Jun
9 Month Postpartum Update With Baby No. 2
Today, I’m sharing my 9 month postpartum update with you. I’m almost 10 months postpartum at the time of writing this but wanted to update you on everything from the last few months. It’s true what they say…blink and your babies will no longer be babies. Greyson is almost 1 year old!!!! Time is definitely a thief.
He is just the cutest little love bug and if you tune in on IG Stories, you already know what an active, energetic and happy little cub he is! I wanted to write a 6-month update for you but we totally skipped over months 6, 7, and 8 because you know… #momlife happened! So, I’ve summarized everything into this post! As usual, I have a lot to share with you so grab your preferred beverage and enjoy! This is our 9 month postpartum update.
9 Month Postpartum Update
Pregnancy Weight Gain & Current Weight
I am six pounds away from reaching my desired pre-baby weight. But, I still have a long way to go in terms of firming up and toning up my core. Wake up abs!! Wake up. To be quite honest, losing weight after my second baby has not been easy. I’ve had ups and downs. However, I knew that getting pregnant so soon after having Geo would mean that it would take my body and especially my hormones longer to return to normal. So my intention was to take it easy during the first 6 months with Greyson. There is so much pressure for us to lose weight and bounce back. I’m so over that!!!!!
Postnatal Exercise
I wish I could say I’ve worked out consistently these past few months. Well… that would be a lie. I keep as active as possible chasing a toddler and baby all day long (Greyson is a super-speedy crawler now and basically follows me from room to room and Geo wants to run and play all day). Finding the time and physical energy to complete a well-thought-out workout is no easy feat.
To motivate me to exercise, I started tracking my workouts per week. As the saying goes, you improve what you track. My goal is 3 workouts per week, and since setting this intention, I hit that goal more consistently now. So when I do find the time to exercise, I still stick to HIIT’s and use programs such as Tone It Up. Hubby and I also love to workout in our backyard while the boys play.
Postnatal Diet
When consistent exercise isn’t in the cards, focusing on a healthy postpartum diet is essential. The foods that I’ve been munching on for recovery and vitality are lots and lots of healthy fats. There is soo much research about postpartum depletion (more on this to come), postpartum depression and the pure exhaustion that can come from lack of sleep for mothers. Eating the correct serving of healthy fats helps to curb hunger by releasing the satiety hormone, slowing down digestion and helping you feel satisfied and energized. Fats also play a crucial role in enabling our hormones to work properly, helping our body absorb vitamins A, D, E and K as well as helping us burn fat. Yes, burn fat!
We need about 30% of our daily calories from healthy fats. For postpartum mamas, I recommend a bit more to help us obtain more energy.
I include lots of avocados, salmon, raw nuts like walnuts, almonds, nut butter, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and olive oil. We also use lots of ghee in our coffee, on rice and steamed veggies.
But the biggest thing that has shifted for me in terms of my diet is my 3 Day Detox Ebook (Get your free copy on my homepage). I compiled my most requested detox recipes into an ebook. I wrote it for myself and I also wrote it for other women and esp mommas like myself. Having my own guide was what finally got me excited to focus on my health and wellness again.
Physical & Emotional Wellbeing
In my opinion, I think that motherhood is a cycle of really powerful moments where you feel on top of the world and also cycles of mundane routine where you may feel alone or exhausted. It’s all a balancing act with all of the other equally important responsibilities we may have such as our job, marriage, and household responsibilities. When things get stressful for me, like when my cup is extremely full, and one or both of my kiddos are having a meltdown, I take a few minutes and do a breathing exercise. If my husband is home, I’ll ask him to take over while I retreat into our bedroom and meditate for 10 mins. We both use mediation guidance apps like Headspace. After a quick medi, I really do come out calmer and less stressed. It’s like a quick “reboot button” and in my opinion, all moms should practice some form of relaxation technique for self-care.
9 Month Postpartum Update / Supplements & Vitamins
I am taking a vitamin B complex, B12, a probiotic and my favorite magnesium supplement.
I’ve talked a lot about this magnesium supplement because it’s so important in the overall health of women after pregnancy and especially during breastfeeding. Magnesium is a natural sleep aid, helps with hydration, decreases stress and minimizing adrenaline. This is important because too much adrenaline can decrease milk production for breastfeeding mamas and stop weight loss for moms trying to get in shape.
Favorite Postpartum Item for Mama
I love my new jade facial roller !! I use my jade roller in the morning. It helps reduce puffiness, flushes out toxins and promotes skin cell regeneration.
I also use this super cute white beverage double insulated tumbler to motivate me to drink more water and use it to keep my green tea hot because every mom knows the struggle of trying to drink their coffee or tea before it gets cold. The straw helps keep your teeth white if you are a tea or coffee drinker.
I’ve also recently discovered foam rolling ( see my favorite foam rollers below), and I’m obsessed! Heres the sequence that I do nightly. It feels like a deep tissue massage and releases the toxins from your muscles. It helps with cellulite, trust me. It’s made a huge difference in my legs and thighs.
Advice for Postpartum Mamas
I really encourage new moms to ease their way back into a wellness routine. Didn’t have a good one prior to your pregnancy? Well, now is the time to create a plan that will work for your new schedule. Just take it slowly and listen to your body.
Losing weight after having a baby is … Not A Sprint. It’s A Marathon.
This is probably my best piece of advice I could give to all newly postpartum mamas. Don’t rush too quickly into exercise because you could cause injury if you have diastasis recti or reduce milk supply if you are breastfeeding.
Additionally, after pregnancy it takes months and some argue even up to 1 year for your hormones to return back to baseline. If you follow an improper diet or exercise routine, you could risk messing up your already sensitive postpartum hormones. Messing with your hormones means your body will have more resistance to losing weight in the future. It’s just not worth rushing this, mama. You’ll want to fine-tune your way back into a postnatal wellness routine.
Favorite Quote:
“A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for” – Pablo Picasso
I hope you enjoyed my 9 Month Postpartum Update. Please share your thoughts in the comments below!
Related: If you enjoyed this 9-month postpartum update, you will also like my 3-Month Update and also how I initially lost the baby weight with my first pregnancy (My Post Pregnancy Weight Loss Results).
