If you want read part I you will find it HERE.
WARNING: This post goes into a little depth of what happens to your body after giving birth. It will be a little graphic, so do not read on if you have a weak stomach.
This post will be a bit more nitty gritty. I realize that my experience isn't everyone's, but it does happen to a lot of people and it is nice to have an idea of what is coming. After having both of my kids I tore. I tore a lot with Mia. They numb the area when they do the stitches, so it's not that bad then. But! But, but, but about an hour after they sew me up, clean me up, and get me to my room it starts to feel sore. Then the urge to pee comes. The sweet nurse explained to me how to use the peri bottle to spray off after urination. Going pee stung so bad. Those fresh stitches hurt. Not to mention it hurts walking to the bathroom in the first place. I felt like my entire insides were going to fall out. I was certain I was going to tear a stitch with every step. The warm water was a welcome relief. I put on my enormous pad and an ice pack. The ice pack scared me at first, but oh my lanta it felt nice. As I said in my first post it all goes away. However, I bled for a long time with Mia. I had trouble taking it easy. I went for a walk a little too soon after because I thought the bleeding had slowed down enough that I could get out. I was wrong. I ended up prolonging the bleeding for a couple of weeks! Everything healed up well and I eventually felt like I could stand up straight when I walked and I didn't feel like my insides were one step from falling out. The second birth recovery was so much easier, but due to the tearing I still had the stinginess that comes with tearing. I wasn't as worried about ripping a stitch this time and my bleeding stopped about 8 days after birth. I did WAY better at taking it easy this time around. Also, DermoPlast was my best friend. They didn't give me any after Mia, but if you are having a baby buy some now. You just spray it on the area and it numbs it. Sweet baby Jesus it is a miracle. Buy it, use it, love it.
Getting dressed postpartum is a lot of fun. You try on clothes that used to be big and can't pull them up passed your thighs. I recommend a lot of stretchy materials. Tunics, leggings, yoga pants… It is the one time I let myself go in public in workout gear. It feels nice to wear those stretchy pants. After Jack I was back down to my pre-baby weight by 6 weeks postpartum. However, my hips were not back in place yet. So, my clothes still weren't fitting. With both kids about the 2 month mark is when I could get my jeans back on. They were probably a little muffin toppy, but throw a loose shirt on and no one knows the difference. It seems to take me about 6-7 months for my body to be where I want it to be (ha!). So, as you can imagine I am not quite there yet. I am hopeful it is coming soon, because my loose belly flab is anything but pleasing. I think that breastfeeding plays a huge role in that, however I haven't tried anything else. I try to exercise pretty regularly and I never really stop being active. I exercise all 9 months of pregnancy even with Jack while my pelvis was separated too far I just changed my exercise.
The nice thing about the timing of all of this healing is it comes at a time when the baby sleeps the most. I think that combo must happen on purpose. It gives me the opportunity to rest up a little bit while they are resting. Don't worry I am not about to bore you with the old "sleep when they sleep" because who even has time for that? I mean just having time to sit and talk to people, or fold my laundry, or a personal favorite: staring at a blank wall for a little while. Those first few weeks after baby arrives are a pretty quiet peaceful time of getting to know my baby and getting an idea of how everything works. Learning how to nurse, how to walk, how to do things with one hand, when I can take a shower, figuring out some semblance of a schedule. I also like to spend a lot of private time staring at my new baby. I mean just that, staring at the wonder that is human life. They are so magnificent and it is such an amazing thing to know that they grew inside me and now they are in my arms. Man alive, I love babies and being a mom.
I hope I didn't share too much with the world. I also hope that this helps someone somewhere with the mystery of what happens after having a baby. It is truly amazing what our bodies and minds are capable of.
WARNING: This post goes into a little depth of what happens to your body after giving birth. It will be a little graphic, so do not read on if you have a weak stomach.
Getting dressed postpartum is a lot of fun. You try on clothes that used to be big and can't pull them up passed your thighs. I recommend a lot of stretchy materials. Tunics, leggings, yoga pants… It is the one time I let myself go in public in workout gear. It feels nice to wear those stretchy pants. After Jack I was back down to my pre-baby weight by 6 weeks postpartum. However, my hips were not back in place yet. So, my clothes still weren't fitting. With both kids about the 2 month mark is when I could get my jeans back on. They were probably a little muffin toppy, but throw a loose shirt on and no one knows the difference. It seems to take me about 6-7 months for my body to be where I want it to be (ha!). So, as you can imagine I am not quite there yet. I am hopeful it is coming soon, because my loose belly flab is anything but pleasing. I think that breastfeeding plays a huge role in that, however I haven't tried anything else. I try to exercise pretty regularly and I never really stop being active. I exercise all 9 months of pregnancy even with Jack while my pelvis was separated too far I just changed my exercise.
I hope I didn't share too much with the world. I also hope that this helps someone somewhere with the mystery of what happens after having a baby. It is truly amazing what our bodies and minds are capable of.
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