17 Month Letter to Avonlea

Dear Avonlea,

I haven't written a letter in a while, and I'm sorry. You're keeping me on my toes these days!!  It's pretty amazing how much you have changed since you turned a year old!  PawPaw Hume just visited (he hasn't seen you since your first birthday), and he couldn't believe how much you have changed. He commented that you aren't a baby anymore, and it's true. You really are a little toddler now. You've made huge strides in your physical development, your language expansion, and your personality changes.

You look so grown up now!

I look at these two pictures next to each other, and it's hard to believe there's only 5 months between them. Your face has gotten thinner, your neck has gotten longer, and you have no chunk left on your arms or legs (which is a little sad). Your hair is super-long--in fact, you've already had your first haircut! Everyone also comments on how blonde your hair is, which has only become more blonde the more time we have spent outside at the pool this summer!  Your feet grew 4 sizes since your first birthday--you now wear a size 6 shoe! You won't let me put headbands in your hair anymore (*sniff*), but you are really good about letting me put your hair in ponytails and pigtails with bows.

Being SO good at your first haircut:

Your mental development always catches me by surprise. You can just do so many things that surprise me! A few stories from recently:
- I've been giving you a bath at the same time as I take a shower--it's so much easier that way!  I stick your bathtub in the far end of the shower, then when I'm done I pick you up and soap you up and wash your hair. At the end of the bath, I dump out your tub, and turn your toys upside-down on the ledge for them to dry off. Last week, I didn't do that right away, and was doing something at the sink when I turned back to you and noticed that you were taking your toys and turning them over on the ledge!
- I sit you on the counter while I brush my teeth, and I give you a toothbrush to brush your teeth at the same time. Last week, I rinsed out my toothbrush and spit into the sink, and you leaned over and spit into the sink, too (or, at least, you tried to!). I giggled so much!
- You're an eating champ now. We eliminated breastfeeding a month ago, and you've been doing really well eating pretty much everything (except chickpeas). You especially love eating whatever Mommy and Daddy are eating. You'll walk up to one of us if we're eating something and say, "bite? bite? bite?" You also get really mad at Waldo (probably taking cues from Mommy) when he eats your food off your high chair tray or if you drop food and he eats it before you can pick it up. You get this really consternated look on your face and say, "No! No! No!"
- You love to identify sounds--a dog barks, and you say "raw raw raw", a truck drives by and you say "tuhk", a motorcycle goes by and you say "bike". You don't say anything, but you get a surprised look on your face whenever a siren drives by.
- You are already vying for my attention. When you want to tell me something, whether we're in the house, or the car, or out somewhere, you'll say, "Momma, Momma, Momma, Momma..." over and over until I say, "what?" Most of the time after that you'll say something that I can't comprehend, but you're definitely trying to get my attention to tell me! Often I just respond with an "oh, yeah?" and you're appeased until the next thing you want to tell me. Then it's "Momma, Momma, Momma" all over again.

Your vocabulary has just exploded over the last month. You said your first multi-syllable word "apple" (well, besides Mommy and Daddy), and have gone on to add many more to the list. I am trying to keep track of what you can say, but you've added them so fast I know I'm missing a few.  So far you can say:
Momma
Daddy
PawPaw
ball
dog
boat
goal!
bubbu (bubbles)
uh-oh!
ow!
Boo
WaWa (waldo)
ice
eyes
nose
No!
up
soo (shoes)
sahk (socks)
toes
hat
truck
ot! (hot)
fly
baby
Anna
Elmo
Abby
apple
book
eeez (keys)
Bambi
MoNee (Nemo)
foo (food pouch)
peeta (pizza)
MaMee (Mary Poppins)
down
Attey (Aunt Ashley)
Bubby (Uncle Brandon)
bug
cheese
teeth
mouth
panda
sit
seat
feet
bike
bite
wahwah (water)
bee
toes
egg
light
ehp (help)

You love to point to pictures and tell us who is in them--you also love to sit around the table at mealtime and point to each of us in turn and say our names. You also love to say animal sounds. You don't really say the names of the animals themselves (other than dog), but every time you see a picture of an animal whose sound you know, or you hear someone talk about a dog or a cat, you'll pipe up with that animal noise. So far, you know dog, monkey, elephant, lion, bird, bear, cow, chicken, sheep, cat, owl, goat, horse, and bee. You also recognize a lot more animals, just ones that have no identifiable sounds (like giraffe, rhinocerous, and fish).

You are officially a toddler. You love to walk, run, climb, and slide around on the furniture. I can tell we're going to have daily fights about not dancing on the coffee table (yep--you read that right). You are super independent--you no longer want me to hold on to your hand while you climb up or down steps, you want to put on your own shoes (and yell "No!" at me when I try to help--I'm repeating "No thank you" to try to influence your rudeness!), and you want to buckle your own car seat (thanks to Daddy for starting that one). You frequently take off without Mommy or Daddy--we're going to have to work on obedience in public. I thought I had lost you last week when we went to Kohl's. We're really working on staying right by the car while I get things out of the front seat. I want you to be good at this so that when your baby brother or sister comes along,  I don't have to worry about you running out into the street and getting hurt!  But you definitely don't want help and you want to do your own thing.  This includes at the park, where we have gone to the splash pad, and you will frequently just walk away from the splash pad and go to the swing area. I have had to sit you in "time out" a few times because you were not listening and going your own way, Fleetwood Mac.

You LOVE music. Whenever we take a shower, you point to the radio and say, "myoo? myoo?"  Your favorite Pandora station is one of Daddy's that plays rock music (like Blink 182) and one of Mommy's that plays dance music (like LMFAO).  When you get a song you like, you'll stomp and tap your feet, bop up and down, and turn in circles. It's pretty darn cute.

You don't like listening to the Disney Pandora station, mostly because you would much rather watch the actual videos. If you see a picture of Ariel or Rapunzel on TV and they're not moving, you get really cranky and stomp your feet. Every day for the last couple of months you have asked for "Fly?" multiple times a day, which is a Disney Sing-Along video of several Disney songs with the lyrics on the bottom of the screen. It was actually a VHS a long time ago that Ashley and I had, and Mommy found it on DVD--but now you're obsessed!  After watching "Fly" everyday for a month, Mommy ordered another one that has Mary Poppins, and so we alternate between the two.

"Fly" has been so influential that whenever you see Tinkerbell at a store, you'll just start yelling, "Fly! Fly! Fly!" You love it when I start to sing "You Can Fly" or "I've Got No Strings" (both songs from the video).

We've been going to a Mommy and Me class on Thursdays at the local Adult Center. You like having the time to dance and play instruments, spend time with other kids your age, play on the playground, and do art. You recently discovered painting, which is both exciting and brain-bending for you, and stressful for Mommy. We are also going to be going to a local MOPS group on Tuesdays. I don't see you at all for 2.5 hours on MOPS days, but I am confident you are going to have a good time because it seems like the teachers are really great and caring. It's good for you to spend time away from Mommy and Daddy, and with other adults. You've always been really good about going to the nursery at church, and you didn't have any trouble going to Moppets (the MOPS childcare). I'm so glad you don't have crazy separation problems!

You're getting better about having things on your hands--before, if you had any dirt or sand or something sticky on your hands, you would hold your hands out and make a whining noise until you could rub your hands together and get it off yourself, or have someone wipe them off for you. I was actually concerned about it a couple of weeks ago when we went to the beach for the day, since you have NEVER liked to play in dirt or sand. You were not excited about it at the start of the day, but after you fell in the water and decided you didn't like it, you got used to the sand and had fun digging in it.

It has been so nice recently to have you weaned off of breastfeeding. Thankfully, the transition was pretty smooth. I didn't have any engorging at all (thank God) and you didn't really cry too much about it. It shows that you were pretty much done by the time we ended up doing it. You now have a good solid bedtime routine, and you go down to bed really well. We change clothes, wash your face and hands, brush your teeth, read a story, say a prayer, and kiss goodnight. I love our little routine, and I also love that I can hand it off to Daddy or a babysitter, too! You're going to bed between 7 and 8pm every night, and sleeping right through until 7:30am! If you wake up at night, I know it's because you have a cold, or you're getting a tooth, because you are a good (if still a bit of a light) sleeper.

We have a lot of fun together. I love snuggling with you and reading stories together. I love going to explore new places ad try new things with you. I love to watch you learn about the world and about the people in it. I am so glad I get to share my days with you, and I am excited to see you change and grow as you become a big sister in the next few months.

I love you with all my heart,
Mommy

Unhinged by the UnGame

Nick and I recently returned from vacation. Actually, I should probably call it a "vacation", as it was a LOT of work, and not a lot of rest, or escape from my daily reality, as often a vacation purports to be.

But I can write about that (and about how Avonlea did with it) at another time.

In this post, I'm going to write about the sad realization I came to on vacation (and, in the days since our return, have continued to dwell upon).

In the car, whenever we have long drives, Nick and I play the "UnGame".

This isn't really a game (hence, the name UNgame). It's a box of two sets of cards. Each card has a question or a statement on it, and you take turns answering the questions or responding to the statements.  For example:

We got the game as a gift from my friend Jenn for our wedding, and it is one that we carry with us on all of our trips. It's good to pull out when someone is getting tired, or we have a long distance to travel.

Well, for the first time since we have had this game, a question really stumped me. It's a question that, prior to maybe 9 months ago, I would have had a ready answer for. Definitely one I could have answered 3 or 5 or 7 years ago.  That question was,

What are 3 things you would like to be doing in three years?

Now, perhaps I am being overly dramatic. Perhaps pregnancy hormones are getting the better of me, and making me all down and dreary. Perhaps I just had a brain fart.  But I could not, for the life of me, think of 3 things.

Even now, a few weeks later, I can't think of anything.  Why is that??

I've been dwelling on the "why" of this situation for weeks. Why am I having so much trouble thinking of what I would like to be doing? It's not like this is a life or death question. There isn't any money on the line. No one is going to be recording my answers--after all, how I would have answered this question 1 or 4 or 10 years ago is no longer relevant.

But the fact that I have trouble answering the question disturbs me.

I guess it is because every time I think of what I would LIKE to be doing in three years, a little voice (or block, or hiccup) in my brain says, "Yeah, but you're going to have a 5 year old and a 3 year old in 3 years--what are you REALLY going to be doing for yourself?"

I think over the 16 months I have spent as a mom, and consider how dramatically my life has changed--the infrequent nights away, the slow loss of personal time during the day (less time to do things for me--more time doing things to just get by), less and less ability to do hobbies that interest me. I have lost myself as I have become a mom, and I guess I don't see that changing at all now that we're having another one--in fact, I only see it becoming worse.

I guess I kept waiting for "the moment" when I would be able to become "me" again. Maybe it was when Avonlea would sleep through the night (still hasn't happened), or when she stopped breastfeeding (still hasn't happened)--I would be able to do some of the things that I loved before I had a baby. I would be able to devote more time to it, instead of squeezing it in during nap time or after she goes to bed, when I'm too tired to do what I love.  But, that "moment" hasn't arrived, and now that we're having another one, that moment seems to have moved so far down my life timeline I can't even see it anymore.

I guess I need to pause and clarify--I love my daughter. I love staying home with her. I love that I have been able to breastfeed her and take care of her daily. Please, in light of everything else I am writing, let that be very firmly said.

I just wish I didn't feel like I have lost myself along the journey. I look 3 years down the road, and I can see myself staying up until 11pm--but I am not watching a movie, or having date night, or having friends over to play games, or reading, or going for a run--all things that I used to love. Instead, I see an exhausted mom, cleaning the kitchen, scrubbing a high chair, scruffy hair and no shower, and wiping down the bathroom counters for the first time in weeks because this is the first chance I've gotten to do it. I see many years of jiggly belly and peeling nails and much-delayed haircuts and gray hairs, and it's discouraging.

I so much want to have an answer to the question--What would I LIKE to be doing in three years?--but right now, my life is getting in the way of being able to answer it.

13...er, 12 Week Update

We went to the doctor yesterday for a 13 week checkup, and we found out we were actually 12 weeks, like the Doctor previously thought.  Everything else is going swimmingly, including a cyst that showed up at the last appointment, that has now disappeared. Baby's heartbeat is strong and it is looking like an alien in the ultrasound, just like it's supposed to.

I'm feeling okay. I have days where I'm still nauseous, but they are fewer. We just recently got back from vacation and I was really feeling good the whole time. I've been sick since coming home, though.

I've popped out already--wearing full-on maternity gear already (the pants are more comfortable, anyway). My nails are doing awesomely--super long already.

Some things are definitely different, though: my skin is a mess, whereas last time it was perfect ad beautiful. My hair is slow to catch up with the awesomeness, too.

8 Week Update

(Originally written on June 27, 2014)

So, I have had a few weeks to process the news of our pregnancy. How do I feel about it now?

Well, still shocked, actually. I'm not sure if I'll ever "get over" the news. It really was so completely unexpected. It took us 3.5 years to get pregnant with Avonlea--I never imagined we wouldn't have trouble again.  I am a little happier now--still not completely so, but not angry anymore, at least.

We had our 8-week appointment and ultrasound on Monday--steady little 140 bpm. Because of this, and the measurement (around 7mm), the doctor thinks I might be a week off of my calculations--which, wouldn't be surprising, since I had NO idea when I ovulated/had my period last. But, because the kid is still SO small, they aren't entirely sure (it's really easy to be off a millimeter doing an ultrasound). We'll wait another month, do another ultrasound, and get a better measurement.

So far, I've started to have nausea again (oh, yay), which only seems to be cured by constant eating of Mexican food.  I've also had shortness of breath (which I forgot to ask the doctor about...oops).

As it is, here we are at our appointment with....our little Biscuit!

Right now, we're looking at a February 1st due date, but I'll update that if it changes at all.

Time to Wean

So, I am ready to wean Avonlea.

That was the beginning of a blog post I started a few weeks ago, but wasn't really sure how to continue.

All 4 of Avonlea's front top teeth came in during the month of June, and she was REALLY hurting me when she nursed. Combined with the fact that she was still getting up 2 or more times a night, I was done.

I just wasn't sure of the best way to do it.

I posted a question on a Facebook group about how to help with the teeth hurting problem, and got a few suggestions that I tried. But, none of them really helped longer than one feeding. I tried latching and re-latching, but that only seemed to frustrate Avonlea and make her cry.  But, her night feedings were only making ME cry...in pain!

About a week ago, she was down to 4 feedings: 2 during the day (one before her nap, and one before going to bed), and 2 overnight.  She didn't need to nurse to sleep--I had tested that theory out a few times by nursing her an hour or so before her nap, and she went down to sleep okay.  Nursing was still incredibly painful, so I started the blog post to try to ask advice. I just didn't really know where to start to get rid of the final nursing sessions we were doing.

So, I decided, at least for the overnight feedings, to try a technique I had read about: start with 60 seconds on each side, and every night, take 5 seconds away.  And wouldn't you know, she started weaning herself off of the night feedings pretty quickly.  (I think spending an entire day at Disney with only a 30-minute nap helped that, too.) The past few nights, she has only gotten up once at night. Last night, we were down to 20 seconds on each side, and she didn't really eat anything either time.

I ended up posting a quick question on Facebook two nights ago, asking what people did when they weaned their little ones.

Well, wouldn't you know, she started weaning herself right after I asked the question. In the last 2 days, she has only nursed twice. Last night, she refused to nurse before going to bed--a first in her lifetime.  Of course, she screamed and cried for a while, but she wouldn't take nursing for comfort, which was definitely something new.

I did try some whole milk yesterday, which was comedy gold. The face she made was outrageously funny. Needless to say, she wasn't a fan. I'll try it a couple more times, but honestly, if she doesn't take to cow milk, I will be fine with that. (It's one of the few health things that makes sense to me. After all, what is cow milk originally used for? Growing baby COWS. As in, humongous bovine creatures!! If she doesn't drink it, that is fine by me.)

All of the nursing things would not be possible if she hadn't FINALLY learned how to eat food. I didn't feel comfortable trying to wean her before, because she couldn't seem to figure out how to eat any solids. She was so distrusting of me, and wouldn't put anything in her mouth that I was offering, and eating from a spoon was truly hit-and-miss. It ended up being that I had to paint her lips with whatever I was offering so that she would even try to taste it--and if she liked it after that taste, she would eat a TINY bit.  But, about a month ago, right around the time all her top teeth broke through the surface, she finally seemed to "get it".  It started with thin slices of deli turkey and mashed avocado, continued with nearly an entire bowl of pasta and tomato sauce, and hasn't stopped since. She will now at least try everything I offer her, and will eat nearly everything. This has made my confidence in weaning her that much stronger, because I know she can at least get enough calories to support herself without my breastmilk.

What I think is a little funny is that I'm not really emotional about not breastfeeding Avonlea anymore. It has been such a DRAMATIC UNDERTAKING for the two of us, I'm mostly just glad it is almost over. And the fact that she's weaning herself means that I don't need to feel guilty that I'm withholding the important life juice from her (thanks, kellymom, for that one). She's ready to move on, and God knows I have been ready for her to move on for months now.

I'm worried that I'm speaking a little too soon, but I'm just going to continue to not offer breastmilk, and hopefully it will continue to go well at night.

Pregnancy Dreams

(First written on July 1, 2014)

The weird dreams have started.

Last night, I was slated as Kristen Bell's understudy in a new musical about Julie Andrews' life. However, there was some controversy, because at one point in Julie's life, she was a Nazi officer who becomes Peter Pan. There were thoughts among the showrunners that the musical would offend people, and thus not become a hit, so it was decided to only have one performance. I showed up for that performance, and they decided they wanted me to perform instead of Kristen, even though I had never done any stage rehearsals, and I didn't really know the lines or songs at all (weird understudy).  Julie was in the audience, giving her critiques, as well as Barbra Streisand. She was unhappy to see me in the starring role, but decided to give me a chance. If, at any point, I was not good, she would send security out to arrest me.

The whole performance, I basically did by shadowing Kristen on stage. No one seemed to see her performance, though, they only saw mine. I was also performing opposite the other male lead, Michael Fassbender. He was displeased with me taking over Kristen's role at the beginning, but he slowly warmed up to me.

By the end of the musical, Michael and I had fallen in love, and my performance in the musical was overtaking Kristen's direction for me. This was highlighted when, without any wires, I was able to do the flying Peter Pan sequences with Michael by holding on to the curtains and flying through the air (this was the coolest part of my dream).  Barbra also presented me an award in the middle of the show.

We were about to perform the big climactic musical number (the one involving Julie discovering she was a Nazi, and shedding her uniform in a blaze of song glory), and Kristen had somehow convinced Julie that I was unfit for the role (when, in fact, she was jealous that I was getting Michael's approval and doing a good job), and she had lowered the hammer on me. Security was closing in while the musical was still going on, and Michael and I were running around, trying to avoid security, while also getting on stage to do the final number. I was looking for a pair of shoes to go out on stage, when I was confronted backstage by Kristen. She was wearing the costume I was looking for, looking smug, with security around her. I dashed around her to get to the stage...

...and I woke up.

What You Need to Know About C-Sections

I've been wanting to write this post for a long time, but it wasn't until a discussion came up in a mom group on Facebook that I was reminded about it. This is not an exhaustive list, it is just what I learned and what I usually tell moms who are looking at needing a C-section.

Note: I am NOT a doctor. Don't go against any doctor's advice to do the things I am suggesting (though, i don't think anything is too outrageous!). Just a disclaimer. I don't want to get sued later or anything. :)

Before the C-Section:

• It really can't be said enough: you need to prepare yourself for the fact that your birth plan WILL NOT go according to plan. I don't think many people expect to have C-sections their first time around. Most people intend to have a vaginal birth, whether using drugs or not. I don't think a lot of people would choose to have a major abdominal surgery (I know that some do--elective C-sections are on the rise--but I still think they're a minority.). Because you probably haven't planned on a C-section, its sudden arrival will cause some emotional trauma, whether immediately felt or not. In my case, the possibility of a C-section was lurking around starting around my 18th hour of labor--but for some, it is literally a last-minute decision that is made for them. The more you prepare yourself for sudden changes before your labor begins, the less the whole C-section situation will emotionally challenge you. To my (later) dismay, I really dismissed the idea of having a C-section; I didn't even let the possibility enter my mind, and so I didn't prepare myself adequately. Don't get me wrong: you will still have emotional issues over an unplanned C-section, but you'll handle it better if you allow yourself the possibility it might happen (like I didn't).
• I'm not sure what you wear after a vaginal birth, but I only recommend packing wide-band yoga/exercise pants for post-C-section wear. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT BRING JEANS to wear home, even maternity jeans!! The area around your new scar is ridiculously sensitive, and though it seems weird, I found it much more comfortable to have something supporting the whole area than to have something flowy that could brush against it, or maternity jeans that dig into that area. No drawstrings, either!  (I recommend something like these.)
• You'll probably have packed underwear if you're not planning on a C-section, but if you end up having one, you won't want to wear your own underwear for a while.
• If you know you're going to have a C-section, go out early to the drug store and buy the biggest pads you can find. I liked the Always Maxi Overnight Heavy Flow with Wings.  Buy two packs. While you'll love the mesh undies the hospital gives you, you won't love the cheap pads that the hospital provides for you. Seriously--they end up stacking them on top of each other, which is 1000% uncomfortable.
• Ask your doctor what he/she will do to stitch you up. Will you have stitches? Glue? Tape? I highly recommend being taped up, if that is an option. You won't have to go get anything removed later, and you can keep the tape on as long as you need to. I left my tape on for much longer than I probably needed to, but I found that my scar healed incredibly well where the tape was. A friend of mine had glue, and she had a lot more problems with her recovery (and her clothes) than I did.
• You will get a dry shave from a nurse, unless you arrive having already shaved yourself. Your husband might like to help with this area!

During the C-Section:

• TRY to relax. The whole C-section process is ridiculously fast. I had 10 minutes of prep in the OR before my husband and surgeon arrived, and 2 minutes later, baby was born. 30 minutes after that, I was in recovery. Considering what is happening, that is FAST. If your C-section is an unplanned decision, the whole situation can seem like a whirlwind. Say a prayer, meditate, take deep breaths--whatever you need to do to calm yourself for the storm!
• You're going to experience one of the strangest out-of-body sensations ever. Whole-body numbness is something few can claim to understand--you will soon be one of them.
• Something I didn't do that I will ask for the next time around is for the doctor or the nurses to keep telling me what is happening. That might set your mind at ease a bit (unless you wish to remain blissfully ignorant).

After the C-Section:

• I itched like crazy coming out of the epidural. Not everyone has this reaction, but you might. I was also shaking uncontrollably. Again, not everyone has this reaction, but I certainly wasn't expecting it.
• You will be numb in your incision area for a long time. Weeks. Months. I'm a year out, and it still feels differently in that spot. I wore yoga pants for about two weeks after for comfort's sake (but I'm definitely opposed to yoga pants as everyday wear).
• Expect your scar area to look incredibly gnarly for a while. I took a scar selfie the day after my surgery, and the results were disturbing. I felt like Jack Skellington down there. But, if you take good care to wash and dry your incision area (use a hair dryer instead of rubbing with a towel), you'll end up with a beautiful battle wound you can wear with pride. Incidentally, mine is about 6 inches wide, about a hands-width down from my belly button.
• Embrace the mesh underwear. No matter what cut of undies you brought with you, they will inevitably sit right on top of your brand-new scar. Those see-through, tear-away granny panties they give you will become your new best friend. Ask for a couple of extra pairs to wear the first few days you are home. You'll be sad when they run out.
• TAKE THE POST-OP DRUGS. Don't try to be a hero. That being said, after a week or so, start to wean yourself off of them--they will make you constipated.
• Rest, as much as you can. You have a new baby, but you also had a major surgery. If you don't rest, recovery will be even harder.
• On the flip side of that, GET OUT OF BED. The more you are able to get up (do it as slowly as you need to) and walk around (do it as gingerly as you need to), the better your recovery will be. I attribute my relatively easy recovery on the fact that I was up and out of my room 3-4 times a day to go down to the NICU to see my baby. That really helped my mobility in a big way. Get a ring sling, or another wrap to wear your baby and do laps around the hallways, if that helps you.
• Laughing will hurt. A lot. Use an extra pillow to hold against your incision area if you have hilarious visitors (like I did).
• Just like in a vaginal birth, they will make you poop before you leave the hospital. While I imagine this is incredibly painful having a vaginal delivery, the thought of pushing out poop is one of the scariest things imaginable after having a C-section. Take the stool softeners they give you, but also make sure you are drinking plenty of water. I always had my nurses bring me a pitcher of water and a pitcher of ice with every meal, and I kept it refilled often.
• Make plans for someone to stay with you the first night after your baby is born. A lot of husbands go home to get some sleep--but you will definitely need help that first night. Enlist a good friend to stay if your husband can't. You will need someone to help you get out of bed, help you get the baby changed, etc. That first night after surgery is the hardest to accomplish anything on your own. (I did not have anyone stay, and it was a really hard night--I called the nurses every hour for something or another--and I was really trying not to be needy!)
• Finally, though you might be anxious to get home to your own bed, I highly recommend taking all the time they will let you have to stay in the hospital. You have people who bring you food, you have nurses on call for anything you need, you don't have to worry about piles of laundry or dishes, and you have a bed that moves up and down with the press of a button! The pull for home might be strong, but I don't regret staying that extra night in the least.

There's a book called The Essential C-Section Guide that I'll be picking up from the library or Amazon the next time I need it. I've heard great things about it.

How about you other C-section mamas?  What have you learned from experience that you pass on to other C-section mamas?