Truly said-
The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.
~Rajneesh
As soon as I was moved out of O.T. Aarush was brought to his crib next to me. His didu was the first to hold him in her arms, then he was given forcefully to his thamma. She didn’t want to take him as it seemed he would become “Kol-lengra” (will get used to being in arms). His didu & nanu were extremely happy on his arrival as he was the first boy in their family of daughters and granddaughters. My bottom part was still paralyzed. Since I was half conscious, soon both the new mom and son were sleeping. In the same evening, I was feeling sick while everyone in the room looked busy. Hubs busy seeing his offspring, taking pictures running here and there… taking all those phone calls, SMS
… . I laid there looking around. My mom was there day and night at my side.
I was to stay here for a complete 5 days. During the stay in the hospital, I was asked not to take a bath but only sponge for 10 days from the date of delivery while an old attendant used to give a bath to Aarush. She was a charming lady always helping and giving tips to first-time mothers like me.
The first two days were very difficult for me as I was not able to move myself neither can sleep on sides because of IV, and going out of bed was like climbing Mt. Everest. On the third day, the doctor removed the catheter and asked to go to the loo by myself or with help. But at any cost, I was asked to get out of bed which really killed me almost.
Who on earth says it’s better to be operated. My personal thinking is both normal delivery and c-section have their own plus-minus points. I heard and read from different blogs about normal delivery; labor pain is hell, but the recovery is quite quick while in c-section birth is easy, but recovery is excessively painful and long. To get up from bed after the operation, I had to call the attendant so that she would hold me, and I can drag along with her to the toilet, each step felt like a mile. The tip is to start walking straight from that moment onwards however it pains you just need to do it. Although you feel a pull at the stitches, but this is normal. Walk as frequently as possible even if it is just a few steps at a time. You will gradually find it easier to walk.
On the third day, the doctor asked me to start feeding Aarush; but it looked like I was not lactating so he was given formula through a syringe. After taking medicine I started lactating but he was not ready for breast-feed. He did not like to work hard for sucking the milk while the formula was dropped inside his mouth. He does not have to do any effort for that. He really made me feel miserable because of sleepless nights from that day. He was hungry, but he did not want to take my milk, and the doctor was now adamant on breastfeeding only- “No more top milk and no water only breast milk till any solid is started”. On the 4th day somehow he tried but very poor job. Being a first-timer I too never knew how to feed. The result- got sore nipples. Then on the 5th day, pediatrics came to show the proper latch which really helped. And she added no cream for sore nipples- mother’s own milk will heal it. The same evening I was discharged from the hospital; we reached home just before dusk.
Before discharge, I was given certain advice by my Gynae. to minimize pain and soreness as stitches are done in layers - No exercise at the Gym for the next 6 months- walking is the best exercise. No lifting of heavy things for 2 months. Not to go near fire for 3 months. Resting helps to heal so don’t even laundry, clean, or do dusting for at least the first 2 months.
At home, we were welcomed with the blowing of a conch shell and ululation. Everything went on smoothly till the middle of the night. Aarush’s crying session started as out of habit he wanted top milk without effort. That night was really long for the whole family. Neither Santanu nor my parents had sleep because of his crying. The whole night I kept trying to feed but in vain. Santanu and my mother were very anxious as yet Aarush did not start breastfeeding.
I experienced “A baby who has been crying for some time before being tried on the breast may refuse to take the breast even if he is famished”. We made all the arrangements for the formula but we knew if we give him top milk - it will be almost impossible to give up this habit of top milk. At last, on Tuesday morning when Santanu was about to heat water to make formula around the same time he started to have milk. Oh! God what a relief that was for everyone; soon both Mom and son were having a sound sleep after a grueling night. It took 6 days for both of us to learn the technique of feeding and to be fed.