CrossFit After Baby

In my third trimester, I had so many fantasies about returning to CrossFit after giving birth.  I assumed that I would bounce back quickly, waltz right into Charles River CrossFit, and be able to do everything I had done before I got pregnant.  Heck, I had even WODed a few days before I went into labor, so clearly it was going to be a cakewalk back into it!  I felt set up for a successful re-entry and looked forward to being "that girl" who went to the gym two weeks post-partum and magically had amazing kipping pull-ups and could Rx every WOD.

Oh man, reality can be tough to swallow.  I never realized the physical toll that birth would take on my body, how difficult the sleep deprivation would be, and that I would struggle with breastfeeding and it would make my transition to motherhood a difficult one.  I was desperate to get out of the house, regain strength, and feel like a human being again.   My first WOD at five weeks post-partum was very, very rough.  It involved snatches and double unders, the sworn enemies of a woman who's just had a baby.  My snatch form was horrendous.  I was sore, exhausted, and defeated.  My bubble quickly burst, and I slowly began to understand that my re-entry into CrossFit would not go as seamlessly as I had hoped.
Six months post-partum, CrossFit is getting easier, but I still have a ways to go.  At my box, I've watched people who started CrossFit after me run circles around me during WODs, and I've found myself very emphatically declaring "I just had a baby!" to save face.  Here are a few things I've realized so far:

My endurance was the first to go while pregnant and is the slowest to come back;
My strength has returned with a vengeance but;
My form has suffered on olympic lifts, so I'm not always lifting to my potential;
My sprained ankle still hasn't healed;
Returning to CrossFit after having Eleanor was much harder than I thought it would be.

But in the past five months since I've been back, there has been progress.  I'm Rxing more WODs and I've had some PRs (250 pound deadlift and 190 pound back squat for a six RM).  I'm fitting into more of my pre-pregnancy clothes.  I have greater hope that I'll see my abs again one day (although those moments are fleeting).  I miss my old body, but I'm optimistic that I'll eventually feel more comfortable in my own skin.

There are days when I feel unstoppable and think to myself "I can't believe I had a baby only six months ago!  I rock!" and there are days when I think "it's been six months.  Why is (insert exercise here) still so hard?"  But I have to remind myself that my exercise career has been a limited one.  Other than a mile jog here or an hour on the elliptical there, I didn't start seriously exercising until July of 2010 and I started CrossFit full time in January of 2011.  I got pregnant May of 2011.  I only had four months of CrossFitting before my little Peanut started cooking, and I can't expect that I would be at the same fitness level as someone who has been physically active her entire life.  I'm also carrying around some additional baby weight, which is (very slowly) making its way off.

Thankfully, I've had an amazing support system in my husband, who always makes sure that I get to my box at least three days a week, and in the members of my box, who cheer me on and remind me of my progress so far.

I present this post this way because I think it's easy to see other pregnant CrossFitters and assume (or hope) that you'll be like them.  But regardless of who you are, adjusting to your body after a baby is just that -- an adjustment.   I've had to alter my expectations, which isn't always easy, while reminding myself of my accomplishments (mainly, making it to the box and putting forth my best effort in WODs).  I'm so grateful for CrossFit -- it's been a wonderful outlet and it makes me feel good about myself.  And above all, I want to be a role model for my daughter and I hope that she admires strength and athleticism in women.

In the next few weeks and months, I want to talk more about CrossFit after baby.  So, tell me what you'd like to know about the transition to post-partum CrossFit!

 Eleanor at five months.  She loves playing with her pacifier and putting it in her mouth -- even upside down.  :)

Breast is best... right?

When I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to breastfeed.  All the research I had done on breastfeeding said it would be beneficial to both myself and Eleanor, and while I had heard it was difficult, I didn't think much of it.  My husband and I took a breastfeeding class at a local parenting center, and I assumed that I couldn't really prepare for it.  After reading this post, I decided that my safest bet was to hire a lactation consultant after Eleanor was born.
Our early breastfeeding experience was a disaster.  I went through a reputable parenting agency to find a certified lactation consultant after Eleanor arrived, but this woman was awful.  After two visits to our house, $700 later, this LC put me on the fast track to formula.  I could hash out why she was a disaster, but that would turn into a much longer post.  Let me just say that she was abrasive and taught me a very difficult way of latching Eleanor that felt unnatural and led to cracked and bleeding nipples, blisters, and yeast.  I was in immense pain.  Even though Eleanor was a champion latcher, I never managed to get her properly latched with the consultant's "method."  Part of her fee included phone time, but every time I called her, nearly in tears, she would rush me off the phone, and even once asked me why I thought breastfeeding was so hard.
Adding fuel to the fire was the fact that Eleanor was a very sleepy baby and hard to rouse to eat.  The LC insisted I not wake her, and Eleanor ended up gaining only two ounces her first two weeks. (Note to parents -- wake a sleeping baby if they need to eat!)  This put our pediatrician on high alert and led to frequent weight checks.  Our pediatrician was very pro-formula, and wanted me to get Eleanor on a "routine" early, so she was disturbed by the fact that Eleanor could take up to an hour to eat and decided that I wasn't feeding her correctly.  She made incorrect assumptions about my milk supply.  She also wanted Eleanor gaining lots of weight -- something that even breastmilk and formula couldn't accomplish.  She berated me in her office.  It was a miserable experience.
Even with the huge roadblocks I had in my early weeks, I desperately wanted to continue breastfeeding.  I don't think I can adequately describe how important it was to me.  I loved the closeness, the snuggling, the bonding, and knowing that I was nourishing my daughter.  There were lots of tears; I was stressed beyond belief.  But I was determined to go forward.  I just wasn't quite sure how.  But somewhat haphazardly, I found my way.  It took a good 9 or 10 weeks, but Eleanor and I finally figured it out, and it's now hard for me to think back to how hard it actually was.

 With all that out of the way, I'd like the rest of my post to be about what worked for me, what I'd encourage others to do, and advice I have for those who'd like to breastfeed.

1. Get support. 
 For some women, breastfeeding comes naturally.  For others, the process is far more difficult. Regardless of your experiences, it's always nice to have someone to talk to.  For me, I found that my best allies were my friends who recently had babies and La Leche League.  When I realized that breastfeeding would be a far more difficult road then I had realized, I contacted friends who were recent breastfeeders or who had recently tried breastfeeding.  Hearing their stories, struggles, and input was invaluable.  It was nice to know that I wasn't alone.
But above and beyond, La Leche League was the best resource I found.  La Leche League is an international breastfeeding support group.  I had heard about it before, but with negative connotations (mainly, that LLL women were "crazy" and "extremist.") But after some unsuccessful trips to breastfeeding support groups and with some encouragement from my midwives, I decided to call my local LLL leaders.  One leader, whose youngest daughter was only a few weeks older than Eleanor, spent countless hours on the phone with me, and another leader came to my home twice to check my latch.  ("It's perfect!" she exclaimed. "We just need to boost your confidence!")  I began attending meetings, which are always held in someone's home.  It was nice to be in a cozy, intimate setting; there was just something so welcoming about sitting around a living room, sharing your struggles, triumphs, and ideas.  I've met mothers there who supplement with formula and mothers who are extended breastfeeders, and I realized that there are ways to make breastfeeding fit into your child rearing.  Ultimately, I found a group of supportive, kind hearted women who want to see me succeed in my own breastfeeding goals.
My recommendation -- check out free breastfeeding support services before paying for a lactation consultant and go from there.  La Leche League is a wonderful resource -- I can't recommend it enough.  (I'm not saying all lactation consultants are bad; I'm sure there are fabulous ones out there, and I do know people who have had great experiences with LCs.  I think I was just pretty unlucky in who I selected.  Nevertheless, I still think it's fruitful to explore free options before shelling out money.)

2. Get a second opinion.
Eleanor wasn't a huge weight-gainer in utero, and no matter how much food I stuffed into her (per request of my pediatrician), she never gained more than three-quarters of an ounce a day.  Other than her weight, she was surpassing all her developmental milestones and was as healthy as could be.  But my pediatrician deemed it inadequate and refused to see Eleanor for who she is -- a petite kid.  Eleanor and I were constantly in her office for weight checks, and the tension and stress I felt was unbearable.  I was paranoid about her weight and constantly second guessing myself.  My final straw was when my pediatrician told me I needed to make Eleanor eat so much food that she would vomit after every meal so she could expand her stomach.  I was infuriated.  It finally dawned on me that I didn't need to stay with a pediatrician who simply wasn't working with me.  So, I interviewed other pediatricians who all informed me that her weight gain was normal, and I finally settled on one.  Together, we realized that Eleanor was gaining weight along the standard curve, albeit at one of the lowest percentiles.  And since she was thriving in all other aspects, her weight has been a non-issue.  Through this experience, I've realized that babies come in all shapes and sizes.  There is no norm.  My child just happens to be little and that's perfectly okay.  I also trust my current pediatrician and respect her opinion, which is important.  With all this, I learned to listen to my gut and to seek the best possible care for my child without blindly listening to someone simply because he or she was a professional.

3. How you choose to feed your baby is a personal decision.
Some women breastfeed, some formula feed, some do a mixture of both.  How you choose to feed your child can be a difficult, highly-charged issue that is ultimately up to the mother.  I highly respect any woman who's made informed decisions of how to feed their child in a way that best fits both mother and baby.  While I do believe that more women would breastfeed if they had the right support system, it's up to the individual to feed their child as they see fit.  Plain and simple.

4. If you know someone who is breastfeeding, listen and offer support. 
 Perhaps the worst thing said to me in my early struggles with breastfeeding was "why aren't you just giving her formula?"  Each time I heard this, it felt like a slap in the face.  Going back to my third point, I felt like those in my life who wanted me to give Eleanor formula wouldn't acknowledge the fact that I wanted to breastfeed because it was important to me.  Breastfeeding Eleanor was my decision.  While I don't think these comments were meant to be harmful, they were difficult to hear, and they made me feel isolated and frustrated.  So if you know someone who is struggling with breastfeeding, listen to what she has to say.  A simple "you can do it!" goes a long way.  Ask if there's anything you can do to help.  Suggest she contact her OB/midwife or La Leche League International for additional resources and support.  Remind her she's doing a great job as a mom.  Such positive reinforcement makes a difference.

5.  Breastfeeding is natural... sort of.  
In those first few weeks, breastfeeding was anything but natural.  I was sore and in constant pain.  I was anxious about latching Eleanor and feeding her.  The "breast is best!" slogans I kept on seeing (what seemed like) everywhere annoyed me.  When I finally called my La Leche League Leader, she came over to check my latch.  As I tried to position Eleanor, my leader stopped me and had me close my eyes, put my head back, and breathe.  She placed Eleanor on my chest, and voila!  Eleanor found her way and latched on.  It was so simple, so easy, that I couldn't believe that I had paid someone to teach me a latch technique.  And then I got thinking.  While breastfeeding was nerve wracking and stressful on my end, Eleanor clearly knew what to do.  Had my desire to hire a lactation consultant interfered with her instinct and mine?  In my desire to do it "right," have I gotten in our own way?  Babies have been breastfed far longer than the advent of formula, and obviously it works.  While there are exceptions and unforeseen problems, breastfeeding is natural, even if it doesn't always feel that way.

So, for those mothers out there struggling with breastfeeding: I promise it does get easier.  You are not a failure if you can't figure it out on your own.  And no matter how you choose to feed your baby, your baby will be just fine.  And remember, you're doing a great job.

My happy little lady -- five months old!

The "Hart" of CRCF

Check out the article I wrote about Bethany Hart, former Olympian turned CrossFitter.  She is definitely taking the CrossFit world by storm!  You can find the original article here.

The "Hart" of CRCF

When two-time All-American hammer thrower and former bobsled Olympian Bethany Hart retired from competition in 2008 and 2010 respectively, she longed to find a new athletic outlet.  An injury to her Achilles had forced Bethany to retire early from bobsledding, and it took her a long time to adjust to her new life outside the elite athletic realm.  “It was a rough couple of years trying to fill the void that was left behind.  You live, eat, breathe, and sleep your sport, so when it’s gone, it feels like half of your life is missing.  It’s hard to find something to replace that feeling.”

After watching the CrossFit Games on ESPN last summer, Bethany was intrigued.  The athletes she saw were fit, healthy, and strong, and the workouts were appealing.  Yet Bethany hesitated; she was afraid she might aggravate her Achilles and a low back injury she suffered in 2006.   When she finally decided to join Charles River CrossFit last October, she initially modified her CrossFit WODs to focus on technique and improve her endurance while taking precautions to protect her Achilles and low back.  Even though the strength component of CrossFit is similar to her Olympic training, CrossFit was an adjustment for Bethany, who had to get used to the conditioning aspect of WODs.   Bobsled and hammer throw are fast, intense sports that require power and short bursts of energy, but provide time for full recovery. “To come to CrossFit and do your Olympic lifts with your conditioning was a completely different world for me.  I remember thinking; ‘we have to do what for 20 minutes?’  But I’m getting accustomed to it. I surprise myself in some of these workouts and have [handled] conditioning better than I thought, but it has definitely been an adjustment.  It’s a misnomer that Olympians are good at everything.  I was built for throwing hammers and pushing bobsleds.”  But even with the changes that came along with a new sport, CrossFit has been a great fit for Bethany.  She placed 18^th in North East CrossFit Opens and fifth at the North East Regionals, where she took first place in the Snatch Ladder Workout by snatching 150 pounds.

CrossFit has provided Bethany with the athletic outlet she had been searching for. “After retirement, I needed a change of pace.”  For Bethany, competing in the Opens and Regionals was an “awesome" experience, which “allowed me to feel like the athlete I used to be.”  Mostly, though, Bethany is simply enjoying CrossFit.  With its constantly evolving WODs, varied programming, and supportive community, CrossFit has opened “a whole new world for me to push myself and compete in.  It’s been a lot of fun.”  In the fall, Bethany will compete in local competitions and train for the 2013 Opens.

Safety Update

After reading this, I've officially retired our Bumbo.  What else can I use to occupy my little Peanut while cooking?

Primal Quiche

All week, my husband has been craving quiche.   In fact, he mentioned his desire to eat quiche multiple times each day.  Begrudgingly, I decided to take the hint.  I've never been much of a quiche eater, and post-baby, I've started to kick my paleo/primal eating into high gear (more on that in a future post).  So the thought of making and eating quiche did not settle well with me; in fact, I couldn't cook something that would sabotage my recharged food efforts.  At the same time, it gave me a new food challenge, and I decided there had to be a way to make it a bit more paleo friendly.
A lot of recipes I found were for crustless quiche, but to me, that seemed to take all the fun out of eating quiche.  Then I discovered this recipe for paleo quiche.  The recipe is written in a blog format with a video, but here's the gist:

For the crust:
1 cup almond meal
1 large egg (mine was from a local farm)
1/4 cup grated parmesan  (I bought mine aged at a local market and grated it myself.  I also had to hold Eleanor while grating it, so I think I ended up with almost 1/3 cup).  I know that cheese isn't really paleo, but trust me, the parmesan is worth it.

Mix ingredients together until it forms a paste.  Grab a pie tin and grease it.  I used local butter, but I'm guessing you could substitute coconut oil.  It didn't take much, so you can use it sparingly.

Press crust mix into pan; spread out with fingers.

Bake crust at 375 for 10-15 minutes until the edges brown.

For the actual quiche, put everything else you want in the crust before the eggs.  For our quiche, I quickly sauteed some broccoli and shallots and mixed them with some really delicious cheddar cheese and diced ham steak.  Okay, I've been mostly kicking my cheese habit, but I decided to have a cheat with some great aged cheddar.  But really, you could put in anything you wish to eat in the quiche -- mushrooms, peppers, onions, eggplant, chicken, steak, and so forth.  Use your imagination.

Then I scrambled five large eggs.  You can add a tablespoon or two of cream or whole milk to the egg mixture, but because I had cheese, I opted not to.  I also added a pinch of salt, but feel free to be more creative with other herbs or spices.  Pour egg mixture into the pie pan over the other food and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, until the center is firm.

The quiche was a hit, and my husband said the crust was delicious.  I thought it was pretty awesome too.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of said delicious quiche, but I did capture many adorable photos of Eleanor, who kept herself busy while I was cooking (part of the time).

I have no idea why my pretty little lady insists on sitting sideways in her Bumbo, but she loves it.  She must know it terrifies me.

It was nice to make a meal other than grilled meat and veggies for dinner, and overall, it was an easy effort.  Plus, it was a great excuse to have coffee with dinner!

Enjoy!

Blog is back!

My apologies for my long absence from this blog.  I can't believe that I now have a busy, adorable four month old on my hands.  Eleanor is a pretty amazing kid and I adore her to pieces.
Looking back, the past four months have been an utter whirlwind.  It's hard to know exactly what to write about.  Each day has offered new challenges and new insights, but I now feel ready to share my observations over the past few months and the new balancing act that comes along with such a momentous life change.  Over the next few weeks, I will be blogging about my post-partum CrossFit experience, share articles and recipes of interest, and ultimately my insights on my new "simple challenge" of motherhood.  While it has certainly been an interesting ride, I am one very lucky momma to have such an amazing daughter.  Isn't she darling?

Is there a topic you'd like me to blog about?  While I have several ideas for new posts, I'd love to hear from you!

Things I'm learning... Part 1

A quick blog post before Miss Eleanor wakes up of things I'm learning as a new mom:

The baby dictates labor and delivery.  I had lots of fantasies about a natural birth; how I'd wake up with contractions in the middle of the night; how I'd do much of my early labor at home; how I'd labor in the jacuzzi at the hospital and walk the hospital floors.  None of that happened because of the medical attention I needed during my labor because of the baby, and I'm grateful I was able to have a vaginal delivery, as I was almost brought to the OR for an emergency C-section.  I always thought I could have a natural delivery because I was strong enough to handle it -- it never once occurred to me that labor wouldn't go according to my plans because of my child.

Recovery from labor is hard.  Everyone focused on the difficulties of labor; no one talks about the recovery process.  You're sore.  You're tired.  You have crazy hormones.  Thankfully it doesn't last forever, but in my mind, I thought I'd have a lot more energy after labor.  It doesn't work that way.  Thankfully, I got a cute baby out of the process.

If you plan on breastfeeding, get a lactation consultant.  I'm lucky; Eleanor has a great latch and a great suck, but that didn't mean I was breastfeeding correctly in a painless position.  She also gets sleepy, and keeping her invested in the breastfeeding process is difficult, at best.  She'd also happily suck without eating if I let her.  I found the hospital lactation consultants to be lackluster, and found one to be slightly judgmental.  So, I contacted a private lactation consultant who has come to my house twice and who encourages me to call her every day with questions and to update her on what is going on.  I've learned that it's a process to figure out how to breastfeed.  I thought after one consult, I'd know it all and be done.  That certainly hasn't been the case.  Breastfeeding is wonderful and lovely, but it takes a lot of time, energy, and effort.  Having the extra support is essential, and if I didn't have it, I'm sure I'd be exclusively formula feeding by now.

I shouldn't have mommyhood figured out yet.  I really thought that after three weeks home, I'd have a lot more of this parenting "thing" under my belt, especially the breastfeeding piece.  But I'm still learning about my daughter and what she needs, and every day, something changes and is different.  And I'm slowly learning that that's okay.  I'm also learning to ask people for help when I need it.

I don't always want visitors.  Please don't be offended if I ask you to wait before coming over to visit. I'm tired, and I'm figuring out how to feed and take care of my child while trying to remember to brush my teeth and eat, and visitors can feel like a lot of work.  Even if a visitor doesn't feel this way, I will feel like I have to entertain said visitor.  Having someone to come over and hold Eleanor for four hours isn't helpful to me (although I understand why someone would want to hold her!)  Know that I want you to meet and love my child, but I also need some space.  Although if a visitor wants to watch her so I can take a shower and a nap before her next feeding guilt-free, I won't deny that!

It's amazing how much you can love such a little person.  Eleanor is perfect.  I guess I'm biased, but it's absolutely overwhelming how much I love her to pieces.  She's a beautiful child who makes me laugh with her sighs and silly faces.  There's nothing more wonderful in this world than snuggling with her, holding her, kissing her, and dancing around the house with her.  I have to admit, I was nervous about how I'd feel making the transition to a mother.  It's been surprisingly natural, lovely, and joyous.  She's an amazing little person, and I'm totally smitten and in awe of her.

Introducing...

I know I don't update this blog very often, but my current reason for not being on is that I was busy having a baby!

Eleanor Isabella was born Wednesday, January 25, at 10:03am.  Six pounds, two ounces, and 19 inches of perfection and sheer cuteness!  Eleanor is already such a love.  More updates to follow!

Nesting

First, an updated belly photo at almost 38 weeks:

I remember hearing a lot about the "nesting" instinct, a.k.a, when a pregnant woman obsessively prepares for childbirth by getting the house ready for the baby.  I heard it can manifest itself in bizarre ways, from obsessive cleaning with only a toothbrush or organizing and reorganizing the silverware.  A few weeks ago, I was paranoid that since I wasn't nesting (a.k.a. obsessively preparing my house), that it meant I wasn't ready or prepared to be a mom.  I was worried there was something truly wrong.
And then I got on a laundry kick.  Suddenly, all baby clothes and baby paraphernalia needed to be laundered and folded immediately.  If she was going to touch it, it needed to be washed.  I panicked when I saw that one of her lovey blankets was instructed to be spot cleaned only, and should never be emerged in water.  Turning to my husband for solace and advice, he told me to calm down and not worry about it -- the baby would survive.  And four loads of laundry later, I felt quite accomplished, until I realized I had forgotten to wash her changing pad cover.  Dang.  Now, I'm terrified I'm turning into one of those hovering, panicked mothers I swore I'd never be.  Or, I'm just letting my primal instinct take over.
The next episode of nesting manifested itself in making sure my pantry and house were stocked with essential items, a.k.a hoarding.  I just HAD to have enough toilet paper (I think we have over forty rolls of Charmin in the house right now), and I was hellbent on ensuring we had plenty toothpaste, shampoo, and face wash to last through the Apocalypse.  The cats need food -- $120 later at Petco, I was finally satisfied that we just might make it through and the cats wouldn't starve.  And I purchased the largest bottle of olive oil made in the Western world.
My last phase of "nesting" has been stocking the house with enough food.  I wanted to make sure we have plenty of healthy options to eat in the house so I'm not tempted to order pizza every night for the first few weeks of our daughter's life.  Recently, I've made butternut squash soup, meatballs and sauce, and a beef stew.  I ran to the grocery store to stalk up on frozen fruits and vegetables, constantly questioning if I had enough.  I started buying snacks of nuts, dried fruit, Larabars, and Clif Bars (full of junk, but at least they keep in the pantry and are cheaper than Larabars), although I now need to go out and purchase more dried fruit and nuts (it never ends!).  Here's the end result:

I realize that yes, we will have to go to the grocery store once she's here, but at least it's a start.
So, my nesting instinct has started to kick into full gear, and we have the essentials for her once she comes: outfits, diapers, wipes, blankets, bassinet, and a pack 'n play.  I'm realizing that I'll never fully be prepared for the change that's about it come, and I'm trying to be mindful of the fact that she doesn't need a whole lot of stuff to be a healthy, well cared for newborn.  And after all that cooking, I think it's time for bed.  And who knows -- maybe I will grab that toothbrush soon.

Quick Updates

Primal update: the week started out strong, but hit a huge blip over the weekend, mostly from going out to get food in social settings, which lead me to eat greasy pizza, lots of rice, and some bread.  I'm looking forward to putting the weekend behind me and getting in protein and veggies tomorrow.  The pantry is clear of any non-primal food, with the exception of the sugar that I kept (even though I rarely use sugar, I just didn't know how to part with it for some twisted reason).  The crackers and pasta are completely gone, because I knew if I had them around once baby made her appearance, I would eat them like they were going out of style.  I also have plenty of almonds, almond butter, almond meal, coconut flour, and coconut oil.  I just need to figure out how to incorporate the coconut into my diet, as it's something I've rarely used before.
On the plus side, I've given up my addictive granola habit cold turkey, and I'm quite pleased!  And I haven't made myself hot chocolate in over a week.  Minor victories!  In a way, I feel like I'm relearning my primal ways.  I slowly eliminated foods before, and I feel like that's the same route I'm taking now.  Hopefully this upcoming week will be easier.

CrossFit update:
I've been getting a lot of pelvic pain from this child recently.  It usually happens when I stand up from a seated position, and disappears pretty quickly.  But on Friday at my box, as we were warming up with air squats before our WOD, it came back with a vengeance.  I was perplexed.  I had just back squatted 100 x 10 a few days ago and felt fine.  Why would air squats bother me?  I sat down for a few minutes until it subsided, and decided I would continue with the strength portion of our WOD (which for me, was push jerks).  I ended up at 85 x 2, which felt like a comfortable weight -- not heavy, but high enough that I didn't feel like going any further.  So, I took a quick trip to the bathroom, and the pain returned again.  And it just wouldn't go away.  My fellow CrossFitters and coach knew there was something wrong by the look on my face, and we all agreed that I should sit the WOD out.  So, I acted as cheerleader, kept track of scores, and called my midwife.  She said the pain was nothing out of the ordinary, but it seemed like I was pushing myself too hard, so she told me to park myself on the couch for the rest of the day, drink water, and take it easy this weekend.  I have an appointment tomorrow, so I'm hoping I'll be cleared for some exercise; perhaps some "CrossFit Lite."  Worst case scenario, I hope I can at least go for walks!  We'll see what this peanut lets me do.

Baby update:  The nesting instinct is kicking in high gear.  I'll write more about this next time, but I've been obsessed with cooking and freezing food (so far, I've made almost five pounds of paleo meatballs and spaghetti squash), and I had a burning need to make sure we had plenty of soap, toilet paper, and frozen veggies in the house.  I've done three loads of baby laundry and still have more to go.  This week, I'm hoping to make a paleo stew and butternut squash soup to freeze, and the car seat base is in the car.  Slowly, things are falling into place, but I'm hitting the anxious stage. Time's a-ticking away!  I'm so hyped up, this "take it easy" thing is kind of frustrating.

Question: are there any laundry detergent alternatives to Dreft?  It's just so expensive, and I don't know if it's really a necessary expense.  Are there other products out there?

Back to Primal

My biggest regret of my pregnancy was how quickly and easily I abandoned my primal eating habits.  (Check out Mark's Daily Apple for more information about a primal lifestyle).  It was a slippery downward slide.  During my first trimester, I didn't gain any weight and easily fell into the "I'm pregnant, so I can eat whatever I want!" mindset.  I never had morning sickness or any real food aversions, and I gave into those sugar cravings.  Those around me kept on commenting on my tiny size, and I constantly heard about how pregnancy was the time in my life to embrace eating whatever I wanted to.  I lost a lot of will power, and I gave in.  Big mistake.  And the holiday season has only exacerbated the problem.

While I realize my eating habits are probably healthier than most, I miss primal eating.  I'm currently struggling through another cold and have had my fair share of GI problems since slipping on my primal principles.  I should iterate here, that while eating primal last year, I never really got sick and I was able to ditch my Allegra and survive the spring allergy season much easier than in the past.  I'm convinced that clean eating boosts our immune system and I'm certain that CrossFitting and healthy eating habits allowed me to easily get pregnant.

So now, it's time for me to get back to it, stop making excuses, and take back control of all my dietary choices.  It will only be harder to stay on track once the baby's here, so there's no time like the present, right?
To get back on track, I'm doing the following:
1. Cleaning out our pantry and ditching toxic foods.
2. Throwing out all the Christmas cookies we were given as gifts.
3. Enlisting my husband's support to hold me accountable.
4. Making primal meals and freezing them for when the baby comes (more on this later).
5.  Creating food menus of primal foods that I love, and buying in season foods, which just taste better.
6.  Focusing on being healthy for labor and delivery.  This is a huge motivating factor to help me get back on track.  And I hope that primal eating and continuing with some exercise will help me bounce back from labor even faster.

I wouldn't necessarily call this my "New Year's Resolution," since I don't really believe in those, but it's a pretty convenient time to make some positive changes.  Any positive changes that you are committed to making in 2012?

A step back

My ankle is coming along, although it still has a ways to go.  I decided to see my general practitioner on Friday to seek her counsel on my ankle.  She told me I could ditch the crutches, encouraged me to walk on it, but also said I needed to keep it elevated with ice at night and the air cast while I sleep.  It's been immensely liberating being off crutches, and I'm grateful to keep on healing.  Hopefully the soreness will fade soon, and I'll be back to my old self.
It's been quite an experience to have an injury in my third trimester.  While I miss my energy and my "go-go-go" ability, there is something slightly liberating about being forced to be on the couch with my feet up.  At night, I get to stare at our Christmas tree, listen to Christmas music or watch some television, and just be at peace, enjoying the calm and quiet.  I've also taken baths instead of showers lately, and there's nothing quite like soaking in warm water with lavender bath salts and sometimes getting the treat of seeing my lil' peanut wiggle and squirm.  At such a busy time of year, I've been able to find a sense of calm.  With just over four weeks until I'm full term and a little more than seven weeks to go, I'll embrace slowing down, centering myself, and getting ready for this one to make her entrance into the world.  With that said, I do hope to get back to some very modified workouts next week.  But for now, I'll take a good book, my cats, and a quiet evening.

Ankle follow up

On Monday, I went to see one of my midwives who made me laugh as I recounted our ER story.  She was particularly disgusted with the ER nurse who couldn't find the baby's heartbeat and exclaimed in exasperation, "you should have yelled at her that you wanted a new, competent nurse!"  I appreciated her candor.
What was hard to hear, however, is that she thinks the sprain will take a long time to heal.  Since I can't take any anti-inflammatory medication because of the pregnancy, I won't have medication to help me speed up the healing process.  She wants me to take it easy and to take my time.  "That means no aerobics," she sternly decreed.  OK, aerobics is not CrossFit, but point taken.  My hope is that in a couple weeks I can get back to CF to work on some upper body strength and to see my friends and coaches -- and just get out of the house.  But my dream of being the awesome CrossFitting pregnant momma who would WOD up until labor has been shattered, so I have to adjust to slowing down.

So on that note, anyone have any good movies/TV shows on Netflix/books to recommend?  I'm currently finishing up "Animal, Vegetable Miracle" and I got to read a lot of the New York Times on Sunday.  I guess I might as well embrace my mandatory couch "stay-cation!"

And random side note: I never realized how hard it was to use crutches.  Between the crutches and my belly, balance is quite challenging these days!

Slow down, you move too fast...

As a pregnant, CrossFitting mama to be, I sometimes feel pretty invincible.  Up until two weeks ago, I was still doing 20 inch box jumps and only switched to step ups at the request of one of the coaches.  I still use the barbell (albeit lighter weights and I'll take oly lifts from the hang, not the floor).  And I get pretty awesome pictures taken that look like this:

This is 29 weeks, practicing my snatch balance.  I mean, if I can still work on snatch balances and overhead squats, I've got to be pretty stable, right?  I despise taking help from people who feel like I can't complete simple tasks like carrying a bag of groceries because I'm pregnant.  I pooh-poohed all talk of how my center of gravity is shifting, because honestly, I never felt that my body was changing like that.  Just because my belly is expanded doesn't mean my balance is off.  I'm a strong girl, and a shifting center of gravity clearly didn't apply to me.

Until I tripped and fell right in my own house, slammed my stomach into the ground and somehow landed on my right ankle on Saturday night.  I don't remember that much about my tumble, other then it hurt.  The pain in my right ankle was so shocking, it took me a long time to realize that I also hit my stomach.  It took some cajoling to convince me to go to the ER -- I didn't want to be that pregnant woman who panicked over a fall, but what if something was truly wrong?  I didn't want to take a risk, and my lovely husband coaxed me into the car to head to the hospital.

And that's when I started crying.  I strive not to be the paranoid, over-analytical/hysterical pregnant lady, but the mere thought that my own stupidity could harm my little one was alarming and overwhelming.  Once we got to the ER and my husband wheeled me in (far more anti-climatic than I would have anticipated; I can safely say there's nothing enjoyable about being wheeled around in a wheelchair), it was obvious that the ER was a bit overwhelmed to have a pregnant woman to treat.  The hospital didn't have a maternity ward, and the nurse was nervous about finding the baby's heartbeat and kept trying to tell me that if she couldn't hear it, it didn't mean that it wasn't there.  In the meantime, I sat there sobbing and apologizing for my blubbering nature.  Finally, another nurse found the heartbeat, and eventually, my little one decided to move for me and say hello.  Reassuring.  (She's a good girl).

The doctor had to convince me to get my foot x-rayed as I was nervous about having any radiation near my body.  (At first, he was determined there was a break, and when there wasn't, he claimed that he had always known it was a sprain.  Hmm).  I was told to stay off my foot, and hopefully all would be well within a week. They gave me Tylenol and told me that they were going to send me to another hospital to have the baby monitored and to make sure I didn't start having contractions.  I was given an air cast for my sprain and then waited an hour and a half to be discharged.  I don't know if they forgot about me or what, but it was clearly a slow night, and I was annoyed, bored, and hungry.

When my husband and I got to the second hospital, the ER seemed confused about what to do with me, but the receptionist finally called up to Labor and Delivery, and thus all was right with the world.  "Where have you been?  We've been waiting for you!" the nurses and doctor on call all exclaimed, and I was whisked into a very nice birthing room (although the television reception was iffy), and was told that I would be hooked up to two monitors -- one to record her heartbeat and one to check and see if I was having contractions.  A doctor came in and did an ultrasound to check my placenta, but my husband and I got to see our beautiful little girl.  While I don't believe in having too much medical intervention, it was so wonderful to see that she was there, moving around, seemingly content (although that's me projecting my own feelings onto our baby, but clearly I'm allowed to).  I asked the doctor to reconfirm her gender, and yes, my daughter was spread eagle, clearly a girl.  Seeing her legs, I'm convinced she has my chunky thighs and will obviously be able to squat 200 pounds by her tenth birthday.  The best part, though, was that a medical student was shadowing the doctor, and the doctor pointed out to him that our girl was practicing breathing on her own.  And I could see it.  I started crying all over again, so comforted in the fact that if something did happen, and I sudden went into preterm labor, she'd be able to breathe.

How amazing is it that the hospital bed controls show a pregnant body!!!!!  I totally got a kick out of it and decided it was a photo worthy moment.

And it was a long four hours that I sat in a hospital bed.  One nurse sat with me while my husband ran out to buy us dinner, and I learned that she actually works full time at the hospital where I'll be delivering.  She was charming, sweet, and lovely, and I know that the baby and I will be in good hands in ten (give or take) weeks!  And thankfully, the baby's heartbeat was wonderful, I never had a contraction, and at midnight, the nurse bid me farewell ("Good-bye, Cinderella!") to then notice that I had never received crutches from the first hospital.  So, the nurse tracked down a pair, walked us out, and sent us on our merry way.  The whole ordeal lasted over eight hours and it was so nice to finally make it home.

Perhaps the most difficult part of the evening, though, was hearing another woman in labor.  It sounded somewhat inhuman, primitive, miserable.  My husband squeezed my hand while I sat in horror, wondering how I'd be able to handle it.  I later found out from the doctor on call that it was a very difficult, very pre-term labor.  Of course, she couldn't provide any details, and a million thoughts raced through my brain.  I felt so unbelievable lucky that my little one was safe, and so saddened that another one is not.  There's so much out of our control with pregnancy, and while I'm generally very accepting of it, it's hard not to worry or be concerned.  

So, I have to stay off my ankle, and it's off to the midwives tomorrow.  That means no CrossFitting any time soon, and I'm forced to take a step back and slow down.  (It was fun for a couple hours; now I find it grating).  But, I'm learning that I need to be a bit more accepting of my body's limitations while still being in awe of what it can do (like grow a really amazing person).  Right now, I'm just trying to enjoy her movement and I love when I can actually feel and see her moving -- so bizarre, but so awesome!  And maybe, perhaps, this is my body's way of forcing me to slow down.  I think this time, I'll actually listen (at least for the next few days).

A Thanksgiving dish to try...

This year, I helped make several side dishes for our family Thanksgiving dinner and decided I would throw in a "Paleo-esque" dish to see if any noticed.  After searching online, I stumbled upon The Primal Palate Thanksgiving recipes and decided to give the carrot souffle a try.  It looked pretty tasty, and I figured it would at least be an experience.  Let me preface this by saying that I happily cook with some milk and butter -- I do eat dairy, but I wanted to see what happened when I stepped outside my comfort zone and cooked with coconut.
I always hated coconut as a kid.  There was nothing creepier to me than a cake covered in that horrible shredded coconut, and eating an Almond Joy was out of the question.  So, I've been wary of coconut, although I'm learning as an adult that I think I have greater issues with the texture of shredded coconut rather than the taste of coconut itself.  So, I went to Whole Foods and joined the rest of the holiday crowds to buy coconut flour and oil, and made the dish (along with butternut squash, mashed sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce) for our celebratory meal.
The squash was technically paleo, but the sweet potatoes were made with organic milk and butter and the cranberry sauce with organic cane sugar.  And out of all the dishes that were eaten, guess which one was gobbled up?  The carrot souffle!  I revealed my paleo secrets to my family, and I'm quite proud of my sneaky dish.  It was delicious, and I highly recommend it for the holidays!

Some Articles to Check Out!

Just because you should...


Did you know that pizza is a vegetable?  I certainly didn't.  But it's considered a vegetable in our schools because of the minuscule tomato paste content, and Congress wants to keep it that way.  My question: how can we teach children to make smart food choices if we tell them such misguided information about the food they are served at school lunch?


A wheat-free diet is definitely getting more medical attention.  I'm excited to check out Wheat Belly and see what else William Davis says about the harmful effects of processed grains.  Big points go to the fact that he points out that the way wheat is now bred and grown is particularly harmful: "This isn’t your great grandmother’s wheat—or waistline—we’re talking about. Amounts of wheat’s destructive compounds have increased over the past 50 years as the grain has been hybridized and crossbred to be resistant to drought and fungi, produce higher yields per acre, result in better baking consistency, and cost less to produce. Not surprisingly, the increase in wheat in the American diet parallels obesity rates that have nearly tripled since 1960."


According to the USDA, sales of locally grown foods are up!  Local foods are healthier for our  bodies and for the environment since they leave a smaller carbon footprint -- a win/win situation.  And it's so nice to have a personal relationship with the person who sells you your vegetables.   Jump on the bandwagon and find a local farmers market or CSA here.


And finally, it's about time we bring back the local butcher and learn to savor truly excellent cuts of meat.


What have you checked out in the news lately?

Guest Post -- Journal Menu

Check out my guest post over at Journal Menu!

9NOV/11Off

Lindsey Galvao is a pregnant crossfitter who has agreed to share her experience with us. She is currently ~6 months pregnant and still going strong. Within the past year or so, there have become many more forums and websites dedicated to the pregnant crossfitter, even with that said, the information is somewhat scare, so feel free to ask Lindsey any questions that you may have (if you are or are thinking of being pregnant). She will be guest blogging once or twice a trimester and will answer all your questions in her posts! Pregnant crossfitters make crossfit babies 

It’s hard for me to believe that I’m almost in my third trimester! The last few weeks of the second trimester has treated me well overall. It’s been a blast feeling the baby move and I’m still able to be fairly active. While I’ve lost my diligent Primal eating habits (Cheerios and hot chocolate cravings have been hard to kick lately), I’ve still managed to make it to CrossFit. In the past four weeks, my body has changed from a miniscule bump that only I noticed to a bona fide pregnant belly that gets smiles from strangers on the street. With my growing belly, anything on my back is out of the question. Instead of sit-ups, I do knee raises, and I’ll usually find something else to sub in for hollow body holds, like planks. I’ve also had to be careful with my lower back. Even though I’ve made sure I have solid form, I’ve had to lighten up my deadlifts and take extra time with my kettlebell swings to make sure I don’t have any soreness (I made this mistake when I did low rep kettlebell swings with 1.5 pood at 24 weeks— while it felt fine at the time, my back killed for the next couple days). For this same reason, handstand push ups are now out of the question, so I’ve just done regular push ups as a modification. I’ve also switched from pull ups to inverted rows. During each WOD, I find a steady rhythm and periodically complete the “talking test,” where I make sure I can say a sentence without being winded. It’s worked well and I’ve kept my pacing in check. At the same time, I’m still able to do box jumps, I can whip out some double unders, and I have a pretty mean front and back squat. I also use the barbell, although I keep the weight light (usually 65 pounds or less, depending on the lift). I’ve managed some decent Rx WODs lately, which is a great confidence booster, and when I know I won’t be able to complete a WOD Rx, I find a reasonable substitution, which usually means lowering my weight. So far, my little girl is growing right on target and measuring perfectly for her gestational age. All signs point to a healthy baby, and I’m grateful. I also know that pregnancy would have been a lot harder if I hadn’t been in shape and didn’t keep up with exercise. I’m sure it’s partly luck, but I’m also convinced that the food and exercise choices I made before getting pregnant have had nothing but a positive affect on my pregnancy. We’ll see what new CrossFit adventures the third trimester brings!

Update: WODing

I've been so neglectful of the CrossFit aspect of this blog as I am trying to wrap my mind around the best baby gear and gearing up to tackle the next big steps of baby preparation (finding a doctor and daycare).
While my food consumption is completely haywire and I don't know how often I'll be at the box this week (I am currently battling some bizarre stomach bug/cold), I have had some great WODs in the past couple weeks that I'd love to share!


WOD: November 4
50,40,30,20,10 reps for time:
Kettlebell Swings
Double Unders
We did this WOD on June 22, when I was 8 weeks pregnant. Back then, I finished it in 16:56, Rx. This time, at 27 weeks, I finished it Rx in 18:48. I honestly didn't know if I'd be able to manage the double unders or if I would be able to finish this one, so completing it was such a huge accomplishment!


WOD: November 1
Bench press x 3
15,12,9,6,3 reps for time:
overhead walking lunges with 25 pound plate, reps are for each leg
Burpees

While I did my pregnant "burps" for this WOD (meaning that I land on my thighs, but keep my stomach elevated, almost like a cobra position in yoga), I finished this one in under 9 minutes. I modified the bench press to a regular press, and easily managed 70 pounds and decided to quit while I was ahead.

WOD: October 29
Front Squat x 2 for strength
40s on, 20s off x 4 Rounds for max reps:
Wall Ball with a 14 pound ball
Push-ups
Kettlebell Swings with 1 pood

If there's one thing I can do, it's squat. I have strong, strong legs. I did 145 x 2, the highest of any woman in my class that day, without much effort. I had to remind myself that it was probably a good idea to stop. While I've had to drop the weight on my squat quite a bit, I can still manage a pretty mean squat, which is awesome. I haven't had to modify my push ups yet, and my KBS are still pretty fabulous.  While I definitely didn't have the highest score of the day, finishing this one Rx was really uplifting.

My score for the WOD: 46 WB, 41 PUs, 68 KBS Rx for 155 total.


WOD: October 28
Skill: number of double unders in 2 minutes
3 Rounds for time:
500m row
12 Deadlifts @ bodyweight
21 box jumps @ 20 inches


I enjoy deadlifting, but I'm now nervous about my lower back, which can bother me at times. I was
going to do my pre-pregnancy weight for the WOD, but 130 lbs felt like I was pushing my luck. I
dropped it to a very managable 95, but I still did the box jumps Rx.  Rowing is my mortal enemy, so I just took it slow and steady.  

DU test: 51 in two minutes
WOD: finished in 15:31


Why am I sharing all of this? A few reasons.

First, I'm proud of the work that I'm still able to do at CrossFit, and I want to be able to share my success. Each week, I wonder if I've had my last Rx WOD, and then I surprise myself!  What I think has enabled me to still be successful at CF is my attitude.  I've slowly morphed from the 'I can't handle not having a PR and pushing myself to the brink!' to 'Let's just see what I can do today -- hopefully I'll be able to finish the WOD; I'll just do my best to get a decent workout.'  I think this change has made a huge difference in my WODing.  I pace myself carefully (which, I think, is the reason why I can still do box jumps).  I make sure I can talk while I WOD and I drink lots of water.  And I just see what happens.  And when in doubt, I back off.

At the same time, I've also developed a greater sense of pride and respect for what my body can do.  It's pretty awesome that I can safely and comfortably weight lift and compete metcons.  No, I'm not PRing, and that's okay.  I'm strong, I'm healthy, and this baby is strong and healthy, which is all I can ask for.  And I can still manage an Rx here and there!

I hope I can also be a model for the physical strength that women are more than capable of.  No, I'm not suggested that a newly pregnant woman run out and deadlift 200 pounds after never exercising, but I'm advocating that women of all ages start slowly exploring avenues like CrossFit (or strength training in general) to be as healthy as possible.

I'm also convinced that CF has enabled me to have a relatively easy pregnancy.  Yes, there's about 12 weeks left of it, but so far, I have no real complaints.  Getting in shape before getting pregnant has made a huge difference in my life.  It's given me a community; a place to go so I don't just end up sitting on the couch watching TV every night, and it's given me a huge amount of confidence.  So, here's to the end of my second trimester, and hopefully continued success with CrossFit!

After my WOD on November 4 at 27 weeks!