International Women's Day 2020

This year on Women's Day, I want to highlight something that women have experienced since the beginning of time, but no one ever talks about: postpartum healing. Thankfully we live in an age of information and now I can google anything I want to know about it. It's also encouraging that more and more women are sharing this information, but it's still not something commonly talked about until you're a pregnant woman learning about everything prenatal, labor, and postpartum. And let me tell you, nothing about pregnancy or childcare scared me (at least nothing out of the ordinary), but when I first read about what really happens during postpartum healing, I was suddenly terrified. And I'm telling you, sex ed would be way more effective if we taught students about post-partum healing, and showed them an actual birthing video.

I will have more to say on this once I've gone through postpartum healing, which will begin any day now, but as we celebrate women today I really want to celebrate this part of motherhood and of a woman's experience, because WHY DO WE NOT TALK ABOUT THIS??? Prior to pregnancy and getting email updates every day on pregnancy related health, I did not know that for up to six weeks I'd be bleeding into a pad and wearing mesh underwear. I did not know that I'd have to wash my nether regions with a Peri or squirt bottle before AND after each trip to the loo, because apparently you're not supposed to wipe down there until it heals. Then you've got to ice it and spray it with witch hazel to help with the pain and discomfort. Thankfully we've got bidets at home, and I think they're going to be a lifesaver. I didn't even know what my perinium was until I googled why I needed something called a Perenial Spray! I remember Ali Wong talking about our insides falling out in her comedy show, but it did not hit me then what she really meant by that. Have you heard of a sitz bath? I thought it was a Jewish spa. Turns out it's a little bath you place on top of your toilet seat so you can just soak your lady parts for comfort. Oh also, I'm told to ask for extra everything from the hospital that they give you for postpartum healing, but especially the stool softener. I think the thing I'm most afraid of now is that first postpartum poo. Every woman I know who has been kind enough to share this information with me tells me they'd much rather go through labor again than do that first poo again.

And when you ask other women about their postpartum healing experience, most of them will shrug it off because it's something we all go through. Like, "Meh, big deal. The cute baby will distract you." That is why women are superheroes and the superior gender.

If you know a mother, just thank her and hug her for being a complete warrior. Thank every mother for the warriors that they are.