Since it is Humpday, I thought I would share a little story about getting over the ‘Hump’ of my postpartum struggles.

Uintah was born smack dab in the middle of summer heat – at the time I think it was 100 degrees in Utah, and nearly 115 in Phoenix.  I could barely walk around our block from complications post labor, and pretty much stayed inside for the first month, with a few evening patio sessions to remind myself that the air did move outside.

When I first started getting back into some sort of activity, he was nearly 6 weeks old.  I didn’t have the strength to even wrap and carry him, so I would revert to pushing him in the stroller early mornings before the sun started beating down on us and we needed to go back in (by 9 am we were cooking at about 95degrees).  I don’t know how any child survives in the summer sun of Arizona.  But that is another soapbox.  Although I wanted desperately to be the new momma pushing her baby in the three wheel stroller, jogging myself back to health, my body would not allow even a short walk around the block, so I just gave into acceptance of where I was, and enjoyed the simple things.  I started to view the world like a newborn baby does: in awe with all the shimmering lights, dangling foliage, and irresistible urge to touch every thing and put it in my mouth (well I guess not the putting things into my mouth).  I was able to take life slowly and be in sync with my cuddly, snuggly little baby.

Hiking came much much later, despite the proximity of less than a few blocks from the house to an entrance to South Mountain, he was around 3 months before we could enjoy regular evening strolls through my favorite playground.  By that time, he was very comfortable with the Moby wrap and oftentimes fell asleep while we were exploring, the flat lands that is.  My uphill battle with strength didn’t allow for much incline until he was well past one year old.  I realized that this was the time for me to ease back into my health, bit by bit as he was developing his own strength to soon enough conquer the mountain.  Eventually I got over this hump that seemed to slow down my stride for over a year postpartum, and although I’m still not anticipating running the trails at this moment,  I’m okay with just being able to take life slowly, and stop to smell the Creosote with my little guy as he wanders life beside me.