Thursday, January 18, 2018

How I Fell In Love With My Body Post-Partum

After spending four days in the hospital, when I returned home with my new-born and saw myself in the mirror, I realized I was seeing myself as a mom for the very first time.
What made me happy was my glowing face. My cheeks appeared pink and my face was shining like never before. Though the hair was unkempt, I still managed to look decent! What I didn't like was that I still looked like a pregnant lady with a baby bump. So ladies, brace yourself. It's not like magic that as soon as you deliver your baby, the bump will vanish! The bump is the hardest to get rid of. But the good thing is that it is definitely possible to get back your flat tummy.
Before I could explore my body postpartum any further, my baby started giving signals that he is hungry. Initially, I thought that only when the baby cried is when you must nurse him but my lactation consultant properly explained that babies have their own sign language. You might find him smacking his lips, sucking his fist, opening and closing his mouth, appearing restless, making sounds and finally he'll start crying. Moms should ensure not to make the baby wait till he starts crying. This will irritate him and he'll make it difficult for you too to nurse him smoothly.
Like a vigilant mom, I immediately started preparing to nurse him. Because I had a C-section delivery, it was not possible for me to hold my baby on my lap for too long. So, the football hold position was the most comfortable one. For that, you need lots of pillows and a helping hand to place the baby properly. Thankfully I constantly had my mom-in-law by my side.
If nursing doesn't turn out to be smooth it makes your postpartum journey even more difficult. Heavy breasts, sore nipples and a constant demand to feed your baby sometimes turn it into a nightmare. Never hide a problem and speak to a lactation consultant. They are there to help you with this newly entrusted responsibility.
However difficult your nursing journey is, the heavenly feeling of feeding a newborn and the smile that your baby gives you when his tummy is full is simply out-of-this-world.
Later in the day when I tried to take a shower, I realized I was losing my hair dramatically. I panicked after seeing the amount of hair I lost in just one wash. Even the stretch marks were clearly visible and yes, I got the lifetime scar because of C-section. Nothing looked good and it depressed me again. Even bowel movements were not easy and I was advised to take stool softeners along with other medicines.
I faced difficulties in walking around in the house. The narcotic painkillers made me sleep like a log but it was difficult when I had to wake up in between to nurse my baby. There was a strange emptiness I felt in my abdomen and every time I moved, I feared hurting my incision.
Postpartum days are no picnic. All I wanted to do was to sleep without any distractions but it was not possible as I found myself awake all night nursing my little one. I found it very difficult to handle and sometimes cried when nobody was watching. I didn't feel like taking pain-killers anymore and wanted to run away from everyone. I wanted my normal life back.
My doctor explained Postpartum Depression to me and encouraged me to stay strong. I stayed calm as I was aware that it's a temporary phase and everything would be fine soon. That is exactly how it turned out to be. Within a month, I was all smiles! No more medicines, no more nursing blues, I got my physical strength back and also my confidence. It was then that I started enjoying my motherhood.
What helps you recover faster is the kind of nutrition and exercise regime you follow right from the beginning. Start with deep breathing, stretching, walking and strengthening your muscles from the very day you realize you are pregnant. Don’t exhaust yourself and take proper rest in between.  A little bit of exercise every day will make a lot of difference.
Nutrition definitely plays a key role in the entire process of childbirth. Eating healthy will ensure you gain proper weight and also that your baby gets the right amount of nutrition through you. You can definitely include health drinks in your daily diet which are made keeping in mind the nutritional needs of an expectant and a first-time mother.
I relied on Mother’s Horlicks to ensure that I got the necessary nourishment. It is a health drink that has several required nutrients like iron, calcium, folic acid and protein. These are required from the first trimester itself since it fulfills the extra nourishment that a mom needs.
The difficult phase post-delivery would have killed me if there was no family support. New moms need lots of love, care and encouragement. Holding your new-born in your arms will bring back all the happiness to your life and eventually you will fall in love with your postpartum body too.
If you too are going through a similar phase, just stay calm, eat healthy, take some time out for yourself and it will soon be over. In the end, you will find a stronger, happier, and a new YOU!​

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