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February 16, 2018

Recent Eats + A Running Update + Nanny Talk

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Morning guys! How’s that for a long blog post title?! I guess I have a lot to say today! 🙂 First up, I’m back on the grain salad bowl train for lunch – I almost added some soft boiled eggs to this a la my Kale and Quinoa Salad with Soft Boiled Eggs, but I had already had eggs for breakfast and that seemed like a lot of eggs, so, chickpeas for protein instead it was! This creation was arugula + brown rice + chickpeas + avocado + feta + canned beets + balsamic vinaigrette. Plus some kombucha on the side. More recipe ideas in this post: grain salad bowl recipes.

grain salad bowl for lunch

For dinners this week, we had Blue Apron, which is always a win. This Asian stir fry in particular was really delicious – we added some string beans to it to get in some extra veggies. Great flavor! Here’s the recipe on their website if you’re interested: Spicy Chicken & Stir-Fried Vegetables.

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Last night we had a really good chili (also Blue Apron) that we doctored up a bit by adding some extra fresh diced tomatoes to the mix, as well as a huge bundle of kale (stems removed and leaves chopped). I love kale in stews/chilis – it wilts down nicely so it’s a great way to get in a ton of greens without it seeming like you are eating a ton of greens, and it holds its texture well. It absorbs the sauce of whatever it’s in well, too, without altering the flavor profile at all. If you’re looking for a similar recipe, my Turkey, Veggie & Barley Chili is similar – as is my Butternut Squash & Turkey Chili.

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Served with a side of baby observation. I feel like Matt and I are playing table tennis and she is the judge or something. Lol! She seems to enjoy being in the mix at the table vs. in the rock ‘n’ play on the floor, so this is a nice way to keep her calm during dinner without having to actively hold her. (Don’t worry, we make sure that chair is very secure/can’t slip around – and keep an eye on her the whole time too.) That’s the Baby Bjorn bouncer… love it.

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One other food highlight from this week: tuna sandwiches for lunch! I made these for me and my mom on Monday when she was over babysitting so I could work. We split half and half so no one had to eat only the end pieces of bread. 😉 The tuna salad was just tuna + mayo + dijon mustard with some arugula. Yum!

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In other news, our nanny started this week! She’s wrapping up with her other family so we had her ease in with 2 days this week – she worked Tuesday and Thursday. Next week, she will do 3 days because Monday is a federal holiday (we are giving her paid federal holidays since Matt is home those days). Then moving forward she will be here Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 8 to 6, and Friday from 8 to 2. So far, things have gone really well! I’m actually really glad now that our first nanny bailed on us because as stressful as that was, I think this one is a way better fit anyway – she’s more flexible with timing (the other nanny couldn’t stay past 4, so evening client meetings would have been tough), and she’s really lovely and patient with Riese and nice to have around the house. I feel lucky that we found her (thanks to a blog reader – so grateful)! It has been tough emotionally, though – it’s hard to let someone else that’s not family care for Riese all day. I definitely found myself feeling jealous of the nanny because she got to hang out with Riese while I was stuck working (I like my work, and I want to keep doing it, but it’s still hard). They went out for a couple stroller walks this week and I really had to not even think about it because a) I was jealous that she got to take my baby out on a fun walk, and b) it’s kind of terrifying to watch your child walk off with someone who is essentially a stranger. I mean, obviously she wouldn’t have been a nanny with amazing references for so many years if she wasn’t trustworthy, but yeah. I had to just not think too hard about it because I knew if I did I might freak out, so I was just like “Alrighty… have fun and call me if you have any issues!” and got right back to work to distract myself. I’m definitely feeling grateful that I’m able to work in and out of the home, though, and still breastfeed Riese often, even though it would maybe be a little easier emotionally to just be gone totally? I don’t know, maybe not. It’s really nice to still have a little time with her during the day, though, and I’m feeling lucky I am able to compress my work schedule to spend Wednesdays and Friday afternoons with her. I’m sure as the weeks pass we will settle into a routine and things will feel easier and more comfortable as we get used to it… but yeah. It’s hard. All the feels.

Anyway! Speaking of walks, it has been really warm here – hello, global warming – yesterday was literally 70 degrees?! I had a call at 3 that I didn’t need my computer for so I took Freyja out for a long walk while I was on the call. I actually got a tiny bit sunburned because I was in a tank top and didn’t even think to put sunscreen on – I mean, it’s February?!

new shoes

It felt lovely to get some fresh air – I love taking calls while out walking if I can! I also had the chance to try out a new pair of shoes that my friends at Brooks gifted me. I’m thrilled to be working with them as a Run Happy Blogger Ambassador again for 2018, and they sent me a new pair of running shoes of my choice to kick off the partnership! I decided to mix it up from my old fave the Ravennas and go back to my very first running shoe love – the Adrenaline GTS. For awhile in recent years those shoes were feeling too bulky/stiff for me, but I tried on this new version (the Adrenaline GTS 18) at a running store last week and LOVED them – much lighter and more flexible than the older versions but still with their signature really good arch support, and I loved the color and the mesh/knit upper. (They have a TON of other color options, too.)

brooks adrenaline shoes review2

I can’t WAIT until I can run in these you guys – I’m having a bit of a hard time now being patient with my body in terms of running. I am so happy I can get back out to yoga and strength classes, and even though I was cleared at 4 weeks by my doctor for running I’ve been waiting because I don’t want to do anything that’s going to slow my C section recovery or set me up for issues long term. Plus, for a long time I was way too tired to want to run anyway. But now at almost 3 months post-C section I’m starting to have a bit of a hard time with patience, even though I know that’s still not really that long in the scheme of things. I attempted a block long jog while out walking Freyja the other day and it still really hurt on my incision area, which was a bummer because I guess I thought by now I might be able to slowly start to build back up to running short distances again. I know it’s all somewhat individual but… any tips/advice from my runner readers who had C sections? How soon were you able to start running again post-surgery? Did it hurt at first? I feel like I should wait until it doesn’t hurt because it seems like a bad idea to push through the pain, but is a little bit of discomfort totally normal at first?

Anyway! Brooks also gifted me a new sports bra, which I have already put to good use this week considering 3/4 of my sports bras are way too small right now. This is the FastForward CrossBack Bra and I love it! Really comfortable, supportive but not too compression-y, and I like the back enclosure vs. having to pull it over my head. It’s perfect in one size up from my normal size and so nice to have another sports bra in the mix so I don’t have to do laundry after every single workout. 😉 My only complaint is I wish the cups were sewn in vs. removable.

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Lastly, thank you guys so much for the advice re: yesterday’s blog post about the tongue/lip tie situation as well as the pumping in the night situation! I usually go to bed with Riese around 8:30 or 9 (I know, I’m so cool – totally not a night owl at all) so I’m thinking for a week or so I will pump during the night if I’m really uncomfortable just to build up the freezer stash a little bit (it’s pretty sad right now), and then if she’s still sleeping okay I’ll just let my body adjust so I can sleep too. Either way, it’s soooo much better than when we had a billion wake ups a night – waking up only once feels so luxurious, even though I don’t sleep super well the second part of the night. It’s funny how perspective changes because if I got woken up for 30 minutes to an hour at 4 a.m. and then was kind of in and out of sleep for the rest of the night before having a child I’d be like, worst night’s sleep ever! And now I’m all, WINNING!! Lol.

Have a nice weekend guys! I might take Monday off since Matt has the day off – we’ll see. So I’ll either see you back here on Monday or on Tuesday! We have our appointment with the other specialist on Monday re: the tongue/lip tie, so we’ll see how that goes, but it sounds like it’s going to be worth doing the procedure based on what you guys shared. Really hoping it helps make breastfeeding easier and more efficient for the little one… stay tuned!

cute baby 

—

Please note there are affiliate links in this post.

- anne
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34 comments
  • Kris S February 16, 2018 · 12:16PM:
    Yay! Glad the nanny is working out :)
    Reply
  • Gretchen @ Gretchen, In-Between
    February 16, 2018 · 12:49PM:
    She looks especially cute in that last pic! Happy girl!! And I know we've already talked about this, but GIRL DO I GET IT. All I wanna do is hang out with Penny and my nanny and her daughter when they're here. Sigh. I've found that it's really a lot easier for me to get things done if I'm out of the house, tbh, even if I'm just running to a coffee shop down the street. It feels counter-productive, but it really is just easier to focus if I'm gone -- even when I'm in my office and they're downstairs, I still find myself listening or wondering what they're up to, that sort of stuff. And if I stick around closeby, at least I can still zip home to nurse if I want, or I can just have the nanny give her a bottle if I'm really in a good groove.
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 17, 2018 · 10:08AM:
      Yeah I'm thinking I'll get out more to coffee shops... would probably help a ton with focus!! This coming week I have some early client meetings at the coffee shop so it will make sense to work from there a bit anyway, so we will see how that goes. Hard to time with breastfeeding, but I guess she can always do a bottle if I'm not ready to come back!
      Reply
  • Amanda February 16, 2018 · 1:08PM:
    So funny about best/worst night's sleep pre/post kids!! I had a c-section & was able to run 6 weeks postpartum, but it was VERY slow and short at first (like a mile). Everyone is different and you are smart for listening to your body.
    Reply
  • Kristy C. February 16, 2018 · 1:19PM:
    Leaving your baby with someone else, no matter who it is is SO HARD for a while! I can imagine its even more complicated if you're in the same house, curious what they're doing, etc. But I left my son at an in-home daycare starting at 12 weeks, and it felt hands down, like the hardest thing I've ever done. I cried so hard. No one can do it like momma can :) Still, it sounds like you have a great nanny, and I'm so glad that worked out. It'll get easier with time, like everything else!! Riese looks so cute in that pic! Hope you all have a nice weekend!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 17, 2018 · 10:07AM:
      Thank you Kristy <3
      Reply
  • Meg February 16, 2018 · 1:33PM:
    I ran up until 38 weeks and picked it back up at six weeks postpartum after a C-section. I didn't feel any discomfort at all so I decided to go for it and I'm glad I did because it really helped with the baby blues and made me feel like "me" again. I think you're smart to take it slow and trust that your body will tell you when it's time to start running again. Cool to note - I am so much faster now than pre-pregnancy. I guess running with forty pounds of baby weight strapped to me makes running without forty pounds a breeze and I was able to really up my paces in the last sixteen months since having my son!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 17, 2018 · 10:07AM:
      Yeah, I think it would help with some of the stress/anxiety of all these emotions to be able to run again... but, I guess my body is not ready yet! I wonder if I'll be faster or not since I wasn't able to run much past the first trimester... we will see!
      Reply
  • Amanda February 16, 2018 · 2:33PM:
    So glad the nanny is working out well! We had a similar situation...our first nanny quit with no notice (grrrr!!!), but it worked out for the best b/c we LOVED our second nanny even more! As for running after a c section, it's so indivual and really truly depends on you and what you're comfortable with. I started easy jogging a few miles at a time 6 weeks after my c section and then gradually built up my speed and mileage. It was a couple years ago, so I can't remember exactly how I felt running at first. I do remember a strange feeling around my incision (kind of like a pulling). It didn't hurt and wasn't necessarily uncomfortable; it just felt strange. If that makes any sense?! Sorry! That's the best way I can describe it. It sounds like you're listening to your body and doing what's best for you which is SO smart. I know it's hard to be patient, but in the grand scheme of things a few more weeks won't matter at all, especially if waiting prevents injury and helps you feel more comfortable. Enjoy the long weekend :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 17, 2018 · 10:05AM:
      Yeah the pulling sensation is definitely what I'm feeling... but it's a little painful. So hard to be patient!
      Reply
  • Lisa February 16, 2018 · 3:05PM:
    I couldn't do any really tough workouts until 14 months post partum after a really tough emergency c section. I still have pain sometimes. At 3 months I think I was still working up to feeling human again. Give yourself time.
    Reply
  • Angie February 16, 2018 · 4:34PM:
    I’ve had 2 c sections and I don’t think I really started running until 6 months after. I think mentally I didn’t feel like it either because that’s when they finally got up maybe once a night. It felt like that’s when I felt like myself again. No one told me that the incision felt numb for quite a while. My boys are 3.5 years apart and I still had numbness there when I got pregnant again. Obviously I don’t feel that when I’m walking and stuff but it is weird. Give yourself time with running. Hormones are still regulating and lack of sleep and stress can affect your workouts.
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 17, 2018 · 10:05AM:
      I have a tiny bit of numbness still but not as much as before... it's weird though!
      Reply
  • Katie February 16, 2018 · 10:34PM:
    First time poster here! And writing from the other side of the Potomac in Bethesda :) Just wanted to chime in with some encouragement on the working mother front. I found it really got easier every day with both kids. I worked out of the house with my first and work from home now with two. Like you, we also have a nanny. And while it might be easier to throw yourself back into work if you’re out of the house, in terms of work/life balance, working from home is pretty great. Plus, as long as you’re still pumping/nursing, working from home is so much easier. I love that I can pump at any time, no matter what I’m wearing l,rather than being limited to certain hours and trudging up to our mother’s room, plus having to clean all the parts—it’s really a lot! I mean, it’s a lot any way you slice it so I’m grateful for any way I can make it easier.
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 17, 2018 · 10:03AM:
      So very true re: the pumping/nursing! Thank you for the encouragement - and hi from across the river! :)
      Reply
  • Roadrunner February 17, 2018 · 3:20AM:
    What a nice final picture! Glad the nanny is working out so well and that you are working out how to work and also have quality time with Riese!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 17, 2018 · 10:03AM:
      We are getting there! Thanks!
      Reply
  • Allison February 17, 2018 · 10:01AM:
    I'm 4 months postpartum and started running again at 6 weeks when I was cleared. I never felt a pulling, but definitely felt like I needed to engage my ab muscles while running- something I never thought about before! I do feel a sort of pulling trying to do cobra pose. Ease back in slowly. It has to help that you are already building back strength :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 17, 2018 · 10:02AM:
      Yeah, I'm hoping the strength and yoga will definitely help my body to get ready! I'll have to think more about engaging my abs, though, when I do try to run again...
      Reply
  • Elizabeth at Reserved for Running
    February 17, 2018 · 10:18PM:
    I totally understand why you are nervous to run after your C-section. You know your body and if you feel pain then continue to wait and I know the frustration is hard! I have not had a C-section, but 9 years ago I had a full abdominal surgery (incision almost in the same place as a C-section) to remove my ovary and tube. I felt tenderness around my incision for about 3 years. I did not have pain that whole time, but I was very aware of unusual "sensation". So, it WILL pass. When you are ready, try to be aware of what is painful vs. tenderness. One day, you won't even remember going through this until you hear someone else's story! You got this!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 20, 2018 · 10:18AM:
      I appreciate the encouragement!
      Reply
  • Lauren K February 18, 2018 · 11:56AM:
    Anne! She is the most adorable baby ever! Like a little baby doll! Thanks for being so candid about all the feels about heading back to work! I love seeing Freyja out and about too! Warmer weather and more walks to come...
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 20, 2018 · 10:18AM:
      Thank you! :)
      Reply
  • Stevie Jo
    February 19, 2018 · 11:18AM:
    Don't feel like you have to explain to anyone why you do the things you do! :) We all know that Riese is safe in her chair on the table! :) I think we get so wrapped up in not wanting people to judge us, that we constantly feel like we have to explain why we are doing something that may seem wrong/unsafe/etc. You can easily see from the picture that she's content and happy where she is! :) Do you, mama! Also, this is just something that I wanted to share. I get your newsletter which is where I read most of your posts without visiting your website unless I want to comment. However, there are A TON of pop-ups on your website that make reading your blog a major hassle. Once you finally click out of everything, more come up...and your side bar with ways to contact you via twitter/FB/etc overlaps your posts which makes it hard to see. I just thought I would mention it, because I think you would have even more traffic on your site if we weren't having to click out of everything all the time. Just something to think about! :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 20, 2018 · 10:17AM:
      Thank you for the feedback re: the ads! I'll talk to my ad network about seeing if we can make them a little less intense. I have opted out of some of the most obtrusive ones already, but it's always a balancing act! Thanks for reading! :)
      Reply
  • Agness of Fit Travelling
    February 19, 2018 · 4:56PM:
    You've been eating some really mouth-watering dishes, Anne! Plus, your baby looks so cute and adorable. :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 20, 2018 · 10:16AM:
      :)
      Reply
  • Fani Malik
    February 20, 2018 · 7:36AM:
    I LOOOOVE your blog and your wonderful recipes! Thank you so much for all your time and dedication to be one of the best food blogs ever!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 20, 2018 · 10:15AM:
      Aw, thank you!
      Reply
      • Fani Malik February 20, 2018 · 11:17AM:
        Thanks For The Reply
        Reply
  • Kaci
    February 20, 2018 · 10:02AM:
    Thanks for your honesty in the challenge of returning to running postpartum! I didn’t have a C-section but am having some other difficulties with running and high impact workouts after having a baby. It can be discouraging seeing so many bloggers and people on Instagram jumping back into their workouts with seemingly no problem. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who needs a little more time!
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 20, 2018 · 10:15AM:
      It's so hard to be patient!
      Reply
  • Glenda A. Shaw February 23, 2018 · 3:13PM:
    Friday 23 FEB 2018 @ 3:10pm - Glenda says: I am so enjoying your blogs about your new baby girl, even though I am a Gramma with grandchildren in University. I would like to get a sports bra as I would like to try to start running, and skipping rope. I cannot do jumping jacks because it hurts my boobs jumping up and down in time with my feet. I didn't know that Brooks has sports bras. I get my regular bras fitted and am a size 36F. I do wear Brooks leather runners, but get them at a special shoe store called Fosters. I live in Canada, so will have to look up where a Brooks store is located. Would you be able to recommend a Sports Bra model for my size? I really hate trying them all on to find the right one. Thank you.
    Reply
    • Anne
      February 26, 2018 · 9:45AM:
      I would call the Brooks customer service - I bet they can help you with determining which size to order! :)
      Reply
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about Anne

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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anne mauney

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!

When I’m not writing or cooking for fannetastic food, you can find me running, coaching nutrition clients, or on an adventure with my family. Feel free to reach out - I'd love to hear from you!

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