Brace yourself, this will be a very long blog post….
I thought for sure I would be posting more since I was “off” from work. I really only took off work for 4 weeks, and went back to training at 5 weeks postpartum. But since we haven’t started Stella at daycare, I have been more busier than ever. But things will slow down I’m sure when our schedules are more regulated and Stella goes to daycare for a few days a week (yes, you heard that right. I will be home 2 days a week with the kiddos). I never thought of myself staying home with the kids part-time but I want to try this out. I will get the best of both worlds, even if it is a little crazy. So like I have promised a few times I was going to share my birth story and so I will share the day with you and also the last 6 weeks of postpartum after delivering via c-section.
Stella’s Birth Day….
I awoke on Monday, December 28th, 2015 at 5:45 am, after about five hours of broken sleep. I showered using the Chlorhexidine soap, changed and grabbed my last-minute items. My husband, Rusty, my daughter and myself were en route to the St. Cloud Hospital by 6:45 am on a cold, cold morning. Rusty dropped Adrianna and myself off doors of hospital right on time at 7 am, where I met my parents to go along and stay with us until the surgery. I checked into obstetrical triage with my parents while Rusty parked.
What a weird feeling of not being in labor and just checking in, yep, we are having a baby today! I was able to walk right in by myself, feeling ready, excited and scared at the same time. I was the only patient to be found at this time in triage and was happily surprised at the calm, ‘chilled-out vibe’ of our lovingly anticipated of Stella’s Birth Day. Rusty, my parents and Adrianna just chatted waiting for me to get hooked up to the IV and prepped for the surgery. I was starving and SO thirsty at this point, and water was something I was craving!
I blacked out a few times as they were administrating the IV (which is very common for me, people always have trouble getting the IV in the veins), after a few people trying to get the IV in, it was a GO! I have to admit that was the worst part, until after surgery when the pain medicine wore off. After the IV, checking vital signs, physical assessment and meeting with the anesthetist, Rusty, my charge nurse and myself just walked right into the surgical birthing room. Rusty had to leave the room while I had my spinal administered. Thankfully, I had an awesome anesthetist that made me feel less stressed and calmer through this process. I did end up getting sick through this, I don’t handle epidurals/spinals well and get really nauseous. They did however, administered some anti-nausea medicine and that helped tremendously! I felt like a hot mess, through this whole thing. People claim they are super cold while having a c-section and I was sweating balls this whole time.
After I laid down on the hospital bed and I was completely numb, Rusty was able to come into the room. Soon after the doctor was able to start the procedure, and after 15-20 minutes (I did feel some pulling, and pressure as they were trying to get her out)…Stella was born!
She was born on December 28th, 2015 at 9:33am. Weighing in at 7lbs. 8oz. and 18 inches long, she is short and sweet.
After Stella was born, I was able to get some skin to skin action. From the looks of the picture above, she could really care less but I loved it! As I was holding her, they were able to close up my incision and so my mind wasn’t on what was going on behind the curtain. Since it did take a little more time (since there is 4 layers) sew me up, Rusty went with the baby so they could weigh, measure and take vitals of the baby while they finished up with me. Everyone in the room was very nice and so comforting, I have to say having a c-section this time around was a little less stressful than my first (I mean, 4 hours of pushing and tearing 4th degree is no fun at all…am I right?)
So after the surgery was complete, I went into the recovery room. This is just a small room that can be used for other mothers and families but we were the only ones in there. I then, was able to really take a good look at Stella and start bonding with her. She had long eye lashes, 10 toes, and 10 fingers and was just beautiful, just like her sister. We stayed in this room for about an hour, I really didn’t know time well since I was on so many drugs. Thankfully, I didn’t freak out about not being able to move anything below my chest (that was my ultimate worry about the c-section). I was really able to enjoy this little time we had with our newborn, since my 1st labor and delivery I pushed for so long, I had to rest/sleep after the birth.
After that I was wheeled back into our postpartum room, where my parents and Adrianna were waiting for us. Let’s just say, Adrianna was SO excited to finally meet the little sister she always wanted (even though, days later she was not so pleased to share the attention with Stella after we all went home). But as of today, 6 weeks later….she finally has said, she is so happy to have a little sister that doesn’t leave the house and stays with us. Thank goodness for that since, she will be living with us for another 18 years!
We ended up settling into our room and we had to stay for 4 days, 3 nights to keep monitored from my c-section. I had lost a lot of blood through the surgery so they wanted to make sure I was feeling ok, no blood transfusion but close. I will have to take iron tablets for 4 months or longer, depending on how my blood count is doing. I had low blood platelets before the surgery, from the pregnancy so it was no surprised that this was the outcome.
I did research on what I needed and what I needed to do after the c-section before I went under the knife and here are some of my suggestions:
- Buy a C-Panty (It helps the recovery with the incision) I started wearing mine 2nd day post-op. You can get them here: http://www.cpanty.com/
- Talking about underwear, buy the ugliest high waisted underwear (Hanes underwear, have some good ones). You won’t wear these again so no worries on what they look like, you will want them high so they don’t hit your incision.
- Make sure to get your belly binder also from the nurses at the hospital, that helped me move around a lot better.
- Start walking when you can, I walked the night of the surgery (not much but some). It will help start moving things in the right direction, like your organs…
- Walk, walk, and walk. Walk 3 times a day when you’re in the hospital (you can take the baby for a walk in their baby bed). This will help your bowels and blood moving (you will be constipated for a few days to a week)
- Speaking of constipation (yes, I know gross but hey, it happens), ask for a stool softener as soon as you get done with surgery. They won’t let you take anything you bring (I had my probiotic and digestive enzymes and I couldn’t take them). Which is another thing I would take, probiotics, those are a must!
- Take a shower the day after your surgery, the incision didn’t hurt and it helped me feel SO much better.
- Take your medication ALWAYS (don’t think you can be a super hero and go without…YOU are a super hero for carrying a child for 9 months and also going through very invasive surgery).
- Lastly, give yourself a break and patience. This is such a longer recovery for me this time around, I can’t believe what the body had to go through to deliver a healthy baby. And listen, I had an OK body to begin with but after this c-section, it is a total hot mess. But time will heal and time with do what it needs to do (with lots of work). I will say that the delivery of Stella was a little easier than the full blown labor I had with Adrianna (I was in labor with Stella 2 days prior to c-section, so I still had to go through some of the uncomfortable stages), but the recovery to any woman that has to go through a c-sections is painful, horrible pain and just the fact that it is work to go to the bathroom, get off a chair, walk, walk up stairs…you name it everything was painful. So when I say take the pain medicine, do it. I will admit I was on pain management for almost 2 weeks, and then after I got mastitis and now I still to this day (because I’ve had it 3 times).
Okay, now after the week after surgery (which is the worst week ever for pain, and it does get better after week 2). You will get through the pain, just make sure to move but not a crazy amount. Listen to the body and what you can tolerate. Now I will show you the picture of me the day after surgery, these pictures are from my phone and not retouched. They are raw and the first one, I look pretty yellow from the surgery still. But I want to share my postpartum body as it is. This is December 29th, 2016.
The few days after a c-section is a little slow, the shower was a little bit of a struggle because I was so dizzy. But I think it was a combo of the drugs I was on and the loss of so much blood. I’m sure this is quiet normal. I was also retaining so much water I felt like a camel, and when I came home after the birth my feet, arms, and legs were SO bloated! I didn’t retain much water through my pregnancy but after it was so bazaar! The water retention went away after 10 days, thankfully.
Somethings I heard when you have a c-section is that they have a hard time laying in bed, and I really wanted to lay in my bed so I did end up sleeping in my bed because I sleep awful on a couch or recliner. It was a HUGE struggle getting out of bed, it felt like burning fire and pulling from my incision, I thought that the stitches were ripping out every time I would get out of bed, chair or anything that was in a lay down or seated position (um…like the toilet). But I will let you know, it DOES get better, give it time and go slow with everything. I felt much better after 2 weeks, it’s really weird because you all of a sudden feel better after the 2 week mark. It was even hard laying on your side at night, so it was best to sleep with your legs up (water retention) and on your back and I slept like that for a week and a half. Seriously, that c-section is no joke afterwards. I do wish my body wouldn’t have failed me the first time, so I could have delivered the natural way but I had no choice, I would have had more problems with the aftermath.
Okay, now unto my postpartum journey. I show you week to week of what my body looked like, and with some ups and down of what my week looked like, I will keep this journey raw and real.
This is my 1 week postpartum:
My 1 week postpartum body after a c-section was moving in the right direction but was in a lot of pain. I had gained roughly around 22lbs. with this pregnancy and I had lost 9lbs. and 4 inches from my waist measurements from my pre-pregnancy measurements in the first week. I will add that the post-pregnancy body can be a REAL hot mess and time and patience is what you need to remember, our bodies went through so much in the many weeks to grow a little human. For most c-section mom you can not work out till you get the okay at 6 weeks postpartum. So my nutrition was a big part of reducing the weight and inches I have gained through this pregnancy until I can start lifting weights (Just remember you can’t reduce calories while breastfeeding since it can reduce your milk supply. If you are using formula you can ask your doctor how many calories you should be eating after the birth of your baby).
I’m eating mostly close to nature foods and combining my foods in a way that make fat-burning meals, and also drinking a gallon of water to keep up with breastfeeding and to reduce the bloat from all the medications and fluids from the surgery. The bloat was just starting to go down but still had some from the abdominal down to the feet (the water retention lasted 10 days post-birth).
Now to week 2:
My 2 week postpartum check-in, I started feeling much better. Moving a lot more and much better with less pain and weaned off of my percocet, and just taking ibuprofen when needed. Again, no working out but cleaning the house and moving around the house, making some Target trips and also driving (I got the OK to drive at 2 weeks postpartum). So basically, I have been focusing on my nutrition I’m focusing and making good choices at home and thankfully, I made enough freezer slow-cooker meals that have helped keep me accountable. I realized how hard it is to eat while caring for a newborn, so I have been wearing my daughter with either a sling or a front pack. Having a c-section has slowed my weight loss down, I’m losing weight slower (only 1lbs. loss) than I did with my natural birth of my first daughter. But I have kept positive that this will be ok, and I will have enough time to work on my body for the rest of my life. The negatives of this week, is that I ended up with mastitis. I can’t believe the pain and how ill you feel when you have this! So part of my slow weight-loss is probably from sitting on my rear all day nursing, and pumping, and feeding the baby all day. This week proven to be killer but I can do this!
Week 3 is another goodie:
My 3 week postpartum check-in! This week was quiet a challenge because I was still dealing with mastitis, I felt like cutting my boobs off at this point would be more comfortable!
We also went through the 3 week growth spurt, so no sleep, fussy baby and the little Miss was eating every 1 1/2 hours. I’m was again, only focusing on nutrition (but eating like there will be no food tomorrow) till my 6-week check up.
Between the mastitis (stressing out over it) and the c-section has slowed my weight loss down, I lost 2 inches around the body and lost another 1lbs. this weight loss is super slow!
Now onto week 4:
We are on week 4 already! Where has the time gone?! This week was a little better because I had another round of antibiotic for mastitis. That’s right I got mastitis back, AGAIN! I was and have been taking lecithin pills for clogged ducts and that seriously is the only thing that has saved me and keeps the clogs at bay. Always check with your doctor before taking anything while breastfeeding or pumping.
I have taken measurements and weight weekly and I have not lost anything this week ( I really think the stress of mastitis is really getting to me, I hate that my body is not doing what it is meant to do). I do however, keep on about 5lbs. of pregnancy weight when I’m lactating, so I may stay like this until I can get back into working out regularly.
Speaking of working out, I was able to do 15-20 minute workouts while baby is sleeping. That Monday was back and biceps, Tuesday was shoulders and light (really light) legs, and Wednesday chest and triceps and some walks on the treadmill (then I repeated on the consecutive days). It wasn’t much but it is the only way to go when you are recovering from child birth. I also focused on nutrition, some days were better than others when I have a little one that needs to be held, walked around and bounced which really doesn’t work while eating. Protein bars and egg muffins were my friends.
Well, now we are onto week 5!
Warning I will sound like a broken record for this 5 week postpartum check-in. During the weekend of the 5th week, (which is when this ALWAYS happens) I fell ill again. I fell ill with the flu symptoms, body aches, fever and chills and a rock hard hot ball of fire in my boob. Seriously, this was the 3rd time with mastitis. The 2nd round of antibiotic was done on that Friday and I fell ill on Sunday (just like the 1st time around) but I went to the doctor on that Monday and they gave me a stronger antibiotic.The doctor said that I may just be prone to get mastitis, so I decided that this was the week I can no longer go on with breastfeeding and pumping. So I have to slowly wean which may take a month or so to be finally done since I’m more prone to get mastitis while weaning. I have fought in my head on keeping this up but I can’t put my body through this and my stomach is getting ruined from the antibiotics. I tried everything and nothing has helped, so I need to spare my sanity so I can take more time with my children and hubby instead of being hooked up to a machine every 2 hours.
I have taken measurements and weight weekly and I have lost 2lbs. I have changed up my workouts in the 5th week, and started doing 3 full body workouts, and the elliptical 2 days this week (I did get an okay from the doctor on light workouts). My nutrition is 80% on, a little better than last week.
And finally, realizing my stomach is not like the last pregnancy. I’m finding that I do have a belly bulge (not diastasis recti, got that checked from the doctor) but just a little less tight than my first. Not really happy about that but I know what to do and it will be work that I need to put in.
Lastly, week 6:
My 6 week was this past week and I’m finally feeling better with the mastitis and I have about 8 hours between pumping, so pumping only 3 times a day now. Usually in the later morning and then later afternoon and in the middle of the night, I can’t wait to get rid of the middle of the night pumping session. I’m feeling much more free by not being hooked up to a machine, I can actually be more relaxed during the day with my baby. People that pump for a year, I don’t know how you did it! You are rock stars! Cutting the pumping session, my appetite has been better, not so crazy hungry! Thank goodness!
I have finally started working on the transverse abdominis, I need to build the deepest muscle to build strength in my core before getting into the regular crunches. Soon I will get to get crazy and do all kind of fun workout moves! Can’t wait!! I have however, gone to the gym and started using the stair climber, using heavier weight, I’m feeling stronger everywhere. I have been doing 3 days of full body workouts, and 3 days of cardio days and hey are roughly 45 minutes long. Some days I had the baby and wearing her, since she loves the movement and she was in no mood for sleeping, so wearing her is what has to happen. This mama is getting a workout in.
I wanted to thank you for following me through my pregnancy and postpartum journey. And honestly, I don’t feel quiet done yet. So I will be sharing my postpartum journey through the next 2 months or until I get back to my pre-pregnancy body. If you have any questions on anything, please let me know and I will add it to my blog because I’m sure other woman have questions on the same thing. I hope you enjoyed this LONG blog and you will hear from me soon with the next check in.