Three Months post partum update

Going to keep this short as I am nowhere near as interesting or important as Rafe but I thought I would do a quick update on me three months post partum.

Firstly physically I am pretty much completely back to normal. My weight is now 124lbs so only one pound off what I was pre-pregnancy. The last few pounds has only dropped off very recently when I began focusing more on BOTH diet and exercise. Previously my emphasis had mainly been on working out, and although I was doing this around six days a week I was also indulging in a takeaway once a week and probably being a little to relaxed with my general eating habits. I found myself relying on breastfeeding to help me lose the baby weight but unfortunately although breastfeeding was an amazing help with the initial weight loss this soon plataued.
I've really cleaned up my diet now (except for the occasional dairy free ice cream treat) it's been tricky because I have had to find a balance between eating enough to still be able to produce breastmilk and allow my muscles to recover after workouts, but I also needed to be in a slight calorie deficit to lose the extra pounds I had left over. With a bit of trial and error I have now come up with an eating plan that seems to work well for me. I eat high protein nutritious meals and I also use vegan pea protein shakes post workout to ensure I am still able to build muscle whilst breastfeeding. 
I would say my shape has changed a bit since having Rafe, I am more 'boxy' and my waist is an inch bigger that it was pre-pregnancy. I have no problem with this because it just gives me a goal to work towards and it's still fairly early days.

I have started mixing up the sort of workouts that I am doing now aswell. I still workout around six days per week but only for between 25-45 minutes so it's pretty manageable to get done. I still do a lot of kettlebell training but I have recently starting doing resistance band work, weights and also kickboxing workouts either from DVD's or YouTube. I also compose my own workouts that combine all the different equipment that I use to target specific areas that need attention (predominantly abs and glutes!) 
I no longer have any interest in losing any more weight, I now workout in order to tone up my 'work in progress' areas and for the sake of my sanity!

Breastfeeding is still going strong! I am now using natural, washable bamboo breast pads which I can really recommend. They are a lot better for the environment and they work out cheaper in the long run. I solely breastfed without even expressing until Rafe was three months and I have now started pumping so that Richard can do some feeds and so that it is easier to go out. I have found that public places really lack the facilities for breastfeeding women to have some privacy to feed their babies. 
I haven't experienced any post partum hair loss yet, but I am definitely getting more breakouts now. I haven't yet had a period which I am very happy about, thank you breastfeeding! 

Mentally I have found things quite difficult recently. Especially the past week, what with the combination of the aftermath of Rafe's jabs then a growth spurt/sleep regression, it has been a struggle. I didn't realise how much a lack of sleep can effect your mood and ability to cope with things. I love being a mum and I feel so lucky that I can be at home with Rafe whilst he is so young, but at times it is very challenging. I have also found that becoming a stay at home mum has really effected how I feel about myself and my self esteem, for me it's as if I have lost my own identity a bit.
Trying to remain positive though because I know this won't last forever and I need to treasure every minute whilst Rafe is small, he will grow up so fast. I am also really lucky that I have some amazing, non-judgey friends who are also mummies, that I feel comfortable enough to talk to openly and honestly when things are getting tough. 
 
I have found there are lots of ups and downs when you are a mum, good days and horrendous days, positives and negatives, but overall it is the most rewarding experience and I wouldn't actually change things for the world.

Jx

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