Hey Bleu Bells,

So, I have to get real with you all this week. Becoming a new mom? Whew! It’s more than I ever imagined, and let me tell you, postpartum is real. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, About 50% or more of women experience postpartum blues in the first weeks of giving birth. Postpartum blues are mild mood changes that can include feelings of worry, unhappiness, and exhaustion. It’s hit me harder than I thought it would, and honestly, I didn’t realize how unprepared I was for the aftermath of giving birth. But here I am—navigating this new life with Sariah and figuring it all out, one messy step at a time.

First, let me say how grateful I am that I didn’t have a c-section. I was in labor for 20 hours (yes, 20 HOURS!) before my sweet Sariah decided to make her grand entrance. When I saw that beautiful, yellow-faced baby, my heart melted, but let me keep it all the way real: she’s been defeating me every step of the way since then, y’all.

I’m struggling with my body right now. I’ll be honest—I really thought I’d bounce back the moment I gave birth. I had this idea in my head that my stomach would magically snap back, and I’d be rocking crop tops by week one. Oh, how I was fooled. My stomach is darker than it’s ever been, and let me tell you, this gut is hanging around like it’s still got a job to do! I feel like I’m still pregnant.

I know, I know, it’s been less than two weeks, but I wake up, look in the mirror, and it’s hard to shake this picture I have of how I used to look. My feet are swollen with fluid, and yeah, I’m venting, but this is how I feel. I loved my pregnant belly and loved carrying Sariah, but now I’m feeling like my body’s gone through this wild transformation, and I can’t help but miss what it was before. I’m just being real with y’all.

Now let’s rewind to the birth. It felt like it would never end! Sariah was cozy in my belly and was not ready to come out. I got an epidural and was literally in bed for 20 hours, but you know what? The nurses at Women’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in Memorial City? They were absolute angels. I felt like a Superwoman because of them. From start to finish, they made me feel safe, cared for, and confident. I even had a lactation consultant come in at 10:00 PM, right after giving birth, like it was totally normal. I swear, women’s hospitals are magical places made just for us—seriously, they just know what to do. Every single penny I’m paying this hospital is worth it for the way they helped bring Sariah into this world safely.

That first night? Whew, overwhelming is an understatement. As soon as Sariah was placed on my chest, she latched on immediately for breastfeeding, which I was SO grateful for because it’s something I’ve wanted to do since the beginning. But let me tell you, nobody told me how painful breastfeeding could be. My nipples are still screaming from that first night. I wasn’t producing enough milk, and Sariah was not having it. She had me up all night, and I was defeated—but then I’d just look at her perfect little face, and somehow, we made it through. And yes, y’all... that was only night one! 😂

Now, fast forward to today. I’m in full-on research mode, trying to find everything that will make our lives easier. Right now, I’m on a mission to find the perfect wipe warmer because Sariah hates anything cold on her skin, and honestly, I am the same. I’m also on my swaddling game—thank God for the SwaddleMe blankets from Target by Ingenuity. They’ve been saving my life! Finally, I can get her to sleep for over two or three hours. 🙌 And can we talk about Honest brand newborn diapers? She is an absolute lifesaver for her sensitive skin.

But here’s something funny... she hates pacifiers. Like, flat-out refuse them. I wasn’t expecting that!

So yeah, Bleu Bells, this is my life right now—swollen feet, struggling stomach, sleepless nights, and the most beautiful baby girl worth every second of it all. I’m overwhelmed, but I’m happy. And you know what? I’ll take that.

Thanks for sticking with me as I navigate this crazy new journey. If you’re going through this, too, know that you’re not alone. None of us have it all figured out, and that’s okay. We’re doing the best we can, and that’s enough.

Until next time, y’all! 💙

Follow My Journey: 📌 Pinterest: _shaybleu
📺 YouTube: Shaybleu
💻 Blog: Shaybleu.com

#BleuBuzz #NewMomLife #PostpartumJourney #BabySariah

Check out my new video on the struggle of Postpartum and trying to embrace my post mommy body. The struggle is REAL.