I think the most surprising – and most difficult – part of becoming a new mother for me was the 4th trimester – aka postpartum. I know people’s experience with postpartum recovery rwill greatly vary, mine was more like a strange out of body experience after I had Bennett. I didn’t know what day it was, who I was or what I was supposed to be doing most of the time. (Besides taking care of a baby, of course.) Sleep deprivation on top of a bit of pregnancy brain and no longer being able to recognize my face or my body in the mirror. I was in a complete and total state of no longer feeling like myself.
I actually *hated* the feeling and only realized later that I was dealing with postpartum anxiety. After a few months of motherhood under my belt, my child sleeping through the night, and being able to get back to work, I finally started feeling “normal” again.
Since this was my second go-round with Finn, I was determined to be better prepared for this postpartum recovery stage and hopefully try to avoid the same distressing feeling as the first time. Now two months in, I can honestly say, I feel more like myself, and my recovery has been much faster. (Still waiting for Finn to nail sleeping through the night though…)
To all the mamas out there who are able to breeze through and embrace the postpartum stage, I have mad respect for you. I am just NOT one of those people.
Again, everyone is different and every pregnancy/labor is different, but these are a few of the things that are helping me feel like me again after two months in. Yes, some of them are a little “extra” I’m not going to lie. And I’m definitely not suggesting these things will work for everyone. But I’m hoping that maybe even one thing might be helpful or provide a little escape from postpartum anxiousness! And it goes without saying, always check with your doctor FIRST.
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