Caroline is 4 weeks old today and I've been very busy adjusting to like as a SAHM (Stay At Home Mom).
Feeding: Breastfeeding got off to a rough start and we had to visit a lactation consultant in the first week and even had to give her a bit of formula back then. That got me emotionally because I read info about formula messing up the balance in an infant's intestinal track, but things are much better now and we're working on mastering feedings in semi-public places (Chuck's office at work, a dressing room at the mall, the Mother's Room at Babies R Us and the hospitality room at church on Easter Sunday). I feel like I'm still waiting for her to make it easy on me, but she is improving and despite some significant weight loss in her first week, she is growing and gaining rapidly now. (I'll know by how much after tomorrow when we go in for her 1 month pediatrician's appointment).
Sleep: You take the good with the bad - we've had few bad nights, but lately they've been better. Chuck and I spent the first 2 weeks sleeping in shifts with the baby spending more time sleeping in our arms while we dozed on the futon than anywhere else. Lately she has taken to going about 4 hours between feeds at night, which gives me a couple of hours at a time. Chuck takes charge of comforting and diaper changing up until midnight and after 5am, so he is guaranteed 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night when he has to go to work the next day. It seems to work and I get a couple of hours of extra sleep and often a shower while he gets up with her and gets ready for work.
Me: The baby blues hit me hard in my first few weeks with some very serious emotional outbursts (crying hysterically)accompanied by the fatigue of adjusting to life with an infant. Chuck has been wonderfully supportive, but my hormones really took a hit, and I was so amazed at how much it took out of me, how much I didn't know and I was terrified of being alone with her for days on end. We did fine, once it happened, and while I have attempted to get out of the house with her each day and we've remained very busy, my hormones seem to be leveling off.
Physically: I had some 2nd degree tearing and about 16 stitches, and some severe hemorrhoids due to the labor. It took me more than 10 days to be able to sit down without wincing, but things are getting better and I'm feeling much more human at 4 weeks post-partum.
2 comments:
so sorry the first month has been so hard.... we can relate to the feeding problems.... it felt like it would never get easier and here we are- almost a year later with it second nature... the first month is BY FAR the worst and you'll be able to enjoy motherhood a LOT more from now on i'm sure.... we're continuing to pray for you! keep us updated!
we're so excited you updated the blog!!
I'm so excited to see an update!! I've been checking just in case. Glad to hear things are looking up. It is hard at first and before you know it, you'll be right in the swing of things. Don't let it get you down. Sounds like you are doing great! I never did adjust to feeding in public (or semi public). It made me too nervous. I'd rather run home and feed him here then go back out. crazy huh??? oh well! Keep updating!!
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