My First 6 Months as a First Time Mom

Motherhood is the greatest thing ever!

Being a mom is a lot of hard work! Not only do you sleep very little, but you have to be available for a little human 24/7, and then there’s all kinds of pain and joy that go along with all of that.

Postpartum Care

Although I researched as much as I could about what to expect during and after pregnancy, there are a few things I wish I knew about life postpartum! In all the research I did, there were many articles about what to expect pain-wise and how to care for it. I saw many lists about what I needed to buy to take care of the pain, down there. I waited because I wanted to make sure I got everything that I needed instead of getting everything that might help. Luckily, when I left the hospital, I got to take everything that was in the postpartum bathroom. By everything I mean, extra undies, pads, and pain remedies. As I had mentioned on My First Birthing Experience, I didn’t have to buy any postpartum care items at all! Also, I was fortunate to have bled for just a couple days after being discharged. My OB/GYN prescribed me a laxative along with pain meds. I truly regret not taking it as directed from the moment I got it. I don’t know if you knew this, but pain meds constipate you. Big time. At 5 weeks I had my OB/GYN follow up. Everything was well and I got a prescription for NORA-BE. It is a safe-while-breastfeeding birth control pill.

Breastfeeding and Breast Pumping

I breastfed baby CJ as often as I could to start producing a regular amount of breastmilk. I also pumped in between feedings and that got things going a lot faster. (I received a free Medela breast pump through my insurance. If you’re unsure if your insurance covers a breast pump, call and ask! It doesn’t hurt and if they don’t cover it entirely, you might still get a good discount). I was afraid that he wasn’t getting enough from the breast, so I switch from breast to bottle every other feeding. A couple weeks after settling home with baby CJ, I wanted to start attempting to set a pumping routine before I started work again. Needless to say, it was tough. At one point I don’t know if I went too long without pumping or just didn’t pump until empty, but I developed a small hard spot on one of my breasts. IT WAS SO PAINFUL! I searched online and surely, I had a clogged milk duct. I found some recommended remedies and tried a few things. Hot shower/bath, warm moist cloth on the problem spot, attempt to unclog the nipple by wiping it (because milk dries on the tip!), and massaging and squeezing towards nipple while pumping is supposed to aid in unclogging the milk duct. After a few hours of remedying, I started to feel relief. I read that if you are not diligent with clogged milk ducts, it can turn into a serious thing, so be careful out there! For more information about clogged milk ducts read this article from Babycenter.com.

Parenthood

Husband and I created a google calendar and started to document everything from the moment we got home from the hospital. It makes it easier to look back and know exactly when something major happened. I also use this calendar to remind me of his doctor’s appointments. At about 2 weeks after being discharged we ordered the birth certificate, per hospital instructions, and because it was entered in the calendar, we knew exactly when to expect its arrival. I was diligent with researching baby milestones and I wanted to make sure we weren’t going to overlook or miss something. I was very protective in the beginning. I was afraid that he would get sick or hurt and we wouldn’t know what to do. As the days went by, we learned that he was already developing his own little personality. I was still wary about letting him explore because I still did not want him getting hurt. But husband convinced me that, that’s how he was going to learn and that accidents would happen and we would be there to make it ok. I’m glad I let loose! Baby CJ is such an independent baby. He loves exploring and thanks to that he has reached milestones way before what I’ve read the estimates to be. We couldn’t be more proud! Having a baby has taught me so many things and has changed me in many wonderful ways. I am more patient and compassionate. I just feel like a better person.

The first 6 months sure flew by. We still can’t get enough of baby CJ, he is just too adorable! He has truly changed our lives for the better and the best is yet to come!

Check out baby CJ’s First 6 Month of Fun and Milestones!

How were your first 6 months as a new mom? If you’re expecting, what things are looking forward to? Let me know in the comments below!