Postpartum

Let's talk postpartum.  As in the hours, days and weeks after you've delivered that precious bundle who steals your sleep and sanity.  I say that with love.  I really do.  
My situation is obviously mine alone, but here are my thoughts. 
After Charlie was born, she nursed and the nurses took her off to be registered I was able to get a shower.  The initial getting off the bed you just labored in is gross.  Absolutely gross.  Because with each movement you make, you gush blood.  It's a period but way worse.  Be prepared to just feel gross.  The shower will help with that and if you have the energy, just stand under that hot spray for as long as possible.  [Insert here Pinterest Lie Number One: Do NOT bring your own towels for yourself.] You will continue to bleed for several weeks but those first few days in the hospital will be the gushing sort.  You'll want those icky, scratchy hospital towels to get blood stains rather than your own.  Do bring a nice towel for the husband.  Seeing as the hospital towels supplied to us were similar to hand towels, my poor 6'5" husband was short changed.  Thankfully I had thought ahead on that one.  

I did pack my own granny underwear and pads just in case the hospital supply was not comfortable.  The first day and night I used the mesh underwear and pads provided.  By the second day the bleeding had slowed and become much more manageable so I switched to my own things and was comfortable.  In my opinion pack 'em and be safe.  Your body just went through some serious trauma, no sense being even more uncomfortable if you don't have to. 

Pinterest tells you to get witch hazel pads and Dermoplast.  Witch hazel pads are amazing. Take those suckers and line them along your pad.  Relief.  I used the Dermoplast once and about lost my mind. I know that every one says to get the BLUE can.  And I emphasize for the love of all things get the damn BLUE can, not the red.  I couldn't find a blue can any where to save my life.  The Dermoplast website said that there wasn't any major differences between the two but they recommended the blue can.  However, all I had was the red. Once was all it took for me to toss that cursed can in the garbage.  Get the BLUE can.  

I am 3 weeks postpartum as of today and my bleeding has finally slowed to a very light period.  In fact the only time I bleed is when I nurse and my uterus contracts.  Oh and on that note, if you're going to nurse, you feel your uterus contracting when you nurse.  Yup.  I knew it did that but I had no idea how very much you could feel it doing that.  

So to sum up my postpartum recommendations
1. Don't bring a towel for yourself.  DO bring a towel for the husband. 
2. Bring those granny panties you don't care if you throw away and your own pads just for your sanity. 
3. Buy a surplus of witch hazel pads and line them along the pad every time you put a new one on. Thank me later
4. Buy the BLUE can of Dermoplast.  BLUE CAN. 
5. Uterus contractions.  Ibuprofen every 4-6 hours.  Do it.  
6. Not mentioned above but walk every so often.  Keep those muscles from cramping up.  Trust me, they cramp up. 
7. Also not mentioned above, but note worthy, take a stool softener daily.  Trust me.  And start the day you give birth.