I feel like most every post I do should contain this warning, but oh well, you've been advised.
Sooo . . . file this under things that really, really freaking hurt:
When you're five and a half-ish weeks into breastfeeding, your baby has a sucky latch (pun intended), and your nipples hurt so freaking bad, and then, you go to close up your nursing tank top (awesome invention, btw), and your hand slips, and the little plastic connecter piece whips back and slaps your (exceedingly sore and tender) nipple with what feels like freaking warp speed.
OMFG. It almost brought tears to my eyes.
I've said it before, God bless Lansinoh gel soothies and the sister-in-law who sent them to me. And 800 mg motrin. (Hat tip, Doctor Jones!)
Monday, May 2, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Please don't stop reading . . .
I promise I'll get better at updating in a more timely manner. Babies are very demanding. More than I ever could have imagined.
My days, though not nearly as routine as this description will suggest, go something like this:
6:30 a.m. C is pretty much awake for the day. Yells from his bassinet by way of alarm. Needs to eat. Wants diaper changed. I whine (to myself), haul my carcass from the bed, and change his diaper. Then I lay back in bed on my side, and attempt to feed C and get a couple more winks. Don't judge me for catching some zzz's with the baby in the bed. You do what you have to when you're incredibly sleep deprived. Most times, he's agreeable to some side-lying nursing, but on days that he is not, C and I get up so Sean can sleep a little longer.
7:30 a.m. C wants to eat again. This is an hourly thing some mornings. Yeah, I don't get much done these days.
8-10:30 a.m. C is more or less awake during this time these days. So, I usually plop him in his little newborn lounger while I have breakfast and throw his diapers in the washing machine. I like to narrate my activities to C while I do them. To be a fly on the wall, I probably sound like a crazy lady. Oh well.
Around 10:30, it's time for C's morning siesta. His naps vary in length, but if I'm lucky, he'll sleep til noon or so. I try and grab a shower and finish the laundry during this time.
At lunch time, Sean usually comes home, and I feed C. Then C will be alert for a while after he eats.
In the afternoon, I load C into his stroller and leash up Madame Phineas and go for a walkabout around the neighborhood for an hour or so. C sometimes sleeps the whole time. Other time, he shrieks, and I feel like a siren walking down the sidewalk. Sigh.
The evenings are often the most stressful for me. C gets really fussy. I'm not sure it rises to the level of colic, but he sure likes to shriek. Sometimes he's gassy, but mostly, it's like he can't get himself to sleep in the early evening, and he's positively inconsolable. Nothing makes him happy. And then, he'll finally fall asleep. Sometimes mid-shriek. It's bizarre.
Sometimes in the evening, I like to give C a bath with some lavendar essential oil in the water to soothe him. Sometimes, he likes it; other times, not so much. It's a crap shoot. The bath does seem to help him fall asleep more easily. He also seems to like his little baby massage I give him after his bath.
Around 8, he's usually out for the evening, and his first stretch of sleep is usually the longest. As a result, I've been going to bed really early as well so I can take advantage of 4 straight hours of sleep in a row.
He's up around 12 usually for a feeding and diaper change. Then again around 2 or 3, then again around 4 or 5. Then it all starts again at 6:30 a.m. When I write out what I do all day, it really doesn't seem like all that much, and yet, I find I am always behind the eight ball with straightening up the house and doing laundry (that isn't C's diapers).
Well, this was certainly a boring post. I promise to liven it up next time and regale you all with a more exciting tale.
My days, though not nearly as routine as this description will suggest, go something like this:
6:30 a.m. C is pretty much awake for the day. Yells from his bassinet by way of alarm. Needs to eat. Wants diaper changed. I whine (to myself), haul my carcass from the bed, and change his diaper. Then I lay back in bed on my side, and attempt to feed C and get a couple more winks. Don't judge me for catching some zzz's with the baby in the bed. You do what you have to when you're incredibly sleep deprived. Most times, he's agreeable to some side-lying nursing, but on days that he is not, C and I get up so Sean can sleep a little longer.
7:30 a.m. C wants to eat again. This is an hourly thing some mornings. Yeah, I don't get much done these days.
8-10:30 a.m. C is more or less awake during this time these days. So, I usually plop him in his little newborn lounger while I have breakfast and throw his diapers in the washing machine. I like to narrate my activities to C while I do them. To be a fly on the wall, I probably sound like a crazy lady. Oh well.
Around 10:30, it's time for C's morning siesta. His naps vary in length, but if I'm lucky, he'll sleep til noon or so. I try and grab a shower and finish the laundry during this time.
At lunch time, Sean usually comes home, and I feed C. Then C will be alert for a while after he eats.
In the afternoon, I load C into his stroller and leash up Madame Phineas and go for a walkabout around the neighborhood for an hour or so. C sometimes sleeps the whole time. Other time, he shrieks, and I feel like a siren walking down the sidewalk. Sigh.
The evenings are often the most stressful for me. C gets really fussy. I'm not sure it rises to the level of colic, but he sure likes to shriek. Sometimes he's gassy, but mostly, it's like he can't get himself to sleep in the early evening, and he's positively inconsolable. Nothing makes him happy. And then, he'll finally fall asleep. Sometimes mid-shriek. It's bizarre.
Sometimes in the evening, I like to give C a bath with some lavendar essential oil in the water to soothe him. Sometimes, he likes it; other times, not so much. It's a crap shoot. The bath does seem to help him fall asleep more easily. He also seems to like his little baby massage I give him after his bath.
Around 8, he's usually out for the evening, and his first stretch of sleep is usually the longest. As a result, I've been going to bed really early as well so I can take advantage of 4 straight hours of sleep in a row.
He's up around 12 usually for a feeding and diaper change. Then again around 2 or 3, then again around 4 or 5. Then it all starts again at 6:30 a.m. When I write out what I do all day, it really doesn't seem like all that much, and yet, I find I am always behind the eight ball with straightening up the house and doing laundry (that isn't C's diapers).
Well, this was certainly a boring post. I promise to liven it up next time and regale you all with a more exciting tale.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
cloth diaper review
Well, lots of you know that I am using cloth diapers with Christopher. We started with disposables though because (a) I couldn't decide which cloth diapers to buy; (b) before you even enter parenthood, the diaper companies give you eleventy billion samples; and (c) several of my friends who have babies/children/progeny told me that cloth diapers don't really fit newborns so well. Well, senor C spent the first two weeks of his life in seventh generation disposables, and his poor little rump was so red. We used the diaper rash cream, and still, red rumpus. I felt so bad for him - it could not have felt comfortable.
Fast forward to this week when I tried out the cloth diapers I got from justsimplybaby.com. They are pocket diapers like fuzzibuns, only less expensive and with cuter designs imho. They have this really soft interior that keeps C's bum dry. C is super fussy when his diaper is wet (can't really blame him), and last night he didn't make a squwak about his discomfiture for the entirety of the newest Harry Potter dvd release (yeah, we're dorks. so what?). And when I changed the diaper? Soiled, but C's butt was dry as a bone and not at all red. Oh! And the other bonus is that they're just as easy as disposables. They snap right on and off, and actually the cloth wipes are way better at cleaning than disposable wipes (which mostly just seem to spread poo around). Although they still look kinda big on him, C's so cute that I don't think anyone will judge him. :)
So short story is these diapers are great, and I'm really not regretting my decision to cloth diaper at all. Thus far, C's happy with his dry bum, and I'm happy with the no leaks and the easy changing aspect.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Woefully overdue blog update
Well, it's now been three weeks since Mr. Christopher was born, and I feel like I can finally stop to take a breath. Adjusting to life with a newborn has been wonderful, but also probably the hardest thing I've ever done. I mean, it's not like I went into this blind or anything: people told me about the sleepless nights I would have and how I would be tired and how breastfeeding was hard. But whoa. In no particular order, here are the ways my life has changed in the last twenty odd days.
1. Sleep. As in, I am getting a lot less of it these days because C likes to eat. A lot. In the middle of the night. When we were still in the hospital, it was the worst. My milk hadn't come in yet, so C was getting colostrum (a mother's first milk- there's much less than the regular milk, and it's quite thick). C's stomach was tiny tiny when he was born- like the size of a cherry or something I think, so needless to say, it was quick to fill and quick to empty. Which meant he liked to eat probably every hour or so. Nowadays, he sleeps longer. Around 6 pm, he starts eating lots and he'll usually sleep from 8 pm to midnight or one. We're working on getting him to bed later and later each night so his bedtime becomes convenient for the whole family. Then after his long 4-5 hour sleep, he'll usually go in about 2 or 3 hour intervals for the rest of the night. Which means, he wakes around 2 or 3, then 4 or 5, then 6 or 7. At 7ish, he's usually pretty awake for the morning. The two or three hour middle of the night intervals wouldn't be so bad, except that changing him, feeding him, burping him, and soothing him back to sleep take an hourish (give or take), so then there's only hour or two to sleep before he's awake again, and you're going through the whole rigamarole again.
2. Breastfeeding. Is hard. And it hurts. But, like people keep telling me, it gets better. And actually, it is. I am going to keep doing it. At least through tomorrow. This is what I have been telling myself the last two weeks whilst curling my toes in agony each time C latches on. More on this when I have a better attitude on the matter.
3. Laundry. Lots. And more to come now that C is wearing his cloth diapers (which incidentally are very big looking on an eight pound baby). The diapers we got are gonna be great, I think. No leaks thus far. And there's basically as easy as disposables. Since C is exclusively breastfed, his poo is water soluable and just rinses straight away in the washer. Aside from the poopy diapers, there have been several incidents of getting peed on (Sean and me both - and actually C once peed on himself too- poor baby- mommy and daddy stink at changing diapers). And milk residue. And spit up.
4. The flooded living room. Yes, you read that right. That's a story for another post, but suffice it to say the water heater broke, and we've been without use of our living room for a week now. All of our furniture and everything from the closets is now in our kitchen/dining room/family room. It's really awesome. Especially the nasty dirty water/wet carpet smell. Like I said, more on that with pictures next time.
5. Eating (me, not C). Been trying to do less of this and remove the 40ish (yes- you read that right- please don't judge me) pounds I put on while I was pregnant. Happily, twenty of those pounds are gone already, and this big mama is on the Weight Watchers train to get rid of the other twenty plus a little extra.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Welcome to the world, Christopher Scott!
Well, as many of you know, at my 40 week appointment, I told my doctor I was ready to be done being pregnant. I didn't really think he'd take me seriously, but to my surprise, he said, "Well, then, let's schedule you for an induction. When are you available?" Here's baby Christopher's birth story- the condensed version.
Sean and I decided to have the baby induced on his due date, March 26, 2011. So the night before, in my usual anal retentive manner, I repacked all the hospital bags. And Sean and I had a really nice dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in town, Rosemary's. When we got home, I was much too excited and nervous to sleep, and I spent the majority of the night awake and waiting in anticipation.
The next morning, I had a big breakfast as my doctor informed me I wouldn't be able to eat anything once I was admitted. I had a waffle and eggs and sausage, and it was amazing. We stopped on the way to hospital to get some muffins for the nursing staff (bribery will get you everywhere, I've found).
About a block away from the hospital, I looked over at Sean and noticed that he had tears in his eyes. I, being the sensitive-natured woman I am, started picking on him to stop being such a baby and that nothing had even happened yet. Sean informed me he was not being emotional; he'd merely bitten his tongue. Well, I happened to think this was hilarious, and I stared laughing hysterically. So hysterically, in fact, that I thought I'd peed my pants. Until I realized that even when I stopped laughing, I was still peeing my pants. I finally realized: my water had broken. Luckily, I'd thought ahead and worn black yoga pants, so hopefully no one in the hospital lobby noticed mah wet drawers.
Anyway, so we get upstairs to labor and delivery, and of course, the staff was expecting us, and I informed them I believed my water had broken in the parking lot. They did a check and confirmed that it had. (Nice timing, Swimmy). So, because I hadn't started contracting on my own, they started me on athen IV of fluid followed by more fluid and pitocin. When the contractions started, they felt sort of like intense cramps, and I thought, "No problem, I can handle this." A few hours later, the cramps had turned into the most intense pain I had ever felt in my entire life. I can see why those women on the reality tv pregnancy shows I watch scream in agony. I myself am not a yeller, and I spent my contractions holding Sean's hand, trying to do yoga breathing, and stopping the tears from coming out my eyes. When the nurse returned to my room and checked my cervix, I'd dilated to 6 cm. I asked if I could please have an epidural.
The aenesthesiologist came in, and while he was sort of a weird dude, to me he was like an angel sent from heaven. An epidural is a very weird feeling when they are putting the catheter in. It's like the feeling when you hit your funny bone, only over and over for a few seconds and in your spine. For me, that was most uncomfortable part of the epidural experience- I had heard that the numbing agent was most unpleasant, but I personally found that electrical feeling was worse. And then, twenty minutes later, like magic, I felt no more contractions. I was so relaxed, in fact, that I fell asleep for about an hour. Amazing.
When the nurse checked me again, I was about 8 cm, and they called the doctor to let him know I was progressing quickly. He arrived just as I'd completed dilating, and he told me about how the pushing would work. I did a few practice pushes, and the doctor told me how, with first time moms, a lot of time, pushing takes a while because the baby will come down the birth canal and then float back up because those muscles had never been stretched before. So, I mentally prepared myself for the hard work ahead.
So with the first three contractions, I pushed with all my might. After the first push, I heard Sean say holy sh!t, and he told me the baby's heafd was out. Then, push again, and push again, and a room full of people was yelling at me to STOP! OPEN YOUR EYES! And when I looked down, there was my baby. He was very blue. And silent. Until the nurse started rubbing him, and then whoa! The lungs on this kid, I tell you what. He can scream with the best of 'em.
Finally, they handed my baby to me, and he fell silent and looked right at me. Holding Christopher for the first time was an amazing thing that I will never, ever forget.
Sean and I decided to have the baby induced on his due date, March 26, 2011. So the night before, in my usual anal retentive manner, I repacked all the hospital bags. And Sean and I had a really nice dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in town, Rosemary's. When we got home, I was much too excited and nervous to sleep, and I spent the majority of the night awake and waiting in anticipation.
The next morning, I had a big breakfast as my doctor informed me I wouldn't be able to eat anything once I was admitted. I had a waffle and eggs and sausage, and it was amazing. We stopped on the way to hospital to get some muffins for the nursing staff (bribery will get you everywhere, I've found).
About a block away from the hospital, I looked over at Sean and noticed that he had tears in his eyes. I, being the sensitive-natured woman I am, started picking on him to stop being such a baby and that nothing had even happened yet. Sean informed me he was not being emotional; he'd merely bitten his tongue. Well, I happened to think this was hilarious, and I stared laughing hysterically. So hysterically, in fact, that I thought I'd peed my pants. Until I realized that even when I stopped laughing, I was still peeing my pants. I finally realized: my water had broken. Luckily, I'd thought ahead and worn black yoga pants, so hopefully no one in the hospital lobby noticed mah wet drawers.
Anyway, so we get upstairs to labor and delivery, and of course, the staff was expecting us, and I informed them I believed my water had broken in the parking lot. They did a check and confirmed that it had. (Nice timing, Swimmy). So, because I hadn't started contracting on my own, they started me on athen IV of fluid followed by more fluid and pitocin. When the contractions started, they felt sort of like intense cramps, and I thought, "No problem, I can handle this." A few hours later, the cramps had turned into the most intense pain I had ever felt in my entire life. I can see why those women on the reality tv pregnancy shows I watch scream in agony. I myself am not a yeller, and I spent my contractions holding Sean's hand, trying to do yoga breathing, and stopping the tears from coming out my eyes. When the nurse returned to my room and checked my cervix, I'd dilated to 6 cm. I asked if I could please have an epidural.
The aenesthesiologist came in, and while he was sort of a weird dude, to me he was like an angel sent from heaven. An epidural is a very weird feeling when they are putting the catheter in. It's like the feeling when you hit your funny bone, only over and over for a few seconds and in your spine. For me, that was most uncomfortable part of the epidural experience- I had heard that the numbing agent was most unpleasant, but I personally found that electrical feeling was worse. And then, twenty minutes later, like magic, I felt no more contractions. I was so relaxed, in fact, that I fell asleep for about an hour. Amazing.
When the nurse checked me again, I was about 8 cm, and they called the doctor to let him know I was progressing quickly. He arrived just as I'd completed dilating, and he told me about how the pushing would work. I did a few practice pushes, and the doctor told me how, with first time moms, a lot of time, pushing takes a while because the baby will come down the birth canal and then float back up because those muscles had never been stretched before. So, I mentally prepared myself for the hard work ahead.
So with the first three contractions, I pushed with all my might. After the first push, I heard Sean say holy sh!t, and he told me the baby's heafd was out. Then, push again, and push again, and a room full of people was yelling at me to STOP! OPEN YOUR EYES! And when I looked down, there was my baby. He was very blue. And silent. Until the nurse started rubbing him, and then whoa! The lungs on this kid, I tell you what. He can scream with the best of 'em.
Finally, they handed my baby to me, and he fell silent and looked right at me. Holding Christopher for the first time was an amazing thing that I will never, ever forget.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
39 week appointment
So this morning, I met with my doctor, and he did the usual. Here's the lowdown--
Baby's heartbeat: oscillated between 170 and 140s- he must really like FiberOne (Thanks, Stephanie, for the tip about loads of fiber prebabeh. Apparently, should one not be inclined to up their fiber intake, it can be quite unpleasant for a few days after birth. Having experienced this in the first trimester, I'm not really excited to do it again. Hence, the FiberOne.)
Momma's blood pressure: Normal. No preeclampsia for me. No swelling in my ankles either. Actually, that's like the one thing that hasn't (thankfully) gotten larger. Doctor was a little concerned about my headache until I informed him that, being the giant klutz I am, I hit my head the other day putting my shoes in my locker before a walk. Please pray for me to have more grace when it comes to carrying my child.
Weight: Lost 2 pounds. Hallelujia! I am still totally and completely fat, but the scale is moving in the right direction!
Cervix: 2-3 cm dilated; 80% effaced. Doctor says it looks favorable. Whatever that means. Beats the alternative, I suppose. I'd just *hate* to have an unfavorable cervix. :)
Other developments: Doctor wants to induce (didn't even have to ask!) on Saturday. Actually, he wondered if we were available as early as this afternoon! But Sean has loads of work to finish before he takes time off for his paternity leave, and if the truth be known, I have a few loose ends I'd like to tie up before I leave as well. So Saturday it is. Mister Swimmy will be born on his due date!
The emotions I feel? Sounds so cliche, but I can't even describe them! They are overwhelming me and making it hard to focus. I need more time to process this, methinks. Looks like I've got about three days to do that. Am quite excited though to be able to have one last date night with Sean before Swimmy arrives. Dinner and a movie? YES PLEASE!
That's all for now. Say a prayer for Swimmy's safe arrival, please.
Baby's heartbeat: oscillated between 170 and 140s- he must really like FiberOne (Thanks, Stephanie, for the tip about loads of fiber prebabeh. Apparently, should one not be inclined to up their fiber intake, it can be quite unpleasant for a few days after birth. Having experienced this in the first trimester, I'm not really excited to do it again. Hence, the FiberOne.)
Momma's blood pressure: Normal. No preeclampsia for me. No swelling in my ankles either. Actually, that's like the one thing that hasn't (thankfully) gotten larger. Doctor was a little concerned about my headache until I informed him that, being the giant klutz I am, I hit my head the other day putting my shoes in my locker before a walk. Please pray for me to have more grace when it comes to carrying my child.
Weight: Lost 2 pounds. Hallelujia! I am still totally and completely fat, but the scale is moving in the right direction!
Cervix: 2-3 cm dilated; 80% effaced. Doctor says it looks favorable. Whatever that means. Beats the alternative, I suppose. I'd just *hate* to have an unfavorable cervix. :)
Other developments: Doctor wants to induce (didn't even have to ask!) on Saturday. Actually, he wondered if we were available as early as this afternoon! But Sean has loads of work to finish before he takes time off for his paternity leave, and if the truth be known, I have a few loose ends I'd like to tie up before I leave as well. So Saturday it is. Mister Swimmy will be born on his due date!
The emotions I feel? Sounds so cliche, but I can't even describe them! They are overwhelming me and making it hard to focus. I need more time to process this, methinks. Looks like I've got about three days to do that. Am quite excited though to be able to have one last date night with Sean before Swimmy arrives. Dinner and a movie? YES PLEASE!
That's all for now. Say a prayer for Swimmy's safe arrival, please.
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