Recovery: What your Doc Might not Tell You...

{minutes after i became a mama}

before i get started, i just want to make sure i have a few things very clear:

1. every single pregnancy is different!

2. i chose to have an epidural and i also had to get an episiotomy. that may be a little tmi but i think it greatly affected my healing process.

3. i really, really, really don't want to scare you sweet soon-to-be mama's. however, the things i am about to tell you were unknown facts to me pre-birth. oh how i wish someone would have filled me in!

4. remember that BILLIONS of women have given birth! you can do it!! the "after math" of birth is totally worth the countless snuggles, kisses, smiles and hugs you will get from that sweet little babe.

{similar to the one below! isn't he cute??}

so. without further ado.

things i wish i would have known:

i bled. a TON after having my little boy. everyday i woke up thinking, "today is the day that this gush of blood will stop gushing." that day didn't come for awhile.

my advice? stock up on those mega pads that they give you at the hospital. those things were my best friends for the weeks following birth. you may feel like a grandma but i promise it's okay.

i felt like i was going to be immobile for the rest of my life. okay, that may be a little sarcastic, but the first week was pretty darn bad.

my advice? don't resist when your husband encourages {forces} you to take walks with him every day. even if it is just to the mailbox! it is probably going to be the last thing you want to do but it will help immensely! getting out of the house, breathing in some fresh air, and exercising your body is just what it needs.

there is a lot of talk about stretch marks during pregnancy. what i failed to hear about were the stretch marks on your boobs! i chose to breast feed my son and apparently my body thought it needed to produce enough milk to feed quintuplets. it took about a week to finally regulate.

my advice? if you feel like your boobs are about ready to explode, call your doctor/midwife. and if they give you good advice, pass it along to me! i don't really want that happening again with baby number two.

lastly, it HURT {really bad} to poop. i'm pretty sure it was mostly due to my awesome stitches.

my advice? as soon as you are allowed to eat, drink prune juice! my husband told me to, and unfortunately i didn't listen. i'm thinking i'll pay attention next time. also, those baths they tell you to take work wonders. take them religiously.

lastly, don't try to take on more than you can handle.

my advice? your body will take as much rest as you give it! take naps whenever possible and accept any help that comes your way. enjoy spending as much one-on-one time with your hubby and your new baby as you can. this is a special, wonderful, amazing time of life. i look back at these pictures now and wonder where my little baby has gone.

{little max, just a few weeks old}

do YOU have something to add to the list??

--jessie