Postpartum Surprises – Part 2

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Ready for some more postpartum truths? Read on! It all starts with what happens in your head after your baby is born… or rather what doesn’t!

Mommy brain

You thought pregnancy brain was bad, wait until you get mommy brain!

Lack of sleep and increased responsibilities can make it hard to keep everything in mind and you might start to feel like your baby is sucking your thoughts right out of you.

The result? You forget everything and you always feel like you’re running around trying to catch up.

The solution? Take copious notes, write yourself reminders, pack a stash of essentials in the car, and cut yourself some slack. Sure you’re going to forget things, but as long as it’s not the baby, you’re doing fine.

Postpartum body changes

It’s easy to assume that in order to recover your pre-baby body all you have to do is lose the weight you gained during your pregnancy. Sadly, that’s not the case. Pregnancy changes you, it moves your pelvic bone, which can widen your hip, so that even at your ideal weight your prepregnancy pants might never fit right again. Pregnancy also does terribly things to your breasts so that, even if you never breastfeed, they might be saggier, bigger, smaller, or just plain different than before.

The result? A body you don’t recognize, a closet full of clothes that don’t quite fit, and maybe a feeling of loss.

The solution? Go shopping, get some new duds that fit your new body perfectly. Then look at your precious bundle and realize that he’s well worth all the changes.

Postpartum sex

It doesn’t matter how sexy you find your significant other to be. It doesn’t matter how “active” you used to be pre-baby. Once you have a little person hanging off you every moment of the day, nursing ’round the clock, and constantly demanding something from you, I guarantee that the thought of having one more person needing to have some needs met is going to be a major turn off. Especially if the baby is sleeping and you could be catching some winks yourself.

The result? Frustration and guilt, and a slightly miffed significant other who feels neglected in more ways than one.

The solution? Schedule intimate times. You won’t feel as annoyed if you know what’s coming. Welcome little hugs and kisses here and there, even a little intimacy is better than none. Trade chores for loving “you wash the bottles, I’ll start the laundry, we meet in the bedroom after.”

Baby love

The movies make it seem as though love at first sight is the norm. They hand you your baby, you gaze into her eyes, and poof, love. In reality this is rarely how it happens. Sure, you love the baby they hand you. No doubt you feel a sense of duty to the little squalling infant. But for many, many moms, it takes a long time for that head over heels, falling in love moment to occur, and for many of us it’s a gradual process.

The result? Sense of unease and loss for the moms who wonder why they aren’t in love with their infants.

The solution? Cut yourself some slack, you’ve been through a lot recently and you have a lot of changes to adjust to. That love will come and when it does it’s going to be everything you thought it would be, and more!

Jessica Rosenberg is an aspiring novelist and freelance writer who blogs daily at It’s My Life… and posts frequent reviews and giveaways at The Lemonade Stand.

(Photo of baby hand – copyright belongs to the Microsoft Office Clipart Gallery.)

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1. Postpartum Surprises – Part 1
2. Boost Postpartum Nutrition with Herbal Teas
3. Postpartum Breast Changes
4. You Are Not Alone Postpartum Depression
5. My Postpartum Psychosis Journey