the 4th trimester

Heres a few surprises I discovered in the first 6 weeks after baby.

1st.  Feminine Hygiene Pads.  They are great not only for the usual reason, but also because of gravity vs bladder battles.  Know that for awhile, gravity will win.  Practice some kegals.

2nd, Oatmeal.  Be warned, maybe its the iron, maybe its the fiber, maybe its the gosh darn oxytocin released when you eat the oatmeal in a yummy yummy chocolate nobake cookie.  What ever it is, it will plump those boobies right up.  Everytime.  Admire your motherly physique.  Its okay.

3rd, the topic of commitments and doing things for others.  Why did no one tell you to take advantage of this post partum time(oh right they did, you just have selective hearing).  You don't have to prove anything to anyone or yourself.  Just enjoy your baby.  Newborn life goes on super speed.  We had bliss those first 2 weeks with baby, staying in bed, sleeping, eating, pooping reapeat. Then you tried to start entering the real world again.  BLAH!  Don't do it!  Don't promise to do anything for anyone for the first 6 weeks.  And then, only then, can you start making commitments to other people for future obligations.  But rememeber, your obligation now is to your baby.  He needs you.  You are the one who can feed him.  Your smell is what will comfort him. Yea, there may be other out there who can shush him to sleep, but sleep isn't always what he needs.  Just call those people over when you need sleep.

Next we have the topic of food.  I LOVE food.  That said, don't forget to eat food.  You have to eat in order for baby to eat.  So, by gosh, I know how much you just want to stay in bed and cuddle, but, it'll be a more enjoyable experience if you go put something in your belly, then hurry back.  Don't let yourself get distracted by those darn commitments you made to people that you wish you hadn't in retrospect.  Anybody can make a dance program, or run the lights at the show, only you get to be baby's mommy, and baby is only as small as he is today.  Too quickly today is yesterday and he's already bigger!

Also, news flash.  You don't have to share your baby.  At church, at family gatherings-you only have to share if you want to.  And, you will want to, but when your ready for him back, its ok and it is good for you to "cut in."  Even if he's still asleep and they aren't ready to give him back, this is your baby.  That means he's on your time frame.  Don't just wait until Charley is ready to eat (unless thats what you want) because then you become just the milk wagon.  And I promise, you are soooo much more than just  a milk wagon.  That said, you should want to share with Daddy, and insist that daddy take his turn and not come interrupt your shower.  Just because baby cries doesn't mean he's hungry.  Its usually the reason, but, when he cries and won't eat, don't feel horrible about yourself.

Make Daddy change the nighttime diapers-even if your feel guilty because he has to go to work in the morning.  You don't want to resent daddy because you feel like your not getting help and then go through the guilt cycle because you humbly recognize how much daddy does for you already.  He can do nighttime diapers too, its not too much to ask.

Lastly, all those hormones from pregnancy?  Rememeber them?  They are still around.  Your logical mind will wonder "why am I crying?" your emotional mind will say "I don't know and I don't care" and the tears will flow, along with sweat.  There are many different things that flow in early mommyhood.  I wonder if thats where the saying "go with the flow" came from......probably, hopefully not.  More accurate would a be hot mess.  Not hot as in "hey sexy" but hot as in I'm- sweating-and-I-don't-know-why hot.

And BTW, just expect it.  You will feel guilty.  About alot of things.  Roll with it, and "go with the flow" (insert childing giggles here).
 

Because you read the whole thing, you get the reward of veiwing adorable pictures.  Here ya go!