"Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward." Kurt Vonnegut (you will understand this more after you read the bottom paragraph)
if you want to skip the baby read and go straight to the glamorous parts of pregnancy and birth no one talks about, aka "the funny accident story" read the purple - skip the rest)
It's been 9 days since we have been at this parenting thing. We took Baby A to the dr today for his 1 week weigh in. He is weighing in at 7lb 7oz. So almost up to birth weight. (only off by an oz.) the Dr was pleased and sent us on our way.
We are getting along pretty well. Sleeping is still a bit off, we do our best. Baby A is really just so well natured. He has managed to take a few naps in his crib.
Let's stop right there for a minute - I had this all planned - You see I'm a planner. (just a disclaimer - if your opinion is different, that is fine, be respectful of mine) I just HAD to have this crib set up because Baby A was totally going to sleep in his crib when we got home from the hospital. After 3 nights co-sleeping in the tiniest hospital room, I became accustom and quite partial having him close to me. When it came time for bed, I wasn't sure what we were going to do. It just broke my heart to have him in the other room. So up went the pack n play. He has been sleeping there at night.
There are a few other things that I have had to eat my words on. Seems like this is all new territory and what i thought would happen is not how it has happened. It is all new and enjoyable and different and frustrating all wrapped up in one event of emotions.
Breast milk supply is still going well. I have done very little research on freezing and such. I really doubted that I would be able to supply his needs with my breast milk. I got this pump off c.raig.slist for $75 and threw away all their parts and bought new parts. It really has been fairly easy and I am SO thankful that some things just work out. We were doing breast milk and formula but for the past 2 days, we are strictly on just breast milk. I just need suggestions in how to keep it cold when we start to venture out? Any ideas?
I have had many many many surreal moments, I keep having to remind myself that this is MY baby and that I am not babysitting and no one is coming to get him. It just hasn't really sunk in all the way yet.
We still have a period where Baby A just likes to be held. I actually love it, it's in the wee hours of the morning, but I like that he is comforted by our touch.
TMI ahead- this is referring to the accident (mentioned in a previous post). The first night, I had fallen asleep and either the pack n play was closer to my bed then it was before I went to sleep or I just was so disoriented that I forgot the pack n play was there. Baby A was fussing and I had to go to the bathroom and E was sleeping (he can sleep through fussing and a freight train) I stood up and was blocked in by the pack n play and I was still a little unsteady on my feet being that I just gave birth. So I panicked because I was trapped in and needed to grab onto something to help me along, but refused to grab the pack n play for obvious reasons. I kept panicking and mentally trying to figure out how to get the the bathroom .... Before I knew it, my bladder took control of the situation and "relieved itself" right there in between the bed and the pack n play .... I was standing there in shock and panic and had to wake E up to get the wet/dry vac..... I was laughing and crying, I was embarrassed and relieved .. It was funny but not, It's one of those things that no book tells you about. ... SO add Wet/dry vac to the "must have" list .. The next night, I was having what I thought was "a lil gas". I ate fried food, the first fried foods I had in MONTHS. So I assumed (we all know what that does) that those were gas pains. While I was in the nursery changing a dirty diaper... UHM let's just say, I found out that they were not gas pains per say... I had more dirty to clean up after Baby A was all cleaned up .... After those lil incidents, my bladder/bowel control has been MUCH better, infact things are going quite swimmingly now.
*side note, my commenting may be slowed down, I am still reading and supporting, Sometimes it's hard to comment with only one hand.
20 comments:
Do you have a lined cool compartment in your baby bag? That's what most people I know seem to use to keep the milk cool when going out. Or a chiller bag.
Sounds like you and baby A are doing really well, even with accidents :)
J
Ya know, I appreciate you being honest and telling it like it is. The little things that people don't normally talk about... ya they need to talk about them more lol. Cause I wonder about those things to come... I've had a few moments already, so its good for the FYI!
Hey how are your cats doing with the baby btw?
Glad things are going well. :)
Sounds like you are doing a awesome job Mama! I can only imagine how surreal it really feels!!!
I always tell people that you can't imagine how much you will discuss poop and pee when a baby comes into your life. Little did I know that you'd be able to add Mom's fluids to the discussion as well. :-)
As for the breastmilk portability, it's also important to understand that breastmilk can be kept at room temperature for 10 hours. No need to chill it and re-warm it if it will be used within those 10 hours. Pretty nifty, makes toting bottles of breastmilk around that much better.
Also, when you start pumping, you will grow weary of constantly sterilizing the pump parts (assuming you pump more than once a day). You can actually rinse them off and store them in the fridge between pumping sessions. Just sterilize them once every 24 hours. Makes cleanup much easier. Last, when you freeze breastmilk, be sure to write the quanity directly on the bag. Those plastic bags don't give you any idea at all how much is in there, putting ounce labels on them is just downright silly in my opinion!
You are doing a great job, and I hope it continues to go well for you!! Baby A is one lucky guy!
You should ask the pediatrician's office if they have any free breast milk storage kits. That's where we got ours. Oddly enough, formula companies give these things away for free.
You're going to eat your words a lot in the first few weeks. I did the same thing. I said I'd NEVER be a co-sleeper. I'd never do it...I didn't want a baby in my bed until they were ten years old. LOL...those are words I ate for many, many months. I had always planned on having her in our room, but her sleeping in my bed made things so much easier with nursing that I gave in and she slept with us until she was almost a year old (not 10, thank goodness). So, when I read blogs written by pregnant women about to deliver their first baby and they're spouting out about how they'd NEVER get an epidural, bottle feed, use a pacifier, have the baby in their room/bed, etc...I laugh a little b/c I know that they'll end up doing something they never thought they would. Of course, I keep it to myself, b/c no one wants to hear a know it all, especially when you're 9 months pregnant, right?
Farah,
Congratulations on your new addition, and welcome Baby A!!
He's adorable, and quite photogenic, I see. :)
No sage words of advice here, other than this: you do what happens to work for you and your family. I know that we all have our best laid plans and such, but cut yourself some slack if what seemed to be the Perfect Plan falls to pieces. Mommies and daddies have to adapt to whatever method is working for them at that time.
Again, congrats, congrats, congrats!
oh funny!but not so much. you poor, poor thing. at least you can laugh about it. i am glad that you are feeling bette.r
don't comment for awhile. take a break. we'll survive. seriously. we all know what you're doing!
I'm glad to hear you're doing well! I was going to mention checking your diaper bag for an insulated compartment, Or did you get a free similac bag from the hospital? Those come with insulated tote bags and ice packs that are really handy.
Enjoy this time; and don't worry about using that free hand for comments. :)
Well I am sorry about the accidents. This is the real life stuff that they don't tell you in books so thanks for the heads up. Now we know what to be really prepared for.
SNORT! I have been there and done that!
You sound like things are going well! We need more pics!
Well, that was certainly my good chuckle for the day!
Thank you, dear Farah!!!! ;)
I love your honesty and I think you are doing such a wonderful job!
*hugs*
It sounds like you are really enjoying motherhood and you're not too stressed out!
So glad to read this update from you. I love that things are going great with Baby A. It must be surreal to realize he's all yours!! The early morning moments sound so sweet - I can't imagine how wonderful it must feel to comfort your precious little guy!
The pack-n-play/bathroom incident is hilarious. I laughed out loud. VERY funny - you can't dream this stuff up! :-)
So happy for you hon.
As for keeping the milk cold - maybe a thermos or cooler of sorts?
It sounds like things are coming along nicely! :) I am glad that Baby A is doing so well.
I'm so glad that things are going well, and I'm sorry for laughing but the purple accident part has me rolling! I think I may have actually peed myself :-) Sorry it was at your expense but you just made a bedrest girl like me very happy! Baby A sounds adorable, and I'm glad the breast feeding and sleeping are going well. You deserve some smooth sailing!
I am amazed at how upbeat you sound. Thats wonderful. So glad yo uare enjoying motherhood.
Oh you poor sweetie! Good thing you can laugh though. :) xo
Oh, Farah! I hope you don't mind that I laughed a bit, although I had my own lil' accident this weekend and I can't even blame labor yet!
At least you were laughing about it! I know my bladder is getting weaker and weaker or the little guy is pushing on it more or something!
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