T is for Truth: A Reflection, Post-Baby.

Ok, Mr. T...shield your eyes. 

{well, maybe not now, but one day...you still can't read yet...

OR! maybe you're a baby genius and are logging on 

and reading this at church daycare right now?!}

I digress.

Ok, for those of you that are the rainbows and bunnies 

and "I don't want to know" types...

This post is NOT for you. 

In effort to keep this as concise as possible,

because let's be honest, I can go on for days about this stuff;

I'll include some of my favorite and most trusted links

to help clarify and elaborate on these topics.

I've hit the 2 1/2 months post-partum milestone. 

And I'm starting to really reflect (and understand) 

what I just put my body and mind through. 

And it's not over yet...but there's a light. 

I've compiled a list of my top 5 "things" that affected me personally, 

but then included links to some other relevant lists that my body is just as familiar with.

So here we go.

In a nutshell and in no particular order:

1. Breastfeeding: Your Boobs Will Rock (literally)

Fortunately, little T took to breastfeeding real fast. Like seriously, the kid can eat. Imagine a vacuum cleaner, one of the Dyson Animal ones, yanking on your ta-ta's for 15, 20, 45 mins at a time. And lucky me, I have the most sensitive skin ever. Bad combo. 

When your milk comes in, you can truly feel it. That's what they mean by "let down". (Google it if this is a strange term to you) For the first few weeks after baby ("A.B."), I experienced everything from lumps under armpits, (yes, I thought I had cancer. I know, dramatic) leaky faucet nipples, porn star sized boobs (compared to what I came from), and the list goes on. 

Regardless, I'm going to try for as long as I can...or when he gets his first tooth. OUCH! 

2. Sleep is a Really Bad Joke (for at least the first 6 weeks)

Let me give you an example:

House Guest: "Lauren and Mr. C, so are y'all getting any sleep?"

Mr. C: "Ya, I get like 8 hours or so."

(yes, I want to slap him right about then)

House Guest: "Lauren, what about you? You're sleeping when he sleeps, right?"
Me: Smile and Laugh. Then change the subject. 

(What I want to say but don't: "No actually, I'm not sleeping because you're here. And when you're not, I'm catching up on laundry that's covered in spit up, putting dirty dishes in the dishwasher as often as a hotel restaurant, vacuuming up all the dog hair that's collected everywhere, and watching re-runs on Lifetime because I'm too tired to sleep...because I know the second I do, Mr. T will be awake and wanting to suck the life out of me again.")

And that's all there is to say about that. 

3. The Delivery

There are no words. In the beginning, when you're about to start pushing, it honestly feels like you have to go #2. Then, when you're actually pushing, it feels like the most intense pressure/pain like you've never felt before. I'll have to share Baby T's birth story one of these days...let me just put it this way...my epidural wore off. Soooo, ya. 

4. So Long Cinderella

You know how poor Cinderella's entire fantasy land comes to an abrupt halt when the clock strikes Midnight? (This is before she marries the Prince, of course) Well, that's kind of how I feel since the delivery. Most of my pregnancy, I felt like I had "the glow": long, thick hair; clear, fresh-looking skin; long, strong nails, etc. Welp...I'm wondering where my fairy godmother is right about now. 

I'm pretty sure it's the jacked up hormones, coupled with breastfeeding, mixed with the horror movie aftermath of the delivery that stirred up one "ugly" cocktail. Some of the side effects, just to name a few:

a. My hair is falling out. I'm avoiding looking down at the shower drain these days...

b. My skin is so dry I could sell out the lotion isle at Target and drink all the water on the face of this Earth.

c. My weight. Although the old clothes technically "fit", they just fit differently. Everything distributed all weird now. (can't wait till I can start working out for real)

d. My Lady Parts...sex = forget it. I'll say no more. 

It's probably taken me a solid 9 weeks to start feeling somewhat normal and half way "pretty" again.

5. I Was Stir Crazy

In every sense of the word. I was emotionally connected, spending all my time focusing on little T of course, but physically and mentally, I was in the twilight zone. At first it was fun watching hours upon hours of mindless TV and movies; but believe me, the "new-ness" wore off. There was only so much time in between feedings/diaper changes/naps to catch up with household chores and my own needs. So needless to say, I felt kind of on "repeat" for weeks on end. Same routine, every single day. Good for the baby...after a while, became boring for Mom. Some days went by so fast, some were SO slow. 

Now, it got exponentially so much cooler once little man started becoming more social: started smiling, cooing, doing amazing things like that. And after about 6 weeks, I started slowly taking him out and about, on short, quick errands (like to here) and that broke up the day a little bit. Now that I'm back at work, that's a different story. (More on that another time.)

So for everything I couldn't/didn't say...check these out:

Pregnant Body- 20 Things They Don't Tell You

(Numbers 1-20 are REAL people)

Parenting Advice- Thank God I'm Not Alone

(so true)

Happily After Giving Birth

(Having a sense of humor helps)

And yes it's true when they say, 

"and it was all worth it".

XOXO-LC