After delivery, I stayed at my parents' place, and having them around made a huge difference. We also had a lady who came to help for about forty days. She gave me oil massages, helped with my bath, and took care of the baby whenever needed. My parents were incredibly supportive and hands-on, managing everything at home and making sure I had nothing to worry about. The stitches made it painful to sit, so whenever I breastfed, I sat on a chair with a donut cushion and used a feeding pillow to support the baby. It was uncomfortable at times, but those two things made feeding much easier during the early weeks.​ I rarely got long stretches of sleep, and most nights felt endless. To manage a little better, I started pumping milk around 8 p.m. so that the lady could feed the baby later at night, giving me a short stretch of rest before the next feed. It didn't always go as planned, but on some nights it helped me get a few hours of sleep.

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​​One of our first outings was for the baby's photoshoot, around 10 days after delivery. It was about an hour and a half away, so sitting for that long was still uncomfortable. I carried a donut cushion in the car, which made the journey much easier. Whenever we went out for vaccinations or appointments during those early weeks, I also carried my feeding pillow because it made feeding much more comfortable.​ 

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My husband was very supportive. He stayed with me for a few days after delivery and continued checking on me regularly. After the lady left, my mom took over the night duties. She woke up several times to help me, fed the pumped milk to the baby, and comforted her so that I could get some sleep. For the first couple of months, I mostly stayed indoors and focused on recovering. Once she was around two months old, I slowly started going for walks again. I would feed her, put her down for a nap, go for about an hour's walk, and be back before she woke up. Those walks helped me feel like myself again and gave me a much-needed mental refresh.

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One thing that surprised me was getting my first period just a month after delivery, even though I was exclusively breastfeeding. I had heard from many mothers that their periods returned only after several months, or even close to a year, so I was a little disappointed. When I spoke to my gynecologist, I was reassured that this can be completely normal and simply means the body is gradually returning to its usual hormonal cycle. Managing periods, night feeds, very little sleep, and recovering from childbirth all at the same time wasn't easy, but it became just another part of the postpartum journey.

 

Even though it was tiring both physically and emotionally, I never felt alone. My parents' care, my husband's support, and the comfort of having someone to talk to made the biggest difference. I was also lucky to have my best friend, who visited me often and was always there to listen whenever I wanted to share how I was feeling. Having such a strong support system made those early weeks much easier to get through.

 

The sleepless nights continued, but with time I adjusted and learned to manage better.​ One thing I learned during those early weeks was that accepting help is not a sign of weakness. We don't have to do everything by ourselves. Having support allowed me to rest, recover, and truly enjoy those precious early days with my baby. My postpartum journey wasn't easy, but it was peaceful because I was surrounded by love, patience, understanding, and unwavering support.