Must Remember . . .

Things I want to remember before deciding to have another baby/c-section . . .

Stay away from the scales for at least a week. Trust me, it won't be pretty. It's probably best just not to look for awhile.

YES, you will look at least five-months pregnant for several days even after you have the baby. It doesn't matter if you remember it differently from the first time. Don't freak out. You won't look pregnant as a non-pregnant woman forever. It takes time.

That said, go ahead and eat whatever you want without feeling guilty about it--especially all the stuff that gave you mega heartburn for the past few months. You deserve it.

When you've just had a baby you are completely exhausted. And drugged. And overly hormonal.  This all results to rational thinking not being your strongest point. This, too, will go away, and when it does you'll realize it wasn't everyone else being crazy, it really was you.

Having to nurse a baby EVERY 2-3 hours really is as hard/tiring as you remembered. Sorry about that one.

Write all your thank you notes BEFORE you have the baby. You'd think picking up a notecard and writing a brief message on it would be easy, but sometimes the small things are the hardest.

I know you have a hard time letting people help you, but just do it. Enjoy it. Embrace it. Love it.

C-sections are rough. There is no way around it. Just remember that next time it will be two kids you can't pick up, not just one. Make sure you've given them a good briefing about it beforehand.

Listen to your gut (yep, the gut that still looks five-months-pregnant). If you think you should stay an extra night in the hospital, you probably should. If you're desperate enough to actually want to stay in the hospital another night, you probably need it. 

Take it a day at a time. Just because your baby slept horribly and kept you up half the night one night does not mean they won't be better tomorrow.

When you're already thinking about all the sleep you want to get tomorrow and it's still today, just go to bed already.

Finally, as a good friend reminded me today, your baby will only be a baby for a short time. Laundry can wait. Dishes can wait. All that other stuff can just not be perfect for awhile. Just enjoy your baby.