Baby Steps!

Ah, time is getting away from me.

Per my husband's countdown, we have exactly 68 days until we meet our new addition. The clock is ticking quickly and boy, does it feel like we have a lot to do!

We have a name. We have the tiny outfits. We have the adorable accessories.

As is my custom, I'm preparing for it all. Namely the different cultural customs we will observe--what foods we'll eat, when we will venture out, all that.

Growing up in the South, there were just a few things I was taught about the postpartum period. Nothing too extreme, but still somewhat restrictive too, to protect mom and baby.

I didn't go out except for appointments. No one outside the immediate household held or handled the baby for the first six weeks. One aunt came by often to help me bathe the baby,  but aside from that I was limited to phone calls and emails to keep a finger on the pulse of the outside world. No store runs or walks in the park for me and my September baby.

I remember eating a lot of "healing" foods--those good, heavy, nutrient-dense meals designed to fuel a fast, smooth recovery.  Local vegetables and more meat than I would usually tackle. All good fat, none of the processed, quick fix, or delivery stuff I likely would have opted for had I been doing the cooking. (I was only twenty-two--convenience ruled the roost!) I wasn't given caffeine or anything carbonated to drink, and I was told to make sure my beverages were warm or room temp instead of cold.

I was allowed to shower, but not bathe sitting in the tub or wash my hair. (That hair thing was hard!) Those showers were warm, not steaming, and I didn't get to stay in too long.

I spent my days and nights with the baby, learning her and basking in her little smiles, grunts, and sighs.

With our second kid, it was more of the same, except I was married, living hours from home, and I had more to be responsible for, so I wasn't able to be as sequestered.

I'm most intrigued by the "40 days."

Immediately following this delivery, I'll be having an orthopedic procedure to replace/rebuild the joint in my right hip (dependent upon how much damage has been done, as I haven't had extensive x-rays yet) and another one to repair the tendons in my left hip. Muscle sprains are fairly common when you bear your weight to one side.

Because of this, I'll most likely be out of the count for several weeks anyway.

The "40 days" principle is super appealing because it would basically align with what I have to do anyway--stay in the house except for appointments and focus on getting well, as well as taking care of the little baby. I've tweaked the traditional approach just a wee bit, to add some soul healing to the physical bits.

For forty days--approximately six weeks--I'll be staying in the house, not venturing out. During this time I'll eat the most nutritious foods; hydrate with warm tea and infusions as well as water--nothing cold OR hot; and focus on healing myself as I acquaint myself with and take care of the little baby.

I won't see anyone outside immediate family. I'll limit social media. If I read anything, it will be educational materials or something for the kids.

Most postpartum care focuses only on the mother in relation to caring for the baby. Because I've been through a bout of postpartum anxiety and depression, I will definitely make sure I'm taking care of me too. While I won't be running for a spa day, I'll be reading lots of zen-zone type books, eating healing foods, and immersing myself in as positive an environment as possible.  (Our home is kept as zen as we can get it at all times--positive vibes rule the roost!) I just really want to take what I was taught then (2006) and apply what I know now so I can have the best postpartum period possible. Because of the additional constraints, I know it will be more painful and more imperative to heal properly. I'll have three little ones needing me at my best, and I'll be giving that plus.

When I'm able, I'll do some yoga, but my primary focus will be just being with the kids. There will be THREE! (That's an impossible number even as we enter the lower digits of the countdown.) My middle baby will want lots of attention, and of course the newborn will need plenty of care. I'll be careful to include each of my older babies, but with balance.

I have no real plan about weight loss, except I'll be kind to myself. (At this point I've gained twelve pounds. Not a lot but still enough that I want it toned or gone!) My main reason for any kind of exercise would be therapy, so I can get back the active life I had before this hip trouble.

As I said, I will eat those nutrient-dense foods, but also comfort foods. I'm Southern, and Christmas will fall within these 40 days, so I'll be whipping up some of my holiday staples to freeze so I won't miss out. I'm looking forward to having my husband's Sri Lankan and Indian food, my Jamaican food, and plenty of good stuff in between. And cannot forget my coconut water and mango Lassi. *swoons* Those foods are the reason my daughter and son were such happy little chunks! I seriously think if you eat well and enjoy, your mood improves. That passes to your babies.

These seem like big goals, but they're not unobtainable. I'm super grateful for hubby's support, because as he stands at the helm, I'm able to fall back and recover.

I'm usually not one to like being shuttered away, but I'm really looking forward to this. New baby, bonding with my older babies, and redefining our little family prises to be exciting. Taking a fair amount of time to heal and regroup from the delivery, surgery, and their after-effects is definitely a necessity. As I get closer I'll have it all ironed out. For now I just know I want to be peaceful, well-fed, and as well-rested as a human can be with a tween, a toddler, and a newborn in the same house.