Since my last post was about all the things that people do tell you that aren't always true I thought I would follow up with a post about all the things people DON'T tell you.
Again, this is OUR experience so take it or leave it as you will.
#1. Take an extra change of clothes for yourself at the hospital.
I had numerous people tell me that they over packed for their hospital stay and that I shouldn't even worry about bringing pajamas because I would stay in my hospital robe the entire time.
Well, that wasn't the case for me.
As you know Shelby was in the NICU right after birth.
Mom has to visit baby in the NICU.
I was glad I had packed a set of pajamas and slippers because that's what I wore down there.
I really wish I had packed an extra set of clothes because I felt stupid walking through the hospital in silky PJ's and slippers.
As for what type of clothes - bring pants that you wore in your 2nd trimester.
Your tummy is sensitive and you won't want any sort of band cutting in.
#2. They don't show you how to breastfeed right after birth.
I figured that they had some sort of lactation consultant on hand right after to show you what to do and how to do it.
NOT!
I was clueless, and as much as the nurses want to help they're really not equipped.
I truly think that was part of the reason Shelby turned blue and quit breathing right after she was born.
I was breastfeeding her and I'm not sure I was doing it right.
I still believe she choked.
That is the reason I chose NOT to continue breastfeeding.
I knew I was going to have anxiety every time I would have went to feed her.
I wanted to enjoy my baby not be so stressed out.
So she's a formula baby.
I was a formula baby.
Brad was a formula baby.
We're both fine.
#3. You swell up after giving birth.
No one told me this and I know that everyone has a different experience but I was shocked at how much I blew up.
I didn't deal with a lot of swelling during pregnancy so I had no idea what was going on when I started to swell.
I looked like the marshmallow man.
The doctors told me that it was all the fluid going to Shelby that had nowhere to go after birth.
It took a week or so for all of it to go down.
(look at my hands in this picture)
#4. Take the sitz bathtub home with you.
I got cocky and thought I wouldn't need it.
Well, I'm here to tell you.
Take it and everything else(and then some) they give you at the hospital home.
I'm still sore where I was stitched up and it's been 5-weeks.
I have to soak in a bathtub once or 2x's a day for relief.
This is normal according to my doctor.
It would have been easier to have the sitz tub instead of having to get my entire body in the bathtub each night.
Another word of advice which I had read about and did is to take stool softeners from the day you give birth.
You're going to need them!!
#5. Hospital visitors aren't ideal.
This is one that I had actually been told by a couple of people but I thought I would throw it out there again.
Other than immediate family, visitors at the hospital don't make sense.
In fact, for us, it didn't even make sense to have our parents there because we didn't have our baby at all.
After Shelby was born she was in the NICU and the parent is only allowed to take 1-person in there at a time.
Also, the rooms are small and you are tired as is Dad.
Have visitors stop by after you get home.
That's all I can think of right now but I'm sure there are other things.
I'll have to jot things down about life here at home and what we were prepared for what we weren't.
Happy Thursday!
It's a rainy one here and they're calling for snow tonight!!!
YAY!!!
