Postpartum 1st 48 – What to Expect

Postpartum 1st 48 – What to Expect

Postpartum 1st 48. Birthing a child is beautiful, an actual miracle. But with this awesome miracle, comes another side. So I thought it important to document my postpartum experience this time around…this last time around! Because something mysteriously happens to your memory; it seemingly goes blank with regards to the bad and the ugly of what happens to your body after child-birth and just the process/time it takes to recover. I thought this would be helpful for soon to be moms, whether new to motherhood or second, third and so forth time around.

So here’s the low on the 1st 48 of Postpartum.

• It’s Gross – body fluids expelled, from blood to sweat…it is leaving the body.
• You may or may not have a dead leg – depending on if you received an epidural for pain management and how your body reacts to it. Pain meds are awesome but unfortunately, I couldn’t move my left leg (like at all) for a period of time after delivery.
• Sleeping comfortably is still a fleeting thought – I had excruciating pelvic pain when trying to lay on my sides. All that room that the body made for the baby; has to somehow make its way back to its original locale. In the meanwhile hello major discomfort.
• Uterine contractions are severe – yes you still have contractions after delivery especially if you are nursing. The nurse informed me that its worst with each child that you have. In addition, the medical staff presses into your belly periodically to ensure that your uterus is indeed contracting back to the original size. Its the worst!
• Body Pain (as if labor wasn’t enough) – it feels like your body has been beat up with a bat. One of my friends called it trauma. You hurt everywhere…thank God for pain meds.
• Potty breaks are an ordeal – from disposable undies to warm water bottle flushes.
• Limited mobility – Moving around is an act of faith. It’s tough to get around, especially if you’re still waiting to get all the feeling back into your dead leg.
• Hello Milk – With milk coming in, whether you are breast feeding or not; the onset of breast engorgement comes, ouchie. The lactation nurse mentioned that milk may come sooner for women who have had multiple births.

So that’s the bad and the ugly of the 1st 48 hours of Postpartum. However, keeping in mind that everyone’s experience is different. One truth remains, after all that we, as women, endure in bringing children into this world; we really do deserve a medal!

And to state the obvious, in the end, it is all worth it! That’s why the earth continues to rise in population. Babies are a precious gift of God.

Do you recall your 1st 48 hours of postpartum or the following weeks?