Monday, January 18, 2010

We learn as we go...


Random observations from the first 3 weeks of motherhood…
  • Nitrous Oxide gas during labour – gives you a really swollen and sore soft palate and throat for days afterwards. Swallowing really hurts!
  • It’s a cruel joke of mother nature that your baby “wakes up” and becomes hungry and alert about 2 days after the birth, and my milk didn’t come in until about day 4.
  • Public Hospital food was surprisingly good! Porridge for breakfast was awesome!
  • Breastfeeding really HURTS for about 2 weeks after the birth. It felt like razor blades being sucked through my nipples for the first 20 seconds every time, even when she was supposedly attached properly. Using the breast pump hurts the same. Its only been in the last week that its stopped being painful, and its such a relief!

  • The middle of the night, sitting alone in the quiet, dark house - feeding, burping, changing and settling a windy/colicky/grizzly baby is one of the loneliest feelings ever .
  • Every single midwife in hospital has a completely different opinion on how you should do things. They often contradict each other. Eg – one midwife talked to us about Skye’s long fingernails and told us we could nibble the ends off with our teeth. An hour later, the next midwife told us that on NO ACCOUNT should we use our teeth!
  • Baby swings are awesome, at least I can put Skye down and get a few things done, she loves to look around.
  • Some days feel absolutely overwhelming and frustrating. I think Skye has reached her 3 week growth spurt yesterday – she fed almost every hour, with very little sleep in between and lots of wind in between too. It made for a very grizzly baby and an emotional wreck of a mummy. Today though has been great!
  • Having not had any nappy/baby experience before, I cant believe how often babies poo! Skye must think we have shares in Huggies Nappies I think, with the rate that we are going through them. The other day we changed it 3 times in half an hour – the first was wet, so we changed it, then 5 minutes later she’d done a big poo – changed it again and 10 minutes later she finished the poo!
  • Some poos (think American Mustard!) cannot be contained by a mere nappy and I’ve been hammered twice already, once from side seepage from sheer quantity! Oh and I’ve discovered that its crucial to wait until she’s finished… initially I would jump up and change her straight away after hearing the telltale fart of her pushing one out… well I quickly learned to beware of this, as she often isn’t finished and will squirt more out onto you when she’s on the change table! It pays to wait a good 5 -10 minutes!

  • All the days start to merge into one another, and I no longer know what day of the week it is.
  • Press studs on baby clothes. Clearly they have been put there for the benefit of sleep deprived parents because nothing could be easier to fasten, right? However I’m constantly surprised by just how difficult and complicated it is to line up 3 little press studs and get them closed when you have a wriggling, squirming little bub on the table, and you are half dead with tiredness!

17 comments:

Shar said...

WOOOHHH, that brought it all back, Thanks Hils!!!! ;)
Think my 'clever woman' brain had blocked all that out, not anymore, good to have the heads up before it starts again!!

Those pictures are just gorgeous, what a beautiful baby she is.

Loving hearing your experiences, post when you can, you know in all your spare time :) and loving the cute pics.

Shar x

Kristy said...

Really interesting insight Hilary for someone who hasn't been through it all...

Great photos too.

Andrea said...

All so true - you will be happy to know that the rate of poo reduces with age.
good to hear that feeding has settled down.
Press studs however - do not get any easier - they baby just gets more wriggly!

Unknown said...

lol- welcome to motherhood! I think it's one of the most challenging things you can do and there is so little training for it. One of the best things I did once I had emerged from that fog of 'first baby overwhelmedness' was to join a squash team. It gave me another purpose in life, led me to meet new people and allowed me to get rid of tension through activity. Baby raising can be really lonely and at times boring and brain numbing. However- once they are asleep you realise how gorgeous they are! lol Skye is a lovely looking baby and looks just like you. all the best xx

Gillian said...

Hi Hils!!

Make sure when she sleeps you sleep. Everything else can wait. Going without sleep is torture but we strong woman seem to survive.
Your little girl is absolutely beautiful!!

Debbie said...

I could have written the exact same thing 13.5 months ago :) I remember the loneliness during the hours of night feeding/burping/changing. I realised however that there are millions of women doing the exact same thing and it turned into a bit of a bonding experience for me, ie, what a very special experience, knowing that elsewhere there are so many more mothers going through the same thing :)

Nicole said...

Skye is just so adorable!! So glad to hear about the baby swing - we bought one off ebay and picked it up yesterday! So it's good to know it will come in handy:) You look great and everyone seems to say the first 3 months are the hardest so you'll have to let me know whether that's true or not!! Nicole xx

jodie said...

ha ha, yes on all accounts with your observations!! :) you sound like you are doing well. It is hard work but it does get better, you wait until she smiles at you, everything will be worth it.

Hillary said...

Your daughter is just beautiful and I've really enjoyed reading about your pregnancy and birth experiences. We're currently trying to start a family and it's so nice to read such honest writing. Best of luck to you and your family!!

Serendipity said...

I use to love those night time feeds all alone with my daughter knowing that I was feeding her in a way that no one else could. It was so beautiful to see her so quiet and relaxed in my arms. They grown to quickly and before you know it those precious cuddles will become shorter and shorter.
You are doing fine, the fog will clear soon.
Christine

Dianna Broeren said...

Oh your little girl has won my heart! I just love it when chicks arent afraid to fart out loud!!!!!!

I admire your courage Hilary....they say it gets easier dont they???? She is adorable :)

Hope you get some you time for yourself soon. Love Di XX

Maryanne said...

She is beautiful Hilary. This is all still quite fresh in my mind too - I have a 4 month old (who should only be 3 months but came a month early!) She is so alert and has the most beautiful eyes! Keep up the great work. x

Anonymous said...

I agree with it all Hils!

Motherhood is one seriously tough gig and I just get irrate when people who don't know what it is like make comments regarding mothers using their kids as "excuses"! Grrr! You can never know what it is like until you have been there. It is such a unique experience.

Skye is beautiful and you llok great so just keep looking after the two of you xxx

Miss Positive said...

Its been a bit of a shock to the old system Shar, but its amazing how much better you feel after a good sleep!

Thanks Kristy, I love to share all the details, good and bad!

Andj, those press studs - how hard can they be??!! I'm glad to hear that the poo starts to reduce, at least it doesn't smell too bad at the moment :)

Hi Linda, yeah I'm starting to realise that baby raising can be all of those things, and thats a good idea to join some kind of club or team, might keep that in mind!

Thanks Gillian! I think she is super cute, but then I AM a bit biased I guess!

HI Debbie, thats a really good point, and its something that I've been trying to remind myself of over the last couple of nights - thanks!

Nicole we got our baby swing off ebay too, and its been great, although she doesn't like to "swing" in it just yet, is more content to just sit. Yeah I've heard that the first 3 months are the hardest too, time will tell I guess!

Thanks Jodie, those gummy smiles are just heart melting arent they?

Thanks Hillary, and good luck to you too, got my fingers crossed for you!

Yeah Christine I'm trying to make sure I savour some of our special moments too, because I know she will grow up so fast and wont be a tiny baby for long!

LOL Di! She certainly isn't afraid to fart out loud, she puts all of us to shame!

Thanks Maryanne, and all the best to you and your little one!

You're right Rene, its such an amazing experience, and I dont think you can truly understand it until you've been there - it really is hard work!

Hilary xx

KRISTIN said...

Hey Hils, thanks again for sharing your ups and downs. You are one brave and strong woman and I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end. I have no doubts you will get through it and become an even stronger woman. Skye is just gorgeous!

Sam D-M said...

Love the pics of your gorgeous little girl Hilary.

Oh and I think that you should put breastfeeding hurts in BOLD CAPITALS!!!!!!!!!

Chelle said...

Hi Hilary.

Skye is just beautiful!!! It makes me feel clucky!!!
The first 3 months were the hardest for me!! The wind and the pains in the tum they if you do not burp them properly drove me silly!!! But after 3 months they seem to be able to get it up themselves!!
You look great too hilary, you will be a wonderful mother!!

cHELLE XXOO