Babylune » Advice-for-new-mothers

Another Postpartum Secret

kate baggott — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 11:03:54 +0000

This is another one of those posts containing information gleaned only from conversations with other mothers. You have been warned. Read on at your own risk.
Extended nursing can mean your period won’t return for several months after you give birth. I went without for 7 months after my first child was born and almost a year after the second was born. I have heard other women go without a period for up to 18 months after giving birth.

The secret biological truth is, the longer you keep your period away, the heavier the blood and the longer the flow for the first few cycles when it does return.

A non-mother asked me, “Are you sure it’s heavier and lasts longer? Maybe you’ve just forgotten what it was like because it has been so long.”

Yes, I am sure. The number of days and the number of pads used is much higher. What has your experience been?

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A Letter to My Sister

kate baggott — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 11:55:10 +0000

We’re waiting for my sister to give birth. She’s beyond the beached-whale stage of pregnancy and called me for the mineral-oil induction recipe that worked for me. The only problem is, I forgot to tell her that you have to follow the recipe exactly, or it doesn’t work. She didn’t and it didn’t. Writing a blog like this, I’ve found a lot of information she can take, ignore or accept at will. Such is the relationship between sisters and the nature of advice.
It’s been more than nine months since I gave birth, but all of my feeling from those first six weeks are still fresh. Preserved, as they were, in the form of blog entries.

Here, my beloved sister, is the widom that remains.

It’s all about energy management, take care of yourself and feel free to neglect the house work. Having a second baby is nothing like having the first.

Even though you will be overwhelmed, you will get used to working all the time.

In spite of the fact that your life has changed absolutely and completely, chances are that no one around you will have developed the ability to read minds. You may have to ask your husband, your parents and in-laws, your siblings, and even your friends for help. You may even have to be specific and ask them for help folding laundry or to make you a meal.

And remember, the things you should do to take of yourself and the things you can do, are completely different things. You might be surprised that even doing one little thing, for as little as one minute, might make you feel a lot better.

Post from: Babylune

Becoming Everyone’s Mother

kate baggott — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 08:38:38 +0000

Both my sister and a friend of mine are due to pop out their second children any day now. I suspect, at this point in their pregnancies, they are so full of baby and stomach acid that they can’t lie down properly. I remember too well the discomfort that caps itself off with the pain of childbirth followed immediately by adjusting to life with two children and having absolutely no time for myself. There was just work and more work. For about a week when the baby was 5 weeks-old, I had no idea who I was.

My saving grace came in the form of words from a friend. “It doesn’t get easier,” she said, “but you do get used to it.”

And while you get used to it, you do what you can for your poor body and remember that you and all of your parts are important and deserving of care. If you can get help, take it. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need and don’t be frightened of needing the support of those who love you.

Post from: Babylune

Thinking the Body Positive

kate baggott — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 07:11:08 +0000

OK. Enough whining. Time to think body positive.

Three things I love about my body after having children:

My hair, while often pulled back into a ponytail, is still long and curly and full despite all the strands that have fallen out due to hormonal changes.
My smile. The kids give me more reason to do it and, I think, it makes me more attractive.
My breasts. It’s like having milk-filled implants.

What have you got going on with your maternal body?

Post from: Babylune

Just Out of Birthing Bed?

kate baggott — Thu, 11 May 2006 07:36:34 +0000

New mothers are made every day (Hi Kris! Hi new baby Bodhi!). So, once a month or so I like to give the women who are just discovering Babylune an overview of what’s here.

If you’re in the middle of one of the many fantastic post partum mysteries of the human body, click on The Long List of Discomforts. Within the posts are links to posts that deal with common problems in the first days after giving birth.

You can also go to The First Six Weeks Category Archive to get an overview of what to expect in the first phase of new motherhood.
If you’re pregnant and need to know what to expect immediately after birth, read the post Quick & Dirty Advice for those About to Pop so you know exactly what to have on hand. The good news is that you can leave most of the stuff on other “to pack” lists at home. You don’t need a hairdryer in the post partum period.

When you’re ready to post your birth story online, I would love to read it. And, if you’re surrounded by well-meaning relatives who don’t quite know how to help you (i.e. they’re getting in the way), send me an email and I will send them my warmest congratulations and links to entries on How to Help and More Advice on How to Help a new mother.

If you have any questions or concerns about your recovery and can’t sit down long enough to do the research yourself, let me know and I’ll post the answers I find here.

Good luck, congratulations and take good care of both the baby and yourself.

Love,

Kate

Post from: Babylune