I truly did not know that you could bleed for up to six weeks postpartum until I was six months pregnant and a friend told me. I actually had to have my wedding band cut off of my finger at urgent care because I didn’t know that at nine months pregnant and going to altitude, you would most likely swell. 

Needless to say, there were a lot of things that I did not know to expect from my postpartum experience despite the fact that I spent a lot of my pregnancy researching the fourth trimester! Many people around me did not openly or freely talk about the nitty-gritty details of postpartum recovery and when I searched Instagram I couldn’t find much info beyond postpartum accounts focused on infant care. So, I created Shugie because it felt like finding any relatable to postpartum content out there was a challenge. There are 250 babies born per minute. Where is the postpartum info at?!

Now, it is out there… and in most cultures, postpartum has been honored as a sacred and powerful rite of passage since the beginning of time, but until I really start digging, it was hard for me to find anyone talking about the realities of postpartum care.

Shugie’s here to break it down per usual. I think it’s important to remember that postpartum is a sacred time that extends BEYOND postpartum depression, beyond a baby’s sleep schedule and infant care, and definitely beyond a weight loss journey. Let’s get real. Let’s talk about what happens, share our stories, and educate other mamas on what they can expect. I believe that telling our stories is how we make real change in a mother’s life postpartum.

I want to be clear that this is not meant to be a list to create fear around postpartum or focus only on the unpleasant parts of new motherhood. This is a list to bring awareness and education to people, who like me, had no idea about some of these very common experiences in postpartum. At the time, it can feel so lonely and like you are the only one experiencing it, but these are some of the most common experiences new mothers face and many women choose not to discuss them with their providers. I want to spread the word for them.

When I am really in the thick of postpartum recovery these things feel all consuming, but now when I look at this list, I am reminded just how strong I am that I was able to create, grow, and bring another being into this world. My greatest accomplishment.

THINGS NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT POSTPARTUM ⤵️ 

???? hair loss – for me this peaked at 5 months postpartum and adding collagen and bone broth reallllly helped. At 9 months postpartum it’s slowed tremendously I don’t really even notice it anymore.

???? bleeding for 4-6 weeks postpartum – for some reason I just wasn’t expecting this and honestly it felt like a bad joke to have to deal with that while recovering, caring for my babe, and figuring out breastfeeding

???? perineal discomfort – for me it’s like a dull ache during ovulation and my cycle ???? this is more likely to happen if you had an episiotomy or other surgical birth

???? pelvic floor weakness, tightness, or incontinence

???? hemorrhoids – 🙁 simply NO fun. Working on bringing you guys tips for this now.

???? increased susceptibility to colds and infections – TCM hot take: keep yourself bundled up. Fuzzy socks, blankets, warm foods, and cover the back of your neck to prevent illness!

???? backache from your epidural – (omg I thought I was the only one!!!) It was so uncomfortable from months 2-4 postpartum 

So…ya! That is quite the list. I want you to know – especially if you are anticipating pregnancy and birth, this list could feel very overwhelming. Quite frankly I was petrified of labor and delivery and would freak out about it thinking about it late at night. AND  I still think my birth was the most incredible, spiritual, and truly magical time of my life. You can have both. Be scared AND excited. Terrified AND brave. There’s room for all of it especially postpartum.

What were some of the things that you were surprised to learn about the postpartum experience? #readshugie

Xx