Baby Boot Camp

No it's not Charm City Baby that's been kicking my butt. She's a great baby. In fact, it's my new trainer Charm City Daddy.

Most folks don't talk too much about the post baby weight loss in much detail. I will.

So, I gained 30 L.B.'s to bring Charm City Baby "up in this world"and this is by far the biggest transformation I have ever seen of my own body.

The good news is I lost 20lbs in 2 weeks from nursing and doing nothing. Btw the stomach cramping hurts like hell--I mean, I polished off a brand new bottle of Motrin-- and I hear its worse with the subsequent births. Yikes. The not-so-great (but not all bad) news is that I have about 10 lbs to go to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight.

At week 2, I began to realize that the stroller walk around the neighbor wasn't going to get it. (Plus, I spent more time worrying about the cracks in the sidewalk disturbing the baby--nonsense--jiggles her right to sleep. ) I started to get really stir crazy from sitting around the house all day and getting jealous of Charm City Daddy who started to resume some of his normal activities, workouts, meetings, office, etc. I was physically feeling better and like I could take on some more activity, so Charm City Daddy and I started a midday workout routine 3-days week.

So, Tuesday through Thursday around the middle of the day Charm City Daddy and I hit the gym downtown. He plans a different workout for me everyday that starts with cardio and ends with abs, stretching, and some weights. He is tough! On Thursdays we go swimming which requires a direct drop off at the hair salon for me afterward (hello, I'm still a black woman). Speaking of us black women, there aren't enough of us at the gym. I know the hair thing is an issue and I am guilty of using this excuse myself for not being a regular, but come on ladies. I digress.

After the workout Charm City Daddy and I get to spend more quality time together and eat lunch together and talk about how much we love and miss our child and then without fail, everyday we rush back home where we bust down the door to dash to her. Next week will be our 3rd week of this routine.

I know some of you moms out there are thinking how were you able to leave your baby so soon? Believe me I was an emotional wreck for the first few days. Yes, I bursted into tears that first week when I thought I was brave enough to leave the baby with my parents while CCD and I picked up some carryout. HA! That's when that new Maxwell song "Pretty Wings" hit the radio waves and well--the ride home was a blur of sobbing. Thanks hormones. Then there was the day that I was dreading the inevitable--that I needed to go to the grocery store and I would eventually have to leave the baby-aahhhh! My mom laughed at me on that one.

It's really hard to leave your baby (particularly if you are nursing--it can hurt), even if they are in good hands, but you have to do it. I now look forward to the gym and it is wonderful quality time with CCD--although we just impersonate or talk about the baby the whole time.

In the coming weeks, Charm City Baby will be "going public." In other words, she'll pass her 4-week threshold that her pediatrician recommended before bringing her to most public places. I will still be careful as it is flu season afterall, but the outings should be interesting--including church. We've already taken her to 3 restaurants--and so far she's slept through them all.

We'll see how she takes on the rest of the world--or better, how her nervous parents handle it.