I’m so happy you’re actually honest about stuff like this because I feel like no one talks about it enough! Thanks for always being transparent Jess 💜

Jess this is literally the most honest video I’ve seen and so perfectly talks about all the hard things no one truely talks about, I’ve had two babies and this video is the most raw and truthful video that represented my experience . Breastfeeding was so hard with me that I gave up with my first son but I pushed through with my second son ( I remember crying out in prayer because I was so scared my baby wasn’t getting enough to eat in those first days) but it was so worth it I’m 18months postpartum and still breastfeeding and it is so empowering ❤️ thank you for sharing! And mamas out there you have got this God created you to do this!

putting all of Jess' pregnancy videos in a playlist so I can get back to it once I get pregnant ❤️

hey jess! i’m a midwife in training and in regards to the “period pains” you had while breastfeeding.. it’s due to the oxytocin flowing through your body! oxytocin plays a really important part in breastfeeding, and it also happens to be the hormone which causes contractions! so that’s probably why you were feeling that. love love love this video and how raw it is! congrats mumma 🤍🤍

I had NO idea how much there was to postpartum. Gosh, makes me respect mums even more! You're doing amazing Jess 💗

Jess- you amaze me with your relatability, kindness and vulnerability even on the internet. It’s been a privilege to watch you become a mom and love on baby and Gabriel so well! YOURE KILLING IT! Prayers for you guys in this season ❤️

I’m literally learning everything about pregnancy and postpartum through you😂💜 like an older sister giving me advice🥹

When I had to poo right after giving birth the midwife told me to soak a maternity pad with cold water and press it over my stitches... helped sooo much with feeling like things weren’t ripping open. Made it so much easier to poo haha. I love that you shared so openly with this!! My physical recovery was okay pretty much but emotionally... literally cried every day for about three weeks. The hormones were real 😳

I don't know why. But, every time I was watch Jess and Gabe. It often makes me feel like I know them in person, especially after they had a child. May be because you guys are just so sweet.

The truth. Post partum was so hard for me. I remember struggling to breast feed my son and I bawled my eyes out every time he didn't latch. It was so hard to deal with the new love you feel, but also the life change. I cried cause my husband and I were no longer just "us". Thank you for being honest it's truly refreshing.

I've been waiting for this vid so long. As a young girl, I am so uncertain about stuff like pregnancy and marriage and learning it from someone I've followed for 5+ years is so helpful

it’s so cute how jess is now a mum! you’re such a humble person and i can’t wait to watch makaiah grow up! both you and gabe are going to be such great parents! 💛

I’m SO happy you posted all this. Thank you for being so open-I’m due in three weeks and your videos help me so much 💕

Honestly hearing you talk about breastfeeding hit me right in the feels. I couldn't express colustrom and when I was in hospital for a few days, my milk wasn't in and I was worried about bubs. We ended up using formula till my milk would come in and she would latch, which thankfully was only 24-36 hours later. But a good breastbump makes your life sooo much easier!

Oh Jess! I just want to wrap you up in a big mama cuddle. My heart is with you! I had a mirror experience to you with my first baby and had that exact thought of “why did no one tell me about this?!”. I thought I was prepared and had adequately researched what was ahead of me- even homemade my own padsicles in the freezer ready to go. Nothing could have prepared me for the pain of my extensive stitches, mastitis in my right breast and swelling in my feet and legs that lasted weeks. Everything was so new and overwhelming and painful. I understand you saying “I don’t want to scare anyone” - totally 100% get that but honestly I found videos like this so comforting in my healing process especially in that first few weeks feeling so alone in my experience. To watch another mama going through the hard stuff helped me feel like someone out there understood me. Love all the products you’ve listed for postpartum healing, I can attest to how awesome they are! I would add to those: - hydrogel nipple shields (for healing the cracked nips between feeds. Layered with nipple balm is even better) - Witch hazel peri spray (for pain relief and cleanliness for healing stitches) - Heat pack (to ease uterine contractions, soften engorged breasts and relieve aching back from breastfeeding) - Epsome salt baths (to help your muscles heal post birth and soften the tightness and itchiness of your stitches healing) - Medela breast pump (to take the edge off those engorged breasts) Keeping you in my prayers that you continue to find healing and strength in your journey through motherhood. You are doing great!! Love from a fellow mama in QLD ❤️

“We’re all friends here”🥺this is why we love Jess

love your authenticity and honesty, it’s soooo refreshing!

it’s amazing to hear how you’ve progressed as a mom! 🤍

Loved this! Thank you so much for being honest & sharing and document your story with us. You have no idea how much this helps us, so thank you. 🤍🤍🤍

I love your little family. I can always come to your videos when I’m having a mental breakdown. Your my biggest supporter🦋

I’m sorry your recovery was so rough, but I’m so thankful that you gave out this information even though it may be deemed “embarrassing.” I’m expecting my first in February and I’m glad you’re here to help me and others be prepared just in case.

jess! you're glowing 🫶🏻 i hope you and your family are doing well i love you!!

I’m so happy to see your little family grow! I’m wanting to start a family soon with my husband and really love your videos! They are so helpful 💛☺️

I absolutely love this video. It is exactly the TMI that we all need and no one talks about. It is the sort of stuff you would love to know before so you're prepared. As I want to be a mum so much, I loved this tips. Keep bringing them up, please

Currently 22 weeks, this was so helpful and love how honest and raw you were!!

Thank you so much for sharing this video, and for taking us day by day! I’m 29 weeks and starting to really collect stories/knowledge on what others’ births have been like.

Jess, I am so happy you're being so honest, open and real with us about postpartum. We love you so much.

I can’t even tell you how good this is to watch as an expectant mum - thank you for being so open!!!

Thank you!! I’m saving this to reference in the future when I have my own kids. I love that you’re being so open!

Jess, thank you for this raw and real video! It is so great to know these things as a first born! I feel like you are my big sister watching this! You are doing a great job navigating your new season in life as a mother! All of the prayers to you and Gabe!

25 weeks pregnant right now and this is SO helpful. It is so hard to find an honest, descriptive video about postpartum. Thank you, Jess!!! ❤️❤️

As someone who just went through this in January, I would say that this is extremely helpful information. Jess you are so encouraging! That first week is rough but also so incredible. It's a mixed bag of recovery, tears, and tiredness. I will say that most of the time the tears are happy, as having your little one is so precious and special. Although PP is hard, having your baby in your arms is worth the recovery and learning to nurse

Jess, I really love watching your videos, and especially now since Makaiah’s here I find pregnancy and birth to be very interesting topics. You’re such an amazing, strong woman, and I’m sure Makaiah is the luckiest to have you and Gabe as her parents. To any new moms, don’t be too hard on yourself. New things take time, and work, for you to adapt to them, but just know that whatever you’re doing is amazing, you’re trying your best for yourself and your baby, and I hope things become more familiar to you with time. Take care💛💛💛

I am a postpartum nurse here in the US, and I appreciate this video so much. This is so real and I feel like it can be very helpful for postpartum moms or moms about to deliver. Its also educational to me as a nurse and it gives info that can help me take better care of my patients! Thank you so much for being so real!

Ugh JESS your honesty. THANK YOU 😍🥺

I’m so happy you’re actually honest about stuff like this because I feel like no one talks about it enough! Thanks for always being transparent Jess

I'm 10 days away from my due date and loved watching your video, we need more real and truthful stuff like this on the internet! Thank you!! I'm so glad you're doing much better now and starting to get into a rhythm with your cute little fam! 💜

Omggg yes!! I’m a student nurse and this was my clinical last semester. I was helping patients who went through the exact same or very similar postpartum experiences. There is no embarrassment or shame when it comes to any part of the pregnancy journey ❤️

Love this so much! Thank you for being so honest, postpartum was absolutely wild and people don't talk about the struggles enough. I was prepared for it to be hard but then it all just somehow hits even harder than you can imagine.

Love that your video is so real and truthful! There’s a reason you didn’t know about everything, first of all all pregnancies, labor & deliveries, and postpartums are different, just like you said but also because people don’t always feel comfortable telling what it’s “really” like. I’m positive you’ve helped tons of mommy’s and mommy’s to be with this video. When my mom had me, almost 44 years ago, she was in the hospital until her milk came in, 5 days!! Oh how times have changed!

Thank you for being so candid and honest in this video!! It’s so helpful to talk about it. You’re such a great mama💜

This brought back so many memories of my postpartum recovery with my boy, who just turned 1 year old last week! Such a crazy rollercoaster our bodies go through after birth... But this is already making me feel like I could do it all over again soon! 🥰

I'm so proud of you Jess. I can't even imagine going through all of this, but you did it! Also the thought that there may be so many women going through these but not being able to talk to or express their concern over their own body, my own mum stayed in a joint family with her in-laws, and she couldn't talk about these things. Secondly, I'm so happy that I follow you, I have seen youtube channels converting from a couple's channel's to a family one, but I'm so happy you didn't, I follow you for who you are! same with your and Gabe's relationship. Keep going, your wonderful and Makiah is blessed to have such parents. I love you, probably you won't read it, but I just had to say it.

it's super hard to be so honest in front of so many viewers but this sharing is definitely helpful for any mum! So glad to see you're recovering from the pregnancy and hope to see more sharing about the topic! luv you~

As I’ve grown up we have always been in the same season of life and it’s so encouraging that you’re being so transparent and open. I’m due Feb 2023 and I am so excited you get to go through it all and share with me 😭🤎 LOVE YOU

Thankyou for being so real and honest about your postpartum, it was honestly so refreshing to hear a real experience on how things can be, I related so much! 💖

hi jess! just wanted to thank you for sharing that quote. im definitely not having a kid anytime soon but i was having a tough time with something new and really needed to hear that. wishing you makaiah and gabe all the happiness in the world always 💛💛

We LOVE you for your honesty and vulnerability 🧡 Thank you, Jess!!

I'm currently 21 weeks pregnant and have been loving all of these videos! Saving this so I can refer back to it once baby boy gets here!

I just want to say appreciate how open and honest you are about postpartum❤️

i love these kind of videos, i feel like either a facetime call or overall just talking to an older sister + i feel like these are conversations that should be talked about more!! 🤍

All the feelings you have been describing I literally felt, and I’ve never been even pregnant! It sounds like a lot to handle :( but I’m so happy for you 😍 you did an amazing job! I love how you encourage women in loving the process 🤗 sending love ❤️

Your the second person who’s video I watched that makes me feel a lot more calm. I had our baby in aug and the struggle is real, thank you for sharing your experience, half of what you talked about. I went through.

this video is so so important, and definitely not spoken about enough! I'm 4 months postpartum and still experiencing so much that's not touched on. There's this magic 6-8 weeks where you think you'll all of a sudden be recovered and back to gradually exercising etc. but I am still very much recovering, 4 months on. These honest discussions are what will help so many other people out there, as it's so easy to feel alone in what so many others are actually experiencing too!

This is was so helpful to anyone starting out too. Bless your heart! Anyone starting out as a new mum, you’re doing so well. ❤

Jess, thank you so much for sharing this!! I'm on my third pregnancy and so wish that someone had shared their real stories of postpartum with me! I felt so unprepared the first time around and this is going to help so many people set realistic expectations! ❤️

THANK YOU, just thank you for being you, and being so honest. This video was so much more helpful than most postpartum videos I've seen! 💖💖

I love how honest this video is. Especially how real and raw it is regarding becoming a first time mom. ❤

Thank you soooooo much for opening up to everyone about your experience. You are the cutest. You are very brave in many ways and we can only hope to be kind and brave like you are!

37w pregnant and I am so thankful for real life postpartum stories. I know each body is different and I don't know what I will go through but this is helping me so much to know other realities out there. The only thing I would say is I am so glad in the UK we have a midwife coming to our house every other day for the first week to check on baby and mum. I feel sad you were on your own since you left the hospital. God bless ❤❤

Yup can relate to so many of these struggles. Thank you for being so honest,humble and kind Jess❤️

im not pregnant, but ive really been enjoying going thru this new journey with you, its so amazing what the woman body can do. you're like a big sister and im sure you're helping many other moms out there cause most people don't talk about the struggles of being a first mom enough, but its so important! you're doing great

Thank you for this video! Currently 10 days postpartum and feeling the overwhelm. Turned to KZfaq to see if I could find similar videos and this was an answered prayer.

thank you so incredibly much jess!! this was so helpful and we appreciate everything you have to share 💜💜

definitely eye opening thank you Jess, love how honest you are!

Awww, thank you so much for sharing this, you have the sweetest spirit!! I truly appreciate your honesty and vulnerability. It's funny because I'm not even a mom, but when you shared openly about the mistakes you made, it encouraged me so much!! Everyone has those moments in life where we mess up and feel silly, it happens to the best of us! Listening to you reminded me that I'm not alone, thank you for being so genuine:)

Omg where were you 3 years ago, I needed a video like this! Thank you for be so open ❤️

Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm 17 weeks pregnant with my first and watching this video makes me feel a little more prepared for what to expect postpartum.

Thank you for being so open and honest about everything. You are such an amazing mom and I love watching your videos

4months postpartum and I can relate so much to your story 💗 I ended up with an emergency c section so recovery was different but the rhythms, breastfeeding and everything else is so relatable. Thank you so much for sharing, it's nice to know you're not alone in this journey 🥰

ty for being so honest and raw with us so more people r educated on this topic!! Ty ty for being so raw and real with us on everything and congratulations on baby girl! She’s the cutest🥹❤️❤️

Love the way you share your experience in such a warm fuzzy girls talk way that never feels like TMI 💞

the best/honest postpartum video. i feel so safe watching your videos! 🥹💕

You have such a glow 💛 I’m genuinely so happy to see you guys enjoying every sec ✨ thank you for sharing and for letting us being a part of your life 💛

i actually find this super helpful, even though im not pregnant. but it makes me prepeard, so ty so much for ur honesty. no one actually talkes about this so its very much needed. ty again and bless ur happy family

I'm not even pregnant but I'm so thankful for this video. You just put people so at peace ☺️ Thanks for sharing your personal experiences even though you don't have to. You are doing great!

This was so realistic and honest. I really loved listening to your experience. No kids here, but happy to be here! Thank you for sharing🤍

You are definitely my fave KZfaqr 🤍 you are so real, calm, honest, thank you so much for talking about this, because nobody does it I don’t know why.

I am so glad that you are voicing how difficult it is to adjust to everything. No one really talks about it. I felt so lost that first week after I gave birth to my baby girl. I too had a very fast labor and delivery, baby ended up pooping in the womb. Thank you for being so open and honest. God Bless you and your family

You are all amazing and are doing amazing! If there is one thing I learned during my postpartum experience it is that literally everyone’s recovery is different! Just like every birth and every baby is different. I thought I had it all figured out and I was SO PREPARED until my induction turned into an emergency C-Section and I was so unprepared. My recovery was rough! Could barely walk after my surgery and was blessed to have all the support I needed so that I could let my body heal and care for my baby… nothing else mattered. My belly still does not look the same but is something that I am working on. I lost the core strength that I had pre surgery and have to often remind myself that it will get better but my muscles were literally cut open so it’s going to take time. Thank you Jess for this real raw vulnerable and honest account of your postpartum experience! This is something that is missing from the internet! Also congrats on successfully being able to breast feed! I wish it would have worked out for me but my little guy couldn’t latch and in the end my milk never came in!

Thank you so much for being so honest and so open about this. It helps all of us who are not a mom yet. At least we know what to expect. ❤❤❤

Jess, you are just the sweetest person. Your wonderful advice and reassurances to new mothers is sound, compassionate and loving. The things you talked about are exactly what needs to be brought to the forefront and not hidden because some find it embarrassing. 🥰

I’m planning on having kids with my partner in the future and there was sooo much I learned thanks to this video. you never know how unprepared you are for adult and motherhood life. I’m really scared to take that step and yet it is not my time. Thanks for being so openly honest and humble. ❤

As a mom of 3 I can tell you that you are handling all of this with so much grace and peace!! The first 3 months with my first I felt like a zombie .. I also wanted to say that my oldest would only feen on one side ( my left) and I figured out it's because of how she was in the womb, it was hard for her to move her neck to the right.not sure if she has torticallis or not but We ended up taking her to a pediatric chiropractor and he was able to help her move her neck left and right and she was able to eat on both sides, so just a thought if she sti isn't eating on the right side Not sure about chiropractors in Australia but in the US you can always find safe,trusted pediatric chiropractors Best of luck! You got this mama!! I loved what you said about rhythm and not routine it's soo true!!

I had the same issue with breast feeding and had no help. That was 7 years ago. I gave up and started using formula because I was losing sleep and my sanity. I’m glad you got help!

Thank you so much for sharing Jess! Can't believe people don't speak about this stuff more❤️

Take a step at a time, Jess 💕 I’m sure you’re doing your best~~ You’re more gorgeous than ever 🥲💕 Love you and your family 🤍 Thank you for being open and honest as always!

I’m now 5 months postpartum and this video brought back all the emotions I felt at the beginning of my journey w a baby. Thank you for being so honest about those first days, it was so hard for me. I’m glad you’re getting more comfortable with everything , you’re the best momma to little Makaiah! 🤍

Love you Jess! And love that you are not afraid of sharing TMI! It's refreshing! I'm glad your journey is going well

Can relate to so much of this from my 1st pregnancy! Currently 8 months pregnant with number 2 but just over 4 years ago I remember the struggles with breastfeeding those first few days (especially on my left hand side), my complete lack of pelvic floor and the pain of stitches after an episiotomy. All worth it though and you come out the other side. That's what I'm reminding myself now at 35.5 weeks 🤪 thank you for the video sweet girl xx

You’re the sweetest. So informative Jess!!

Love you Jess!! Makaiah is blessed to have a mom like you! God has blessed you to be a blessing. 😘😘💖

I loved this catch up! Such girl friend talks❤️ So glad you're feeling better now and you're getting the hang of everything

I am a mum to a large family now but watching this reminded me so much of my first postpartum experience. I remember thinking at the time who the heck does this more than once in their life lol. My bits felt like they were coming out and had lots and lots and lots of wee coming out spontaneously for the first couple weeks. I feel this was increased due to excessive and incorrect pushing, being rushed and coached pushing by hospital staff. For me I never left monitors on during my subsequent labours and laboured at home until I knew I wasn't far from needing to push. For me that avoided being rushed to push just because I was 10cm. 10 cm does NOT = READY TO PUSH. Ready to push is when the mother has the urge to push and no body pushing you to do so helps you preserve your pelvic floor muscles a lot more and avoid straining unnecessarily. Breastfeeding was so hard at the beginning too and I got a really bad infection because I listened to false information about my suply from other mothers I thought knew what they were talking about. I thought I had "no milk" because my baby was feeding regularly I didn't know that is exactly what is meant to happen and I expressed for 4 hours on day 5 as well as breastfeeding a lot I then created cracks in my nipple and my breast and nipples got an infection and had size H boobs overnight. It was so bad that my baby then couldn't draw the milk because it was so excessively fast he would choke then I got mastitis and engorgement because he couldn't drain the breast. So I had to express the right amount of times and the bottle would be pink from the blood 🤢. I persisted and we went on demand breastfeeding till 8 months which made it a lot easier when I then breastfed my other children because I had learnt what I needed with my first. BUT I am not saying breastfeeding is ever easy,.. every baby is a new baby and may have different suck and attachment styles so you learn together with each one. I also had swelling in the feet after my first but not my others, I looked like the nutty professor having that allergic reaction lol. This video you have made has not only helped first time mothers and mothers to be, but also has made me realise I was not the only one to experience these things on my first. It is something that can just happen and it is what it is. And to add to this I can say I did not experience these issues with my subsequent babies. I had a really big second baby (also my 3rd,4th,6th and 7th were big) and my recovery by 1 week felt like my recovery with my first at 3 months. I remember the first time I "tried it with my husband" after my first at 2 months and it was torture! I had to stop and wait another month atleast, but with some of my other children bleeding stopped and I was healed ready "for it" at a few weeks postpartum and it didn't hurt. And for some it is not the case and that is ok. It is ok if your recovery takes 6 months or more each child and its ok if after the first its an easy straight forward recovery. I would only recommend women open themselves up to more knowledge about our bodies and birthing using an independent hypnobirth course, I did not do this with my first and I feel that's what made my experience and recovery much harder from such a physically and mentally traumatic birth with my first baby to having amazing experiences with my other children, I love Bridget Teyler on KZfaq . and you do not lose anything by trying it out. Love to all the mummas

Thanks for being open about your journey it helps alot of people. love you so much!!!!❤

I am 15 weeks and very thankful for your honesty. 💛

I’m so grateful for this. I am 18.5 weeks currently, and I feel like people aren’t honest about this stuff. There are so many things I’ve experienced already that aren’t online!

You’ll be an amazing mother, she is lucky to have you. You’re so caring! 💗

First of your videos I’ve seen but I have to say your honesty and details are so refreshing!!! Love this

you are a QUEEN for sharing this, no one talks about it enough!!!!