Recovery from your caesarean section will take time.
Go slow.
One week in the bed, one week on the bed, one week by the bed. As a minimum.
Breast feeding might be hard but support is available.
You can express your milk & the baby won’t care.
You can switch to formula & the baby still won’t care.
You will cry from exhaustion.
You will cry from gratitude.
You will shrug at your sick, milk, blood stained clothes. But a shower will make you feel like a new person. Wash your hair.
Hold the baby for as long as you like. You both enjoy it.
The lochia lasts weeks. Have lots of pads and spare towels.
Keep wearing your big over-the-bump knickers so your scar feels protected.
When your c section wound gets infected & the postnatal hospital care is nonexistent it’s ok to get support & encouragement elsewhere.
Your scar, even with keloid skin, will start to settle.
Rub your stomach with oils. Bless your stretch marks.
It’s ok to increase the time your toddlers spend with paid care. It will support a routine for them & give you extra time to bond with the baby.
It will be important to have one arm & your lap free to greet your toddlers when they get home & you are feeding.
Vaccinations are still shit. Cuddle the baby tight but don’t look at their face when the needle goes in.
Do not underestimate the power of your voice and touch to sooth your children.
You don’t have to reply to a text or call immediately. The outside world can wait.
You don’t owe anyone your birth story.
You don’t have to make cups of tea for visitors.No visitors at all is absolutely fine actually; whilst you adjust your sails.
Stocking the freezer is a good idea. Trying to clean is not.
Rest is productive.
Drink water.
Night sweats are a thing.
Pelvic + back pain continues. Stretch if you are stiff.
The heartburn + reflux will stop overnight.
Using social media to connect with the real world when you can’t see people will be a life saver. But your anxiety will spike if you scroll too much or watch the news too much.
Or too much TV in general. Especially reality TV. No phone before bed.
You will appreciate Zoom and FaceTime.
Postnatal care plans really matter.
Your relationship will require work & sometimes you bicker through sleep deprivation. You still love each other. No one is leaving.
You both need to learn patience when your toddlers shout over you.
Wait until they go to bed for important conversations. Let them be heard.
Cuddle as much as you can.
Your hair will fall down again but you can use a special treatments & it will grow back.
Take photos.
Pray.
It is ok.
You can do it.
You are doing it.
Louise, this was so beautiful ✨
I too, am a C-section mama and can relate to absolutely everything that you wrote here 🥰
Oh this feels so resonant and it’s all so fresh in my mind of course having just gone through it. Thank you! Xxx