After 15 weeks of bed rest and an emergency c-section, I was sent home. In the hospital, I thought I was doing pretty good. I'd shuffle around my room and down the hallway a bit. I could go visit Luke as I pleased. If I could only handle 15 minutes before heading back to my room, that was okay. Things were easier than I thought they'd be. Really, I had no idea.
I've never had a C-section before. All my other births were the way nature intended. The recovery is a whole other ball game. If you happen to be going through a pPROM pregnancy, with lots of bed rest and a pending C-section, I have one thing to say to you. That first day at home is CRAZY. After being in the hospital for so long, a mom really gets used to the quiet and being in control of her surroundings. The first day home feels like an explosion. I couldn't handle multiple things coming at me. "First you're asking me to sort through the mail and THEN you're asking me what I want for lunch? I CAN'T HANDLE IT!!!"
Oh, and another tip, when taking that trip back to the hospital, have the person driving, drop you off by the door. I walked from the parking lot all the way up to the NICU. By the time I got to the top, I thought I was going to pass out and my incision was going to explode. Uh yeah, gotta work on that endurance.
This is also not a pretty time. Since I lost a lot of blood during the surgery, my pasty olive-toned complexion is now a sickly yellow. The bags under my eyes resemble bruises. As my hormones figure out what the heck is going on, I get hot flashes and chills. Not to mention, my milk has come in and I'm not breast-feeding. OUCH!! Where is that "new mother" glow? Well, I guess I am pale enough to look like I glow in the dark. That counts, right?
I've now been home four days. Things are getting easier, but the process is very, very slow. Still, it's fun to finally let myself admit I have a baby. Thoughts of how to decorate the nursery and birth announcements fill my head. Chris and I went shopping yesterday and oohed and awed over baby clothes. We're still cautious, but it is a great feeling.
You are super mom! Aren't transitions great?? I guess it must be the combination of your blood loss and having to be on bed rest all that time before the surgery... I had a much quicker recovery, the c-section was one of my better birth experiences. The worst was JP, that was when I did lose a lot of blood and almost got a transfusion, so I bet that has a lot to do with it. Drink your fluids and get your iron up!
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