Quote:
Originally Posted by sugarpop
Ok I am sorry but my eyes came to a screaming halt on this piece. I am a bit clueless...I guess. Bleeding?! I guess I thought this was all going to be pretty and nice and a bit of work. Guess I have some research to do! Bleeding from tearing? or you body cleansing itself? or ummmmm yep I am at a loss didn't consider this in the least.
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Okay, this could have been me with my first child! The first time a nurse came in the room and said"I need to check your pad" I thought I ws going to die of embarassment!! I then went on to bleed for six weeks, and I used up many, many bags of pads. I had bought a big pack, thinking that was all I needed.
With my third child, I stripped naked in the bathroom postpartum without being asked, so the nurse could wash me off, lol. I also bought a LOT of pads.
With my fourth, I felt so great that I took a shower an hour or so after the birth. I still bled for six weeks, but it didn't freak me out, and I just bought a few CASES of pads to get me through. I have a case of 7th generation pads in my basement right now and plan on buying more, lol.
See the progression? It took me till my fourth baby to realize that I was allowed to take a walk with the baby at the hospital, DUH, lol. Noone told me I could leave the room, haha.
Basically, buy TONS of pads, enough sleepers/onsies/gowns for 3-4 per day, and don't worry about day/night clothes for a while. Neither you nor the baby will be paying much attention to day or night for a while. It will all run together.
A few going out outfits is fine. I have mostly handmedowns and stuff from yardsales. I hit the jackpot last weekend!
The truth is that birth and motherhood are messy, but manageable! Your breastmilk will leak at least some, and you will go through a few shirts a day at first, probably. You may want to put something under you when you sleep, because you will get your sheets wet when the baby pops off the breast as you start to let down. A towel works. Your pad may overflow when you nurse, and don't be surprised to have a recurrance of heavier bleeding at 2 weeks, as your placental site heals. Take it easy, lay down with baby, and it will subside.
There will be pee and poo everywhere, most likely. Boys pee up at you, walls, their own face, etc. Girls pee up, then down and up their backs. Much messier than boys. A total change is required, onsies, socks, sleepers, the works. As soon as you go to put thesse back on, he/she will either spit up or poop loudly and leak. It is Murphy's law, and you WILL laugh about it later, even if it makes you cry now.
Oh, this got long, lol.
You will do a great job, and feel very accomplished, when you find yourself deftly changing a screaming, peeing or pooing baby and having a conversation at the same time. It will happen, but it takes a while.
The mess gets less as they get older, and then you will miss it. :-(
Don't forget ibuprofen, gas-x and some witch hazel pads, which feel great even if you don't tear or have stitches.
Leocea