However, here we are at two weeks (yesterday, anyway)! Things are going okay. We're all still adjusting to our new life and new roles. I won't lie, it's been pretty rough but everyone says the first few weeks are the worst and I believe them. Hopefully soon things will begin to slow down and we'll start seeing a bit of pattern or routine emerging.
Charlotte seems to be doing very well. She's getting bigger and bigger right before my eyes! She left the hospital weighing 6lbs 7oz and was up to 6lbs 13oz just six days later so she's definitely growing well! I imagine she's probably back up to her birth weight now, if not really close to it.
"So my diapers are still a little big on me, so what? Wanna make somethin' of it?"
She sleeps for good stretches throughout the day and (usually) at night. Last night she slept from 11:30pm until 7am when I finally decided enough was enough and roused her to eat. Her naps during the day are usually a good couple of hours. We are able to put her down when she's sleeping which is very helpful - she's happy sleeping in her swing, her bouncy seat, and laying on her play mat. Sleeping in her cradle at night takes a little longer for her to settle into for some reason, but we always manage to (finally) get there even if it takes what seems like forever.
Eating is not going as smoothly as sleeping. We've been having lots of breastfeeding issues that we're trying hard to work through. Right now I'm having a really hard time with it and I'm looking forward to the day that it stops feeling like a horrible chore and starts becoming that enjoyable experience that everyone says it is.
She's generally a pretty content baby. She gets gassy and then gets really upset about it, but aside from that, she's pretty happy. She still gets the hiccups all the time and I'm happy that they're now happening outside my body. She loves her play mat and likes watching the lights and listening to the music. She likes when we sing to her and is starting to focus her eyes more and more. She grasps our fingers and even grabbed and held onto a toy the other day. She's very strong and will hold her head up for short periods of time, especially if we're holding her upright on our chests. She loves to look over our shoulders to see what is going on. She doesn't protest much to tummy time at all. She usually just ends up turning her head sideways so she can lay on her tummy and still see what's going on.
As for me, I'm doing okay. Adjusting has been really hard and I still have moments where I wonder what on earth I've gotten myself into. It's also overwhelming to have Boyd away during this time. I've been so lucky to have both my mom and Boyd's mom here to help me, but it's still hard because there's no real sense of routine yet and we all know how I feel about routine. I know it'll all come in time, but it's hard to remember that in the moment when you're exhausted and the baby is screaming to eat when she just ate twenty minutes ago and you don't want her attached to your boob for another hour because you just want to go soak your stitched up bottom in a hot bath. But anyway... like I said, I know it'll all come in time.
Physically, I'm feeling much better this week. I'm not taking any more pain medication on a daily basis and I can walk around for longer periods of time without getting sore. I think my episiotomy is healing well but I certainly don't have the courage to look. I'm not bleeding as much anymore and getting up and down isn't difficult. I've lost almost all my pregnancy weight - down from 145 to 119 - and the belly is quickly disappearing. It's really weird to see myself skinny again! It feels like it's been forever. It almost doesn't look natural because I'm just so used to seeing myself with a thick middle for so long.
We have our 3 week check-up on November 2nd so we'll see what news we have then!
"I love my turtle because we look alike!"
Mips!! That 2nd picture from the top... "rocker baby is throwin' up the horns!"
ReplyDeleteTake care!!