Imagine shaving your legs, enjoying a nice hot shower, doing your hair and makeup, and getting ready in PEACE. No interruption or anxiety that your baby (or in my case, babies) will wake or need you.
At 6 months postpartum, this was something I thought would never happen again.
When my twins turned 6 months old I finally realized that there had been zero self-care happening. Something had to change.
My postpartum depression had reached an all-time high and I needed a solution. I finally reached out to my doctor for the help I needed. He helped me come up with a plan that would get me feeling better and taking time for myself.
This seemed like a heavy and impossible task. He knew I had 2 infants, postpartum depression and anxiety and no idea what I was doing, right?
Day in and day out I had been rushing to the needs of my two infants who had the same but very different needs. There wasn’t a lot of sleep happening yet and I felt lost and defeated.
Find a Gym with Child Care
I found a local gym with child care. This allowed me 2 full hours DAILY to work on me.
The first day I dropped the twins off in the childcare center was also the first day I got to shave my legs and shower without the anxiety of something happening to my babies. It felt so good.
It didn’t take long before I was feeling like myself again. I was working out and working on myself 3-4 days a week and the babies seemed so content and cared for! Now, 3 years later I have been reflecting on how much of an impact my gym membership has made on our family.
Why We Love the Gym
My twins now attend classes and preschool at the gym and it has become a routine that has literally changed our lives and helped me through motherhood.
When people ask me how I do it all with twins, my gym experience is one of the first I mention. I don’t do it all, I asked for help.
Any day I am feeling off and my toddlers are sick of listening to mom, we take off for a few good hours of gym time. I can work off my frustrations in a fitness class, yoga, or just walk for an hour on the treadmill. Some days, I just sit in the hot tub, steam room, or by the pool in the summer! Me time feels GOOD.
I don’t feel guilty because the twins have a great time and burn off their energy in the kids area. They always have a positive experience and are sure to be tired and ready for a nap by the time we get home!
I am so grateful for this release and opportunity to fill my cup back up and socialize my stay-at-home toddlers.
The first thing I recommend to a struggling, isolated mama is to treat yourself to a gym membership. I even work from the cafe on my at home business while my kids are cared for and building their social skills. Our membership has more than paid for itself.
If you feel like you just can’t get any time to yourself or you are feeling a little lost and overwhelmed in motherhood, I highly encourage you to get a gym membership.
Des Moines Gyms with Childcare
Do you belong to a gym?
