Recovering from a pregnancy isn’t easy for anyone. While many imagine the days post-birth to be a time of bliss, the reality is that even with the easiest of babies, they can be tiring, and frustrating, and a whole other slew of emotions.
For me, because I ended up having a caesarean, the adjustment of life with a new baby was compounded by the fact that I was in a lot of pain and not entirely capable of doing all the things I would have liked to do. We stayed in the hospital for four days, which was good for my recovery, as the around-the-clock care was particularly necessary in the first days, and the nurses got me up and moving around. I will admit, however, that I did get a bit stir crazy during that time, so it was great when we finally got the all clear and went home.
Once home, we retreated into a cocoon as a new family of three, with me spending the days feeding and snuggling the little one while M. took care of diaper changes, most of the household tasks, and bonding with the baby as well. The original plan was to stay housebound and not have any visitors for a good week or two, but then Nicole offered to come by with vegan lactation cookies, and the prospect of a visit from someone who is not only a mother, but who also isn’t family or a close friend was enticing for me, since it wouldn’t be too exhausting with expectations of entertaining (if that makes any sense).
She and her daughter came over on Sunday in the late morning to hang out, and it was great having company, as well as an experienced someone to ask questions about parenting/kids (and someone who wasn’t giving out unsolicited advice)! After a couple hours, she also encouraged us to go outside due to the nice weather, so we made an impromptu decision to have our first outing, a short walk away to our regular ice cream spot. Nicole helped us pack the diaper bag and figure out how to dress the baby, and it was especially nice that we didn’t feel rushed; I tell you what, other moms “get” it, and that’s a real plus.
Once we were all ready, the five of us headed off to Tanne B and enjoyed an ice cream in the sun. It was the best I felt since being home, and since then, we’ve made it a point to get outside every day, even if only for a short walk. I still have 4.5 weeks of recovery until I’m fully healed, but baby steps are a good start, and we’re thinking we’ll be ready to entertain visitors in a few days.
