There’s so much lead up to the baby during pregnancy, that the postpartum time frame gets a little… overlooked.
Well, I’m here to put an end to it! It would have been great to know some of the things that happened to me were and are perfectly normal. If I had known, it wouldn’t have come as such a surprise.
These are things they don’t tell you about the postpartum period: (Beware, it’s about to get a bit TMI up in here)
- You bleed. A lot. I put it down to the fact that you’re now making up for 9 months of no periods. Get the biggest pads you can find and bring those. You will need them.
- Hemorrhoids. These are probably the worst things ever – but something that happens with all the pressure during labour. They will eventually go down, but never forgotten.
- Going to the bathroom for the first time is terrifying. Take the stool softeners. It feels like you might rip open everything again (even though you won’t) but it’s still so scary.
- Of course, stretch marks. If you don’t have them – good for you! But I got them and they are going to take some getting used too.
- Breastfeeding mamas – engorged boobs are painful! This happens when your milk comes in. My boobs got so big, and so hard! If you can handle it, massage the area gently. Use heat pads or warm compresses to help get milk flow going and reduce the swelling. I find that I have one boob that gets this way more often, and massage helps.
- Also, milk leaking is a thing. Buy nursing pads, and wear a wireless nursing bra to bed. I woke up one night soaked in milk. It’s pretty gross. Especially when you are engorged and leaning on your boob.
- It’s normal to get the ‘baby blues’. Feeling like your life is changing is normal and completely true! I honestly found Twitter (of all places) to be super supportive during this time since a lot of my timeline seems to be new moms or pregnant ladies. #pbloggers, if you want somewhere to start.
Now it’s not all bad things! The belly does go away, your appetite (and tastebuds) go back to normal, and you don’t have to pee every 5 seconds. Woohoo! Plus, you have an adorable new family member that just wants to be cuddled. So cutes!
What weird things did you notice right after delivery?
J x
