I precede this post with a warning – SCARY PICTURES AHEAD! SCARY PICTURES AHEAD! SCARY PICTURES AHEAD!

I felt exceptionally nervous for today’s six mile speed run. And probably for a different reason than you think.

the pain. Oh, the pain! What would happen with a fast run? Could I handle it????

Okay. I may have gotten a little dramatic there. But I still had concerns about this morning’s workout – speed work, sore chest, bouncy bouncy. You put two and two together. And it for sure doesn’t look like Baywatch either.

I told you all that I have slowly been weaning Braedon for the past month. Well this week came the time to finally drop the last bit of pumping. My body’s supply had decreased to the point where I maybe got two ounces out of that pumping. I figured I would adapt quickly to dropping that final bit of milk. Ha!

While it certainly could be worse, the tatas are making themselves well known around here with the swelling, tightness, and tenderness. Oh sweet heavens that sounds straight out of a trashy romance novel. And it’s only about to get even less classy.

I have been doing all I can to ease the process and help it along…including stuffing my bra…with cabbage leaves. Yes, that bumpy mess you see in my shirt is a bra full of cabbage. Don’t come over for our stir fry dinner tonight!

I have also done the tricks of taking Benadryl to help dry up (only thing that worked after M), strapping the suckers on lock down night and day, and avoiding anything and everything that can encourage milk production. Well, except for one thing I refuse to give up…

You would be crazy to think I would go days without my beloved morning breakfast. I’m already losing hair at an alarming rate thanks to the hormonal changes. Don’t take my oats, too!!

Oh, you didn’t know you lose hair too in this fun?

A wad of my hair after one shower. And don’t say I didn’t warn you about nasty pictures in this post! I guess I better stop before I go too far over the edge. The good Lord knows I have already frightened you enough with dinner invitations including cabbage and tacky Baywatch references. Hope you’re having a good day!

• What’s the craziest “remedy” you have ever used?
• What’s one food you could not give up even for a week?

After the interest in my “What ‘They’ Don’t Tell You About Pregnancy” post a couple months back, I knew I had to follow up with one about labor, delivery, and the early post-partum days. If you’re a man reader…you may want to avert your eyes. If you’re squeamish in any way about body parts and personal topics…you have been warned. Now for yet another post pushing the TMI boundaries.

Your boobs will hurt. And not just a standard ouch kind of hurt either. Whether breastfeeding or not, a few days post-delivery you will feel as if you carry 2 bowling balls on your chest.  2 bowling balls that are also ticking time bombs about to explode and rip in half from the pressure. Milk engorgement is fun, no?

Even better? If breastfeeding, your nipples will feel as though someone rubbed them raw with sandpaper. And that “let-down” feeling that lets you know your baby is sucking out the good stuff? Burn, baby, burn!!!! I do promise it all subsides after about a month and then is so much easier. Plus, it truly is worth it.

Ice Diapers. I briefly mentioned these in my previous post. They intrigued you all. And yes, they are very much real and very much useful.

Let’s put it this way. You know how long distance runners take ice baths after tough runs? You just gave your hoo-ha the workout of its life. It needs its ice bath. You will stuff a baby’s diaper with crushed ice and wear it as a pad without shame.

Tears. Sometimes things just don’t pop out so easily. Rip. You can use your imagination for the rest. Yes, it hurts. Yes, it does heal.

I still look pregnant?! The uterus takes awhile to shrink back to standard size. This means for a solid couple of months your body will inevitably have a pregnant looking pooch. You will likely still look 6 months pregnant coming home from the hospital. I looked like this 3 days post-partum…

And you saw my 1 week photos yesterday (in the bikini no less). Just remember how wonderful the body still is…even if it does mean some idiot will ask you when you are due, despite the obvious newborn baby you are holding.

Scared to poop. The first time or two after delivery is purely frightening. I’m not exactly sure why. Maybe the thought of having to push anything out again?

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The baby-blues are very real. It is standard for them to last two weeks. Any longer is when you need to consider talking with the doctor about post-partum depression. But for the first two weeks…fully expect mood swings you have never seen before. I haven’t faced them too much this time…but I can tell you I went from yelling at Peter that he was NO HELP to crying over how much I loved him and he was the BEST FATHER EVER in minutes last time.

Hospital food may actually taste good. After delivery and when trying to prep your body for breastfeeding, you want food. Any food. This actually looked and tasted good to me post-delivery.

Nothing like a bowl of congealed oats!

Babies trick you. It is very standard for newborns to sleep a lot in the hospital. They just went for the craziest ride ever after all. They don’t do this when they get home. You come home and it’s time to push limits and see how often they can wake up. I warned you.

And I’m likely forgetting some important things. Things like is baby pooping enough, sleeping enough, spitting up too much, going to be colicky, etc, etc, etc kind of make the rest of your mind a jumbled mass.

Thank goodness I knew what to expect this time! I can actually function! Good thing too because I have a very exciting post for tomorrow. Any guesses? 😉

Question of the Day – Totally random question…but color combos have been on my mind…what is your favorite color/color combo?