[jdb099]

My husband and I welcomed a new member of the family in late July, and now I'm ready to start training and climbing again.

Anyone have experience with returning to climbing after having a baby? Any notes?

Thanks!

[Wood FT]

Katherine Sellars writes about this topic on her blog sometimes I think if you want to have a look through it

http://www.lovetoclimb.co.uk/rock_climbing_blog

[lagerstarfish]

possibly some relevant stuff here

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,13237.0.html

[rich d]

My husband and I welcomed a new member of the family in late July, and now I'm ready to start training and climbing again.

Anyone have experience with returning to climbing after having a baby? Any notes?

Thanks!

I find since the kids (6 and 4) that I'm constantly returning to climbing. I find it tough to juggle work and family life and climbing. It's often just snatching the odd hour here or there, having close rock and wall help s does the chance to train at home- but probably feels all the more special and precious for it. Of course then they get a bit older and you can do cool stuff together. https://twitter.com/richardsdickens/status/369946090646147072
And they don't know how much of a punter their dad actually is (yet!).

Congrats and good luck

[Oldmanmatt]

+1 on the "GooDadvice" thread...

It's tough.

We have 4 of the little sods (I of course meant Darlings). 8, 6 , and 2 x 4. The better half and I run a wall and we've made it out to a real bit of rock the grand total of once this year.
The wee sweeties were no problem. Fighting over the mats and zooming up every V1 they could find...

But.

Polly slipped whilst warming up, sprained her ankle and we spent the rest of the day in A&E...

That was 5 weeks ago and she still can't climb.

It's just a matter of fact, that things get more complicated and organisation is the only way to get anywhere.

Oh, and Polly says, physically; it sucks!

Plenty of AB's training and stick with it.

[andyd]

Are you asking in a family vs life(aka climbing) basis or a 'how do I rebuild my muscle structure after lugging a bowling ball around in my stomach?' .
I can comment on the first 

[Sasquatch]

I find since the kids (6 and 4) that I'm constantly returning to climbing. I find it tough to juggle work and family life and climbing. It's often just snatching the odd hour here or there, having close rock and wall help s does the chance to train at home- but probably feels all the more special and precious for it.

To the OP: 
#1 thing for me

Time Management

I've got a 20, 17, and 14yo.  It's amazing how busy you'll be all the time and IT NEVER STOPS.  As an infant you're just meeting basic needs. When they start talking and become mobile, you're chasing them everywhere.  Then just when they become moderately stable they start school.  Then if you don't work you think "I'll have 5-7 hours a day free".  Don't count on it.  I ended at the school at least twice a week between the three of them, so if you stop at one, this may be better.  Then they get into activity/sports.....
Then Girls/guys.....
Then driving....
Then college....

If you get time management down to an art, it's amazing how much you can do.  The other key is efficiency.  My wife struggles with this much more than I do.  I could get the kids out of bed, fed, dressed, lunches made, had a coffee(me, not the kids) and on the bus in 30 minutes.  She would take over an hour....

[Nibile]

  I could get the kids out of bed, fed, dressed, lunches made, had a coffee(me, not the kids) and on the bus in 30 minutes.  She would take over an hour....

Yes but she carried all the three of them for 9 months each, then she gave them birth. So she's in credit!!!
 

[Sasquatch]

She also made them much better breakfast and lunch and nobody laughed at their clothes

It's all a trade-off.  I was selfish and wanted to sleep more.

[Dolly]

She also made them much better breakfast and lunch and nobody laughed at their clothes

So true  - I sent both daughters to pre school in pyjamas before thinking they were proper clothes and with their hair "Dad styled" only for all the Mums to ask if I've done their hair that morning.


They seemed happy enough though.

[Sasquatch]

So true  - I sent both daughters to pre school in pyjamas before thinking they were proper clothes and with their hair "Dad styled" only for all the Mums to ask if I've done their hair that morning.

Yeah, The teachers always know who got them off to school.

[Nibile]

 
This thread makes me want to have kids.

[Oldmanmatt]

Yeah...

Might have done the Pyjama thing myself once or twice...

[SA Chris]

I did it last week. Took pyjamas off then dressed her in everything else and put same pyjamas back on. I would have got away with it if one of nursery staff didn't have same ones for her daughter. I also get into trouble for not colour coordinating. Apparently just grabbing what's top of each pile is not acceptable

[rich d]

My better half hangs their clothes in some sort of OCD matching order in the wardrobe to prevent situations such as these. However i still manage to not match things most days....the kids don't mind though. I can do pony tails, although plaits are definately font 8b.

[Nibile]

My husband and I welcomed a new member of the family in late July, and now I'm ready to start training and climbing again.

Anyone have experience with returning to climbing after having a baby? Any notes?

Thanks!

Time management and pony tails aside, I think you should ease yourself gently into it.
I'd say moderate climbing sessions aimed at getting the feel back, refining footwork and movement. Nothing fingery. Maybe some overhangs with good holds.
Even some weights will do, I'm sure, to increase general power.
No deadlifting though.
 

Congratulations, by the way!

[jdb099]

Are you asking in a family vs life(aka climbing) basis or a 'how do I rebuild my muscle structure after lugging a bowling ball around in my stomach?' .
I can comment on the first 

More the latter, but the former is relevant too. I'm more concerned about injuring the abdominals, since core is centrally important and my core has taken quite a beating with the whole pregnancy thing.

Had a wee session at the wall after posting; nothing powerful or fingery, mostly traversing to see whether I even remember how to move. Technique is still intact, but I definitely feel the extra weight! And the nine months of muscle wastage. Meh.

Katherine Sellars writes about this topic on her blog sometimes I think if you want to have a look through it

http://www.lovetoclimb.co.uk/rock_climbing_blog

Awesome, thanks. I'll definitely have a read.

Cheers all!

[andyd]

I'll get in touch with a SA friend for you who had two kids and still crushes and see what she did. Carrie Cooper (now sponsored by prana?) does the same. She's prob got a blog about it. Lovely girl.    http://carriecooper.blogspot.co.uk/

On the balance front, which has to be integral I guess...
With us it's important to make sure that we put ourselves out so that the other one can have some uninterrupted fun. Encourage your other half to go and do whatever he does and have a great time. Then you can do the same in a guilt free way.
Also, expect to do more with less sleep. It's amazing how well you can climb after 9pm after a full day at work when you might normally be sat on the sofa waiting to go to bed.
Make sure that you have a lie in on one weekend morning, and let your partner do the same on the other.
Train when you are unmotivated. Rest when you are tired/run down/poorly.
Remember that you are a person aswell as a parent.

[jdb099]

I'll get in touch with a SA friend for you who had two kids and still crushes and see what she did. Carrie Cooper (now sponsored by prana?) does the same. She's prob got a blog about it. Lovely girl.    http://carriecooper.blogspot.co.uk/

This is a great resource, thank you! She actually gives rundowns of her ab-retraining exercises, gold dust. It's a little different from my situation as she had a c-section rather than a natural birth, but a lot of the issues are the same ... the number one issue: being totally out of practice!

Luckily I have a brilliant husband who is an avid climber himself, and we made a pre-birth agreement to support each other in exactly the way you suggested. Great advice.

[SA Chris]

If you used to climb with him a lot, the opportunities to do so again are going to be a lot fewer! Choose your venues carefully and you can still climb together though. Just make the most of it when they are still pretty inactive, once they start crawling and walking one of you will have their hands full all the time.

Also build up a list other climbing buddies if you can, preferrably undertanding ones (other parents) who can be adaptable or flexible if you (or they) have to bail. Network, keep an eye on the weather and plan well in advance if you can and be prepared for options of things to do on your tod if plans fall through. Going bouldering to a spot where you know there will be other people is sometimes a good thing!

[slackline]

Stumbled across these blog posts by Beth Rodden and thought it might be useful for some...

Climbing past my pregnancy Stigma

Climbing Pregnant  Month One :  How To Listen to your Body

Climbing Pregnant : Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou Interview

Climbing Pregnant  Month 2: Sickness, Heartbeats and a Nikon Photo Shoot

Climbing Pregnant : Lynn Hill Interview by Beth Rodden

I expect there'll be a few more posts in the series.

[Russell_B]

We're in a similar situation albeit with a 1yr old and a second on the way in July (not August as first thought...). 

I'd reiterate the networking comment particularly if you want to climb together again and don't have family on hand nearby.  It took us over a year to do this with a reasonable amount of will. 

One point I would add is the fact night-climbing/running/cycling etc has been a good outlet.  Great way to get on real rock and/or maintain fitness provided it's all realitively nearby.  Running canal tow paths on a morning commute has been an eye-opener to the natural/deviant world.

Good luck and enjoy.