From day one post-partum, my nose stopped running and bleeding, which it was for the last nine months. My legs stopped cramping up at night. I no longer had to run to the washroom every hour of the day. I started loosing weight and gained a new appreciation for loving my body in its new form.
Even though it was no longer a necessity, I continued to wear my maternity clothes. They were just so comfy and easy to put on. I still refuse to pack them away. Maybe I'll hold on and wear them a few more times before I hand them over to my pregnant friends.
Of course with post-partum comes much awaited maternity leave. I no longer have to sit in my cubicle, call clients, and run to meetings. There is no schedule where I need to get up in early mornings and commute to work. And with a newborn, you really don't have any schedule at all. Mornings and nights don't exist and you just follow your baby's queues to know when he wants to sleep, feed, or play.
Once pregnancy is over, so are all the dietary restrictions. It is such a liberating feeling that your diet can no longer harm another human being. Not only can you eat anything you want, but you are also encouraged to eat more than you normally would. This is to support your milk production, and to also maintain your bodily functions as caring for a newborn baby requires a lot of energy.
And of course nothing can beat the new found love that you have for your baby. It gives you a new purpose in life, and makes you re-evaluate your relationship with the world and yourself. It's a true blessing.