Week One:
I had a cesarean section, so the first week is a bit of a blur. I was in the hospital from Saturday-Wednesday so those days were pretty easy since the nurses did almost everything for us. My parents stayed until Saturday and my in-laws stayed until Sunday, so we weren't alone with a new baby until she was a week old. Having our parents with us was a huge help since I couldn't get up and about very much, but I will say that it was sort of nice to have our house to ourselves and settle in to our little family of three. Sydney had her first pediatrician appointment the day after we were discharged so the doctor could check her weight. She lost 10% of weight in the hospital (7lbs 9 oz to 6lbs 13 oz) so the nurses had us all freaked out that something was wrong. The pediatrician reassured us that it was totally normal and there was no need to worry since she was already back up to 7lbs 5 oz.
Week Two:
The second week was a bit painful for us both since I couldn't really do anything and poor James had to do all kinds of little things for me (refill my water bottle, get us food, etc). He was (is!) such a trooper and didn't complain once. The highlight of the week was my follow up doctor appointment for a blood pressure and incision check; blood pressure was still a bit high but everything else was fine. Sydney slept the whole time which was so awesome! We tried to take a walk around the block that week and while I made it, I was struggling at the end. It was too soon after the surgery so I decided to give myself a few more days before trying it again.
The post-partum hormones really started to kick my butt in week 2. I had a couple of breakdowns during week 1, but not nearly as bad as week 2. I just had overwhelming sadness - mostly starting in the early evening - and anything could turn me into a sobbing mess. Thankfully, a dear friend checked on me often and let me know that I was not alone. She really got me through those days when I felt like I was alone and I hope that I can be there for my mommy girlfriends like she was for me. I also really struggled with the fact that I had planned for a completely natural birth but ended up with a c-section. It was one of the last things I wanted to happen, but I know that a healthy baby is more than some people get, so I am SO THANKFUL and blessed. I think that the pp hormones really messed with my head as well and made it seem worse than it was! A friend posted a link to a blog post about c-sections which also really helped me get through that little bump in the road. It's funny how sometimes, what you need to read or see or hear is put right in front of you at just the right time.
I had my first solo outing with Sydney (follow up dr appt for me) and she did really well. I had to feed her while at the doctors' office, but just asked for somewhere to nurse. I was put on bp medicine. ugh.
We also went on our first visit to see friends that weekend which was so nice! We just hung out and talked and appreciated getting out of the house for a while.
I hired a lactation consultant to help me with breastfeeding since I had no idea if I was doing anything the right way. She was obviously eating okay since she gained weight, but I didn't know much else. The LC helped me with positions which immediately eased the pain on my back and wrist. She also assured me that everything else was going well as far as supply and her latch, so that was a huge relief. Her fee was worth the comfort and peace of mind and was some of the best money I've spent since the baby has arrived!
Sydney also had her first trip to the Emergency Room that week. :( Her stomach was very distended and it really freaked us out. We knew we wouldn't really sleep with the fear of something happening to her, so we took her to the local ER. Seven hours later, we learned it was just gas. She slept almost the whole time and wasn't phased at all. James and I were both really sleep deprived by the time we got home, but we made up for it later and took turns napping. A friend told me "we've all made the ER fart trip!" so that made me feel a bit better.
Week Three:
We really got out of the house a lot! We made trips to Target, Costco, more doctor and ped appts, dinner, lunch, friends' houses, etc. Sydney sleeps through almost everything. We did a newborn photo shoot with a great photographer in our area and are really excited to see the proofs. We've had a few more visitors and she steals the hearts of everyone she meets. <3
We made the decision to move her to the nursery this week in preparation for James going back to work next week. The baby handled it much better than I did...I cried a bit at first, but have really slept much better since she's been in her own room because babies are LOUD. They grunt and fart and snort and squeak and I'm sure our noises didn't help her sleep better either. She seems to have a longer stretch of sleep first which is anywhere from 3-5 hours, and then two shorter stretches of 2-3 hours. I haven't felt really sleep deprived since the ER visit and appreciate that she is a very good sleeper!
I'm sure I'm forgetting some things so I'll add more if I remember, but that's what has been happening with us. Having a baby is more wonderful than I could have imagined and love more than I ever thought possible!
