The Little Book of Self-Care for New Mums

 Megatron’s the best one. if I was one, it’s him. Optimus Prime’s all nice and stuff but it’s Megatron who really wins.  I’ve listened so many times to this since last week’s sodding Transformers hit and I smile until today I say Megatron ain’t shit. Last year my hip bones moved another half an inch back together. He said Hollie – Megatron lives for ever.  I said Megatron’s not real!  If you wanna see a real live transformer come and have a feel! And I pushed his fingers closer and then right inside my stomach to feel the gap my muscles left from something I now know a bit as birth. And I knew that this would hurt but I did not know the rest. That there’s a hole inside my stomach till the day I’m laid to rest. And no, you’re right I said It’s not the same I did not turn into a car – I turned into a factory A life support and cooker As my body started morphing My insides realigned My digestive system shifted And completely redesigned itself. No help from the Decepticons or the Autobots What vitamins I’d got moved from my blood into hers now The direction of my nutrients redirected into her. How?  I don’t know!  Everyone sees our stomachs grow They do not see the rest Ribcages cranking up to make more space for baby’s legs Diaphragm moves down Your womb fills up with fluid and a brown line on your skin appears and no one even drew it!  A brown line on your skin! From between your legs to boobs The only line a child can see to lead them to the food Labour came and went Something that I won’t forget Baby now in my arms and my system shifted once again Digestion redirected to two breasts that grew one night bigger than a large ripe pair of cantaloupes Get me a pump! I screamed Genuinely worried that they might explode My boobs stay warm to heat the milk and my nipple makes a hole and every time the baby drinks the suction makes my womb shrink back…