I horse showed this weekend! LO is 3.5 months old.
I was only at the show for 2 hours, but ladies, it felt glorious, and even though i haven’t been riding with much frequency, I can tell you that i feel like i am at 85% of my previous capabilities.
It CAN be done, even with a very demanding infant and a hubby who doesn’t feel super confident being left with said infant for extended periods. And i only expect it to get easier:)
I horse showed this weekend! LO is 3.5 months old.
I was only at the show for 2 hours, but ladies, it felt glorious, and even though i haven’t been riding with much frequency, I can tell you that i feel like i am at 85% of my previous capabilities.
It CAN be done, even with a very demanding infant and a hubby who doesn’t feel super confident being left with said infant for extended periods. And i only expect it to get easier:)
[QUOTE=pinkpony321;8583345]
I horse showed this weekend! LO is 3.5 months old.
I was only at the show for 2 hours, but ladies, it felt glorious, and even though i haven’t been riding with much frequency, I can tell you that i feel like i am at 85% of my previous capabilities.
It CAN be done, even with a very demanding infant and a hubby who doesn’t feel super confident being left with said infant for extended periods. And i only expect it to get easier:)[/QUOTE]
This is inspiring. LO was 6 weeks last Saturday. I am riding on the weekends only right now. I got on at 4 weeks PP and, though I only had one stitch, let’s just say I got a bit nervous about a stretching feeling down there. 5 weeks was better, though I felt very out of shape cardio-wise. 6 weeks was much better. I am thinking about shows for Memorial Day and am struggling with predicting the future 
Hoping to get a day or 2 more in the saddle during the week, but of course with work and bf’ing baby, it’s tough. Plus hubby has his mom come over whenever I leave him with baby and, while I do not dislike MIL, let’s just say she does things a bit differently than I would…and LO always smells like her perfume when she leaves. I feel bad even saying that as she is nothing but nice. Maybe I am being territorial with LO? DH still gets very stressed when baby cries - I think he worries that it will never stop or something. LO is very good though, he only cries for a reason.
I’ll pass along a few things I have learned that no one told me in child care prep classes:
Pro tip: Don’t buy too many NB size diapers. We were ready to be out of them at 4 weeks, probably sooner but I kept him in them since we had so many. He was leaking from just normal amounts and with regular changes though so we made the switch after week 5. LO was 6 lb, 14 oz when born and is close to 10 lbs now (so according to the package he could still fit them, but he doesn’t). I have probably 100 NB size diapers (we got the 260-something size pack at a week and a half or so from Amazon thinking we go through so many) that I will be giving to a pregnant friend.
Pro tip 2: Go one size up for the nighttime diaper (though now that we are in size 1 daytime, we are still size 1 nighttime too, but once he starts leaking at night we will go to size 2 at night). This is hopefully so that you can get away with just feeding and putting LO back down at night without a diaper change (which means less awake time for you and wakes up LO less). A very wise nanny told me this.
Pro tip 3: Vaseline not Desitin for diaper rash. Ok, maybe if you have terrible, horrible diaper rash, Desitin, I don’t know about that though. But (no pun intended) for us, we had very minor beginner’s DR, pediatrician recommended Desitin, but said wise nanny told me that Desitin dries out the skin (it does) and gets stuck to the skin (it does). Vaseline has totally cured the beginner’s DR, and makes clean-up quicker and easier when changing a diaper. Just a fingertip’s full on the tushie and alongside the upper inner thigh.
I bought a horse when Blake was 8 weeks old. I was in the midst of post partum and it helped me battle those hefty baby blues. That said, if I had it to do over again I might not do the same. This guy is young and dumb and lime green. I’ve got him in full training and it’s all working out, but I may end up putting him back on the market as the type of intense training he needs I simply do not have time for. Plus he’s a jumper…and I’m more of a hunter Gal.
I do have time to ride, but I have to make it happen. It’s definitely more challenging than before, especially since Blake goes down at 6:30. If I want to ride after work I won’t see him, he’ll be long asleep before I ever got home. Thankfully I do have a flexible job that allows me to ride during the day, but I can’t say that would work for everyone.
forward ride - I use calendula cream instead of destin, love that stuff.
[QUOTE=pinkpony321;8583345]
I horse showed this weekend! LO is 3.5 months old.
I was only at the show for 2 hours, but ladies, it felt glorious, and even though i haven’t been riding with much frequency, I can tell you that i feel like i am at 85% of my previous capabilities.
It CAN be done, even with a very demanding infant and a hubby who doesn’t feel super confident being left with said infant for extended periods. And i only expect it to get easier:)[/QUOTE]
After your previous posts, about the mommy guilt while riding, I’m SO happy for you! I know that relief that just being at a horse show brings, so good for you! Keep us updated!
[QUOTE=Nickelodian;8591848]
I bought a horse when Blake was 8 weeks old. I was in the midst of post partum and it helped me battle those hefty baby blues. That said, if I had it to do over again I might not do the same. This guy is young and dumb and lime green. I’ve got him in full training and it’s all working out, but I may end up putting him back on the market as the type of intense training he needs I simply do not have time for. Plus he’s a jumper…and I’m more of a hunter Gal.
I do have time to ride, but I have to make it happen. It’s definitely more challenging than before, especially since Blake goes down at 6:30. If I want to ride after work I won’t see him, he’ll be long asleep before I ever got home. Thankfully I do have a flexible job that allows me to ride during the day, but I can’t say that would work for everyone.
forward ride - I use calendula cream instead of destin, love that stuff.[/QUOTE]
Do you get time on the weekends to ride at all? I don’t ride during the week as is (except Fridays, as we have half days at work), so hoping once LO is in daycare, I can ride Friday and either Sat or Sun.
Thanks for the honesty!
[QUOTE=Nickelodian;8591848]
This guy is young and dumb and lime green. [/QUOTE]
:lol::lol:
Damn girl…6:30? Is he sleeping through the night? We’ve been starting our last feeding around 8ish and he goes right down for the night after that. Then he’s up between 4 and 5 to nurse and then back down until it’s time to get ready for daycare. Usually 7:30 or 8ish.
I’ll be completely honest. I’m not riding anywhere near as much as I had planned. Of course, I also have an senior horse coming off a year of pasture rest and I have no goals except to keep her sound. I’m out at least once a week, but I don’t have much motivation to ride.
Recently, I’ve been mourning my old child free life… it’s been a hard change after 15 years with DH going and coming as we please. LO will be 6 months on Monday and there hasn’t been a day gone by where I haven’t hurt physically and mentally. It’s not that I don’t want to ride… I don’t want to do anything. With all the snow recently, DH and I did play hooky from work on Friday, dropped kiddo off at daycare and went skiing. And for a few hours, I felt like myself again.
LO is simply perfect. He’s generally a good baby, very personable and damn cute. But as for me… I’m just not “bouncing back” yet.
[QUOTE=jhg140;8592250]
After your previous posts, about the mommy guilt while riding, I’m SO happy for you! I know that relief that just being at a horse show brings, so good for you! Keep us updated![/QUOTE]
Thank you! I think I had a lightbulb moment after that post- I kinda hit “bottom.” I realized that I needed to be happy and fulfilled to be a good mother, and realized that baby boy isn’t as fragile as i was making him out to be and crying for 30 minutes once a week isn’t going to hurt him.
Drmgncolor, sorry you’re not feeling like yourself, but I’m glad you and hubby got out and went skiing. I recently read an article where a woman said she got around the same feelings by designating a night a week for her, and a separate night for her husband, to have a “free pass.” On those nights, the person was expected to leave the house and go do something not family related that brings them joy, like playing a sport or a glass of wine with friends, while the other partner held down the fort at home. She said it really helped keep her in touch with herself. Maybe you could try that occasionally? Hope you feel better soon.
[QUOTE=jhg140;8592258]
Do you get time on the weekends to ride at all? I don’t ride during the week as is (except Fridays, as we have half days at work), so hoping once LO is in daycare, I can ride Friday and either Sat or Sun.
Thanks for the honesty![/QUOTE]
I ride Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately that leaves very little time on the weekend for me and DH. I ride in the morning, he golfs in the afternoon. I only see it getting worse as BB (Baby Blake) gets older and has his own activities which will also take away from my riding time. I honestly just don’t have the kind of time I thought I would. He’s fitting in to our lives, but we’re fitting in to his as well.
Keep in mind I have a job that is 60+ hours a week, part time travel, as does DH.
[QUOTE=drmgncolor;8592987]
:lol::lol:
Damn girl…6:30? Is he sleeping through the night? We’ve been starting our last feeding around 8ish and he goes right down for the night after that. Then he’s up between 4 and 5 to nurse and then back down until it’s time to get ready for daycare. Usually 7:30 or 8ish.
I’ll be completely honest. I’m not riding anywhere near as much as I had planned. Of course, I also have an senior horse coming off a year of pasture rest and I have no goals except to keep her sound. I’m out at least once a week, but I don’t have much motivation to ride.
Recently, I’ve been mourning my old child free life… it’s been a hard change after 15 years with DH going and coming as we please. LO will be 6 months on Monday and there hasn’t been a day gone by where I haven’t hurt physically and mentally. It’s not that I don’t want to ride… I don’t want to do anything. With all the snow recently, DH and I did play hooky from work on Friday, dropped kiddo off at daycare and went skiing. And for a few hours, I felt like myself again.
LO is simply perfect. He’s generally a good baby, very personable and damn cute. But as for me… I’m just not “bouncing back” yet.[/QUOTE]
DIIIIITTTTOOOO. I’ll text you.
I was reading a blog about women wanting to have it all. A career, children, hobbies. This person said, you can have it all, but all will suffer. It’s hard.
Starting a few days ago I am trying to push BB bed time to 7pm to give me an extra 30 minutes with him when I get home. We have a super good routine down, but starting solids is just one more thing in the day that I have to bake in time for.
And yes, he goes down at 7 and sleeps until I wake him up. He’ll fuss sometimes when we put him down, but once he’s out he’s typically out out.
Definitely going to look in to the Ingrid and Isabel products. I’m not showing much yet either, although over the weekend I tried to put on some summer t-shirts from last summer and no way did they fit. 
I can’t wear the belly band with my work clothes (military uniform, I’m pretty sure I’d get yelled at) but with everything else I could. I too find my jeans that previously fit are seriously uncomfortable to wear. Thanks for the tips!
[QUOTE=jhg140;8583319]
I also ordered the Bella Band, direct from Ingrid & Isabel. I’ve used it on both jeans and work pants, and been impressed. While I don’t have a bump, per say, I’m just bloated all around my midsection right now and buttoning my pants is freaking uncomfortable.
I also highly recommend the sleeping bralettes from the company - nice and if you want to give your sports bras a break for around the house :)[/QUOTE]
Thank you for the tips! Definitely going to check out the Ingrid and Isabel products. I’m not showing much yet either and the thought of maternity clothes makes me cringe but over the weekend I tried to put on some summer t-shirts from last year and they so did not fit. I could wear the bellyband with my regular clothes but not work clothes.(military uniform and I’m pretty sure I’d get yelled at) But I’m like you most of my jeans are becoming seriously uncomfortable to button. Thanks again!
Hi all! I wanted to jump in on this thread even though I am an eventer. I have a 16 week old baby girl and trying to figure out how to juggle motherhood, my career, commuting and riding! Unfortunately most of my maternity leave was over the winter and Roxie was down in Florida once I got the all clear. I have been able to ride a few times but struggling to be more consistent.
Also, anyone breastfeeding? How do you show and breast feed? Do you pump?
And any nursing sports bras you can recommend! I used to have a sports bra with a zipper that I loved but can’t find that kind any more. Even though not a nursing one still would be easy to work around.
[QUOTE=PiedPiper;8597038]
Hi all! I wanted to jump in on this thread even though I am an eventer. I have a 16 week old baby girl and trying to figure out how to juggle motherhood, my career, commuting and riding! Unfortunately most of my maternity leave was over the winter and Roxie was down in Florida once I got the all clear. I have been able to ride a few times but struggling to be more consistent.
Also, anyone breastfeeding? How do you show and breast feed? Do you pump?
And any nursing sports bras you can recommend! I used to have a sports bra with a zipper that I loved but can’t find that kind any more. Even though not a nursing one still would be easy to work around.[/QUOTE]
I exclusively pump so my pump goes everywhere- even horse shows! I try to find a nice quiet place out of the way and pump in between classes, and have a cooler that I keep the milk in. It’s one more thing to juggle but hasn’t been that bad.
[QUOTE=Cameraine;8596868]
Thank you for the tips! Definitely going to check out the Ingrid and Isabel products. I’m not showing much yet either and the thought of maternity clothes makes me cringe but over the weekend I tried to put on some summer t-shirts from last year and they so did not fit. I could wear the bellyband with my regular clothes but not work clothes.(military uniform and I’m pretty sure I’d get yelled at) But I’m like you most of my jeans are becoming seriously uncomfortable to button. Thanks again![/QUOTE]
Check out Breastfeeding In Combat Boots, they have a facebook page and Instagram and have great ideas for military moms.
[QUOTE=PiedPiper;8597038]
And any nursing sports bras you can recommend! I used to have a sports bra with a zipper that I loved but can’t find that kind any more. Even though not a nursing one still would be easy to work around.[/QUOTE]
I bought a Cake Nursing Sports Bra and really like it. If it still fits after weaning, I will certainly keep wearing it. It’s not cheap, but it was worth it for me. I’ve worn it skiing, riding and running.
[QUOTE=PiedPiper;8597038]
Hi all! I wanted to jump in on this thread even though I am an eventer. I have a 16 week old baby girl and trying to figure out how to juggle motherhood, my career, commuting and riding! Unfortunately most of my maternity leave was over the winter and Roxie was down in Florida once I got the all clear. I have been able to ride a few times but struggling to be more consistent.
Also, anyone breastfeeding? How do you show and breast feed? Do you pump?
And any nursing sports bras you can recommend! I used to have a sports bra with a zipper that I loved but can’t find that kind any more. Even though not a nursing one still would be easy to work around.[/QUOTE]
I have not shown yet, but I work 60+ hours, and travel for work. I pump when I’m away from BB.
I have this bra:
http://www.zappos.com/moving-comfort-juno-bra-black
There is velcro closures at the top to drop for BF if you want…but mostly it’s the most amazing sports bra ever ever ever. Encapsulation instead of compression. It’s a little hard to get in and out of but once you’re in the girls are not going anywhere. I got mine from REI locally so I could try on (they run small).
Hi All! I figured I would check back in with you all.
Congrats to all the newly pregnant!!!
My little guy is 7 weeks old this week. I can’t believe how the time has just passed by and I go back to work on Monday.
I too am struggling with riding like others. First, I thought I would have more time to ride, this is my first baby and I really had no idea how time consuming a newborn is. I struggled really badly in the beginning, but things have really turned around now. What I wasn’t expecting is that I actually have no desire to ride at all. I expect that to get even worse as I go back to work. Right now I am spending everyday all day with my little man and I am going to miss him dearly when I go back to work and he is in daycare. The last thing I am going to want to do after work is take more time away from my little man to ride.
I am getting out to the barn once a week and I groom my guy. I do enjoy seeing him and spending an hour or so with him, but by the time I am leaving I am itching to get home. My horse is coming off of a suspensory injury and the thought of rehabbing him is just daunting and honestly I am a mommy and cant get hurt rehabbing a horse. Before I wouldn’t have even thought about that and just jumped on him. He is cleared to start rehabbing. There is a collage girl that is braver than I coming home this summer in May that is going to take him on to rehab. Fingers crossed it works out and things will get better and I’ll find more time to ride. I should also add that I am basically a single parent Monday through Friday. DH works a very time consuming job (out of the house usually around 14 hours a day) that does require some travel as well.
In the beginning I really missed my child free life, still do at times. I also struggled from raging hormones. The struggle is real… I noticed as soon as I stopped breastfeeding and getting a little more sleep then a hour at a time things got better.
Shes pure gold - how are you doing?
[QUOTE=Nickelodian;8596230]
DIIIIITTTTOOOO. I’ll text you.
I was reading a blog about women wanting to have it all. A career, children, hobbies. This person said, you can have it all, but all will suffer. It’s hard.
Starting a few days ago I am trying to push BB bed time to 7pm to give me an extra 30 minutes with him when I get home. We have a super good routine down, but starting solids is just one more thing in the day that I have to bake in time for.
And yes, he goes down at 7 and sleeps until I wake him up. He’ll fuss sometimes when we put him down, but once he’s out he’s typically out out.[/QUOTE]
What blog? would love to read.
I found this blog, http://www.firsttimemomanddad.com/, and it really helped me. I read the entire first year of April and Olly’s life and it made me feel so much better when I was struggling… Hope it can help one of you like it did for me…
