YBC® Editorial Director LG has officially gone on maternity leave, but she popped back in to share the final post of her pregnancy series which followed her health and nutrition throughout her second pregnancy. I hope you enjoyed this new series - comment below and let me know! XO Candace

Baby 2 (still no name) literally today! At the time of this draft, it’s 4 days away, but when this goes live, I’ll be at the hospital being induced! I am so excited to meet him. Our family will never be the same, in all the best ways, and I am hoping and praying for a healthy, happy baby boy. This pregnancy was overall pretty (physically) painless, but pretty (emotionally) hectic. This last month, I gotta say, I’m pretty proud of myself. I really made sure to slow down, rest, and relax. Instead of taking care of one million things during Teddy’s nap time, instead I am forcing myself to lay down and take a nap or a bath, and it’s made me realize I was going way too hard the last few months.

As you may know from my first guest post with YBC®, I had a really tough time with caring for Teddy the first few months. He was colicky, breastfeeding was difficult, and I had overwhelming postpartum anxiety. In order to take steps to help ease these (potential) situations from becoming as overwhelming as last time, I’ve taken a more active role in preparing. For one, I hired a night nurse for two nights a week for the first month when my husband returns to work. This was new to me, so if it’s new to you too, night nurses are skilled childcare providers (sometimes LVNs or RNs) who will stay in your home to care for your newborn overnight while you get some much needed sleep. This seems like a real luxury to me, but here’s what I know. Being a new mom is tough. Being a new mom to a newborn and a toddler will be very tough. Being a new mom to a newborn and a toddler on little to no sleep seems almost impossible. Therefore, I’ve set aside money the past few months to pay for this added expense and every mom to whom I’ve spoken says it’s the best money they’ve ever spent. I also coordinated to have Teddy in a daycare or other activities a few days a week to give me a little alone time with the new baby (#momguilt), and finally, we rented the SNOO which YBC® Marketing Director Lauren swears by (thanks to a promotional discount and a military discount, it’s doable). Hopefully these will be just a few things that can help keep both babies and mommy happier than last time. Anyway, back to nutrition and fitness!

Nutrition

If you’ve been following this pregnancy series, you know that I’ve had the best of intentions with my nutrition. This last month, I’m sad to report, was pretty bad. I don’t like categorizing food or diet as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ so to be more specific, it’s been over-processed, packaged and/or from a fast food restaurant. This is not what or how I normally eat, but I’ve got a number of excuses to back that up! First and foremost, I’m exhausted. I start out my day with a protein shake, but as the day goes on, I’m more and more tired and more and more busy taking care of an active 18-month-old, and less and less compelled to take time to make myself something healthy…or make myself anything for that matter. The only reprieve I have is one, that I am still working out, and two, that this diet routine is not the norm. This is not how I feel comfortable eating day to day, and I know that once the baby comes and I don’t feel as uncomfortable, fatigued or exhausted (ha), I will go back to meal-prepping and eating healthy. At this point, I’ve gained about 45 pounds - most of which has been in the last month. With Teddy, I ended up gaining 50, and it was really difficult to shed the weight. But, it’s doable. I did it once, and I’ll do it again. I need to stress that this will be a long process. That first month or two is pretty hectic, and I’ll do what I can, but I won’t be putting too much pressure on myself.

The insanely yummy snack spread at Baby 2’s sprinkle (smaller version of a baby shower)

Mentality

I was riding a pretty (emotionally) wild roller coaster for a few months - overwhelmed by knowing my time with ‘just’ Teddy was coming to an end, and then looking ahead at the upcoming sleep deprivation and breastfeeding woes, as well as the difficult physical post birth recovery period, I understandably became increasingly anxious and a little depressed. But, I realized this was creating a false reality - meaning these things may or may not happen, but I was viewing these events as certain and living as though they were happening now. I was torturing myself with these projections of what my life may be like, and I realized I needed to let go and let be. I told myself to stay present and let whatever happen, happen and I’ll deal with it when the time comes. Because we all know that this is easier said than done, I started meditating daily, speaking to my therapist weekly, and attempting to change my thought pattern the minute these scenarios starting playing. Each of these steps has helped in their own way and going into this last month, I feel as relaxed as I can be knowing I’m about to give birth!

Workouts

I’m really proud to report that my workouts have been really consistent! I’ve been going to the gym 4-5 days a week, and I’m still feeling pretty great while I workout. However, this baby bump has really become prominent and I’ve had to tailor my workout to accommodate my size and my limited physicality. Bottom line, if it doesn’t feel comfortable, then I don’t do it. I know my body, and I know my capability, so I keep from pushing myself too hard.

Since last time I highlighted my back workout, this time, I’ll highlight my leg and core workout:

Warmup:

4 min row or 10 min walk on treadmill
10 mini-band lateral squats each way for hip and glute activation (leading with left foot for 10, followed by right foot for 10)
- be sure to place band above knees, keep your weight in your heels and your chin up.
10 mini-band lying clamshells each leg
- again, be sure to place the band above knees and try not to rock or rotate your hips, but to keep them stationary during the movement.
10 mini-band standing pulses on each leg x 2 directions (stabilize by placing hands on a rail or wall)
- 10 pulses outward
- 10 pulses backward

Leg and Core Circuit: (Repeat 3-5x depending on your fitness and/or pregnancy comfort level):

Row 3 minutes
- Progression: increase resistance level
- Regression: decrease resistance level
20 walking lunges (10 each way)
- Progression: carry dumbbells or kettle bells
- Regression: lower reps to 5 each way or do standing static lunges
10 incline pushups using a bench
- Progression: decline pushups (NOT recommended for prenatal women)
- Regression: standing pushups against a wall or on regular pushups on knees
45 second plank on elbows
- Progression: 1 minute plank or 1 minute plank with arms extended
- Regression: 30 second plank, or plank on knees
1 minute rest