No sugarcoating: postpartum (the “fourth trimester,” if you will) Is no walk in the park. It’s a messy, uncomfortable, sleepless stage of life.
But man, there are some really sweet things, too.
- Finally getting to look that baby in the face! The sweet, squishy, cross-eyed face.
- STOMACH SLEEPING. I didn’t even realize how often I end up on my stomach before morning, and how insanely comfortable it is.
- New topics of conversation. Maybe this doesn’t apply to everybody, but as a hardcore introvert I find small talk to be quite difficult. Toting a new little baby around creates its own conversation.
- No one notices how you look. Related to #3, everybody is looking at that adorable baby, and no one is looking at your (crazy unwashed) hair or your (rumpled goobered) clothes.
- Napping justification. It’s hard even for the most entrenched mom guilt to judge you for catching some snooze time when baby does (it’s even decreed by doctors!)
- Slowing down and letting go. My midwife seriously told me not to lift a finger for two weeks. So I didn’t. It was marvelous! Turns out the world keeps spinning even if I don’t do my own laundry, dishes, cooking, or cleaning.
- An appreciation for “normal.” It’s lovely after 9 months of upheaval to find a new “normal” routine, without myriad appointments or making tentative plans for the month you’re due. It’s actually enjoyable to bend over and pick up things off the floor, get out of bed, shave your legs, cut your own toenails, etc after months of these tasks being serious hard work. Gives you a renewed sense of gratitude for your body in it’s “normal” state.
I’m sure there are many, many more postpartum joys that I haven’t included in this list. Leave a comment if you’ve got more positivity about postpartum to share!