WHAT THEY DON'T TELL YOU

So I was chatting with a neighbor about the joys of post labor bodily functions and dealing with a newborn and this was her reaction "Really...cause you don't ever hear about that, but I guess it could be because most women don't come out into society for a couple of months."  After that conversation I decided that maybe more people need to hear how it really is.  I doubt any males even read this blog, but just in case, this is your warning!  It may be TMI, but I think every woman needs to know what "they" don't tell you.

Friday/Saturday we hit an all time low with new baby boy.  I was up until 5 am with him.  He would not sleep for anything..it was a nightmare!  He was basically attached to my breasts all night long.  I can't even tell you how sore my nipples were.  Both have cracks on them the size of the Grand Canyon, from pumping in the hospital, which have no time to heal up with constant feeding.  I couldn't be too annoyed at him though.  He was having complications from the circumcision that was done on Wednesday.  And by complications I mean it was weepy and oozy looking and the plasti-bell fell off after only 3 days, which they say should be on for at least a week to 10 days.  Oh the joys of having/being a boy!  Poor little guy.

I on the other hand was experiencing some of my own discomforts all night too.  I was completely constipated thanks to pain medicine, but REALLY needing to go.  Along with that I have been experiencing difficulty urinating.  I have the intense urge to go, but nothing really comes out, maybe a little trickle.  If I want to go, I have to push as if having a bowel movement, and only then am I able to really get anywhere with my bladder.  This happens from using a catheter, and basically having to retrain the bladder to go on its own.  I had the pleasure of wearing my catheter home which meant mine was in for a week where most women have it in for a lot shorter period of time.  And lets not forget the constant bleeding.  My Dr even did a great job to clean me out after the c-section and I haven't had near as much bleeding as with Jack, but its still no fun.

Packin' heat is not all it's cracked up to be!  

Anyway, I finally got to go to bed for a little bit, but of course Twodles wakes up around 7:30, so I was up once again to "supervise" him.  That basically consisted of me laying on the couch half conscious, only dragging myself to the TV about 4 times to put in a new movie.  I know...it was THAT bad!

Twodles current past-time while mommy breastfeeds/can't get off the couch from exhaustion .  This "I-use-movies-as-a-babysitter" phase won't last forever right?  That's what I keep telling myself anyway...whatever helps me sleep better!

Sometime around 11am I got a text from the above mentioned neighbor wondering if we had remembered to pick up their Bountiful Basket...GGGGGGAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!  How could I forget?  That is so unlike me, I am very reliable.  I was devastated, and began to sob uncontrollably.  I interrupted Mr Medic at work begging him to call the fire station where they take the abandoned baskets.  Surely he could get it back.  He of course was concerned at my hysteria and did his best to reclaim it, but with no luck.

This event threw me over the emotional edge and I was a complete wreck for the rest of the day.  I cried over absolutely everything.  As I sat helpless only really moving to nurse baby boy, or do the bare minimum for Twodles, I kept thinking things like "I'm so horrible, I haven't taken Twodles out of the house all day...he's already watched 4 movies..." and on and on!  When Mr. Medic got home he took us out for some "quick" food and then to Walmart for a few things to get us through the weekend.  I remember looking at people and thinking "their life is so normal...they have it so easy...they don't have to stay up all night with their baby...my life is OVER!"  hahahaha  Typing it even makes me laugh!  I seriously felt like it was the end of the world.  I felt like I was an alien person in a place that I didn't belong.  Surely no one was in my situation or ever had been.  I made sure to tell Mr. Medic how I was feeling and he was sweet to comfort me and tell me my emotions were real and that it would be ok.

Thankfully, I have a merciful Father in Heaven who blessed us with some decent sleep that night.  I guess otherwise I might not have made it to church the next day.  It felt so nice to get out of the house and to be around other people, even though I'm in the awkward I'm-not-pregnant-anymore-but-still-look-it phase.  My regular clothes are a little tight especially around the incision area, and my pregnant clothes are so last month!  Baby boy tried distracting me from my wardrobe woes at church by taking advantage of the silence and totally filling his diaper.  The immature kid in me just had to laugh out loud.

So far I haven't had that big of a meltdown again, but I won't be surprised if one is just around the corner.  Probably just when I think I've made it and survived the insane sleep deprived phase, it will hit me once again.  For now my main goal is to keep both boys content and keep myself sane which some days means I have to work really hard on my multitasking skills!  You moms know what I mean right?

Breastfeeding AND giving a horsey ride (oh AND taking a picture...hello!)

Quick splash in the puddles during a rain storm while the boys were napping = How I stay sane!  

What are some ways you cope with the nuances of newborn life?  And what helps you get out of a post-delivery hormonal funk?