Six Weeks Postpartum.
Saturday I hit that six weeks postpartum milestone.
First off, for the thousandth time, how in the h-e-double hockey sticks has it already been six weeks??
So how am I doing six weeks after??
I'm good, if not great. I've really been surprised with how "well" I've bounced back from delivery. But I have learned a few things that nobody tells you before you go into labor, or after delivery while in the hospital.
1. It hurts a lot. Getting in and out of bed, in and out of a car, up and down off of a chair, all that and more will hurt for a very long time. This may only be true if you get stitches (like me... they stitched me up for the better part of an hour after delivery) or tear.
2. Pain meds like percocet will make your legs and feet inflate. I was so swollen for the first few days cause I was popping pain meds to do away with number 1. When I stopped taking them regularly, magically I returned to a normal leg size.
3. Breastfeeding is tricky. Don't give up. More than likely your little one will not take to it right away. So stay persistent and calm.. it will happen (and then you will have a 2 month old chunk who is healthy in an "I'm-a-breastfed-baby" way.)
4. While you may not realize it while pregnant, when your body starts to go back to normal, you will want to jump for joy. I wasn't one of those women who wished for my body back the entire time I was pregnant. I wished to be able to bend, see my toes, sleep on my belly, etc. But when I dropped the 20 pounds I gained during pregnancy within the first couple of weeks, I was seriously wanting to throw my body a welcome home party.
5. Again, while you may not realize it... if you see progress on the scale of weight being lost, you will want to celebrate. Like I said, I lost the 20 pounds I gained during pregnancy, and so far an extra 11. I feel great. Some parts are still loose and jiggly... but man, even just losing a bit extra has made me a happy camper.
6. With that being said... you will be loose and jiggly. Things don't magically shrink and tighten back up. Own it.
7. Even if you missed sleeping on your belly while pregnant, chances are you will not take that habit back up right away. Why? Let's just say your chest will be tender.. and yeah, that hurts to lay on.
8. You may pull muscles you didn't know you could pull. Somehow during the first week and 4th or 5th week I pulled a muscle in my upper thigh/butt cheek area on my left side. I've determined that while sitting up to feed in the middle of the night, I was using that muscle. And holy ow. I walked with a limp, I grimaced, and I complained about that more than anything else.
9. I've touched on this in previous posts... but you gotta keep yourself busy and get out of the house to avoid the postpartum blues. We've had so much family in and out of the area, visitors and in general errands to run, that I have avoided the blues. But I actively warded them off.
10. No matter how ready you think you are... you aren't. There is so much to learn. And probably will be for the next 18 years (at least). But having faith in yourself, your husband, and your abilities to be parents will get you through. Plus, it's okay to be a bit of a worry wart about your newborn and their freshly developing habits. You are a mom after all.
Let me just say.. I love being a mom. It's challenging, and tiresome. It is a full time job for sure. But at least once a day I look at my daughter, and smile. I love her so much. I love this job and this adventure. I love that we were blessed with this opportunity. And I fully know we are blessed.
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First off, for the thousandth time, how in the h-e-double hockey sticks has it already been six weeks??
So how am I doing six weeks after??
I'm good, if not great. I've really been surprised with how "well" I've bounced back from delivery. But I have learned a few things that nobody tells you before you go into labor, or after delivery while in the hospital.
1. It hurts a lot. Getting in and out of bed, in and out of a car, up and down off of a chair, all that and more will hurt for a very long time. This may only be true if you get stitches (like me... they stitched me up for the better part of an hour after delivery) or tear.
2. Pain meds like percocet will make your legs and feet inflate. I was so swollen for the first few days cause I was popping pain meds to do away with number 1. When I stopped taking them regularly, magically I returned to a normal leg size.
3. Breastfeeding is tricky. Don't give up. More than likely your little one will not take to it right away. So stay persistent and calm.. it will happen (and then you will have a 2 month old chunk who is healthy in an "I'm-a-breastfed-baby" way.)
4. While you may not realize it while pregnant, when your body starts to go back to normal, you will want to jump for joy. I wasn't one of those women who wished for my body back the entire time I was pregnant. I wished to be able to bend, see my toes, sleep on my belly, etc. But when I dropped the 20 pounds I gained during pregnancy within the first couple of weeks, I was seriously wanting to throw my body a welcome home party.
5. Again, while you may not realize it... if you see progress on the scale of weight being lost, you will want to celebrate. Like I said, I lost the 20 pounds I gained during pregnancy, and so far an extra 11. I feel great. Some parts are still loose and jiggly... but man, even just losing a bit extra has made me a happy camper.
6. With that being said... you will be loose and jiggly. Things don't magically shrink and tighten back up. Own it.
7. Even if you missed sleeping on your belly while pregnant, chances are you will not take that habit back up right away. Why? Let's just say your chest will be tender.. and yeah, that hurts to lay on.
8. You may pull muscles you didn't know you could pull. Somehow during the first week and 4th or 5th week I pulled a muscle in my upper thigh/butt cheek area on my left side. I've determined that while sitting up to feed in the middle of the night, I was using that muscle. And holy ow. I walked with a limp, I grimaced, and I complained about that more than anything else.
9. I've touched on this in previous posts... but you gotta keep yourself busy and get out of the house to avoid the postpartum blues. We've had so much family in and out of the area, visitors and in general errands to run, that I have avoided the blues. But I actively warded them off.
10. No matter how ready you think you are... you aren't. There is so much to learn. And probably will be for the next 18 years (at least). But having faith in yourself, your husband, and your abilities to be parents will get you through. Plus, it's okay to be a bit of a worry wart about your newborn and their freshly developing habits. You are a mom after all.
Let me just say.. I love being a mom. It's challenging, and tiresome. It is a full time job for sure. But at least once a day I look at my daughter, and smile. I love her so much. I love this job and this adventure. I love that we were blessed with this opportunity. And I fully know we are blessed.
Left: 39 weeks, 2 days pregnant. Day I was induced.
Right: Today, 6 weeks, 3 days postpartum. Down 11 pounds.
always,
amanda
Saturday I hit that six weeks postpartum milestone. First off, for the thousandth time, how in the h-e-double hockey sticks has it already...
