Pop!

So here I am, sweating in my tummy binder, breast painfully engorged, clothes stained with residual milk as I enter into my second week of postpartum. I should be doing my cow duties now but -

- wait, what?

Yes I have popped and graduated out of the belly! No birth story this time because I was induced like I was the first time and if anyone's been through a successful induction you'd know it's quite uneventful - not that that is ever a bad thing!

First things I gotta say being a STM doesn't make it any easier. In fact, everything feels brand new. I remember the first night at the hospital when the nurses handed Lucia to me during feeding time they asked, "first time mummy?".

"Second" I replied confidently with the I-got-this look.

Not.

"Cradle or cross cradle?" she asked.
That was when my mind went blank. Zero.

It's the kind of panic that sets in when you thought you studied for an exam but the moment you open the first page of the test paper a wash of blankness consumes you and everything looks gibberish.

"Craddle" I managed feebily because what the heck is cross cradle??

She comes over, places a wailing bean next to me and there I was hovering my nipples around her lips expecting her to latch on instinctively.

Thankfully the nurses are all trained (and very patient too) in BF-ing and swiftly in a few motions, she managed to help me have Lucia closely nestled into my chest.

"Remember to tilt her head so she can breathe" she quipped before floating out of the room. Must be an angel!

Or a cheat paper in an exam kind of salvation.

It was as if I forgot how breastfeeding requires deliberate motions; that the baby needs to suckle in full and not just the tip and that there are "positions" to employ to engage in deep latching etc.

By the third day during discharge I was confident the one and only setback is well behind me.

You see where this is going right?

I forgot about pump and massage to clear ducts, I forgot how the hours in my life from now on will be determined by the brutality of engorgement, I forgot how lonely pumping is and more importantly I forgot how much I detest washing pump parts lol.

Don't get me wrong, this was me at the initial stages trying to get used to the routine and now that I'm more or less settled, it feels a lot easier.

Enough of that!

What's in the name?
I haven't talked much about the name now have I? Just like her brother, we wanted her to adopt a biblical/saint name with a meaning we would like her to emulate. Saint Lucia was the bringer of light and our wish was for her to be the spark that brings warmth and light to people around her and herself.

And possibly be also the guiding light to Leo's sometimes misguided bravery hahaha.

As for her middle name, we gave her Rose not only for the nice ring it gave to Lucia but also its deep connection to Mary. Just like Leo's middle name Declan (which means man of prayer), I hope our 2 children will grow up in God's faith.

Sibling love

At this point I am blessed Leo has been such an incredibly sweet brother to her, often wanting to be by her side consoling her whenever she cries. I can't say for sure there will not be sibling rivalry in the near future but for now I'm just relishing this sibling love.

Postpartum
...is a pain when your body is no longer as agile. I learnt the hard way about postpartum cramps which essentially gets more pronounced with every child you pop and omggerddd it honestly feels like contractions all over again. Thankfully by the 6th day it subsided and I could move around freely.

I'm currently in the midst of my post natal massage which I'm enjoying so far and will do a separate post on it.

Okay, boob beckons.
Till next time!