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  1. Nicole Rosenberger

    While I appreciate the candid honesty now I AM SO SCARED! I am 32 weeks with twins… 4-6 weeks to go … I hope I can handle it! .. I mean, I don’t have a choice either way but I hope I do ok! I’ll definitely be stocking up on some of those must haves!

    Reply
  2. Angela

    Out baby girl is 5 days old and while I feel lucky in the postpartum area myself, I’m having the hardest time coordinating/handling breastfeeding and her sleeping. 3 hours goes by fast and she does not give cues she’s hungry. But I can’t let her go past 3 hours and oh trying to find time to sleep!! I have my parents here to help since my husband can’t take off til later in the month and I still have trouble. Girl just does not like to be put down and wakes up 🤣!!

    I know you mentioned doing a breastfeeding post but could you include how she sleeps or even you? I mean, forgot to brush my teeth today. 🤷🏻‍♀️

    Reply
  3. JL

    This is an amazing and honest post! There are so many things we go through trying to get pregnant, being pregnant, giving birth and the after. Why all the secrecy? Your advice is so helpful to so many and I will definitely keep these tips in mind come January when I give birth.

    Thank you so very much and best to you and baby!

    Reply
  4. Hannah

    I love this post!! Women are so secretive about what happens during and after birth but we need to know! I haven’t been pregnant yet but I want to be prepared for what to expect and not blindsided. I think knowing and preparing also helps with postpartum depression, so thank you for being so open and honest.

    One thing I have heard can help with tearing is water births. Helps keep you more elastic down there I think. That’s why I am seriously considering do that when the time comes. I think I am most scared of the tears.

    Congratulations on being a new mom and having a healthy baby girl!!

    Reply
    1. Mali

      I understand your fear as I just had my first this week. However, there are two (or more) sides to the birth stories. I tore had two stitches and it’s not bad honestly. Even the labor and delivery was way easier than I had built up in my head. I’m my emergency induction the pain was manageable until my water was broken then it got bad. Even then I got an epidural and then it was pretty easy peasy. Just pressure not much pain at all and you don’t feel yourself tear, they tell you. And it’s like you have to poop pressure not the contraction pressure. I didn’t poop although a lot do and it’s ok. And my pushing only lasted 50 minutes. I give credit to the red raspberry tea I was drinking in copious amounts the last month or so before delivery. I agree this post is super helpful but don’t be afraid not all births are that painful and my recovery has been cake. I’m up, around and managing baby and animals extremely well. I will say the sleep schedule does not exist and I’m exhausted but hubby took the baby after the early morning feeding and I got a few precious hours back and I feel great. Good luck, you got this!

      Reply
  5. Lindsey Struznik

    Love your honesty and can totally relate. I tore badly with my first and thought I’d never have sex again and definitely not another baby. Well…three babies later, I can’t believe what our bodies do! The one thing I wish I knew is do not carry those carseats everywhere with the baby in it. I destroyed my pelvic floor from lifting after delivering and now I need reconstructive surgery. Buy the stroller that you put the carseat in and avoid lifting! And lastly, you will heal and you will have sex again and probably more babies, because the beauty of it all makes you forget the pain.

    Reply
  6. Anonymous

    May be TMI, but I had to pee standing in the shower for the first week home, too painful to sit! Prayers for a quick recovery for you!

    Reply
  7. Andrea

    *Amanda, see if you can find the ultra soft breast pads. I think Lansinoh makes them. Not everywhere carries them. Or get the reusable/washable cotton ones. It’s like night be day on your worn out nipples. Seriously. And after Miller is done eating, Dan some breast milk on your nipples and let them be open to air. And/or use some nipple cream on them. I also used to just put a towel on my bed under me and sometimes sleep topless for a couple hours to let my nipples not be touched by anything.
    As a nurse who has been in thousands of deliveries and a mom of 3…Everything will get better/easier. And you definitely had a tougher time. For all your readers, not every delivery/recovery is like this. I mean there’s definitely parts of this that everyone experiences, but your tears are making your recovery harder. I’m so sorry you had all of this. 😔 Hopefully next time will be a whole different/easier experience. I know I was terrified of delivering my firstborn (because I had seen so many deliveries before giving birth) and had talked at length with my doctor about my fears and what her plan would be if x,y,z happened so readers, make sure you talk about these things with your doctor. (Not saying you didn’t, Amanda, or that your doctor did anything wrong). I had my babies vaginally, via c section after my water broke, and then scheduled c section. All totally different, but in the end, they each entered the world safely and were healthy, which is the whole goal! (And C-sections are not easy either, guys!) congrats and hang in there!

    Reply
  8. Susan

    I hear you girl. Had 4th degree tear and said no way I would ever do that again. I was pregnant 6 months later 😜 Now my babies are coming home from college for Thanksgiving and I’m so excited you would think I just found out I was pregnant. It goes so fast. Enjoy! They are blessings

    Reply
  9. Jennifer

    I’ve got 4 weeks to go & im terrified of a vaginal delivery. I’ve mentioned this before in response to your blogs, but I actually am an OB doc and have delivered at least a thousand babies….so I know the damage that they cause on the way out. I love how honest and accurate your blog has been about the whole process. Btw-I am dreading experiencing it first hand. While being pregnant has made me a better doctor, I am pretty anxious about all the things that can go wrong on the way out. The bright side about your delivery is that is sounds pretty normal! While your body has taken a beating, I am so glad to hear Baby Miller and you are both safe and healthy over all. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately?) our bodies were made to do all these terrible and painful things you are talking about & then completely recover and do it all over again another time. At least that’s what I’m telling myself when this all goes down. Hang in there momma—you are obviously very strong and will continue to recover.

    Reply
  10. Kendra

    I just want to add that after you soak or after rinsing the area after you pee, a warm blowdryer is wonderful to dry the area. My doctor actually told me to do this and I think it helped ne to heal faster too. After my first baby, I had a bad reaction to the tucks and eppifoam that they put on my pad in the hospital and my stitches all fell out from the inflammation. Imagine that! It was horrible. They can’t re-stitch after either. So I had to heal from the inside out. He told me to use the blowdryer and I had to use a granulating spray, and it healed very nicely. I had 2 more babies vaginally after and they were a breeze. My last one was breech so I had a c- section and let me tell you, if I had known, they all would have been c- section. It was so easy compared to the other. And I didn’t bleed for weeks like we do after a vaginsl birth. You look great! So tiny so soon after. And Miller is so beautiful! So perfect! I love her name. My niece is an ENT doctor in Shreveport and she has used the ear mold on babies with wonderful results. Thanks for posting this. I sure wish I would have read something like this before my first baby.

    Reply
  11. tiffany

    holy cow! thank you for just being open and honest. (why i love you) but for realz. i had no idea about like 75% of any of the things that happen after baby comes. I’m so sorry that you’ve had ALL the things happen to you. but you’re strong and you and miller will get it down :). i am no where near having a baby but like i said i appreciate your honesty. keeping your cute family in my thoughts and prayers.

    ps. miller is so precious!

    Reply
  12. Melissa Lynch

    You are so precious! My grandmother told of a 7 + day stay in the hospital. She lounged in bed with 24 hour care and daily arm/leg massages.

    Reply
  13. Kiesha

    I was not a fan of Dermaplast! It was actually really uncomfortable/a little painful for me to use. Instead I used Earth Mamma Bottom Balm. That and sitz baths really helped with my pain and helping things to heal!

    Reply
  14. Catherine Crowley

    Thank you so much for posting this. It is great to hear that other women go through the same things. I think we get told so much about the labor part but the aftermath gets forgotten, especially how hard breastfeeding. It took a good month before I felt competent feeding. Stick with it. It gets easier and is a lovely bond to share.
    I had my first baby in March this year, The ice packs helped greatly and the stool softener take the stress out of having to go the bathroom. it just happened.
    I had terribly engorged breasts and found that icepacks helped. The hospital gave me huge fat packs which didn’t mould. I hated them and made my already terribly large boobs feel giant sized. Another blogger recommended on her site these and I found it much more discreet and comfortable when lying down. Mumasil Reusable Warm and Cool Breast Packs. They moulded easily and fit inside your bra. I am sure there are other brands that do the same thing.

    Reply
  15. Lauren

    This is all truth! Such a similar experience to my own. The only thing I would add is to get some soft washable breast milk pads. I also used the ones you linked but I noticed they were irritating my skin over time. I started using a set of washable bamboo fabric pads I found on Amazon and they were so much softer on my sensitive skin. The disposable ones were still great in a pinch and great for keeping in my purse/diaper bag/car etc for emergencies. Thank you for being so open and sharing!

    Reply
  16. Ann

    I didn’t see anything on belly wraps. That was a must for me. Even though it hurt bad right after delivery. I wrapped my belly with a medela belly band. Omg did it help. Just that little bit of support i really needed.

    Reply
  17. Tara

    Hi! You’re totally right…why don’t women talk to each other about those first few days or weeks at home?!?! I was completely in the dark too! I mean, spray bottle? Dermablast?!? Insane nipple sensitivity?!? It’s all crazy…& mix in a giant dose of sleep deprivation and it all feels like torture. Did you know that the CIA uses sleep deprivation (& a screaming baby) as an interrogation technique? Well, I believe it…I would have confessed anything to get my baby to sleep and nurse well those first few night. IT IS ALL SO HARD! My son is now 2yrs old and I am expecting my second child in February. I’m hoping that at least knowing what to expect will help me this time around. (Fingers crossed) Thanks for sharing…& stay strong, Momma…you got this💜

    Reply
  18. Elizabeth

    Hi There!

    So I’m not pregnant and my husband and I won’t really be in that mindset for another few years BUT I appreciate the brutal honestly of this post and your birth story! Also, something to try with your night sweats is Soma Intimates Cool Nights PJs. My mom wore them (and still does b/c they’re great) when she was going through menopause and they helped with her night sweats as her hormones were changing. 🙂

    Reply
  19. Caitlin

    Ugh, I’m so sorry mama! I sadly can’t relate to this kind of pain since I had c-sections, but agree with the miralax when you get home! And I’ve heard good things about depends, so I’ll be using that for the 3rd delivery coming up in a couple of months – because, yes, you still bleed with a c-section! Hang in there with the hormones, they do get better – and are normal! Let those tears out! You’re doing great – some advice my OB gave me was to not lift anything heavier than the baby for the first 4 weeks – everyone’s abs take a beating during pregnancy and they need to heal just as much as the lady parts!

    Reply
  20. Kelsey Myers

    I had a 3/4 and also experienced everything you talked about! The hospital actually gave me a sitz bath to fill with water and put over the toilet so you aren’t as cold! Here is one on amazon: Carex Sitz Bath, Over-the-Toilet Perineal Soaking Bath, for Hemorrhoidal Relief, Ideal for Post-Episiotomy Patients https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000533E1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ivZ7BbQD4ZM6V

    My nipples killed the first three months breastfeeding! Your dr can prescribe Newman’s Nipple Butter which helps way more than the OTC stuff.

    Also if you have inverted nipples/baby is toungue tied, nipple shields help in the beginning:
    Medela, Contact Nipple Shields, 24mm Nipple Shield, Unique Cut-Out Shape, Available in Different Sizes, Sterile Versions Available for Hospitals, Made Without BPA, 2 Count with Carrying Case https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0779BF4V6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_6BZ7BbC82VE93

    These also saved me bf-ing:
    Lansinoh Soothies Gel Pads 2 ct… https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0064FWMXI?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

    Hang in there Mama! Hope your infection gets better ASAP 😘

    Reply
  21. Sunshine

    Have you tried to pee in shower? That is What i did after All deleveries. Warm water helps with the pain 😊

    Reply
  22. Libby

    I actually think I was prepared enough for the post partum. The only thing for me that was absolutely miserable was the Pupps rash I got after I had my daughter. It was soooo terrible.

    What I personally was not prepared for was how painful the 8 days past my due date would be! I couldn’t physically get out of bed! Those 8 days were more painful than both labor and recovery for me. Goes to show how every woman is different!

    Reply
  23. ReginaCQ

    Thank you for sharing and I’m sorry to hear that you have been having a hard time PP, I would love to hear your birth story. I just want to say to all the pregnant ladies out there that everyone has a different experience and a positive mind will help you through this rough times because of course none of it is easy but there is a great chance to be very lucky 🍀 and have a great experience after all.

    Reply
  24. Savannah

    I was given these witch hazel pads in the hospital that really helped with my tears/bleeding, and I can definitely agree that the dermoplast was a huge help as well. I’m 2 weeks postpartum and I’m still using the dermoplast.

    Reply
  25. Laura

    Thank you so much for this. I have loved following your pregnancy story pre and post. I’m going to be a first time mom (due date tomorrow) and this has been very helpful to know what to expect!

    Reply
  26. Anonymous

    After my first delivery I felt much of what you ‘be described plus after pains 😳. They are horrible cramping I would get especially when I nured at first. My second postpartum was so much easier! Except my afterpains were even worse. Other than those, I was up and about the next day. Congratulations on your sweet little bundle.

    Reply
  27. Rachel

    Loved reading this and probably will read it again! My best friend is having her first baby next week and I have been so involved with her along the way- she has already been texted the link to read ASAP! thanks for sharing and can’t wait to read more. Congrats on that beautiful baby girl you have! Xoxo

    Reply
  28. Sl

    Hi for the epsom bath – do you have any recommendations for this us who only have showers? How often did you soak?

    Reply
  29. Maria

    Thanks so much for posting this – I’m really nervous about the recovery and this made me feel way more prepared! Best of luck with your recovery, hopefully it’s speedy. And best wishes to you and your growing family!

    Reply
  30. Maddie

    Love your post! I just had my first baby 3 weeks ago, and I too was shocked about postpartum recovery. The padsicles have been a real life saver for me.

    Reply
  31. Alycia

    I feel that no one talks about the dirty. I wish someone had told me to landscape my vaginal area before I gave birth. Afterwards the area is sensitive and quickly gets gross from the blood and discharge even if you are showering twice a day. Word to the wise, landscape before you give birth!

    Reply
  32. Jessi Strull

    Thank you. This is so helpful!!

    Reply
  33. Rebekah

    Love this post! My sweet girl was born on November 5th and I don’t think anyone prepared me for the postpartum part of it all! I literally hate using the bathroom, I constantly have to sit or lay down because standing hurts my lady parts. I also didn’t expect the night sweats but have just learned to accept it all now! Thanks for sharing your story!

    Reply
  34. Christen

    Love the honesty! Hang in there momma! I was so upset that no one told me about the peeing part after birth (especially with tears, stitches and hemroids the size of golf balls) that it’s always the one thing I share with new mommas so they can have all the goodies to be prepared after labor and delivery! Currently preggo with my third and totally going to try some of your suggestions this time around! Congrats on your baby girl xo

    Reply
  35. Aless

    I was fortunate wnough to have a good labor and pp.
    tip: The disposable(they are like a net) underwears i got from the hospital were the best thing ever. They are not tight and you can throw them away so you dont worry about bleeding.

    Reply
  36. Kaci

    This was an awesome post. Wish I had read something like this before giving birth earlier this year. I was in No way prepared for what came after. Thanks for always keeping it real!

    Reply
  37. Emma

    Love your honesty! Everyone says you forget about the worst parts of labor, delivery and the fourth trimester, and I think that’s why a lot of people don’t know all the nitty gritty details. I have 4 sisters and none of them told me all these things!
    Personally, I got annoyed with filling up the peri bottle every trip to the bathroom, and I felt like the TP stuck to my last parts. To pat dry, I started using the gauzy wipes the hospital provided for baby (we brought regular wipes for her). When I got home, I started using flushable wipes. Way easier and the cool wipes provided some relief down there!

    Reply
  38. Lori H Carey

    I have given birth 3 times and I could have used this advice on every single one. I am giving birth in March, and my youngest is currently 9. Some of the items on this list are new to me (the hakkaa being one of them!), and some are old favorites. I also got 3rd degrees tears with #1 because of them having to use forceps, last 2 babies were all good in terms of tearing. I’m making my list of things we need, so I’m printing this because I want all of these things!!

    Reply
  39. Emily

    Thank you so much for your honest perspective and advice!! I’m pregnant now for the first time and it’s so refreshing and helpful to hear the truth about what to expect post-partum so that I can prepare!

    Reply
  40. Melanie

    I just have to say you took the words right out of my mouth. My son will be 2 in a few weeks. All i said post baby was why did no one tell me this. I had no idea what postpartum recovery would be like. And on top of it all there’s a tiny human that needs you! I was fortunate enough not to tear, my ob actually cut me to prevent tearing but it still hurt ! Thank you for sharing your story!!!

    Reply
  41. Lauren

    The Belly Bandit wrap, the Belly Bandit Mother Tucker leggings and the BaoBei recovery leggings were all great. They provide core support and nice coverage.

    Reply
  42. Rachel F.

    Thank you for keeping it real. So many bloggers put forth an unrealistic image of perfection right after having a baby. This post will help a lot of women know what to expect. Great post!

    Reply
  43. Miyan

    This is so helpful to someone who hasn’t given birth yet, love how honest you are! I would add for my recovery that after about a week or two my lady parts (where they stitched me up) was itchy as HELL! It felt like ants were crawling on me when I would go to bed at night. I guess it was the healing or something but just a splash of cold water and using the numbing spray would help a bit, but I was advised to keep it medicine free and dry otherwise. So so painful and annoying but it eventually went away.

    Reply
    1. Amanda Miller

      Yikes I hope that’s not what I’m in for this next week! Thanks for letting us know!!
      Xox A

      Reply
  44. Ashley

    Yes, yes, and yes!!! Delivered my baby girl on the 5th and my story is so very similar! You’re doing great mama! 👏🏼

    Reply
    1. Amanda Miller

      Congrats babe! Xox a

      Reply
  45. Audreytienyi

    I wish I knew the pee tricks! My game plan was to drink as little water as possible so I’d hopefully pee less haha definitely won’t do that again…

    Reply
    1. Amanda Miller

      Haha I was doing the same at first until this trick and now I drink sooo much water a day which is also so good for the baby!! Xox A

      Reply

I feel like I should preface this post with some kind of warning message in bright red like ‘DO NOT READ IF YOU SCARE EASILY.’

Honestly, I am not even sure if I would have wanted to read something like this myself while pregnant or before getting pregnant. My entire pregnancy I was just worried/anxious about labor. NOTHING prepared me and no one warned me about this.

Why don’t people talk about it more? With as many children that are born daily, why was I so far in the dark when it came to what happened AFTER delivery?

I don’t want you guys to be in the dark.

I do also want to let you know that every postpartum recovery is different. Never compare yours to others, because each and every tear you may receive is different and some women don’t tear at all. Your journey is going to be completely different than mine. But, at least now you will be prepared if any of these things happen to you. You won’t be alone.

After you finish reading this post, make sure to check out this one:

The Top 25 MUST HAVE Newborn Products

What to Expect Postpartum – Week 1

Since I am doing this backward (my birth story won’t be on the blog until next week), I am just going to start at the very end of delivery.

My doctor and the resident spent A LOT OF TIME down there after delivery. It freaked me out. Later my sister told me there was literally a bucket of blood. They apparently had a pretty hard time stitching me up.

Later the doctor told me I had two second degree tears that were stitched and then three first degree tears around my urethra that they didn’t want to stitch because I needed to be able to pee. If that doesn’t freak someone out I don’t know what will. Troy later told me that the look the dr had on her face was basically telling him she felt super sorry for me.

The Hospital

Apparently being able to pee after birth is a real worry among the doctors and nurses. They actually won’t discharge you until you have peed. Many women actually have to leave the hospital with a catheter. My doctor was very pleasantly surprised to learn I had peed.

In the hospital, you get pain meds basically every 2-4 hours so it isn’t as bad as it is when you get home. It is still hard though. When you get up and feel that first wave of pressure down there you are in shock. And then you think, um duh, I did just have a baby. Why didn’t I expect this? It literally feels like all of your insides are just about to fall out and you are just trying to hold them all in. Like a bowling ball is trying to force it’s way out of your privates.

You then have to walk to the restroom with your IV and try to pee. It burns at the time (but will later burn sooo much more!) They show you how to use your squirt bottle, pat your privates to dry, spray the dermaplast, and then apply your hemorrhoid cream.

If you had hemorrhoids during pregnancy they will be back with a vengeance. I am not exaggerating when I say they will be the size of grapes. If you didn’t have them during pregnancy you may still get them during labor. You are just pushing so hard down there. Honestly, the hemorrhoids haven’t bothered me at all and went wayyy down within the week.

They also talk to you about laying on your side to take the pressure off down there, but the beds are just so uncomfortable in general.

You will be exhausted and in pain and they will come in every hour to check on either you or to check on the baby. It is absolute torture.

We pushed hard for me to be out of there within 24 hours. We wanted to stop being interrupted every hour and I knew I could heal just a well at home. I am so glad we did. I am not sure we could have handled another night in there! If you feel like you are ready then make the push to leave within 24 hours. They will just make sure you and the baby are both ok before releasing you.

At Home

The recovery process is rough. Sitting down on anything besides a donut (and that hurts too) is hell. You just want to watch tv or hold your baby or pick up things around your house and you can’t. You just have to lay down.

Bleeding:

You will bleed for a while down there and will need something for that. In the hospital, you will use the pads they give you but at home I 100% recommend depends. They are amazing! You change them every time you use the restroom. They are super comfy too! I like how they don’t crowd your lady parts (which helps avoid rubbing!) You want to keep some air between the pad down there if at all possible to help with healing! You don’t want anything rubbbing up against the area!

Peeing:

Peeing is by far the WORST part of my postpartum. It feels like knives are stabbing me down there and I scream out loud sometimes. BUT, I recently read some amazing tips (I want to kiss this woman on the mouth for these) and it has been much better since:

1.Sit as far back on the toilet as you can and lean forward so far that your elbows are on the ground in front of you. If you aren’t that flexible then put a stool or something there for support. Your butt should be lifted in the air a bit. This is a lifesaver. It helps all the pee to go straight down instead of dribble on your privates. As long as the pee doesn’t touch your privates you are golden and this works 90% of the time!!

2.Keep your pee as diluted as possible. FLUIDS FLUIDS FLUIDS. The more dehydrated you are the more your pee will sting and you will want to die. It took me way too long to realize this. Plus, the more fluids you have the heavier the stream of pee is and the more likely it will just stream straight down! If you only have a tiny bit of pee it is going to get everywhere and that is when it hurts like hell.

3.Spray the dermaplast before AND AFTER! If you spray before it will help numb the area before you pee.

4.Make sure your squirt bottle is loaded before you pee. Your husband can help do this while you are peeing because lord knows the pee is impossible to keep in at the beginning. You WILL pee on yourself trying to get to the toilet at the beginning. That’s why all the books tell you to practice your kegels during pregnancy. So many people suggested spraying the squirt bottle while you pee, but the method in #1 works much better. When you feel like your stream of pee is coming to an end then you can squirt away!

Pooping:

There are definitely mixed messages about this. My best friend said the first poop hurt her more than labor itself. I have been dreaded it my entire pregnancy. It is all I could think about after delivery. The truth is, the poop just kind of fell out for me on day 4-5 and didn’t hurt one bit. Hasn’t hurt one bit since and I poop every other day.

I think the trick is starting a stool softener EARLY ON. I have been on Colace since month five and continued to use it throughout the hospital visit. They will also prescribe you a couple of other things to help loosen the stool. I also started taking miralax as soon as I got home and ate an apple a day.

If you can be proactive you can have a positive experience too!

Oh, and get a squatty potty right now if you don’t have one! That will help A LOT too!

Oh, and I guess I should warn you about the gas. For the first four days you won’t be able to hold your gas in. Just be prepared for that. Your husband will hear you let it out a few times. This might be another reason you should keep friends from coming over until at least a week after you are home. Your gas will subside by the and you will be able to hold it in better!

It was soooo embarrassing at first but now we laugh about it!

Your Boobs

I am not here to tell you whether or not to breastfeed. That is your own decision and some women don’t even have the choice. FED is best, so just keep that baby FED!

It took me around 6 days for my milk to fully come in. It was frustrating and I felt so helpless. The pediatrician told us to give her 1.5-2oz after every meal and that worked like a charm until my milk came in.

Now that it is in, my boobs are super painful after a couple of hours! They wake me up in the middle of the night!

Breastfeeding is soooo hard guys and during that first week you are going to be so exhausted. You just have to hang in there, pump to bring your milk in, and give your baby what you can! It will all work out in the end!

Use a My Breast Friend to breastfeed. Helps hold the baby up for you! Your back will thank you!

I am sure I will write another post on breastfeeding after a  month of doing it because honestly, every day is different with Miller. We have had to change the plan so many times!

Your boobs will also start leaking everywhere. You will need nursing pads to put in your bras and a Haakaa pump to catch all of the reserves! See below for the links. BREAST MILK STAINS so I would start using them both right away!

Lastly, your nipples will be dry and sore. To prevent chapping, make sure to have something to put on them right away (I started using something for them in the hospital!)

Walking/Standing/Sitting/Etc

I felt pretty good around day 5 and decided I could conquer the world. Big mistake. I was up on my feet all day cleaning and washing and working and so on. Since then I have basically been on bed rest because of the pain.

Don’t go at it too hard. I actually heard someone say the first week home should be spent in bed, the second week around the bed, and the third week around the house. I wish I had known this.

When it comes to the pain it feels like one of my stitches is stabbing raw skin down there. Every movement is painful. This has lasted a couple of days now and I finally just called my dr to see if I could take a stronger medicine. I have an appt at 10 am on Friday morning to get evaluated.

If you feel like your pain isn’t normal, CALL YOUR DR. They will check on you and let you know and hopefully give you some advice on how to manage it.

Hormones

You will also have crazy hormones. Those, combined with exhaustion will lead to many many tears! I cry nearly every night just when I hug my husband before bed! Get ready to cry A LOT those first two weeks!

Hormones also lead to bad night sweats. I wake up every two hours in a pool of sweat :/. Not sure there is anything I can do about that unless I have my dr prescribe me something to level me out.

MISC

These two things come MOST RECOMMENDED by you guys, but have not really worked for me :/.

Sitz Baths- Sit in a warm bath with epsom salt and lavender oil 2-3 times a day and soak your lady parts. Only fill up the water to what you need to cover them. Spend 10-15 minutes in there (I usually read a chapter of a book each time). I recommend having a space heater in your bathroom since the rest of your body will be outside the water and you will be cold. DEFINITELY DO NOT PEE IN THERE. If you feel like you are going to then jump out and use the toilet. Nothing hurts worse than peeing in your sitz bath, trust me!! Burn baby burn.

Padsicles- Soak a pad with a couple tablespoons of witch hazel and put some cooling aloe vera gel on the top and put the pads in the freezer. Using ice pads will help the swelling go down. While I am not opposed to ice pads, the aloe burned like hell for me. I just tried doing the witch hazel only tonight and it felt pretty good!

WHAT YOU NEED

These are items you need AT HOME. I will do my hospital bag post soon and share what you will need for the hospital. Click on the actual item in the photo to shop, or use the corresponding number below the image!

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Hope this helps you guys! Please share your own story for what to expect postpartum in a comment below for others!! I know all of our recoveries are/were SOOO different! Also feel free to add a link to a product that really helped you that I missed above!

PS- Don’t forget to check out this post next:

The Top 25 MUST HAVE Newborn Products

xox Amanda

 

XO Amanda
November 16, 2018 Baby

What to Expect Postpartum – Week 1

From the Gram

@themilleraffect

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