Aggy’s Postpartum Story
While pregnant, I spent so much time preparing for labor and for my newborn baby. Everyone around me would ask how I was feeling and how they could help. Once my baby was born, I was not prepared for the postpartum experience and how hard it could be.
Postpartum realities
I was surprised by how much pain I was in. It hurt to walk more than a few minutes, and it hurt to go to the bathroom. Everyone stopped asking about me and focused only on the baby. While I expected to be emotional, I was not ready for the emotional rollercoaster I felt on top of the physical pain.
Community
Fortunately, I found solace in my other new mom friends. Hearing their experiences made me feel validated. Being able to text them, even in the middle of the night, with random questions was a relief. Knowing I wasn’t alone and that my feelings and pains were normal made me feel so much better.
Supporting players
The second time around, I was more prepared. I was actually more anxious about postpartum than I was about labor.
When my mom asked me what she could buy for the baby, I asked her to buy me postpartum supplies instead, and she happily obliged. She bought be pads, disposable underwear, ice packs, nipple cream, etc. To top it off, she surprised me with new silk pajamas so I would feel comfortable and more like myself. That small gesture meant the world to me. When I felt gross because I hadn’t been able to shower for four days, my mom came over so I could have 20 minutes to myself. When I needed some fresh air, my husband packed up the kids and helped me out of the house to take a very slow walk around the block. My husband ran to the store when I needed more pads and pain medicine.
With my second baby, I knew how to ask for help and support. I knew that while the experience was difficult, it was also temporary. I learned that it’s important to lean on your village and ask for help because while everyone is excited about the baby, the mom needs support, too.
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