Postpartum Normalcy

Finding a new normal has been a challenge since having Cameron, and it's something I'm still working on. Saying I've had to make adjustments is the understatement of a lifetime; new sleep routine, zero daily routine, new clothes, and different time priorities (because Mom guilt is SO real and sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day for cooking or cleaning) are all things I had to get used to. The biggest adjustment of all was getting used to this new body and the demands a baby has for it.

Thinking back on my pregnancy, I know I didn't take care of my body the way that I should have and that is definitely part of the struggle I'm facing now, but besides that, I couldn't have ever prepared myself for the changes my body would go through during pregnancy and delivery. And society and the media do NOT adequately prepare us for how our bodies will (or will not) bounce back after having a baby. So I'm learning a new normal. But one thing has remained the same: the gym helps me feel like myself.

My workouts look a lot different now--I can't lift near as much weight as I used to. Cardio is more of a killer than ever before. Jumping is all but off the table. And I can't just pack up and go anytime I feel like it because I have to plan and make arrangements for another human. So even the thing that has been such an important part of my life the past few years isn't the same. What hasn't changed is my commitment to myself; I show up for myself because I know that is what will give me the most energy to show up for Cameron and Nick. It is something I can control, and I make it a priority.

So while I struggle through figuring out my new normal and creating a new routine--along with keeping up with laundry and actually cooking a meal on occasion--I hold onto the fact that being in control of my priorities is something that will never change even if the priorities themselves do. That is enough normal to get me through even the most drastic of changes that life can throw at me.