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A UK Pregnancy, Parenting and Lifestyle Blog
July 28, 2014

Mummy Monday: Fitness after Pregnancy and Birth

I’m just at the beginning of my fitness after pregnancy journey but already I can tell it’s not going to be particularly easy!

I don’t weigh myself so I’m not sure how much weight I put on during pregnancy but I do know that my clothes definitely don’t fit the way I want them to at the moment. I think my main goal is to just tone up all over and get rid of the post pregnancy mum tum!

I tried to keep active during pregnancy. I did pilates for the first few months and then as much swimming and walking that I could manage towards the end of pregnancy. Obviously straight after you give birth there is nothing further from your mind than exercising again. You already feel like your body has been through a marathon and you hurt all over! After a few weeks though I found myself raring to start exercising again (even with all the sleep deprivation!) but you are advised to wait until after your 6 month check with your GP before embarking on any fitness regime…


My hospital did give me information on exercises I should be doing for my back, abdominal muscles and pelvic floor muscles straight after birth so I tried to do them as much as possible in the first few weeks after pregnancy.

They included:
  • The good, old pelvic floor muscles that we should all (being women!) know how to do
  • An exercise where you lay on your back and squeeze your bum muscles together and hold in your tummy muscles
  • A very light version of sit ups
Check out these very bad photos of what I was given by the hospital. The flatulence part cracked me up!

I’ve now signed up to a gym that is within a leisure centre and got a great deal on a membership that includes use of the gym, unlimited exercise classes and swimming. I can also take Isla swimming as much as I want for free, bargains!

They set you up on a kinetica programme where you meet with personal trainers for 5 different appointments. They start with a consultation then move onto a tailor made fitness programme, a few motivational appointments and finally a results appointment where they measure you to see what results you’ve achieved.

In my consultation appointment I basically said I wanted to increase my fitness levels again, lose weight from my tummy and tone up all over. The fitness programme I’m on at the moment as a starting point is:

1. 15 mins rowing, set at a certain level and I have to do 400 metres at a time with a 30 second rest in-between. Each time I’m supposed to beat the time I did before
2. 20 reps on a leg press machine starting at 40kgs then 50kgs
3. 20 reps on chest press at 15kgs
4. 20 reps on a machine that works your back, chest and arm muscles (totally can’t remember it’s name!!)
5. 20 mins running at variable speeds
6. 15 mins on the cross trainer at variable speeds
7. 2x 30 second abdominal planks
8. Cool down!

I’m supposed to go three times a week and I’ve been told that I should be able to increase the times I’m doing and weights I’m using relatively quickly as my fitness levels increase again. The gym does have a creche facility but it’s only on certain days a week and at certain times so I’m usually having to go in the evening which I’m not used to. I used to go in the morning when I was at work. Much easier to get motivated to go then.

We shall see! I’ll keep you updated on my progress :)


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Kisses and cuddles with my faves 💖💫 Kisses and cuddles with my faves 💖💫
‘Each of us as citizens, has a role to play in c ‘Each of us as citizens, has a role to play in creating a better world for our children.’ - Nelson Mandela ❤️
It’s not enough though, is it? We’ve always h It’s not enough though, is it?

We’ve always had diverse toys in our house (not enough, but I’m working on it ❤️), but when questioned ‘why do you buy your kids Black dolls?’, I’ve faltered and answered incorrectly. I would respond saying ‘because that’s the doll Isla liked the best. What does it matter? We’re all human’, rather than questioning why that person is questioning it in the first place.

In a massive learning curve this week, where I am actively trying to become an anti-racist ally, not just anti-racist/non racist in general, I have found so many shortcomings in my effort to educate my kids and in my own attitudes towards race. But this isn’t about me. So here are some resources I’d like to share on top of the ones shared in my stories.

Some books to read:
Me and White Supremacy - Layla F. Saad.
Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race - Reni Eddo-Lodge.
How to argue with a racist - Adam Rutherford.
Brit(ish) - Afua Hirsch.
White Fragility - Robin Diangelo.
I Am Not Your Baby Mother - Candice Brathwaite.
So You Want to Talk About Race - Ijeoma Oluo.

Diverse kids books:
Anti Racist Baby - X. Kendi.
Riley Can Be Anything -Davina Hamilton.
Look Up - Nathan Bryon.
Mae Among The Stars - Roda Ahmed.
The Mega Magic Hair Swap - Rochelle Humes.
Let’s Talk About Race - Julius Lester.
Welcome To Our World - Moira Butterfield and Harriet Lynas.
This Book Is Antiracist - Tiffany Jewell.
The Extraordinary Gardener - Sam Boughton.
Let The Children March - Monica Clark-Robinson.
Ruby’s Worry - Tom Percival.
A Kids Book About Racism - Jelani Memory.

Some things to watch:
When They See Us.
13th.
Who Killed Malcom X.
Time: The Kalief Browder Story.
Explained: The Racial Wealth Gap.
Dear White People.
I am Not Your Negro.

My to do list:
- Sign more petitions.
- Donate to more causes.
- Listen to podcasts and share.
- Encourage changes in the school curriculum so that my children, and their classmates, get a better, much more rounded and diverse education.
- Call things out.
- Have honest/open conversations.
- Share content.
- To keep educating myself, whilst never expecting others to do it for me.

It’s just a starting point.

Thanks for listening x
Black Lives Matter. I can never pretend to unders Black Lives Matter.

I can never pretend to understand, but I will always stand.

I’ve been on a huge learning curve this week and have, shamefully, come to the realisation, which I should have a long time ago, that it’s not enough to just not be racist. We must also be actively anti-racist and do everything in our power to ensure our children are too.

Today is a day to stop, listen, support, educate ourselves, donate, sign petitions, take action in any way we can, big and small, to make sure that everyone knows we stand with our fellow humans, family and friends. But we can’t just do this today. We must do it each and every day going forward ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻
And breathe! First day without both my babies for And breathe! First day without both my babies for the first time in 10 weeks today and it couldn’t have gone better. Both had wonderful days and were full of stories when they got home. I said over on stories last night, which got an incredible response so thank you to everyone who reached out, that I am completely comfortable with my choice to send the kids back to school and nursery but would never, ever judge anyone who felt different. We are all in different boats in this storm we’ve found ourselves in and what works for my family, might not work for yours. I have deliberately stayed out of the ‘are you sending your kids back or not?’ debate as it started to feel like another toxic discussion, in the media and on social media, that was resulting in yet another parenting divide.
I could have had the kids in this whole time, under key worker provision, but tried my best to hang on till the phased reopenings that I hoped would happen when they did. They were what I was aiming towards. Don’t get me wrong, I have LOVED having the kids at home together for such a sustained period, we have made lots of memories and learnt so much more about each other, but mixed in with the nature of my job and the fact that @thisdadalife is deployed and so I’m on my own with minimal support, I couldn’t have gone on much longer.
When I got in from dropping them off today, and as I went upstairs to work at my desk, I literally collapsed on the stairs and almost cried in relief. Relief that we made it through, as dramatic as that sounds. I don’t think I realised the toll it was taking mentally as I was constantly running on adrenaline.
I am so happy to get a bit more balance back and to, most importantly, feel like a better mum again. Not a snappy trying to juggle it all 24/7 with no break mum.
If you sent your kids back today, whether you wanted to or not, I’m with you and support you.
If you have kept them home in your bubble for longer, I’m with you and support you.
If you’re still unsure what to do and are undecided, I am with you and support you.
Nobody knows the full extent of someone else’s circumstances and we have to stop and realise that before we judge anyone else ❤️
Ibiza vibes in Puerto Gardeno today 😂☀️😅 Ibiza vibes in Puerto Gardeno today 😂☀️😅
This is the first year in YEARS that I have felt ok wearing a bikini. And I feel like it’s more down to how strong I feel, rather than how I look. Whatever it is, I hope it continues ❤️
On another note, how tanned does the @filterbymollymae fake tan make you look! 🙌🏻
(Both bikini and cover up are from last year).
#losingmyboobstho #youwinsomeyoulosesomehaha
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