Postpartum...No one told me this!

So if you don't like knowing the gross, unmentionable things of postpartum recovery...don't read this one. That means, you family. You don't need to know these things. Friends in real life...you probably don't want to know this as well.


I really won't be graphic. But let's be real.

I had both kinds of delivery, as you know. So that may make my recovery a little unique but I think my advice could be useful.

Vaginal Delivery

I never had pain with the episiotomy really. I know lots of my friends have told me about the soreness and pain "down there" but I think I was in so much pain with the C-section incision that I hardly noticed what was going on in the nether regions.

Although I didn't feel pain, I religiously used the spray they gave me in the hospital. It was a spray for cuts and burns. I used it mainly because they told me to but I didn't want to know what that pain felt like. I also used Tucks pads. I HIGHLY recommend a stool softener and Miralax. I had bad hemorrhoids before delivery and they were only going to get worse if I didn't take control of the digestive area.

Thanks to some Dulcolax in the hospital from my favorite nurse Katie...I had my first movement in the hospital. I didn't suffer like many other women do. When you are pregnant (because you WILL be, I know it!), ask for a suppository in the hospital. It made my life SO much better.

I just love the "sexy" underwear they gave me in the hospital. So comfy! I wore those fancies for a couple of weeks because I stole hoarded borrowed them. (I found that if supplies went away whether it was for baby or me, they were restocked the next day. I made sure supplies disappeared every night!)

I unfortunately had postpartum bleeding for 5 weeks! I thought for sure it would have been shorter since I also had C-section but nope! I was able to gradually get off of those diaper sized pads though.

C-Section Info

I think the Dulcolax made my life amazing in the hospital because of the gas relief. I had no idea that the worst pains of delivery could be the intense gas pains from the C-section. I mean we are talking pain that brings moans out and tears to my eyes. All from gas! In fact, my first night in the hospital, I swore babies were still in my stomach. I was feeling movement and pain just like before they were born. Luckily, just some trapped air...ha!

I didn't have staples or visible sutures from surgery. Everything was on the inside and dissoluble. I hear this is preferred for a quick recovery! I had my bandage taken off the evening after delivery. It seemed way too early but they wanted my incision to breathe. Why don't they make surgical tape that doesn't feel like skin is being ripped off?! Seriously.

I was forced to get out of bed right a way too. My catheter was taken out that next morning and I was made to get out of bed. Not nice! It hurt so bad to even move. They walked me into the bathroom and got me dressed in my new sexy undies and diaper pads. The gas pain that I referred to was awful and supposedly walking helps this. How could I walk when it feels like my guts could come spilling out any moment? But they were right. Walking helped. By the time we left three nights later, I was walking quite a few laps of the maternity ward each day.

My incision now is nearly numb to touch. It is like I have lost feeling. The doctor assures me that I will regain feeling. Numbness is way better than the pain though! For a few weeks, it was difficult to sit down, get up, roll over, pick up babies, etc. Now, it is just hard to wear clothing that hits at the incision spot. Maternity pants are great and comfy for this issue. I can luckily fit into my regular jeans but they are still scratchy against the scar.

Stretch marks are still there. I hate to look at my saggy, marked skin in the mirror. But they are my badge of honor. I wouldn't wish them away for anything. However, I will use Mederma Stretch Mark Therapy every day, twice a day. I am honored to have them but would like them to fade as much as possible too!

Now...here is what I never knew...

You lose control of your bladder!!!!

I didn't realize this fact until we were on a family outing to Sam's Club. I knew I had to pee...but not enough to make a run to the restroom. Stupid!

We were in the checkout line. My hubby is funny and cracks me up. Sleep deprivation make him even funnier! Well, one of his wisecracks had me bending over the stroller laughing uncontrollably. When all of a sudden I realized I was going to pee my pants and I couldn't stop it. I stopped laughing and looked at Jeremy in panic. I am not sure if I shouted this without realizing I was in public or discreetly whispered to him, "I just peed my pants, you jerk!"

I looked at him in a desperate, what-the-heck-do-I-do look. I quickly whipped around and put the twins stroller behind my pee-soaked butt and marched out of the store in shame. Wouldn't you know that I was stopped 3-4 times leaving the store. (Twins are quite the spectacle, you know.) I bet those people were wondering why I had a distraught look on my face and why the heck I was pulling the beautiful babies behind my large, wet hiney.

WORST DAY EVER!! Oh wait...there's more!

Jeremy had me laughing on a neighborhood stroll with the babes. The end result is peeing myself in the driveway of a neighbor's house. Yep! That happened and thanks to a thoughtful husband...we have proof.

So best piece of advice: Kegels! I didn't believe them in the magazines or in child birth class. They are no joke. Do them and do them often. You do not want this to happen to you. Ha!

I am sure I am leaving out postpartum drama and issues and if you ever have questions about my experiences, I am glad to share them with you...even the gross stuff!

-Lisa-

Twin Update-7 weeks

My babies are 7 weeks old tomorrow! Ah! It has gone so fast but at the same time I can't remember what we did before them. How did we spend our days? What did we talk about? What did I worry about? Everything before July 11 just seems to be a blur. They have changed our lives for the better.

I had to take Max to the doctor to get acid reflux medicine. He was having projectile spit up. I mean it was awful! He also screamed and cried for the first ounce of his feedings. You could literally hear the acid in his belly when he started eating. It was such a painful cry...it was heartbreaking. He also would often gag or cough randomly throughout the day. Feeding time was such a sad time for him. Normally he smiles and is just a happy, laid back little man. However, the medicine seems to be working. They put him on Axid twice a day and so far...no spit up. He still seems uncomfortable at feedings but not nearly as bad as before. He is 10.5 pounds!! What?! He isn't fat either. He is just solid as a rock. No many rolls on him but definitely a chunky monkey. I love his double chin and his chubby cheeks.

Both babies are in this FUN stage. They are starting to play and be alert more often.Their smiles melt my heart. With those smiles, it will be difficult not to spoil them rotten (although, I think they already are!).

They are eating a lot! The doctor said that it is fine but they are just little piggies. They eat 4-4.5 ounces every 3-4 hours. However, at night they are sleeping 5 hours in a row!!! Woo-hoo! I love that we are starting to get more sleep.

Jeremy is ready for them to move into their nursery and cribs. I am not. He hasn't brought it up in awhile which I am glad. I know that before I am back at work, we need to start making the transition. I have started putting them in their cribs for nap times.

They are both really good at getting to sleep on their own. We will lay them down awake and they will get to sleep on their own. They just need their pacifiers and they are out. Now, Harper still needs to be bounced or rocked sometimes but for the most part they can self-soothe themselves to sleep! This is awesome and hope they keep it up. It is hard for me to resist the urge to rock them all the time. However, their sleep habits will be much better if they can get themselves to sleep. (I still cuddle with them all the time though!)

Max went into size 1 diapers about 3 weeks ago. However, Harper is still in newborn sized diapers. We are on our last pack of newborn diapers. (We have not had to buy any diapers so far thanks to everyone!) Once these are gone, Harper will move to size 1 too. It couldn't come at a better time since Harper blew out her diaper today while in the car seat. I had to wash everything!!

Newborn clothes don't really fit Max anymore either. He is mainly in 0-3 months. 3 month clothing is still a little big on him...especially the pants. Little man has short legs! Harper can still wear newborn clothes but they are snug. I am going to cry the day that I pack away those adorable newborn outfits they have been wearing.

Another milestone...they moved up to the Avent size 2 nipples on their bottles. It has made feeding time go much faster. The size 2 nipples are for one month and older but we waited a bit after their one month birthday because they were doing fine with the size 1.

They are growing so fast. Harper rolled from tummy to back at 4 weeks and Max is nearly there. He can get to his side before he gives up and plops back down. Miss Harper is now working on back to tummy rolling. I swear that girl is going to be an athlete. She is so strong!

Now for the show-off pictures over the last couple of weeks:

Our church is growing! Here are 7 of the 8 babies born since May!!



My FAVORITE!! Even crying, they are so cute!

Max snuggling with Mama

My favorite place in the whole world!

Harper is out!!

Max using his pacifier as a joystick!

LOVE!



Playtime!

-Lisa-

Be Prepared!

I have been absent from the blog world for a couple of weeks. I haven't been reading, commenting, or writing. So bloggy friends...if you notice a bombardment of comments waiting approval or my posts filling your newsfeed...it's me! I am catching up today. I am hoping the darlings sleep a little bit longer so I can feel accomplished.

I really don't know where the time goes. It seems like days fly by and I literally get nothing accomplished besides baby snuggles, feedings, laundry, bottle washing, and occasionally some light cleaning. Before I know it, it is 6pm and Jeremy is home from work. I am enjoying this time immensely though.

I go back to work October 1. I have less than 5 weeks now and it terrifies me. I just LOVE this time with my babies. I think of work everyday but am learning not to stress over it. I am a teacher and my substitute QUIT just two days in. I guess my 7th & 8th graders were a little much. Wonderful people at my school have taken over to make sure the curriculum and students are in one piece when I return. They have made my life here at home enjoyable. I was thinking that I needed to go back sooner to salvage everything. Thank goodness I get to be a stay at home Mommy for a little longer!

I have lots of posts in mind. So be prepared...they are coming!

-Lisa-

Growing up and the Anti Belly

So...a few things:

1. I hate the idea of going back to work. I attend meetings (woo-hoo!) this week to prepare for the upcoming school year. My heart isn't into it this time. I am usually gun-ho to plan, prepare, and meet the kids. Not this time around! I left my babies in wonderful hands (my mom and dad) yesterday for 4 whole hours! I was so excited to see them after the longest time I have ever been away from them. I don't REALLY go back to work until October 1 but at this rate...it will be here before I know it.

2. My Facebook feed today was filled with pictures of kids going back to school. A close friend's twins started kindergarten today. What?! They were just baby girls, like yesterday! It really makes me realize what everyone tries to tell me..."enjoy this time because it goes fast!" No kidding! It will be a sad, sad day when Max & Harper have their backpacks over their shoulders waiting for the bus. (Ok...can't even think of it without tearing up!)

3. Our 5 year anniversary is coming up quickly too-August 30. Jeremy has surprise plans for me but I told him that I don't want to be away from the babies for too long! However, I am super excited to see what he has in store for me. He is such a great husband and daddy!!

4. I go back to the doctor for my six week postpartum check up next week. I am SO much looking forward to being cleared for exercise. Not just walking...I do that. I want to start running and really working out. I have twenty pounds left before I reach pre-pregnancy weight. I would like to have it off by Thanksgiving (or Christmas at the latest!).

Here is the progression of the "Anti-belly":

36 weeks pregnant-2 weeks postpartum-5 weeks postpartum

5. Twins are five-freakin'-weeks old tomorrow!! What? Jeremy and I have managed to keep them alive and well for 5 whole weeks!

-Lisa-

Best Month of My Life!

I knew love.

I love my family. I love my friends. I love my husband. I love chocolate. I love French fries. I love God above all else.

BUT...I never knew the kind of love that I have experienced in the last month.

Max and Harper have shown me a kind of love I never imagined I could experience. My heart swells each and every time I see them. I absolutely love kissing their sweet cheeks, listening to their little grunts and coos, and I love our snuggle time where they curl up on in my arms.

They have made my life complete and I love them more than I could ever express.

On another note, we had to deal with our first doctor appointment on the "sick side" last Monday. They both had colds with congestion but that was normal and just viruses. The reason we had to go to the doctor is because Harper had a rash with pustules (I know gross!) on her belly.

I am a carrier of Strep B. We found this out when I went into pre-term labor at 31 weeks. However, that hospital must have not sent over the results to the hospital I delivered at. When we showed up to deliver the twins, I told the nurse that I needed antibiotics for strep B. It took her an hour to get them to me because they didn't have that in my records. That on top of labor going extremely fast...I only had one dose of the antibiotics.

The rash on Harper's belly is caused from my strep B. They called it a strep/staph infection. It is contagious and within a few hours of leaving the doctor...Max had it on his belly too! They gave us an antibiotic ointment and it cleared up within a few days. Both are doing just fine now.

However, as a new mother, it was scary. I felt so awful and worried about them. I am glad the first illness and infection is out of the way. Maybe I will be more calm now! (I doubt it.)

-Lisa-

Loving the Life of a Twin Mommy

Max and Harper are doing amazing! We went to their two week check up last Thursday. I was so nervous about them gaining weight. Max was especially fussy with gas and wasn't eating as much as his sister. I was thrilled and somewhat shocked that they both exceeded their birth weight!

Maxwell weighed 6.10 at birth, leaving the hospital was 6.5, one week check up was 6.6. At the two week check up he weighed a whopping 7 pounds, 1 ounce! I look at him now and he has changed so much. He is getting a chunky middle and has his first roll on his thighs. He really looks like a full term baby. He is still looking a lot like Daddy but we are both seeing him change a lot. He doesn't look JUST like Jeremy anymore...more of a mixture. Thank goodness! You know, I had something to do with the creation of him as well!

Harper weighed 5.9 at birth, leaving the hospital was 5.7, one week check up was 5.8. At the two week check up she weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces! Her sweet little cheekies have filled out and she has my chipmunk cheeks for sure. It is crazy but I just can't stop kissing that sweet face. She still can't fit into newborn clothes very well. They fall right off of her. Her features are so dainty and petite. She is definitely a DIVA!! She loves to keep Mommy and Daddy up from her last feeding before bed until the next feeding. It is usually from 10pm-1am. Then she is perfectly content going to bed. She doesn't just cry all the time. She wants to be held and snuggled and if we try to put her down before she is done snuggling...the diva comes out!

We are really loving being parents to these two! We can't imagine our lives without them. It is so weird how much they have changed us.

• We forget to watch our DVR shows and we don't care.
• We have forgotten dinner multiple times and around 10pm eat crackers for a meal.
• We plan our weekend afternoons around the 3-4 hour span between feedings.
• I have become a very protective Mama Bear when it comes to strangers looking at, touching, or asking about our babies. So weird, I know.
• I carry Germ-X everywhere I go.
• We both are consumed with spending time with them.
•  I make up songs for each twin and sing them to them off key and don't care.
• Showers aren't a priority.
• Poop, pee, and boogers aren't really that gross on your hand.
• We don't mind getting 5 hours of sleep instead of 8.
• Make up isn't as important as it used to be.
• Facebook? Who has the time?
• I sometimes don't answer texts until hours later...not by choice.

I had gained 75 pounds with the 20+ pounds of fluid I gained in the last week. However, the fluid has pretty much gone down and the weight is coming off without too much effort. I have lost 50 pounds! I have 25 more pounds to go before I am back to pre-pregnancy weight. However, I will not have my pre-pregnancy body EVER again! I am okay with it. I earned these hundreds of stretchmarks and loose skin. As soon as I am cleared for exercise (probably not until after my 6 week post pardem appointment in 3 weeks!), I will start running again. I am hoping that I can lose the 25 pounds plus some fairly quickly. I just want to be back in my regular pants and shirts.

I am recovering from both deliveries well. I was cleared to drive and at my doctor's appointment, she said my C-section incision looks great. I am still sore around the incision but get around just fine. I try to take it easy when I have some soreness or pain. Dr. Driskell also felt like she needed to explain her reasoning for the emergency C-section while I was getting checked out. (Although now, it doesn't even matter to me!) She felt bad that I had to endure both deliveries but explained again how concerned she was for Harper when she went into distress. I assured her that I was happy that she was looking out for my babies' health and that's all that matters.

Here is a before picture from a few days before Max & Harper's arrival. I am wearing Jeremy's XL T-shirt from one of my races. Then there is the picture taken today at 18 days post delivery. I am wearing a size medium T-shirt from the same race. I still look pregnant but holy cow what a difference! I am afraid to go out in public without the twins because people may ask when I am due! I may start posting anti-belly pictures now.

And...here are some pictures of the babies too!!

-Lisa-

Max & Harper's Birth Story Part 2

If you missed Part 1 of this crazy story you can read about it here.

I left off as I was wheeled into the OR. I had the epidural and it was making me a little hazy at this point. I knew what was going on but people and things were moving around so quickly. I moved to a really uncomfortable bed. I remember I was more concerned with messing up the epidural cord that I knew was in my back.

It was around 11am by the time I was moved and re-hooked up to the machines. Dr. Driskoll did something "down there" and asked if I could feel it. I could so they asked me to press the epidural button to administer more pain meds. I was really not in pain at all, which was fabulous!!

I am not exaggerating when I say that there were probably 25 people in the delivery room with me. I had two anaesthesiologists, my three nurses, the doctor, and each baby had their staff of 4 nurses too. It felt like there was a party for their arrival. Jeremy was right by my head so I could see him, talk to him and look at him. He said I even made jokes with him throughout the delivery.

I thought the delivery was going to be like the movies. You push a couple times and it is over. (However, I now realize I had it very easy!) That is not the case. Multiple times through the pushing process I declared to the room that I couldn't do it anymore. They kept telling me he was "right there". Well, he seemed to be right there the whole time and I think they were just telling me that to bait me into not giving up! One nurse, Cindy, was in my face and ear the whole time. She was a great coach. She kept my eye on the prize of seeing my babies. On my seemingly short breaks of pushing, Jeremy would soothe me and rub my shoulder. I pushed through contractions for about 25 minutes before my beautiful baby boy, Maxwell, made his arrival into this world. It was the most glorious moment of my life up until that point. He was perfect in every way!

Maxwell Salvatore Marc was born at 11:31am weighing 6 pounds 10 ounces and 19 inches long. He looked right at me and melted my heart. Then he was whisked away with his nurse team.

Then, I realized that I had to do this again with my baby girl!

However, the doctors and nurses were busy talking with each other and using the ultrasound machine. As I looked back at Jeremy, I knew something was wrong.

My baby girl quickly slid into place and tried to come out hand first. Dr. Driskoll explained that I may need a C-section. If I delivered Harper the way she was presenting, I could bruise her arm but she would be okay. I did not want a C-section by any means so agreed to push her out.

They had to screw in a heart rate monitor to the top of her head so they could closely monitor her. Dr. Driskoll said she would allow me to push through three contractions. This scared me because I pushed through more than 10 with Max. I tried. I pushed with every ounce of energy I had left. After three contractions, Harper's heart rate dropped severely.

The room started bustling and I didn't know what was happening. Dr. Driskoll left her post to come up to talk to me. She said that we had to get her out now. We didn't have time to dose up the epidural for a regular C-section. We were in an emergency situation and I would be knocked out. I cried and pretty sure screamed out. I kept saying "No" over and over again. Jeremy was in shock as well. This isn't what we had planned.

Jeremy had to leave the OR and be with Maxwell. I was left to try and fight the anesthesalogist. I literally batted away the gas mask multiple times. My arms had to be restrained before I drifted off into dreamland.

I missed Harper's birth. So did Jeremy. It makes me sad but I know it was best for her and that's all that matters.

Harper Evelynn Rose was born at 11:42am weighting 5 pounds 9 ounces and was 18.5 inches long.


Harper had to stay hooked up the monitors for a few hours but nurses made sure to bring both of my babies to me as soon as I was out of recovery. Harper came to me still hooked to monitors but I was in love right away! She was released to join Max and us around 7pm that night.

We were able to come home Sunday, July 14.

 

Unfortunately, when we got home we had to lose a member of our family. Our cat, Lola, showed what we expected from her--she would not be a good fit with babies. She is a jealous cat and reared that jealousy towards our babies. I have had her for 8 years and I cried for days when we got rid of her. She loved me and that was really it. I needed to make that difficult choice to keep my babies safe. I hope the shelter we put her in finds her an awesome home.

 

 

We have had lots of visitors and LOTS of help! Seriously, my family and friends have been amazing. My mom, sister, and mother in law have spent time with me during the day. My mom and sister cleaned my house. Multiple people have brought us meals. We are truly blessed by all of the help and love we have had from others.

 

-Lisa-