Recovery

A few hours after delivering Harper we were taken to our recovery room and spent the next few days getting to know our little lady. 

We were so torn over names.  We knew that we loved the name Harper but we didn't commit to it until we were about to be discharged from the hospital.  Other names we considered were Claire, Cara, Charlotte, and Maggie, which Matt threw out as an option at the last minute... until  I reminded him that was our dead cat's name!  We chose Harper Sullivan and have been so pleased with our choice.  She is a Harper.  Sullivan was my grandmother's maiden name.

Recovery was more painful this time.  I remember uterine contractions while nursing during the days after delivering Ethan but they were much more painful this time.  I felt like I was in labor again every time I nursed Harper and even in between nursing sessions.  While in the hospital the nurses, midwives, and lactation consultant said that it was very common for these contractions to be more painful with each recovery and more painful after delivering bigger babies because the uterus has been stretched out further so it has more work to do to go back down to normal size.  I didn't need anything more than ibuprofen to help ease the pain of recovery after delivering Ethan.  This recovery required something stronger.  I remember telling friends who came to the hospital to visit to remind me of my current state if I start talking about having another baby in a year or two.