self-care action plan

I've been facing a lack of energy and lack of umph to do anything about it for quite a while now. Part of it has had to do with it being hard to go for brisk walks with the girls, as the walk home the past year has tended to end in screaming because she doesn't want to walk more, unless I let her sit on the stroller (during winter months the single stroller can function as a double due to the winter bag fastened to the seat, and last summer she was light enough that she could sit on the front part where Eliana technically would rest her feet if her legs had been long enough).

[last spring]

[this winter - Leona is sitting in the winter bag]

[last summer, with L on the foot rest...notice the bike on the back of the stroller -

a sure sign that I chose to give in and let her catch a ride home]

We recently bought a double stroller for when Cedrik is born...but with my symphysis-pains pushing the double stroller with both of them in it up hills (which is a must if we are to get home) is not a viable option.

[test-driving the new stroller - happy as two peas in a pod]

 

I've taken some more steps to make it work for us now too.

First, I've talked with Leona about it, and this time she is on board with the fact that if she walks or rides her bike when we head out, she has to do it all the way home...she has actually not complained, cried, or gone on a strike, for the past couple weeks. I credit that to her being older now, as well as the weather being better, where she can ride her bike more, and not get all miserable with wind and rain; and that if the weather sucks I take the double stroller as long as we agree beforehand that she will walk up the hills herself.

I also went to see the midwife for the third time about a month ago, and she referred me to a program set up by the government for pregnant ladies who need help physically. It is a three-week program that runs once each month. The pregnant ladies have to be referred by the midwife, and then we each individually meet with the physiotherapist for half an hour to discuss our aches and pains, and our goals and motivations for what we want to get out of the program, so that she can make sure she can address it all during the course.

For me I said I hope to develop my body to diminish the symphysis pain I have, as in my last pregnancy I wasn't able to stand up or walk almost at all without shooting pain. I also want to not gain as much weight as I have in the past to pregnancies because I want to be in better shape so that I have the energy to be with and play with and take care of the girls up to Cedrik's birth, have the strength and energy to have an easier birth (than if I am just a blob of non-energy and non-strength), and also to recover faster after the birth.

What I had already started doing is cut out starches and sugar almost completely (started about a two weeks before I met with the physiotherapist), and wanted to start taking at least a 30 min walk each day no matter what, as well as do this training program and continue at home after.

Just telling the physiotherapist these goals and motivations helped solidify the umph in me to actually start doing it. And then sharing with Judge what I had discussed with her helped solidify it even more, especially because he is totally supporting me in it. Even though I have previously said I want to limit my starch intake, I have never asked him to make dinner without or with minimal amounts of starches for me, as I know it is a burdensome task, but since I told him, he has tweeked the dinners for me. He also helps get me out the door for walks in the evening if I haven't had the opportunity during the day, after the girls are asleep.

Another big deal is that Leona is now suddenly willing to walk past one of the milk farms that is along a good route for me to take, despite the fact that "it doesn't smell so good, mama" and "it's too noisy - I'm scared", so I can take them out for a walk together during the day, as long as she is riding her bike. If she is walking then it just doesn't count, as she is the meandering stroll kind of girl rather than a power walker.

It feels good. Feels amazing to be taking the training program (I've just been to the first class so far) -- to be doing this for me, as well as to actually be taking the walks every day and to be eating almost starch and sugar free.



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