Lassie

These things are not going to hurt your child long-term. I really see this as a non-issue.

I haven’t seen anyone post what I needed to hear. I don’t mean to minimize others’ experiences but what I needed to hear was: “you can jump right in to normal if you want.” My mom came but left after a week because my brother in rehab needed her way more. We were doing totally fine. I had imagined that I would need time to recover, feel like I was struggling, etc. What made me feel best was going back pretty soon to things I love. Doula said to just focus on rest but that’s not what I wanted at all. I wanted to cook normal dinners (freezer casseroles are kinda yuck), go out for walks, live life. This was especially true for #2. I talked on the phone with a work colleague who didn’t know that I had gone into labor early and that he was talking to me post-delivery while baby was in NICU. But I wanted to talk about work and not about my kid’s lungs for twenty minutes. We hosted some friends for dinner when we got to bring baby home at 2 weeks because we love to host. By these comments, I totally see I’m in the minority and if this comment isn’t for you, just skip it. But for the postpartum mom that wants to jump right on back to life— yes, you can take those little tiny dudes to your local pizza joint, he can chill in the yard while you dig a hole for your new rose bush, and you can take a tour of the historic building if that’s what feels right to you. (But maybe wear a swaddling blanket over him in a carrier because people will definitely look at you funny.)