Postpartum Healing

After having a baby a mothers body has A LOT of healing and recovering to do. Way back when, Mama's and their babes were kept in hospital for a week following delivery, where food was brought to bedside, diaper changes were handled mostly by the nurses, and both Mama and babe slept, and slept, and slept. The rest helped in the healing process, allowing the pelvic floor to have a much needed break from pressure, and gave both Mama and babe time to bond, nurse, and be just the two of them. Fast forward to today's societal pace of 1 minute rice, 10 minute power lunches, 12 minute workouts, and drive thru dinners, and you have a whole other ball game. While faster is better in some cases [I have to say I do enjoy a good HITT training session!] when it comes to recovering from birth, time matters. 

I am now four days postpartum, and every single one of these days has been spent in bed. I get up for washroom breaks, and have wandered down the hall a couple of times, but for the most part I lay or sit in bed with my babe in my arms, or at my side in her bassinet. We read, write, entertain visitors, eat and drink plenty of water. And sleep. Lots of sleep! My Mama flew home from France to come and help out with the boys [she arrived just a few days before baby girl arrived, so we lucked out on timing!] and my Handsome Husband took a couple of days off work to help the boys through the adjustment period of having another person added to our family. Being supported through this time so I can truly heal, rest, and connect with this tiny human I've been diligently growing for the past nine months, is a blessing. Not only is this a blessing now, but resting now will pay off down the road.  There has been a steep rise in pelvic floor surgeries as the time mothers rest and recover postpartum has decreased. The more pressure a Mama feels to be up and running right after giving birth, the more likely she will be to experience incontinence down the road. Beautiful. Not to mention the affect that it can have on enjoying a healthy sex life later on. Yep, peeing your pants and a lackluster sex life are definitely reason enough to lay low for a while. My midwives recommend five days of bed rest, followed by a slow increase in mobility for the remainder of the first two weeks postpartum - IF there were no tears sustained during birth. Kegels should be resumed within that time to aid in the healing of the birth canal, as well as massaging the stomach to aid the uterus in returning to its rightful place, tucked within the pelvis. 

Taking it slow for six weeks is a challenge, believe me, but in the grand scheme of things it is only six weeks - and will make the rest of life much more enjoyable and comfortable. So, lay back, relax, and accept the help that is offered to you. And if none is offered, ASK FOR IT. No Mama should be feeling the need to hop back on the proverbial hamster wheel, simply because that's what everyone else does, or that's what she thinks is expected of her. Lay back, relax, and snuggle that baby!

Birth Story

Friday night I went to bed, tossing and turning trying to find a way to sleep with a pinched nerve in my shoulder. When you're at the end of a pregnancy you're already a tad bit uncomfortable, but throw in something like a pinched nerve and it's enough to drive you crazy. When my Handsome Husband came to bed at 1am, I switched to the couch where I could sleep sitting up with my arm propped on pillows, which brought much needed rest and relief. And then 3:30 rolled around and my eyes pinged open. I have been having false labor off and on for the past three weeks, so I tried to just relax as the contraction that had woken me ended. My goal was to just get back to sleep so I could be half way useful in the morning at the very least. But then another one hit. And another. I went to the bedroom, grabbed my phone and opened my gym timer. Setting it in interval mode so I could time the duration of each contraction, as well as the length in between them, I alternating between reclining in my spot on the couch, and rocking on all fours to ease through the waves. After an hour of timing and finding an average length of 7 minutes apart and 1 minute long, I called my midwife Savanna to check in at 4:45am. Savanna arrived at my home at 5:45am, watched me through a couple of contractions, then checked me at 6am. She found that I was already at 6cm dilation [which was very welcome news as I was still unsure if this was real or false labor up to that point] and that the contractions were regular, but not yet too intense. We started running the tub, and Savanna called Toby [the support midwife, as there are always two at each birth, whether in hospital or at home] to come over. Toby arrived at 6:15, meanwhile the contractions had started to pick up between Savanna's call and Toby's arrival. Through each contraction I knelt in front of an exercise ball, leaned my body forward and rocked. 

As I breathed, I would tell myself that this was my body hugging my baby and bringing her to my arms. Relaxing my shoulders, neck and jaw, I really focused on letting my body work and not resisting it. My Hottie Husband would massage my lower back with a hard ball [similar to a tennis ball in size, but used for pressure point release] or my midwife would massage my lower back in a really wonderful she-done-this-before sort of way. As I rocked on the ball, talking myself through one of the waves, I suddenly felt the urge to throw up all the water I had been drinking since I had awoken at 3:30am. I lunged for the bucket during the contraction, and had it right at my side when my body relaxed completely and began to empty my stomach. Glamorous I know ha! At that point I looked up and asked if I could get in the tub, and I got the green light. Just as I reached the tub however, another wave began and I had the unmistakable urge to push. When I told the midwives this Savanna calmly said,"okay just breath. Lets get you in the tub as soon as this is one is done; just breath through this one for me." I breathed, trying to relax, but also trying to ignore that unmistakable clenching down of muscle trying to push my baby out while I was still fully clothed. Once the contraction ended I climbed fast and furiously into the tub, and announced to the surprised midwives,"okay, she's crowning!" One minute later my baby girl, cord wrapped twice around her neck and once around her body, was in the water being carefully and expertly untangled by Savanna. She surfaced blue as can be, eyes wide open - in as much shock as the rest of us. Her lusty cry soon rang out, and her coloring went from a dusty blue to a sweet pink very quickly. Baby girl was born at 6:28, a mere 28 minutes after reaching 6cm, and 13 minutes after the second midwife arrived. While it was an incredibly fast labor and delivery, the speed and shock did not set in until baby girl was in my arms and I had a moment to breath. All I could say was,"wow, it's over," and cry of course. Because of the sudden pick up in speed, the photographer [Elizabeth Cranmer of Lizzy Anne Photography] whom we had lined up for recording our birth story for us was not contacted a second time to let her know it was time to come over. I had sent her a text at 4:45 letting her know I thought I was in real labor this time, but would let her know when the midwife arrived and confirmed it, and things were progressing. And well, the time between having labor confirmed and labor progressing is pretty much indiscernible.  As I  was laying in bed afterwards, my phone lite up with a message from Elizabeth asking how things were going. Yeah, it was a bummer to miss out on the birth story [because I was really looking forward to having a beautiful record of babes arrival...] but we did schedule a Welcome Baby Session [which we had Monday morning] instead which eased my disappointment.  

My Hottie Husband must have sensed that labor was nearing the end, and got all of two photos of the labor before it was over, and then snapped a couple after baby arrived. So, instead of the gorgeous birth stories that you'll find over on Elizabeth's site, I have a slightly less artistic and awe inspiring collection of photos - but none the less, they tell the story of the ridiculously fast arrival of my adorably sweet baby girl.

Baby Girl, 7lbs1oz 20" long 34cm head

Labor Goals

I am very much a goal oriented, list writing, one step at a time kinda gal. So naturally, when it comes to labor prep I am just as goal oriented. Yep, goals for labor. I have one specific goal for during labor, a goal that all women must hit but one that I'm making more clear to my minds eye with a visual I have posted on my bedroom mirror. 

I used this handy visual through my labor and delivery process with both the boys. Not only did it make more sense to  me when I would be told how far along I was, but I was able to focus my energy on getting to '10' with a definitive goal in mind. And so I look at this image several times a day, focus on relaxing, and feeling the strength, stretch, and power within me. Women are all different, but I find a clearly defined goal is helpful for everyone - and this goal is in the forefront of my mind these days.

Baby Girls Nursery [reveal]

I can't believe baby girl's nursery is done - and before baby girl have arrived! I'm just going to stop right here and pat myself on the back. Seriously, I didn't think I would pull this off...and secretly I was okay with that. I've been trying to cut myself some slack as my body has been throwing me some curve balls, like debilitating braxton hicks. I truly don't remember having braxton hicks with the boys, in fact when I thought I was having them I was actually in labor  Girl's really are different right from the start!
  So, are you ready to drown in pink? Every time I walk past the nursery I smile - I love all the bright happy colors, and of course, all the pink! 

Many details went into this room, but I have to say I'm really happy with the end result. I started with three paint swatches, a watermelon pink, soft pink, and coral, and made that my palate from which all the projects stemmed. Here's a list of the projects:

mobile

cloth crib rail guards

baby quilt

hair bow holder

painting a feature wall

painting picture frames [that will hold pics of baby girl once she arrives]

painting shelf

custom painting of giraffes [made by my awesomely talented sister]

All these elements came together, along with items I already had [crib, chair, table, lamp, family blessing dresses, paper lanterns and tissue paper pompoms from a baby shower I co-hosted, my old stuffed animals, and a sweet book from my Aunt and Uncle for baby girl] to create a soft and sweet room for a baby girl whom is loved beyond measure already. 35 weeks...the countdown is on...and we're finally feeling ready. Did I mention I even washed her clothes? Yeah, these braxton hicks have me doing things a little earlier this time ha!

So grateful

My sweet little slippers; now waiting for chubby little feet to fill them again

Back when I was pregnant with Eli, I watched a you tube video on quilting and thought,"how hard could that be?" So, I bought fabric, made a quilt top, quilted it by hand, then stopped. The you tube videos for binding the quilt left me feeling very overwhelmed. When visiting with some friends one day, one of the friends, Laura, noticed my heap of quilting materials in a basket in the corner of the room. She asked if she could see what I had done, and I of course whipped it out [hey, even if I had no clue how to move forward I was extremely proud of what I had accomplished ha!] She admired my choice of fabrics and patterns, loved the shiny gold thread which I had used to hand quilt, and asked what color I was going to bind the quilt in. I admitted that I had no clue how to make the binding tape, let along bind the quilt, and so hadn't thought much about what color to bind it in. Laura offered right then and there to come back to my home the next day, help me make the binding tape, and teach me how to bind the quilt. The offer alone had me close to tears I was so grateful! 
Laura spent many hours with me, teaching, guiding, and praising my efforts. She gave me the encouragement and support I needed to be able to complete a second quilt [for Darius] before Eli arrived on the scene. We had known and loved one another before this time we spent together, but those hours really did form a bond and an appreciation for one another that I am forever grateful for.
Last night as I finished up baby girls quilt, I found myself thinking of my dear friend Laura. She passed away just over a year ago, on Valentine's Day. She left behind a legacy at forty five years old that many people will not accomplish with twice the time. Teaching me to finish quilts was just a small example of the service and depths of talents that Laura had and shared. I miss her, and I wish I could be driving over to her place this morning with baby girls quilt in tow. Even though I know I can't show her my latest quilt myself, I know she would be repeating to me what she did with both my boys quilts;" No one can say that buying a quilt for their baby is the same as making one. Sure you save money some times, and save a lot of time when you buy the quilt already made, but wrapping your children in a quilt you made with them in mind is like wrapping them in your loving arms. It's just so much more." 
I am grateful for Laura and the lessons she taught me; and I know shes happy with baby girls quilt - imperfections and all.

Quilting for my Cuties

My little men both have a special quilt that I've made them. I took up sewing again while pregnant with Eli, so Eli's quilt was completed first [and done in a gender neutral theme since we didn't find out what we were having when pregnant with our little man] and then Darius' soon after when he asked,"where's my quilt Mama?" Not surprisingly, Darius' quilt came together REALLY quickly as I was needing to quell some major  mommy guilt. Now, baby girl is growing bigger every day, and her quilt is well under way! In fact, I made three quilt tops because I simply could not make a decision as to which pattern I wanted to use. True story. It's taken a few months [literally] but I now have three quilt tops, one of which is going to be baby girl's quilt, one is going to be turned into her car seat cover, and the third will most likely be a quilt sooner than later...just not right now ;) Are you curious? Here's some peeks at whats going on around the sewing machine these days!

A sweet pink chevron quilt for a rosy cheeked baby girl!

The quilt top turned car seat cover [or germ guard as one tutorial called it ha!] in all it's little girl glory! Completely with blush pink satin ribbon ties securing it to the car seat handle, this car seat cover will come in handy I'm sure!