Getting My Groove Back

Challenges of new motherhood:

Managing my time. If the few-and-far-between posts aren't enough of a hint, I'm still figuring out how to juggle everything, especially now that I'm back at work. (Posting this while the baby sleeps. I should be sleeping too but I felt bad for my neglected blog.) Pre-baby, a few people told me that I was so good at managing my time--I was able to hold down a full-time job, run a household, take care of a husband, play sports, go out with friends... I would give myself a pat on the back each time I got that compliment. But man oh man, mothers deserve that thumbs-up more than I ever did!

Before, I didn't really understand how time-consuming motherhood could be. I don't know if it's just because little monstar isn't a big sleeper or if it's like this for everybody, but my sched is filled with feeding, burping, bathing (him, and if I'm lucky, me!), playing, and getting him to sleep. Repeat. And even with help (which I am incredibly lucky to have), I'm still so tired!

Getting back into shape. I missed working out so much that I thought I would get fit in no time. True, I've pretty much dropped all the pregnancy weight, but I am nowhere near my fitness levels pre-pregnancy. I haven't even tried doing a proper run. The first night I got back on the field, I was so frustrated--I nearly tripped on my own feet a few times because, in my mind, I was going faster than I actually was.

I had grand plans of doing the 30-Day Shred right before plunging into Insanity. But six weeks after the doc gave the go-signal to exercise, I've only done about five days of the Shred, with a bit of disc and plyo. My kid wakes up some time between 5:30 and 7 a.m., so working out in the morning is out of the question. I would seriously rather sleep, especially since he isn't sleeping through the night yet. And I don't want to work out after putting him to bed because I normally can't sleep after evening cardio.

Finding clothes to wear. If you think dressing a baby bump is hard, well, it's only going to get harder! Even though I've dropped the weight, my body is so different. I lost a lot of muscle mass, so my arms are flabbier and my tummy is smooshier. And, er, other things are bigger. A lot of people have told me that it looks like I'm back to my old self, but they don't know that I'm hiding some secrets underneath my well-chosen outfit. Put me in a figure-hugging dress and the illusion is shattered. Aside from looking for stuff in my closet that fit well, I also have to make sure that they're nursing-/pump-friendly. Sigh. I wish I could replace my wardrobe! But funds have been diverted towards a nanny (a godsend), diapers, and vaccinations.

It all boils down to managing my time. If I'm moderately successful at that, I'll be able to find time to work out, then get back into shape, then start fitting into my old clothes again. Maybe tomorrow. Haha. Right now, I need a nap!