15 Things to remember after giving birth: Post Partum

#thedailyblab a pregnancy, and birthing post which arms new mother’s with much needed information such as, sex after birth and the ‘no way in hell’ reaction, with chastity (in the abstinence sense) shackles firmly in place!

Warned is forearmed, as they say! Blabbermama’s orders!*

This is graphic, and most definitely resides in the ‘too much information category’ for most, but these things need to be discussed for women to be aware. These are things I wish I knew before giving birth during that post partum period.

1. Post Partum Bleeding (Lochia): Yes, after everything you have been through, 9 months of carrying that beautiful little cherub, experiencing morning sickness or worse, perhaps swelling or pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and the rest, this will be topped it off when you finally give birth. You will be greeted with perhaps the heaviest ‘period like’ flow imaginable, which can last between 3-6 weeks after birth. I was blessed with 7 weeks… but hey, it was worth it- look at that cute face! If you experience golf ball sized clots or anything unusual at all, please seek advice from a medical professional, you can read more [here] about potential complications.
2. That first poo you have after giving birth, it just feels wrong. It doesn’t matter if you had a natural or cesarean birth, everything down in that area just feels delicate and the pressure from a poo makes it that bit worse. Push through it, literally, you had a baby, you can do it.
3. First time you pee is also monumental, I struggled for a few days although I had anesthetic so this differs for everyone, my bladder was a bit sluggish, you’ll get there. Put the taps on and let it flow. (Very tempted to put a Frozen Meme in here, well resisted)
4. Hormones, hormones, hormones! You might be buzzing after birth, or completely drained, adrenaline on high, then crashing, emotional, tearful, happy and confused. Nobody knows how they will react to the rush and flow of hormones, but it’s normal. If you are concerned, have a conversation with a medical profession or someone you trust, it’s better to talk, you won’t be judged. [Here] is an additional resource which contains great information on this topic.
5. That first shower you have after giving birth, that’s a little piece of magic right there. Then you bring on the cup of tea/coffee on the side perhaps a biscuit or a smidgen of cake? Pretty close to Heaven, if not on the periphery.
6. Cesarean ladies, that bandage over your wound, holy moly, the bandage is huge! Underneath it all though, it isn’t as bad as it seems. You might be bruised and feel quite battered internally and externally- I certainly did, but it heals and the incision is surprisingly small- how did they get a baby out of there?! Keep it clean, and follow your medical instructions for rest and exertion. More info [Here]
7. Natural Birth ladies, bruised and painful, stitches or no stitches, forceps or no forceps, it’s going to hurt, but that pain will ease and soon that rush of hormones will come bounding in, and your birthing experience might even become slightly hazy. More info [Here] for guidance on resting after birth
8. You’ve been told countless times, but pelvic floor exercises are your best friend. So give your friend a squeeze like you haven’t seen them in months, a few times a day. Blabbermama’s orders [folds arms and nods]
9. Sex after birth, the iron gates of ‘no chance in hell’ will loosen and become ‘OK, let’s have a go and see’ and eventually all caution about hurting and trauma will ease and it’ll be back to mission normal again. [Post coming soon, click Here for more information on getting back on the wagon!]
10. Clothing, fitting into your pre-pregnancy clothes, put these thoughts to the side, or in the bin if you can, great if you can fit into whatever clothes you want, but do not, DO NOT (repeated on purpose) put undue stress and pressure on yourself. Your body is amazing, give it a break and applaud it for what it’s been through, don’t put it through the mill. If you need reassurance of how important this is, take a look at that cheeky little cherub you just gave birth too. Read my post [Here] on how I feel about the unnecessary pressures women are under after giving birth, it has a graphic image, you’ve been warned!
11. You can sleep any way you want now, on your back on your belly, whatever floats your boat! (Yes, sleep may be elusive, but at least during those nuggets of gold, you’re not resigned to left sided sleeping!)
12. Eating resumes to normal as well, ‘I’ll have a Subway Italian BMT please’
13. The cleanliness of the house really doesn’t matter, so put the hoover down and walk away from the mop. Don’t know where they are at the minute? Even better!
14. Pyjama days are allowed, and in fact, whole heartedly encouraged, use your lazy PJ days to bond with your new little cherub. I had a pyjama day, one of those greasy, hair straggled and food smeared days, although it ended rather unfortunately. Take a peek [Here]
15. Whilst your looking after that cute newborn, remember, look after yourself as well, a happy and healthy mum is just as important as a happy and healthy baby.

 

Do you have any other advice you would share with a new mama? Let us know, leave a comment!

* Blabbermama is not a medical professional, so if in doubt, seek assistance!

Baby Milestones: Baby talks back! The beginning…

The 8 month old Little Lord sat, peering at Little Daddy, clearly he was contemplating some serious baby business. He had been thrashing around among PVC City, did the usual mad dash towards remote control tower and gave a cheeky glance towards forbidden TV corner- before he was able to navigate his cheeky little vessel over to illuminated TV corner and perhaps cause the lights to ominously ‘go out’, he decided he wanted to be heard- and no, not the usual baby babble that we had been increasingly hearing- this baby could now talk.

The highly coveted remote control

Little Mama sat in the corner having a coronary over how fast her Little Lord was growing, first crawling (when he accomplished his Bond mission and entered Spy Academy), then full blown teething of the HULK SMASH variety, recently standing– yes- standing, (sit your baby butt down MR!) and now he was talking?! Poor Little Mama wiped her brow as she watched the scene unfold.

But what would be the Little Lord’s first words?

No.1 Parenting fear: When the Baby pulls a HULK strop

The 8 mth old Little Lord sat playing in the midst of PVC Plastic City, tossing cups and biting rattles, when he felt a tingle in his gum. It had grown incessantly and no gnawing or biting could quell the increasing urge to chew and chomp his way through anything. It was the familiar swell of the plague called ‘Teething’. He angled around to see if Little Mama had noticed his discomfort but alas, she wasn’t a mind reader much to his disappointment. He set about fixing her oblivious ways…

Little Mama sat and played with Little Lord, he was happily wrecking around in his toys when she noticed him stiffen and his face grow weary. She pretended like everything was

Ridicule my post pregnancy body [Graphic Content]

Warning- this post contains graphic imagery, please re-direct to The Little Lord’s most recent escapade as Bond if you would rather avoid! 

See Previous Post- The Transfusion of Life to understand why an emergency Cesarean was carried out.

The Re-birth

Birth changes women, in most cases the change is both mental and physical. The motherhood switch engages and the sudden impact of becoming a mother for the first time can be overwhelming. Your body, has endured this amazing and unbelievable feat, a new life coming into this world which you are tasked to nurture, care and protect. A mixture of emotions can emerge, but whilst some of these emotions may be hidden mentally, it is often the physical repercussions of birth that are discussed.

Recently, Giovanna Fletcher brought into sharp focus