Postpartum Joys

Pregnancy wasn't all that bad.  Emar on the other hand only remembers the "bad things" from my pregnancy such as waking up in the middle of the night choking b/c of the reflux which lead to tears.  A co-worker hit it on the head when she said that pregnant woman don't vocalize when they are feeling great, only when there is a symptom.  She was right and I can understand why the bad is all Emar remembers. 

Around my 3rd trimester, I started coughing.  Dr. Duff said it was my reflux from Brett pushing up my stomach.  Well, I had Brett and 99% of my pregnancy symptoms were gone except for the cough.  Well, I figured since we hit our deductible and max out of pocket for the year, that I should get and upper g.i. done as the cough was still bothering me.  Sure enough, there is something wrong with me.  I have a hiatal hernia caused by the pregnancy.  The symptoms and treatment are very similar to my acid reflux.  There isn't much I can do except watch what I eat to reduce the reflux and lose weight.

Speaking of losing weight, I am down 12 lbs from my pre pregnancy weight.  When I moved to Springfield back in 2006, I weighed around 160. I felt great.  In fact, I lost a lot of weight with my Sister In Law after she had her baby July 05 doing South Beach.  Well fast forward July 2006, I met Emar. I gained around 30-40 lbs:(  Damn men!  Since college I have struggled with my weight.  Although I am not the 160, I feel good.  My clothes don't fit so I am wearing saggy pants.  I did go shopping a few weeks ago and fit into Gap clothing again.  Bye Bye Lane Bryant! Hope to never see you again!

Had my 6 week post partum (ended up actually being 8 weeks by the time she could see me).  I was still feeling tender "down there" from the episiotomy.  I was too afraid to look let alone touch.  Sure enough, one of my stiches didn't heal b/c I lack estrogen from breast feeding (so the doc said).  I had a granulation tissue.    Dr. Duff prescribed me $50 estrogen cream used for menoposal women and advised me not to have sex (unless I wanted to be in pain) for at least another 2-3 weeks.  That was okay with me as I wanted everything to heal so it would be comfortable. 

The newest postpartum joy is that my hair is falling out.  When I wash my hair, blowdry or brush, my hair comes out in clumps.  Luckily I have pretty thick hair and there is no balding like some women.  Same coworker as above mentioned to me that it's because your hormones make your hair grow and you don't really lose much during pregnancy.  Made sense to me - don't know if it's the reason.

I am exclusively breastfeeding.  I had to start pumping 2 x a day at work and I also get up one time a night to pump. We bought a deep freeze for the milk and that night I found out 50-100 oz frozen stash in that I have lipase issue.  It's when the enzyme lipase breaks down the milk fat too quickly and it changes the taste of the milk.  It doesn't make the milk bad but Brett wont drink it.  Talk about disappointment for all that hard work!  I haven't thrown it away.  Don't have the heart to.  Sounds like an Emar job maybe?

Oh and last but not least that bitch Aunt Flo made her fucking appearance 10 weeks post partum.  Some studies show that when you start giving the bottle or pump vs nurse you tend to get your period sooner.  It was a long and heavy one- haven't seen one of those for a while.  It is apparently different for all women.  She came, she went, and I could care less if she comes again.