Getting Back in Shape After Baby

Bomber Jacket: Audrey and Olive (30% off with code HOTPINK) // Tee: Libre T-shirt via Aritzia (my fave tee ever!) // Leggings: Athleta // Diaper Bag: Jujube // Watch: Armitron c/o // Car seat: Chico Key Fit 30 // Carrier insulator: 7AM Infant // Shoes: Nike mesh Blazer via eBay

If you knew me before my rough pregnancy, you knew I LOVED to workout. I love taking classes and trying new ones as much as I can. However with my pregnancy came serious nausea, heartburn and carpal tunnel that swelled my hands so bad that even prenatal yoga became impossible. I had to quit doing Bar Method at 18 weeks because the nausea and heartburn were both too bad. Then at 26 weeks even my once a week attempt at prenatal yoga was too much on my hands and wrists that I couldn't even do a down dog. 

Now coming from a girl who liked to work out every day, this set me into a serious funk. Working out was always my release and happiness for the day. It made me happy to do something good for myself, and without it, I didn't feel strong or have that daily reset that I craved. I didn't feel like myself and it wore me down hard.

I have been dealing with this here body of mine for 35 years now and I know that I have the type of body that will gain weight quickly and loose strength if I don't keep active daily. When I had to stop working out I could feel myself loosing strength and muscle and it felt just plain gross, especially because I couldn't do anything to control it. To make matters worse I hated everything about food, especially veggies and fruit for 9 months straight and it was all kinds of depressing. It sucked to just watch my hard work disappear and there wasn't much I could do about it.

So now here I am on the other side of that rough pregnancy trying to fix the damage. And any of you who have had a baby or even a serious injury, know how humbling it can be to start back at square one. Classes I was once good at and excited to take, now make me feel like a newbie and leave me drained. But I am not letting that stop me! I have been back at hot yoga for the last 3 weeks, Bar Method at least 3 times a week and hiking and walking in my hilly hood with the baby daily!

Food also instantly changed after I had the baby. I love Whole 30 and clean eating because they are the easiest for me. The fruits and vegetables that once made me absolutely sick when I was pregnant are back to being my main source of food. It was so strange that the instant I had Athena, I was ready to eat them again and it was such a welcome comeback. First thing I ordered in the hospital was green beans and 2 fruit cups!

I knew this would be a struggle but it really is a whole new beast after baby to get healthy again. Aside from just making healthy choices you have the struggle of being able to actually carry out those choices. You want to workout but are exhausted from being up with the baby all night, or you can't get away for long enough to take a class or even pick up groceries to do meal prep, also just preparing a meal can be daunting. At one point in my pregnancy I was so scared I'd forget healthy things I liked to cook so I made a list called "Jill Food" so I would remember what I liked when food didn't make me sick. I still look at this list because my brain did forget all the yummy things I used to cook on the regular. I'm glad I made it because I look at it now and get great "new" ideas!

People also keep telling me to cut myself a break and that it takes time and I think I really am doing that even though it's throwing up new challenges daily, I think Andrew and I are working really hard to make sure we keep up with a healthy way of living. He's been very supportive of helping me to get a work out in and allowing me time to rest to have energy to recover from it. 

Progress will be slow and steady, but I'm up for the challenge. If you have any tips for getting back in shape after baby (or after injury, cause I've got one of those from childbirth) send it my way. 

Athena's Baptism

On me: Lilibet Dress // Flats // J. Crew Cocoon Coat // Necklace is vintage from a dear friend

On Athena: Baptism gown via Etsy

On Andrew: Uniqlo Cardigan // Thomas Pink Tie // Bar Three Dress Pants

Hey all. Just wanted to share some pictures from Athena's baptism a little while back before it gets away from me. 

We had such a great weekend with Athena's godparents and their baby in town, not to mention great weather as well. Utah has been pretending it was spring up until a few days ago so we really had a beautiful day for this special event. Athena wore a vintage dress I got on Etsy. I insisted she wear a bonnet because, I mean, look at her in a bonnet! It's the cutest! Also if you look closely you can see how loose her "tights" are on her! That was literally the smallest size I could find and still too big for my little peanut. I wore this blush bell sleeve dress from Anthropologie. I really think they carry the best special occasion dresses for daytime events. They always have such pretty, ladylike options too. Andrew was looking classy as well in one of his many Uniqlo cardigans. 

Thanks for stopping by on a Sunday! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Outdoor Baby

Cardigan Sweater: Forever 21 // Top: Zara // Beanie: H&M (similar) // Leggings: Lululemon // Boots: Cecile" Ugg // Socks:

Getting dressed has become a whole different challenge since Athena came along. I'm no longer in pencil skirts and button-downs like I was for work back in Chicago and I'm not in as many dresses like I was when I was pregnant because most aren't nursing or winter friendly. I also am dealing with the dreaded baby weight too (but more on that later) so many of my old clothes don't even fit anymore. So now I'm getting creative with my wardrobe. I've found that the legging and long cardigan combo is great for both nursing and winter. Luckily I was well stocked with my favorite leggings of all time, but have been stocking up on tons of long cardigans. I had my eye on this one but I knew I didn't really need it since my collection is getting pretty big. But then it went on sale for $12 (shipping included!) and I just had to get it. 

Even with all the wardrobe frustration, this winter has been the most fun of my life because Athena has been around to share in it! I'm sure that will only get better as she gets older and can really enjoy all the fun, cold-weather activities Utah has to offer. 

We try to get her outside at least once a day for a walk of a hike. Most weekends we drive up to one of the Canyons and do a small hike. We want her to appreciate what a beautiful place she lives in and love the outdoors and winter like we do, so we are starting her young. Very young. 

Audrey and Olive

Dress and Jacket  I'm wearing a size medium in both (Audrey and Olive) // Backpack Diaper Bag: Jujube Legacy BFF // Hat (old) Old Navy // Sneakers: Adidas "Superstars"

Figuring out this post pregnancy body is about the hardest styling challenge of my life. Seriously even harder than when I was pregnant! So hard I literally just ordered 7 pairs of jeans from Nordstrom hoping at least one will fit well and make me feel good in them. Ugh! It's a sad moment when you realize not much of what you have in your closet fits you anymore. SAD!

One site that has really made me feel stylish and comfortable in my new body is Audrey and Olive! not a maternity brand just "maternity friendly" which is an excellent way to put it. They are also super great for a post maternity body or just any girl who likes wearing comfy chic clothes. If this sounds like you, I suggest you check out their affordable pieces! Also, shop owner Sandra is the sweetest. She has been there for me since before Athena came along offering up awesome style suggestions and mom advice. What more could you want?

This dress is super baggy and cozy in that chic Free People-ish kind of way and this black bomber jacket (also in olive) is made to fit a bump but I use it with my carrier and Athena fits in there with me! Really it's a jacket for both of us! Both paired easily with my favorite Adidas sneakers!

And as a little gift, get 30% off with code HOTPINK! Start shopping here!

My Top New-Mom Favorites

Ok, so I've been at this mom gig for almost three months now and I can say with confidence that there are a few things we can't live without.

Beluga Baby wrap: I'm not sure who liked this one more, Athena or me. This super soft bamboo baby carrier wrap goes on easy and comes in some really gender-neutral colors which means it's perfect for Andrew or me to wear. I think my favorite part though is that there are really easy tutorials on the Beluga Baby site on how and when to use different wrap styles. Now that I've been using it, it's so easy to cozy Athena right up on my chest so she can hang out with me all day long. She loves the cuddles just as much as I do.

Trifecta of baby sleep magic: Our baby, thus far, sleeps well. And pretty much has since day one. I consider us SUPER lucky and I have my fingers crossed as well as anything else I can cross that this good thing lasts as long as it can! Maybe it's just her or maybe it's the sweet combination of these three things that we use together exclusively at night so she gets the hint that it's nighttime.

1. Zen Swaddle: This unique swaddler was a gift from my mom. It's one of those random items that pop up on my Facebook feed as an ad that I probably would have never tried if it wasn't gifted to me, but boy am I glad it was. It has little weighted sacks on the chest flap as well as the sides that are supposed to mimic human touch. I'm guessing Athena digs this because she is out cold within minutes of putting this on. My favorite part is that this sucker has some SERIOUS velcro and it's the only swaddler she couldn't wiggle her arms out of.

2. DockATot: A sweet little baby dock where you can put the baby down and know they are safe. Athena loved to sleep in hers and up until recently, slept in it every night! She is a tall little lady so she's getting a bit too long for it now but we still take it with us on quick weekends away. Click here to get a 10% off coupon! You're welcome!

 

3. White Noise Machine: This little device drowns out everything around Athena's little head which helps a ton because her nursery is close to the washer and dryer. With this going we can do whatever we want and she stays in her blissful little sleep bubble and isn't distracted! We also take this with us on trips and it fits in the DocATot zipper carrying bag which we use as her all-in-one suitcase! It fits her bed, then in the hollow part we toss her clothes, blanket and white noise machine and we're good to go!

Carters fleece footie pjs: Because any pajamas without a zipper and covered feet is for suckers! Who wants to be snapping in the middle of the night or searching for tiny baby socks that get kicked off instantly? Not me. Cozy fleece + zip-up one piece + footies = easy nights!

Athena's sleeper // She's More Bow

Boon Grass Drying Rack: It's like the one thing that is a dead giveaway that our house has a baby in it. It's not the prettiest thing and doesn't really match our decor but it does easily dry all the silly bottle pieces and tiny pump parts that I'd probably lose in a minute if it weren't for this thing.

Copper Pearl Bandana Bibs: Athena is a drooler and a super sloppy eater so these little bibs are cute, soft and absorbent. As an added bonus she looks like a little bandit in them and when they turn around she looks like a baby super hero in a cape. What's not to love there?

Armitron digital watch: In the early days when I didn't know what time or day it was and certainly didn't know how long I had been nursing Athena, I relied on this little Armitron digital watch to help me remember what the heck was going on at what times of day. Phones are great for time but the thing that made this better is that it was attached to my body. I could see it while my arms were in use.

Lactation Link: Breastfeeding, like most things you've never done before, is hard. And it's not just a one-and-done kind of thing. It keeps evolving 'til you get into a good groove and start to figure out what's ok and what feels right for you and the baby. I wrote a post back here on how awesome they are and how helpful they were in those first few weeks.