so i cant believe it's already been 5 weeks since my LO was born...
ive learned alot in these last weeks and thought i would give you first time moms a few tips that could help

labor:
**if you go into labor on your own,try and get some sleep before the contractions get intense and going to the hospital...sounds obvious but when i went into labor , i didnt try napping and ended up being in labor/not sleeping for 30 hours even with an epidural , there was so much going on around me (nurses checking your pressure every half hour,they also flip you from side to side every so often,so you really cant sleep...)

**Expect ANYTHING , i went to the hospital at 5pm and didn't get to have an epidural till 5 am(even though i was 4+ cm and wanted one from the get go) from lack of staff, the gas and air ,and pain killers were a god send!
don't be shy to ask from pain relief!
I also went to the hospital with a "i wont ever need a c section attitude"...and well sometimes there are things in life you cant control , and labor/delivery is one of them!!!

postpartum/c-section/breasfeeding
**first off if your planning on breastfeeding do it asap after birth and if this is your first ASK FOR HELP , from a lactation consultant if possible , i had a few nurses "help" but they weren't explaining anything and they all did it differently , i was having a hard time BF until i ASKED (they wait for you to ask) to see an LC , and we got the hang of it almost immediately
-ask them to show you how to breastfeed laying down !(its a life saver)...especially if you've had a c section .

**get up as soon as possible post c section, it might hurt a bit but its essential to help healing and prevent blood clots...but DON'T over do it,ask for help from OH or anyone else you want and don't be scared to ask for pain killers if need be,it will help you move around better too!

**if your scared to have a bowel movement ..ask for a stool softener
they work wonders lol!

*expect swelling in your feet/ankles,especially if you had been giving an IV...my swelling was worst postpartum then it was during the hot months of summer being 9 months preggo ...it went away about 1 week postpartum

**if you are breastfeeding and your nipples are sore express some milk and rub it in your nipples,it works better then lasinoh! ... always let your nipples air dry after a feed and change your breast pads often to prevent thrush and promote healing


the first few days at home can be hard,especially since the baby has his/her first growth spurt around that time and wants to feed ALOT(this is where breastfeeding laying down can help),
but within a few days/weeks you start to get the hang of it and it gets SO much better there was times where i thought of supplementing some formula,but im glad i didn't and stuck with exclusively BF,my trick is to NOT look at the clock or time feedings , just "go with the flow",feed when baby wants and as long as he/she gets enough soiled nappies , your doing great!!!!

good luck to all of you it really is hard at times but it is SO amazing and rewarding,you finally know the meaning of true love

Thanks for this. I am having a c-section in 13 days and am v.anxious but also excited. I am hoping I deal with the pain after ok, that is my main worry!!!

xx

the pain can be dealt with 100%...and like i said dont be shy to ask for some pain medicine(dont take no for an answer) ..there is alot they can give that is safe while breastfeeding, and to be honest i barely felt the pain because i was too busy admiring my new baby...one thing too ,,,the longer i didnt move the more it hurt when i would get up , so periodically try and get up for a few mins and it helps ALOT

Thanks. I wont be BF so wilol be happy to take whatever they can give me I deffo plan on getting up asap as everyone I have spoken to say the sooner you do this the better it can get for you.

Fx'd I am brave


xx