Babymooning

Several weeks ago when my midwife asked me to commit to a week in bed after delivery I just laughed. "It's just not in my nature" I tried too explain......."it would be logistically impossible".  But in the end her wise counsel found sense in me and I realized all I really needed was permission to care for myself in  a way that I never allowed myself to before.

As mothers it is so easy to fall in the trap of caring for everyone but ourselves.  This trap can leave us empty with very little to offer anyone in the end.  We fool ourselves into playing the role of "Supermom" losing the best of what we have to offer in process of all the doing.  So right now after 9 months of growing a baby, I am allowing myself to just be, to do nothing else than rest in bed and fall in love with my baby.  I am now thoroughly convinced that every new mother needs a "babymoon".  

Thank you to my sister and Nanny and Poppy for caring for the other children to allow this beautiful week and thank you to Paul for waiting on me like a princess. 

If it wasn't for the regular delivery of meals in bed I would have lost all sense of time.  Paul has found his place in the kitchen and surprised me in his ability to arrange these feasts, and I suppose I have surprised him with my raging appetite barely leaving a crumb.  

I've gone through quarts of chicken broth, quarts of pregnancy tea, several cups of juice with floradix, 1/2 lb of chicken liver pate from Zingermans, a pot of lentil soup from a neighbor, a pitcher of fresh squeezed beet and carrot juice from another neighbor, cottage cheese, apples, celery with pumpkin seed butter, toast with butter, hash browns, fried ham, omelets with collards and raw cheese............ I have been very well nourished and I can already feel the difference in both myself and in little Charles.

In addition to resting and feasting I squeezed in a few netflix.  My favorite was the Saltmen of Tibet since it flowed at the same pace I've been moving all week.

Charles has a bit of jaundice so we've been taking turns sunning him in the window.  So this week has had the feel of a sunny vacation after all.  

The biggest treat for me this week was a warm herbal bath.  My midwife sells a prepared bag of herbs for the purpose of postpartum healing, included in this combination are the following: comfrey root, comfrey leaves, lavender, calendula, sea salt and a few drops of murrah essential oil.  These aid in healing bruises & tears, prevents infection and help dry out the baby's cord.  We steeped the herbs in a large pot for a few hours then strained them through a fine mesh colander right into the bath water.    

Overall it was simply soothing to both me and little Charles.  I love the way this bath woke him up to the world offering me expressions and personality beyond that of a baby only a few days old.  

The other children will soon be here.  I admit I'm starting to miss their energy and noise.  Next week may be a wild contrast to the lovely "babymmon", and though I'm in no position to be chasing them up and down the stairs there is something very comforting about being all together.  I've been pondering my strategy all week: fill my bed with kids, netflix, books, toys and snacks and I've already warned Paul to expect more than a few frantic calls out to his office trailer.

We are stepping into the unknown with another child in our care.......we may not be strong and brave adventurers who scale remote mountains but we are continually writing and living our own adventure story.  I am so happy to be doing it alongside Paul and grateful for the way he arranged this past week to help me regain both physical strength and clarity of mind.........because we all no there is no sense stepping out on to an adventure without them.