Today’s blog post was inspired by my "Ask Me a Question" post on Instagram, which led to a lot of postpartum questions. I collected some of the most frequently asked questions, and am finally sitting down to talk about them... So let’s get down to business!

How Has Your Recovery Been After Having a C-Section?

Physical Recovery

Having a C-Section took me by complete surprise! I planned on having a vaginal birth which started going differently than I planned almost immediately. My water broke at home and I immediately looked down to see it was meconium stained. We rushed to the hospital shortly thereafter when my contractions went from 5-8 minutes apart to every 2 minutes! It was intense and pretty scary!

I labored for about five hours at the hospital, and Ollie started to show some distress. Suddenly, his heart rate shot up and he showed signs of fever and infection. What seemed like moments later, I was in the operating room having a C-section.

After three nights in the hospital, I went home with my new baby and had to care for him, transition to a mom to two, and take care of my postpartum / post-op body! Needless to say, it was A LOT!

The first two weeks I decided to just focus on the basic survival needs of me and Ollie, and healing. I used a step stool to get in and out of bed, Sean helped me sit up, I had to ever so slowly get off the bed and couch, and Sean had to hand me the baby. I couldn't bend down, I couldn't wear pants, and I certainly couldn't do anything around the house.

Physically, it was pretty rough the first two weeks, not so much because of post-op pain, (mine was controlled really well with just Motrin), but mostly because of the limited movement that a C-Section causes. I did find that it helped a lot to wear my abdomen brace which gave me a lot of support, and to rest which helped with the swelling.

About 4 weeks after my C-Section I started to feel a lot better physically and emotionally, and I started to feel a lot more like myself in every way. Moving around became a lot easier, and my incision was healing really well, and I felt almost as good as I did 4 weeks post-delivery with Maddie! I was even cleared and ready to start working out again 6 weeks postpartum, and have been taking it slowly as I ease back into moving my body without any pain or complications from the surgery - praise the Lord!

Now being 2 months post C-section, I feel as good as I did before my surgery, and my incision is healing wonderfully! I have some soreness still if I touch the scar directly, but it doesn't affect my daily life in any way! So, all that being said, overall, I'd say my recovery was more of a challenge this time around - as I had to learn to navigate the physical aspect of surgery, and emotional aspect of a delivery that was different than I expected; But overall, now that I'm 2 months out, I feel just as good as I remember feeling at this point with my vaginal delivery with Maddie!

Emotional Recovery

I didn't take the time to process how I felt in the first few weeks after Ollie was born. I cried a few times here and there, but didn't stop to think about the emotional side to my recovery until about 3 weeks in. When I started to feel less swollen and gain some of my movement back, I was finally able to process my emotions. I realized that I had been battling a lot of self-inflicted guilt and what-if's, as well as feelings of sadness about not being able to hold Ollie for the first hour of his life.

Thankfully, as I took these feelings to the Lord and spent some time with Him, He calmed my heart and showed me that He was there every step of the way. I saw how He carried Oliver safely from my womb, even in the midst of what seemed like chaos! Working through my thoughts and the emotional side to my recovery was even more beneficial and important than the physical recovery, and I'm so thankful I took the time to do so!

How is Breastfeeding Going This Time Around?

Breastfeeding has been much easier the second time around. I didn't have any specific issues breastfeeding Maddie, but she was my first baby, which meant there was a learning curve! This time around I feel much more confident about how to get Oliver to properly latch, which positions work best for us, and I feel much more knowledgeable about pumping for bottles and caring for my body while breastfeeding.

Oliver is also a really good eater, and he latches and eats really well, which helps a lot. This is a huge blessing because Maddie struggled a lot with her latch, and she fell asleep a lot while eating which made it a challenge to get full feedings in.

I almost lost my milk when Maddie was 3 months old because she was snacking all day long rather full feedings, which I didn't know affects your milk supply. I had to work hard to get my supply back up (which I learned how to do working with a lactation consultant). Every baby is so different, and there is no credit I can take for Ollie being a good eater, but I will say this was something I prayed specifically for when I was pregnant! I praise God there has been no issues with breastfeeding this time around!

Hows Your Sleep Been?

Sleep has been better each week since Ollie has been born. We purchased the Taking Cara Babies newborn class when I was about 8 months pregnant, which I completed before he was born. I learned a lot about sleep cues, sleep, eat, wake windows, and a few other helpful tips when it came to newborn sleep. I started to implement the newborn schedule when he was 8 weeks old, and have noticed that we have gotten into a pretty good rhythm already!

Being on a schedule (with lots of flexibility) has helped Ollie sleep better at night without a doubt! He sleeps 5-6 hour stretches at night which means I currently only wake up once in the middle of the night.

What Are Your Plans for Postpartum Fitness with Your Second?

My journey back to fitness from this pregnancy has been better than I expected. I remember leaving the hospital wondering how I would ever be able bend over again! Thankfully I know from experience that if you take care of yourself, it doesn't take long to heal after a season of rest!

I started taking walks when Ollie was about two weeks old. I kept my pace nice and slow, and kept my walks about 15 minutes or less. I gradually worked up to walking about two to three miles a few times a week.

I am currently easing into fitness and am modifying my workouts quite a bit as well. After I received the okay from my doctor at my 6-week postpartum checkup, I began doing some body weight strength training, and every workout left me feeling so sore! I have since added some light weights and resistance bands, and am focusing on properly using my core and breath with each movement. My plans are to start working out at the gym again i as we get more into a routine and my strength has built back up.

What Does Your Nutrition Look Like Postpartum?

My nutrition has stayed the same as it always is throughout my pregnancy and postpartum journey. I'm sure its pretty obvious when I say I truly enjoy living a healthy lifestyle, and it's just that for me- a lifestyle! That means that I don't change how or what I eat based on the season of life I'm in. I just continue to enjoy the same foods, sometimes in different portion sizes and amounts based on my hunger levels in that season.

When I was pregnant, I never really had any cravings, with exception to strawberries in both of my pregnancies. I also noticed I wasn't eating a whole lot more other than an extra snack or treat later in my pregnancy as I was listening to my body's hunger cues.

After delivery however, my hunger increased due to hormones, healing, breastfeeding, and a lack of sleep. I try to listen to my body and eat until I'm satisfied. I view food as fuel, and I know that my body needs plenty of extra carbohydrates and calories to meet my bodies energy needs in this season.

As far as meals go, I have been relying on the freezer meals I made before Ollie, which should last me until he's about 12 weeks old. All of my freezer meals were Dashing Dish meals, and I also made plenty of DD snacks and treats! Once the freezer meals run out, I will start to make recipes again and enjoy the fruit of my labor! 😆

How Do you Feel About Your Body Image after Having Your Second Baby?

My body image after having Ollie has been even better than it was postpartum with Maddie. I had a pretty positive experience postpartum with Maddie and my body image, but it was my first time going through it so I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't sure how long it would take to feel like "myself" again, or if I ever would for that matter! I gave myself a lot of grace and told myself to be patient, but there were many unknowns along the way.

This time around I know what to expect, and I also know that my body does eventually start to feel like my own again in time. I don't expect it to until I'm done nursing however, because until then, it really isn't fully mine! In this season I focus on the fact that I am proud of my body and the miracle that it created, and the nourishing life it is bringing to my son! My body has changed, and it will continue to all through my lifetime, but it was supposed to! I am taking everything one day at a time and having so much grace with my body, knowing it is doing exactly what it was designed to do right now, which is the most beautiful thing of all!

Overall, I can sum up this season as being one of thanksgiving! I'll never take being a mom to my two precious babies for granted! Yes there are some very hard and tiring days, but it's all worth it! As always, thanks for coming along on the journey! xo Katie