Saturday, December 12, 2009

Fried

I wouldn't say I forgot, but it hasn't gotten any easier to parent an infant.

In case you were wondering.

The first time around it was hard because it was all new. You are scared that you might do something wrong. Although everyone told you you would get no sleep you had no idea what that actually meant, or how long it would take before you actually got to have a real sleep again. You worried about the babies weight gain, is it getting enough to eat, is it eliminating enough? And then there is the realization that your life is no longer your own. A concept you imagined before baby came but again, don't really comprehend until baby is there.

Second time around you don't have any of that stuff- or at least not as much. But lack of sleep is still no picnic. And of course, you now already have a child to take care of. Whereas before you might have been able to "sleep when the baby sleeps" (as everyone tells you) when you have another child to take care of you don't have that luxury. You also want to ensure that child #1 still gets plenty of your time and attention. There are new routines to learn. Getting two children bundled up for the winter cold and out to the car takes more time and more patience than one.

In both cases, as babies main food source there is very little freedom. Baby eats every 2-3 hours so that is your window of opportunity to do any chores, run errands or go anywhere. (Unless it is somewhere you can breastfeed comfortably)

There are still days when one looks up and it is 5pm and you haven't managed to take a shower. But at one month i can sort of see a light at the end of the tunnel. Baby is starting to go longer between feedings. And I hope to start pumping this week so we can introduce the bottle soon which should give me some more flexibility. Now if i can just figure out when and how I can pump...!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I used to feel that any day when I got a shower was a good day. As far as time to pump, that's tricky. I pumped a lot with J. At first I tried to do it behind closed doors, but with a just turned 2 year old, the door never stayed closed for very long. Eventually, E just kind of became habituated and did her own thing while I pumped. I would put J in the bouncy seat and just try to kind of keep him happy by, rocking, singing, and toys with bright lights, which worked about half the time. It's a tough thing because once you start, it's hard to stop and then start again. Good luck! Lisa

alexis said...

for a sleepless person I thought you looked great this Sat!! Great to catch up with you and I'm so glad to be reading all this now so that I am prepared

Dad said...

I know this all happened with us but it was so long ago that it is just a blur

Pulisha said...

Sleepy and smelly...I love new motherhood, lol! Isn't it amazing how quickly you forget? After I had A, we had just a few weeks before the s-kids came, and I was home all summer with four kids and a newborn. Yet, I'd have another one in a heartbeat. Damn you mother nature! ;)

Lakeview Coffee Joe said...

Seems like parents should get gifts like two months after the baby is born....just for surviving!!