[open] The 4th Trimester

[Linnis]

I thought I'd start a thread on first 12 weeks post pregnancy. I thought it would be nice to have a discussion type thread to talk about all the challenges, rewards etc of this time.


I'm 3 weeks post pregnancy.

Some days I feel great other days I don't want to get out of bed. My husband thinks the 4th is as bad as the first with my overly emotional self going from crying over a music video to biting his head off for accidentally touching my sore breast.

 

[seamonster]

Great idea, Linnis!

Here are a couple of questions I have about the post-partum period...
How many diapers should I have on hand if I am using disposable?
If I am using cloth?
How many sanitary pads should I have on hand?
What was the best thing you did to prepare for your new arrival and new bout of exhaustion?

 

[Linnis]

My baby was almost 7 lbs and I went through over 100 newborn diapers...I switched to size 1 but not because Ethan needed size 1 but I didn't want to buy another pack of newborn.

You'll need a pack of overnight pads for the first 3-4 days and then a large pack of regulars...I've been wearing regulars for almost 2 weeks...get the cotton top ones the dry weave doesn't help.

I don't think you can really prepare for this kind of tired.

 

[faithingrace]

That is so true. I couldn't believe how tired I was when my first was born. I wasn't nearly as tired with my 3rd. It helps to be less stressed, expect to get up at night, get exercise and eat properly, and pray pray pray!

I went through about 10 diapers a days the first month. Size 1 is best I agree.

And the pads... yeah, get a big box of the biggies! You'll use them at some point.

As hard as it is, I love having a newborn. They are so soft and sweet and cuddly and... easy! They may cry but they don't fight you like toddlers do! Although I must admit I also love my soft and cuddly toddler, and my sweet 4 and 5 year olds.

 

[RoseofLima]

My plan for coping can be summed up in one word.....Zoloft

That tiredness after the first baby....I didn't know that I could be that tired. And that vulnerability...that love which I felt for my son was so overwhelming...I felt so vulnerable in that love- and wanted so much to do a good job being his mom- but reallly had like no clue how to do that.

 

[Linnis]

Be prepared for every older family member who comes to see the baby to tell you he has some horrible deadly illness. My son has a diaper rash - reaction to wipes. You'd think the kid was next to death the way my husband's aunt went on about it. I assured her I have stopped using the wipes for plain water on a face cloth and am using something to keep it dry...yet she was so worried. She also thinks my baby has a "twisted bowel" and uh something else... LOL

I'm even more emotional than I was during the first trimester but that's getting better...slowly.

 

[faithingrace]

those are hard to deal with but once I figured out that everyone has a different opinion on things I was able to not worry about other people's worries and just be mom. I pray that I will have the grace to not pressure people the same way. Its just because they love, and that they are proud and want to share their parental wisdom. Makes it easier to forgive.

 

[RedTulipMom]

have plenty of diapers and womenly pads.

i think 10-12 diapers per day is what your average newborn goes through.

i went though BOXES and BOXES and BOXES of pads..oh my. I bled for 7 weeks after Luke was born. i thought it would never end. i hear some people only bleed for 3-4 weeks..lucky them.

 

[Leanna]

Lots of diapers, lots of pads.

I hope to have a better post partum time with this baby.... yes, I just have to.

 

[rainbowbright]

I'm five weeks postpartem tomorrow. I'm almost sad because we are leaving the newborn stage behind and I'll never see it again.
The twins are finally starting to be awake a lot more and are looking around, but unfortunately, it's making nights a lot harder because they're both waking up simultaniously every hour.

I have to use two sizes of diapers because Andrew is getting really fat, so he's in the size one. I could still put Isabella in preemie diapers, but they are so expensive, so I just put her in newborn.I don't even want to think about how many diapers I go through in a day.

I think I stopped bleeding around two weeks, but I still am spotting every now and then. I found the best pads were the always overnight with wings because they are thin.

 

[JulySheMustFly]

I was not prepared for the pain in my abdomen wile breastfeeding for the first few weeks. The more children I had the worse the pain was after for breastfeeding. It did go away.

We needed newborn sized diapers for the first 2 weeks. Everyone gave us size 1 or 2 before the babies were born but they would just fall off.

I was not prepared for how emotional I would be. It was way worse than the 1st trimester with the crying over anything.

 

[faithingrace]

thats right trying hard! I forgot about the abdominal cramping during bf!! Agh! Not the most fun. Sometimes it was awful.
And the emotions, oh boy! But they balance out with the joy and awe over new baby!

 

[Leanna]

Stop scaring me.... I had enough breastfeeding problems last time

 

[~Mrs. A2J~]

I'm 8 weeks pp. I had a lot more cramping this time than I did with my daughter. It did hurt in my abdomen for the first few weeks and I also got mastitis this time but we persevered and things are going great now with the nursing. Newborn diapers were a waste of money for me. My son was born 9lbs 12oz and 21.75in long so the newborn diapers were just way too small as were nearly all the newborn sized clothes.

 

[Linnis]

We'd still be in newborn diapers but since we have size 1 we're using them. Then again my baby was 6lbs 12oz and dropped to 6lbs even.

 

[Leanna]

Does anyone want to talk about ideas to make post partum an easier stage?

I plan to cook and freeze meals in the last weeks before the end so I don't have to cook.

I asked my stepmom if she wouldn't mind David visiting one day a week so that I can catch up on housework or sleep, and she's very willing.... yes I am so lucky Besides he'll get bored here with a tired mommy and a baby and we probably won't go out too much at first.

Any other ideas?

 

[Linnis]

Have lots of quick and easy things like bottled water, microwavable dinners...the freezer meals are nice but sometimes you want something quick for one. Breastfeeding makes you starving or at least me!

See if you can have someone the first weeks to come and walk with the baby or keep her company so you can nap. While my DH would come and do it, he's not getting any sleep more than me and he's got to work all day so someone else to give you both a break.

 

[seamonster]

I am having my husband take off 1-2 weeks of work to help out, but I know not everyone can do that.

I'm also going to see if I can have ladies in my church bring over some meals for us. We have a tiny freezer so I can't really store too much, but I'm going to keep lots of muchies and boxed dinners around that are easy to make since I know I'm not going to want to go grocery shopping.

 

[Linnis]

Next time I don't think I will call my MIL or have my DH do so until AFTER the baby's born and breastfeeding.

Her comments made it much more difficult for Ethan and I at first and she shouldn't have. Then again she thinks breastfeeding is gross and I'm going to take medication and hurt the baby on purpose.

I also have not had her over to help again. I'd rather deal with Ethan's crying for hours than deal with her. I even try and avoid her on the phone.

Ethan and I are coming into our own now, 7.5 weeks later. We're finding ways to deal with each other. If only I could find a way for him to cry less and not fight off sleep.

 

[jessesgirl]

We are nine days into "trimester 4" and so far its better than the other three! The nurse told me @ the hospital that I would be glad I wasn't breastfeeding because the shrinking of the uterus hurt worse. I am down to 1 lb. more than my pre-pregnancy weight! and ALMOST all the water is off my legs! My milk came in, that hurt, but then it went away. I looked like I got a boob job there for a couple of days! lol