Instagram Meghan Markle

2 weeks post C section.Breast pads ✔️ Industrial size sanitary pad ✔️Swollen tummy ✔️All the things postpartum we go through. It’s very common for tummy’s to stay swollen after pregnancy and they usually stay swollen longer after a C section due to the inflammation and abdominal swelling from surgery. So don’t worry if you feel you still look pregnant as I do here. ITS NORMAL! I’m not expecting to look like my old self for months down the line yet. I haven’t even left the house other than pottering about in the garden. I’ve been mindful to rest as much as I can to aid recovery down the line. Weather permitting, towards the end of this week I’m going to start some short walks. Until I’ve had my mummy MOT that’s all the exercise I’ll be doing. What I’ve been focusing on instead is trying to make myself feel like my old self, and so far it’s worked. Despite broken sleep for 2 weeks I feel really good ???????? Upbeat, and ready to take on the day. The simple things I’ve been doing are…Cold showers. No ice bath yet so I’ve stood under cold water every morning for a minute letting it run on my pituitary gland (aim water on back of the neck) It’s responsible for regulating so many functions in the body and essentially kick starts your system in the morning. It works a treat for boosting your mood. Secondly, my nutrition. With my hormones slowly settling and the cravings for crap which I had in pregnancy going I’m back to eating my usual foods. I’m snacking a lot as anyone will tell you breast feeding makes you hungry and we need the extra calories to feed. I’ve been snacking on things like nuts, fage yogurt, fruit, boiled eggs and dark chocolate. In pregnancy it was bread and haribo ????????‍♀️???? Lastly, and this is where it gets cheesy, but affirmations! Every morning I’ve told myself “I can do this” every night feed I’ve reminded myself “thousands of women are now doing the exact same as me right now” and every time I look at Thiago I thank my body for growing, carrying and birthing him. 15 days ago he was in my tummy and that blows my mind completely. The miracle of life and the human body. ????????????

Lots of you have asked if I got my much hoped for VBAC…. This was me on mon 17th July 3hrs after an elected C section. I didn’t get my vaginal birth. My waters broke and I went into labour and stayed at home for as long as possible (it helped that the Wimbledon men’s final was on!) My contractions got down to every 6 mins or so and then slowly just stopped. We headed into the hospital 24hrs after my waters broke as they had changed colour a little. Thiago had opened his bowels. Thanks son! Already shitting on me ????????‍♀️???? I was given the choice of the artificial hormone to induce labour again or a section. Weeks ago we said if it came down to that we would 100% go with the section. I had the hormone injection with Mia and it was awful ???? plus after that it ended up in an emergency C section and PPH anyway. This time was SO much more relaxed. It was actually a wonderful experience and it just so happened that the same surgeon who delivered Mia was on shift. So she delivered Thiago as well ????❤️ Of course recovery is still tough, it’s a huge operation regardless, but I couldn’t be happier in the outcome of how he arrived. It felt like somehow it was meant to be this way. My incredible mum has moved in this week while Gorka is away which me and Mia are loving. Although I have to keep reminding her to stop buying me pastries! As I always do with every situation I’ve sat back and looked for a silver lining, which in this case, is after two babies, Gorka’s favourite pub is still very much intact. ???????? I take my hat off to any which way our babies are born. Vaginal or a section, theres no easy way. Pregnancy, labour and the 4th trimester is tough! But so are we ????????