Mer-Man!

We decided to go swimming today at the local community centre. Even though we lasted only about 15 minutes (on purpose), we still had so much fun!  Why so short you ask? Well, I wasn't sure how Mr. Sensitive Skin was going to react to the chlorine as husband apparently was covered in hives due to chlorine when he was a child.

Good news, NO reaction! Woot! The little man is destined to be the next Michael Phelps I tell ya! (jk, no pressure)

The initial entrance was a cautious one. Kept him close to me, slowly dipped his legs then went deeper and deeper. Lots of bobbing up and down but no head dunks just yet. Did some side swims, back swims, and forward swims. It may be mean to say but it's so cute when his bottom jaw/lip chatters because he was cold (the pool was heated).

On a green note, we used BUMMIS Swimmi in medium, that i purchased from Lussobaby in North Van. They can be found in most places in the lower mainland. No poop in the swimming diaper!

Key things to bring when bringing a baby to the pool:

• whatever diaper you'll be using after
• your swimming diaper
• a hooded towel
• and dress the baby in a sleeper going there and for going back (same one and preferably with a zipper). I can imagine it being hard to dress a wet squirming, shivering baby
• a hat/skull cap (i failed to bring this and Max was chattering from being moist after we got him dressed)

The Postpartum Body

Gene and I. My face is looking less full in this pic, perhaps a good photo angle!

This post is inspired (again) by Mama in the City's postpartum bod post. She is a great, concise blogger- check her out!

Prior to becoming pregnant, I had a pretty positive body image. I wasn't thin, I wasn't obese, but at a comfortable state of being borderline overweight (according to my BMI). Clothes fit well, I varied from a size 8-10, and essentially I was my own worst critic when it came to things that jiggled, seemed bigger than it should, or stretch marked like no other.  I am fortunate enough to have a husband who thought i looked great and didn't care to feed or worsen my insecurities.

pregnant and glowing at 36 weeks

During my pregnancy, i think my body image was also pretty positive. it REALLY helps to keep active and maintain some sort of normalcy in your life despite the discomfort and added weight.  I tipped the scale at 183.4lbs - i think i gained just under 30lbs in 9 months?! Not bad I would say. The only thing I can admit now as craving was COKE (mmmm. not even diet coke, but regular full fledged sugar packed coke). From previous posts, i did not hesitate to complain about my stretch marks- well, I continued to drink coke despite hahaha. talk about NOT helping the situation! other changes that occured on my body included a linea nigra that was more pronounced under my navel than above my navel- nothing major. 

currently, my ONLY postpartum picture

dont know why I don't have any recent pictures?! seriously, it's been nearly a month since I gave birth and this is the only pic I could find of myself. Weird. Anyhow, i'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight (155ish lbs) and my pre-pregnancy pants fit with the exception of some muffin top spillage. i attribute this quick come back to breastfeeding, being too busy to eat properly/enough/at all, and improved weather resulting in being able to go for long long walks around the neighborhood. im definitely not dieting, but ive never really been one to in general as food is just oh so good!

what type of post is this though without a few beefs? right now, i feel self conscious about the remnant stretch marks on my belly...wearing bikinis or even tankinis aren't in my near future. Woe is me! I also am bothered by the linea nigra that remains on my abdomen- when does that disappear?! seriously, it doesnt look as special when you're no longer pregnant! I am also bothered by the remnant flab of loose skin that remains on my abdomen. it's not even a matter of "pinch an inch" it's like "pinch several inches" argh! again, WOE IS ME!

Whatever, seriously, im not going to compare myself to celebrities (ahem, Jessica Alba) who bounce back thinner post baby and looking perfect! But there are times when I have that moment to think and look at myself and again, be my worst critic. i'm definitely not going to let this new body issue consume me- time, good support, good weather, and wholesome foods is what's necessary right now. I think i need a new outfit too...a reward for what this body has done and accomplished. i have absolutely no doubts about the concept of retail therapy and how it works wonders for the self esteem!

Pre-natal Yoga vid

GAIAM's Pre-natal yoga DVD

I found this DVD at VV (ahem, value village) for $3 and so far i've been content with it. 

The hardest part of watching yoga on TV is you can't see what others are doing beside you...and thus if you are doing the pose right, and you don't have a teacher there to correct you.  However, as my friends have told me, prenatal yoga teachers don't really do much correcting as it is all "as tolerated" when it comes to yoga + pregnancy.

I like some of the moves in the video. Some poses I didn't know about and really provided a good, joint opening stretch. However, I have to watch the entire video to find those moves again as there is no pose index for me to filter through if I just want to do certain things.  I guess the purpose of doing the whole video is the mind/body/flow concept...things are supposed to flow like this!?  Also, what bothered me was that the moves were held kind of fast. You just aren't given time to hold it..breathe...feel the stretch...and gradually ease into the next pose.  I guess I can PAUSE the video and do something on each side (ie. like Bikrams), but i've slotted about an hour every other day or every few days for these exercises...not 90mins-2 hours! What I did like was that there were three people in the video, one to represent each trimester and you can follow whoever you want as tolerated.

even though i had a mere glass of chocolate milk prior, the times after the yoga session gave me some heartburn. I guess that's something I can't help since this kid is just up there and rising! the throatburn didn't last long, maybe 10mins or less. I otherwise feel better after than just doing nothing! Baby didn't care too much for it, he wasn't bouncing around or anything after but all in all no pain or discomfort and thus can only benefit both of us.

Oh, those Goals I had!

Photo Credit

During my pre-pregnancy days, I definitely had some major ideas as to what type of pregnant person I would be.  Of course never having been pregnant, or even having an idea as to what it would do to me, I now know I was living in some sort of ideal world because none of these ideas are really reality now! LOL!

1) I will continue to run, and if my knee acts up, do 6 quick paced laps around the track field at least 3 times a week. If the weather sucks, then use the treadmill.

So I definitely haven't been running, and my knee isn't bothering me.  I mean it clicks every now and then, but i'm not in any form of discomfort. Have I been doing any walks around the track field? NOPE! I also have neglected the treadmill!

2) I will walk every day after work home, rain or shine. But it's ok to skip this walk home if i'm carrying heavy groceries.

Um yeah, I do walk from Burrard to work, and work to Burrard. But as for walking home, I do it once in a while, but with some inner whining before I start.  I do feel great though once I make it home and beat the bus, but i've been choosing to bus home. Boooooo!

3) I will eat tonnes of fruits and veggies, maybe even splurge on organic fruits. If I can't eat fruits, I will have a smoothie everyday.

Yeah i've been drinking the smoothies about 3x a week? At first it was making me gag because my stomach couldn't handle dinner and smoothies. Prior to this M-F job, I was drinking smoothies for breakfast, but obviously I can't, so this healthy choice has sadly been side tracked on the menu. As for eating fruits and veggies, enh...it's in the food, but i'm not snacking on it. Organic fruits? Definitely haven't shopped for that.

4) I'm going to join yoga now that I have every evening off

After I get off work, I just want to go home.  I'm pretty tired from waking up early, not from work as there's nothing tiring about that job. I go home, lie down, wait for din, check my emails and FB, watch some TV and totally veg out! LOL

5) I'm going to refrain from all the bad foods for pregnant women and cut down on the chips!

Ok so i've eaten sushi (but in great moderation), had some deli meats, had sips of pop when someone i'm with has pop available.  I've definitely cut down on chips, but still eating chips. I have though stopped the aspertame business even though i'm totally not convinced that it's bad for you- so no gum, and no diet pop which I would love to down right about now. If I had pop, it's all regular pop.

6) Read through my old maternity nursing text book, Baby's best Chance, Birth Partner handbook and the Ina May book for Natural Birth.
My nursing textbook I cracked open a couple of times, but am totally bored by it. I skimmed through Baby's Best Chance, got bored of Birth partner, and still haven't bought the Ina May book! LOL! I need a little boost/pick me up.

This is all I can think of right now. I'm quite satisfied and don't really feel guilty about not doing these goals. Since i'm generally asymptomatic, I do attribute some of these non-accomplishments to pure LAZINESS and also my need for routine (ie. when I get home, I do the same thing at similar times daily).  I'm just going to put my hands against my sides, flip my palms to face up, and say WHATEVER!

Pregnancy and Fitness

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Excerpt from What to Expect When You're Expecting...

 

The Benefits of Exercise

What's in it for baby? Plenty. Researchers theorize that changes in heart rate and oxygen levels in exercising moms-to-be stimulate their babies. Babies are also stimulated by the sounds and vibrations they experience in the womb during workouts. Exercise regularly during pregnancy, and your baby might end up being:

* More fit. Babies of moms who exercise during pregnancy are born at healthier weights, are better able to weather labor and delivery (they're less stressed by it), and recover from the stresses of birth more quickly.

* Smarter. Believe it or not, research shows that babies of moms who exercise throughout pregnancy score higher, on average, on general intelligence tests by age 5 (meaning that your workout may boost both your muscle power and baby's brain power!).

* Easier. Babies of pregnant exercisers tend to sleep through the night sooner, are less prone to colic, and are better able to soothe themselves.

 

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In hindsight, I was probably about to pass out last Bikram's session because of the big fat positive (BFP)!  My body was probably working extra hard just to maintain a body temp for two, hence I was feeling so sleepy and tired during the first half.  Oh well, now I know!  I've read there are some major no-no's with overheating the baby, so at this time, i've indefinitely stopped Bikram's.

 

Now onto better and brighter things; with a swim cap and goggles in tow, i've decided to take up lap swimming and aquafit at the Renfrew Community Center.  Should be fun and definitely not super strenuous on the body- but just enough.  Later on, i'll consider some prenatal yoga as i've heard some wonderful things about the inclusion of baby bonding while in-utero,  something I definitely need as i'm admitting to a state of shock and disconnect.   As well, i've decided to set up some sort of strength training regime at home with some weights as I need to strengthen my upper back for all that baby carrying I need to do!

 

20 pushups

2 x 20 arm curls

2 x 20 behind arm curls

Lifting and whatever related at work!

Yay swimming pools!!! 

Eww to slimy pool and shower floors!!

Master!

For those that have just dived into the practice of Bikram Yoga and was wondering about positions, watch these two videos of Esak Garcia!  This guy is like a boneless piece of meat, no limits to his flexibility!  haha!   But really, for those who go to classes where the instructor barely leaves the podium, or the dialogue is not as constructive/instructive as you would like, the way Esak Garcia does it, is how it's supposed to be done or look like.

All I can say is, good luck with this!

1)  Standing Series



2)  Floor Series



Bikram vs. Ashtanga Yoga

Photo Credit

Amusing article on Bikram vs. Ashtanga Yoga:  CLICK HERE for the comparison.
Read the comments, some people are just so sensitive! Sheesh!

I like this comparison the best,
"THE VIBE
Ashtanga: Serious external practice with serious inner-life investigation
Bikram: Survivor Island yoga: A hot-mess road through delirium, near breakdown, and miraculously still alive at the end"

So true! LOL!

Yoga

Photo Credit

Exercise/activities have always been a part of my life (and so it should be for everyone's life)!  I used to run a lot, I loved running the oval tracks at local high schools first and foremost and using the treadmill second (good for rainy days).  I wasn't really into pavement running as I liked an even ground to run on and I was able to anticipate change and regulate breathing.  The one thing I did wrong though was run in the same direction, using the inner circle for a number of years, and now my left knee is damaged!  Ugh!  No, nothing super serious..but it's constantly clicking when I go up a flight of stairs, crunching with every bend, kind of hurts to go down the stairs too.  I have to say that i've 'given up' on running so I won't be a debilitated person when i'm older.  I want to maintain my mobility when i'm old!

I've heard about "hot yoga" for a while now, I think there was a boom sometime in 2007/2008?  I liked the idea of yoga, but not the cost, a drop in session would be about $20 for any yoga class, or commit to classes by paying $200+ for greater than 15 classes.  Yikes!  In the bigger picture, it's a small price to pay for the health benefits it provides and if all goes well, then cheaper for the health care system!  My yoga studio offered a $26 unlimited 1 week intro offer, let's just I was more than eager to join during my fall 2010 vacation.

Hot yoga is a branch of yoga where it's 90 minutes, in 40degree celsius rooms, high high humidity and there are a set of 26 poses.  There are many websites that talk about hot yoga, here is a youtube video that sets a great visual!



Except for the constantly flying sweat from other people's bodies, my experience has all been positive.  Everything about Bikram's yoga has such a psychosomatic and somatic affect on the body.  I've never sweated so much as I have in a single yoga class.  I absolutely love it!   I do warn that this yoga is not for everyone and in my opinion, especially when you're pregnant!  Moreover, you would have to be in some sort of physical health to last the class, and know your body enough to listen/feel for during and post workout reactions.  I've heard of the standard faint feeling, nausea, lightheadedness, during and post class, but i've also heard of heart palpitations, migraines, the shakes, actual fainting.  Listen to your body!

Some great advice i've received and have passed on are that:

• drink plenty of fluids all hours prior and of course after the class, it takes about 45 minutes to absorb the fluids and you don't want to get dehydrated
• wear shorts and clothing that wick away sweat as you'll be drenched and sweating from places you've never sweated before
• top up on your electrolytes prior and post class.  I eat lots of fruit before, and have a piece of fruit (I like oranges) for after the class ...potassium!
• it's not a competition, and you won't be able to do everything your yoga-mates can do even after 10 classes
• listen to the instructor, because there's no point if you're doing the position wrong, again, it's not a competition
• freeze your water the night before, take it out on the day of your workout to start melting process, and it'll melt more during your class but you'll have a nice chunk of ice to cool your water during class
• prepare to not leave the room during the class, and there are poses where you can't drink water just yet (but when you have to, you have to)
• Listen to your body