Birth and Postpartum Q&A

Hello Beautiful People!! 

This week I did a little Q&A on my Instagram story and got alottttt of questions about my birth experience and postpartum. I didn’t have enough time to get to all the questions on my stories (new mom life), so I figured I would take some of the more common questions you all asked and answer them here on my blog!! So let’s get into it…

Q: What made you want to have an unmedicated birth?
A: First, I want to start by saying that all births are beautiful and no one method trumps another. For my birthing experience, I wanted to push hard to maintain the birth plan that I had originally wanted while also maintaining open-mindedness. I knew I wanted an unmedicated birth from the get-go because I really wanted to be able to feel every single sensation without any numbness. And I'm really happy I did because I showed myself that, even though it was the hardest thing I've ever done, I was able to get through it and that made me feel very empowered as a woman. Again, each journey is different and extremely personal and this is simply what I wanted my experience to be with it all.

Q: What resources did you use to prepare for an unmedicated birth? 
A: I spent most of my pregnancy diving into hours and hours of podcasts. The two that I really liked and listened to the most are “Down to Birth” and “My Essential Birth”. I educated myself on all the things I wanted and didn't want for my birth. I also researched extensively on birthing positions, pain management, what to bring in my hospital bag, and how my birthing partner (A.K.A. Steve) can assist me. Again, these are all things that I just literally typed into Google and spent hours on.

I had a doula for about a month and I really didn't feel connected and also wanted it to be just Steve and I in the delivery room. So I decided to just venture on by myself with Steve by my side instead.

Q: Did you tear during birth? 
A: I had a first-degree tear during birth. I will say, I think you are less likely to tear when doing a natural birth because you are pushing when your body WANTS to push vs when doctors are telling you to push. I didn’t tear when Dallas’ head was out, but they told me I needed to push one more time to get his shoulders out, and when I did that “artificial push” that’s when I tore. 

Q: Favorite part about being a new mom? 
A: I would say my favorite part of being a new mom is caring for and nurturing someone that I feel deeply connected to in love. Endlessly watching him start to develop a little personality with something as simple as giving a smile back to me is a feeling that I can't describe. I also love seeing Steve become a new dad and doing this together with him has been amazing and it really is such a cool thing to do with someone you love.

Q: Are you liking the Snoo?
A: We LOVE the Snoo!! When Dallas isn’t sleeping in the bassinet attachment on the stroller he is in the Snoo. It’s also super nice that the swaddle for the Snoo attaches to the sides of the bassinet because Dallas likes to try and sleep on his side (which is very stressful for Mom and Dad lol). 

Q: How long did it take you to recover from birth? 
A: I feel like I’m really just now starting to recover (so about 5 weeks). BUT I got an infection from birth that we didn’t catch until about 2 weeks PP…so that has slowed down my recovery a lot. I’ve been taking antibiotics for about 2 weeks now though, and finally starting to feel better!! I’m definitely a special case. 

Q: Are you able to workout now?
A: I haven’t been able to workout yet, but have been going on short walks to move my body. I have my 6-week appointment this week, so we will see if the Dr. clears me! I cannot waitttt to get back into working out, I’ve missed it so so much. 

Q: How has your breastfeeding journey been? 
A: It honestly started off pretty tough, I really didn’t think I was going to be able to keep up with it. It was super painful and my nipples were practically bleeding - they were so raw. But a few days after giving birth I had a lactation consultant come to the house to help with his latch and everything and that changed the game for me!! Now it’s MUCH less painful and it’s a journey I have been loving. It definitely takes a toll on your body, but it is such a special thing that I get to have with Dallas and I plan to continue with exclusively BF while I can. 

Q: What are your must haves for first time moms? 
A: Hmmm I would say the My Breast Friend Pillow and the Uppa Baby Stroller are the two big items I use the most and are worth the money in my opinion! Outside of those two big things I would say a portable sound machine and a breastfeeding cart that you can bring around the house with you that has everything you need (here’s what I put on mine).

Q: What items did you use postpartum to help you recover?
A: All of the items in my Postpartum Essentials Blog are everything I have used in the past few weeks to help recover!! I would say the Epsom Salts have been one of the biggest players in helping me recover. 

Q: What’s one thing you did postpartum that you would do differently next time? 
A: For our next baby I think one thing I will do differently is not allow so many people to visit in those first couple of weeks. We had LOTS of visitors to come see Dallas right when he was born and it was really just so exhausting for Steve and I. It’s so hard to say no, but the people that love you will understand and respect that boundary. You can’t be the best mom for your baby if you aren’t taking care of yourself and protecting your peace.

Q: How did you get through the postpartum emotions? 
A: I would say one thing that is super important is finding a way to make yourself feel less alone in your experience and feelings, whether that is talking to someone else that is a mom, reading blogs or following a new mom on social media. Being a first-time mom can feel like a really isolating experience and like you are the only one dealing with whatever you’re going through. But I promise you you are not alone and there is at least one other person out there feeling what you are feeling!! We are all in this together. 

Another thing that is so important is having a good support system around you (your partner, friends, family, etc.). Ask for help when you need it, that’s what those people are there for! 

Q: Did you end up using everything you packed in your hospital bag? 
A: I can honestly say that I used every single thing that was on my hospital bag checklist. I had everything I needed to feel comfortable and prepared for labor. 

Q: Do you have advice for dealing with how your body changes post-partum?
A: I've been through many different body stages in my life and I've realized that when I put too much focus on the way that I look, I tend to not be as internally happy as I am when I care less about what I look like and more about cherishing memories and living life to the fullest. I know that I feel my absolute best in terms of digestion, energy, etc. when I eat mostly nutrient dense foods. But I also lived my life a little too strictly in the past where I didn't allow any junk food and it made me miss out on experiences. So, because I've been through many different stages in my life of what my body looks like, I know that I don't want to look back on this moment with Dallas postpartum and only remember the fact that I wasn't happy with the way that I looked. Right now I'm trying to fully embrace living in the moment with Dallas and giving him what he needs in terms of calories from my own body while breastfeeding. And I know that in the future I'll be able to get back to my normal workout routine so for now I'm just trying to live in the moment because I know that this time will pass too quickly.

Q: How did you guys come up with Dallas for baby’s name? 
A: Steve and I downloaded this app called “BabyName” which is like Tinder where you and your partner both download it and swipe left or right on names. Then if you both swipe right it saves that name as a match! Dallas is one of the few names we both liked! Throughout most of my pregnancy we kept calling him Dallas and it just felt right! 

Q: How many more kids do you and Steve want? 
A: If it was up to Steve we would have 10 kids lol. But I'm thinking 3 or 4 would be a good number!! Time will tell! 

Q: Does Dallas have a sleep schedule? And are you planning on sleep training him? 
A: With Dallas only being 5.5 weeks old right now, I've realized that the more I try and force him to be on a strict schedule, the more stressed and anxious I am. So for now I am really just trying to go off of his hunger cues and sleep cues which allow me to really be in tune with his needs. I try to not let him sleep for more than two hours during the day because I have noticed that he doesn't sleep well at night if we do let him take long naps. He is giving us 3 to 5 hour stretches at night so I'm hoping that will just progress as he gets older in terms of sleep training in the future. Yes, I would love to put him on some sort of a schedule and a routine when he starts to develop a little bit more and we will probably start working towards that soon period. I will keep you guys posted!

That covers everything! I hope this answers some questions you might have had about my birth and postpartum experience and if you are on the same journey hopefully it can help you feel more prepared for what’s to come!! Becoming a mom has been the most amazing experience ever, but there are still bad days and bumps in the road. I will always be transparent with you all and I think it’s so important to show the good and the bad because it’s all a part of the journey. 

I appreciate you all so much! 

XOXO, TAY