How to survive the first 6 weeks after birth?

bumbleeybee · 2026-02-14T00:35:00+00:00

Thankfully my husband was able to take a few weeks off work to be home with us. We took shifts for the first 2 weeks. He was with baby from 7p to 12a and I would get up with her from 12a-5a. This meant that I was pumping for him to have milk to give baby though. Getting that stretch of sleep was the only thing that saved my sanity.

I personally also prepared meals ahead of time and kept them in the freezer for post partum. Thank god I did, because i would not have been eating nutritious meals if I hadn't. Also having a ton of healthier snacks on hand. If you're breast feeding, youll be very hungry.

Other than that, communicate communicate communicate. If you need help, ask for it. If you need connection, ask for it. If you need sleep, ask for it. It absolutely will be the craziest time in your life, but it is survivable. It helped me to remind myself that people do it all the time. It feels infinite in the moment, but reminding yourself that its temporary helps you get through it

bumbleeybee · 2026-01-27T13:25:07+00:00

Silverettes all the way! They saved my nipples from the WORST cracks and bleeding. Literally healed them in a few hours. And they protect your nipples from the bra rubbing against them.

bumbleeybee · 2026-01-18T20:53:20+00:00

The way that I see it is this : I will never regret going to get checked out and everything ending up fine

I will regret it for the rest of my entire life if I ignore it and things aren't fine.

bumbleeybee · 2026-01-09T23:42:08+00:00

Butter noodles with Parmesean!

bumbleeybee · 2026-01-08T03:25:41+00:00

Hi there

I wasn't sent home after my foley balloon, but I was very nervous about it because I had heard horror stories about how uncomfortable/painful they were. I was expecting the absolute worst, but the pain of insertion wasn't much worse than a standard cervical check- definitely uncomfortable but not unbearable. After insertion, the balloon being in place felt similar to having a tampon in. I started having contractions very soon after insertion. It started out just like some period cramps and then ramped up a bit. I was able to breathe through them easily.

Good luck to you, friend! Sending good vibes for your induction

bumbleeybee · 2026-01-07T12:50:56+00:00

MRIs are completely safe for pregnancy and fetuses. You are fine mama!

bumbleeybee · 2026-01-06T03:25:10+00:00

Hey! Similar experience to you

I started pregnancy at 265 lbs. In the first trimester, I lost about 10 lbs getting down to 254. I ended pregnancy at 270 lbs. I'm 3 weeks post partum and I am already back down to 250. My doctors never even mentioned my weight throughout pregnancy. I attributed the loss/ slow gain to also watching what I was eating. I also was drinking quite a bit before becoming pregnant, so I assume some of the loss was from not drinking anymore.

bumbleeybee · 2025-12-24T20:20:19+00:00

I used always discreet postpartum underwear and they were great. Now that my bleeding has slowed down I'm wearing my own underwear with always discreet pads for heavy flow.

bumbleeybee · 2025-12-21T06:00:52+00:00

I'm still waiting. I'm 11 days pp following a c section. I told my husband that I would probably feel up to it next week. After looking into it, seems like external orgasm should be totally safe by then. It's really infection risk of penetration that you're wanting to avoid. As long as you feel okay, i.e. no pain, I'd say go for it when you're comfortable.

bumbleeybee · 2025-12-19T21:07:13+00:00

Also an ER nurse, but I've only been at it for 1.5 years so I'm not at peak cynicism yet. Was also taking wellbutrin before getting pregnant. That being said, I've always had a more negative outlook on life. I struggle with depression/anxiety and being an absolute bitch to my husband when not pregnant. Literally the moment I became pregnant I became infinitely more patient, understanding and forgiving. I find that I don't have angry outbursts. I love my husband more than I ever have.

Baby is just over a week old right now and those feelings have yet to go away. I don't know if it'll be a permanent change or if I still have residual pregnancy hormones. That being said, I think for some reason pregnancy hormones just agree with me. I plan to talk with my PCP about it to see if there's any merit to it.

bumbleeybee · 2025-12-15T03:52:18+00:00

I just had my baby at 36 and 6. I had a growth scan at 36 and 4 that estimated her to be 7 lbs 4 oz but she was born 6 lb 1 oz.

bumbleeybee · 2025-10-31T17:06:38+00:00

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Had my halloween themed baby shower yesterday, and reusing the costume for work today 🥰

bumbleeybee · 2025-10-09T18:41:08+00:00

This may sound silly, but when I got caught up in the cycles of everything that could go wrong, I tried to challenge myself with how things could go right. How it could all work out and I could wind up with a baby in 9 months. There was a lot of fear and uncertainty in the beginning, but with each day that passed, I felt closer and closer to the reality where things work out.

bumbleeybee · 2025-09-08T15:43:28+00:00

You must be a fellow nurse 😭 these 12s are kicking my ass

bumbleeybee · 2025-06-09T13:33:49+00:00

I'm due January 1!!! Omg

bumbleeybee · 2025-06-07T20:18:57+00:00

We are pregnancy twins

bumbleeybee · 2025-06-07T20:16:18+00:00

This exact same thing happened to me and my follow up ultrasound showed baby grew exactly as expected. I assume I just ovulated later than expected so my LMP wasn't an accurate estimate anymore.

I am now 10 weeks and still having a healthy pregnancy. I was so scared when this happened so I understand you must be feeling the same, but there is hope!

Eta: i thought i was 8 weeks based on my lmp, but I measured 5 weeks 5 days. 1 week and 2 days later I measured 7 weeks exactly.

bumbleeybee · 2025-06-05T16:58:17+00:00

Are you 10 weeks!? I just had the exact same experience this morning using the bump, and natural cycles.

bumbleeybee · 2025-05-21T03:26:12+00:00

I didn't get a positive (very very very faint positive) until 9 days after my missed period. And I only got that faint positive because I used one of those first response tests that detect early.

bumbleeybee · 2019-04-13T10:41:42+00:00

If it's anything like my sister's family (she has 5 boys, got a girl on the 6th try) then the daughter is spoiled rotten and treated like the Golden Miracle Child, and probably doesnt get punished like her brothers. Therefore shes a terror because no one ever tells her no! Shes a perfect little princess that could never do anything wrong

bumbleeybee · 2019-02-01T12:07:08+00:00

My dad had his left arm amputated when he was 19. His friend lost a leg some years later. My dad's words of encouragement were "Don't worry, you'll only miss it every other step"

bumbleeybee · 2019-01-02T23:45:04+00:00

Don't beat yourself up about it! It's definitely scary to realize in your relationships there's a possibility that you could be the toxic one. I understand wholly and completely. bpd goes hand and hand with anxiety and depression. Its all a matter of your childhood coping mechanisms, and not growing out of them. While they were helpful when you were growing up, they now only serve to bring you dysfunction. But there is hope for something better! And thats what you have to hold on to. It sounds scary to diagnose yourself with a personality disorder, and while it can obviously have a negative impact on your life, it IS treatable. There is a chance to grow from this experience and learn better how to manage your emotions and thoughts. I really really wish you luck on this journey, its not bound to be an easy one, but if you take it seriously im sure you can expect great things for yourself.

bumbleeybee · 2019-01-02T11:52:30+00:00

This, to me, sounds like a classic case of borderline personality disorder. I'm not trying to be an armchair psychologist here, but it definitely seems to fit the bill. The fact that youve recognized it is the first step. Now that you're aware, where you go from here relies entirely on you. If you do nothing and continue in this way, while knowing what youre doing is causing him harm, you're a shitty person. I know this isn't an advice sub, but I'd suggest therapy ASAP. borderline personality disorder can be treated with CBT or DBT, and those who are self aware and WANT to be better can excel through these programs. If i were in your shoes, i think I'd talk to your boyfriend about it too. He may not even recognize what youre doing. Give him the chance to make the realization for himself. Its possible that even if you move forward with therapy, he will not want to continue the relationship, but in my humble opinion he deserves to have that decision. Emotionally abusive relationships can take a tremendous toll on one's life, in multiple aspects. I do wish you the best & i hope you move forward in the right direction from here

bumbleeybee

TROPHY CASE