Firstly I have to state that I did NOT look like the woman in the above picture the first time I went running after having a baby (nor do I resemble her remotely now).
I looked like this (only clad in ill-fitting lycra):
After waiting the appropriate time after the c-section and consuming with gay abandon everything in sight for many months, I finally felt ready to dig out the runners and sports bra and hit the beach to resume my old running habit.
10 things that happened the first time I went running after having a baby:
1. I gave up. No Joke.
The very first running outing defeated me in under five minutes. I returned to the baby and the biscuits and resolved to try again exactly NEVER.
2. I tried again
This time, I did slightly better and ran my usual route in DOUBLE the time it used to take me pre-baby. This was going to be HARD.
3. I thought I would pass away
Seriously. Fall down, vomit up my lungs and pass away from exertion. Must. Keep. Going. I definitely needed this:
4. I had way more fluids to contend than I used to
Sweating? Check. Lactating? Check. Weeing? Ehhhhhh, a bit yeah, check.
5. Exercising was a life saver
Pre-baby exercise helped me stay balanced and reasonably close to ‘person-shaped’. Post-baby the ‘balance’ element became more important than ever. I definitely found the first months of parenthood very hard and going for a run either with the baby in the pram or after The Man was back from work was essential to give myself some much-needed time and space.
6. Running with the Mum Pouch was weird at first
I felt really out of sorts with my new body and I didn’t like being able to feel my mum-tum rolls bouncing up and down with me as I trudged along but I got over it. Who cares what I looked like? Surely it was no worse than the Cough Test I had to do while heavily pregnant in a room full of medical students. And at least the running helped me feel better, the looking better thing was largely secondary.
7. I listened to Podcasts and Audiobooks
Maybe it was my new-found mum multi-tasking kicking in but I cannot recommend this enough. We don’t get a whole lot of time to ourselves once we’re making babies so listening to books while exercising is a great use of precious me-time.
8. I stalked potential mum-friends while out running
This was a great way to pester other new mums in the locale into meeting me for coffee and discussing baby sleep patterns. The only problem: I didn’t have my own baby in tow which made my advances look even creepier than usual – you kind of need the baby in the picture to open the dialogue otherwise it sounds a bit like this: “Hey!,” sweating, lactating woman with a weak pelvic floor muscle approaches innocent young mum out with baby, “I see you’ve got a baby there. I’ve got one too… not with me obviously. Wanna go for coffee or lunchtime wine sometime?” It’s not a great look, is it?
9. Running works great for dodging parenting
Sometimes a particularly foul nappy is all the motivation I need to get out there on a cold January night. The Man doesn’t even complain as he appears to believe that nothing, NOTHING is worse than running, even a Level 8 Dijon Mustard Poo. It’s a win win.
10. I eventually got a bit better
I’m still a fairly sh*t runner but I do my little jog as much as two sleep-deprived years allows and I feel pretty terrible while it’s happening but then VERY good about myself when it’s over. Let the wine and chocolate commence.
As we’re celebrating HerFamily.ie’s first birthday, we’re are taking a moment to reflect on some firsts of our own. From first positive pregnancy test to first sonogram, first giggles to first steps and first hugs to first words. Tell us about your favourite firsts of parenthood, join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. #HerFamilyBirthday
Main image via Commons Wikimedia
