Good news. I spoke to the doctor about having a hysterectomy and he no longer thinks its necessary. He explained that I will need to come in for an annual pap and colposcopy but as long as HPV testing results are negative I no longer need to contemplate this. Such a huge relief.

I have also been to see the pelvic floor physiotherapist and have added a number of different types of kegals into my exercise routine. Yes, there is more ways then one to do a kegal!!! Who knew!?!? It was explained to me that in France it is mandatory to have pelvic floor physiotherapy prior to leaving the hospital after having a baby. So, if you have had a baby get squeezing and strengthening those muscles. If you don't know how to strengthen those muscles here is what I was told:

Imagine drawing in a marble (with your rectum)
Imagine drawing in a raisin (with your urethra)
Imagine drawing in a ping pong ball (with your vagina)

Hold each contraction for 10 seconds and repeating 5 times.

You really do need a quiet space to focus on doing these exercises as its hard to do them without visualizing. You might feel silly but apparently its quite important and 1 in 3 women suffer from incontinence issues due to a weak pelvic floor. Try it out and let me know how you are doing!

I have been told not to doing any jumping exercises or heavy lifting (over 10 lbs - like that's going to happen I have 3 kids!). I have modified my exercise to accommodate this though. At first I felt set back because my workouts wouldn't be as intense but this weeks workout videos showed me that even with modifications you can still work hard. I did a 30 minute kettle bell workout (I didn't have a kettle bell so I used a 10 lbs dumbbell) and my muscles thanked me for 3-4 days. It was so intense and I LOVED it. So if you have an injury or need to build your strength and muscle before going hard then don't feel setback by taking modifications because you are still moving and that's what matters!

This week I made a healthy Sheppard's pie that turned out pretty good!

Sauté onions, carrots, celery, peas, corn, 2 garlic cloves and whatever other veggies you want. Soak cashews in water for at least half an hour and blend them in the blender with the water and add to your sautéed veggies (you can add ground beef/turkey/chicken). This will be the base of the Sheppard's pie. Sprinkle a bunch nutritional yeast onto the mixture once its in a casserole dish (this will add a cheesy flavour) and add boiled smashed cauliflower to the top and bake in the oven. Flavour with whatever spices you want and have it with braggs or Dijon mustard and YUM!

Time to post about the details of my 6 week check up. Typically 6 weeks after your baby is born to see your doctor to talk birth control and get a pap to make sure all is good. As some of you know, after Hope was born I went to my 6 week check up and my pap results showed irregular cells. Long story short that was the start of many colposcopy/biopsy's and then a leap procedure where the doctor removed part of my cervix because I did in fact have cancer. Hard word to hear! Anyways, I have had many tests since then that have been cancer free but it doesn't make getting a pap any more calming. As a precaution, without the results of the pap the doctor is sending me for another colposcopy/biopsy to make sure there are no cancerous cells. Apparently the cancer I had is harder to detect and has a higher probability of returning (3% which is thought was low but guess its higher then other types of HPV) which is why after removing part of my cervix the doctor said that when I am done having babies I should have a hysterectomy. So, of course at my appointment he asked if I am having any more babies. Fact of the matter is we said we would be done at 3 but I am still not ready to make that decision. I am not sure if its because I am on the fence about having another baby or because I am not sure that a hysterectomy is something I want done. It's a huge decision. I told the doctor this and he agreed that a hysterectomy might be a bit extreme and that when I am ready that he will send me for a second opinion with a top HPV doctor in Toronto. That's great and I was happy to hear that but I have no idea when I will be ready to make that final decision. I absolutely love being a Mom. I wish I could be a stay at home Mom and have more babies but reality tells me that shift work sucks and having someone else take care of your children is hard to find, coordinate and costly. I have been lucky to have two great friends help me with daycare but who knows if they will always want to do that. I need to think long term not just right now and I really am not ready to decide. How did you know that you were done? Did you decide or did your spouse? Were you on the fence before you decided?

We also discussed how gravity is a bitch and that I do in fact have a prolapse bladder. He says its minor so no surgery is required. Instead I have to go to a pelvic floor physiotherapist. So freaking awkward. I get to do kegal exercises while a physiotherapist does an internal to make sure I am in fact squeezing the right muscles. The good news is that I can exercise regularly and he says I can do my jumping exercises because even though it feels like its going to fall out sometimes apparently it won't. Also, this is very common and if you have coverage he says its a good idea for anyone to attend. So, my focus will not only be completing my 3 exercise video's but also exercising my pelvic floor. Yahoo!

Now that I have the stamp of approval to workout and its a new month its NO EXCUSES time! It's time to get my ass in gear and get prepping and get moving. I am loving everything pumpkin right now. Since its fall I am adding pumpkin puree to everything! (not pumpkin pie filling...pure pumpkin puree) I have pumpkin spice coffee, pumpkin protein balls and I even made a chicken and bacon pumpkin baked casserole. SO yummy!!!! What prep have you done? Do you have any recipes you want to share?

The doctor didn't weigh me as I thought so I still have no idea what my weight is. I will weigh myself at my Mom's and post and also give you some measurements. With that said my goal is not weight loss its just healthy and clean eating along with staying active and gaining muscle.