Here is a brief timeline of what you can expect…give or take regarding your physical body; varies with casesarian:
Days 1-3 at home: Your body is much more empty, saggy, sore, soft
than you imagined. You are bleeding more than you imagined. It is scary
to wipe and use the bathroom. Use your PERIBOTTLE to spray that ‘down
there’ area clean and gently blot with a generous amount of toilet
paper. Keeping your wounds clean will help you heal faster. Your
peribottle will be your best friend. If you did not Go Home Gorgeous or
receive our Luxury Postpartum Gift Box try to find a way to get
additional Peribottles. Most people have more than one bathroom and
even though you only need them for about 10 days, you won’t want to
live without it. (Call us we will send you one!)
Days 3-8: You feel great! Oddly energetic and happy to be home.
Maybe a little manic, but not necessarily in a bad way. You probably
have support to help with the baby and everyone is happily distracted
and feeling vital. Be careful that you don’t over do it during this
time and take on too much. Make a note to yourself that if you are
feeling a high, there is an equal low out there somewhere and brace
yourself for it.
Days 8-9: Maybe getting a little moody and irritated. You may feel
emotionally up and down. You may be crying a lot (another reason to
drink more water!). You might feel so much love for your baby or
indifference. Just take note of what you are feeling and say it out
loud if you have to. Get your “Persons” or our number out and tape it
to the phone. (952) 221-4663, we are here for you 24/7.
Day 10: A Physical milestone. Day ten is a big day. You will feel
much better. Things will have started to heal, are less sore and your
saggy belly is considerably smaller.
Week 2-3: Visitors might be coming and going and your husband might
be going back to work fulltime this week. You are starting to have more
alone time with your baby. You have figured out what to do and you may
have kind of a routine going. You might begin to realize that you have
not enough time to do what you used to do, but too much time to forget
about your old life entirely. This is a great time to go for a walk. If
your climate doesn’t permit you to be outside, find a conservatory, a
zoo, or even a mall. First go for greenery, then animals and if you
must, go shopping! The Galleria has the cleanest, private nursing
lounges in town. The hallways are never crowded yet never desolate. It
is an ideal place for an outing with your baby of any age! If this is
your first outing, alone, go prepared. Extra diapers, change of
clothes, wipes. It can be scary but it has to happen sometime.
Week 3-4: Reality might be setting in now. 3-4 weeks of getting up
in the middle of the night is probably starting to catch up with you.
Maybe some of the medical bills, things that you thought were covered
are trickling in. Perhaps your husband is getting antsy to be physical.
Maybe you are even missing your old job and feeling unsure of what to
do with yourself. This is a tough time. The visitors are gone and there
you are.
Once you hit 6 weeks, then 8 weeks you will realize that you know more
than you think you know. Your baby will be somewhat predictable. You
might be able to start wearing some of your old things, or feel up to buying
new clothes. By twelve weeks you should be feeling pretty good, getting
used to your new routine, the babies needs and possibly developing a nap
schedule. If at anytime throughout this time, or going forward you have
questions regarding napping, feeding, your health, sleep call us. We are
happy to help you or connect you with a supportive moms group.