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Recovery is just as important as the event itself and when we talk about recovery we mean the whole woman, not just the physical body. Whether or not a cesarean birth is a planned part of your birth story there are some important and helpful things to know for the recovery period including your mental and emotional health too. 

WHAT TO EXPECT IN YOUR PHYSICAL RECOVERY

• You've had major abdominal surgery- ab muscles are pulled apart & incisions made into your uterus.
• You've had an epidural that can come with its own set of side effects. Things like headaches and nausea. If spinal fluid is leaking, you may require a blood patch.
• Overall, your inside may feel a little odd as your organs move back into their pre-baby places. Back pain, body aches, and fatigue are all normal. 
• You will have pain at the incision site. Moving, turning, twisting, sitting up, going to the bathroom, walking, etc will be more difficult and uncomfortable.

 HOW TO COPE WITH PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT

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If you're planning on announcing any of the milestones that come with expecting a baby, we're going to take you through the basics of the best times to announce each, different ways to do it, and how to handle any of the  "Karens" that may unintentionally ruin these special moments.

ANNOUNCING YOU'RE PREGNANT

When's the best time to tell the world you're pregnant?

Whenever you want to. :) Ok ok, we promise to give you more insight than that. Most women wait until sometime after the 10-week ultrasound. The typical range is 10-20 weeks.

From Cortney's perspective: "I preferred to tell my immediate family right away. Husband first, then our parents & my closest siblings. Our first two pregnancies were miscarriages and while some women choose to endure that trial privately, I was incredibly grateful for the prayers and support of those closest to us during that time. It's bad enough to have a miscarriage and to us, it would have been even worse to endure that alone."

For women wh...

Peace is a choice. We can choose to do those things that invite peace into our lives, even when so much around us seems out of control. And that's the topic that we want to introduce to you guys this week- what you can control in your pregnancy and birth. We fear that there's this illusion out there amongst birthing women, that there is no control.

In fact, what triggered this topic for us was coming across a birth story post on Instagram. This woman shared her rather traumatic birth story and concluded it by telling her followers that there's no point in having a birth plan or preparing for the experience because it's all out of your control. 

Maybe having that perspective was a coping strategy for her, a way to process a disappointing experience. Because when you don't believe you can control anything, perhaps you're able to maybe more easily release the experience you've had, especially if it wasn't a great one. BUT! women who head into pregnancy and birth believing that ever...

• At what point in my pregnancy should I take a birth class?
• What kind of birth course is best for me? 
• What should a birth course cover?
• Do I really need one if I plan on getting an epidural?

But before we answer those great questions, will you indulge us for a minute? We've gotta get this off our chest first...

The truth of the matter is that when it comes to birth, you don't know what you don't know. And if you're reading this post or listening to the podcast, you're likely the kind of person who wants to be in-the-know! That's awesome because our entire goal is to empower you & give you the skills, confidence, and knowledge necessary before your birth.

Speaking from very personal experience, failing to prepare can often lead to a poor experience, regrets, and then (hopefully!) a fierce determination to make things better the next time! We want to find you and help you before that next time!

Birth is a natural event, but when we moved birth from ...

If you're like us, you like to be prepared! However, we've both been guilty of hauling unnecessary items in our birth bag. So! Allow us to share what we think you'll really need when it comes to packing for your birthplace so that you can avoid overpacking.

THINGS TO LEAVE AT HOME

 1. Diapers & Wipes

Diapering your newborn baby seems like a legitimate concern, right? Especially when you learn that they pee and poo like 12 times a day!, But, there is no need to bring a pack of diapers or wipes because if you're birthing at a hospital- they have you covered! In fact, they usually have really nice diapers for you (Pampers Swaddlers or the equivalent in Huggies). They even send you home with some so you're covered on the ride home too!

2. Games

If you're getting to your birthplace at the right time, you won't have time for card games or video games because when you arrive you should (ideally) be in active labor! That means contractions are strong enough that you have to focus on ...

It's ok to wonder why your birth team feels like you're qualified to take your baby home and keep them alive! Newborns give us so many firsts and the truth is none of us know what we are doing. Spoiler alert: you're going to be great. In the meantime, let's go over all the things that make us laugh, cry, and push our mental stability to the limit...knowing we wouldn't trade any of it for the world!