I talked about this in my pregnancy 1 v 2 fitness youtube video that dropped last week, and in my pregnancy announcement video and podcast. All of those will be linked for you in the show notes.

Surprise Baby #2 YouTube Video
Episode 162 – Part 1 Pregnancy Real Talk
Episode 163 – Part 2 Pregnancy Real Talk (and more!)
Episode 180 – Pregnancy Unfiltered 35 weeks
Episode 193 – Birth Story Part 1 (Bebe #1)
Episode 194 – Birth Story Part 2 (Bebe #1)
Episode 223 – How I planned for Maternity Leave as an Entrepreneur

But I’m referring to the fact that my pregnancies and postpartum experiences are VERY close together. The births are almost exactly 13 months apart. So, in 23 months I was only not pregnant for 3.5 of those months…

And postpartum, though I absolutely had some level of amnesia was very fresh in my mind when I got pregnant with bebe 2.

So I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do differently, better, the second time around. While acknowledging there would, of course, be different challenges.

LESSONS & CHANGES:

Pre birth lessons from bebe 1 that I wanted to be more proactive with for bebe 2:

• Made 4 week PP pelvic appointment – knowing I could change time and date around naps and health but it was ON THE BOOKS.
• Made lactation consultant appointment for week 1
• Watched C section mobilization and compression videos and made timeline in my phone and planner
  • Set out objects for one week PP to start using straight out of the shower or before bed (cotton headband, rough wash cloth, Qtip)
  • 3-6 weeks depending on healing mobilization AROUND not ON scar (at least one inch away).
  • 12 weeks On SCAR mobilization with hands
• Begin pelvic floor breathing IN hospital bed – side lying, on back, seated (not waiting until six weeks to feel autonomy in my body again
• Still wanted as gentle of a c section as possible – we’ll unpack that in a second.
• In postpartum, I wanted to improve nutrition – higher protein, collagen, and fiber intake, and better hydration overall.

BIRTH STORY:

First note – I started getting braxton hicks at week 37 which I did not have with bebe 1 at all. 

Once cramps started with bebe 1 I was in pre labor.

So when I felt cramps 3 weeks early I was like, WTF is this? 

C section was scheduled for Dec 21, 2023 at 7:30am.

Arrived at 5:30am

LOL to “entering postpartum rested and fed”

A more accurate statement is “entering postpartum not COMPLETELY fatigued from labor, but still fasted.”

I digress, it was way better than round 1 overall.

In terms of the procedure, I was not nervous at all. The team was amazing and I had immense trust in my OB who did my first emergency C section.

BUT holy Hell it was far more painful for me this go around.

I had an epidural the first time and a spinal this time.

If you don’t know the different, an epidural stays in you and they regulate the administration of the medicine.

A spinal is an in and out procedure.

Well, mine metabolized WAY TOO fast. Like, it should last for 18 hours and mine was fading on the table.

I was experiencing far more cramping and pressure than I should have according to the anesthesiologist – who was super kind and gave me all the drugs he could to help.

Nate took pictures and the beginning of the procedure was super chill – they talked through everything they were doing.

I requested every anti-nausea drug they could give me, and they obliged. I didn’t puke or get the shakes this time – BLESS.

The pressure and cramping didn’t kick in until bebe girl was at my chest. They did delayed cord clamping and I requested they wait to weigh her and do anything else until she’d come to my chest.

She calmed down immediately upon being put on my chest. This biological phenomenon is always so cool to me.

But the cramping got to where I needed to hand her back to the nurses and breathe through the pain. It wasn’t fun to say the least. But I mean, nothing compared to physiological labor.

I honestly couldn’t be bothered with her leaving me because I HAD to focus on breathing until they were done and could get me more meds.

Because the spinal wore off, I was put on an IV drip of pain meds until it was under control. So after 5 hours or so I could take orals.

That’s the birth story in a nutshell – obviously less eventful than with bebe 1.

I ADORE the photos Nathanael got and it seems you all did too on instagram. I didn’t realize how healing it would be for so many mamas who’ve never seen a representation of their labor experiences. We always see vaginal births captured, but I personally had never seen a C section captured until my own two.

Bebe girl was 8lbs 5oz but really more like 7lbs 13oz due to the inflated birth weight of C section bebe’s. And she was a shorty at only 20 inches long. Her brother was 9.5lbs and 23 inches with a 15 inch head. LOL.

She feels like a dink even though she is very average. Her brother was just a freaking linebacker.

________________________________________

In terms of hospital prep…

I pretty much nailed what I brought to the hospital with bebe 1. But with bebe 2 it was even more dialed in due to it being a scheduled C sections. 

For a quick list, I brought:

Essentials: –

• Birth Plan/Preferences 
• Medical/hospital notes
• Bodily nursing bra & Larken for pumping JIC
• Stanley bottle 
• 1 Grey Guest Towel
• 1-2 underwear (disposables + Large postpartum for bleeding)
• Toiletries (include toothbrush, hairbrush, hair bands, hair clip, lip balm, soap, deodorant, fre skincare, some make up) 
• Lumberjack grey suit for way home
• Nursing gown
• Black sweat suit
• Liquid IV and Emergen-C 
• Whey Protein
• Bone broth
• High fiber snags
• Slippers 
• Plastic bag for dirty clothing 
• Headphones (AirPods) 
• Earplugs – yes. The volume is turned up on everything in postpartum. Earplugs calm my nervous system.
• Charger
• Heating pad 
• Camera 

What to pack for your newborn: 

– Nappy bag 

– Bodysuits + swaddles

– An outfit for going home in 

– Hat, Scratch mittens 

– Blanket for trip home 

– Car seat, ready for the trip home from the hospital 

Lesson – TAKE EVERYTHING FROM THE HOSPITAL

I personally like to bring all my own things, but then not use them if I don’t have or want to.

Technically you should be able to arrive at the hospital with nothing and be taken care of – have all the essentials you need.

POSTPARTUM:

Obviously sleep is life. We know this. Sleep is life for mom, dad and bebes.

We really enjoyed the sleep training we did with bebe 1 through Taking Cara Babies. So we knew we wanted to, on some spectrum implement those independent sleep skills with bebe two.

Bebe 1 was in his crib (with me in the rocking chair) by week 2 for a multitude of reasons – always slept well in his own space. I then transitioned to the room connected to his. And eventually to the other side of the house where our bedroom is.

He actually HATED being in a carrier or snuggling. You never know what you’re going to get with these babies, man.

The babies rooms ARE connected. So that was probably my biggest concern with sleep – how to navigate both of them sleeping without waking one another.

• The sleep plan was:

Me to sleep in guest bed / bebe 2 nursery from the get go – bed share or basinet likely at first to eliminate movement for me post c section. 

Transition bebe 2 to her crib after a few weeks. 

Me leave the room eventually.

I’m only so many weeks into that process now. And here’s how that went:

I bedshared bebe 1 for 1.5 weeks and started having her nap in her crib so I could monitor her. 

Once that happened, I switched rooms with Nate and bebe girl and I were in her room, me in the bed, her in the crib. And holy game changer.

The room is set up so well in terms of rocking chair for feeding ergonomics, changing table with warm wipes so she doesn’t cry, white noise and soft red light etc.

And me being able to sleep in a bed ALONE while watching her on the monitor is CLUTCH for sleep quality. I have so much angst when she’s in the bed WITH ME – it just lowers my sleep quality automatically.

• Fitness and recovery so far:

I mentioned my plan for pelvic floor, breathing and C section recovery as well as nutrition earlier.

So far it’s been the most helpful for me to GET INTO THE GYM to do my walking and rehab exercises.

AND not recovering from a near vaginal delivery and that trauma to the pelvic floor has been AMAZING. omg 

I was so much more mobile after like five days post C section. And I can FEEL + ENGAGE everything in my core and pelvic floor (I think).

I have a pelvic floor appointment at 4 weeks so we shall see.

But physical recovery is something I am very excited to dive deeper into this time around.

The first time I followed mamastefit and this time I am following SD evolution. Loving it so far. And way more consistent with my rehab in the early days – partially, I think, due to actually feeling like I CAN BE.

We’ll see how the incision heals and if my more consistent mobilization makes a difference this time.

All in all I feel better after two babies in all areas than I did after 1. Who would have freaking thought?!

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