You are doing a great job as a mom. Those first few months (actually a year) are really tough, but us woman can do it. Hang in there and we are all pulling for you.

1. gift night: your other half takes the whole night shift, letting you get a full night’s rest at least once every 10-14 days. on our end, this is usually on a weekend night.

2. ask one dear friend to come over and watch the wee ones while you get a 2-hour nap. be sure it’s a dear friend, they’ll be glad you asked. your casual friends may not understand your desperate pleas for sleep.

3. mommy trade. if you have a mommy friend with whom you are close, offer to babysit her kids for an afternoon and then vice versa for you.

4. when you get the wee one down around 7 or 8 at night, go sleep for a few hours for an early start to your night sleep. it’s only a few hours, and it will be interrupted, but you’re adding to the total hours you get in a night. i know you need to do laundry, dishes, emails, etc. so for real sakes, make this a 3x per week goal.

5. and yes, this early phase ends (PROMISE!) but plan to feel this jet-lagged time/space sucks phase for a bit longer.

as for workouts – oh heck, i had a repeat c-section and just now got the ok to do anything. but here is what i can do:

1. push ups when the wee one is doing mat time/floor time. even if i really only do this to firm back up my chest, it’s a start. great app for the iphone if you have it is 100daypushups (they also have 100daysitups).

2. lunges down the hallway to go get the wee one. even if i really only do this to get my thighs and backend back to some level of “less soft” at least it’s something i can do.

3. stretching any time you can. it’s one of three basic fitness elements: cardio, strength and flexibility. while the first two are tougher, flexibility i can work on almost anywhere in the house.

4. to get to the gym, for the cardio i need (its cold here so outside walks are short), i go on the weekend when my other half can watch the brood.

i’m contemplating going to the gym at a ridiculous hour in the morning, but really, right now i still just need the sleep. home workouts for now and in the near future, 5:30am workouts will have to be my new normal.

may the zzz’s find you. jenny

Some things that I do: I don’t drink caffeine (except sometimes caffeinated tea), I try to make sure that I have a balanced, healthy breakfast each morning, and I take some time every day to go for a walk, no matter what else is on the go or how exhausted I am. I think these things at least help to prevent making the effects of sleep deprivation worsen.
.-= Sagan´s last blog ..Day 29 of the 200 Reps Challenge =-.

Jamie
p.s. if you do that massage once a week for a month bit/ let me know, I’m in
.-= A Forest Frolic´s last blog ..Whirlwind =-.