Weight Loss, PP, and Life with 2 under 2
“…and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” Titus 2:4-5
WEIGHT LOSS
I wrote a blog post on how I lost the baby weight with Michael here and I say this with a tender heart, losing the baby weight is an awesome goal to have but take the pressure off, take it easy, and be kind to your body.
For Apollos, I would say losing the baby weight this time around was much easier only because I knew what to expect and I knew what worked. Although, there were a couple of things I changed:
As soon as Apollos was born I wore a waist trainer (shop here) and it felt amazing to do so. My lower back thanked me every night and it felt night to have something tight around my belly. I don't know why but to me my pp belly always feels like a half-empty water balloon haha not the best feeling.
I drank 64 ounces of water every day…your body needs it! Drink up! ;) This will help with portion control, replenish your skin, regular bowel movements, and so much more like nursing!
Intermittent Fasting -I noticed as soon as I turned 30 my metabolism went down…so to help this I started to consume the majority of my calories during the day and decrease the amount as the day went on. I’m not sure if you can call it intermittent fasting but I eat from 7am-5pm and this helps me maintain my weight, decrease overall bloating and puffiness.
Back to the basics- Calories. I was mindful of how losing weight occurs…burning more than what you eat and create a habit that will lead to a lifestyle.
I still run but not as much as I would like some days I am just wiped out. Typically I run 3 times a day and every day we go on three 20 minute walks and each time I am wearing Apollos. I don’t mean to do this for exercise but rather just for the boys and me to get some fresh air during the day.
POSTPARTUM
If you are a second-time mom I think we have a bigger advantage than a first time mom because we know what to expect. So my advice is to embrace that, expect it, and remember those feelings of sadness and exhaustion will not last forever. With Michael, I got the baby blues and didn’t know what to do about them other than pray and remind myself my sadness was due to my hormones. This time around my best friend told me about these mood support pills and they have been the biggest blessing! I instantly was able to see a change in my mood.
The biggest help for me is always being able to get back to normal. Being able to get a grip on things, our normal routine, feeling like myself…all of these things make the greatest impact. So with that, I strongly believe that losing the baby weight and only nursing for 2 weeks helped balance my hormones a lot quicker which helped in me feeling more like myself.
LIFE WITH 2 UNDER 2
TAKE IT EASY. Remind yourself of God’s grace and hold onto it with a tight grip. IT IS HARD, VERY HARD, some days you will wonder how you even made it, but it gets easier because you start to figure out what works. The workload is demanding, the meltdowns are still mentally strenuous, and your hormones are up and down, but God is right there with you. When I told my grandma that I was pregnant with Apollos she said to me, you will be able to do it, your most difficult time will be when they are both crying, and she was right. I was 7 days pp, Apollos was crying needing to be fed, Michael (15 months) wanted to be held which quickly turned into a meltdown and I cried, but that was it. 30 minutes later everything was fine.
***Disclaimer*** and if you only have one baby…you are doing the hardest job imaginable! Do not discredit yourself…it is hard whether you have one baby or 20, but find hope that God has given us all mothers strength to do this job. ♡
With my personality I tend to be extremely hard on myself constantly pushing myself, giving myself a pep talk always, and leaving hardly any room for grace. It is in those very moments that I fall short because I am relying solely on myself and not on the Lord. Repent, start over, and remember you have a Friend now that sticks closer than a brother and He will not leave you or forsake you. Take all your cares and concerns to Jesus and trust Him to provide whatever you need in this life and the next. Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgement.” Psalm 51:1-4
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
So if you are anything like me, do not compare yourself to other mothers, rather keep your eyes focused on Christ. When I do this that is when I have the greatest of days. I am able to handle the meltdowns, have the strength to physically carry two boys, have the courage to discipline, and have the heart to share the gospel to my boys all day long.
I pray this post leaves you encouraged as you ladies are always encouraging me!