12/30/2025
There is so much beauty in mother hood but there are also things that many moms over think the things that to many are unknown. Birth and postpartum is raw, emotional, but so beautiful, this is the time that you can sit back and admire the work that you and your body created.
In this post i wanted to share some of the things that i as a mom of 5 wish i would have know or better prepaid my self for in the first 24 hours.
* the biggest one for me is realizing and accepting that my body stretched and grew and supported a life for 9 months and it doesn’t just bounce back all the time, especially if it’s not you first. With my first i did bounce back pretty well and didn’t necessarily look pregnant after i had her but after my second and third and so on I didn’t bounce back and even after the 24 hours even 6 months i still hadn’t lost the weight and i was so hard on my self. Now that I’m done having kids and am following my calling i know and accept that even though i dont look how i looked before having kids i still have a beautiful and amazing body and i love my body for the work that it did in supporting and helping me bring such amazing children into the world
* This one hits me hard because even know I struggle with the ups and downs and I’m 6 months post partum but so many times you see other moms that choose to breast feed on social media that are just making it seem so natural and for many its not. The first 24 hours you and your baby are learning something new. Your learning your baby and you baby is learning how to put muscles to use that he or she hasn’t had to use in the ways that he or she is using them know you could have chapped/bleeding nipples,it could hurt to even latch baby or baby could even not want to latch at all. Baby will cluster feed or maybe baby could sleep sleep and sleep some more. Don’t be afraid to ask for help wether your in a hospital (that offers lactation help) or a midwife you will have people that want to help you succeed give you and your baby grace and trust that things will fall in line when they need to.
* After having your baby doctors and nurses will tell you that you will bleed, that is a massive understaightment. Doctors will offer you massive pads and liners but i know for me they where very uncomfortable and felt like a log in my pants ( i also always had leaks when laying down or sitting in certain positions. I absolutely love twinning with my baby and I wore diapers for almost a month after having my baby and it was the most comfortable thing in the world and i am so greatfull for the mom that shared that tip so now i am.
* One of my biggest pet peeves even after having my first was the sleep when baby sleeps comment and for many years (my first 3 baby’s) i would get so frustrated because I can’t sleep because i have cleaning or children to take care of. And i know its so hard to be unable to get the things your expected to done but in this time you litterly have a dinner plate size wound on side your belly, your uterus is still chinking back done and if you dont rest your body it could cause you recovery to be slowed tremendously. I always laughed at that because I didn’t believe it but with my last baby i tried to the best of my ability to follow the 777 method and though I didn’t follow it perfectly i did and my recovery was amazing ( bedside my tubal surgery recovery) i know this one isn’t necessarily for the first 24 hours it for the first 3 weeks to a month but it is something i had to prepare for in the first 24 hours and remind my self about constantly.
* The last thing i have and the one thing i didn’t do with my first 4 was hiring or capturing photos of my birth and fresh 48s. As I look back at my pictures from my fifth and last kids I realize that there were so many details I didn’t realize and the biggest one for me was when my baby got stuck and I was exhausted and scared and confused as to why things were happening the way they were, but when i looked back something that was super tramatic for me was lifted from me as i looked back and realized the love and joy and peace that every single person had with this in that delivery room in a time where i was at my most vaulnarble and felt so helpless i was able to look back and realize that we where ok and that every single person in that room had my baby and i,s best interest in the head and they where doing everything that they did with passion, love , and care.
There are so many uncertaties in birth, but hopefully this will give you some light on a few things that so many people keep to themselves. Obviously things could go so much different for someone else but I’m so glad i have found peace in some of these unknowns so i can share them with you..
Comment something from your first 24 hours that caught you by surprise
