Talk Thursdays - Postpartum: What They Don't Tell You

SMH is how I'll start this post.  After years of infertility, I've been blessed to have two non-eventful pregnancies (believe me, this is a good thing).  The only thing I can complain about is having to do NST's (non-stress tests) quite often in my third trimesters (the first pregnancy, they feared something was wrong with my placenta and the second pregnancy was only due to age...yayyyyy 40). Postpartum for me on the other hand has been where the party gets started.  This is not meant to depress or scare anyone, but to make you aware.  No one told me and I wish they did.  Here is what they don't tell you after you've just pushed out a human.

5.  You are susceptible to postpartum depression up to FIVE years after pushing out your human.  Yes, you read correctly.  I thought it was a year...I was wrong! REBUKE! Thankfully, I didn't have this, but I did have the baby blues, which passed after the first two weeks.

4.  Most women may know this, but there are still some that don't.  All that beautiful hair you gained and retained during pregnancy, may be on the floor months after birth and I don't mean light shedding.  I mean it can come out in clumps.  Some women experience dramatic hair loss around the temples.  It will grow back, you just have to go thru it and know it's just part of the process.

3.  Your body has just gone thru a VERY stressful situation.  That stress can cause a host of problems way after you've pushed out this tiny human.  I gave birth in September 2012 to my first child and a few months later was diagnosed with chronic hives due to the 'anxiety' the pregnancy caused??  Who knew.  I was told I may have to live with it for the rest of my life, but y'all know my friend Jesus, right?

2.  Your risk factor for Pulmonary Embolism (blood clots in lungs) increases greatly with pregnancy.  This one was a shocker and very traumatic for me.  Two weeks after giving birth, I had some discomfort in my chest and chalked it up to indigestion.  Thank God for the back pain that sent me to the ER.  It wasn't a moment too soon.  I almost died. More importantly, I had to be away from my newborn.

1.  You will not leave the hospital the size you were when you got pregnant, despite what you see on  tv.  You leave still looking very pregnant! I thought I was gonna have my snapback as soon as my first daughter popped out.  It took months for me to even resemble myself.  This go round, it may take even longer...reference the age aforementioned and I developed an umbilical hernia (yeah, this can happen too) which will most likely require surgery.

Still want to have a baby...lol  

I would do it all over again, for the two blessings I now have.  I thank God for making me a woman.  We are powerful and strong, beyond measure.  We push out humans.

 4/2013 

 4/2013

3/2017

Me and my girls 4/2017- I could cry. I'm so in love

The Lost Files - What I Wore

This week, I will be eight weeks post-partum. I'm starting to feel like myself, slowly but surely and figured since I can't fit any of my regular clothes (and probably won't for awhile), why not dig in the crates.

 I built my outfit around this sweater I purchased from H&M a few years ago.  I truly advocate for buying things when the season is about to end.  I scored this baby for $10!

Sweater, Top, Skirt: H&M

Shoes: Zara

Necklace: NY&Co.

Makeup Mondays - Top Red Lipsticks

 Left to right: Maybelline's Rich Ruby, Coloured Raine's Cherry Blossom, Milani's Matte Confident, MAC's Ruby Woo, MAC's Diva and Sephora Cream Lip Stain #01

These days, life for me is moving very fast.  I'm going to make time for an update post, which I will probably do on the Tube first, then here.  But today, we're talking makeup!  My bestie charged me to do a post on my favorite red lipsticks and I think it's the perfect time of year for such a topic.  A couple of years ago, she fell in love with one brand's color and stuck to it, but now it's discontinued.  Being the makeup fanatic that I am, she enlisted my help on finding a new statement RED. Below are my top picks.   

6. Rich Ruby by Maybelline (Creamy Matte) $5.59
This one is the most recent of the group to my collection, but is already in my top six. It's a deep orange red, comfortable on the lips and easily accessible at most drugstores.

5. Cream Lip Stain #01 by Sephora (Matte) $14
If you're looking for an affordable, classic red liquid lipstick, then look no further.  These dry down to a matte and don't budge (unless eating oily foods) and are pretty comfortable for a liquid lipstick.

4. Ruby Woo by MAC (Retro Matte) $17
Of all the lipsticks mentioned, this one tugs at the lips a bit and is the most dry looking of the formulas mentioned, but it's also stunning for those same reasons.  It looks like you came out the womb sporting a gorgeous red lip.

3. Matte Confident by Milani (Creamy Matte) $4.99
Milani has become one of my favorite drugstore brands in the last year.  Their lip products are comparable to any high end brand and super affordable. This color is a rich, blue-based red.

2. Diva by MAC (Matte) $17
This to me is the perfect vampy red and one of my all time favs! When I want to feel sexy and powerful at the same time, this is the red I reach for.

1. Cherry Blossom by Coloured Raine (Liquid Matte) $17 
Last year around this time, I went on a hunt to find this color.  It was sold out EVERYWHERE!! I finally found the only Ricky's that had it in stock and had it shipped to me.  The hype surrounding this red (blue-based) is REAL and it was one of the best lip purchases ever made. It looks perfect on most complexions!

The bestie wearing Cherry Blossom by Coloured Raine

Me wearing Sephora Lip Cream Stain in #01