I’ve already said this in previous posts: our bodies are veeerrrry clever. They fool you. They trick you. They make you think pregnancy, labour and birth were all fine and dandy by helping your mind forget all the crappy parts. Then you do it all again (fools I tell you!) I’d written a post about this for pregnancy and I seem to have followed suit in my head for after Piglet’s delivery!! The post partum days are not fun.
There were some many little things I had forgotten and I was brought back down to post pregnancy reality with a bump:
- The constant need for pads, both knickers and bra (TMI?). The after effects of pushing a baby out and milk leakage. I feel pretty gross.
- Just feeling sore, achy and tired for a bit after birth. I don’t think you remember or can believe how much labour takes it out of you and it does take a little while to get over this and feel fully like you again.
- Night sweats. These seem to be subsiding but I had to change my pillow case every night for a week and waking up sticky is just plain ming.
- The squishy belly that replaced my rock hard bump. I’m moisturising every night thinking this just feels WEIRD like an empty sack! Back to the gym I go.
- I should write a whole post on breastfeeding but the nipple spraying if Piglet falls off, leaking milk, the tingling let down reflex and realising I’ve forgotten to put on a breast pad!!! Sore, huge boobs and my daughter is still fast asleep is one of my faves.
- Thinking holy moly I need to consider contraception again before hubby goes near me or I could end up with two under 18 months….argh!!!!!
- Malting and random hair growth. Already there are hairs growing down my neck that won’t fit in my pony tail so I look insane. I’ll be chopping out all the hair picked up by the Hoover before I know it!
- Wishing I was still pregnant! I know…after all my moaning towards the end; this is unbelievably ridiculous but I cried a couple of days after Piglet was born, as I was just so sad.
- Having to wait to get back to exercise. I wasn’t as bothered after the gremlin, as think I was more in a newborn fog. This time, I have really missed my exercise and those endorphins which crazily help after a very bad night.
- All the appointments! Midwife, health visitor, hearing check, 6 week check, Piglet is getting her hips checked, getting her weighed….the list goes on. I am definitely using my phone calendar more.
As I write this, I am 4 weeks post partum and a lot of these lovely things are passing. I write quite scathingly but I know deep down I will miss all the pregnancy and post pregnancy joys. It is all so worth it eh?
Totally with you on all of these and feeling completely grotty for a good few weeks! Thanks for joining up for #marvmondays
We do forget don’t we. I thought I had remembered everything second time round but when I was back in it, I realised that I hadn’t!! #MarvMondays
Oh yes, this brings it all back. I was so blind sided by a lot of this first time around, especially the visitors & apps. God you’re truly never left alone!! Fab post.
Emily / Babies and Beauty #MarvMondays
Oh yes, I remember feeling so yucky and like my body wasn’t my own! Good job it is all worth it 🙂 #MarvMondays
I was reading this nodding at every point! I’m 6 weeks today and have my appointment so hope to get in the gym from tomorrow 🙂 #MarvMondays
Oh I have all of this to look forward to! Can’t wait though! Remind me I said that in 7 months time! haha x #MarvMondays
Ohh yes, I’m nodding away here and I’m 10days post partum..Night sweats and pads everywhere at minute haha. Oh it’s so glamourous being a new mum!xx #marvmondays
Ahhh yes, I think you do forget, it was the first one that got me after E – so much stuff lol. Popping over from #marvmondays
The whole pregnancy malarkey is so clever at making us forget the not so nice things, but our little darlings are so worth it. #MarvMondays
Oh I forgot about the pads and aches and pains. I rather liked all the visitors, it gave me a reason to get washed after a crazy night of sweats and feeds. Lovely hearing how you are all getting on. Renee @peonieandme #bestandworst x
Yes, yes, yes to all of these. I remember being able to shoot milk with utter precision in the days after birth. It was the only thing that put a smile on my face in the first few weeks post partum if truth be told! #bestandworst
8 months on I’d forgotten about a lot of that…… thanks for reminding me why we’re not trying for number 2 yet!!!
forgot the #bestandworst
Yep, yep, yep. All really true, but the best thing is the baby is OUT and not going to have to COME OUT again! #bestandworst
My goodness, this took me straight back to that post birth fog. You do forget though, HOW? I had totally forgotten about waking up wet from breast leakage and how vile those ‘memory foam mattress’ pads (they are that thick!) are and breast pads aren’t much better. Thankfully it doesn’t last too long. #bestandworst
Back again from #bestandworst thanks for hosting xx
I’ve never had a child, but I saw my SIL go through some of this. #bestandworst
Ugh- those days were trials for sure. Ironically my last pregnancy was with twins and the get back was so much easier cause I had ZERo time to think about anything other than survival. Second one is the hardest in my opinion.
Hang in there- for like 20 more years 😉
#nestandworst
So true, it’s so easy to forget these bits! But yes, so totally worth it! And you’re doing great mama! #bestandworst
I really wanted to exercise and hated not being able to during those six weeks! #KCACOLS
Sorry I meant #bestandworst!!
Ugh the many many pads. I remember getting out of the shower and not knowing which type of pad to grab for first! The practicalities of it all are such a shock to the system aren’t they? But I totally get that you miss being pregnant. There is something so precious and magical about it xx #bestandworst
Even though my girls are both quite big now, I still remember the discomfort and general yuckiness, but yep I did miss my pregnant belly #bestandworst x
The hair loss was my biggest bug bear, actually two and a half years later I’m still dealing with it and worrying that if it carries on, I’ll be totally bald!! I can’t believe it has been four weeks already though, that really has flown! #bestandworst
Back again for #bestandworst
So very true! We are great at forgetting all the ickly sticky parts of pregnancy and post pardum….those quichy babies are sure worth it though 🙂 #bestandworst
Back from #bestandworst lovey!!
Hair in the hoover… it will never stop I’m afraid #bestandworst
11 months in and I’m still dealing with hair issues. I miss my beautiful pregnancy hair which has been replaced with a measly mop and scraggly bits. I know what you mean about the sadness off not being pregnant anymore. I had a rough pregnancy and couldn’t wait to be done with it, but when it was over I felt very sad. It’s a big adjustment to suddenly not be pregnant anymore. #bestandworst
I thought I was the only one who wished I was pregnant again after my twins were born! I was blessed with a pregnancy that was remarkably trouble-free (until delivery time) and loved prancing around naked in front of a mirror. Pregnancy is truly a beautiful thing (and a beautiful feeling).
(Oh, and I invested in an at-home waxing kit to take care of the yucko hair.)
#bestandworst
awwww, so many memories. I missed the kicking and all the wriggly movement X #bestandworst
I’d forgotten about all these joys. I certainly don’t miss those breastpads, I always felt minging! It’s definitely all worth it though and I do miss those newborn cuddles and the gurgling noises they make, and the smell of their hair, it all goes by bar too fast x
#Bestandworst
I sure can relate to some of these. I think the sleep deprivation has hit me more second time round too. #TriedTested
There are so many lovely aspects aren’t there? The leaking boobs were especially a fave of mine. I used to have these shell things that collected excess milk as I would always leak loads out of the other boob while feeding. Then I would forget it was there and bend over spilling all the excess milk all over myself! Ah the things you forget about! X
Thanks for reminding me – not!! It’s the night sweats I hate the most! #marvmondays
You’re right. I can hardly remember any of those things even though I know they happened! It’s madness! #bestandworst
Ah it’s so easy to forget all these joys! I felt really gross for ages, and then my c-section scar got an infection and urgh. It was not nice! #bestandworst
Back again from #bestandworst but have scanned through fast as I don’t want to be reminded!! #bestandworst