Things are going well. Hubby was an absolute blessing during his two weeks off. He made sure I got out of the house, took walks, and did a lot of diaper changes. What a great man! Baby girl still doesn't do much besides eat, poop (A LOT!), and sleep. Most days I am stuck in my bed breastfeeding and sleeping for hours.
After a couple of okay nights, I have managed to feel okay on the sleep front and have ventured back into the rest of the house. Ran a couple loads of laundry, the dishwasher, journaled once, cleaned the toilet (whoa! I am on a roll!), but doesn't feel like much else. I tried to bake a batch of cookies once, but couldn't finish putting them all in the oven as Baby Girl woke up wailing for food.
Yes, I have already introduced her to a bottle. And it has saved my sanity. Sometimes it seems I just can't provide enough to satisfy her. Plus it has given Hubby and I the opportunity to go out for dinner a few times. But Baby Girl handles it like a pro. She doesn't seem to care who is feeding her or what she is eating as long as she is eating!
Things I Have Come to Realize as a Brand New Mommy:
1. Mommy Guilt totally exists. When it I can't provide enough food for her, or if I spend too much time away from her I feel bad. The fact that I can go bonkers and need to get away and out of the house...Mommy guilt!! But already I have learned the importance of taking some "Me Time". I feel like I am taking advantage of my wonderful family, but man, sometimes I just want to SHOWER.
2. Husbands play a CRUCIAL role! Sometimes I get frustrated because I have to be the one to solely provide for our child. Hubby just physically cannot feed Baby and the entire burden falls on me. Its overwhelming. Because I am often trapped sitting around feeding Baby girl, things like eating and drinking water fall by the wayside. But that is where my Hubby stepped in! During his two weeks off, and even still, he took such good care of me, bringing me food and water, recognizing when I was losing it and letting me cry or kicking me out for a walk around the block. I would not have made it through without him. Having your husband there to care for you as you care for baby is so important. Let your man know how much you appreciate him and need him!!
3. Go with the Flow. Before I had Baby girl I did NOT want to co-sleep. Bed Wars between Hubby and I were dangerous enough! However, Baby girl had a different opinion. She decided she didn't want to sleep any where but in the car and in our bed. Preferably in my arms the whole night. Of course. If I want to get sleep myself, we play by Baby's rules. And that is okay. Oh wait. She just peed all over me. Breathe. Wipe. Continue on with life. Babies have their own ideas and personalities. The way you planned her sleeping schedule before she was even born, may not pan out. Stay calm, parent on.
4. Thank You Steve Jobs! I do not know what women did before the invention of the Ipad. I use the Ipad all the time now, playing games and watching Netflix during the day and at night I read my Kindle. Or Nook. Yes, I have all three. Overkill I know, not sure how it happened. I digress. Make sure that when you settle down to feed your baby, you have something to do! Feeding sessions can take up to 40 minutes--on one side!! Yes, I do fill up at least ten minutes staring at my beautiful child, but trust me when I say it is an excellent idea to invest in an e-reader!
5. Never Underestimate the Power of the Burp Cloth. It wipes up spit, snot, tears, eye goo, poo, and pee. Don't leave home without one!
6. Do What is Best for You and Baby! There is a lot of pressure out there these days to exclusively breastfeed your child. That is totally awesome, if it is what works for you and baby! Is it really that horrible to sneak a bottle in when you are losing it? HECK. NO. If it is 3am and you have been continuously feeding your child for the past two hours and she is still screaming for more--USE THE BOTTLE! Baby will feel satisfied and you will not go insane. You need to do what you need to do to stay sane. If you are overwhelmed, balling, and frustrated things are not going to work out for you and baby in that moment. Put that baby down, walk away, breathe, eat, relax. Getting too frustrated could put baby in danger.
But this is more than just how you decide to feed the baby, its about how you want to raise the baby as well. Co-sleep or crib, baby carrier or no, sleep schedule, etc. The 'no-cry' method is great, but maybe it is just not working for you and Baby, so do what DOES work best for you!!
And congratulations to me! I was only interrupted twice by Baby Girl while trying to type up this blog! And yet...spit up on three times. Hmm.
Until Next Time!
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