Postpartum

How to Cope with Postpartum Pain

Postpartum pain was the worst part of my labor and delivery experience. (I had a vaginal birth in a hospital. It was a 24 hour labor, and I had a small second degree vaginal tear while delivering).

One thing no one tells you about giving birth – the pain after having a baby is terrible.

For me, in the first two weeks after giving birth, I was in A LOT of pain. I felt so much pressure down there. My uterus would cramp (it felt like severe period cramps) every time I breastfeed (it was very painful). It hurt to walk around too much. My body felt heavy. Peeing was hard. I had to sleep on my side because lying on my butt hurt. New mom life was hard. I looked terrible. I felt awful.

At one point, I asked my husband, “When is this pain going to end?”

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10 Things Wish I Knew About Breastfeeding

by DP Nguyen 1 Comment

The truth about breastfeeding is it’s freaking hard work. It takes time, dedication, and a commitment to make it successful. You’re going to go through some hurtles – maybe a clogged duct here, an engorged breast there – but it’s so worth it in the end.

I absolutely LOVE breastfeeding my son. There’s nothing that makes me feel connected as a mama than nursing my baby. He’s now 7 months old and we are still breastfeeding. I don’t plan to stop nursing until at least a year old.

I’ve had a very successful breastfeed journey, but I do want to share 10 things I wish I knew about breastfeeding before I got started. I hope that this article helps some of you expecting mamas out there.

I’m not a lactation consultant, but I’ve successfully nursed my baby since he was born. This is my story.

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Eating the Placenta – The Newest Postpartum Trend

by DP Nguyen Leave a Comment

Would you eat your own placenta? Although the practice of a woman eating her placenta (called “placentophagy”) isn’t a new phenomenon, it is growing in popularity due to the influence of Hollywood celebrities.

In March 2012, Mad Men star, January Jones admitted that she ate her own placenta. Before that, in 2006, Tom Cruise told GQ Magazine that he planned to eat his baby’s (Suri) placenta. Whether or not the actor actually went through with his plan is unknown, but the celebrity influence has played a role in making placentophagy more well-known.

Why My Postpartum Anxiety Was Difficult to Diagnose

by Guest Writer 2 Comments

By Guest Writer, Stacey Ackerman

The first time I noticed something was wrong with me was three weeks postpartum. It was after the birth of my third child, so I felt pretty confident that I could handle this newborn thing. I woke up that morning feeling dizzy. The room started spinning. Everything felt sort of off balance and out of whack, but I couldn’t figure out why. I called my OB/GYN who thought the allergy medicine I had taken was making me drowsy, which seemed like a logical explanation.

Over the week, the dizziness came in spells. It would get really bad, making me feel like I was living in some kind of dream world, then I would feel okay for a few hours. I wasn’t feeling sad or depressed; just strange and surreal.

I called for a follow-up appointment to learn more about postpartum depression (PPD). I talked to a friend who had given birth two weeks before me and she was taking antidepressants. I didn’t feel like I was depressed, however, I just didn’t know why I felt so off. [Read more…] about Why My Postpartum Anxiety Was Difficult to Diagnose

Making the Most out of your Maternity Leave

by Guest Writer 8 Comments

Guest Post by Joyce Brister.

What is more fun and more exciting than a new addition to the family? Having a baby is an exciting time, but may also be somewhat stressful and tiring. The addition to your family of a new baby requires some planning ahead. One of those things that you will want to plan ahead is your maternity leave.

Depending on how long you have for your maternity leave, you’ll want to begin planning to take time off about midway through your 8th month. Firstly, you’ll be more than ready for a break once you’re carrying all of that extra weight. Secondary to that, about midway through the 8th month, you will begin to need more rest, as well as to want to take time to plan the new nursery, or to attend to other things around your home.

Postpartum Anxiety: The 411 on this Postpartum Mood Disorder

by DP Nguyen 5 Comments

The postpartum period that occurs following the birth of your baby can be tough emotionally and physically. Taking care of a new baby 24 hours a day, seven days a week can be exhausting, overwhelming, and very stressful. From the lack of sleep (since you’ll be waking up every three to four hours to feed your newborn) to the physical healing that may take place, you may not be the happiest camper.

Your doctor or healthcare provider has probably informed you about the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression, which affects between 10 to 15 percent of women from a month to a year following delivery. Postpartum depression falls into the category of postpartum mood disorders. [Read more…] about Postpartum Anxiety: The 411 on this Postpartum Mood Disorder