Mummy Time. Tummy Time. Mummy Tummy Time. Mummies will be very familiar with the term ‘Tummy Time’. Time for babies to lie on their stomachs to strengthen their necks and develop strong muscles so that they can roll over, learn to sit up and develop. Tummy time is very important for babies, and it has made me start to think about how much time I’m spending on my own body.
This week I’ve started to feel really tired, lethargic and generally out of sorts. I’ve hurt my left lower back from over straining, carrying Hudson’ on one side and general repetition that all Mothers know too well. Hudson has now moved exclusively to bottles, and my breast milk supply is down to the last bottles on the freezer. Last time round, breast feeding really helped me to get back into shape, and I felt the weight fall off. This time around, I’ve been forced to give breast feeding up earlier, and I fear that this will mean that the last few kilos will hang around, particularly around my tummy.
Me and Hudson at five months old
Now don’t get me wrong. I know that I am lucky, and have not put on a great deal of weight over my two pregnancies. For both I put on 10kg, and being approx. 60kg, this was pretty good. I’m not, nor have ever been a diet person, and know that there are many, many women who struggle with greater weight issues than me. I’m not writing this to make anyone feel bad, or to compare myself to anyone. I’m just writing this because like all Mums, there comes a time when you start to feel uncomfortable about a certain aspect of your body. Whether or not you struggle with weight, we are all in this together and can all relate to the feeling of not being able to put on your pre-pregnancy jeans, or favourite pants. Hudson is now five months old, and this recent weekend, I tried on a few maxi dresses and for the first time really felt self conscious of the area around my tummy. It’s not as flat as it used to be, and with good reason. I guess I’m just starting to feel the pressure, and with an impending family holiday to Fiji just around the corner…I want to do something about it.
I know that it takes nine months to grow a baby, so we should all give each other a break and not expect our bodies to return to to the way they were quickly. Heck, I don’t think I will ever get back to the way it used to be. Our bodies go through so much, it is quite incredible. I just know that right now, I feel out of sorts, and not my normal self.
So with that, it’s time for some Mummy Tummy Time. I’m not interested in loosing a great deal of weight, just a couple of kilos and toning my stomach. I’ve decided to get back into Pilates and thanks to the recommendation of some great friends, and local Mums, I’ve found a local studio with a time that I can actually attend. I know it will be a combination of eating well and exercising, but given the fact that my recent diet has consisted almost exclusively of tea and toast, I need to do something more.
I just want to feel a little better about myself, and hope that with some hard work, I can get closer to the pre Mummy tummy I remember.
Wish me luck!
