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December 22, 2017

Our Newborn Photo Shoot + Life Lately

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When Riese was only 6 days old, Matt and I pulled our completely sleep deprived hot mess selves together for a newborn photo shoot. My friend Ben offered to do the shoot for us as a belated baby shower gift (he and his wife run a local photography and videography business – they also photographed our wedding!). We had only been home from the hospital for a few days and I felt pretty emotional and overwhelmed but I knew I wanted to make sure we got these photos before we blinked and Riese got bigger and we missed our chance. So, we dragged ourselves out of bed, took showers, I actually put on makeup and curled my hair, and we made it happen. And I’m so glad we did – Ben sent me the photos last week and I absolutely love them – I know we will treasure them always. <3

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Here are a few more of my faves from the shoot:

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Ahhh obsessed with this one – her eyes! <3

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In this one her onesie says “Hello world I’m Riese”! 🙂

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I am so glad we got those photos done right away because I was right that we would blink and weeks would go by – our little lady is officially one month old today, and getting bigger by the day! We celebrated this morning by taking this photo, obviously:

1 month old baby photo

She’s having more moments now where she is awake and alert and not crying, which is fun – she seems to be taking in the world a bit more. Although she definitely has her crying moments still… it took us a bunch of shots to get a good 1 month photo as she was not loving the photoshoot! She’s still a total cuddlebug/”velcro baby” – she’s mostly only happy when being held or snuggled up next to us.

1 month old baby photo outtake

I can’t believe she’s been out in the world with us for a whole month now – crazy. It has been a wonderful and a hard month all at the same time; our days have been filled with less than adequate sleep and some tears, but also lots of snuggles and a whole lot of joy.

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The weather has been pretty nice here recently (not crazy cold, and mostly sunny) so we’ve been enjoying lots of walks still, which is always one of my favorite parts of the day! We take a family walk once a day – usually a mile or two, and usually involving a stop for lattes. 😉 It feels so nice to get fresh air and Riese loves the movement and always falls right to sleep, which makes sense since she’s used to it – I did SO much walking while I was pregnant! Matt usually puts Riese in his “dad shirt” for our walks (he zips his coat around it to support her more/keep her warm), and I occasionally wear her in a wrap for our shorter walks (it’s still too much physically for me to wear her for long ones, especially if our route is hilly).

baby ktan

I’m going to do a post about baby wearing soon, btw – stay tuned! I’m trying a ton of different kinds of wraps and will be sure to report back on my faves.

In terms of food, we are still being spoiled by friends! This week I’ve been noshing on these delicious quinoa, kale, and bean stuffed peppers that my friend Stephanie brought by for us over the weekend. So good! I added some feta to the mix, too.

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Earlier this week, my friend Heather came over for lunch – we combined forces to make a feast. She brought a bunch of mac and cheese left over from their holiday party, and also brought some salad toppings to add to the greens that we had in our fridge.

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It was a delicious combo!

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We’ve also been finishing up some Blue Aprons – Matt made us this yummy catfish earlier this week. I really liked the collard green infused rice, which is good since we had some leftover!

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We are trying to work through our freezer stash of meat, too – Matt made us some steaks on Tuesday night with roasted potatoes and some leftover roasted veggies. It’s so nice to really enjoy all food again… I do not miss the pregnancy-induced nausea and food aversions.

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On the snack front, I’ve been obsessed with pears and yogurt lately – such a good combo and I can eat it one handed while breastfeeding, too. 😉

pears and yogurt

I have my one month follow up appointment with my doctor today – hopefully my C section incision is healing as it should be! I’m definitely going to ask when I can start to introduce more movement/gentle fitness… I’m starting to get a liiiiittle antsy and I’m craving some good stretching in particular. I definitely don’t feel up for anything intense, but I’m really missing yoga and swimming! We’ll see… I’m guessing it will be at least a couple weeks or a month longer… but for those of you who had C sections – when were you approved to get back into fitness? And do you have any recommendations for resources that help with slowly introducing fitness again in a safe way, given the incision? I’m nervous about how to properly get back into the swing of things since I don’t know what is okay/not okay given the C section, so I want to start reading up and doing some research now so I’ll be ready when the doctor gives me the okay in the future! And in the meantime, I’ll continue to enjoy lots of walks. 🙂

one month postpartum walk

Tonight we have a big outing planned – our first dinner out on the town since Riese was born! My brother and his girlfriend are coming into town and my parents are going to babysit so Matt and I can go out to dinner with them. So pumped! Bring on the wine!!

Also, for those of you who celebrate it, can you believe Christmas is on Monday?! That came up quickly! We are obviously not going anywhere this year and looking forward to a low key holiday with my family.

Have a great weekend and a nice Christmas – see you guys back here on Tuesday or Wednesday with a recap!

- anne
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55 comments
  • Fiona @ Get Fit Fiona
    December 22, 2017 · 11:06AM:
    Looks like you got some great photos from the photo shoot. And have fun while you're out for dinner!
    Reply
  • Kori
    December 22, 2017 · 11:13AM:
    Those photos are absolutely adorable! I love her clothes, and I especially love the owl print. :) I really hope you get wonderful news regarding your healing and that you all thoroughly enjoy your evening! Have a very Merry Christmas, Anne!
    Reply
  • Kelli @ Hungry Hobby
    December 22, 2017 · 11:15AM:
    Awww the photos are so sweet and love the onsey!
    Reply
  • Victoria December 22, 2017 · 11:27AM:
    You guys look so happy! That sweater is a great color on you. No C section experience here, but I did have abdominal surgery several years ago. Before swimming, my incisions needed to be totally, totally healed and dry. That took about 5.5 weeks. I found I wasn't able to flip turn for a couple more weeks after that because of the trauma my abdominal muscles took. Maybe a C Section is similar? Good luck at the follow up appointment.
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 22, 2017 · 2:03PM:
      That's interesting about the flip turns! Thank you!
      Reply
  • Michelle December 22, 2017 · 11:36AM:
    Anne I believed you have mentioned your maternal grandmother is still in your life. You should get a 4 generational photo of her, your mom , Riese and you.! Merry Christmas ?
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 22, 2017 · 11:37AM:
      We already did!! Not a professional one, but we got a photo when she came to meet Riese and my mom was here too. <3
      Reply
      • Michelle December 22, 2017 · 12:44PM:
        Excellent!! It doesn't have to professional. It will be a lovely family keepsake ?
        Reply
        • Anne
          December 22, 2017 · 2:09PM:
          Definitely :)
          Reply
  • Carolyn M December 22, 2017 · 11:49AM:
    C-Section mama here. Post-partum/baby yoga was what I did. My local studio had a class where you could bring your baby, as young as 6 weeks old. It was THE BEST THING EVER. Such a supportive environment and I met a ton of other new moms there. If the baby got hungry, just breastfed in the middle of class. Dirty diaper? No big deal, change her on the mat. Also, our class had "baby bouncers", so if your baby was fussy and you really wanted to concentrate on your yoga, a baby bouncer would take/him or her and snuggle the baby while bouncing on a yoga ball, so mama could work on her yoga. :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 22, 2017 · 2:04PM:
      I was just looking into this - they have it at some local studios! So fun!! Definitely going to try it in a few more weeks once Riese has more of an immune system!
      Reply
  • Kate December 22, 2017 · 11:58AM:
    At one month old, my babies seemed to eat constantly. I cannot even fathom going out to dinner without them at that age. I think you have said the baby does not take a bottle or formula yet. Would your parents call you at dinner, if the baby became inconsolable? Not judging! I know every baby is different. I just know mine would have gone into meltdown mode. It sounds like your baby is super chill and already eats on a schedule?
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 22, 2017 · 2:08PM:
      She is definitely not super chill, ha, and I wish we had a schedule! She eats every 2 or 3 hours, but it varies, and in the evenings sometimes she does cluster feeds where she wants to eat every hour. And we still can't put her down for more than a few minutes without her crying - she ALWAYS wants to be held! That said, it's important to us and our mental health to get out and do stuff! Last weekend when Matt and I went out solo we just told my parents to call us when she started melting down and we'd come back - we made it about 2 hours! Tonight, we are leaving a bottle - Matt tried a bottle with her yesterday (just about 0.5 oz. of breast milk) and she took it just fine, so that was awesome! So, we are going to leave 2 to 3 ounces in a bottle ready to go tonight in case she starts flipping out. And if that doesn't work, my parents can just call us to come back - no worries! We'll only be a few miles away. :)
      Reply
  • GAYE MCGRATH December 22, 2017 · 12:30PM:
    What a precious gift you and Matt have been given. Enjoy this special Christmas! BTW, you were in my dream last night, don't know where that came from.
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 22, 2017 · 2:08PM:
      So funny! Thanks Gaye!
      Reply
  • Mel
    December 22, 2017 · 1:11PM:
    The pictures are adorable! So great that you did the photoshoot!!
    Reply
  • Colleen December 22, 2017 · 1:14PM:
    I was cleared at 6 weeks post C-Section and was able to get back into fitness without much modification after that. I haven't noticed issues with the scar. Running has been the hardest to get back into, but mainly because I hadn't run since I was 28 weeks pregnant. Sometimes, I feel sore in my hips after a run, but thats the only difference I've felt postpartum. Good luck!
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 22, 2017 · 2:10PM:
      Yeah, I have a feeling running is going to be slow going - I haven't run since early in the 2nd trimester!
      Reply
  • Amber P. December 22, 2017 · 1:23PM:
    Please check out Jessie Mundell, Julie Wiebe, and Brianna Battles for postpartum recovery and return to workouts. I am a physical therapist with two babies of my own, and it’s super important to take the proper steps to protect and engage your pelvic floor as well as abdominal muscles prior to working out. You may have diastasis recti from pregnancy (most women have it to varying degrees) and you want to work on closing that gap before working out more intensely. Feel free to contact me with any questions!
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 22, 2017 · 2:10PM:
      Excellent, I'll look into them! My doctor approved me today for exercise with zero advice/suggestions for modifications - I was really surprised! How would I know if I have diastasis recti?
      Reply
      • Amber P. December 22, 2017 · 3:03PM:
        http://jessiemundell.com/how-to-assess-diastasis-rectus-abdominis/ In short, there will be an abnormal gap in between your rectus abdominals. Super important to take care of it or it can lead to low back pain and pelvic organ prolapse. I dont want to scare you at all, just want to make sure that you take care of yourself properly bc I know how active you are and want you to be 100% ? (ps: is it totally weird that random strangers on the internet are concerned for your well being??)
        Reply
        • Anne
          December 22, 2017 · 3:05PM:
          It's amazing, not weird! Thank you so much - I appreciate it! I can't believe doctors don't share info about any of this...
          Reply
          • Laura December 23, 2017 · 9:26PM:
            My doctor didn't mention or check me for a gap in my abs at my follow up appointment when they cleared me for exercise. It took me going to see a pelvic floor PT to diagnose it and give me exercises to correct it. Definitely don't do traditional crunches, it can make it worse! It's crazy doctors don't normally check for or diagnose it.
            Reply
            • Anne
              December 24, 2017 · 12:17PM:
              It really is crazy. Definitely going to make a PT appt to check that out!
              Reply
      • Amber P. December 22, 2017 · 3:11PM:
        I should add that ideally you would get check out by a physical therapist who specializes in women’s health issues (pregnancy, postpartum, pelvic floor). Even if it’s just one appt to give you a thorough exam to make sure you are good to go!
        Reply
        • Emily J December 22, 2017 · 9:29PM:
          I'm a pelvic floor PT and agree with the above. I actually purchased Gina the Fitnesista's post baby bod program for my second baby because I was impressed by her extra training in and implementation of solid core/pelvic floor principles. She also had diastasis recti I believe. You know her, yes? Maybe reach out to her. She's a big fan of pelvic floor PTs as well. ?
          Reply
          • Anne
            December 23, 2017 · 12:15PM:
            I am definitely going to do her program - awesome to hear it has a thumbs up from so many readers, including a pelvic floor PT!
            Reply
  • A December 22, 2017 · 2:05PM:
    I got cleared for exercise at 5 weeks and started running that day. Was able to run a 5k a week later even though I didn't run during my pregnancy. I didn't really have any incision pain, just some pelvic pain. If you Google you'll see most people got back into running REALLY slowly, but my body felt ready so I just went for it.
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 22, 2017 · 2:12PM:
      Wow, that's awesome!!
      Reply
  • Susan Ammons December 22, 2017 · 3:04PM:
    Although we’ve never met, I feel like I know you. I worked with Matt during his time at Ft Stewart implementing GFEBS and just thought the world of him. I’ve been keeping up with y’all on his Facebook posts and now your website as well. Riese is so precious and I’m so happy for y’all. I wish your family the Merriest of Christmases and the Happiest of New Years!!
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 22, 2017 · 3:06PM:
      So sweet - thank you so much, Susan! I'll tell Matt you say hello! :) Have a wonderful holiday!
      Reply
  • Jessica December 22, 2017 · 3:13PM:
    I got cleared 6 weeks post c-section and did the fitnessista post baby body plan for 4 weeks with some Barre classes. I resumed HIIT works outs about 10 weeks post partum but I modified the ab sections to whatever felt comfortable. I had incision pain for months afterward so I generally did a gentler version of whatever ab move the class was doing.
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 22, 2017 · 3:24PM:
      I was actually just talking to Gina about her program and whether it's appropriate for C sections too - that's awesome! Thanks!
      Reply
  • Sarah December 22, 2017 · 3:40PM:
    Definitely definitely recommend you check out a physical therapist specializing in womens health. They really are the experts regarding return to activity postpartum! And they are trained to identify/manage diastasis recti ☺
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 22, 2017 · 4:08PM:
      Excellent, I will!
      Reply
  • Natalie December 22, 2017 · 4:43PM:
    I started fitnessista's post baby bod between 6-8 weeks out from my c section. Had to be careful with burpees, etc for a while, but I found that plan to progress at a good, safe rate. Not a lot of targeted ab work, but uses abs a lot to stabilize- I jumped back in to standard ab work after I finished the plan, and was pleasantly surprised my abs were totally back!
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 22, 2017 · 4:44PM:
      Awesome, that's great to hear!
      Reply
  • Lizzie December 22, 2017 · 5:10PM:
    Another c-section gal here! I was cleared to exercise lightly 6 weeks post c-section (that's when we have our usual check in the UK). I started going to a post partum yoga class (with baby) as someone else above recommended - it was SO good. After 8 weeks I started a programme called "Couch to 5k' which is aimed at helping people who've never run before up to running 5k. I skipped straight to week 4 just because I felt able to and went from there. It was super tough getting back running but also felt good. As someone else said, I also experienced quite a lot of hip pain when I started back running, I saw a physio who said it was probably due to back weakness and after about 5 months it stopped (I only had the pain when running), basically as I got fitter/stronger. If you're feeling brave I also recommend signing up to a 10k for 6 months after Riese's date of birth! I did that when I was 8 months pregnant (not thinking I'd end up having an emergency c-section!). I did it with a group of friends and although it was my slowest 10k EVER, I felt amazing (well, afterwards - during it I felt pretty awful!). I also went back to Barry's Bootcamp classes 4 months post partum & did a lot of the floor exercises without the weights, which was still a workout. For me it didn't really matter what I was doing or to what degree, but just that I was out of the house and doing SOMETHING physically active! Good luck Anne, you'll get there!
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 23, 2017 · 12:16PM:
      Getting out of the house and doing something is my goal, too! Thank you!
      Reply
  • Liz
    December 22, 2017 · 5:47PM:
    I had a c-section and went back to the gym at 6 weeks. I went back to CrossFit and just did what was comfortable. Pretty much nothing ab intensive and a lot of lifts I was just using the bar or changing the moves up to suit my needs. It worked out well. It was basically like being pregnant- modify everything to your comfort level. Almost 2 years later, I still have some discomfort in my incision area with certain moves and I'd say it was almost a full year before I felt safe doing everything at the gym again. But I felt like I healed up SUPER nicely and had a super easy recovery.
    Reply
  • Roadrunner December 22, 2017 · 7:31PM:
    Very, very nice pictures! Lovely! And glad you are able to get out and about. Hope to hear that you are able to start running again soon! Thanks for sharing!
    Reply
  • Veronique Goyette December 22, 2017 · 10:14PM:
    Great pictures! We also had some taken when oir baby was 10 days old and I’m so glad we did. And I think it’s amazing that you got to go out without the baby! How did you manage with the feeding? I so want to go out (our baby is 5 weeks old), but I don’t know how to do it since I’m nursing him. Or maybe I’m too nervous !
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 23, 2017 · 12:22PM:
      Hi Veronique! Have you started pumping at all? Or using a milk let down catcher like I mentioned one of my previous posts? I have the Haakaa and have used it to catch some of the let down milk. I had Matt try giving Riese a bottle with just 0.5 oz of breastmilk two days ago and she did well, so last night we left my parents with a 2 oz bottle of milk to give Riese just in case. They did end up giving it to her and she did well with it! She was still pretty fussy but they managed. I definitely encourage you to give going out a shot - just go somewhere close by so you can come back if necessary. It's so important for mental health to get out though! Good luck!
      Reply
  • Liz December 23, 2017 · 9:43PM:
    C-section mama here (2 actually). I was cleared to return to work outs with my second child (oct 2016) after 4 weeks. I ran my entire pregnancy, but worked my way back to running post-delivery by walking as soon a a I felt good (2ish weeks after delivery, I think) and just listened to my body as I increased the intensity. My first run or two I actually wore the belly compression thing the hospital gives (girdle) you for support. For me, that helped me feel secure. Just ease in and listen to your body! You’ll be fine since you’re consistently so active!
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 24, 2017 · 12:18PM:
      Thanks Liz!
      Reply
  • Allison December 24, 2017 · 2:58PM:
    Fellow C section mama here- I'm 9 weeks out and I'm reading the comments for suggestions too! It's crazy the lack or guidance or care. At 6 weeks I was just given the green light for all normal activities and exercise and since then I've been doing gentle yoga (so much stuff on you tube) and short ab workouts for diastasis recti that focus on the transverse abdominus ((leg slides, toe taps etc). I don't have a huge gap, but I figure it can't hurt to start easy! What I'm struggling to find info on is when it's okay to do more normal ab exercises...do I wait until there is hardly any gap? Stretching feels so good now after so many weeks taking it easy and being stiff from breastfeeding and caring around a baby- my back was always hurting! Running I started slow the day I got cleared and did a really slow mile. I ran up until 38 weeks, but I found my body had a lot of muscle memory for super slow paces. So maybe stopping earlier in pregnancy will actually make it easier for you since you don't have to relearn a faster pace! I'll be interested to hear how it goes. Now that it's been a couple weeks I'm starting to feel more normal running and getting back to some better (easy) paces. It's humbling, but great to be on the upswing instead of each run getting slower. I also agree that wearing something to hold in your stomach a little is great. I wore my pregnancy running belt at first, but now my flip belt is doing the trick. Good luck and happy miles!
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 25, 2017 · 8:47AM:
      Unfortunately I feel like I was already really slow when I stopped running, even though it was early in pregnancy! Lol. We'll see. I have a flip belt - that's a good tip to try then when I get back on the run for a little support! Stretching really does feel good, doesn't it? The advice I've seen says to hold off on doing planks and crunches entirely until you are 4 months out, and then only do them if you have less than 2 fingers of ab separation. I'm going to share more on the info/programs I've found for C section (and general pregnancy recovery) soon - stay tuned! Good for you for getting back into it!
      Reply
  • Rachael December 26, 2017 · 1:27PM:
    Two c-sections. Got cleared for a return to full movement at 6 weeks after both. But, I found that doing anything more than walking (slowly) and very light stretching increased bleeding and caused bad cramps. 7.5/8weeks was the sweet spot for me. I found that focusing on moves that emphasized lower back strength really helped my recovery. Also, I found that I didn't automatically engage my core during exercise like I had before. I really had to focus on keep my core tight and I couldn't do it for more than a minute or two at a time starting out. Just be easy on yourself. Once your doctor gives you the all-clear, it's safe. Just a matter of finding out what works for you.
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 26, 2017 · 2:21PM:
      Great tips - thank you!
      Reply
  • Lisa of Lisa's Yarns
    December 27, 2017 · 9:27AM:
    Your newborn photos turned out so beautifully! I would have never guessed that you were sleep deprived - you and Matt look great! My friend had a baby the same day as you did and I can't believe they are already a month old! I feel like I was waiting for my friend to have her baby for sooooo long (plus she was 10 days overdue). I'm looking forward to your post about baby carriers as I am still trying to decide which ones I want. I registered for the Lillebaby but want to get a wrap-style one, too.
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 27, 2017 · 11:30AM:
      Thanks Lisa! :) I still need to try a bunch of the other baby carriers... haven't gotten it together yet to figure them out lol. They seem kind of complicated!
      Reply
  • Kris S December 30, 2017 · 6:58PM:
    Love the photos! So precious!! :) Great job by Ben and Taylor once again! ;)
    Reply
  • Brigid January 3, 2018 · 10:47PM:
    Cute photos and you look amazing by the way! I had a c-section with my first and I believe I was cleared at 6 weeks but if I remember correctly, I waited until 8 weeks since I wasn’t ready at 6 weeks. You know, just listen to your body. But when you are ready, come try out StrollerStrongMoms!!! It’s the best group over women with an awesome workout! There are a few different locations, Arlington being one. Let me know and I’ll meet you if you go!
    Reply
    • Anne
      January 4, 2018 · 8:44AM:
      Fun! I'll totally come check that out when I'm feeling up for it - sounds right up my alley!
      Reply
      • Brigid January 4, 2018 · 2:25PM:
        I think it will be!
        Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

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