Pre baby

I like to start Saturday mornings by going for a jog or walk with my daughters. Of course, this entails packing endless snacks and bribing my oldest with my cell phone. She gets to go on YouTube kids for a little entertainment. Otherwise, she really doesn't want to sit in a stroller for an hour. 

I don't do this because I have to lose weight. Sure, I am 20 pounds heavier than I was before my second pregnancy. Which sounds alarming and like a lot when I write this out. I need movement in my life. Movement is medicine for me, it is another form of therapy. I LOVE to sweat. One of the perks of living in Florida, you semi pass out from the heat in July ha. But I get to do this! How lucky am I to be able to move my body and force my girls along for the ride? They do enjoy it though and we run thru the sprinklers, they go off at 8 AM! 

Since my second pregnancy, I have shifted to focusing on celebrating what my body can do. Like carry full-term pregnancies and recover from c-sections. Which, c-sections are no joke! And breastfeed two children 18 months and beyond, per child...still nursing my second baby! Nursing & all of that will be another blog so stay tuned!! 

My core has a long way to go and my body for that matter, on our adventure here in life together. Some people don't gain as much during a pregnancy, and some just bounce right back. and good for them.  That isn't the case for me and that is ok too! I have come to terms with that. 

I used to be so negative and feel awful about how I looked, even pre children. But the title of my blog, Pre-baby was on the forefront of my mind. Since I can't listen to a Peloton outdoor run or music while we are jogging (daughter jacked my cell, remember) I was in deep thought. 

I began thinking how everyone celebrates "I am back to pre-baby weight! " Why do we, as society glorify that? Or stress it so much. Then we see people on tv or online who look like models again weeks after pushing out a baby! Don't forget we all have different genetics as well! And personal trainers for example, they are paid to look that good and celebrities, athletes and that entire list. If we all had a personal chef, trainer, doula, full-time nanny, and all that rest...we would be there too! 

"Pre-baby" ...aren't we not supposed to go pre or backwards for that matter. I'm not saying don't get to your goal weight or healthy weight, whatever works for you mama...you do it! But we need to shift this thought process and mindset for all of us. 

You are a superhero!! You carried life inside of you, if you gained 20 pounds or 70 pounds, you are STRONG AF! So, focus on that strength to get you to where you want to be. Do not obsess over what you used to weigh, what you used to wear and even who you used to be. You are a new version of you now. 

I think of each childbirth as a rebirth for myself. And with that, comes more strength and confidence. Yes, I have LBS to drop and clothes to fit back into...I am a constant work in progress. I want to run faster miles and have stronger outputs on the bike and lift heavier weights. But that is the beauty in it all. As long as you keep showing up for yourself, even for 10 minutes a day...you are building the new and improved you. 

Mamas out there if you are 2 weeks postpartum or years, be kind to yourself and your body. Forget the pre for now or forever. Recreate yourself from now forward. We don't need to look backwards. I promise, you will find new strengths within you. But you have to show up for yourself in order to do so. 

Thanks for reading this far! Take care all!