No, this is not a post about Nike. This is a post about getting started and keeping going.
Beginning the postpartum fitness journey is challenging. I feel like we have the best intentions to start a good rehab program and progress into a consistent workout routine, get on a healthy eating plan while making all the breastmilk, get enough sleep, and be a great Mom to our new addition. Then we actually start the 4th trimester and things are waayyy harder than we thought!
I was talking with a friend after we worked out today (it was her first postpartum workout and one of my last prenatal WODS), when she told me she almost canceled. She said all she could think about were the excuses to why it might not be a good workout: What if the baby is fussy? What if she won’t hang out in her car seat? What if she wont fall asleep? What if she needs to nurse? What if I need to take breaks? Then she told herself, “Just do it.”
She and that sweet baby came over and we did a Streetparking SHIFT WOD. The workout was sprinkled with shifting baby from car seat to bouncy seat, rocking, putting pacifier back in, and lots of baby talk (she just wanted to be included in the conversations!) Then she peacefully fell asleep and we got a good workout in!! The cool-down comprised of a nursing session while I threw some lactation cookies in the oven. We both had noodle legs and were out of breath when we were finished.
It’s easy to self limit when we think we might not get the perfect workout in, or that it might not go smoothly. I want to encourage you to JUST DO IT! This postpartum season of life is short, and while routines may look different, we can still be successful and take care of ourselves. We can Mommy our way through fitness.
So if your workout routines are sprinkled with nursing, holding babies, getting toddlers a snack, and breaking up fights, you go Momma. Because you are working out, setting a good example for your family, and that is more than nothing.
~Streetparking is a workout platform that offers programming for workouts at home for all levels of fitness. It is a great option for new Moms who are starting their postpartum fitness return in a safe and slow routine. It has been a great resource for me personally through my pregnancy and the community support is amazing. Check it out!
