I Survived the Fourth Trimester

I am finally clear of the fourth trimester. I honestly stopped counting down at week 8 because life began to pick back up. The timing of this celebration also lined up with the Summer that everything opened up! So it has been quite a celebration. Virtual school is a thing of the past , a lot of my ‘of age’ family members have been vaccinated so in so many ways I am fully breathing.

One thing that I decided to do during this pregnancy and phase of motherhood was to share my experience with you. The last pregnancy, I was so busy with work, new baby and in my head I lost the time to record such a wonderful time. So this work is for me, for you and for her. My baby girl.

The fourth trimester is what they call the 3 months after giving birth to your bundle of joy. It is such a beautiful and also difficult time. It is a beautiful time because you are just meeting your child for the first time, they smell amazing and everything about them makes it worth it! It is hard because you are taking care of a newborn for the first time in a long time, late nights into early mornings, understanding breastfeeding/feeding and so much more.

For me this time, I mentally prepared, which is what made my experience so much more enjoyable. I learned to listen to my stress cues, give myself grace and permission. So here are my 3 tips on surviving the fourth trimester.

Give Grace and permission to Sleep

Sleeping is not a luxury for a mother, it is a necessity. The fight to sleep or watch your little one sleeping is a real situation. For the first four to six weeks I gave myself permission to sleep: anytime, anywhere. When Zoe slept, I slept. It didn’t matter what time it was or what was on tv that night. I slept.

The hubby also had a grace speech for me every day. He told me to go to sleep all the time, haha. He would tell me that my number one priority was to rest.

Some tips on sleeping:

Purchase comfy clothes to sleep and be. This will help you know that you are always prepared to sleep and rest.
Create comfy places to sleep. By setting up cozy spots around your home with water, diapers and some necessities will help you to sleep peacefully and prepared.

Give Grace and permission to Eat

This one was harder for me. When I ate, I felt like I should be doing something else or I would forget to eat at all. I had to remember that I was also providing for my baby girl. That is what helped.

Ask someone to help you while you eat. Simply ask. At times I felt it was asking for too much, but it is not. Eating is to keep you healthy, gives you energy and also helps you be the best mom you can be.

Give Grace and permission to Be present

This takes practice. That’s where the grace comes in. Being present isn’t just journaling and being able to recall what happened. It is being so present that you don't worry about what is next, when the next feeding is or what not.

I figured out a few ways.

Setting Alarms: I used alarms to tell me when to eat, feed zoe or change a diaper. This allowed me to be fully there without worrying about what is next on the agenda.
Taking Walks: Being outside allows me to be surrounded by the now. The smell, the sounds, the weather during that time. To help yourself out; describe the outside with your little one.
Taking pictures and videos: I am not sure why people say that when you are the one with the camera you are not present. I think it's quite the opposite. I believe that the one with the camera is seeing with present eyes. Some tips. Things don’t always have to be picture perfect. Some pictures are just meant for you and your family. Not for posting. By thinking this way you will record freely without judgement and capture unforgettable moments that you will cherish forever.

There is so much more to talk about but for now, please use this post to give yourself grace and permission to sleep, to eat and to be present.