Day 7 Postpartum.

Having a baby is intense.

There’s the labor (we’ll talk about that soon) wherein you feel like you’ve battled a bull shark. Add to that the afterpains, the hormone crash, the postnatal depression, the exhaustion, the epic struggle that is breastfeeding…and a helpless little baby whose only form of self-expression is a series of high-pitched screams. Like I said, INTENSE.

The good thing about this being #4 is that at least my brain is ready for this. I know it’s coming and I can take a deep breath and ride it out, knowing that it will pass and everything is going to be ok. All I need to do is get through one fuzzy day at a time.

The crazy thing about this being #4 is that there are 3 other kids who all need their dose of mommy time. There’s a lot of mayhem but strangely, having them around makes me feel better.

Day 7 and still standing.

***

Some thoughts about getting through these postpartum days.

1. It’s a good thing newborns are so delicious.

Their have a high cuteness to difficulty ratio, which explains why you don’t end up yelling at them for being so screamy. They’re like “I know I’m being all kinds of difficult but seriously, just look at this face. This smooshy face will make you feel better in no time, momma!”

2. Husbands.

The real reason I’m still standing is because of the husband. I don’t know how I’d do this without him. He handles the baby like a pro, watches the three bigger kids, then works till the middle of the night and stays up to make sure I’m feeling ok feeding the baby at 2 in the morning. He knows when I need to cry and exactly how to make me feel better. How did I luck out with this man?

3. Morale boosters, take them.

I know there are strict rules for the confinement but sometimes, it’s ok to colour outside the lines. After I get through a rough day, I reward myself with a tiny scoop of ice-cream. Ok, a large scoop of ice-cream. And it makes me feel just a little bit better.

4. Siblings = love.

Watching the kids loving their baby is the sweetest thing ever. When Kirsten first saw him, she said, “this is the cutest baby in the whole world and I’m glad he’s mine.”

5. Family support

My mom has been a lifesaver, bathing the baby and helping with the kids and making sure I’m eating proper food. And my in-laws help to take care of the two big kids every week – they look forward to party time at Ah Ma’s house. I’m grateful for the support and we take the help wherever we can get them.