This past week was my first week back at work. Hilariously, I wasn’t able to actually start working until midday Tuesday, because of some HR issues, but I am back to being a working mom. Honestly, right now I have mixed feelings about this. I’ve never truly wanted to be a full time mom, but working full time with a small baby at home was somewhat hectic. It didn’t help that Lila’s wonder week leap three happened to also fall this week. Here’s how my first “week” back at work went.
First Week Back At Work
On Monday, I got up well before the Sun to pump a little bit and run on the treadmill. I have a feeling that until the time change happens, I will probably do the majority of my weekday runs on the treadmill. I don’t mind running during sunrise, but I’m not a fan of doing my entire run in the dark, and right now the Sun doesn’t start peeking out until about 7:30. Anyways, I got my run in, got Lila up and fed, and tried to log in to work just before her first nap of the day. I was really grateful to be able to nurse and play with her a bit before I was supposed to start working.
When I tried to log in, however, I didn’t have access to any of the things I needed. So I sent my boss a message, put Lila down for a nap, and started the process of calling our IT Helpdesk, our maternity leave liaison, and HR. As it turns out, most of what was required for my return wasn’t done, and I was told that it wasn’t likely that I would have access until Tuesday. Every couple of hours, I would get an update from IT or HR, and they would let me know one step had been completed, but there were other things still pending. So by around lunch time, I decided to go to CrossFit since Henry was home. I got back, and finished up my day with Lila. I wasn’t too broken hearted about the extra day of leave.
Related Post: Maternity Leave in the US
On Tuesday, I did the same pump, run, and nurse routine. I was actually able to log in to my work email, but was still not able to get into our messaging system. I made a few phone calls, and started clearing out my 5,000+ emails (I’m still not completely done with that piece). Henry didn’t have any signings until later in the afternoon, so he was able to hang out with her after her second feeding, and then I got in a WOD at noon. I got home just in time to nurse Lila and get logged back into work. Henry left to pick up Enrique from a baseball camp we signed him up for, and I worked while Lila napped. I had a planned rest day on Wednesday, so I slept in a little, and got a little bit of work done before Lila got up for the day.
Wonder Week Leap 3
The rest of the day was spent working in between nursing after Henry left for the day. I felt really thankful that I was able to work around Lila’s hours and that Henry was mostly home with me. Lila had great morning naps, but her afternoons were a wild card situation. She started a developmental leap right before I went back to work, and her naps were a lot shorter than usual. If you’re not familiar with the Wonder Weeks, but you have a young infant (under 2 years), it’s definitely something I recommend checking out (there’s an app and a book). It explains that specific developmental leaps usually happen at predictable times during a babies life, and during these periods, most babies are generally a little more “difficult.”
Enrique was very fussy and needed a lot of attention during his developmental leaps, and so far Lila has been a little easier. She’s not generally fussy or clingy (yet), but her nap schedule does get very unpredictable. Before this wonder week, she was taking three naps that lasted about two hours, and a fourth shorter nap in the evening. During the leap, her first nap was consistently two hours, but the rest of her naps were anywhere between 40 minutes and 2 hours. Not having a predictable schedule isn’t easy for someone who is type-A like me, especially during my first week back at work. There were a couple of days that Lila was a lot more tired in the early evening, and had a harder time getting through our bedtime routine.
Related Post: A Day in the Life with a 2 Month Old
Fortunately, after about 5 days, Lila was pretty much back on schedule, though I have noticed that she’s able to stay awake a little longer between naps. Naturally, this means her naps are shorter, since we wake her up to eat every three hours. One of the interesting parts of the developmental leaps are that new skills are usually learned and visible afterwards. Lila has started being able to reach for things she is interested in, grab them with her hands, and pull them towards her mouth. She does this a lot with blankets and lovies. She’s also babbling a lot more rhythmically, able to hold her head up during tummy time for about 10 minutes without issue, and can smoothly follow something with her eyes as it moves. During the leap, I tried to do some of the “games” recommended in the book to help her figure out the new skills (which can help a baby get through the fussy period a little faster).
She really liked being carried around the house like an airplane, sliding down my legs to the floor, and watching things move by us during walks in the Ergo. The third leap is where babies figure out “smooth transitions,” and those activities seemed to really hold her interest. I don’t love our schedules being thrown off, or having a fussier baby in the evening, but I do love watching her grow and learn new skills. I have to say that I am relieved to have our naps back to normal again, because I am not a fan of the short nap business. At all.
I was very happy to have a short week this week, with the Christmas holiday. I didn’t work Thursday or Friday, and had planned to get in some runs and workouts. When I woke up on Friday, though, I wasn’t feeling great. Urgent Care confirmed it was just bad allergies, but I spent most of the day napping with Lila and relaxing. By Saturday, I felt back to my usual self, and got in a stroller 10k run with Lila after opening presents bright and early, of course.
I am not loving how warm it has been down here, and I’m really looking forward to colder days next week. Christmas was very low key for the Brambila’s this year, but we did have a short visit from my dad and grandmother on Christmas Eve, and we watched plenty of Christmas movies.
My first week back from maternity leave was definitely different from most moms (I assume), but we all survived and I’m definitely enjoying a little vacation through the end of the year!
This Weeks Workouts
Total Miles: 14.28 Miles
Total Workouts: 3
How the Run Felt
Both of my weekday runs were on the treadmill again. I thought I’d have a harder time getting used to treadmill runs, since I love running outside so much. But being able to run before work has been my biggest priority. I don’t love running in the dark, and it’s been a lot more enjoyable to be able to put on some Netflix, and be close to my kids during my runs. Once the time change rolls around, and it’s getting light earlier in the morning, I’m sure I’ll be more than ready to head outside. My long run this week was with Lila on the greenway, and it felt amazing to be able to run 3 miles without a walk break. I noticed that one of the tires on the jogging stroller was getting flat about halfway through, so that wasn’t ideal. But outside of having to use a little more effort to push the stroller, the overall run felt amazing.
How the WODs Felt
I’m definitely more appreciative of what my body has been able to do lately. I’ve noticed a little less range of motion in my lifts from the floor, but outside of this, movements are feeling a lot more comfortable. My wrists are both pretty sore, and I’ve been really cautious with anything overhead. This week was the first time I did abmat situps, and I didn’t feel as sore as I expected to feel. I was super cautious and made sure I didn’t have any coning or signs of diastis. I also did handstand push-ups for the first time and did not fall on my face, which was a huge victory for me!
What I’ve Been Listening To
I’ve definitely been spending more time watching shows on Netflix and Hulu than listening to podcasts this week. I did listen to the Real Killer, Death Resulting, and Crazy in Love during my one outdoor run this week.
What Went Well
I went back to work, and no one was harmed.
What Went Shitty
Feeling like garbage on Friday was not ideal by any means.
Plans to Improve Next Week
Keep working on rebuilding my core strength and improving my posture.