Tips For Quick Recovery After Labor {PFALO}

Linking up with Wifessionals again!

I had a C-Section with both girls, so this post is based off of my experiences. 

Carry a pillow wherever you go.  This is huge for a “c-sectioner” Any move you make feels like your incision is popping open.  So carrying the pillow and pressing it on your stomach as a barrier to any movement was my saving grace. That and trying to remember to get up and sit down slowly.

Buy huge granny panties.  It’s not cute. But nothing on you will feel cute.  Three reasons granny panties are the best thing ever after delivery. 1 – you’re still swollen from pregnancy & delivery 2 – you’re bleeding, so ruin some granny panties 3- for “c-sectioners” you want some underwear that hit higher than your scar. Believe me. It does not feel good when it hits against it, even if they’re seamless. And actually, steal the disposable panties the hospital give you – they’re actually really comfy.

Stock up on pads. Again, gross.  But you have to wear something and you don’t want the diapers the hospital give you to wear for weeks.

Ban funnies. This goes for anything – funny friends, funny jokes, funny movies…anything. You will want to kill whoever makes you laugh the first couple of days.  If you must laugh, have that pillow handy.

Drink lots of water.  The hospital tell you this, and it’s actually true. Ha. You’re producing milk, losing blood/fat…staying hydrated is key!

Don’t worry about how jiggly you are.  I know it’s hard.  But trust me, it eventually gets better.  It may not get right back to what you were prior to pregnancy, but it gets better.  You just had a kid – you have enough to deal with than worry yourself about dieting and losing the weight right away.

Don’t feel bad to turn away guests. You have a lot of shit going on. If they don’t understand that, then that’s their problem. Your friends and family that have been through it, will totally understand though.  It’s exhausting entertaining guests on top of tending to your newborn and yourself!

Don’t feel bad accepting help. If someone offers to clean, cook, watch your older child…say yes!  Take advantage of the offers so you can relax and enjoy your new family member J

Rest & relax.  As much as you can, when you can of course. Everyone says it, but no one truly does it. 

Recovery is so different the first time around versus the second.  Not that I didn't recover, obviously I did, but it’s more difficult. This time around I didn't allow myself to relax – even in the first few days after delivery.  I actually was just talking to my girlfriend the other day and told her I remember walking up the stairs (we have 14 steps) holding my 2 year old in my arms less than a week after delivery. Yep. Seems crazy even for me to look back on, but I did it.  I felt so much guilt right after delivery because I was tending to a newborn instead of all my attention going to the oldest. So I did what she wanted and what made me feel better emotionally and less guilty.  It’s just not realistic to rest as well as you should when you have older kids running around.