GTKY: Old self, new self!

Puddles03

For those FTM's what is something you do pre-baby that means a lot to you that you would like to continue doing after baby arrives? Could be something just for you or something you do together.

STM's what is something you did pre-baby that you continued afterward? Or maybe something you wished you continued and would like to start doing again or have plans to do?

trucksntutus

My old self likes to drink alcohol. Tequila and I are very good friends. I fondly remember indulging in a delicious strawberry margarita the night I got pregnant.

Obviously not something I plan on continuing while pregnant or heavily thereafter with a new little bundle of joy, but I do miss going out for a drink or two.

New self can't have any drinks.

pourmeanothermocktail

FTM: I hope to keep running & riding horses.

xc1148

STM- cooking and traveling. Somehow we have kept up our traveling more than our cooking! We can find time to cook it just takes planning ahead, and I tend to be spontaneous during the week. I am also trying to squeeze in one last big trip while my baby is under 2.

stillcozy

FTM- working out I want to do it with my baby I have seen some great ways to do it at home and I want to continue to keep getting healthy and hitting my goal weight throughout pregnancy and after.

Taymiller

I love cooking and hiking. I still do both but the cooking is a little harder having a grabby toddler trying to help. Hiking is easy, just put him in the backpack and go!

Also love traveling and we have done quite a bit of that with my son. He had been to 13 states by the time he was one. I think traveling is going to be difficult with two.

PinkLady2015

Working out... It's important to me to stay active, healthy and fit. I'm used to working out 4-5 times a week for an hour. I have no idea how I'm going to keep that up once the baby comes. I know I'll feel guilty/too tired/not motivated leaving DH and baby once he's home from work to go to my workout studio. Not sure I could squeeze it in first thing in the morning (like 5/6 am class). I've looked into other gyms that offer child care and that may be an option but I really love my studios classes (yoga, trx, Pilates, boot camp, spin). It will be absolutely too hot to walk baby for atleast 3 months after baby is born bc Vegas doesn't cool down til October. Our workout room will be the babies nursery so my only thought right now is to convert an area of the garage into a workout spot and bring the baby monitor with me. Looking into some of the beach body videos like PiYo (I've got Chalean extreme, all the p90's, insanity, asylum, T25, and les mills body pump so it could work).

DominiqueU

FTM - DH and I like to travel, so I'm hoping we can continue doing that. I know it'll be a little while before we can really take off somewhere, but I want my child to experience the world.

Also, sleep. My old self loves to sleep and I'm hoping to continue that as a mother. Something tells me I'll have better luck with the traveling.

elldel

FTM here. I'm with @hallgire in missing the alcohol, particularly wine. A bottle or two helped this little one be conceived, after all!  

On a more serious note, writing. I journaled daily and often turned them into blogs or short stories that I'd publish to try and get my name out there. These days, I can't even manage to write in my pregnancy journal regularly, but I'd like to get back to doing that too!

thebigoaktree

Oh the wine! I miss the wine bad, also the mojitos. Also, going to miss cycling until I can get back up on there again.
Once the babe is here I know the DH and I still want to travel, more than likely stick to the us.

megstervt

FTM: dinner out with DH. It makes me feel loved and appreciated and while I know it probably won't be weekly like it is now I want to make sure it happens at least monthly. We are lucky to have family and trusted friends near by so I think getting a sitter won't be too hard.

mckcak23

I have monthly girl nights with an amazing group of women. We all bonded over our careers in a male driven profession. We support one another with the a little gossip and a lot of drinking mixed in. In all honesty I plan to bring the baby with.

AAAG13

Two things I will continue to do once baby comes are cookouts and cuddling. I love to relax with DH and veg out on some tv and I think that will be doable especially at nap time. I love summer and cook outs with friends. Luckily all of our friends have young kids, or older kids that love babies so we won't be missing out there much. I am interested as to who we keep in touch with once baby is here. We are the couple that goes to everyone else's houses because we are kid free. We will see how many come to us once LO is here and traveling (especially at night) won't be as easy for us as it once was.

MamaBish

I would like to continue our camping trips to the ocean. Normally, we camp at a camping resort (no, not real Camping) but we will probably have to give up camping for a couple years. Hopefully we can at least get a hotel so we can still go. Prob not this year though

sboston06

I loved to run until I got burnt out from running too much. I slacked off all summer and then went on vacation where I didn't run at all. By the time my BFP came around, I wasn't running at all so I just kind of let it go. I am actually looking forward to getting some energy back so I can run/walk a bit on the treadmill, and then get back into it seriously post-birth.

Weville

My husband and I want to continue going to sporting events and travelling. Going to NHL games in Toronto will be a little pricey for the baby but we also have an AHL team here so the season opener will be the baby's first hockey game. We normally do a road trip and a resort vacation every year, I would like to be able to continue that

LinzerBinzer

I've played the piano my whole life and play nearly everyday. It calms and centers me in a way nothing else ever has. Hopefully I can play for the baby and share my love of music.

Jmcc9713

I have two things that I really hope to continue. I'd really like to continue to work out (helpful that both my gums have childcare!). Also, I get a mani/pedi every two weeks and it's just a wonderful quick hour of me time. I'd really like to continue to do that.

mrsmommya

STM: We started family trips when my dd was turning 1. We have been to the beach (10 hr drive) every summer for 3 yrs. We hope to continue with 2 children. Will probably plan one summer 2017.

jlmartinez517

I'm a FTM. Before moving across the state, new job, buying a house, remodeling said house, getting a puppy, and getting pregnant, my old self loved Bikram yoga and going to the gym 5-6 days a week. I've slacked on both for about two+ years and have gained a lot of weight. I'd like to be active again and lose all of my post and pre-baby weight gain and be able to show my child how to live a healthy and active lifestyle.

I also can't wait to drink wine again! All of my girlfriends are winos and after a long day of teaching first grade, a glass of wine is the perfect nerve-relaxer. Granted I know I will be indulging a lot less than before baby, but I look forward to having a glass here and there again come July!

Racso12

FTM: I do a lot of running and this past year I did my first ultras (50k and 50M). It was awesome. I'm hoping to get back into it after baby. I also was road bike shopping prior to getting pregnant with hopes of getting into triathlons. That obviously has been postponed. Maybe in 2017!

kayham12

@hallgire I also love the tequila. I will say that I didn't really get to enjoy very much in the 9 months I wasn't pregnant between my two. But I will for sure get some after baby is born.

One thing I did a lot that I haven't been able to do, largely because of the extra responsibilities that got dumped on me at work right after I came back from maternity leave, is sew. I have made a couple of things for DD1 and I made an awesome quiet book for my nephew. But I just don't have the energy to make anything right now.

ncm1919

I'm a FTM and I have a 5-6x a week Bar Method habit. I have been doing it for four years. I find the rhythm of the exercise to be almost like meditation. And it's one hell of a workout. I committed to 100 classes in 5 months and I'm 13 classes away from my goal.

Besides being pricey, it is a bit of a drive from my house. It seems really self indulgent to leave my husband or family with a baby for almost two hours every day. I can go to the 6a class no problem but that still means that most likely little bits will wake up and need tending to at that time.

It's my only hobby and I love it. It's also a great workout and would be a great way to get back in shape. If I tell my husband how important it is, I'm sure we can work it out

born2run911

STM--I was able to continue working out and running, and hope to be able to do so with two. We also were able to continue travelling, this wee one has been to the US to I believe 10 states, Jamaica, PEI/across Canada and to Central America. She has been an awesome little traveller so far!

rakel88

Exercise and wine.
Exercise will be easy, as I work as a PT and group ex instructor at a gym with childcare (free for employees). It's been a massive part of my life for years so I would probably go insane without it.
My husband and I are big wine lovers, and got into it in the last year as a hobby. We love going to our local wine bars to try new wines and learn about them and the regions and stuff. It's very common to see couples with their babies at these places where we live, so I don't think it'll be difficult to get back to that.

jenkeale

STM - I don't get to yoga as often as I did pre baby, but I was able to stay in shape and get workouts in. It was difficult for me to get to the yoga studio and DD didn't like the childcare at the gym, so I think I'll rely on home workouts and hiking with the kids.

We still travel, but not as much as I'd like. That's mostly bc I'm a SAHM now, so more of a financial decision than anything else.

xc1148

DominiqueU said:

FTM - DH and I like to travel, so I'm hoping we can continue doing that. I know it'll be a little while before we can really take off somewhere, but I want my child to experience the world. Also, sleep. My old self loves to sleep and I'm hoping to continue that as a mother. Something tells me I'll have better luck with the traveling.

My advice---just GO. There are always a million reasons not to, and people will be like "you're going where it's the baby??" But just book a trip and do it. Our first flight was 9 hours with our baby lol...I won't lie I panicked 2 days before we were leaving but it was easy, fun and so memorable. Plus, baby passports are the cutest!! 

PhoebeJune1984

STM's what is something you did pre-baby that you continued afterward? Or maybe something you wished you continued and would like to start doing again or have plans to do?

We always said that when we had a baby, the baby would be a part of our life and life schedule....not the other way around. And so far (our DD is now four), we have held up to that "rule". We still make sure that we take our yearly couples vacation, and also a few nights away for special events throughout the year (like spending the night at a hotel after a wedding, sans daughter). We still make sure that we also take time to travel, camp, etc as a family. When out doing things with friends, we don't race home because of DD's bedtime.....if she is happy, then we stay (and if she is miserable or acting exhausted, then we go). I will never forget the summer that our friends had a huge BBQ, and everyone with kids pretty much vanished by 6:30pm. We were like "Where did everyone go?" They all left because their kids went to bed at 7/7:30pm. We were there until 11pm, while DD played like crazy with the hosts kids, and we got to spend time with our friends that didn't leave, and have adult time. Even at a early age, she always went with the flow when it came to everything, and I have a feeling that it had a lot to do with the fact that we never had her on a schedule....she ate when she was hungry, she slept when she was tired (no matter where we were....we never raced home for nap time), and it was awesome (compared to my nanny kids that were on a strict schedule). 

Our plan is to do the same with this one, although with my luck, this one will be the opposite and will hate to go with the flow....

DobbysSock

@DominiqueU you never know! DD was sleeping 5 hour stretches by a few months old (doesn't sound like much but I promise the first time your LO sleeps more than 2-3 hours will feel like heaven). Then by 6 months she was sleeping 12 hours a night every night. Maybe you'll be lucky and get a good sleeper!

@mckcak23 for the first little while at least it's super easy to bring the baby anywhere. New babies mostly just sleep. Once they're mobile it'll get harder but for the first few months you could totally bring your LO to girls nights. I used to bring DD to restaurants all the time and she just slept through my visits.

@MamaBish we took DD camping (in a motor home) when she was 6 months old and it was great! If your camping is in a camper/motor home or a cabin you could absolutely bring a baby! I have friends who went tenting with a baby but that's not my style

crixiegirl

FTM (but have two SD's part time) I'm an avid gym goer (weight lifter) and since ms started I haven't been able to do anything since it lasts all day. I used to go 5-6xs a week and sometimes twice a day...I know that won't happen, but I would like to get back to at least 3-4 days a week.

Also, traveling.. Before this LO I would spend most summers and holiday's out of the country or on the east coast with family. I'm a teacher so I have the time off and do it on a budget so I'm not sure how to maintain that with a little one plus 3.
Someone said mojitos...I'm not big on drinking, but when I do they are the only things I do drink!

PhoebeJune1984

MamaBish said:

I would like to continue our camping trips to the ocean. Normally, we camp at a camping resort (no, not real Camping) but we will probably have to give up camping for a couple years. Hopefully we can at least get a hotel so we can still go. Prob not this year though

You can totally do it! The first time we took DD camping, she was 7 months (but she was born in the fall, it would have been sooner if she was born in the winter/spring). It was Memorial Day weekend in the PNW, and we tent camped. It rained the whole time. It sucked, but we weren't extremely miserable. We spent our time playing and snuggling with her in the tent. We spent the rest of the summer camping on the other side of the mountain range, where we didn't have to deal with the rain....HAHA! I think that I stressed out about the "what ifs" more than I should have, and it made me not want to go. Husband pushed me to go, and I am glad that he did. And even after 4 summers of camping, I still overpack when it comes to stuff for her. You would think I would have learned that part by now!

DobbysSock

Before I had DD I was a huge reader. If I got into a REALLY good book I could literally read for hours. A whole day sometimes. I read the last Harry Potter book in 3 days - I didn't leave the house. I get so much joy and relaxation from reading. My first year with DD I hardly read books for pleasure. The only reason I read any at all was that I was breastfeeding and had books loaded onto my cell phone (she hated when I held a real book while I fed her).

Around DD's 1st birthday I started a 52 book reading challenge (this one: https://www.popsugar.com/love/Reading-Challenge-2015-36071458?crlt.pid=camp.RTlcdYOWNcmE). It's now almost her 2nd birthday (one year into the challenge) and I'm only on my 5th book. I did WORSE this year than I did last year! So frustrating. My goal is to start reading a chapter or two before going to sleep like I used to. I think I will sleep better, too, as right now my habit is to play candy crush on my phone, which I know is bad for sleep due to the light of the screen.

Also, wine.

noelietrex

FTM- Exercise, wine, and travel! All shall continue/resume after baby arrives! We are planning some trips as the moment. Very excited!!

Taymiller

DominiqueU said:

FTM - DH and I like to travel, so I'm hoping we can continue doing that. I know it'll be a little while before we can really take off somewhere, but I want my child to experience the world.

Also, sleep. My old self loves to sleep and I'm hoping to continue that as a mother. Something tells me I'll have better luck with the traveling.

I love sleep too and it turns out so does my son! Don't give up it could happen. Mine was sleeping through the night at a month old and naps like a champ. I always say it is because I love sleep so he loves sleep. However I am scared for number 2, please like sleep baby

matryoshkadoll

STM. We still travel a lot. We take more road trips than plane trips than we might otherwise because of cost, but there is a lot around us within driving distance (CA).

We love hiking. We live around trails so we do a different hike each week once the snow melts. I will probably only be able to go with DH this year since all three will need to be carried on longer hikes. I've done an ergo on front and hiking backpack on back, but I wouldn't be able to do that and also handle a 3yo.

I hope we can camp with this one more. With my first we tent camped a bunch of times and it was awesome. When my second was born we had 2u2 and I think we've only been once.

jlgriff11

Ftm.

I love to vacation. My husband and I vacation every year to Florida and Disney World and I want to continue that tradition as soon as possible. We won't be able to go in 2016, but even though everyone thinks I'm insane, Im planning a trip already for Oct. 2017.

Another thing I hope I dont lose is how much I read. I'm a big reader and am afraid I'll simply just not have any time or desire with twin infants. Here's hoping I find the time somewhere.

Puddles03

Sorry to post and run... Stupid phone app keeps kicking me off. As a STM now I use to have a love of reading and would read all the time. I wish I could say that I kept it up but I haven't been able to. I hope to get back to it some day. We have been able to travel abroad no issues and we tent camped with DD last summer. It was fun! I hope to camp super pregnant this time before #2 comes and then again next summer with two.

Nikko Blue

Taymiller said:

FTM - DH and I like to travel, so I'm hoping we can continue doing that. I know it'll be a little while before we can really take off somewhere, but I want my child to experience the world. Also, sleep. My old self loves to sleep and I'm hoping to continue that as a mother. Something tells me I'll have better luck with the traveling.

I love sleep too and it turns out so does my son! Don't give up it could happen. Mine was sleeping through the night at a month old and naps like a champ. I always say it is because I love sleep so he loves sleep. However I am scared for number 2, please like sleep baby

This is me too! My son is 3 and still will take 2-3 hour naps. I am hoping this baby likes to sleep too!

I think whether or not you can continue your current activities depends a lot on your baby's temperament. It was extremely hard to leave the house with my son after he was a few months old. He simply would not sleep anywhere other than his crib and was so fussy/demanding about eating. It was just easier to stay home sometimes. Once he was out of the baby stage it was easier to bring him places. I am hoping baby #2 is much more easy-going.