Loving your workout!!!

 

This week in the quest for fitness I tried a thirty minute circuit of boxing and kickboxing. It is an all women gym and spoiler alert… I loved it.

I convinced my partner in crime Julia to try it, and she was very reluctant. She was intimidated by how physical it was and felt she would not be good at it. But she was willing to go. This morning when we had our free trial, she did the whole circuit. At the end when we were both out of breath and soaking wet she said “I haven’t had that good of a workout in a long time!!!” and to my surprise she wanted to sign up for the gym.  Moral of this story try something that you might find intimidating, you may end up loving it after all.

So my new passion is this boxing thing. I also love Zumba so I will try to find a class in my community offering drop ins. If I can squeeze in Sunday morning pilates I will be golden! Mom offered to watch the kiddo so I can do the class if I can get motivated to get toned on Sunday, the day of rest.

Will keep blogging about my fitness journey throughout my time doing it.

But next week. I will talk about my kid’s first brush with fame, and his very first acting gig.

Nine Months to Put it on… Nine Months to Take it Off?

 

Most publications I have read state that post partum mom’s should expect to take off the weight in nine months. Other moms I have spoken to say that is quite realistic. So I am giving myself that leeway. However if I could be an exception to the rule that would be great. So my friend Julia and I have decided to become exceptions. We have both put on substantial pounds during our pregnancy. I put on about 45lbs. Three months after delivering our son I have shed about 35. So far the loss of water retention, and breastfeeding helped in taking off the weight pretty quickly. The other factor, Julia and I take a walk every morning. At first I took my little guy in a carrier, and that was a workout, now he sleeps in his stroller while we walk. It is great exercise, and a great social activity. We chat about our babies, our husbands, share tips and vent on mommy problems.

This week we have decided to step it up and find an exercise and diet program in an effort to shed the last ten pounds.

Here is how our journey is going so far.

On Monday:

We decided to do a thirty minute circuit program at our local women’s only boxing gym. There are 15 stations with 2 minutes each. The gym was high energy, with a great trainer and they are child friendly. I fell in love with it. Julia is on the fence. I think I will enroll starting next week.

On Tuesday:

We checked out our local Weight Watchers Meeting. It was interesting to hear about some tips that the meeting leaders shared. Including substituting bad habits for good ones. Waiting twenty minutes after a meal to see if one is still hungry before having more food. And not using food as a reward, instead doing something else, like taking a walk, calling a friend or reading a book when needing to reward self or take a break.

The program requires discipline on food and does not put a lot of emphasis on exercise. Right now that is what I want to be doing. So I have decided not to join just yet. I plan on exercising first, and then if I still need a boost in losing weight I will consider joining the program.

So today is Wednesday and I have to find a new thing to try or at least look into.

Baby Photos

“Kids grow up so fast” and nowhere is that more true than in the first few weeks of their life. Each day their expression changes, they grow longer and chubbier. So if you want photos of that adorable baby in the nook of your arm, or in a basket then having the baby photo in the first week of the baby’s life is ideal. Not saying that you cannot have it later than that but it does get a little harder. They are really sleepy in the first week so it is easy to position them in those cute poses where they are propped on their arms, curled up in a ball or covering your arm. If a shoot is done after the first week, as I learned firsthand, babies are more awake and less cooperative for the shoot. And my little guy outgrew some of the props too. I had a very wide awake baby and he was just not interested in being cute and cuddly in the photos. Also he was cranky so I had to breastfeed him, and even though we had a session booked for three hours, we ended up skipping out after two and a half, because he was just so cranky. Indeed the lighting (which gets a little hot) did not help matters.

Our photographer was very understanding and she made it clear from the get go if we needed to take more time than the three hours that were allotted that was fine by her, and she would not charge us extra. A flexible photographer is a good photographer. I had a bad experience for my maternity shoot with a so called good photographer who actually gave our date away to a higher paying corporate client. She also was requesting I bring the full payment in person prior to my shoot to a town 1 ½ hours away, this while I was in the final weeks of my third trimester! She also said that a maternity and newborn photo shoot package that was advertised on her website was no longer available. That was highly unprofessional and should have been honored as it was still on her website, instead she said “oh thanks for reminding me to take that down, as it is no longer available”. Thus she wanted to charge me $150 for the photo shoot fee for each shoot (maternity and baby) in addition to the cost of prints.  It was really a bad experience and very stressful since my husband and I were left scrambling to get our pictures with another photographer. Luckily we found a family friend who was able to do it and gave us a cd of all our images for a fraction of the cost.

So what to avoid:

A photographer who is inflexible with times for your shoot. This can mean the date (they say “I am available on this date only and in the morning”) well your baby may not arrive by that date, or if they are born and healthy they may not be happy that day and maybe will cause you to run late to your shoot. Then that photographer may get agitated and state that you took up their valuable time, even though it is your photo shoot. So a photographer who gives you only one available date, or states that she is really strict about times that she can do the shoot is not a good photographer. Babies do not run on a schedule and the photo shoot may take longer than expected.

What to ask the photographer about:

·         Does the photographer have a fee just to do the shoot that does not include any images or prints?

·         If you need extra time is there an additional charge?

·         Does the photographer allow use of all the images from the shoot, and can they be shared or are they the exclusive property of the photographer?

·         Does the photographer offer a gallery (either on a website, or CD) of all images of the shoot,  or if she just prints a few images as part of a package and does not give the remainder of the images to the parents?

·         If the photographer has her/his own studio is it a professional space or is it a home studio? In the latter case note that it may be small, very hot and have pets. This last one is important in case of allergies or if you do not want to expose your children to animals. Therefore it is important to ask if the photographer does the photos at their home if they have pets.

·         Can the photographer come to a location chosen by you? This is key if the parents want to do a at home shoot (the easiest and least preparation required for the parents). Some photographers will do this for no extra charge, while others will charge you extra. Still others may not be flexible at all on location and insist you come to their studio.

What you want to ask your friends about

·         Who they used and if they were happy with the photographer?

Note that baby photographers are a dime a dozen. They vary in their styles and in prices. Baby photographers are part of an industry and as such know each other, as such they can recommend colleagues if they are unavailable on a certain day, or if you are looking for a different style or price point.  Thus each photographer has their own angle and unique style, but there is the opportunity for a new parent to shop around. Ask friends, and know that there are a variety of options in both price point and styles. Each photographer has a different mix they offer. Some offer discounted rates for CD’s of images of the photo shoot and they do not actually do prints, thus keeping the costs down. Others will have their own studios and do package shoots with selected images (usually up to 20) print them, retain the rest of the photos as proprietary and not give them to the parents, and charge up to $900.) So it is best to shop around.

This week I am discussing Breastfeeding

One of the things I decided at the outset of my pregnancy is that I was going to breastfeed. To me it seemed like the most convenient and healthy option for my baby. One thing I had heard though is that the so called “most natural thing in the world” is not so natural. And in fact 95% of women who attempt breastfeeding have some level of difficulty doing it. I my fellow readers fell into the 95%.

My first feed, where the baby gets its colostrum (the yellow highly nutritious substance that comes in before your milk) was fed to my baby with no problems whatsoever. I had been leaking since my 28^th week of pregnancy so when he fed shortly after birth it was an easy feed. In the first 24 hours the baby is tired and adjusting to life outside the womb, so if they feed once during the first 24 hours most child care professionals are content. I thought I had done my job within the first hour. However the medical nurses at my hospital insisted I feed my baby every three hours. This was so that they could check my latch and ensure we would form a habit right off the get go. However this constant feeding only created a problem for me because my little guy is a very strong sucker and it left me bruised and chapped and grimacing in pain. Remember I gave birth au nautral and as such have a high pain threshold so when I was crying during feedings on the second day of feeding my child my husband was the  one who voiced concern. He knew I was in pain and that we were having a problem... Our temporary solution was to go buy a breast pump and bottle feed our little one while I took a 24 hour booby break. At first I felt really guilty and cried, but my hubby and mom reminded me I was still feeding our little one breast milk it was just coming out of a bottle and that I needed to take care of myself in order to take care of him. That helped and so did the rest period. During this time we set up an appointment with a nurse who specialized in breastfeeding and from her got some tips. Today I am feeding normally, there is the initial discomfort when the little guy latches on but it gets easier as soon as he starts to feed. As for the pump I do use it to relieve engorgement or when I start to leak but the little one does not want to feed. Also it is convenient to store some breastmilk for when daddy or grandma wants to feed the little guy.

Tips for breastfeeding:

·         Don’t expect that the first latch will be perfect and that the whole process is trouble free. There will be hiccups and discomfort and low moments, but you can get through it, and eventually come to enjoy it.

·         Two great resources are the video “Follow me Mum” by Rebecca Glover it is a video that breaks down breastfeeding into chapters, it shows great clips and easy tips. Secondly the book “Guide to Breastfeeding” by Dr. Jack Newman has chapters for all the hiccups you can encounter and offers solutions to all kinds of breastfeeding problems.

·         Make sure that your baby has a wide yawn prior to latching.

o   Next hold your breast like you are going to squeeze toothpaste above the areola this forces it to be squeezed and fits better into the baby’s mouth. If your baby starts dozing off during the feeding you can squeeze your breast and it will get more milk into them and make them more alert.

o   Support your breast and your little one’s head during the whole feeding.

o   Put the nipple way back into his mouth ensure that the latch is good. It should reach the area between the soft and hard palate on the top of his mouth. If your latch is not comfortable or if he is just sucking on your nipple use your CLEAN pinky finger put it in the corner of his mouth (like a fish-hook) and release your breast.

o   When there is a successful latch the baby’s mouth should be on your ariola not just your nipple for sucking and should be fairly comfortable. His face looks buried in your breast. Don’t worry he can breathe J

o   If you can keep him on for a feeding on one breast he gets the hind milk which is highly nutritious and high in calories. Think of it as the equivalent of cream.  If you switch breasts after only a few minutes it is like the baby getting two servings of skim milk.

·         Milk comes in around the third day of breastfeeding prior to that it is colostrum.

·         Engorgement happens a few days after your milk comes in, it is your body’s way of boosting supply of milk. It is a supply and demand cycle, so the more you feed the more milk comes in. Engorgement makes your breasts very full and can be uncomfortable, feed your little one and if you feel comfortable with it use a pump. Engorgement goes away after a couple of days. If you are really uncomfortable use a leaf of cabbage for a MAXIMUM of 20 minutes, it has properties that combat swelling. Using cabbage for any more than 20 minutes can compromise your milk supply.

·          Seek help from a nurse, lactation consultant or La Leche league if you continue to find it difficult. http://www.llli.org/

CAREER ADVICE

 Saving up:

When going on maternity leave your income is reduced. There is an optimal ratio for your income and it is outlined below. If you have the opportunity to plan your pregnancy and maternity leave, save up to live comfortably and still keep to the percentages below. Make sure to pay down debts prior to going on maternity leave and boost your savings as you will likely dip into them for baby expenses. There are the expenses of diapers, clothing that everyone thinks of. However there are additional expenses people forget about like birth certificates, passport applications, baby photographs, for some families with boys circumcisions. These expenses really add up too.

Housing 35%

Transportation 15%

Life 25%

Debt Repayment 15%

Savings 10%

Housing: When it comes to rent or mortgage payment you can only afford 35% of your take home income. Any more than that will stretch you out and is not sustainable in the long run. This is what one calls house poor because it will cause you to skimp out on other life's necessities.

Transportation: This includes your car payments, gas and insurance and thus should not eat up more than 15% of your income.

Life: This includes your groceries, pet food, clothing and entertainment as well as other expenses in life. This should make up no more than 25%.

Debt Repayment: Whether consumer debt to your credit cards, consolidation loans, or student loans 15% of your income should go to debt repayment.

Savings: your parents told you about this one but most of us ignore it. It is important to save up part of your pay check for emergencies, retirement or investments. So save up that 10%

 Here is how it breaks down for your take home income

Income	$1000	$2000	$3000	$4000
Housing	$350	$600	$1,050	$1,400
Transportation	$150	$300	$450	$600
Life	$250	$500	$750	$1000
Debt Repayment	$150	$300	$450	$1,400
Savings	$100	$200	$300	$400

Last week I gave birth to a healthy happy baby boy. He weighed in at 8 pounds 5 ounces. I was nervous about giving birth, so I attended classes, read books and watched videos in preparation for the most intense experience of my life. Funny thing is, I ended up doing something I never thought I would be able to do… a natural birth!

I had a birth plan, a doula and a labour coach. In the end I asked my labour coach to give up her spot to my hubby who was a very supportive partner during the whole experience. In my birth plan I stated that the most important thing was the healthy birth of our baby boy. I did make concessions for medication and said if really needed a caesarean was ok. However none of that ended up being applicable.

Here is what happened during my birth. I felt contractions at 11 pm on Thursday evening and went to the hospital and was advised that although soft my cervix was not dilated and it could happen any time. I had heard the advice to labour at home where one feels most comfortable (unless there were complications or a lot of pain) so we did, we stayed at home. I got some sleep that night occasionally interrupted by painful contractions, then in the morning had food and watched a movie with my husband. While watching TV saw a commercial for Babybell cheese and decided that we needed some for the hospital stay. So we walked to our neighbourhood market to get the cheese, and startled an 18 year old checkout girl during one of my contractions who panicking asked “why are you shopping during labour?” to which I replied “we have to eat”. Well it also turned out that a local radio station was doing a cross promotion with the grocery chain and ended up asking us to take a picture for their website, so there I am with my husband a bag of groceries and in full labour posing for an adult contemporary radio station’s website.

We continued our walk once we dropped off the groceries and on the way back noticed that my contractions were closer together. We called our doula and once she arrived we went to the hospital where we found out that we were five centimeters dilated. Over the course of five hours I used the ball, breathing techniques, and shower to get through contractions. I discovered the gas when I was 9 cm dilated and was only allowed to use it for 15 minutes before they took it away. This was a big surprise to me when I started being in real pain and I asked for morphine and the nurses said “Morphine? Honey you are way past it we give that to women who are 4 cm dilated.” Oh said I “how about the epidural?” to which they replied “you’ll have the baby before the anaesthesiologist gets here”. It then set in I was going to do this au natural to which I said “I am having a natural labour… I feel like such a granola mom!” But I did it, did not think I could but our son was born after 29 hours of labour and he came out screaming.

So I offer these tips to any labouring woman… but before I go on. I must say PLEASE CONSULT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL; this is from personal experience and is not meant to substitute medical advice. It is just what worked for me.  Please note this is not medical advice, consult with your doctor nurse or midwife for best labour practices. This is a few pointers of what worked for me personally and may or may not work for you.

·         Find a good support team. It may be your partner, parent or a friend, also may be a doula a birth companion who will assist you in comfort techniques.

·         Go to the place you feel most comfortable during labour. If you want to go to the hospital right away do so, however if you feel comfortable in your own house and want to labour at home (barring any complications) it is a good thing to do.

·         Know when you can ask for medication and intervention if you choose to have it.

·         Focus on your breathing during contractions, you can monitor them on a clock, visualize a happy place, or even focus on something else entirely. Towards the end of my labour I focused on eating a fruit salad. I would get through a contraction take a couple of bites of fruit and then wait to get through the next contraction to take another couple of bites. Important part to note is that once the contraction is over it is done, let it go relax take a breather until the next one. Don’t wait in anticipation and anxiety for the next contraction. This will wear you out.

·         Take an iPod with your favourite music, some visual aids and some food and drink (coconut water is amazing for labour) for those breaks in between.  Also take some extra food for after labour hospitals provide you with a minimal meal, but it is not enough for you and your partner and you may want different options then the ones provided by the hospital.

·         Know that you can do it! It is hard work but very rewarding in the end.

Career:

During labour you are likely not focused on your career goals. So give yourself a break for a few days. After that evaluate when you will go back to work. We will discuss some work options in the next post.

We are one week away from welcoming our baby boy. This week it dawned on my husband exactly what was supposed to happen. My husband works part time as an EMT and he said that he had a shift “seeing the experience as a parent rather than a caregiver”. In one night he sat down and read a great guide for what to expect during labour and delivery, he looked at a video and realized labour is a state of mind and how he can best improve my experience. Lastly he started researching cloth diapers. Not bad for one night!

For myself I have started “nesting” and cleaning the house again. I went for two walks yesterday and am feeling ready to go. One of the things that I found really helpful was a daily walk for twenty minutes, my neighbourhood is not flat so there were little hills that I would challenge myself on daily. Another thing I found is that my appetite increased big time. So I have been eating small meals every two to three hours. To get ready I watched a breastfeeding video, I am attending a class tonight and hubby and I are doing a one day intensive Pre-natal class on Saturday. This will be the first time my husband is attending it. I have taken a six week course and this will be a refresher closer to the big day.

This week mommy advice:

·         If pregnant go for walks it is spring time and a great time to enjoy the outdoors

·         Take a breastfeeding class or watch a video, while it is the most natural thing for your baby it is not always the easiest thing to master. Keep in mind that persistence is the best thing and that milk is produced on a supply and demand schedule. So if you keep feeding more milk will come.

·         Pack a bag for the hospital well in advance and also include one for your partner as most hospitals will provide a cot but not bedding or pillows.

·         A great guide for pregnancy, delivery and postpartum is Baby’s Best Chance written by the government of British Columbia. It has helpful tabs, it is well organized and the guidebook provided on the link below is a great quick resource. There are also helpful videos and FAQ’s on the site. So even if you are not from BC it is a great guide to check out.

http://www.bestchance.gov.bc.ca/tools-and-resources/key-resources/index.html

·         Enjoy as much sleep as you can…

Career

If becoming a mommy is on your to do list addressing the professional questions is a good thing to do

If you live in Canada as a mom you are entitled to take 50 weeks off from work. 15 of those weeks are for maternity benefits and can be used during your pregnancy if you choose to take time off work early. These benefits can also be paid for up to 17 weeks after your expected due date. After these benefits are paid you have the parental benefits that go up to 35 weeks. These benefits can be divvied up between mom and dad.

For the United States the maternity leave benefits are significantly shorter and usually run around three months.

For both of these scenarios your employer is required to keep your job for you for a certain time and you can return to your previous job title anytime up to those weeks. It is best to do your research prior to taking time off. Also look into whether your company is able to provide insurance for your newborn on your current plan.