First of all, I cannot stress enough the importance of FITNESS for Mommies, once your body "comes back together", meaning the ligaments shorten and strengthen back up, so your joints are solid and exercising isn't painful or likely to make you pull a muscle or slip a disc. My doctor had originally told me that I'd be ready to get back to exercising fully after 6 months, but that I needed to give my body a full year before I'd feel pretty much back to normal in that respect. But, like most people, I thought I was different, "I'm a fit person, I'm pretty athletic, so I'll start back in at like 4 months and when I strengthen my muscles, they will pull everything right back together." And I did try. I participated in a boot camp at 4 months. I did it for 2 months and my lower back just couldn't take it. I was doing the exercises with the proper form, but it was still causing back pain - because my body wasn't ready, yet! So, now, finally, after that year went by, my efforts are actually working and I see that my doctor was right. It was a full year before I could start running and lifting and not have any lasting, adverse effects.
SO, since I started my Fitness Plan about a month ago, things have really changed for me in a positive way. I have had more energy, I am becoming more fit, in general, and stronger, so playing with my son is more fun. Even though he gets heavier and heavier, and naturally we gain the muscle and endurance to carry that weight, it does get hard a lot of times, but because I've been sticking to my plan and running and lifting weights, it's so much easier!!! I can carry him around a store or toss him around at home and not get cramps in my biceps. :) And I did, before, believe me!
Also, I can answer my own question of will I ever be healthy again, with a resounding YES! Since I got back to running regularly (a mile at least 3x a week), I have only had one short bout of the sniffles, which I'm sure was due to the crazy Michigan weather changes, but I got through that quickly and have been healthy since! I'm still taking a nap almost every day, but before, I was taking a nap every time my son did, which was at least twice a day. So, I can definitely feel the exhaustion decreasing to a manageable level. I won't say it's completely gone, because that's just not possible with a toddler, however, I feel like I have actually adjusted to it! I can't express how happy this makes me. I am just not comfortable in my own skin when I am not feeling well, but still expected to run a normal household, and it really seemed like the illnesses and exhaustion were never-ending.
It still remains true, what I've been saying since my son was born, every week that passes, things get better, things get easier, we adjust, and everything becomes manageable and feels more "normal". I love my son more with every new developmental progression, and I enjoy being a mother more and more every day.
So, to all the new moms out there, believe me when I say, it will get better!!!
My greedy little man, mouth full of soft shell tortilla and fist full of veggie treats:
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I would love to hear thoughts from you other mothers out there. Communicating is the only way we know we are not alone. :)