Make recovery your top priority

[IslandDreamer]

After three bouts with HG and PPD, a two bouts with PTSD, and a second full term son, which meant delivery at nearly 40, I have smartened up.

What I've let go:

We are in squalor at this point. With dh out of town this week, me not lifting a finger to clean since April (the anemia and HG had me too out of it during pg and the tear and exhaustion after kept me down for ages). I have accepted the squalor.

But I am now here to share a few other things we can let go. My headache and sleeping when baby slept were a priority today as I refuse to contribute to any possibility for PPD. I have learned that lesson the hard way. And it's okay for baby to have puke stains on his jammies.

When they say, "sleep when the baby sleeps," they mean it. And when I say it's okay to let go of somethings, consider it.

Love to you all.

[BrandiJK]

Thank you for words of wisdom!!!

[teddi]

You know what I finally gave in and started to do? (one of my counselors suggestions)

Mandatory "ME" time, everyday, multiple times a day IF possible (Just like a real job when you get 15 or 20 mins breaks every 4 hours). I suggest it can be anything YOU like, or take a simple pleasure in- reading a book, watching a TV show, soaking in the tub, making your cup of coffee/tea, gardening, excercise- whatever one enjoys that you can do in 30 mins or less.

I usually do one in the morning- when my son is either still asleep (we're late birds at our house, so we go to bed late and get up late, and he does the afternoon session for Kindergarten) or first up and he goes in my bedroom to watch some morning tv. The girls are almost always in a good mood when just up fresh in the morning, so I put on either a video for them or Nick Jr, and when the 3 are relatively occupied and quiet I make my coffee or tea, and sometimes a little breakfast. I love coffee and tea and then I hop on the web to read email.

Later in the day sometime after 12:30, I have my second me time. I sometimes read, sometimes take a tubby, sometimes I just relax.

The afternoons prove harder, as DS is home and the girls are difficult w/the afternoon time, but DS still takes nap in the afternoon, so when it works out, I have my 2nd cup of tea.

Doing this has really helped me feel LESS stressed out about the house and stuff.

Now, this is much easier once babies are sleeping thru the night. Before that, or unless you are well rested, sleep would probably be the best thing to do.