I’ve been giddy to share today’s post because there is nothing better than sharing the ugly truth and then matching it up with a solution or two. Moms are like that, I suppose. We’re fixers. Got a problem? I’ve got a fix for ya! Dealing with something ugly? Let’s work together to make it lovely!
Here’s the thing. If you haven’t heard yet, motherhood is gross. It’s beautiful too; that’s what we usually like to talk about and highlight. But there is also a lot of behind the scenes yuck.
As a mom of two with a bun in the oven I’ve been through a lot of the odd, a lot of the weird and a lot of the yuck. I’ve been barfed on, bled on, peed on. By others and myself. It’s just part life and totally normal. Well, for moms at least. Best of all, look at me now, I’m sitting at my desk with a warm cup of coffee in clothing that has no bodily fluids on it. All is well.
Now, let’s break it down … a little dose of yuck in the form of a sweet little story coupled with a practically perfect solution! First up, let’s begin with the joys of birth.
DOWN THERE IS ON FIRE
I’ve had 2 vaginal births. The 8 pound 10 ounce variety followed by the 10 pound 4 ounce jumbo size. It left my nether regions less than comfortable. Swollen. Stitched. Hurting and in need of recovery. Time alone doesn’t do the trick, I promise. To calm the lady bits you need this – a postpartum sitz bath. You can make your own or buy a blend. Whatever you do, get it and get it in bulk. You’ll love having it for the first week or two after baby’s grand exit.
And here’s my expert tip — after you brew your herbal blend, pour a little bit of it into a spritzer bottle and spritz yourself WHILE you pee. I promise, it takes the edge of that awful sting away. 
BLOOD AND GORE
Whether it’s your blood or your child’s or your husband’s from when he passes out for the beautiful bloodbath of the birth scene, you need one thing — hydrogen peroxide. Max’s entire surprise home birth was cleaned up to sparkling proportions with this gem. Douse the blood spot with hydrogen peroxide, let it soak and rinse. Repeat until it’s gone or even run an entire load of laundry with a whole bottle of it. Done and Done. 
LAUGH, SNEEZE … EEK!
Sometimes it’s right after baby, sometimes it’s in the weeks/months/years following, whatever the time frame, bladder control can become a tricky thing after birthing humans. It’s not necessarily fun to talk about, but since it affects 65 million Americans, it definitely falls into the realm of normal.
We recently had a tell all chat in one of my mom’s groups and bladder leakage topped our list of motherhood realities. After all, bladder leakage happens more to people in their 20s than in their 80s! Whether it’s the mistake of jumping on a trampoline (eek!) with too much charisma, laughing too hard or sneezing, we’ve all been there!
If you’re lucky enough to have avoided this motherhood misfortune, don’t be too excited. It’s pretty likely it will greet you down the road in your life. So, become familiar with your options and support the women in your life who face a little dribble on occasion. Over the next 3 years Depend is donating 3 million dollars to charity for every social share tagged #underwareness. Retweet my tweet here to increase the giving potential! 
You can also request a free sample of Depend Silhouette ActiveFit – for yourself, your mama or a friend! These are comfortable like underwear, not bulky and best of all, provide peace of mind. 
Are you totally grossed out by now – torn body parts, blood, pee? I’m not about to approach the topic of barf because that’s my least favorite and I can’t stand to think about it for more than the moment each day when I pray it never greets our family again.
Here’s where I offer up a deep breath and call us all to a moment of relaxation. Although it’s all gross and hard to stomach, this really is all normal and just part of the motherhood gig we all love and adore. We survive. In most cases, we thrive. And obviously, in my case, forget, since I’m entering round three of all this loveliness :) But not without my extra supplies. Alongside my herbs, hydrogen peroxide and bladder leakage helper I’ve got two trusty friends. A few drops of Rescue Remedy in my morning orange juice chased with a quiet moment savoring a sweet morsel of chocolate is often a blanket solution for lots of mishaps and hormone explosions. 
Tell me mamas, what “lovely” little secrets have joined you in your postpartum days? Most important, how did you solve them?