Babymooning

Almost 2 weeks ago Blessing #5 made his lightening speed entrance into this world. It was a wonderful birth and a pretty easy labor, as I trusted in the Lord to be my strength and allowed myself to receive the contractions instead of fighting against them.

I will admit that I did experience some fear. Fear that I didn't have what it took. What it took to make it through the labor and give birth. Fear that I didn't have what it took to be a good mother to all my blessings, especially since I wasn't feeling like I was doing that great before. Fear that my body would fall apart even more than it had the last birth, where I'd ended up with a grade 2 cystocele. I had worked hard in physical therapy and had just finished it when I got pregnant. A lot of thoughts went through my mind, but I managed to turn from them and focus on God's word and pray. I honestly believe prayer is what got me through labor this time and through it so quickly. That and the wonderful team I had with me. They only became involved as necessary and let me do the rest.Two midwives and Blessing #2 got to witness the arrival of Blessing #5. Even my husband was doing everything he could to support me and send positive loving energy my way, though he missed the actual arrival while taking care of Blessing #4. Blessing #5 arrived almost immediately after my water popped. I did manage to listen to my body and the currents of energy flowing through me, and only pushed when my body insisted. In fact I really had no time to not push. The midwives commented how they had enough time to say "Oh! The baby is here!" That's how quickly he came.

We spent the first week of his life hanging out on the couch on the main floor of our home. The day after that I decided to brave the stairs and go to my own bed. Good idea, since I've been getting better rest up here. Monday and Tuesday I decided to be up and down the stairs and carrying my little guy around. Not a good idea. I'd almost stopped bleeding after that first week, but by the end of Monday it was back with avengance. Not so bad that I needed to see someone about it, but still unpleasant. Yesterday, I decided it was important to rest, as frustrating as that is when I feel like I'm superwoman and should be up and about by now and going on with life. I've spent all of today, pretty much, in bed as well. Once again the bleeding is slowing down and I'm starting to feel human again. I decided to look up postpartum rest, as I felt like I'm either getting old (I'm about to turn 31. I know not really old.) or that maybe my body is just kaput. God knew what I needed to remember and to know, as the first thing I came across was this blog at The Leaky Boob. http://theleakyboob.com/2010/12/a-time-to-heal-a-look-at-postpartum-recovery/  I think every woman about to have a baby or who has just had a baby in our get up and go society needs to read this and be reminded that we just went through a process of something amazing and we deserve to take time to heal, that we might heal properly. So far, my prolapse doesn't seem to be any worse than it was pre-pregnancy. I may have a slight diastasis, but I do feel as though my body is healing in ways it never had a chance to before as I've always gotten up and gotten back to the daily grind within days of giving birth. So for now, I plan to do what I can to rest and enjoy this time snuggling with my newest blessing, because all too soon it will be over.