My sister, Megan gave me this book when I was prego. Fit Mama...it's like one of those cute books you see in a baby boutique. Since at the time I had lots of time on my hands subbing...I read it, in one class period, (and then was bored out of my mind the rest of the day)...and it had some good pointers, especially for immediately after baby. Now, I know what you're thinking...who is thinking about working out a week after the baby is born, when you are still trying to find time to brush your teeth...you're right. Totally not thinking about it...but fast forward to 4 weeks later, where...not only have I found time to brush my teeth, but occasionally have found time to shower. It might not happen in the usual time, but I can usually now shower some days...get dressed, AND dry my hair in under 12 hours. I don't know how I do it?...I must be Superwoman.
Anyway, back to the book. It has some good and seemingly easy (mostly breathing) exercises that help you find those ab muscles you b*tched and moaned about how flabby they were pre-kid, until post kid...when you now realize that if someone accidentally put their hand on your stomach not only would they lose it up to the elbow, but you could actually wrap the remainder skin around their arm like silly putty.
So, I'm in...bring on the easy breathing exercises...OK, 1) breath in and out focusing on using the diaphragm 10 times a day....DONE! I breath all day long. Especially, when I'm going Baby Whisper-er on Austin a** with the shushing trying to get him to not scream, for no reason at all, every night between 5 and 6.
2) Now this is for those of you with the diastis recti muscles mishap..Lani, you know what I'm talking about...where your ab muscles hated pregnancy so much that they split, and allowed some type of jelly like material to come through in its place...like, when you were forced to sit up on your own 41 weeks pregnant...when the doctor just left you laying on the table after telling you your contractions don't mean anything, and you are still only dilated 1 cm, and oh, yeah, they can't induce for another 4 days......(deep breath), but I digress... so here's the exercise. Lay on back, cross your arms on either side of your abs, holding them together. Breath out as you lift your head up. I'm like...easy...I'm usually laying on the ground at least once a day praying that Austin will sit in his swing for more than 2 minutes without crying.
Oh, but wait....what's this? How do you hold, what feels like pudding together? I couldn't get my hands to stay on the side of what I'm assuming used to be my abs to contract anything. I felt like I was mixing a bowl of meatloaf trying to make this one work....I persisted...surely this will...no,...there go my hands...sliding together again, unable to get a hold of any solid matter...it was like clawing at a ball of dough...
Needless to say, I have put fit mama on hold for the time being.
