I have been thoroughly surprised at how quickly I have recovered from my medication-free childbirth. It is amazing what the body can do when it is allowed to do it. So far it has been 5 days and 12 hours since I gave birth to my daughter, and I have honestly begun to get bored at home. I love my daughters, but it somehow seems, dare I say it, too easy.
I have found myself with lots of energy, even 24 hours after the birth. I have been able to do dishes, laundry, cook and pick up after my toddler. Yes, realistically I should be pampered and get my rest, but I'd rather start establishing my routine right off the bat. My husband works 24 hour shifts, and is not taking any time off for the baby, so I am going to be on my own with a toddler and an infant most days. The sooner I start this routine and the more I move around, the better my body and mind will feel and the easier my days will be.
This time around I really was able to do the birth AND the recovery with no medication. With my last delivery, I was on codeine and other pain medications for two weeks after the birth of my baby due to an episiotomy and hemorrhoids. However, this time I took ibuprophen for general muscle aches, similar to aches and pains after a really tough workout (which labor is) and was done with it by day three. By day four I was done with the dermaspray and today, going on day 6, my bleeding has pretty much stopped and I have no more afterpains. I pretty much bled after birth as long as I would have on a menstual cycle. With my last delivery, I bled the entire six weeks I was on maternity leave. And, I have lost twenty two of the thirty two pounds I gained during pregnancy and it hasn't been a week since I bore my daughter. Those are only a few of the benefits I have experienced with this childbirth that I attribute to using no medications.
My toddler has also benefited from my energy level. Today we danced to Imagination Movers, which involved turning around and jumping up and down. I did the dance at LEAST three times today. I couldn't do that the last two months of my pregnancy. I also, on day four, took my toddler outside and I hid easter eggs and helped her find them. We also kicked around her ball. I was so worried about being able to be a mom to her, and with my quick recovery was able to immediately return to my pre-pregnancy mommyhood.
Sleep has also been wonderful after recovery. My newborn has been sleeping in three hour stretches, so I have gotten close to six hours of sleep every night, which is more than I was getting while pregnant because of acid reflux, restless leg and back pain. I have no afterpains, heavy bleeding or pain keeping me up or limiting my sleeping positions like my last birth recovery. I slept on my stomach my first night back home for the first time in 6 months.
I am religious; I am deeply interested in my connection with nature as well. So, maybe there is something to that seven day rule in the Bible. Maybe a world can be created in just seven days. I feel like mine has. In only six days my body has recovered from childbirth, and a whole new world with two tiny inhabitants is depending on me.
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