Connect the Dots Ginger | Becky Allen: Prepping For Labor: Recovery

Friday, April 4, 2014

Prepping For Labor: Recovery

*Please note that this is a descriptive post, if you don't want to know what happens after having a baby stop reading. Also if you are new to the blog click on the Pregnancy tab at the top of the page to see other posts on pregnancy!*

So this is the part I was not well informed on prior to experiencing it. At all! My birthing class I was in was discussing this topic 3 days after I had my son so yeah didn't do me any good at all. At least my doula had a great birth story to share with my classmates. So to say I was questioning everything is an understatement. I had no idea. I later told my doula about my recovery woes and she forgot that we hadn't discussed it at all. So these are the things that I remember just after I had Mason. And some things from books and other resources.
~Mommy, Daddy and Mason, first family photo~

Just After Baby: Once the baby comes out the doc will probably stitch you up pretty quickly, if you tore, and then the 3rd stage of labor happens. The placenta is birthed. Yes birthed. You will need to do slight pushing to get that thing out but it is not like having to push the baby out. My doula snapped a pix of me mid push of the placenta and I looked like I was still in labor, ( I was) but I just wasn't expecting it to be how it was. I had to push after I just pushed my baby out. It was weird.

I was shaking uncontrollably. My whole body. I thought only women who got an epidural would shake afterwards, cause that is what I had seen on TV and most other people I knew at the time had done medicated births. I was surprised and asked the nurse, "Are you sure I should be shaking this much?" It lasted for about 45 minutes. During this time the nurse will probably push on your tummy to check that it is shrinking down well enough. I told her that mine was doing fine and she didn't believe me and when she checked she said that I was right.

Within 2 hours after baby:  You will be encouraged to nurse your baby. Use this time to have your doula or the nurse help you. You will need help. Trust me. It is not some magical thing that just happens like it should. Nursing takes practice. And the wrong latch at first will hurt and you will have cracked nipples by the morning.

Pictures. The nurses will clean up all evidence of birth super quick, like scary quick and they will put a nice clean sheet over you. Invite family in that are waiting in the lobby, if you want to have the picture taken and meet the new baby. You will look like crap or possibly a little out of it and your smile will be funny and lopsided, unless you had full hair and makeup done prior. We call this the Kardashian look. Don't let them stay too long. You are on a little bit of a schedule. The hospital wants you out of your birthing/delivery room in about 2 hours.

Be ready to do something you never thought you would do! Another blogger calls this their moment of shame is lost! (-10 birth surprises first days delivery- there is strong language in this post) You will have to go to the bathroom and pee in front of your nurse. You have to go into the bathroom and go pee or at least push out some more "stuff". The nurse will squat in front of you and will use the oh so wonderful squirt bottle to clean you off. You can't wipe down there and you get to use warm water for awhile. I really like the bottle. It feels so nice. Anyhew. Just know that you will have to get over this fact and that you are going to get to know your nurse really, really, really well. Then the nurse is going to hand you some mesh undies and a pad. Put the pad in the mesh undies. They will catch the overflow from the pad. And go waddle in your diaper back to your bed and get ready to have to walk, yes walk, to your new room on the other side of the maternity wing!
~One proud Daddy!~

After 2 hours: You will walk to your new room. Past the nursery where your little one could be getting some vitals taken and them doing the foot stick and everything. Or they could be right in front of you being wheeled by the nurse. I think Mason was with us when we moved. (a little foggy on that one) I do remember getting to the room and had to nurse him though, or at least try it again. My nipples were already killing me and I was super tired.
~Mason at about 12 hours old.~

I will say the nurse will ask you if you want any pain meds or ibuprofen. I opted for the IB and she then handed me a frozen glove. She said to put it on top of the pad to help the swelling of my bits. Second favorite thing to the squirt bottle was this frozen glove. No joke! As I nursed Mason I used one. When I called the nurse to take him I asked for another. 3 hours later I asked for another and in the morning I asked for another but the nurse said, "normally we only give 1 or 2." I said it felt really nice and I just wanted 1 more. So I got it. BEST THING EVER! After that I was given this cold spray stuff for my hemorrhoids I got from pushing the kid out, and tucks pads that you line the pad with to help with the swelling.

The next morning, my nurse looked at my bits again to check that the hemorrhoids were going down and that the swelling was looking good, and my stitch. But at least she didn't push on my belly. That's really about all at this point. After that I just stayed in bed, nursed rested and then went home that night to get extra time with daddy at home.

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