Below are things I learned during the past two and a half weeks, and then some pictures.
About my body:
• One has to re-learn how to use the toilet after giving birth. I’ve never been so afraid to go to the bathroom.
• Recovering from birth is like recovering from a car accident. I was winded just going up the stairs when I got home and felt like rooms were 5 miles apart. Your body also gets really sore about 3 days after coming home
• You feel like your body is not yours for the first week-feels somewhat mutilated with all the bruises from blood work and IVs, the lingering pain, and your boobs being sensitive from breast feeding.
• Just out of curiosity, I stepped on the scale the day after I came home. I lost 13 pounds just from birth and another 4 pounds came off during the first week, just by peeing a lot.
• I can now cross my legs, bend over, and lie down any which way, and clip my toe nails without straining. AND my sciatica is gone.
About sleep:
• During the first three days, we slept in shifts because she was really cranky even after I fed her. On the fourth day at the doctor’s appointment, we learned that she lost over a pound and that my milk wasn’t in, and that she was hungry. With the advice of my doula, a Swedish lactation nurse (she’s from Swedish Hospital, though not necessarily Swedish herself), my pediatrician, and my OB, I got on medication (Reglan), gave Yuki a little formula after each breast feeding, and pumped to help the milk come in. The minute we started doing that, Yuki slept. She now feeds often during the day, but lets us sleep in stretches of 3-4 hours at night. So we are actually well. I’m sure it’ll change, but for now, it’s really good.
• Philip went back to work this week so I insisted that he spend the night in the guest bed to get sleep. He and Trixie sleep there and Yuki and I sleep in the bedroom. I do the middle of the night feeding, and Philip does the first feeding in the morning-hence we both get decent sleep.
About food:
• We asked our friend Erika to organize some people to bring us food during the first two weeks. We received a gourmet salad, Chinese food, sushi (Woohoo!!), stuffed shells, Amish Friendship Bread, Korean BBQ, roasted chicken and mashed potatoes, the best homemade mac-and-cheese ever, and a bonus quiche from our neighbors who weren’t even on the list. I am now trying to figure out how to keep this going for the rest of our lives.
About Alissa, my doula:
• She rocks. Have one. Even if you are not giving birth. It’s like having your own breastfeeding advisor who also walks your dog and empties your dishwasher.
About Breastfeeding:
• Everyone told me it was hard. And it is in a variety of ways. Yuki drew blood on one side and gave me a blister on the other on her first day at the hospital. Her latch was not a problem obviously. But despite all the pain and worries, once you figure things out, it’s really great. I’ve never experienced this kind of bond. It really makes you feel like a mom.
• While we were all sleeping in the bedroom, I listened to podcasts of “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” and “This American Life” during the 3am feeding. Now that I’m just with Yuki, I turn on A&E. I caught “Flip That House” one night, and “Dog The Bounty Hunter” on another. I’m currently watching a rented Japanese DVD. Our friend Rob is going to hook up a Tivo access to our bedroom (he is MacGyver), so I can watch that as well. Fun, fun.
• I don't care who you are-when you pump for the first time, you WILL “moo.”
• Pumping is fascinating. I went from just having a spoon full to 3 oz in about two weeks.
About a “Soothie” (pacifier)
• We were going to go without as long as possible but a nurse at Swedish tucked one into Philip’s pocket when he was walking around with screaming Yuki. We now use it when necessary. Some babies are just suckers (meaning one who likes to suck, our kid isn’t a rube --Philip), or so we were told. I decided to relax about it.
About Philip
• He is a natural at being a dad. He can hold Yuki for a long period of time, can burp her like no one’s business, sings songs that he makes up, and is totally in love with his kid while still having love for his pup and wife-though he FREAKS at Yuki’s round neck shirts with buttons on the back especially when he can’t find the buttons and tries to yank the sweater over her head and can’t figure out why she is screaming.
• We make a good team figuring things out. He is supportive and totally involved. I married the right man. I knew that before, but I am now very, very sure.
About Trixie
• The dog is very maternal. She gets stressed when Yuki cries. She walks over and licks her head to comfort her. She also does so right after Yuki eats, which has nothing to do with maternal instincts, and everything to do with eating left over milk on her face.
About laundry
• You will do almost-daily laundry in one-eighth sized loads made up of very tiny clothing.
About being a parent
• It felt like we were imposters or baby sitting until we started to smell like pee and milk, even when the baby wasn’t around.
• It is odd to say ”my daughter.” It’s like when we first got married and couldn’t say “husband” or “wife” without giggling.
• It is fun to hear people calling your daughter by the name that you chose.
• It’s true what people say-your heart does grow three times as big the day you meet your kid and it keeps getting bigger.
• While you are so sure that you will somehow kill your child, I find that if you are relaxed, your kid will also be relaxed.
• As hard work as childbirth is, it is totally doable and empowering. If it weren’t, none of us would be here. Nothing gives you more confidence as a new mom than having that experience under your belt.
And now, photographs:
About my body:
• One has to re-learn how to use the toilet after giving birth. I’ve never been so afraid to go to the bathroom.
• Recovering from birth is like recovering from a car accident. I was winded just going up the stairs when I got home and felt like rooms were 5 miles apart. Your body also gets really sore about 3 days after coming home
• You feel like your body is not yours for the first week-feels somewhat mutilated with all the bruises from blood work and IVs, the lingering pain, and your boobs being sensitive from breast feeding.
• Just out of curiosity, I stepped on the scale the day after I came home. I lost 13 pounds just from birth and another 4 pounds came off during the first week, just by peeing a lot.
• I can now cross my legs, bend over, and lie down any which way, and clip my toe nails without straining. AND my sciatica is gone.
About sleep:
• During the first three days, we slept in shifts because she was really cranky even after I fed her. On the fourth day at the doctor’s appointment, we learned that she lost over a pound and that my milk wasn’t in, and that she was hungry. With the advice of my doula, a Swedish lactation nurse (she’s from Swedish Hospital, though not necessarily Swedish herself), my pediatrician, and my OB, I got on medication (Reglan), gave Yuki a little formula after each breast feeding, and pumped to help the milk come in. The minute we started doing that, Yuki slept. She now feeds often during the day, but lets us sleep in stretches of 3-4 hours at night. So we are actually well. I’m sure it’ll change, but for now, it’s really good.
• Philip went back to work this week so I insisted that he spend the night in the guest bed to get sleep. He and Trixie sleep there and Yuki and I sleep in the bedroom. I do the middle of the night feeding, and Philip does the first feeding in the morning-hence we both get decent sleep.
About food:
• We asked our friend Erika to organize some people to bring us food during the first two weeks. We received a gourmet salad, Chinese food, sushi (Woohoo!!), stuffed shells, Amish Friendship Bread, Korean BBQ, roasted chicken and mashed potatoes, the best homemade mac-and-cheese ever, and a bonus quiche from our neighbors who weren’t even on the list. I am now trying to figure out how to keep this going for the rest of our lives.
About Alissa, my doula:
• She rocks. Have one. Even if you are not giving birth. It’s like having your own breastfeeding advisor who also walks your dog and empties your dishwasher.
About Breastfeeding:
• Everyone told me it was hard. And it is in a variety of ways. Yuki drew blood on one side and gave me a blister on the other on her first day at the hospital. Her latch was not a problem obviously. But despite all the pain and worries, once you figure things out, it’s really great. I’ve never experienced this kind of bond. It really makes you feel like a mom.
• While we were all sleeping in the bedroom, I listened to podcasts of “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” and “This American Life” during the 3am feeding. Now that I’m just with Yuki, I turn on A&E. I caught “Flip That House” one night, and “Dog The Bounty Hunter” on another. I’m currently watching a rented Japanese DVD. Our friend Rob is going to hook up a Tivo access to our bedroom (he is MacGyver), so I can watch that as well. Fun, fun.
• I don't care who you are-when you pump for the first time, you WILL “moo.”
• Pumping is fascinating. I went from just having a spoon full to 3 oz in about two weeks.
About a “Soothie” (pacifier)
• We were going to go without as long as possible but a nurse at Swedish tucked one into Philip’s pocket when he was walking around with screaming Yuki. We now use it when necessary. Some babies are just suckers (meaning one who likes to suck, our kid isn’t a rube --Philip), or so we were told. I decided to relax about it.
About Philip
• He is a natural at being a dad. He can hold Yuki for a long period of time, can burp her like no one’s business, sings songs that he makes up, and is totally in love with his kid while still having love for his pup and wife-though he FREAKS at Yuki’s round neck shirts with buttons on the back especially when he can’t find the buttons and tries to yank the sweater over her head and can’t figure out why she is screaming.
• We make a good team figuring things out. He is supportive and totally involved. I married the right man. I knew that before, but I am now very, very sure.
About Trixie
• The dog is very maternal. She gets stressed when Yuki cries. She walks over and licks her head to comfort her. She also does so right after Yuki eats, which has nothing to do with maternal instincts, and everything to do with eating left over milk on her face.
About laundry
• You will do almost-daily laundry in one-eighth sized loads made up of very tiny clothing.
About being a parent
• It felt like we were imposters or baby sitting until we started to smell like pee and milk, even when the baby wasn’t around.
• It is odd to say ”my daughter.” It’s like when we first got married and couldn’t say “husband” or “wife” without giggling.
• It is fun to hear people calling your daughter by the name that you chose.
• It’s true what people say-your heart does grow three times as big the day you meet your kid and it keeps getting bigger.
• While you are so sure that you will somehow kill your child, I find that if you are relaxed, your kid will also be relaxed.
• As hard work as childbirth is, it is totally doable and empowering. If it weren’t, none of us would be here. Nothing gives you more confidence as a new mom than having that experience under your belt.
And now, photographs:
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