Health

Hilary’s Birth Story – Part 1

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 3 Comments

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything – sorry about that. It’s been a busy few weeks with our newborn, Christmas and having company from across the pond.

I feel like this could be a long-winded post, so I’ve decided to break it up in to a few parts and compare part from our first born’s birth too.

Welcome to Part 1.

Baby number 2 was due December 11th 2012, which also happens to be my sister’s birthday. And, our first daughter, Lillian (Lilly) was due on my birthday, July 10th 2010 – but she came 4 weeks early to all of our surprise.

I decided to finish work around 35 weeks pregnant and believe that was the best decision for me. I was able to rest a lot, get a few things done around the house and prepare for baby #2’s arrival.  Once we got past 36 weeks 2 days (the day we had Lilly), I was able to relax a little more and hope to make it to 37 weeks or term. And we did. We made it to 38 weeks 6 days before baby #2 arrived.

It’s amazing how much 2 weeks can make for a baby. Lilly was considered a premature baby and had a few challenges that we had to work through to get her to nurse properly. I’m not just talking a few days/weeks of challenges but more like 2.5 months to get her to latch/nurse properly with the help of a lactation consultant and a osteopath. With baby #2 it was like she was born to nurse – completely different.

Sai and Anna Dec 2nd 2012

Sai and Anna Dec 2nd 2012

Back to the birth.

On Sunday, December 2nd I was feeling a little frustrated and beyond exhausted from being pregnant. I had a little nap in the morning and then had lunch with Lilly and Sai. Once Lilly was down for a nap I was going to go shopping and get a few Christmas items we needed. As Sai was putting Lilly down for a nap I got up to go pee and thought I felt my water break! I surely wasn’t peeing myself but comparing it to my water breaking with Lilly, it wasn’t quite the same. This was around 1pm. At 2:30pm we went into the hospital after calling with my  symptoms – they just wanted to check me over. They couldn’t get a clear sample if my water had broken or not but I was clearly dilating – Was 4-5cm at 4:30pm. They admitted me.

Lilly was hanging out with our friends after her nap and then Grandad came to hang out with her for that night. She was in heaven and my Dad was too.

I figured we’d have the baby by 8:30/9pm as Lilly’s birth was extremely quick (less than 4 hours from my water breaking to her coming out). When 8:30 hit and I was only 6cm, I was rather discouraged and the pain was increasing fast.

Sai and I walked the hallways a lot and I sat on an exercise ball for a long time and then things started to get more painful. I really wanted a natural birth as I had one with Lilly and thought I could do it again. (Man OH MAN – talk about painful!!!).

There was a point when I just couldn’t handle the pain anymore but was confident I didn’t want an epidural or narcotics but was thinking about the “laughing” gas as an alternative. As the contractions grew stronger and more painful I was convinced I wanted the gas and made Sai go tell the nurse that I wanted it. It arrived not too long after and on went the mask when I had a contraction.

Nothing happened 😦

I was expecting to have a little relief of pain but it didn’t happen. So, I kept at it. Inhaling the gas like it was the most enjoyable product known to man kind. After about 5-6 contractions and inhaling the gas, I felt extremely light-headed and sort of fell back in my seat. Ahhhhhhhhh, it was working. I felt a little drugged/drunk as the nurse described I could be. She was right.

My water still had not broken at this point and the contractions were getting closer and closer and MORE painful. Seriously, how more painful can it get – apparently a lot more.

My Doctor arrived at the hospital around 12:30 am and we started discussing my options. At 1:45 am and 8 cm dilated, I decided to have my water broken. All I remember is how warm it was, my contractions still painful and the gas permanently stuck in my left hand for when I needed it.

All of a sudden, it was time to push. I had to push, I couldn’t hold back…this baby was ready to come out and join us.

To be continued….

Pregnancy: Cutting back on exercise

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 1 Comment

Working out / being active is a big priority in my life, which didn’t change when I became pregnant with our second baby. However, over the course of this pregnancy my level of working out has changed quite drastically.

During my first trimester I was still running quite a bit, doing my good old favourite Jillian Michael’s DVD workouts and sleeping a lot. I managed to run two 5k races you can read about here and here. My body was exhausted from being pregnant and I would go to bed extremely early (5:30pm or 6:30pm).

During my second trimester, which also happened to be during the warm/humid summer months my workouts took a turn in a different direction. I could no longer run without pain afterwards, hydration was at the top of my list (ice-cold water, watermelon or oranges). It wasn’t until weeks 20-23 that I started to feel better = less nausea all day/night long.

  • I stopped running at 18 weeks – this was something that I struggled with a lot
  • I started to do a lot of walking in the evenings once it cooled down: 30 minute power walks
  • Fit Mom DVD once or twice a week
  • Random Prenatal Yoga here and there
  • Around 26 weeks, I had a conversation with a co-worker who told me that she didnt’ run during her pregnancys  (she’s a BIG runner) and somehow that made me feel okay with not running.

Since I’ve hit my third trimester my workouts have yet changed again.

  • I now sport a sexy maternity back brace – see here,
  • Have seen a Physiotherapist and have been given ball exercises to do. Plus she taped my belly before I had the brace – that was fun!
  • Exhaustion is setting in again, sleep is taking over and it’s getting darker earlier so might night-time walks aren’t happening as much as I want them to.
  • Life has just been getting in the way – terrible, terrible excuse – no, it’s not an excuse because really we all do have time to be active…let’s be honest, I’ve chosen other things to do besides working out – and that’s okay (for now).

Last Sunday, I decided to hit the streets while Lilly took her afternoon nap and Sai was home. Off I went with my runners on, my sexy maternity back brace hidden under my one long sleeve shirt and biggest vest I could find (slightly too tight for my belly) and a mission to walk for 30 minutes. I took my normal route which could take anywhere from 29-32 minutes.

It wasn’t the best walk, however it was pretty nice outside. I tried my best not to “waddle” and to walk with good posture and a steady pace. One lady passed me with her stroller and said hello, how are you? Then she saw my belly once she was in front of me and seem shocked that I was pregnant. I either don’t look pregnant from behind or she was shocked that I was out walking whils SO pregnant 🙂

During the walk I thought a lot about exercising and why I make it a priority, especially during pregnancy. I also came to the conclusion that whatever exercise I can do at this point is great – just as long as I am doing something.

It’s not comfortable for me to walk 30 minutes anymore. So, I cut back on my time and take a different route.

It’s not enjoyable to come home aching in pain. So, I slow down my pace and be happy with what I can accomplish.

Running is no where in sight, however it’s one of the things I look forward to doing when my body is ready post baby.

I’ll walk when I can.

I’ll swim when I get the opportunity.

I’ll stretch, do yoga occasionally and attempt my Fit Mom Dvd when I can.

(Yes, I’ll blog about it too)

And, I’ll chase our little 2-year-old around apple orchards, up/down our stairs and explore the outdoors with her during the remainder of my pregnancy.

But, one thing I will not do is give up working out during this pregnancy.

Benefits of being active during pregnancy: AND WHY I AM ACTIVE DURING PREGNANCY:

  • Gives you more energy
  • Helps prepare you for birth
  • Reduces pregnancy discomfort
  • Fend off pregnancy blues
  • Help you sleep better
  • Reduces stress
  • Improves your self-image
  • Helps your body get back faster postnatal

Source: BabyCentre Canada

Fitness Pregnancy Resources I Use – check them out here.

Did you have to cut back your workouts/runs/exercise when pregnant or injured etc ?

How did you adapt?

Why do you / don’t you exercise during pregnancy?

Struggles of Pregnancy Weight Gain

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 6 Comments

Some people struggle to keep the weight off and some struggle to keep it on. During pregnancy gaining weight is just going to happen, whether you gain 10 – 25 – 40 or more pounds. You gain fluid, blood, baby’s weight etc.

When I was pregnant with Lilly, I lost about 7 pounds in the first trimester! I was slightly nauseous with her but figured out that if I ate small meals throughout the day it would go away. By my second trimester, I was feeling great. Then in my third trimester with Lilly, I just felt pregnant and big. In total, I gain 29 pounds with her. Mind you, she was born at 36 weeks 2 days, so there is a good chance I would have put on a few more pounds. She was a healthy 6 lbs 13 oz and 19 inches long. I did prenatal yoga from 14 weeks to 36 weeks, walked our dog every day and ran for the first 10-12 weeks.

36 weeks 1 day pregnant with Lilly.

Went into labour a few hours after this picture was taken.

There was this one month with Lilly that I will never forget. I gained 11 pounds in 1 month! YES, that was eleven pounds in one month! So last month when I got weighed at the doctor’s office and saw the 11 pound weight gain I thought about it a little after the shock wore off (again). At least I am consistent 🙂 It was the same month in my pregnancy that I gained the 11 pounds with Lilly. My doctor said she was not worried at my weight gain (god love her).

Now, this blog isn’t about losing weight but more about being fit, active and healthy all while having a family, working full-time and now baby #2. So when I went to my doctor’s appointment this week and saw my weight gain, I was actually disappointed as it was more than I expected – 7 pounds. My doctor reassured me that with my activity level and healthy eating that she was not concerned and that most of my weight will be gained in the second trimester. Check mate! She also said that I could be gaining more muscle mass due to the workouts I am doing and that my weight gain could just be muscle not fat. I sure don’t feel fat but I sure do feel like I have a little watermelon protruding out of my stomach.

Now, when you are pregnant you get a lot of advice. Some good and some bad. The worst is when someone say’s “wow, you look SO big” – that shit can hit you hard when you’ve got a watermelon for a stomach and you can’t bend over without successfully pointing your tail bone to the sky so your ribs don’t try to bite your stomach or what was your stomach.

Rant: I also don’t like, okay I actually hate it when someone tells me “You’re going to have a boy because your pregnancy is different this time”.  I’m not against having a boy at all, in fact it would be pretty awesome if we did have a boy.  It would mean lots of shopping for boy clothing 🙂 and we would have one of each. Now, if we have a girl, I’ll be just as thrilled. My husband will be out numbered even more so then he is now (and will secretly love it).  I just hate that people are so focused on the sex of the baby rather than having a “healthy baby” in the end.

I had a colleague of mine tell me the other day “wow, you look good, you haven’t gained anything, you’re all belly”.   Now, my colleague is over 60 and was running off to a soccer game as we both left a meeting together. Talk about fit for life.  I told her I had to stop running about 5 weeks ago but was still working out and walking.  As we both work in the physical activity and sport fields, I feel like “being active” comes with the lifestyle. Anyway, her comment made me feel like I was doing something right even though I am and putting on the pounds. Being healthy during pregnancy is important but gaining weight during pregnancy is also important to keep everything going. 

I hate gaining weight. Really, I do.

Before I got pregnant, I was 11 pounds from my ideal weight, which sounds like a lot but it’s really not. I’ll get back there again and to my ideal weight one day after I’ve had the baby and am healthy enough to do so again.

So, I write about the struggles of gaining weight this once on this blog.  Maybe I’ll revisit it again once the baby arrives, but for now I lay it at rest.

Why do we obsess about weight gain at all, pregnant or not pregnant?

For me, it’s all about being healthy. Too much weight on my body makes me feel unhealthy. But too little weight during pregnancy would also make me worry.

The weight will come and the weight will go.

My focus is on being healthy for me, my family and this pregnancy,…weight gain and all.

My questions for you today:

Why do we obsess about weight gain at all, pregnant or not pregnant?

Did you struggle with the number of pounds you gained during your pregnancy?

What was the worst comment someone said to you while pregnant?

What was the best comment someone said to you while pregnant?

Side note: I wrote this with the uncertainty of actually publishing it. After reading a blog I follow this morning about her weight gain during pregnancy I decided to post it.

Athletic clothing: what to wear when pregnant

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 4 Comments

f I was heading out for a run in July, I’d probably wear shorts and a tank top. Limited clothing as it’s super hot out this summer (my thermometer ready 32 today in Nova Scotia – a little warm).

If it was winter, I’d bundle up in full length pants, long sleeve shirt and my running jacket – and something on my head.

Oh, and of course, my runners.

Now -a-days as my belly is growing I am slowly not fitting into my some of my shorts or  running t-shirts. A slight issue. (18 weeks pregnant)

Side note – I haven’t been able to run during the last two weeks. Pregnancy related pain after I run, extreme heat, and a sick little toddler on our hands.

This is what have worn recently – all bought on sale – and still fit.

Reebok shorts, tank and my Sparkly Soul headband.

 16 – 17 weeks pregnant

I started looking online for maternity athletic clothing and it’s not a hot item for athletic companies like Nike, Reebok etc. And I don’t really want to buy the next size up because I’d like to wear them after the baby is born too.

Then I came across For Two Fitness.

They have some awesome items with really cute sayings, like “running for two”, yoga, cycling, dancing etc for two. They have everything from tank tops to t-shirts, yoga pants, head bands etc. The clothing provides lots of room to grow – which is key during pregnancy. You want to be comfortable and not always pulling your shirt down or your pants up!

The lovely folks at For Two Fitness have provide my readers with a 20% off coupon!

Coupon Code: “PIPER20”

It can be used on any order but can only be used once per customer and valid until the end of July (31st) 2012.

To redeem, please go to http://fortwofitness.com/ to find out what awesome clothing they have.

I don’t own any of their clothing (yet), but you can see many reviews (testimonials and press) on their website.

Check them out on Facebook and Twitter too!

What do/did you wear during your workouts when pregnant?

Same clothing, next size up, your partner’s clothing, maternity athletic wear?

Was it easy to find maternity “athletic” clothing ?