Extra weight

For a while now, I've been lugging around some extra weight. And slowly paid the price. During late pregnancy, my pelvis suffered. Two months postpartum, my back is back to its old tricks. It's on the verge of a serious muscle spasm. Actually, it probably is spasming - I'm just in denial. 


I blame the extra weight. My own, and that of baby-boy. As he packs on the pounds, my back is packing in. On top of the 15 or so extra pounds I'm carrying (mostly on the front, as I did in pregnancy but somewhat more top heavy), it makes for a bad combination for my back.


I foresaw this, of course. I know my own body, and I know that sporting size G cups has to be  troublesome for someone who's normally a B. What I failed to realize is how beaten up the rest of my body would be. Sure, I no longer have troubles such as PUPPP or swollen hands and feet (though I still can't wear my wedding ring yet). But everything else still seems to be out of whack. My physiotherapist made this clear last week when she moved some things around in my hips, back and neck. 


In anticipation of needing to build my strength, postpartum, I joined a mommy-and-stroller exercise course. Twice a week, I train my cardio and my French. Well, Quebecois anyhow. The cardio is awful - I've always hated it. The French is less awful. Still, I persist in spite of subfreezing temperatures and miserable weather (and baby-boy happily puts up with it from his cocooned stroller) for the sake of getting back into shape. 


Even so, my weight (loss) has plateaued and my body still sports the post-pregnancy belly. The key to this, I'm told, is internal abdominal strengthening exercises. I know that my core is getting stronger what with plank and kegel exercises up to my ears. But of course, my back had to protest at all this muscular activity at some point.


So I spent most of last night awake, not because of the baby but because of my back. And that truly sucks. At least with the baby, I can rationalize the need to spend time awake feeding. With my back, I've lost all patience. It's been a recurring problem since my teens and no amount of physiotherapy/osteopathy, chiropractic or exercise seems to help prevent the back spasms. And for the moment, I can hardly turn to the semi-blissful state induced by muscle relaxants. 


In my desperation, I'm trying every trick in the book: cold compresses, hot compresses, ibuprofen, and tomorrow, a long massage.


Gawd, I hope I sleep tonight ...