SLEEP:
The most valuable and important thing in my life, outside of Mya, IS SLEEP. You can probably tell based on it being mentioned in every post. I swear to G every time I post about it being the worst night ever, there's a night that magically tops it. Definitely had the worst night this week. I think it's also because it's combined with the accumulated lack of sleep over the course of three weeks and we're at wits' end.
Breastfeeding:
The hardest part of new motherhood is definitely the breastfeeding. The act itself is not bad, but feeling like you're constantly tied down every 3-4 hours is pretty hellish. And every time you DO nurse, it's at least 30 minutes to an hour, and then you need to nap / snack in between. Hardly get enough time to do anything super nice for yourself. Like, it's a bit nervewracking when I want to take a nice, long, hot shower - I have to go RIGHT after a feeding to make sure I don't have to rush.
People don't usually start breast pumping 'til 4 weeks but those sleepless clusterfeeding nights are HELL. It's extra stressful when you're the ONLY source of food for the baby and you HAVE to wake up and feed her whenever she's hungry, even if you're on you're on your dying wish. T
I tried my hand at it earlier this week (at the 2.5 week mark) and it was actually not bad at all, I was just daunted because it was so foreign with all the equipment and whatnot. Milk started flowing right away LOL... at least the first time I tried it. The second time, it took a while. I'll still have to get the hang of it.
Breastpumping is actually pretty relaxing for me. I see how people could feel like machines doing it.. which.. you kinda do.. but it's a nice 80 minutes of quiet time I get to myself (an hour of prepping food, eating and relaxing while I digest, and then a 20 minutes of actual pumping). I do it once in the morning after Mya's first morning feed.
It'll be nice to build a supply to help with the clusterfeeding nights (when she has growth spurts), and to potentially help with other miscellaneous fussy nights or if Carlo is super tired (since he has to go back to work next week). AND I can feel less restricted since I won't need to stay home 24/7 and can run out to do errands or go on a date with Carlo or something, and my mom can stay back to feed her a bottle.
Breastfeeding hunger:
I've heard that breastfeeding hunger is even more intense than pregnancy hunger.. and it is 100% true. I didn't get any cravings or a particular bigger appetite during pregnancy, and it's the same for breastfeeding. I don't ever really get any hunger pangs or cravings, but I did notice that I never get full or feel satiated. I usually just stop when I THINK I've had enough food, and I eat more at dinner to prep for the night feedings.
Breastfeeding thirst, too - that's a thing. You are always thirsty. I always wake up thirsty. It's crazy how one can need to pee so badly but also be so thirsty at the same time. I usually already drink a ton of water, so I wonder how much water I'm drinking now that I'm breastfeeding.
Going outside for the first time in 2 weeks:
Mya had her 2 week appointment earlier this week, which meant that was my first time outside in 2 weeks as well O_O Lol. I haven't wanted to go outside though, just feeling like I want a nap all the time, that definitely takes priority. Plus it's so much effort to put on real clothes.. hahah.
Sunlight is so different when it comes in through your window vs when you're actually outside.. And walking to our doctor's appointment, I could also feel how much I've healed and walked significantly faster than 3 days postpartum (when it was her first appointment!)
Fisher Price Rock & Play.. our savior:
After the aforementioned hellish clusterfeeding night from this week, we decided to finally buy the Rock & Play. This essentially helps rock your baby to sleep. Every time she has to feed at night, essentially that takes about 30-40 minutes JUST for her to eat. And then it takes AT LEAST another 30 minutes to lull her to sleep, IF she's not being difficult. (Realistically, it's more like an hour.)
And when she IS clusterfeeding, it's really evil because she looks like she's always about to sleep after two hours of effort, she somehow gets hungry again and your effort is all for naught.. now that we have this, it's going to save us so much time and sanity at night.. well at least it's worked pretty well for the first two nights so far - we'll see! Fingers crossed.
Mya updates:
She has grown almost one pound in 2 weeks, which is great! She is currently at 7 pounds, 12 ounces. It's pretty common for newborns to lose some weight during this time, simply because they lose their 24/7 food source from the placenta in the womb - Mya is definitely a healthy eater (much to my joy and dismay.. hah) and she's looking cuter now that she's gaining some weight! Her legs are filling out - they were so skinny before!
She also took her first bath and she DID NOT like it. Unfortunately, no cute bath photos were taken.
Favorite moments:
The most valuable and important thing in my life, outside of Mya, IS SLEEP. You can probably tell based on it being mentioned in every post. I swear to G every time I post about it being the worst night ever, there's a night that magically tops it. Definitely had the worst night this week. I think it's also because it's combined with the accumulated lack of sleep over the course of three weeks and we're at wits' end.
Breastfeeding:
The hardest part of new motherhood is definitely the breastfeeding. The act itself is not bad, but feeling like you're constantly tied down every 3-4 hours is pretty hellish. And every time you DO nurse, it's at least 30 minutes to an hour, and then you need to nap / snack in between. Hardly get enough time to do anything super nice for yourself. Like, it's a bit nervewracking when I want to take a nice, long, hot shower - I have to go RIGHT after a feeding to make sure I don't have to rush.
People don't usually start breast pumping 'til 4 weeks but those sleepless clusterfeeding nights are HELL. It's extra stressful when you're the ONLY source of food for the baby and you HAVE to wake up and feed her whenever she's hungry, even if you're on you're on your dying wish. T
I tried my hand at it earlier this week (at the 2.5 week mark) and it was actually not bad at all, I was just daunted because it was so foreign with all the equipment and whatnot. Milk started flowing right away LOL... at least the first time I tried it. The second time, it took a while. I'll still have to get the hang of it.
Breastpumping is actually pretty relaxing for me. I see how people could feel like machines doing it.. which.. you kinda do.. but it's a nice 80 minutes of quiet time I get to myself (an hour of prepping food, eating and relaxing while I digest, and then a 20 minutes of actual pumping). I do it once in the morning after Mya's first morning feed.
It'll be nice to build a supply to help with the clusterfeeding nights (when she has growth spurts), and to potentially help with other miscellaneous fussy nights or if Carlo is super tired (since he has to go back to work next week). AND I can feel less restricted since I won't need to stay home 24/7 and can run out to do errands or go on a date with Carlo or something, and my mom can stay back to feed her a bottle.
Breastfeeding hunger:
I've heard that breastfeeding hunger is even more intense than pregnancy hunger.. and it is 100% true. I didn't get any cravings or a particular bigger appetite during pregnancy, and it's the same for breastfeeding. I don't ever really get any hunger pangs or cravings, but I did notice that I never get full or feel satiated. I usually just stop when I THINK I've had enough food, and I eat more at dinner to prep for the night feedings.
Breastfeeding thirst, too - that's a thing. You are always thirsty. I always wake up thirsty. It's crazy how one can need to pee so badly but also be so thirsty at the same time. I usually already drink a ton of water, so I wonder how much water I'm drinking now that I'm breastfeeding.
Going outside for the first time in 2 weeks:
Mya had her 2 week appointment earlier this week, which meant that was my first time outside in 2 weeks as well O_O Lol. I haven't wanted to go outside though, just feeling like I want a nap all the time, that definitely takes priority. Plus it's so much effort to put on real clothes.. hahah.
Sunlight is so different when it comes in through your window vs when you're actually outside.. And walking to our doctor's appointment, I could also feel how much I've healed and walked significantly faster than 3 days postpartum (when it was her first appointment!)
Fisher Price Rock & Play.. our savior:
After the aforementioned hellish clusterfeeding night from this week, we decided to finally buy the Rock & Play. This essentially helps rock your baby to sleep. Every time she has to feed at night, essentially that takes about 30-40 minutes JUST for her to eat. And then it takes AT LEAST another 30 minutes to lull her to sleep, IF she's not being difficult. (Realistically, it's more like an hour.)
And when she IS clusterfeeding, it's really evil because she looks like she's always about to sleep after two hours of effort, she somehow gets hungry again and your effort is all for naught.. now that we have this, it's going to save us so much time and sanity at night.. well at least it's worked pretty well for the first two nights so far - we'll see! Fingers crossed.
Mya updates:
She has grown almost one pound in 2 weeks, which is great! She is currently at 7 pounds, 12 ounces. It's pretty common for newborns to lose some weight during this time, simply because they lose their 24/7 food source from the placenta in the womb - Mya is definitely a healthy eater (much to my joy and dismay.. hah) and she's looking cuter now that she's gaining some weight! Her legs are filling out - they were so skinny before!
She also took her first bath and she DID NOT like it. Unfortunately, no cute bath photos were taken.
Favorite moments:
- I caught her laughing to herself when she was waking up (sleep smiles are a thing!) Whenever she drifts off to sleep, she always does a few sleepy smiles first. It's super cute, yet always fleeting - I can never capture it.
- I also caught her laughing to herself when she was nursing once, lol.
- She's a freakin' Houdini. Her arms always get out of her swaddle blankets. She was sleeping one time with BOTH arms up for at least an hour, like a football goal post.. SO CUTE.
- She does these EXTREME stretches where she stretches back like 135 degrees and stays there when she's full
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