I thought I knew what unconditional love was, but it wasn’t until 1 p.m. on January 9, 2017, that I truly learned its meaning. It has been eight days since Baby rUnladylike joined the world – eight of the greatest days of my life.

Like any new mom, the past week has been a time of transformation – emotionally, mentally and of course, physically. runladylike.com has always been a place to share the real and raw experiences related to running, fitness, body image and the collective journey to health. So, naturally, I’ll be sharing with you the road to my running comeback and running after pregnancy, including how my physical strength and endurance will {hopefully} return in the coming months.

I have no idea how much I weigh today, nor do I care. I gained a total of 29 pounds during pregnancy. After delivery, I looked about 25 weeks pregnant, but with each passing day, I can see my body adjusting and transforming back to it’s happy place. I think being incredibly active during my pregnancy has proven to be extremely helpful, both from the standpoint of delivery and postpartum recovery. I’ve been breastfeeding eight times per day and my doctor recommended taking a daily walk of no more than a half of a mile very slowly with the stroller. It has felt good to get out in the fresh air and walk a bit.

Here’s what my transformation looks like so far.

I always imagined I would be the type of person jonesing to run as soon as I possibly could after having my baby, but I feel the complete opposite. I’m likely going to wait five to six weeks before I start running after pregnancy. While I feel good considering what my body has gone through, my long-term goal is to be healthy, strong and injury-free, for both myself and my family. Running will always be there for us when we’re ready, and it will be waiting for me when that time comes. My doctor says I can begin doing more easy walking, the elliptical and some light weight training three weeks postpartum if I’m feeling well, and then they will assess my ability to run and cycle (dear God the thought of cycling makes me cringe!) around six weeks postpartum. While I’m excited to get back to running, I’m simply enjoying the moments and this special time. I’ll also be selecting my fall goal race in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for more on that!

In the meantime, you can find me walking slow half miles each day …

Thanks for all of your well wishes, kind and supportive thoughts and encouragement. I’m looking forward to seeing where the weeks ahead take me.

If you have returned to running after pregnancy, tell me about your experience.