Motherhood | Postpartum: Recovery

Hello lovelies!
Well we have finished week two postpartum. Although my body is not back to 100%, things are going much better than the first few days home. You know the  "I'm starting to feel like myself again" moments.

I wanted to share some things that so far have been total necessities for post delivery care.

For Overall Recovery:

Rest & Water 

You'll need tons of both. Whether you had a natural birth or caesarean you'll need to recoup. Your body did something amazing. You've just created and carried a human being! Organize a great support team! Taking care of your new bundle is emotionally and physically exhausting and another pair of hands will certainly help with healing. We're not always "super women" and its totally okay to ask for help. My husband has been such a great help & friends are starting to stop by. Also, get your 6 - 8 glasses a day. What helped me is that we do not usually have juice/soda on our grocery list, so water is the only option. I'm breastfeeding and find that while she feeds I get awfully parched. In the first few days, I would also get a little fatigued as she feed. The best piece of advice my mother, mother in law and all the nurses gave was, "Sleep while the baby sleeps!"   

For Your "Lady" Parts: 

Dermaplast spray, Witch Hazel or wipes, Peri-bottle, Cotton feminine pads & Motrin 

The demands of new motherhood can be exhausting but you must ensure that you are caring for yourself as well. After labor and the weeks following, my body has constantly reminded me that I pushed a little person out of it! Although I'd read extensively about after birth care for "down there" I was not prepared for the pain. Labor (due to epidural) was a breeze in comparison to the pain afterward! I don't want to scare anyone but I felt like I'd been hit by a train. The percoset in the hospital helped with pain but I did not continue once home. The nurses provided me with all the items listed above. All items can be found at your local pharmacy. The peri-bottle (which I define as a poor man's bidet - google it) was an absolute life saver!!! 

Other Conveniences: 

Back Bath Brush, Facial Mask, Exfoliant, Nursing Pads & Whipped Shea Butter

Toward the end of the pregnancy, my equilibrium would easily get off. So I'd began to use a back bath brush to assist in washing back and lower legs/feet. I didn't want to have a slip in the shower after I'd worked so hard to carry the child for the entire pregnancy. Well, after pregnancy my weak pelvic floor and abdominal muscles assured me that I'd have to continue using the brush until I regained my strength. Also, as I mentioned before, I'm breastfeeding and well leaks can happen! The nursing pads have helped greatly. I needed some assistance in getting the hang of breastfeeding because Pumpkin and I were doing it wrong and it hurt. We're getting the hang of it now and the whipped shea butter really helped with dry skin. Lastly, moms treat yourself. Give yourself a facial. My skin became REALLY oily and caused constant breakouts during pregnancy. Although I'm still dealing with acne postpartum, I found that a refreshing mask can help you feel better. I'm short on free time so I exfoliate and apply mask prior to shower and then peel off after shower. 

Hope this helps someone. Next up in the Postpartum series: Hair! 

So mamas, what did you find most helpful during your recovery post birth? 

Talk to you later lovelies, 

~Shan, Ms. Naturally Random