Calling all mommies

Daddies, too!

Hi guys and dolls,

It's been a very long time since I've posted here. Since I turned up pregnant last spring I pretty much gave up on reading and responding to posts. Mountain biking was out of the question and I did my riding indoors throughout the summer. By the time I was five months along I could not balance on the bike anyway. Maybe next time around I'll be a bit more brave and try riding without the support of the trainer.

I am now ready to get back on the bike and begin training again. I know what I need to do - just start riding, for one, and do it regularly. Daylight savings time is around the corner so I can ride at night when my husband is home to watch the baby. I just ordered new shorts that actually fit (it hurts to buy XL).

How did you approach your training and workouts after your baby(ies)? Lily is my first child and even though I love every minute of my life as a mom, it's a huge adjustment. I am definitely out of shape and I have a lot of trepidation about mountain biking again. Just looking for tips and advice and encouragement.

Today is so beautiful. I am loading Lily up in the jogging stroller and going for my usual walk/jog around my development. I plan to ride on Saturday or Sunday if my new shorts and tights arrive in time. I am tired of camping out on this couch!
 
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Mare

Well-Known Member
Heck, I need XL shorts and I don't have the same excuse as you. Welcome back!
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
Daylight savings time is around the corner so I can ride at night when my husband is home to watch the baby.

Good!! It'll give daddy some special alone time to bond with the little one and it'll give mommy much needed time to decompress and be alone for a little while. You'll find out soon enough how important even a few minutes alone becomes!!

-Jim.
 
Good!! It'll give daddy some special alone time to bond with the little one and it'll give mommy much needed time to decompress and be alone for a little while. You'll find out soon enough how important even a few minutes alone becomes!!

-Jim.

Jim, you have no idea how right you are. I relish even a 5 minute shower these days. Washing my hair has become a relative luxury.

Nice to see you back in action!

Jay - thanks. I went for a jog yesterday and it felt fabulous.

My first ride is slated for Sunday. We are going to iBike's parents' house to watch Daytona. I'm hoping to get there early and let Grams have some baby time while I go for an easy cruise. I'll post results later.

It's good to be back!
 

chemgirl

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Hey JGR,

Welcome back.

When I started riding I did it very slow. I waited until my youngest turned one because I felt bad leaving my husband with three little ones. Oh, how nice I used to be - haha. I NEEDED to get away from the house for a hour or so just for my sanity! Gosh, I remember those days when I couldn't even squeeze in a shower - ughh!!

I live near RV so I started going over there on weekends and just started to ride. The first time I went I only made it as far as the base of puke hill. Each weekend I would go and was able to ride further and further. I quickly learned every trail there. About 3 months of doing this I found this wonderful website, MTBNJ!! Here I met a couple people to start riding with. By spring I had increased my riding to 2 days a week. Once on the weekend and once during the week. I would drop off my kids at 5:00 at my husbands work and go straight from there to CR (he works right by there).

Riding once or twice a week is obviously not enough to regain fitness after having a baby. So, I joined a gym where they had childcare. I did aerobics, jogged, yoga, spinning....anything I could do just to regain cardio fitness and strength. I started swimming and I love it! I know none of these will help you become a better cyclist (and not near as fun as being in the woods), but it will at least help your body meld back into the position it once was. Your stomach may never be the same, but your lungs and heart will.

I also think I'll always be more wary of getting hurt now that I have little ones that are completely dependant on me. The first year back on the bike took a lot of adjusting. New bike + new riding places = a LOT of injuries. Knock on wood - I haven't had a bike injury in 10 months, but it took a while to regain my balance and 'skills'. Don't get discouraged if you feel like your balance is off or you aren't as brave as you once were. It's works itself out.

It may be a while until you get out in the woods as much as you like...I'm still not there. I'm lucky if I get out to ride twice a week (usually one road and one off-road). Your body will never be the same, but it may actually be stronger in some ways. Next year my youngest will be in preschool 2 mornings a week, that's two more extra days I'll be able to get out a ride each week. He'll eventually be in Kindergarten and then I'll get to ride 6 days a week!!!! (Well, assuming I don't go back to work full-time.) Anyway, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, it's just a long journey to get there. Look at Ellen Surruto, she has 5 kids!

Being stuck in a house with a baby day after day after day can be so hard mentally and emotionally. It's not selfish to take a couple hours to yourself.

PM me if you want to talk more.
 

ellenserruto

New Member
I got to the point where I was so tired of being SOOOOOO tired. I dozed off at a red light one day and that scared me into taking better care of myself. At night when the kids were finally sleep I was happy to be "kid free" and stayed up to get things done. Consequently, I ended up exhausted the next day. Not Good!
Anyway, I joined a gym and started running on a treadmill for 30 minutes a few times a week. At first I could only run for 10 minutes and walk the remaining 20. I gradually increased by time, speed and incline.
If you have just one hour you can stretch before & after a 30 minute run and also do some ab exercises.
Some people hate the treadmill but it does save your joints from pounding the pavement. (ipod mandatory).
With young children its all about time management!
 
Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement.

Chemgirl, thanks for the tips on riding. We are not far from RV either and I think that will be my new riding spot. That and Voorhees SP are easy enough to get to. I remember it was tough to learn how to ride in the first place, and starting over with some skill memory should have the same level of difficulty as starting out with no skills, and a shorter (re)learning curve.

Ellen, I hear you on time management. I almost think it will be easier to manage my time when I get back to work and have a large portion of time dedicated to making a salary. Right now I am not working, though I am looking for work - it's not the paradise most people think it would be, I'm going out of my mind with this huge chunk of unstructured time I have everyday. I am not good at making schedules; maybe I need to have one made for me. I allow my mind to wander all over and before I know it, the time for a workout has passed me by and its time to do the household chores instead.

I feel like I've hit bottom as far as fitness goes and I am not looking forward to the climb back up to even the middle of the hill, let alone the top. I'm lucky I have an encouraging husband a great group of online buddies here at MTBNJ!

Today is supposed to be partly sunny and 43 - fine enough weather to take the baby for another jog. I just can't stand to be indoors if its above freezing outside, and I am SAHMing it right now so I have the entire day to get in a workout.

I am really looking forward to my first ride on Sunday, even the pain I'll feel in my legs afterwards.

I read somewhere that it takes 28 days to form a habit. I'm going to round that number out to an even 30 and take a 30-day challenge with myself. I envision a series of 30-day challenges that will lead to improved fitness and health. Here is the first one: exercise everyday for a minimum of 30 minutes everyday for 30 days. This does not have to mean run everyday or ride or lift weights. It could mean an easy walk with the baby and dog or a yoga DVD in between more vigorous exercise, but I have to get up and out and move. I have to make exercise a habit, and if it takes 30 days to form the habit, I have to consciously move everyday until exercise is part of my daily routine. I'm going to put this up in the Nutrition/Fitness forum and post my progress.
 
J

JerseyGirl

Guest
Congrats on the baby!!!!!!

Our little one was born is August. I did not feel comfortable even sitting on a bike until 8 weeks later. One of the first real rides I did was in october when the grandparents took the babe for the weekend and my hubby and I went camping at jim Thorpe. We did about 14 miles on the first ride. I felt GREAT! however the next day i was so sore but it was totally worth it. I did not even consider taking out the SS which was a smart move since I really used all the gears. since then we have done a few rides locally but since our trails have been really covered with the snow I too have been sticking with the jogging stroller. I must say the best thing to own it the post natal tae bo!!!!!!! AMAZING!!!!!!!! It really hits your core and the sections are in 10 minute intervals so it is easy to do with a baby. Spinning is always an option but i would highly recommend gettting a gel cover for the saddle. It will make the recvoery process much much better.
hang in there. Cograts!!!!!!!!
 
Congrats on the baby!!!!!!

Our little one was born is August. I did not feel comfortable even sitting on a bike until 8 weeks later. One of the first real rides I did was in october when the grandparents took the babe for the weekend and my hubby and I went camping at jim Thorpe. We did about 14 miles on the first ride. I felt GREAT! however the next day i was so sore but it was totally worth it. I did not even consider taking out the SS which was a smart move since I really used all the gears. since then we have done a few rides locally but since our trails have been really covered with the snow I too have been sticking with the jogging stroller. I must say the best thing to own it the post natal tae bo!!!!!!! AMAZING!!!!!!!! It really hits your core and the sections are in 10 minute intervals so it is easy to do with a baby. Spinning is always an option but i would highly recommend gettting a gel cover for the saddle. It will make the recvoery process much much better.
hang in there. Cograts!!!!!!!!

That's incredible, better than I did. I started walking two weeks after the baby was born but was so sore I wasn't able to manage more than a mile. After my doc gave me the go ahead to run again, I started walk/jogging with the baby jogger. That is the single best piece of baby equipment I own! I could even do without a crib if I had to, but the baby jogger is a must. I also put her in a sling and do "baby squats" and back bends with her, and the "baby press" is fun for both of us, now that she is old enough to hold her head up. Pushing 13 pounds of baby up and over your head really works the shoulders.

I've not heard of the post natal tae bo - what is the specific title? I do use the Post-natal Yoga DVD with Shiva Rea. It's fantastic and since I started doing the exercises regularly my back pain is gone and I can feel my flexibility returning.
 
J

JerseyGirl

Guest
the full title is Billy Blanks: Postnatal Power - Tae Bo Workout. His daughter actually instructs the video. Apparently she did this video 10 weeks after her baby was born. Just don't be intimidated by her perfect body. (10 weeks my a$$). It really is wonderful for a 10 minute each section -stretch, core, upper, lower, and cardio, cool down workout.
 

ellenserruto

New Member
Take it easy on yourself!! Enjoy the moment because infanthood is over in a minute. Cherish these days. . riding will always be there for you.
 
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