it a little easier to get to the bigger goal.

Another thing to remember is to go at your own pace. It’s been 14 months since I’ve had my baby and I’m just now starting to see results. I have to keep in mind that my body is completely different and not necessarily bad different, just different. That doesn’t mean I can’t lose weight, it’s just going to be a little different from what I did before.

Here I am now after 14 months 👆🏽

And here is what I was before 👇🏽

I haven’t given up and I haven’t forgotten that I gave birth to a human and it could possibly take a long time to come back from that. Each delivery is different, each body is different. It’s ok, moms who are struggling out there, we’re all in this together!

What are some things that helped you get your pre-pregnancy bod back or are you still on the struggle bus?