Ok its official, I know longer know exactly how many weeks old my baby is. I remember being pregnant and being hyper aware of each week that passed. I even had a reminder on my phone to tell me when I was one week farther along. I though that my husband was so obtuse when he couldn't state the exact week in my pregnancy that I was. But somewhere at month 3, when Cyrus stopped being a newborn I stopped counting in weeks and started counting in months. Since he was born on the 9th of February, I count the 9th of the month as another month older.
Once again I am feeling like time is passing too quickly and the only way to combat that is to enjoy every minute. So I am.
Today I woke up super early, even before my husband who had to leave since he is doing emergency tree service because of the storm Friday night. It has been a blessing in disguise for us because we have made so much extra money on tree service.
The storm also meant that I didn't have to work since power is out at the Pilates studio. I took advantage of my spare time by cuddling with Cyrus in bed and trying to make him laugh. Man that kid is fickle. What makes him giggle one minute doesn't even eke out a mile the next.
After our cuddle party, I came downstairs to workout. Still feeling sore from my trip to the gym yesterday, I decided to only do cardio and abs. 39 min of elliptical and a Tracy Anderson DVD for abs (she really has the best ab moves I have ever done). The reason I didn't make it to 40 minutes was because I was interrupted by a client phone call. Since we are doing emergency tree service I have all the phone calls transferred to my cell phone, which has been a burden since I barely get reception at my house. I have had "HELLO?" and "CAN YOU HEAR ME?" screamed at me more times than I can count.
Thankfully, the phones were pretty calm today and my mom came to babysit Cyrus for a few hours so I could "get stuff done."
I took full advantage. First, I got a pedicure, while sleeping with my eyes open. Then I tried to get a haircut at the place I usually go to, but they had no power so they were closed. I contemplated getting a massage instead but everywhere I called was booked (hmmm.... guess I wasn't the only one with that idea.)
Since there was a Hair Cuttery right next to the nail salon I decided to take my chances and give it a try. I needed a hair cut soooooo bad and it was DRIVING me CRAZY. (Disclaimer: I used to have hair down to my knees and it never bothered my so you know it had to be bad for me to want to get a cut) Not only was my hair creeping toward my waist, providing a great pull toy for Cyrus, but the pregnancy hormones were kicking in and my hair had been falling out in such massive amounts that the ends looked uneven and stringy.
OK, I know Hair Cuttery is no boutique salon with five star reviews, but I figured my hair couldn't possibly look worse than it did at the moment. The minute I walked in I began to regret my decision. None of the stylists had hair even remotely describable as "attractive." There was and overweight Twilight reject with long stringy brown hair, a guy with droopy eye bags and a mop of curls, and a woman who looked like she wrapped a braid around her head in order to just get it out of the way. No one even smiled as they greeted me. I was thinking that Tabitha of Salon Takeover needed to make a visit
I got the braid lady and all I could do was pray that my hair was not unfixxable when I left the salon. Surprise, surprise after all my worry I was ecstatic with the results. It is a little short but the layers were perfect and it was a vast improvement on the stringy horse's tail I was sporting before.
All in all it was a great day. I only spent $75 for a haircut and a pedicure (including tip) and I enjoyed some much need time to relax and feel good about myself again.
I think this is important too. To enjoy the time you have with your baby, you sometimes need to spend time apart.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
First Vacation
Time flies when you're having fun!
At least that's the saying. In my opinion, time flies even when you are not having fun... but that's another story.
Cyrus is 4 months old now and we just went on our first real vacation last weekend. We took a 2.5 hour plane trip to Florida and stayed for 4 days. It was the perfect vacation, and in spite of my worries the travel went pretty smoothly. Here are things that really helped for my first plane trip with a baby and my recommendations for other new moms:
1. Carry your baby in a sling. You don't have to take him/her out when you go through security and it makes things easier to have your hands free. Plus, if you have one that you can nurse discretely in, it makes feeding your baby a whole lot easier.
2. Bring a jogging stroller. Ok, this worked for us because we are really active. I have the bob and it has a car seat adapter which made hauling everything to the gate a whole lot easier. Plus, once we arrived we could take walks/runs easily along the boardwalk.
3. Nurse during the plane ride. My baby is content as long as he is fed, I was able to use the sling and nurse throughout the plane ride to placate him. I also hear that it prevents their little ears from popping. People on the plane were surprised at how quite our baby was!
4. Know TSA and plane regulations for infants. You CAN bring bottles or liquid baby food over 3oz. in your carry on, most airlines allow you to check your car seat and stroller at the gate free of charge, you don't have to go through the full body scan with your baby, if you can't fit your stroller through the X-ray they can hand inspect it. Know the rules will help you be prepared and save time and trouble.
5. Invest in a pop-up bed/sun tent. I bought one by peapod and it was perfect to take on the beach or to use in the hotel as a makeshift crib, and at only 4lbs it didn't add much extra weight to my luggage.
6. Buy diapers at your destination. No sense in lugging around more than you need when most vacation destinations have grocery stores nearby where you can stock up.
Our trip was great we had tons of fun and Cyrus loved meeting the rest of my family and playing on the beach.
This was also a good trial run because we plan on going to Europe this fall to visit my husband's family. The plane ride will be 3 times as long so I am super nervous.
As for Cyrus' development, he has started rolling over. He tries to crawl but ends up inching along like an inch worm. He is also laughing and smiling more, which is great.
Yesterday we put together his walker and although he is still a little wobbly he can sort of stand up and play.
Being a mom is definitely feeling more comfortable as time goes on I look forward to the new adventures just ahead.
At least that's the saying. In my opinion, time flies even when you are not having fun... but that's another story.
Cyrus is 4 months old now and we just went on our first real vacation last weekend. We took a 2.5 hour plane trip to Florida and stayed for 4 days. It was the perfect vacation, and in spite of my worries the travel went pretty smoothly. Here are things that really helped for my first plane trip with a baby and my recommendations for other new moms:
1. Carry your baby in a sling. You don't have to take him/her out when you go through security and it makes things easier to have your hands free. Plus, if you have one that you can nurse discretely in, it makes feeding your baby a whole lot easier.
2. Bring a jogging stroller. Ok, this worked for us because we are really active. I have the bob and it has a car seat adapter which made hauling everything to the gate a whole lot easier. Plus, once we arrived we could take walks/runs easily along the boardwalk.
3. Nurse during the plane ride. My baby is content as long as he is fed, I was able to use the sling and nurse throughout the plane ride to placate him. I also hear that it prevents their little ears from popping. People on the plane were surprised at how quite our baby was!
4. Know TSA and plane regulations for infants. You CAN bring bottles or liquid baby food over 3oz. in your carry on, most airlines allow you to check your car seat and stroller at the gate free of charge, you don't have to go through the full body scan with your baby, if you can't fit your stroller through the X-ray they can hand inspect it. Know the rules will help you be prepared and save time and trouble.
5. Invest in a pop-up bed/sun tent. I bought one by peapod and it was perfect to take on the beach or to use in the hotel as a makeshift crib, and at only 4lbs it didn't add much extra weight to my luggage.
6. Buy diapers at your destination. No sense in lugging around more than you need when most vacation destinations have grocery stores nearby where you can stock up.
Our trip was great we had tons of fun and Cyrus loved meeting the rest of my family and playing on the beach.
This was also a good trial run because we plan on going to Europe this fall to visit my husband's family. The plane ride will be 3 times as long so I am super nervous.
As for Cyrus' development, he has started rolling over. He tries to crawl but ends up inching along like an inch worm. He is also laughing and smiling more, which is great.
Yesterday we put together his walker and although he is still a little wobbly he can sort of stand up and play.
Being a mom is definitely feeling more comfortable as time goes on I look forward to the new adventures just ahead.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
The princess and the pump
Cyrus is almost 3 months old and boy is he getting big! I think it was really the 2 month mark where things started to really fall into place. I felt back to my normal self, we started getting into a rough routine and Cyrus started looking more like a chubby baby and less like a little raisin. It also helped a lot that he started smiling and laughing! Now I would do anything to eke a toothless grin out of his little chubby face.
There was just one problem: I picked up a lot more hours at work. Most of the time I am a WAHM. I work from home for the construction company my husband and I own, but I also teach fitness classes a couple times a week. Fitness is my passion and I love getting out of the house and pushing others to work out hard but with a newborn things get complicated.
The first issue was finding reliable child care. My boss was kind enough to share her sitter with me one day a week and my husband takes care of the baby when I teach on the weekends but I needed to find my own child care for one afternoon when my boss doesn't use the sitter, and my husband is working. The first week I found a friend to help me out, but last week I was scrambling up to the last minute to find help and of course I didn't feel good leaving my baby with just anyone...
The other issue is that it still takes me about 30 min to get ready before I go anywhere (and that is still after I have showered, put on make up and brushed my teeth). I find myself spending my time making sure Cyrus has everything he needs: a few bottles of breast milk, a change of clothes, plenty of diapers and wipes. I also need to make sure I have snacks for myself (man, breastfeeding makes you hungry), my phone, wallet and breastfeeding cover or carrier if I need it. I also have to change Cyrus and get him settled in his car seat (which he hates) and I dread the day when he can fight to get out of it. Once I have done all that and packed up the car, my new slower driving style adds about 15 minutes to my commute so there go 45 minutes, just to get out of the house.
The biggest issue so far, however, has been pumping breast milk. In the beginning, (about 3 weeks pp) my goal was to just learn how to use the pump. I regretted not doing it sooner, since it was a lot simpler than I thought. (somehow the lactation cups and tubes looked very intimidating to me at first.) I have the Lansinoh Affinity pump and although I am glad I made the purchase, (it is about $200 less than the popular Medela pumps) I still have a love/hate relationship with it. Why?
1. Pumping is boring. You sit there for 10 minutes holding those cups to your boobs unable to do much else besides watch TV.
2. I feel like a cow. Something about seeing your nipples stretched into little plastic cones makes you feel the opposite of sexy.
3. There have been days (especially during growth spurts) where Cyrus is eating all day and I can't even pump an ounce.
4. I never know how much I am going to get. I so envy those women who have surplus milk. It's depressing when you sit there and pump for 10 minutes and only come away with an ounce of milk.
5. Inconvenient- There are only a few places I can pump and I ONLY feel comfortable pumping at home. Plus, I'm a fitness instructor. While teachers or corporate workers might be able to pump at work during breaks, I get 5 min. between each class and I am sure my clients would freak out if I had my boobies out and tried to pump while demonstrating lunges.
That being said here are the reasons I love it:
1. FREEDOM! Finally, someone else can feed the baby.
2. Although I am tempted to say "freedom" again (I mean, for a new mom that is huge) I love being able to give my son the best nutrition even when I can't be with him.
3. Sometimes it relieves engorgement quicker than my son can while nursing. After being gone for a few hours, I can usually pump two 3 oz. bottles in 10 min and still have enough milk to feed my son.
4. It helps increase my supply. By pumping at the end of every feeding, I can up my supply which helps especially during growth spurts.
I am so thankful that pumps are available, because it allows me to continue to breastfeed while still allowing me to spend time away from my baby. Still, its not that easy and I deeply respect women who pump the majority of their milk supply while at work. I have been stressing out about supply issues while pumping. I really hate being away from Cyrus for more that 3 hours since it is both uncomfortable (engorgement) and stressful (worrying about supply decrease). There was a time at about the 6 week growth spurt where I was really worried about my supply and I started to deplete my stash of frozen breast milk. I was really considering giving up on working, but after I started drinking Mother's Milk tea and pumping more often, my supply was up again and I am glad I have stuck with breastfeeding and working.
The time I spend away from my son, teaching fitness classes allows me to have a mental break. I always feel that I return to him with more focus and love. I think that being able to do what I love grounds me and being able to spend some time away from my son allows me to appreciate the time we have together more.
There was just one problem: I picked up a lot more hours at work. Most of the time I am a WAHM. I work from home for the construction company my husband and I own, but I also teach fitness classes a couple times a week. Fitness is my passion and I love getting out of the house and pushing others to work out hard but with a newborn things get complicated.
The first issue was finding reliable child care. My boss was kind enough to share her sitter with me one day a week and my husband takes care of the baby when I teach on the weekends but I needed to find my own child care for one afternoon when my boss doesn't use the sitter, and my husband is working. The first week I found a friend to help me out, but last week I was scrambling up to the last minute to find help and of course I didn't feel good leaving my baby with just anyone...
The other issue is that it still takes me about 30 min to get ready before I go anywhere (and that is still after I have showered, put on make up and brushed my teeth). I find myself spending my time making sure Cyrus has everything he needs: a few bottles of breast milk, a change of clothes, plenty of diapers and wipes. I also need to make sure I have snacks for myself (man, breastfeeding makes you hungry), my phone, wallet and breastfeeding cover or carrier if I need it. I also have to change Cyrus and get him settled in his car seat (which he hates) and I dread the day when he can fight to get out of it. Once I have done all that and packed up the car, my new slower driving style adds about 15 minutes to my commute so there go 45 minutes, just to get out of the house.
The biggest issue so far, however, has been pumping breast milk. In the beginning, (about 3 weeks pp) my goal was to just learn how to use the pump. I regretted not doing it sooner, since it was a lot simpler than I thought. (somehow the lactation cups and tubes looked very intimidating to me at first.) I have the Lansinoh Affinity pump and although I am glad I made the purchase, (it is about $200 less than the popular Medela pumps) I still have a love/hate relationship with it. Why?
1. Pumping is boring. You sit there for 10 minutes holding those cups to your boobs unable to do much else besides watch TV.
2. I feel like a cow. Something about seeing your nipples stretched into little plastic cones makes you feel the opposite of sexy.
3. There have been days (especially during growth spurts) where Cyrus is eating all day and I can't even pump an ounce.
4. I never know how much I am going to get. I so envy those women who have surplus milk. It's depressing when you sit there and pump for 10 minutes and only come away with an ounce of milk.
5. Inconvenient- There are only a few places I can pump and I ONLY feel comfortable pumping at home. Plus, I'm a fitness instructor. While teachers or corporate workers might be able to pump at work during breaks, I get 5 min. between each class and I am sure my clients would freak out if I had my boobies out and tried to pump while demonstrating lunges.
That being said here are the reasons I love it:
1. FREEDOM! Finally, someone else can feed the baby.
2. Although I am tempted to say "freedom" again (I mean, for a new mom that is huge) I love being able to give my son the best nutrition even when I can't be with him.
3. Sometimes it relieves engorgement quicker than my son can while nursing. After being gone for a few hours, I can usually pump two 3 oz. bottles in 10 min and still have enough milk to feed my son.
4. It helps increase my supply. By pumping at the end of every feeding, I can up my supply which helps especially during growth spurts.
I am so thankful that pumps are available, because it allows me to continue to breastfeed while still allowing me to spend time away from my baby. Still, its not that easy and I deeply respect women who pump the majority of their milk supply while at work. I have been stressing out about supply issues while pumping. I really hate being away from Cyrus for more that 3 hours since it is both uncomfortable (engorgement) and stressful (worrying about supply decrease). There was a time at about the 6 week growth spurt where I was really worried about my supply and I started to deplete my stash of frozen breast milk. I was really considering giving up on working, but after I started drinking Mother's Milk tea and pumping more often, my supply was up again and I am glad I have stuck with breastfeeding and working.
The time I spend away from my son, teaching fitness classes allows me to have a mental break. I always feel that I return to him with more focus and love. I think that being able to do what I love grounds me and being able to spend some time away from my son allows me to appreciate the time we have together more.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
I can't believe he's getting so big!
Cyrus is already 5 weeks and 2 days old and I can't believe it. Sometimes I look at him and I think that he is getting so big (at his 1 month doctor's appointment he had gained 2 lb. 6 oz. since birth and 2 inches) but then when I look at him in pictures he still looks so small. I am so torn. I want to hold onto these days where he is still so little and dependent but at the same time I can't wait until he is smiling and crawling and talking. The song "Never Grow Up" by Taylor Swift made me cry again this morning as I danced around the dining room holding him.
Cyrus has grown and changed too. At 5 weeks he is awake longer leaving me less time to catch up on work and chores since anytime he is awake he pretty much wants to eat. I know its a hackney joke by my Breast Friend Pillow has literally become my best friend. I think he is going through another growth spurt now too because I was able to get him to sleep most of the night for a couple of days but now he is back to waking up every 2 hours to be fed. Oh well... no sleep for me.
Besides the sleep issues we also battled a mild case of cradle cap. I was sort of horrified to see that in addition to losing his hair on the top of his head (looking like an old bald man) he also had what looked like dandruff in the same spot. Luckily, after searching online I found a method that worked and cleared it up for the most part. Here's what I did:
Apply baby oil to the flaky area and let it soak in for an hour or two.
Brush the area with a soft bristle baby brush until most of the flakes are off
In the bath make a paste with baking soda and put it on the area.
Wash it off then wash with regular baby shampoo.
After 2 days of doing this his cradle cap is pretty much gone.
Ok now that I have gone over the bad I have to let you know that there are some rays of sunshine in his development. He has started to smile socially a little bit. It is so sweet especially when his dad tickles him and he smiles showing his two little dimples. It doesn't happen often but when it does it is sooooo sweet. He also calms down a lot when you look him in the eyes and he gives you a big-eyed fascinated stare. So adorable! And despite the fact that he hasn't been sleeping for the past 2 nights because of what I think is a growth spurt, after I implemented a bedtime routine (bath, story, music and meal) he has been sleeping a lot better.
Being a new mom is a lot of work because its a pretty much 24/7 job and you don't know what to expect. It's basically trial by fire and everyone's baby is different so no matter how much advice your awesome mom friend with 6 perfectly behaved kids gives you, it might not work for you.
My C-Section scar is healing a lot better now. I am so glad I got the silicone sheets but I only wish that I had started the antibiotic ointment earlier so hopefully the wound would have healed faster. At about 4 weeks PP, I was feeling pretty good (not like I was going to break in half if I walked to fast) so I tried to do some exercise on my elliptical trainer and it felt fine. I have been going for about 30-40 min on the elliptical for the past week. I'm not sure if it is making a difference in my physique. I still have a stubborn small pouch of fat right near my belly button that frustrates me. So basically, besides the lack of sleep I feel great. I have been trying to get out of the house at least once a day so I don't lose my mind.
Things are starting to fall into a rythym but I am about to shake things up by going back to teach pilates this Sunday. Besides being nervous about leaving Cyrus for 3 hours (the longest time ever), I am nervous to go back to teaching, my confidence is waning a little bit. We'll see how it goes...
Cyrus has grown and changed too. At 5 weeks he is awake longer leaving me less time to catch up on work and chores since anytime he is awake he pretty much wants to eat. I know its a hackney joke by my Breast Friend Pillow has literally become my best friend. I think he is going through another growth spurt now too because I was able to get him to sleep most of the night for a couple of days but now he is back to waking up every 2 hours to be fed. Oh well... no sleep for me.
Besides the sleep issues we also battled a mild case of cradle cap. I was sort of horrified to see that in addition to losing his hair on the top of his head (looking like an old bald man) he also had what looked like dandruff in the same spot. Luckily, after searching online I found a method that worked and cleared it up for the most part. Here's what I did:
Apply baby oil to the flaky area and let it soak in for an hour or two.
Brush the area with a soft bristle baby brush until most of the flakes are off
In the bath make a paste with baking soda and put it on the area.
Wash it off then wash with regular baby shampoo.
After 2 days of doing this his cradle cap is pretty much gone.
Ok now that I have gone over the bad I have to let you know that there are some rays of sunshine in his development. He has started to smile socially a little bit. It is so sweet especially when his dad tickles him and he smiles showing his two little dimples. It doesn't happen often but when it does it is sooooo sweet. He also calms down a lot when you look him in the eyes and he gives you a big-eyed fascinated stare. So adorable! And despite the fact that he hasn't been sleeping for the past 2 nights because of what I think is a growth spurt, after I implemented a bedtime routine (bath, story, music and meal) he has been sleeping a lot better.
Being a new mom is a lot of work because its a pretty much 24/7 job and you don't know what to expect. It's basically trial by fire and everyone's baby is different so no matter how much advice your awesome mom friend with 6 perfectly behaved kids gives you, it might not work for you.
My C-Section scar is healing a lot better now. I am so glad I got the silicone sheets but I only wish that I had started the antibiotic ointment earlier so hopefully the wound would have healed faster. At about 4 weeks PP, I was feeling pretty good (not like I was going to break in half if I walked to fast) so I tried to do some exercise on my elliptical trainer and it felt fine. I have been going for about 30-40 min on the elliptical for the past week. I'm not sure if it is making a difference in my physique. I still have a stubborn small pouch of fat right near my belly button that frustrates me. So basically, besides the lack of sleep I feel great. I have been trying to get out of the house at least once a day so I don't lose my mind.
Things are starting to fall into a rythym but I am about to shake things up by going back to teach pilates this Sunday. Besides being nervous about leaving Cyrus for 3 hours (the longest time ever), I am nervous to go back to teaching, my confidence is waning a little bit. We'll see how it goes...
Sunday, February 26, 2012
2 weeks pp
So he's 2 weeks old already and I cant believe it! Counting down the weeks to his due date time seemed to drag by. Now, I feel sad when I think he is growing up so quickly-- I know, its probably just pregnancy hormones and he's not REALLY growing up that quickly. I mean, he's still a newborn that pretty much just sleeps, eats and goes to the bathroom all day, but still, I heard the song "never grow up" by Taylor Swift yesterday and it set me off balling.
I've started to settle more into a routine this week and I've even been out of the house on my own (with the baby of course). Still, nights like last night where he is up every hour demanding to be fed totally throw me off and leave me exhausted, questioning if breast feeding is really what I want to do. I also never seem to be able to get my day going until after 12 and sometimes not until after 2.
This is how my mornings usually go: wake up at 6:30 am. Change and feed Cy. 7:15 eat my own breakfast. 8:00 feed and change Cy again. 9:00-11:00 clean up the house, take a shower get dressed. 11:00 feed and change Cy again. And there you have it, it's 12:00 and I'm just getting started.
A few things have really helped: my ring sling. The ring sling lets me get stuff done around the house and simultaneously puts Cy to sleep (while he's in it at least, as soon as I take him out he wakes up). I tried to breast feed in the sling but it was not very successful since he kept falling off the boob. The my brest friend pillow is also awesome. It doesn't really stay up on me but it at least gives me some support so I can feed him with one hand and do something else (like type) with the other.
How has Cy changed? Well, he has more periods of quiet alertness, where he is awake and not crying. He also eats more: 2 or 3 boobs at a time as opposed to just one. He's also gained a ton of weight. I was so worried since he still hadn't reached his birth weight at the first pediatrician visit (5 days pp). Well, at his 2 week visit he had gained 10.5 ounces since birth, and he grew 1/2 inch! This gave me a lot more confidence in my breast feeding since my husband thinks that when Cy is fussy it is because my milk is not enough. He is always trying to encourage me to let him give Cy a bottle. FRUSTRATING!!! I am dedicated to breast feeding especially since I attended LLL meetings for 5 months before giving birth. Sometimes I feel like giving in to him but I am determined to breast feed at least for 6 months.
Baby love! Cy is so cute sometimes I just want to eat him up. I can't wait until he smiles at me because right now when I tickle him he just gets fussy :)
Changes in me? Well about 4 days ago my incision started leaking a small, small amount of yellow fluid. I, of course, freaked out and thought it was infected after searching my symptoms online. I just had a doctor's appointment on Friday and my OB assured me that it was not infected and the fluid is coming from to little pin hole openings which is fine. Still, I don't want to take chances so I have been cleaning it with hydrogen peroxide and slathering on antibiotic ointment before covering it with surgical pads. It still hurts and its still leaking a little bit.
As far as activities, I have been a lot more mobile. I can walk a little faster and a little further but I have started taking it a little easier after my infection scare. Locchia is still happening (gross) but it comes in spurts usually when I go to the bathroom. I think my uterus is pretty much back to normal because my waist looks a lot better but I still have a little donut of fat right around my belly button. I bought a shaper to try to shrink my waist a little more and just assumed I would be an XS since my usual waist size is 25" and I wear a 0-2. When the shaper arrived I though it was missing a part because I couldn't even get it all the way around my waist! Ugh I was devastated. I went to measure my waist and now it is 29" so I should have ordered a small.... Ugh. Oh well, small problems.
I also have been experiencing night sweats. I wake up completely drenched and freezing and need to change my clothes to feed Cy in the middle of the night. It leaves me feeling disgusting in the morning because I am drenched in sweat and leaky milk, plus I look like a mess from waking up half a dozen times to take care of Cy. Sleep deprivation is still an issue and leaves me in a zoned out state pretty often, barely able to function. Usually I start to wake up by 12 and then get exhausted again at 4pm.
Well, no one said having a baby would be easy. I am taking my friends' advice and taking it one day at a time. It is reassuring to know that I am not the only one with these problems. I love my baby I am just trying to get adjusted to my new life.
I've started to settle more into a routine this week and I've even been out of the house on my own (with the baby of course). Still, nights like last night where he is up every hour demanding to be fed totally throw me off and leave me exhausted, questioning if breast feeding is really what I want to do. I also never seem to be able to get my day going until after 12 and sometimes not until after 2.
This is how my mornings usually go: wake up at 6:30 am. Change and feed Cy. 7:15 eat my own breakfast. 8:00 feed and change Cy again. 9:00-11:00 clean up the house, take a shower get dressed. 11:00 feed and change Cy again. And there you have it, it's 12:00 and I'm just getting started.
A few things have really helped: my ring sling. The ring sling lets me get stuff done around the house and simultaneously puts Cy to sleep (while he's in it at least, as soon as I take him out he wakes up). I tried to breast feed in the sling but it was not very successful since he kept falling off the boob. The my brest friend pillow is also awesome. It doesn't really stay up on me but it at least gives me some support so I can feed him with one hand and do something else (like type) with the other.
How has Cy changed? Well, he has more periods of quiet alertness, where he is awake and not crying. He also eats more: 2 or 3 boobs at a time as opposed to just one. He's also gained a ton of weight. I was so worried since he still hadn't reached his birth weight at the first pediatrician visit (5 days pp). Well, at his 2 week visit he had gained 10.5 ounces since birth, and he grew 1/2 inch! This gave me a lot more confidence in my breast feeding since my husband thinks that when Cy is fussy it is because my milk is not enough. He is always trying to encourage me to let him give Cy a bottle. FRUSTRATING!!! I am dedicated to breast feeding especially since I attended LLL meetings for 5 months before giving birth. Sometimes I feel like giving in to him but I am determined to breast feed at least for 6 months.
Baby love! Cy is so cute sometimes I just want to eat him up. I can't wait until he smiles at me because right now when I tickle him he just gets fussy :)
Changes in me? Well about 4 days ago my incision started leaking a small, small amount of yellow fluid. I, of course, freaked out and thought it was infected after searching my symptoms online. I just had a doctor's appointment on Friday and my OB assured me that it was not infected and the fluid is coming from to little pin hole openings which is fine. Still, I don't want to take chances so I have been cleaning it with hydrogen peroxide and slathering on antibiotic ointment before covering it with surgical pads. It still hurts and its still leaking a little bit.
As far as activities, I have been a lot more mobile. I can walk a little faster and a little further but I have started taking it a little easier after my infection scare. Locchia is still happening (gross) but it comes in spurts usually when I go to the bathroom. I think my uterus is pretty much back to normal because my waist looks a lot better but I still have a little donut of fat right around my belly button. I bought a shaper to try to shrink my waist a little more and just assumed I would be an XS since my usual waist size is 25" and I wear a 0-2. When the shaper arrived I though it was missing a part because I couldn't even get it all the way around my waist! Ugh I was devastated. I went to measure my waist and now it is 29" so I should have ordered a small.... Ugh. Oh well, small problems.
I also have been experiencing night sweats. I wake up completely drenched and freezing and need to change my clothes to feed Cy in the middle of the night. It leaves me feeling disgusting in the morning because I am drenched in sweat and leaky milk, plus I look like a mess from waking up half a dozen times to take care of Cy. Sleep deprivation is still an issue and leaves me in a zoned out state pretty often, barely able to function. Usually I start to wake up by 12 and then get exhausted again at 4pm.
Well, no one said having a baby would be easy. I am taking my friends' advice and taking it one day at a time. It is reassuring to know that I am not the only one with these problems. I love my baby I am just trying to get adjusted to my new life.
Friday, February 17, 2012
1 week post C
Ok, so it's been 1 week since my c-section and for the most part I am doing a lot better. I actually swept and swiffered the ground floor today, and while it did bother my incision a little, I felt like I was going to go crazy if I spent anymore time in bed nursing.
So far, being a mom has meant a mix of emotions. There is the unconditional love that is unlike anything else. Then there are the fluctuating hormones that make me cry at the drop of a hat. Add to that the lack of sleep and fact that I still can't drive and I've had my fair share of the baby blues.
It's really hard to go from being super active to being super sedentary, limited to creeping around the house favoring my incision.
Since the surgery, my incision has stopped bleeding and looks almost invisible-- I hope it stays that way. I no longer need the pain meds although I did take an ibuprofen when I started to feel sore after cleaning the house. I am more mobile but still not feeling like exercising at ALL-- that is SO not me. I usually love to workout. My back and arms are sore but mostly from caring for my baby or falling asleep with him in my arms while nursing. I am thinking about trying the breast friend pillow to help with that.
I have also been wearing a hip and abdominal binder close to non-stop which has helped with back support and shrinking my hips. Right now my stomach has gotten a lot more flat but my whole abdomen area looks different. My belly button (which had turned into an outie during pregnancy) Looks stretched out and like a half innie/ half outie. I also still have the linea nigra and a little donut of puff around my belly button. I am curious to see how these will change in the coming weeks.
One thing is for sure, being a mom is hard and exhausting but I am thrilled to have my little one. He is such a good baby and I love him more than words can express.
So far, being a mom has meant a mix of emotions. There is the unconditional love that is unlike anything else. Then there are the fluctuating hormones that make me cry at the drop of a hat. Add to that the lack of sleep and fact that I still can't drive and I've had my fair share of the baby blues.
It's really hard to go from being super active to being super sedentary, limited to creeping around the house favoring my incision.
Since the surgery, my incision has stopped bleeding and looks almost invisible-- I hope it stays that way. I no longer need the pain meds although I did take an ibuprofen when I started to feel sore after cleaning the house. I am more mobile but still not feeling like exercising at ALL-- that is SO not me. I usually love to workout. My back and arms are sore but mostly from caring for my baby or falling asleep with him in my arms while nursing. I am thinking about trying the breast friend pillow to help with that.
I have also been wearing a hip and abdominal binder close to non-stop which has helped with back support and shrinking my hips. Right now my stomach has gotten a lot more flat but my whole abdomen area looks different. My belly button (which had turned into an outie during pregnancy) Looks stretched out and like a half innie/ half outie. I also still have the linea nigra and a little donut of puff around my belly button. I am curious to see how these will change in the coming weeks.
One thing is for sure, being a mom is hard and exhausting but I am thrilled to have my little one. He is such a good baby and I love him more than words can express.
Monday, September 12, 2011
18 Weeks
So I am 18 weeks pregnant with my first baby. I am so excited for all the things that come along with being a mommy but of course I am also experiencing tons of other emotions thanks to raging hormones and of course everyday life.
A little bit about me: I am 24 I have been married for one and a half years to the love of my life. We just bought a house in the suburbs of DC where we own a landscaping and construction company. The pregnancy was a complete surprise but we are both happy about it now. I found out that we were expecting right after we got back from my husband's 30th birthday trip to Jamaica. I had been anticipating my period for the entire trip but when my sore boobs worsened and I still hadn't used a tampon, I decided to take a test. The moment we got back, around midnight, I drove to the 24hour pharmacy, bought 1 test and took it at home without my husband knowing. The result: a faint positive. After checking google I confirmed that this meant I was pregnant. I still took another digital test the next day (the kind that says "pregnant" or "not pregnant") just to be sure.
First trimester was ok. I never had full blown morning sickness-- only occasional nausea and of course I was super tired. I took naps almost everyday at 3:00. I am also used to being a very thin person since I am super athletic and teach pilates on the weekends, so when my belly started growing at week 10 and no longer able to wear my normal clothes at week 12 disturbed me. I have also had horrendous acne breakouts, which proactiv has helped a bit.
But it will all be worth it right? When I hold my little bundle of joy I will forget all about the cellulite, pizza face and nausea, right? Well I hope so.
Right now I am really excited to find out the sex of the baby this Thursday. It feels like Christmas morning. I am pretty convinced that I am having a boy since I have been voraciously hungry, craving mostly salty food and since I am carrying out front but who knows... Really I just want a healthy happy baby :)
That's all for now
A little bit about me: I am 24 I have been married for one and a half years to the love of my life. We just bought a house in the suburbs of DC where we own a landscaping and construction company. The pregnancy was a complete surprise but we are both happy about it now. I found out that we were expecting right after we got back from my husband's 30th birthday trip to Jamaica. I had been anticipating my period for the entire trip but when my sore boobs worsened and I still hadn't used a tampon, I decided to take a test. The moment we got back, around midnight, I drove to the 24hour pharmacy, bought 1 test and took it at home without my husband knowing. The result: a faint positive. After checking google I confirmed that this meant I was pregnant. I still took another digital test the next day (the kind that says "pregnant" or "not pregnant") just to be sure.
First trimester was ok. I never had full blown morning sickness-- only occasional nausea and of course I was super tired. I took naps almost everyday at 3:00. I am also used to being a very thin person since I am super athletic and teach pilates on the weekends, so when my belly started growing at week 10 and no longer able to wear my normal clothes at week 12 disturbed me. I have also had horrendous acne breakouts, which proactiv has helped a bit.
But it will all be worth it right? When I hold my little bundle of joy I will forget all about the cellulite, pizza face and nausea, right? Well I hope so.
Right now I am really excited to find out the sex of the baby this Thursday. It feels like Christmas morning. I am pretty convinced that I am having a boy since I have been voraciously hungry, craving mostly salty food and since I am carrying out front but who knows... Really I just want a healthy happy baby :)
That's all for now
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