Strollercize: The Workout for New Mothers

Chapter 1 Congratulations! You're in the 'Hood . . . Motherhood You're exhausted, covered with spit-up, and desperate to fit into your old jeans. Welcome to motherhood. If you thought being a mom was going to be easy, think again. In fact, motherhood is one of the greatest physical and emotional challenges that you will ever face. The good news is that the rewards of being a mom make it all worthwhile. This New Life No matter how many books you read or classes you took while you were pregnant, nothing can truly prepare you for motherhood. From the moment you first hold your baby in your arms, your life will never be the same again. In the first few weeks with my firstborn, Tatiana, I felt as if my life had been turned inside out and upside down. There were new schedules to follow, new routines to adjust to, and so many new responsibilities. Plus, I was completely drained from around-the-clock feedings and the inevitable sleepless nights. With everything you're going through, it's normal to feel a little bit overwhelmed in these early days of motherhood. You're tired, you're cranky, you're disoriented-but you can do it, Mom. Let Strollercize be your solution. Here's a rundown on how Strollercize can help you to cope with your new life. Sleep Deprivation. Sure, I expected some sleepless nights after the baby was born, but not every night. Not only did Tatiana want to feed every ten minutes, but she also wanted to be held through the night. The truth is that unless you have twenty-four-hour child care and a wet nurse, you can't expect to get much sleep in those early weeks. I know that after staying up half the night, the last thing you feel like doing is breaking a sweat. But do it anyway. Working out will actually give you more energy. How else do you think I manage to keep up with my three kids? Mood Swings. Like most new moms, after my daughter was born, I was an emotional time bomb. My husband was walking on eggshells, certain that the next thing he did would be the wrong thing. What was the right thing? Who knew! Sleep deprivation, hormonal fluctuations, a huge list of things to do-you are needed every second of the day, and you're expected to do ten things at once. You are doing a balancing act, and you can't balance. This can make you especially vulnerable to depression. In fact, an estimated 50 to 75 percent of new mothers experience some degree of postpartum depression. Don't be afraid to talk about these feelings. Seek out another mom, a close friend, or your husband. And get moving. A regular program of exercise can help fight depression. Social Life. Been out of the house lately? Why is it that so many new moms hide at home? They dress their babies up in those cute little outfits, while they hang out in their sweatpants, afraid to be seen by even the mailman. Sound familiar? Then get out of the house! After "nesting" with the baby for days on end, even the most enthusiastic new mother is bound to go stir-crazy. Believe me, I know what you're going through. All of your childless friends are going out at night and having fun. They want to meet for cocktails and talk about the places they've been and the movies they've seen. You haven't had time for a movie in months (not even on video), and you'd rather discuss more "important" topics like your baby's feeding and sleeping schedule. Don't worry, eventually you and your old friends will rediscover some common ground. In the meantime, try to make friends with other new moms. Sex Life. Yep, having a baby means that your marital life is going to change too. Here's a sensitive situation. Some husbands get really romantic right after the baby. Do you blame them? Chances are, they haven't had sex for months. Now that the baby is out, they figure all systems are go! But as far as you're concerned, those "systems" are closed for renovation. Other men arTrindade, Elizabeth is the author of 'Strollercize: The Workout for New Mothers' with ISBN 9780609805541 and ISBN 0609805541.