Monday, January 5, 2009

1 Week Later...

From The First Week of Life


I can't believe my baby is already 1 whole week old!

Michael is more amazing than I ever could have imagined, and the daddy and I spend a great deal of time baby gazing, holed up back in our bedroom. Who needs the outside world anyway? I've got a baby to stare at!

Before I forget, I'd like to say a few things:

1. I will never EVER even remotely judge a women and her decision to breast feed/pump/formula feed ever ever ever again. Not that I actually really ever did this (in a critical way) but seriously. Never again. I never considered that baby's lunch might be coming from somewhere besides me, but it is appearing that will be my reality. I'm still fighting the good fight, but I've come to terms (after many many tears) that little dude hates to latch and my pumping supply can only go on for so long.

2. Newborns cry about everything like they are on fire. Mike cries with the same intensity whether it is because he is cold, has a dirty diaper, is hungry, or just needs to be comforted. When he cries he snorts, and that is just too adorable for words and is it wrong that I can't stop laughing when my baby cries?

3. C-Sections aren't as terrible as I thought they would be. It has been a week and I'm "mostly" ok. It still stings a little bit when I stand up or sit down too fast, but I've heard that recovering from an episiotomy can be much worse.

4. Friends and family are awesome to have around when you have a baby, especially when after a c-section. Husband and I haven't had to cook for ourselves since we got home from the hospital between my mother-in-law and my best friend Val. Everyone was great, and it helped us adjust to "life with a baby" much more easily.

5. I feel bad for husbands. Seriously. All the nurses at the hospital treated the husband like a jerk for no apparent reason, especially since he pretty much exclusively took care of the baby for the first 24-48 hours of his life (that part where I could barely walk, much less get out of bed to change a diaper). In fact, the only thing I did during that part of his life was have 8 nurses and 3 lactation consultants feeling me up and telling me how inadequate my breasts are for the purposes of nursing a child.

The treatment of husband extended outside the hospital to the home, as well (to a lesser extent). He was getting up at night to take care of baby and getting just as little sleep as me, yet he was expected to get crap taken care of while I was urged to just put my feet up. Wait a sec - he is tired, too! Doesn't husband deserve someone to bring him a drink? No? *sigh*

6. It is interesting living my life in 3 hour bursts. Ok - Change the baby, feed the baby, cuddle the baby, and now I've got three hours until I have to do it all over again. Wonder what I can get accomplished? So far - not much. I've only made it into the computer room a couple times even. I'm sure this will get better. Maybe.

Finally, baby had his 1 week Pediatrician visit today. He's doing great and the doc advised she doesn't need to see us until the 1 month visit. Hooray!

4 comments:

  1. I'm so with you on all that. For whatever reason my "equipment" didn't work when it came to my daughter latching on, but as for Cohen, he could. However, I was just not comfortable with the need for whipping out my boob during on demand feedings. As for the crying like they are on fire, my daughter definitely did that, but Cohen just sort of squawks and alerts us and basically chills out. Maybe it's just that we were prepared for it, that might be all it is. I'm sure he has you beaming with pride, I know that my kids do. Just wait till he can talk though, and trust me, you'll have to watch every little thing you say. My daughter overheard my husband and I talking about how his sister acts like the new baby is her play toy and Stella was worried that her aunt thought she was going to play with him like he was a little toy and she was very concerned. Shut my mouth!

    ReplyDelete
  2. OK, Kerith...

    How are YOU doing? YOU, I'm screaming?

    Are you weepy? Still hurting? Exhausted? I was all 3 at 1 week post delivery. And it's OK.

    Well then.
    Go rest. Then cuddle Michael. And kiss your husband. And go rest some more. Those are orders, girl.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Enjoy this time of nothing to do in those three hours...or having someone there to help do what needs to be done. It's amazing how time seems to disappear.

    And enjoy just baby staring. Take lots of pics! And maybe bring the hubby a drink. They do deserve a lot for what all they do :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for all the wonderful advice, ladies. The schedule is a little exhausting, but totally worth it. I'm trying not to get worked up on all the stuff I can't do, and keep focusing on all the wonderful things that I CAN do, like kiss baby toes!

    Also, I'm trying extra hard to make sure the husband gets cuddles, too. I don't want him to feel neglected, and even though he'd never say it, I know that if I were a husband I might start to get a little cranky that this new guy who's been in my life for 11 days is getting so much attention!

    ReplyDelete