Hospital Bag Must Haves

I just had my handsome baby boy less than 2 1/2 weeks ago...but I wrote this while still at the hospital since it was fresh!


General Musts Haves for Mom and Dad:

1.  Toiletries!  I went to CVS and picked up travel sized toiletries for me and my hubby.  I bought 2 Shampoos, one condition, two body washes, toothpastes, contact solution, face wipes, and hand sanitizer.  The rest I just threw in from the house, like tooth brushes, hair brush, deodorant, and face lotion.  I found that having the small sizes and being able to throw them away was so nice because we are definitely leaving with way more than we came in with.  I also packed my makeup for when people are visiting.  I found it made me feel better to have a fresh face to feel more like myself and pretty.  My hubby had his glasses for when we were hanging out at night.  Daddy bought a razor so bring one haha

2.  DSLR Digital Camera!!!  I suggest showing your hubby some of the pictures you would really want or just seeing what others have captured.  It is a very intense, special, and overwhelming moment and you will NOT have the camera so help him with ideas before hand!

3.  Cell phone charges!

Mommy's Must Haves:

1.  Zip Up long sleeve shirt or sweater.  So I brought just a pull over long sleeve shirt and yes, it is keeping me warm but when I go to feed the baby it is kind of a pain.  I wish I could just unzip it and be able to be more skin to skin with my baby instead of taking it off or pulling it up.

2.  Nursing Tank Top or Tee Shirt.  For the ease of feeding the baby and comfort while you are there.

3.  Comfy maternity sweat shorts.  I brought a pair of old navy black sweat shorts to pull up while hanging out.  They go over those mesh panties easily and aren't tight in anyway.

4.  Sweat pants.  Now I brought yoga pants because I read other blogs saying that is what they did...Mine didn't work.  To tight, not comfy,  the pad and ice pack looked crazy under them.

5.  Nursing Bra or two!!

Daddy's Must Haves:

1.  Zip up long sleeve shirt.  My hubby brought a long sleeve shirt but again he would have liked a zip up so he could do the skin to skin with our baby more easily and not having to be shirtless completely. The nurses are in and out non-stop so he didn't like being shirtless (and his body is rockin ;)

2. Workout pants or shorts for night and hanging out during the day!

3.  A pair of Jeans for when visitors were here.  We had one day of visitors and he wore his pants a little nicer shirt that day!

4. 2 Tee Shirts for hanging out during the day and to sleep in.

5.  A hat!

6.  Socks and tennis shoes or comfy shoe.

Baby's Must Haves:

1.  The going home outfit! I brought a pair of sweat pants, long sleeve onesis with the built in mittens, a NB hat, socks, and a cute blanket.  It was fall here so we did warmer clothes.

2.  We brought our diaper bag thinking we were going to leave it in the car but we ended up bringing it in and packing some of the hospital blankets and stuff in it that they give you.  We also used our own NB diapers at times because we had the ones with the belly button cut out in them which are easier to use for baby's sensitive area.

Things we didn't bring and wish we had:

1.  Our boppie!  We didn't bring our boppie and used pillows but it would have been easier to just have it for feedings instead of stacking up pillows.

2.  Healthy Snacks.  I wish we had brought apples, bananas, or fruit that is easy to pack, nuts, and granola or protein bars.  The hospital didn't really offer all that healthy of food and it was kind of disappointing for us.  We ate kind of crappy for the 3 days.

3.  Advil for dad.  We bought some in the shop at the hospital but it would have been free from home.

4.  An extra outfit for mom and dad that can be left in the car.  We ended up having to spend an additional night at the hospital which we didn't expect.   I had a fever when delivering my baby which gave him a fever and for testing to make sure the baby was cleared to go home and didn't have a virus they made us stay one more night.

...and Of course:

All those must haves like Photo ID, Insurance Card, Car Seat, chargers, etc

I hope this helps!

LP

I Gained How Much?

31 Weeks pregnant now and I have gained 22 pounds! 

I am on track to be within the recommended weight gain range of 28-40 pounds for a female with a  pre-pregnancy  BMI below 18%.  My BMI started at 14% which is definitely low for a female but I workout and eat clean so yes, it is low but I was lean not skinny.  I am thinking I will max at around 33-35 pounds once my baby boy comes!  The normal weight gain range for healthy female with a
BMI of 18-24% is 25-35 pounds.

During my first trimester I gained around 10 pounds, 10 POUNDS!  I was freaking out because they say you should only gain about 1 to 5 pounds in the first 13 weeks.  There was no doubt in my mind I was going to gain a crazy amount of weight and was pretty scared.  It definitely didn't help that I was craving cupcakes and pizza and the thought of a veggie was gross!  First trimester advise, don't over think the weight gain during the first trimester.  You are probably craving weird things or like many are having morning sickness and eating way more carbs than normal like saltines.

Second trimester,  from weeks 13 - 27 I was able to manage my weight gain better.  Even though the gain was about the same as the first trimester, I was starting to be more on track with the recommended amount to put on per week which is 1 pound.  During that 13ish weeks I gained about 8-9 pounds which was actually lower than suggested.  Second trimester advise, it all even outs.  I was no longer craving anything at all and my energy levels were back in full swing.  Trimester one I was still working out as normal but the bad eating did not do me any favors.  Second trimester with my workouts in full swing still the weight was manageable!! Yay!!  I will say that I was doing cardio but not as intense just for the record!

Third trimester,  well I am about 3-4 weeks into the third tri and so far I gained about 3 pounds!BUT, my baby is weighting about 3 pounds now too! 

Don't let the weight gain control your mind during pregnancy. I have had friends tell me that it didn't matter how much gained as long as it was reasonable.  That they had put on 7 pounds in a month before and had other months they gained nothing.  We can't help it but to worry, I know!

10 More Weeks

Well we have 10 more weeks to go!  I'm very excited it is nearing the end but I know 10 weeks is still not all that close either haha! 

So, how am I feel at 30 weeks:

The day time is not so bad but night is starting to wear on me.  During the day I am pretty much feeling good and honestly not all that uncomfortable.  On the flip side, sleeping is more of a nightmare than a dream.  The not being able to get comfortable and my baby's new nighttime karate routine is my newest challenge.  I can't sleep on the tummy (Nor have I been able to for awhile now), sleeping on my back is only possibly if I am sitting up, as if I'm watching TV, and the baby kicks me really bad on my right side... So that leaves me with just my left side.  I can stand the left side for a few hours but then my side starts to hurt and I don't sleep much after that.  Plus, since I am sleeping bad it brings on the urge to pee. 

I have found that putting a pillow between my legs to support my belly and one behind me helps BIG time!  Get a body pillow, trust me :)

How have my workouts changed:

I find that I am more focused on cardio lately.  I am doing 25-30 minutes of stair climbing, walking, or elliptical machines.  I try to push myself as hard as I can with out hurting myself or the baby!  Lifting isn't out but I don't do it as much!  I have noticed my muscle mass has decreased but it's okay.  Baby is priority #1 right now and I can rebuild once he is here!

Weight gain so far:

I weighed myself this morning and so far I have gained 21 pounds.  Not to bad.  I am on track to gain a total of 33-35 pounds which is healthy.

Anything weird going on at 30 weeks:

I have actually been feeling alittle sick at night again.  It is almost like morning sickness all over.  Hope that passes haha!  They say it is not odd to have morning sickness again so I am not to worried about it unless it leads to something more serious or starts causing labor symptoms.

Third Tirmester - Workout

I just entered my 3rd Trimester, Yay!

I am still feeling really good at this point in the pregnancy and have continued to workout steadily.  My feet and ankles aren't swelling, rings are still on, and my weight gain is at about 19 pounds at this point.  I started out gaining pretty quickly but it's be slow going since about 15 weeks at about 1/2 a pound week which they say is good!

So how have my workouts changed from 1st, 2nd, now 3rd Trimester...

First Trimester:

Honestly, during the first trimester I didn't really change to much in my routine. I was still able to run as far and as long as I wanted and I was lifting pretty much the same amount of weight.  My list of first tri-cons -
1. TIRED, like seriously exhausted.
2. SICK, wasn't feeling to well and had to workout at lunch instead of in the AM which I was doing.
3. FEAR, during the first Tri. your baby is in a fragile time and I was scare to push myself to hard. 
First tri-Pros -
1. Cardio was no problem for me still
2. Baby was little and wasn't uncomfortable in my belly for one second
3. Didn't tucker out fast

Second Trimester:

During my second tri. I had to make a few modifications to my routine.  During the first few weeks of the 2nd tri. I wasn't showing really and it made it easier to workout.  Second Tri-Cons:
1.  DISCOMFORT - While running so I had to start using the elliptical or stair climber more
2. BIG BELLY - At the end my belly was getting bigger and Abs became a thing of the past haha
Second Tri-Pros:
1.  CARDIO - I could still do it!
2. Energy came back
3. Sickness was gone
4. Was feeling really good in general and embracing this new life inside me

Third Trimester:

Well I just started the third tri. so this will change for sure but here is what I got so far:
Third Tri-Cons:
1. BIG BELLY, belly is getting bigger so Abs are still out pretty much
2. DISCOMFORT, still not comfy to run and I walking a lot now or going at a snails pace on the elliptical.
3. TIRED, it's back and I get winded so fast
Third Tri-Pros:
1. MODIFY, I am modifying my weight training routine and focus on low weight, higher reps

Workouts -

Legs day:
25 pound slow squats
Cable side extensions
Leg Extensions
Cable Step-ups
Hamstring pulls

Cardio:
20 minutes on either the elliptical, stair-climber or walking

Arms Day 1:
Tricep dips assisted
Tricep pulldowns
Tri Kickbacks
Chest Flys

Abs:
Planks, I do what I can here.  Usually doesn't last long ;)

Arms Day 2:
Rows
Wide Grip pulldowns
Should press
Bicep curls
Should flys

Protein and Pregnancy

Protein is important in any diet so there is no exception to this rule when you are pregnant!  But why is it go important?  This is the question most people dont understand.

Well, Protein helps support lean muscles, healthy amino acids which is good for mommy and baby, and protein breaks down slower in the digestive system keeping sugar levels stable.  Check out this article
http://www.babycenter.com/0_protein-in-your-pregnancy-diet_1690.bc

Here are some fun ways to get protein in your diet;

Protein Shake - Banana Dream
1 Banana
Ice
Almond Milk
Spinach
All Natural Peanut Butter
Vanilla or Chocolate protein powder (I use Dymatize)

Berry Delite
1 Cup Strawberry
1/2 C Blueberry and Raspberry
Orange Juice
Ice
All Natural Plain Yogurt

Keep Pumping It!

22 weeks now and feeling really good!  Yes, Tri-mester 2 is awesome :)

Lots of people ask me if I am still working out as hard as I get bigger and the answer is a BIG YES!  You may not be able to everything you did pre-pregnancy but getting a work out in is still an option.  Don't be afraid to sweat it out still!  Do, however, lift and run/walk/climb with caution.  If it doesn't feel right or you in any way feel uncomfortable doing a certain exercise or move modify it or skip it all together.  For me, the bigger I get I find my knees start hurting during lunges and squats.  So for now I am reducing the weight I use to about a 20lb barbell instead.  I'm sure I will eliminate this all together or being using no weight after awhile.  I have also found that I don't enjoy running as much.  Which is crazy for me because I love to run! Especially in the summer months :(  I find I am losing my breath faster and I cramp up a little.  I encourage you do keep running though for as long as you can when your pregnant.  Some women have no issues at all and run the whole time while others are more like me and can only do shorter distances now.

Here are the two workouts from over the weekend; We just got back from the beach so had to work it :)

Saturday -
Chest and Triceps                                 Abdominal                                    Cardio
Assisted Dips                                         Plank                                                20 Min Stair Climber
Triceps pull down                                    Side Plank
Triceps extension                                    Mountain Climber
Cable fly                                                Side Lifts
Dumbbell press
push ups

Sunday -
Legs (I did a different leg workout then normal)                                     Cardio
Leg Extensions                                                                                               20 min. Elliptical
Hamstring pull backs
Resisted Step-ups
Inner and Outer Thigh Machine
Booty side kicks on all fours

Pregnancy and Cardio

So I haven't blogged in several weeks and I'm sorry for that!  I was super busy at work and life but I got a topic to share today!

Pregnancy and cardio, just because you are pregnant doesn't mean you can't workout and enjoy a nice sweat session.  Over the memorial day weekend I took myself and my 20 weeks belly to the track!  This is something I really enjoyed doing before I got pregnant and to be honest this weekend is the first time I've gone since.  I am going to share my pre and during pregnancy track routine.

Pre Pregnancy:

First Mile - Walk 1 lap, run 1 lap, walk 1 lap, run 1 lap (the run is faster then whats comfortable)
Bleachers - Run 5 minutes worth of bleachers (I could usually do 5 or 6)
Second Mile -  Walk the turns and sprint the straight aways as fast as I could to complete 4 laps
Bleachers - Run 5 minutes worth of bleachers
Third Mile - Walk the turns and sprint the straight aways as fast as I could to complete 4 laps

If I was up to it I would repeat the bleachers and the first mile again!



During Pregnancy:

First Mile - Walk 1 lap, run 1 lap, walk 1 lap, run 1 lap (I ran as fast as I could)
Bleachers - I complete 3 bleach climbs (I was able to run the first one and the last 2 I went as high as I could)
Second Mile -Walk 1 lap, run 1 lap, walk 1 lap, run 1 lap
Bleachers - I complete 3 bleach climbs (I was able to run the first one and the last 2 I went as high as I could)

I walked one final lap just to cool down some!

You can see I didn't make it as long or as powerful but I was still very proud of myself and happy I could still complete what I set out to do!

Its a BOY!

Well it is safe to say that everywise tale there is is wrong!  The only thing you can count on when determining your babys gender is an Ultrasound!

Here are some of the test I did:

 

Almost all the test say Girl and we are not having a girl haha!  They are fun but clearly it is a 50/50 chance and thats all!

 

 

Boy or Girl

We are 16 weeks and find out the gender in a few more days, so excited!!

Weight Gain: 8 pounds, I started doing more cardio and I think it helped the weight gain :)

Cravings: Still marina sauce and pizza

Belly: Finally popped out with a mini bump this week!!!

Looking forward to: Knowing the gender, I think girl

Belly Button: Still in

2nd Trimester

Yay, the second trimester at last!!

I am feeling so much better with little to no 24/7 sickness at all.  My energy levels are completely back to normal and I actually stay awake past 8:00pm now, seriously haha!!

With this new found energy my workouts are back in full swing.  I was pushing myself pretty hard during the first trimester just to go but now I enjoy it again.  The best part is I am back to doing more cardio which is helping the weight gain process of being pregnant.  I am finding that I get tired quicker during a run but I am still doing it never the less :)

Here are the last 2 days of workouts; They were light days of mostly cardio

Saturday-
Cardio: 30 minutes of intervals (1 min walk at 4.0mph & 1 min run at 7.0mph) My run part is slower now then it used to be.  For my non-pregnant peeps run at 8.0mph if you can or are advanced.
Hip and Butt work: On all fours with side kick, back kick, windmill, and front to back kick each leg
Abs (Core): Plank up/downs (See pic below), Mountain climbers, plank side to side step, bicycle

 

 

Sunday-
Cardio: 20 minutes (10 intervals on treadmill and 10 stair climber)
Abs: Oblique workout from post below

My progress update:

How far along: 14 weeks and 3 days now

Weight gain: Yep, 8 pounds so far

Cravings: gone pretty much but every now and then I want pizza and sauce still

Looking forward to:  Finding out the gender May 1st!! Girl or Boy??

Is that normal?

Being this is my first baby I have found myself asking other mommys "is that normal?" a lot! A newly pregnant body goes through so many changes that people do not warn you about.  Here is what I have learned so far at 13 weeks:

Is it normal...to worry every second about something going wrong during the first several weeks?

Yes, this is a normal feeling especially with your first baby!  I found myself thinking about the baby non-stop and hoping everything was all good.  If I had a day that I didn't feel queasy or tired I would completely panic.  I remember at my first appointment being nervous that the baby wouldn't be there on the ultrasound.  I wanted my little sweet pea so bad I was nervous.  I can say though that now at 13 weeks I don't think about that anymore, well not as much anyway ;)!  The best advise I can give you is to just relax.  Stressing about it isn't good for your body!

Is it normal...to have no sex drive?
Yes!  During the first trimester it is very normal to have a lower sex drive.  During my first 11 or so weeks I had no interested in being intimate with my hubby.  It had nothing to do with him or my attraction to him, I was just simply exhausted, queasy, and bloated and having sex sounded terrible haha!  Around the end of the first trimester however this will go away for most women.  It did for me!  I am not having any symptoms at all now thank goodness :)

Is it normal...to gain weight during your first trimester?
Yes and No.  Every woman is different so there is not one right answer to this.  Some woman with severe morning sickness will not gain any weight and some actually loss weight. While others pack on more then they should.  I fall some where in between those two.  During my first trimester I was about 9 weeks along and I text my sister all upset because I had already gained about 6 pounds at 9 weeks, WHAT, NO! I was panicking to say the least.  During your first trimester (first 13 weeks) the doctor will tell you most people gain between 1-5 pounds.  So why was I gaining so much weight?  Well I came to the conclusion that I left the notion of "pregnancy cravings" get in my head.  In my opinion when woman first get pregnant, especially with baby #1, they allow themselves to eat things that they would normally use their will power to not eat.  For example, I love pastries but like hell if I am gonna eat them because I now that they are just empty calories and I am some one who works hard on my body at the gym and in the kitchen.  Once I got pregnant I found myself eating pastries all the time because "I was craving them" or was it really that I was just allowing myself to do so because I was pregnant now.  Honestly once I realized what I was doing I stopped eating all the junk and I have not gained a pound in the last 5 weeks! 

Is it normal...to have diarrhea?
Yes!  While most people will experience constipation during pregnancy some people go through the complete opposite.  This can be caused by a whole list of things, your new pregnancy diet to better foods, increased water intake, if you started working out for the health of you and the baby, or even the hormonal change can effect your potty usage.  Me personally, it was my prenatal.  So I stopped taking them during the first trimester and just started again about a week ago and I'm all good now!

Here are some other things that are completely normally:
Feeling like you could pee every 30 minutes or less
Headaches that come out of no where
Being all smiles to tears or even yelling at someone in the blink of an eye
Queasiness and nausea - At any time of the day
Weird stretching feeling in your tummy
Light cramping or spot bleeding (Severe bleeding that's more like a period, see your OBGYN)
Cravings - IDK about this but I guess it is

What other, "Is this normal?" things did you come across?

Obliques and Baby

Just because you are pregnant doesn't mean you can't do Ab work!  I have read on several baby websites, like TheBump.com and BabyCenter.com, that doing Ab work actually helps support a faster recovery after birth and aid in labor and delivery.  There are some rules to doing abs while pregnant which shouldn't be ignored like not laying on your back after the first trimester, avoiding jerking or twisting moves, and no straight crunches at all.

I did this Abs routine yesterday and really enjoyed it.  I am just about in my 2nd Trimester and running out of abdominal moves that work and actually leave me sore.  Well I can say that I am actually sore today from doing this and it was safe for me and the babes;

 

New pregnant Body

Like most women I have lived my life being aware of how I look and fit in my cloths.  I have gone through stages of obsessing over my weight to, as I got older, learning to love my body but being aware of what I eat.  Now that I am pregnant and finally starting to peak a little (definitely haven't popped out yet) I am adjusting to a whole new level of body image.

I am more than happy to be pregnant and I can't wait to have that beautiful baby bump.  However, weeks 9-14 I am finding that I feel more like I have a beer gut and a whole lot less like a pretty bump.  During these several weeks your body is not ready for maternity clothes but you are growing out of your normal clothes.  Also, if you are like most women you have begun to pack on a few pounds.  I have gained about 5 so far...yikes :)!!  All of these factors can make you feel less attractive or down on yourself and I have gone through moments of both but I always remind myself that "you are pregnant and weight gain is natural".  Our bodies are going to do what is natural.  Being pregnant is a natural thing and the body knows what to do, so don't sweat it.  Dealing with weight gain is definitely a challenge that I have ups and downs with but I am learning to deal.  I find that hitting the gym really helps me with this.

Here is my recent full body workout I did yesterday.  My energy is starting to come back and I feel better each day making it easier to workout as normal again!!

10 min treadmill warmup (walk to jog)

2 or 3 x 20 reps dumbell rows in squat position

2/3 x 20 reps squats

2/3 x 20 reps lying dumbell tricep extensions

3 x 12 reps reverse lunges (per leg)

8 min treadmill walk ( I used to run for my non-prego friends)

3 x 18 reps bicep curls in lunge position (per leg)

3 x 18 reps lateral raise in lunge position (per leg)

8 min treadmill run ( I used to run for my non-prego friends)

20 x incline crunches

3 x 18 reps prone kneeling leg extensions (per leg)

3 x 15 reps forward lunges (per leg)

8 min treadmill cool down (jog to walk)

Belly progress: 0 to 12 Weeks

Weight Gain: 5-6 pounds (Not liking that to much but it's pretty normal

Working out: Yes!! I am still hitting the gym at least 5 times a week.  My intensity is not as high but I'm still at it.

Cravings: Marinara sauce, I literally want pizza and pasta like every day and pastries still.  I guess salty foods would classify as a craving here.

Looking forward to:  My belly getting bigger and looking prego in the tummy!  Also, finding out the gender in several weeks :)!

Morning Sickness:  More like evening sickness...but over the last few days it has been going away! Thank goodness :)

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

I am just about at 11 weeks and Baby P is the size of a Fig!!

I wanted to post today about some of the things people don't tell you when you are pregnant for the first time.  Some of them are just straight up embarrassing and others are just small annoyances but non-the-less they go unspoken.

Everyone knows about the all the good stuff but it seems that no one ever talks about the bad stuff. I have to admit I am guilty as charged. When ever we tell people for the first time and they ask me how I'm feeling and how it is all going, my reaction is always the same "I'm doing so great!" Now don't get me wrong, I really am doing great. How could I not be with my first baby on the way :)! The statement however is only partially true. Here is why...

The Good!

Let me start by saying that for me there are definitely more good things about being pregnant than bad or even ugly.  Finding out you are expecting is one of the most amazing feelings in the world.  The excitement of nurturing your future baby in your womb for 9 months is something that can't be compared to anything else in this world. 

Another really good thing is I am able to work out 5 or 6 days a week still!  Exercise is a BIG part of my life and although I have modified my routine some I am still going at it full blown.  I even ran 6 miles at 10 Weeks the other day!

The Bad!

In two words, Morning Sickness!  Now for most this is in the bad category but I can say with confidents that for most woman this would most definitely be placed in the ugly section.  I only experienced queasiness and nausea between 5-9 weeks and it pretty much came and went as it please.  I started out getting it in the morning but it gradually went to the evenings making night time pretty tough. 

Dinner time, or should I say what dinner, would definitely be on my bad list.  During those several weeks of queasiness I didn't want dinner.  The thought of it would make my tummy turn.  So I pretty much ate cereal and the occasional bowl of soup.  Luckily this has just about gone away. 

Now this next one is a mix between bad and ugly but I will put it on the bad list.  Acne! Oh yes, acne and not on my face.  I wouldn't really say being pregnant has be glowing haha!  I have never in my life had an issue with acne on my back but ever since I got prego my back is like a 13 year old boy hitting puberty.  I have my fingers crossed that at the 14 week mark when they say your hormones level out this will go away.  In the meantime, it pretty much just bites the big one :(

That leads me to the fatigue.  From weeks 4 (when we found out) to about week 10 I was literally falling asleep at my desk during work and out cold by 8:00pm each night.  My sweet baby was taking every bit of energy I had.  And if we are being honest...with no energy and extreme fatigue comes a lack of other activity with the hubby.

This last one is simple...All I want is carbs.  Not a good on my booty or waistline!  I used to never eat pastries.  Now I can't order a coffee at starbucks with out getting a baked good.

The UGLY!

This is gross and definitely embarrassing but I'm committed to putting the truth out there.  My prenatals give me diarrhea.  There I said it...It is terrible.  When I don't take them I am fine and everything is how it should be.  On them I am a hot mess.  It makes me soooooo sick.  I will literally spend the night in an out of the rest room in pain.  I was barely sleeping.  I had no choice but to stop taking them.  I don't like the idea of this but I have my 12 week appointment in about a week and half and I plan to discuss this with them.  So until then I will not take them.  I will be sure to keep you all posted on that situation!

Baby's first Photoshoot

We had our first ultrasound appointment the other day.  What a surreal and magical moment in our lives.  Getting to see our little gummy bear for the first time and that fluttering little heart beat brought me to tears!

We are 9 weeks along and the baby is right on track!  About the size of a grape now :)

Here are some pics

 

 

Food Cravings - Pizza, Baked-Ziti, Salty foods, and Cloud Nine Cupcakes!

Weight Gain - It's a little hard to tell.  I'm retaining water from the babes and a little bloated which has my weight yo-yoing.  I would say about a pound.

My Little Raspberry

We have hit the 8 weeks mark and we finally have our first appointment with the OBGYN!  I can't wait to see my sweet baby ;)!  I have been really, really tired but doing my best to fight the fatigue.  Honestly, the nausea and queasiness to worse then being tired.  I am not actually tossing up my cookies, so to speak, but not feeling well can still take a toll on your body.  Even though it has been tough, I remind myself that the queasy feeling is my little baby P growing inside me! 

Even though I'm tired and have been a little sick I am keeping up with my workouts pretty well.  I have definitely taken it way down and I don't push myself every hard for the safety of my babes.  Here is an overall idea of what I am doing at 8 weeks;

Cardio:
Well Cardio has pretty much turned into walking inclines, low speeds on the Stair-Climber, and the Elliptical.  I no longer do fat burning speed intervals of HIIT work.  I'm not trying to lose weight and to be honest I'm to darn tired to do all that anyway haha!  I always do at least 20 minutes but aim to do more where I can especially since I have decreased my intensity.  Baby first!


Strength Training:
I am still focused on training specific body parts on certain days;

Back and Bi's
Chest and Tri's
Shoulders
Legs

Now I focus on using lower weight and I increase the number of reps.  The number one thing to remember while working out when pregnant is, if it doesn't feel right anymore or in general, stop doing it.  For example, I no longer do assisted pull-ups, it just feels weird and stretches my tummy.

Abs:

Abdominals is a little trickier for me.  I am still doing abs laying on my back (which you can only do up to 13 weeks) but most of the moves put a bit of stress on my abs.  So, I am focusing more on my core.  I do multiple plank moves for the center /sides and focus on positions that make me hold the muscles.

Legs Day

I hit the gym early Wednesday morning for a nice Legs and Ads session before work!  I modified my workout by doing 1 less set of each move and less weight.  To be honest the only reason I did was out of fear of hurting the babes so this may change!!
​
Legs-

• Barbell Squat with 55 lbs (3Sets:12Reps, Usually do 100 lbs)
• 25 lbs Weighted Lunge (3Sets:15Reps)​
• Hamstring Curls (3Sets:12Reps)​
• Leg Extensions 90Lbs (3Sets:12Reps)​
• Hip Abductor Machines (4Sets:15Reps)​

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Abs;

• Reverse Curl
• Scissor Kicks
• Plank

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During the First Trimester I have read you can do Abs as normal!  Although I have to admit I was a little nervous.  After the first Trimester you can not lie on your back anymore to do abs because it cuts off oxygen to the baby due to the weight on your abdomen.

Prenatals

What prenatals do you take?

I'm not gonna lie I was kinda anti taking prenatals before I got pregnant.  My plan was to take my usual multivitamin and a DHA vitamin.  I eat a really healthy diet and get regular exercise so I figured with all of that combined I didn't need the prenatal.  I did a comparison of my One-A-Day multi and One-A-Day Prenatal and it was pretty much the same except for a few things.  Biotin, Iron, and Folic Acid were a good bit lower in the multi.  Once I did a little research on the importance of those things I decided to take the Prenatal instead.

I cut the prenatal in 2 pieces and take one half in the morning with the DHA and the other half at night.  I find it is not as harsh on my tummy and it helps break up the dose of Iron.

Today our baby's spine and major organs are starting to form!!!

Sesame Seed

What we eat while pregnant is extremely important.  I read that during the first trimester we don't need extra calories but let me tell ya...I'm way hungrier.  I already had a really healthy and clean diet but now that I am expecting my first baby I am definitely taking it more serious.  As you know already, I am big in to fitness.  My pre-baby diet consisted of lean meats, veggies/fruits, grains so it is not all that different but I am making sure to eat more whole grains and nuts.  It is also important to eat more lean protein. 

Here is what I am eatting:

Sweet Potatoes
Walnuts
Lean Meats and Fish
Eggs
Veggies -Leafy Greens are really important
Fruits
Greek Yogurt
Whole Grains

I have not started having any food cravings yet and I am really interested to see what I am going to want.  My favorite unhealthy candy to eat are sour patch kids but that is my favorite pregnant and not ;)

My typical meal plan:

Breakfast:
1 whole Egg / 1 White scrambled
1/4 C cooked spinach
1 Slice Ekeziel Bread with Flax Seed Peanut Butter (Lightly spread)
Small coffee with cream and sugar

Snack:
Mix nuts or just Walnuts

Lunch:
Spicy Turkey Muffins with bell peppers
Steam Broccoli
Sweet Potato

Snack:
Organic Greek Yogurt or Fruit

Dinner:
Lean Meat
Veggie
Whole Grain i.e. quinoa, brown rice, sweet potato

What are you eatting?


Week - 4 to 5
Weight - 118
Baby Phelps is the size of a Sesame Seed

Poppy Seed

We are officially 4 weeks pregnant! 


As I've mentioned I really enjoy being healthy and living a very active lifestyle, especially fitness and working out.  So as you can imagine I have so many questions about what I can and can't do.  I don't want to hurt or loss our baby.  I am going to post my Pregnancy workouts and modifications so you can follow along.  The first few weeks will be very similar to my pre-baby routine but as I get to the second and third trimester it will chance a lot. 

We found out on Feb. 1st which was a friday.  So here is my workout routine for Saturday and Sunday;

Saturday:
Shoulders and Cardio

Should Press with 20 Pound dumbbells (3 Sets / 12 Reps)
Lateral cable Flies (3 Sets / 12 Reps)
Front Raises on Cable (3 Sets / 12 Reps)
Barbell Upright Row with 45 Pounds (4 Sets / 10 Reps)
Cable Reverse Fly (3 Sets / 12 Reps)

20 Minutes on Elliptical - 2 minutes low intensity and 2 minutes high intensity

Sunday:

3 mile hill run with my lab
Floor crunches at home

Since I found out I was pregnant I have taken it down a notch.  Like I said, I don't want to hurt our baby.  My body is used to working out so I am not going to stop.  Plus I read that is good for your body to keep a regular exercise routine while pregnant.  I am going to consult my OBGYN when we go on March 5th.  I have so many questions about exercise and what is safe. 

Week - 4
Starting Weight - 117.2 Pounds
Baby Phelps is the size of a poppy seed this week

I know I am not showing AT ALL but I am definitely tracking our babys growth already ;)

40 Weeks

Welcome to the Tough Like Mommy blog!

Let me tell you a little about myself.  I am 27 years old (well I will me in a few weeks) and my hubby is 32.  We got married in October 2012 and I can honestly say I married my best friend.  We both knew we wanted to start a family sooner than later we casually started trying after the wedding. 

I came off birth control right before the wedding because we didn't want to get pregnant before we were legit.  We knew that it could take a few months for my body to start ovulating again so when we didn't get pregnant right away we weren't shocked.  bummed maybe but not shocked.  It took me 2 months to get back on track and start having a normal cycle.  Which is actually really good and we pretty much got pregnant right after that. 

Our baby story begins on January 5, 2013, 40 weeks out!

I got home from the gym on Friday morning at 6:30 A.M. and decided I would take a pregnancy test.  All week I had this strange, 6th sense like feeling that we were expecting.  My sense of smell was out of control and by 3:00 P.M. each day I was literally falling asleep at my desk.  I was still 7 days away from my next period so I wasn't expecting to much to come of the test and I prepared myself to see a Not Pregnant sign and then just move on with my day.  I just assumed since my period wasn't for several more days the test would be negative even if we were.  But to my surprise two pink lines slowly got darker and darker.  I stood there in a complete state of shock and excitement!  We are pregnant!
It's funny how even when you are trying a positive test can still shock you haha!

I told my hubs that night when we got home from work with 7 little sticky notes and a little Daddy onesis.  We was so excited we almost got lost on our way to a restaruant we have been to at least a100 times. 

You could only imagine how many questions we had.  What can and can't I eat?  Can I still workout the same way I do?  How big is our baby?  I had been doing my research ofcourse when we started trying.  Still though these questions come to mind.

So now I am on a mission to learn everything I can to eat right, maintain my healthy lifestyle, and have a baby tougher than mommy!