My Thoughts on Pregnancy.. Part 3

So now that baby is here, I can finish out my mini-series on my thoughts on pregnancy.. and well labor and delivery and the first few days home!

yes, those are heel prick scabs. poor kiddo.

to finish this mini series, i'll start the same way I started the last two posts on this..
 Now before anyone gets butt hurt about anything im about to say, these are my opinions and my thoughts on my pregnancy. I completely understand that no two pregnancies are the same and its very rare that anything i'm about to say will resonate with someone else, but thats ok. thats why this is my blog ;)   The last few weeks leading up to Beckett's birth were great. Yes, I was a little uncomfortable, but it wasn't anything major (I did have an almost 9lb baby!). The hardest thing was the carpal tunnel which honestly woke me up more than the midnight bathroom runs. I slept mostly through the night only getting up once or twice, then going straight back to bed.   I continued to work, from home mostly, but kept busy with clients and tying up lose ends. I continued to go to prenatal yoga, which was really a great idea. An hour to stretch and relax really went a long way! I HIGHLY recommend yoga as exercise pre-, during, and post pregnancy! (I can't wait to start again!)     We packed, cleaned, put away, and organized until we couldn't anymore. I wrote out lists and crossed things off. We prepared as much as we could. We relaxed. Went on numerous date nights. Slept in. I felt big, but never waddled. I soaked up every kick and movement that he made. I knew it was coming to an end and wanted to make sure that I remembered what it was like before he arrives. (Now, looking back, I can't imagine life without Beckett) We really relished in every pre-birth moment.   Labor. Yes, its called labor for a reason, but it wasn't that bad. I mean, yes, I threw up in between contractions, but I felt better after breakfast came up. Contractions are intense. Imagine period cramps continuously getting more and more intense. Bad? Yes. Sucky, yes. That bad? no. I went as long as I could (18 hours) without an epidural, and I was fine. Could I imagine delivering without one? NOPE! God gave us the technology to have epidurals for a reason! lol.   Since I didn't get the chance to push or have Beckett vaginally (i hate that word too. don't worry), my thoughts on delivery are different than one that did have a baby vaginally. I didn't have a birth plan. "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry"  and I am a firm believer in that. My only plan was to arrive at the hospital with a baby belly, and leave with a baby in my arms. Safe and sound was the plan. The C-Section was a surprise, but we got a big, healthy baby boy, so if that was how he was supposed to arrive, so be it.    Does my incision hurt? It did, it's still sore. But you know what hurt worse? SITTING IN A HOSPITAL BED FOR 4+ DAYS. Those beds are horrible. Did I hate that I didn't get to see my son the moment he made his arrival into the world? A little. Am I mad that I have a new scar? Or that my first major surgery was to deliver my son and that I was awake for it? Meh. My C-Section scar will be my proudest badge of honor for the rest of my life.    I'd like to address the 'you didn't deliver your baby because you had a C-Section' people. First off, as a new mother in labor, your only concern is to deliver a healthy baby. You'd do anything to make sure that your child is healthy. I didn't have much of a choice. It didn't even cross my mind that I didn't deliver my baby. I put in the labor. I hung in there as long as he allowed. I was lucky enough to be in an institution that carefully monitored every single thing and made sure that Beckett was delivered safely. So if you think I didn't deliver my son because I didn't push, you are highly mistaken. And well, eff off.   The day after delivery was rough. I mean, your bleeding, can't walk because of the epidural/ surgery, and laying basically helpless in a bed. (On the bleeding, its not nearly as bad as I imagined. Yes, you have to wear a pad, but when was the last time you wore a pad versus a tampon? I think we are just not used to seeing how much comes out!) I had nurses changing my pads which were the size of dish towels (no lie). More nurses and doctors and residents saw my boobs than I'd like to share. You are SORE in your midsection even though it's still numb. your legs hurt from not being able to stand for days. You can't eat solids until you pass gas, and your connected to an IV among other things. You need help using the restroom. And going number 2 was intense the first time (TAKE THE STOOL SOFTENERS!) But it's not that bad, and it's totally worth it.   Breastfeeding. Yeah, it takes forever and you have to do it around the clock. Yes, it makes your boobs hurt. But is it taking a brillo pad to your nipples bad? No. Use lanolin and olive oil for the first few days, and grin and bear it. It's not that bad. Yes, at first it sucks ass, but you get used to it. And the pain goes away. Same with pumping. It takes precious time, but when you can sleep through a feeding because someone else can take over? Sheer bliss.    And the calories you burn breast feeding? AMAZING. Not going to make any friends here with what Im about to say, but whatever. My wedding rings fit all throughout my pregnancy and the only days I didnt wear my engagement/wedding bands were the first few days in the hospital. They fit right back as soon as I got home. 9 days after delivery I was in pre-pregnancy/ non-maternity jeans. and 11 days post delivery I am 10 pounds lighter than I was before I got pregnant and at my smallest in the past 5 years. And im eating more than I ever have and not working out yet. Haters gonna hate. But im smaller now than I was in my best shape before I got pregnant! Holla!   The no lifting for 6 weeks because you just had a baby? Awful. I have energy and feel like I can do everything, but I can't and shouldn't. I did just have my insides cut open and did just have a baby. I need to take it easier than I have been. And when you try and bend over, your incision lets you know you are still healing. Hell today, I took a shower, had breakfast and lunch, took the baby for a walk, did the dishes and a load of laundry. And dinner? Made that too!   Sleep deprivation? Yeah thats rough, but its not that bad. NAP when you can. For real. Im bad about that, but im getting better. We have a great sleeper on our hands so the 3-4 hour stretches of sleep are amazing. He will sleep much longer if we allow him. (And we sometimes do! Hello 5 hour stretches of sleep!) He's got a really natural schedule that we aren't going to mess with. At night the bath really helps chill him out! He sleeps in his bassinet for naps and at night.. none of that co-sleeping crap. We didn't even want to mess with that! When we move into a bigger apartment (soon!) we will transition him into his crib, but since he's so used to his bassinet, I don't foresee that being a huge ordeal.    I didn't realize how sleepy I was the first few days home until I was like 'What is wrong with these nursing pads? They're only half circles and don't work very well'. then my mom started laughing hysterically and let me know I was not opening them up and was using the backs. haha. No wonder they didn't work! We had a good laugh at my expense. Sleep when you can, but when you wake up, be prepared to see your itty bitty baby to be a little man when you wake up.   I wouldn't trade any experience I've had during my pregnancy, delivery and days home. Is it that bad? NO. would I do it again? In a heartbeat. SO that's it. My final thoughts on pregnancy. Here's to raising the most kick ass kid on the planet!