Weather you treat it this way or not, a cesarean section delivery is surgery. Because it is a surgical procedure, it does require a period for both physical and emotional recovery.

With any other surgery, allowing yourself recovery time is logical and usually a relatively easy task. However, other surgeries do not send you home with a child to take care of when you return home.  Having to care for a child while recovering is difficult and it becomes harder to rest and let your body to recuperate. After all, your schedule is now in the hands of a tiny baby with needs he cannot fulfill independently.

What do you do? Ask for help and/or accept any help offered. If you have relatives in town who came especially for the birth or live nearby, take advantage of their presence and let them take some of the weight off your shoulders. You need the help and they will most likely be happy to give a hand.

First, take care of yourself. Drink plenty of water to avoid constipation, which is usually an issue for the first week after delivery. Make sure you get the rest you need, but at the same time make a point to walk around regularly, increasing activity gradually. It will help your healing process and prevent complications such as blood clots.

Secondly, don’t overdo it. Wait until your postpartum checkup (six weeks after delivery) before starting up exercising and/or resume sexual activity. Speak to your OBGYN when you meet about your readiness for these types of activities. Speak to your healthcare provider sooner if you have any questions or concerns.

Finally, cut yourself some slack. Recovery may take longer than you expected, or you may find yourself emotionally recuperated while still physically strained. Try not to let it get to you and certainly don’t be too hard on yourself. You have a newborn to care for, your body is healing, and you may be experiencing the blues – after all your life has changed completely! Keep your chin up and listen to your body. You will be 100% soon!

For some people is it not even a question – they have always wanted kids or are at the point in their life were they are ready and want to take on this life change. Others may be going back and forth, not sure if it is time or if it is even something they want. Then there are those who are content with their life as it is and choose not to make any changes.

Regardless of your choice, make the most of it and enjoy it. Having kids right away, waiting or choosing not to have kids, are all valid decisions and are yours to make. So don’t let others make it for you.

Parenthood is both one of life’s most joyous times and its most demanding. It is hard to imagine the essence of parenthood before you have kids.

Being a parent is a much harder job than you can foresee, no matter how ready you are. The constant demand for your time and energy, the little time to recharge, the lack of training, the financial strain, and emotional involvement are all part of the difficulties of being a parent. With so much stress involved – there are the mistakes you will make (and you will), that will affect the people you love most.

No mater how much you have prepared for it, or what your plans are, they will change with the arrival your baby. It is impossible to anticipate how you will react to this tremendous responsibility, or how you will do with little to no sleep. The dynamics between you and your partner will change (sometimes temporarily, other times for good), because of the new roles you will both assume. Life in its entirety will never be the same after you become a parent.

At the same time, there is nothing that compares to the love you will receive from your child, their first smile, all the hugs, laughing together – all these and more are the heart and sole of being a parent. The rest you will have to find out on your own if you are ready to take on this life changing adventure.

Remember, there is no turning back!

You can’t blame hormonal changes, you have no incision pain from a cesarean section, or an episiotomy to heal, or difficulties breastfeeding. Everyone expects you to be happy and thankful for the adopted child you have longed for, but you feel panic and/or maybe even depressed.

Yes, post adoption depression is a real condition. Many adopting Mothers feel there is no validation to their feelings of sadness or anxiety because society expects them to be grateful for the child they have received. However, feeling overwhelmed about your new role as a Mother and the responsibilities that come with it, is not a reaction that stems from the actual pregnancy, but the long awaited parenthood that came after.

Raising a child is a tremendous responsibility and it is life changing. Many adopting Mothers are older when they start their new role as a Mom. Parenthood is a role that can drain your energy and take a toll you on physically as well. Also, the older you are when becoming a Mom, the harder it may be to adjusting to this new and entirely different lifestyle.

Another cause for post adoption blues is the actual completion of your long awaited desire to be a Mother. After years of chasing the dream of motherhood, perhaps also after foregoing unfruitful fertility treatments, you are at the end of the road with a child in your arms. The emotional rush that accompanied your days on the way to parenthood has abruptly dissolved and you need to adjust to the concept of achieving this tremendous goal.

If you adopted a baby, much like a birth mother, you are facing sleepless nights, you may be learning to care for a baby for the first time and question your knowledge/capabilities/etc.

Bringing home a new baby or child is a big change, accompanied with new responsibilities and added financial expenses amongst other things. It is normal to feel overwhelmed and equally important to give yourself a break and accept help, or in some cases – ask for it.

Preterm labor and birth can be scary for a variety of reasons. First and probably the most obvious, is the realization that your baby needs additional support to survive, and Instead of going home to celebrate with family and friends, you are still very much attached to the hospital if your baby is in NICU.  This is probably the last thing you thought you might have to contend with – leaving your newborn, whom you may have not even had a chance to hold yet, in an incubator in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)..

While you understand the importance of care your child is receiving in the hospital, it would have been much simpler and exciting to take your child home with you. Bonding is just so much easier with physical touch, and you may not have even touched your baby, let alone hold him/her.

It can be frustrating and scary when faced with this scenario, and many parents find it hard to deal with leaving their newborn at the NICU. This time, already so saturated with emotions, may be confusing and scary, but it important for parents with babies in the NICU to do their best to start bonding right away, despite the challenges and difficulties.

Bonding with your baby in the NICU requires patience and strength. Start with being there for your newborn. His/her development is influenced from your care tremendously. Even with no touch, you can give your child love. Talk to him, or read his stories. Your voice and smell, and if possible the touch of your hand on his head, can comfort you both.

If you planed to breastfeed, there is no need to change your plans. Start pumping right away and give your milk to the nurses to give to your baby. This way your milk supply will not diminish due to it not being used, and your baby will have the benefit of mother’s milk.  Breastmilk is important for his immune system and development. If your preemie can not yet eat (which is common in smaller preemies), pump and store your milk.

While parenting in the NICU is difficult and poses challenges, it is time well spent for both you and your little one. Your presence and care may very well help shorten his stay in the hospital, and when you bring your baby home you will already have a strong relationship and the adjustment will be made smoother.

Bringing your newborn home is an amazing experience. You have conquered the challenges of pregnancy, experienced the climax of childbirth, and are now stronger than ever in your relationship (hopefully). The birth of your baby marks the start of your lives as parents.

Achieving the goal of parenthood together can certainly bring a couple closer. However, at the same time the difficulties and challenges you face as a new parents can bring about conflict about parenting methods and approaches. Believe it or not, but bringing home a baby can ignite feelings of jealousy, or the loss of ‘first place’ in the eyes of your partner. Fatigue and lack of time to devote to each other can also cause frustration. Sooner or later you may realize that parenthood, as amazing as it may be, is affecting your relationship with your partner in ways you did not anticipate.

What can you do? After all, you are exhausted, your baby is completely dependant on you, and you cannot find a minute to devote to anything else. For starters, you can acknowledge the problem. Talk to your partner about both your feelings and see what your expectations from each other are.

Making time for each other is crucial. If you have relatives or friends who are willing or offering to help / babysit take them up on it! A night out, even an hour or two, would do wanders to your perspective and your relationship.

Divide up your responsibilities so that when baby is asleep, you can take the time to cuddle in front of the TV or have a candle light dinner, rather than running around trying to finish up all your chores.

Lower your standards. Although hard to do for some, you will notice that prioritizing and adjusting your standards for what is considered clean, tidy, etc. can free up some of your time and allow you the time you are missing with your spouse, as well as time to relax and recharge.

With time, your baby will become more independent and you will have more time and opportunity to nurture your relationship with your partner. In the mean time, make a few adjustments to make time for your marital relationship. It is important for you and your child that your relationship with your spouse is a strong and happy one.

Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you need to wear your husband’s clothes. Build a simple maternity wardrobe with clothes that flatter you and your growing body with these helpful shopping guides.

A woman’s goes body through numerous changes during pregnancy, the most obvious being the growing baby bump. Changes in figure mean changes in wardrobe, but your fashion sense does not have to suffer. Maternity clothes can still reflect your personal style. With the help of maternity clothes made in accordance with today’s trends, you can maintain your personal style during your pregnancy and beyond.

There is no need to run to the store right when you find out you are pregnant. It will be a few months before you will need maternity clothes, and you will know when the time has come when you no longer fit into or feel comfortable in your pre-pregnancy clothes.

When shopping for maternity clothes, divide your purchase into two parts, allowing yourself to see how your body will change during the pregnancy.

The first time out shopping, look for a few belly bands in different color and /or pattern to hold up and hide your unbuttoned pre-pregnancy pants. A pants expander will give you more millage out of your regular pants before you are ready to buy maternity pants. Waiting with shopping for maternity pants will prevent the need to buy a larger size later on in the pregnancy.

Your breasts may have changed in size and you may be ready for a few maternity tops and maternity dresses http://www.pettelmaternity.com/maternity-clothes/dresses/summer to spice up your maternity wardrobe. You can wait with nursing clothes for a little while longer, and shop for those during the second trip to the store, this way you will make the most of them.

When you are showing and ready for your second maternity clothes shopping experience, you will be looking at maternity pants and maternity skirts to last you through your pregnancy and beyond. The same goes for your tops and dresses. Shop for high quality maternity and nursing clothes that will grow with your pregnancy and shrink with you after childbirth. If you plan on nursing, plan ahead and buy maternity tops and dresses that also allow for discreet nursing.

Look at bras that give you a good support, but wait with nursing bras, for your breasts will keep growing and changing even after the delivery, when your milk will come in. When you are ready for a nursing bra, make sure to try it on with the pads if you are using them, because they will affect your cup size. Get at least one bra to use at night (with no metal wire under-support), otherwise you may wake up in a small pool of breast milk.

“I have a child, therefore I know I am fertile and should have no problems getting pregnant again.” Isn’t that right?

Well, it isn’t. Secondary infertility is found in about 20% of women and is most common among women who have waited with pregnancy till their 30’s or 40’s, when fertility declines. Secondary infertility is the inability to conceive after successfully and naturally conceiving one or more children. Causes for secondary infertility may be similar to those of primary infertility (childless couple who are unable to conceive).

There are a variety of reasons why secondary infertility may occur.  Since your last pregnancy, you or your partner may have had an infection, gained some weight, or started eating fewer healthy foods. These minor changes in your lifestyle can have grave repercussions on your reproductive health. Also your egg quality may have begun to decrease (natural process as you get older) or your partner’s sperm may not be what it once was during his youthful years. Abnormalities with sperm and ejaculation are frequently cited as causes of secondary infertility.

Luckily, there is a lot you can do to increase your chances to conceive for the second, third (or more) time. First, you should start taking prenatal vitamins. Folic acid and iron have been proven to improve fertility. Knowing when you are ovulating is crucial. If your cycle is regular, (28-30 days) have sex on days 10-14 (start the count on the first day of your period). Using an ovulation kit can be beneficial to zero in on the exact days you are ovulating.

Age is a factor when getting pregnant. If you’re 35 or older and have been trying to conceive for more than six months, speak to your OBGYN, who will most likely run some tests to see what the root of the problem is. Avoid Antihistamines and vitamin C supplements. They dry out the cervical fluid that helps sperm find its way to your egg.  Lubricants can block sperm’s path and should also be avoided. Stress, though hard to control, should be minimized and some ways to overcome stress is to do something fun, laugh, take a relaxing hot bath, pamper yourself to a massage or go on a getaway weekend with your partner. Whatever calms you down, do it!

You may also like:

• Is Your First Ready For Your Second?
• Common Mistakes On The Way To Pregnancy
• How to Get Pregnant Faster