Hi readers. It has been awhile for numerous reasons but the main one being I didn’t really know what to share or even how to share it. The past several months have been challenging. I had to go back and reread my last postpartum update, which was 5 months ago, because I had forgotten exactly what I had shared. My hope when I created this little space for myself was to be authentic and real. Can I just tell you for a moment how hard that can be sometimes. When I began blogging it was super easy to write and share because I didn’t think anyone I actually knew in real life was going to read it. I am not saying this to say I am a different person than I portray on the internet. Trust me. I am exactly the same. But thinking that people I actually know might visit my blog has at times left me feeling apprehensive to post. It is so easy to get caught up in yourself and the day to day tasks in life. Sometimes it can all seem never-ending. The piles of clothes waiting to be cleaned or put … [Read more...]
Pumping, Dumping, Freezing Breast Milk, & Bottle Feeding
Disclosure: The Workout Mama is a Joovy Moms ambassador and as such is provided with product for reviews. All opinions are 100% honest and my own. Over the last 2 months I have been going to weekly doctor appointments to see my vein specialist for endovenous laser treatment and sclerotherapy. For this reason I have been pumping, dumping, freezing my breast milk, and bottle feeding my baby for 24 hours at a time. When I became pregnant with Maisie I wore my compression socks everyday but by the end of my pregnancy my legs were bruised, discolored, and painful. We now had a healthy baby but my legs were a mess and I needed more treatments. I went in for an ultrasound several weeks after Maisie was born to get the treatment approved by insurance and the morning pumping sessions began. Maisie hadn’t been waking up for an early morning feeding for several weeks when I started pumping. Every morning for the past 3 months I have set my alarm to ring at 5am. Pumping is a … [Read more...]
Body After Baby: 4 Months Postpartum
Wow, I have so much to share. I am anxious and slightly nervous to write how I have been recovering during these last several months. But before I continue please read the following disclaimer... I don't use extreme measures, deprive myself, or sacrifice my sleep in order to obtain results. I was active during both of my pregnancies and I fully believe that staying active has helped my body recover. I have found that being patient, consistent, and determined are the greatest ways to regain strength and stability in my body. I am a mama to two, and a wife to a firefighter. I don't have a chef, housekeeper, or nanny. I am real person and I am inviting you to come on my postpartum journey with me. If you are recovering from childbirth please listen to your own body and know that each woman's pregnancy, labor, and delivery is unique. To read Maisie's birth story click HERE. You may also be interested in reading Body After Baby: 1 Month … [Read more...]
MuTu System 12 Week Online Program Review
This is not a sponsored review. I purchased the MuTu System 12 Week Online Program with my own money and have not been compensated for this post. I highly recommend this program and because I loved it so much I became an affiliate. This means that if you purchase this product from my links I will earn a small comission. Thank you for helping to support this blog and our family. UPDATE JANUARY 2018 :MUTU System has launched a *BRAND NEW* program designed to flatten your tummy, stop annoying leakage, lose the weight you really wanna shift, heal your diastasis recti, feel fitter, healthier and sexier. The best bit is it takes 15 minutes a day! Since this post was written I have had another baby and wrote another post (with before and after pictures!) to share what I thought about the new program. Enjoy reading about my original experience with this program below. When I was nearing the end of my second pregnancy I started to research how I wanted to strengthen and allow my body to heal … [Read more...]
How I Convinced My Husband To Cloth Diaper Our Baby
If you had told me even a year before Caden was born that we would be cloth diapering him I would have laughed. I never thought this would be something I would be doing. We used disposables for the first few months of Caden life and while they were super convenient and easy to use we were spending so much money on diapers. As a family living on a very modest income I started rethinking my views on cloth diapering. I began researching the benefits on cloth diapering, how much it would cost vs. how much our family would save, and all the ins and outs of exactly what I would be getting myself into if we decided to go the route of cloth diapers. I knew if I could create a solid presentation to my husband on the benefits of cloth diapering it would outweigh the initial upfront cost to purchase everything that would be needed. If you or your significant other is on the fence about cloth diapering check out why Josh and I decided to take the plunge. There are lots of good reasons why … [Read more...]
Maisie’s Birth Story
I am so incredibly excited to share our sweet Maisie girl's birth story today on the blog. Having our little girl here has filled our hearts with more love and given us a joy that we didn't know was possible. It feels like my heart has expanded to double it's normal size. I will try and do a follow up post soon with the differences between Caden and Maisie's birth and post delivery because there are several that even surprised me. Time is already moving so quickly and I am happy to have been able to write down her birth story before I forgot the little details. Honestly, it is crazy what you can forget in even a week, but her story is here and it is typed up - which is what matters. Enjoy... On the afternoon of Tuesday May 27th, I had my 39 week appointment with my OB, Dr. Brass, at 5:45pm. Before I continue telling this story, if you are local and looking for someone to deliver your baby or are wanting to get pregnant I highly recommend her. She is just awesome and I am so … [Read more...]
