Itz Holistically Wholesome

I am a mother of three; holy cow, it feels like I was a young child just yesterday with dreams of having four children. How quickly time has passed, Wow!!! So I am currently one month postpartum, and though so much has changed, I am thankful because this process can be challenging but so far, so good. In many instances, I do not believe we talk about post-partum enough. It is easier to share the good stuff while many people suffer in silence about an aspect of motherhood that is most important and worthy of being spoken about, so here goes my experience so far.

Natural/Unmedicated birth

First, here is a little recap. So I recently gave birth to my third child, a baby girl named Emmah-Rose. She is my third child and my second daughter. My first daughter is Aliyah, and I also have a son named Jedidiah. Emmah-Rose is my biggest baby; she weighed 9lbs and 10 ounces at birth. I was dumbfounded when the nurse told me how much she weighed. Despite her size, I did not get a tear and had zero blood loss. I also did it without the use of medication or an epidural. It was intense, but I got through it. She is in excellent health and is thriving well, thank God. She is a source of joy to my family, and we are delighted to have her.

How has Postpartum been for me?

Pain/Discomfort

Listen up, for us women who gave birth to our babies vaginally, we can all agree that our vagina took a beating during delivery. And rightfully so, we expelled a whole human being. I felt like a truck crushed my lady parts. After having my daughter, I had a lot of pain. I did not want to ingest too much medication, so I refused to take any expect on two occasions while in the hospital. The pain was mostly in my lower abdomen and private area. Walking and climbing the staircase were painful as well. I still feel slight discomfort when I try to do too much; therefore, I am learning to take things slowly and allow my body enough time to heal.

Breastfeeding

The first week of breastfeeding was a nightmare. My breast was tender, and my nipples were incredibly bruised and sore. Having my baby nursed while I was in this state was excruciating. However, stopping the baby from suckling may delay milk production unless you decide to pump. The truth, however, is that nothing does it better than your nursing baby. I am happy that my baby girl is a natural and latched pretty well from day one. By day three, my milk was coming in, and as of today, I have a lot of milk, so much so that my baby cannot handle it. Yes, I am one of those mamas who produces an abundant amount of breastmilk. Since I breastfeed exclusively, I pump the excess milk and store it in my freezer but not much. I fear that since my other two kids refused bottle feeding and I threw out about 50 or more bags, each containing six ounces, with my son, my daughter could do the same. We cannot afford to waste this liquid goal.

Weight

One of my biggest challenges is weight because I feel incredibly uncomfortable being this big. It certainly does not help that my clothes do not fit. I gained significant weight throughout my pregnancy, taking it easy and allowing things to naturally go back to how it took a lot of effort. I have already lost close to 30 pounds but have a ways to go.

Exercise

I am almost at my six-week mark and cannot wait to work out. I miss my body so much. I had hoped to start sooner, so I tested my body by doing a slow jog and an ab crunch, but I felt too much discomfort, so I decided to take it easy. However, walking at a moderate paste does not hurt so bad, so I try to do what I can. I have recently signed up for a 1500 squats challenge for October sponsored by the Cancer Society. I felt this was a great way to ease back into my routine without doing too much.

Sleep/Fatigue

Having a newborn and a toddler is challenging. My toddler still wants his attention and to be held. As a mom, I feel strongly about ensuring he does not feel ignored, so I do my best to tend to him. Initially, my daughter took it easy on me, but lately, she has been a bit demanding, so my sleep time is limited. I anticipate that this will improve as she gets older. As of now, my baby wants me to hold her whenever she is awake.

State of Mind

Mentally I am doing great. I do not feel depressed, stressed, or frustrated in any way. Of course, it helps that I have a sound support system around me. While so many things drive me crazy or cause me to fear

the unfortunate things that could happen to the baby, I chose to shut them out and trust God. There is no room for horror stories, so I will not entertain negativity, only positive thoughts.

The most important thing at this time is my baby and my health. So while I missed who I was before pregnancy and childbirth, I know I have to let good sense prevail. I have learned most to trust and allow nature to do her thing.

Advice to other moms

Chill Out!!!! Do not be in a rush to be back at the perfect size, work, or whatever else. Childbirth is a significant life event, and you have made it through with you and your baby being alive and healthy. You did great, mamas, so be proud and enjoy your bundle of joy.