The Day 3 Baby Blues are *totally* a thing.
Although both of our children were much wanted and very loved, I was laid low with the 3 day blues after both of their births.
Day 3 Baby Blues with #1
With my first baby (now Mr 22), he swallowed a lot of meconium during birth so was hustled away to the neonatal intensive care unit to have it cleared out (I don’t even want to think about what that may have involved).
Only a couple of days later he had developed severe jaundice, and so was placed – completely naked – in a special humidicrib under lights. It was heartbreaking to see him so tiny and defenceless curled up under the plastic shield.
Plus, breastfeeding was proving to be quite difficult. Every feed was agony, and our beautiful bubba had a bit of what the nursing staff claimed was only a milk rash which worried me (I’d have been even more worried if I’d realised it could have been a sign of an allergy, but this was something I didn’t learn about it until years later).
It was a bumpy start to parenthood, but it all came to a head on Day 3 …
Yep, the old hormones were racing and I was feeling rather down that morning, waiting for the hubster … only to receive a phone call to say he would be late. We’d been broken into the night before while he was at the hospital.
I completely lost it! Three day blues plus learning you’ve been robbed? Not a great combination. A nurse heard my sobbing and came into comfort me, but I still remember her making fun of my nicely ironed handkerchief and saying that would soon be a thing of the past (yup, she was right … I mean who irons hankies?!).
The thieves stole a couple of pieces of jewellery – my friendship ring, the ring hubster gave me on our first wedding anniversary, a gold pendant – and made a mess, but I never actually saw it as my wonderful hubster cleaned it all up before I came home.
I was just so thankful the thieves *didn’t* find my wedding and engagement rings – haha to them! I’d had to take them off when my fingers swelled up with the pregnancy, and had tucked them just behind a photo frame on our dressing table so not even a very clever hiding spot.
With the insurance payout, we bought an eternity ring rather than replacing all the other items – otherwise, it would have been YEARS before we could have afforded one!
But I can’t help wondering what the Day 3 baby blues would have been like if I hadn’t had to deal with the drama of being robbed …
Day 3 Baby Blues with #2
By the time Day 3 rolled around with baby #2 (now Miss 19) we were both home from hospital.
The main thing I remember is that my milk came in – something that never happened with Mr 22 so I was totally unprepared for it. My boobs were hot, swollen and sore and I remember standing in the shower, bawling my eyes out, as I expressed to try and relieve the pressure. So incredibly painful, although I was thankful at the same time that breastfeeding was off to a great start. As breastfeeding the first time around had been plagued with problems, this was a very good sign.
Advice for Mums on Day 3 Baby Blues
After my experiences, the best advice I can offer to new mums facing the Day 3 blues – is to remind them that “this too shall pass”, and things usually start looking up after you’ve had a good cry (and hopefully a sleep too if somebody can look after the baby for you).
What was your experience of the Day 3 Baby Blues like? Were they as memorable as mine?!
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