I should have learned by now never to promise a post on a certain day. I said that I would give you this update yesterday, but then Luke started a growth spurt. When baby isn’t napping well and wants to be fed every 2 or 2 1/2 hours instead of 3, even with the best intentions, blog posts don’t get written. Especially if mama wants to get dinner made, run, clean, and do all the other day-to-day responsibilities that rest on my shoulders.
No complaints, here, though. I am really loving life in all of its craziness right now. At 3 months, Luke is one happy, smiley baby.
I fall more in love with him everyday. When he stares at me with so much love in his eyes, my heart just melts. And these big, toothless grins do a number on me, too.
Luke’s most recent achievement is rolling to his side.
Maybe this will help with the flat spot on the back of his head that is the result of spending so much time on his back. He can’t reach out and grab toys yet, but he’ll hold onto one if I put it in his hand. Speaking of hands…
He’s
totally
obsessed.
If he isn’t staring at his hands, he’s putting them in his mouth. Most of his awake time is spent with a focus on those hands.
As you can see, Luke is doing great. I can’t imagine where the growth is taking place in this spurt because he’s already so big! According to our scale he’s around 16 pounds; the clothes you see in these pictures are all 9 months, except for the green pants. He’s a tall, solid boy.
Breastfeeding is going well, but we are still trying to figure out exactly what is causing his irregular stools. I had been off of dairy for 4 weeks when I saw a little streak of blood in his diaper. I called the doctor and she told me the next step was to eliminate soy along with the dairy. It turns out many babies with milk protein sensitivities are also sensitive to soy protein.
After a week of eliminating soy, I didn’t notice any improvement and saw blood streaks in his diapers a few more times. His spitting up was also getting worse, as well, with a few instances of huge projectile vomits that seemed like his entire meal had come up.
Then, I realized that both my prenatal vitamins and my fish oil supplements have soy in them! Once I cut them out, things seemed to improve some. His stools are still mucus-y, but I haven’t seen any blood streaks in over a week. I’m hoping they will continue to improve.
Okay, I’m sure you’ve heard enough about baby poo now. As much as I’d love to talk about Luke all day long, I guess I’ll give you a little update on how I’m doing.
I’ll save the details on my 10K training for another post, but I will say that consistently exercising has been great for me. I think it’s helped with my overall mood–it’s such a stress-reliever. Fitting it in everyday can be a challenge, but I’m making it a priority so it gets done. Sometimes that means I don’t have as much time to prepare dinner, and naps just don’t happen for me anymore, but it’s worth it to me to have the time for fitness.
In the last month I’ve lost 2-3 pounds, which has helped me feel better about my progress towards getting my body back into pre-pregnancy shape. The one area that is the biggest challenge, however, is my midsection. I am trying to remind myself to be patient, but I sure would like that pooch to go away!
We had an 80+ degree day yesterday, so I wanted to wear a tank top for my run. I cringed when I put it on and looked at myself in the mirror. I tried to stretch it out with my knees, but to no avail. It clung to my stomach, revealing the aftermath of giving birth to my darling son. I couldn’t fathom running in a hot t-shirt, so I just kept it on and figured no one would be looking at my stomach when I was running anyway.
Here I am after my run. Looks like one of my pregnancy shots, right? I think my belly was smaller at 13 weeks pregnant! Patience, patience, patience. That’s the word of the day.
Life with a 3 month old and a 3 year old is busy, but I’m discovering that I can be super efficient and get just as much done, if not more, than before Luke was born. It’s like the busier I am, the more I get done because I don’t have time to sit around or procrastinate.
That’s good because I have a huge list of spring cleaning tasks I want to complete. But now, I have to go, because guess who wants to eat again? Let’s hope this growth spurt only lasts another day or two.
hk says
March 31, 2012 at 11:57 pmHi,
There’s tons of info online about diastasis recti, but two good sites to check are Julie Tupler’s site (she wrote the book on it and has a book of exercises that can help) and this one: http://www.raisingarrows.net/diastasis-recti-from-a-moms-perspective/
Some OB’s know how to check, but most don’t. You might find a midwife or doula who could help, but you can also check it yourself. The sites above will tell you how to do it.
Good luck!
Maryea says
April 2, 2012 at 7:22 amThank you so much for those sites! Very helpful. I’ve done a little research since your comment, but need to learn how to check myself. Thanks again!
Anna Jorgenson says
March 27, 2012 at 8:41 pmHave you found a good prenatal (or vitamin) without soy? I have a friend with a 6 month old with bloody stools (and he is now anemic because it is so bad). He just had a colonoscopy and they didn’t find anything during the procedure, but they took a biopsy. She has cut everything out of her diet. I told her about your blog post and to look out for soy in the prenatals.
Erika says
March 27, 2012 at 4:56 pmOh my gosh, he is SOO cute!!
Good luck with the breastfeeding. I remember my nurse suggested I drop the dairy, too. I wasn’t strong enough to get rid of it completely! I am such a cheesoholic. Argh! And BTW, I think you look great! It’s been only 3 months, right? I know that patience is hard though! : )
hk says
March 25, 2012 at 3:11 amYour recipes are wonderful, your babies are beautiful and you look fabulous! Go easy on yourself regarding the mommy pooch. And you might want to get checked for a ‘diastasis recti’. When we’re pregnant our abdominal muscles get pushed to the side of our abdomens, and for some of us, the muscles never return to the center. Like you, I’m a runner and I’ve always been fit. But after both pregnancies I had a significant split and though I put a lot of time and money into physical therapy, the split hasn’t fully healed and I’m 18 months pp. My pooch starts off pretty flat in the morning but after a day of consuming fluids and food, I look 4 months pregnant. I don’t mean to be discouraging, but sometimes the ‘mommy tattoos’ stay with us. Apparently up to 30% of pp women have diastases and many don’t know it. Also, crunches can make it worse so stay away from those until you find out if you have one.
Best of luck and thanks for all the great recipes.
Maryea says
March 26, 2012 at 10:04 amOh wow, this is really interesting. My stomach is definitely flatter in the morning, so maybe I do have a diastasis recti. I’ve never heard of it, but I’ll have to research it more now. How do you get checked for it? Obgyn? Thanks for the info!
Mackenzie says
March 24, 2012 at 10:57 amKudos on breastfeeding your baby even though it means changing your own diet!! I was dairy/soy free for almost 2 years while breastfeeding my son, and unfortunately he still has a dairy sensitivity/allergy. It was tough, but I had my mother/lactation consultant giving me support and tips and various vegan blogs giving me new dairy free recipes to try! Look at the bright side though, at least you haven’t had to cut out wheat, corn, and the various other things my friends have had to do for the same reasons…
Maryea says
March 26, 2012 at 10:06 amIt definitely could be worse. And he’s more than worth it! 🙂
Tereza says
March 24, 2012 at 6:45 amI am loving your blog and reading it all the way from Prague, Czech Republic. I bet you don´t have many czech fans 🙂
I am new mom too (with my first baby, Simon who is 2 months old), so your updates on Luke are very encouriging! I am trying to loose post-pregnancy weight as well, that´s why your recipes are great help. I loved the energy balls in particular.
Just wanted to say thank you for great job you´re doing. It helps lots of moms out there.
Maryea says
March 24, 2012 at 7:07 amThank you so much for your sweet comment! It helps me to know that all the time and effort I put into this blog is worth it as I am helping others. 🙂 I also love how it can connect me with other woman all over the world! How cool that you are reading from Czech Republic!
Amy-Nutrition by Nature says
March 22, 2012 at 5:27 pmYou look awesome and way to go keeping up with your runs. Baby steps and it will happen. After my second pregnancy it took me much longer to get back into the shape I wanted to be in, it does and will happen!
Luke is such a cute sweetie! LOVE the onesie hide your daughters!
So funny, I went back and read your 23 weeks post and I think I will just cut and paste it in for my post, ok?
I’m having a hard time gripping 23 weeks, feels like forever, yet so much longer to go!
Maryea says
March 24, 2012 at 7:08 amI remember those days clearly, my friend. Cut and paste away! 🙂
Jane says
March 22, 2012 at 1:45 amI love the blanket in the first picture! Did someone make that for you? And I agree – you look great! I can’t wait to hear about your 10K training – I’m in the middle (ok more of the beginning) of doing that as well!
Maryea says
March 24, 2012 at 7:09 amYes, a family friend made it. It has his name, birthday, and birth stats on it. 🙂
Kelli H (Made in Sonoma) says
March 21, 2012 at 10:34 pmHe is SO cute! Really, he just keeps getting more and more cute.
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says
March 21, 2012 at 9:06 pmWhat a cutie! and you look GREAT!!!
Samantha Handwerk says
March 21, 2012 at 8:55 pmAbout the blood in the stools, have you gotten him blood tested for allergies? I only ask b/c my daughter had the same problem and they told me the same thing and it wasn’t milk or soy, it was egg. Just thought I’d mention it.
BTW, love the ‘hide your daughters’ onesie!
Maryea says
March 24, 2012 at 7:11 amThat’s interesting. No, we haven’t done a blood test. They just tested his stool for blood at his 2 month appointment and the doctor said it was “likely” a milk protein allergy or sensitivity. I’ll have to talk to his doctor about getting an actual blood test done to confirm–that would certainly take some of the guessing game out of it.
Lou says
March 21, 2012 at 8:06 pmPatience patience… ah so easy to say, so hard to do – it’s so frustrating I sympathise. You DO look amazing though… have you tried those belly-wrap things? I didn’t use one, but I have heard really good things about them through friends… may be more comfortable for you when you run too 🙂
Maryea says
March 24, 2012 at 7:13 amNo, I haven’t tried a belly wrap. I did look them up at one point but what I read said they were designed for right after giving birth-8 weeks postpartum. I think I was about 6 weeks when I was looking into it so I figured it was too late for me.
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
March 21, 2012 at 5:25 pmAw, what a smiley little guy!! Not that you need to be told, but he is soooo cute 😀 I love the picture where he’s wearing the “hide your daughters” shirt, lol! I only have 2 more weeks till my due date and I can hardly wait 😀 I think you look fantastic! Great for you for getting out there even though you were feeling self conscious!
Maryea says
March 24, 2012 at 7:13 amOnly 2 more weeks?! Wow-that went fast! Godspeed.
[email protected] says
March 21, 2012 at 4:33 pmYou look amazing and will return to the pre-pregnancy belly in no time! It’s just a pleasant reminder of the beautiful boy you brought into this world. (At least that’s how I make myself feel better about my stretch marks. haha )
Your little guy is ADORABLE!!!!!!
Maryea says
March 24, 2012 at 7:15 amYou’re totally right, Lindsay, and I try to remind myself of that daily. He’s worth it, 100%!!!
Kristi says
March 21, 2012 at 3:41 pmHave they checked Luke for anal fissures? This is what my daughter had – the way they described it, she basically ate A TON and pooped A TON and that is what caused it (she was a big baby just like he is!) Gross, but it was a simple problem with a pretty easy fix (prescription cream). Could be a long shot, but it might be worth asking – the reason I mention it is my daughter also has severe milk allergies (which we didn’t know at the time), but her bloody stools cleared up completely after the fissures were healed, and I never did have to give up dairy, which was good as she also is very allergic to peanuts and eggs, which I did eliminate.
On an unrelated note, I am loving you weekly dinner recap posts! I have a butternut squash which is dying a slow terrible death in my garage right now, and i am hoping it will make it to the weekend to try those enchiladas!
Maryea says
March 24, 2012 at 7:17 amNo, we haven’t checked for anal fissures. If he still has blood in his stool at his next diaper check, I will mention it. Thank you!
And thank you also for saying you are enjoying the dinner recap posts. I don’t get a lot of comments on those posts so it’s hard to know if my readers are liking them or not. I’m glad to hear they are helpful! 🙂
Candy @ Healthy in Candy Land says
March 21, 2012 at 2:44 pmOh my goodness, the cuteness is too much! If you lived closer I would totally offer to babysit so you could go run. But I might not give him back, so it’s probably just as well.
You look seriously fantastic, Maryea! It took me a full year to get back to “normal” after my second baby. (But then, I didn’t look as great as you did your entire pregnancy! A daily green tea frappaccino from Starbucks doesn’t do much for one’s figure.) Be patient and do your thing. It will happen.
Maryea says
March 24, 2012 at 7:18 amYou’re right–I’m trying to be patient. Even if my stomach never goes back to “normal”, he’s totally worth it! 🙂
Heather @ Get Healthy with Heather says
March 21, 2012 at 1:31 pmHe is the cutest!! Those little smiles would melt my heart away too.
Way to stick with your fitness! Exercise is such a stress relief for me too, so I know what you mean. Looking great and there is like no pooch there silly! You did just have a baby 3 months ago!
Maryea says
March 24, 2012 at 7:18 amThanks, Heather. I’m trying to be patient and remind myself that it’s only been 3 months. 🙂
Julie H. of Spinach and Sprinkles says
March 21, 2012 at 1:13 pmI’m sure that the patience is easier said than done but seriously, you’re doing AMAZING! …Who would have thought that there would be soy in your prenatal and fish oil vitamin, gosh. I hope Luke can get on the right track as far as those things are concerned.
Have a wonderful week!! 🙂
Estela @ Weekly Bite says
March 21, 2012 at 12:20 pmLuke is the cutest!!!
And you look amazing!! I agree with you on the whole patience thing. After the second kid, it took longer for my belly to go away. It was a little frustrating for me, but patience is key… the belly does go away 🙂
Maryea says
March 24, 2012 at 7:19 amGood to hear, Estela. Thank you!
Tammy Root says
March 21, 2012 at 11:45 amMaryea — you look fantastic!!!!!! And, can I just say how much I love Luke’s “hide Your Daughters” onesie! So funny and cute. 🙂
I am truly amazed at how well you juggle everything in your life — you inspire me. I think it is great that you take such good care of your kids, find time to breastfeed, find time to make healthy homemade food, find time for yourself, and still manage to look great and do it with relative ease. 🙂 You are a rock star!!!
P.S. I am 27 weeks now. It is going so fast.
Maryea says
March 24, 2012 at 7:20 am27 weeks–you’re getting there! I don’t know about the “relative ease” part, but thank you. I really appreciate your kind words. 🙂