The Sport of Mami

LUCIA VERA

The hardest part of postpartum...

Psychologically it was scary. Realising the dramatic lifestyle change was a shock. I felt like I was mourning a life I loved with no idea what was coming. The pressure and responsibility felt overwhelming. We're expected to navigate this emotional rollercoaster alone, which can be so risky.

What I wish I'd known before giving birth...

I wish I'd thought about what to wear those first days! Your body is aching, you're still bleeding, you've still got a belly (but not a tight one ), you need to pull out your boobs constantly, and there's always family taking pictures. I needed something comfortable that would hide stains, with easy boob access, and flattering enough for those inevitable photos!

I also wish I'd had follow-up sessions with an osteopath sooner. I spent MONTHS in pain thinking it was normal, but my internal stitches from my episiotomy were pulling a muscle causing horrible back pain and painful sex. That osteopath who finally helped me heal also gave me the real talk about sex post-birth that no one else does. I love that woman!

The best surprise about postpartum...

I strangely really enjoyed it! Partly because the pain was finally over and I could feel my body slowly coming back. I loved those slow days and fast months. After the first month, I started to really enjoy breastfeeding. The night feeds became my favourite - just me watching series for hours while feeding my little guy and drinking iced water while the rest of the city slept. It felt really cool!

And baby smell? It's DELICIOUS!!! The biggest joy was sniffing his head while he slept in my arms ! I also loved the time off work. I was so anxious I'd be bored and miss it, but I didn't at all! I loved every second of my maternity leave.