Tummy Troubles.

I've had three children.....but Greyson was my first c-section.

Everyone told me that recovery from a c-section is different, so I was expecting to be in more pain....and I was.  Not unbearable pain, but totally different from a natural birth.

I said that with a natural birth all of your pain comes BEFORE the baby is born.  With a scheduled c-section all of your pain comes AFTER the baby is born. 

What I was NOT warned about was how long it would take my tummy to go down.  I was fortunate with Eva and Jaden's births.  I wore non-maternity clothing out of the hospital with Eva, and with Jaden I was back in my old clothing within a week or so.

Not the case with Greyson.

Now, don't get me wrong...I did not expect to bounce right back.  I knew I was older.  I was fully aware that I "just had a baby".  I wasn't expecting to be bouncing around in a string bikini 2 weeks after having him.

I just didn't expect to still look pregnant 3 weeks after he was born.  I'm not kidding. 

I seriously had someone at the grocery store ask me when my baby was due...and I was no longer pregnant.  I wasn't sure whether to hit her or cry.  Instead I just smiled politely and said, "I already had the baby".  I figured the mortification from that comment would make her feel uncomfortable enough.

No one warned me that it takes longer for your stomach to go down after a c-section.  However, since no one warned me I kinda freaked out.  I called my friend Amanda 3 weeks after Greyson's birth nearly in tears wondering WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY STOMACH?!!!!  She assured me that my stomach would go down and explained that a c-section is a major surgery...and that there is a lot of swelling that goes along with it.  She encouraged me to take my measurements and promised that I WOULD see it is shrinking....it just takes longer. 

I felt better after talking to her, but I still was kind of freaking out.  I ended up talking to more people about it and even googling it, which by the way I would not encourage anyone having a c-section to do.  To make a long story short, I decided to rest assured on Amanda's words....it WOULD go down.

It has now been 6 weeks since Greyson's birth and I am feeling much better.  I'm eating really well and I've started walking.  In two weeks I'll be cleared to fully exercise again.  My stomach is shrinking down....just like Amanda assured me it would.

Lesson learned.....if someone EVER asks my advice about a c-section I will warn them.  I will tell them that their stomach WILL shrink back, but it will take some time.  It is TOTALLY different than a natural birth.

Bottom line...it's allllllllllll worth it (and always will be).  :-)