It occured to me yesterday that I have not slept more than three consecutive hours since Mateo was born. I am adjusting to that reasonably well, considering IT'S NOT HUMAN to live this way.
So what do you mamas with boys do about that uncontrollable desire these little fellas apparently have to wait until you're changing their poopy diapers to pee? And how does his pee have such an arc to it? It's incredible! (Oh my God, Sophie's right... I've become that parent who talks about their kid's poop/pee all the time...)
Also, more advice: This is a little personal, but I had to special order a nursing bra. When it arrived, I took it out of the package and held it up, and both Kizzy and The Boy said, "Are you sure you ordered the right size? That thing is huge." I laughed and wore it on my head for a moment to demonstrate the hugeness (because I can be very mature when the situation calls for it), and then tried it on. IT FITS. So that's insane. I am firmly in the special size department, aka the unavailable-in-stores no-(wo)man's-land that makes bra shopping impossible anywhere other than online. So my question is: am I going to stay this size until I finish breastfeeding? Do I need to order another bra? I can't wear one same bra this whole time; I'll need to have at least two in rotation. I've still got another 10-15 lbs or so to lose, but I am assuming that won't affect my bra size for the time being (or if so, only minimally, and embarassingly enough even this monster bra is a little snug). What would you experienced mamas do?
I was thinking today that pregnancy and parenthood both require a healthy dose of humor. I just can't look at my new purchase without giggling. Because this is just RIDICULOUS. It fits my HEAD, people. And laughing is much better than crying, because there is a part of me that could go either way on this one.
Otherwise, Teo and I are doing well. He is asleep in my lap as I type this. I am already starting to get a little sad at the fact that he is getting so big. I mean, he's only three weeks old as of today, but I feel like he has changed so much. He's got a little boy face now, and his body is stretching out. I can't tell how much he has grown, exactly, but he is obviously a whole lot bigger than before. I am excited to take him to the doctor's next week to find out how much he weighs, because he is definetly porking up. He's still a skinny kid, of course, but I don't think that situation is going to change at any point in his life. Let's just say that he clearly got his father's genes in the fat reserves department. Teo's got little chicken legs that are just now starting to develop the typical baby fat rolls, but I believe that at his age, I was probably the same length but weighed a good two lbs more. I think I came out of the womb with rubber band arms. Teo came out looking like a long-distance runner. You can see he very beginnings of some baby fat in this picture.
He's already outgrown almost all of his one-month clothing, and I'm getting sentimental about packing it up. Help me. I've become a sappy mother. So now I know I'll cry when I drop him off at kindergarten, too. Never thought I'd be the type, but here I am.
yeah!!! i'm now famous!
can i just say that you better sign teo up for baby modeling really soon? he's BEAUTIFUL. not that he wasn't cute before, but it looks like he's going to be seriously a hottie.
is it horrible that i said that about your 3-week-old?
He is gorgeous!
The good news: your boobs will eventually go down to less than the size of your head!
The bad news: they probably won't for a while, especially if you breastfeeding exclusively. If I remember, I went down a bit after a couple of months as supply and demand become regularized, and then significantly at six months when the little one started solid foods. And then REALLY significantly at about a year when she was practically weened.
And now I'm smaller than ever before-- and the biggest I ever was was a "C" cup. (I was so proud.) So send some of those big boobs over here when you're ready, OK?
Yes, the boobs will go down. I never had big boobs to begin with and found that a few sports bras held me in and were tons easier to lift up to nurse. And they have a life after nursing.
I have three sons, and found this to be a good way to fight the between diaper pee: it's the air hitting the penis that activates the pee. Unfold the new diaper and remove old/ reinsert the new diaper in as close to one movement as possible. Then fold the diaper closed but don't fasten. Wait about 20 seconds. The coast should then be clear.
Just wait until he starts playing with himself. The male is fascinated with his equipment at an early, ungodly age.
Oh, and the boobs... even after I finished nursing my kids would slip their hands under my shirt when I was rocking then to sleep. As long as we were at home alone I had no problem, but it made getting them to sleep in public very difficult. They're older now, but I see confirmed breast men in each and every one of them!
You poor thing, engorgement is the worst! They should come down a bit around six weeks, then again around 3 months, and then again when you start solids around 6 months. Mine were pre-preggo size around 9 months and now they are barely a B-cup, shrinking every month, they look like little half-full sand bags :(.
If you haven't figured it out yet you have to learn how to nurse laying on your side in bed so you can go back to sleep while Teo feeds. That should make a difference in your sleep deprivation. Until then nap as much as you can! Hang in there!
And I agree with the others, he just getting cuter and cuter :).
Inexperienced girl here, as usual, just popping in to say I love reading about your progress and seeing the adorable photos of Teo... You seem to both be doing really well! Take good care.
Hey... you know when my milk came in my boobs were so big it was insane. I had bought these sports bra type bras at a shop in the 9th from an old man who had been running the shop for 40 years. I went when I was in my 9th month pregnant anticipating that I would need a bra and he just looked at me and sized me up correctly! It was impressive. This bra has a system of hook on the strap so I can let it out as my breasts got bigger. It worked very well. After I got home from the clinic we ordered two more of the same bra. So I have three now. They were very inexpensive, I believe around 20 euros a peice and the are cotton and super comfy. The shop name is called Euroform, 50 bis rue Douai 75009. The old man working there had been running ths shop for 40 years and is a supplier of all things pregnancy to the hospitals of paris. He's very nice and knowledgeable.
So, those bras are great when I'm home. I prefer to wear the nursing tank tops from H&M when I go out, because the whole pulling up your shirt in public thing and my mid area showing is not cool. So, I wear the nursing tank under my regular shit, usually a tank top or a nice cotton stretch shirt and when I nurse i just hike up my top shirt and unhook my nursing tank and voila, no un needed skin shown. The tanks run 9euros a piece and you can find them in the mama section of H&M. I have 4 of these. two black and two white. They are awesome.
As for the pee showers, I put a little square of cotton over Max's zizi for the 30 seconds he's diaper less and it usually catches the pee fountain. He hasn't done it in a long time, I guess he's used to being diaper less now, I let him lay and do his tummy time nekkid to air him out from the diapers.
Sounds like you're doing great! Have fun! And try to catch some Zzzz if you can. Lack of sleep can make the crazies come out in you. :)
i just got back from 3 weeks in SF and am catching up on births, babies and blogs! CONGRATS! It really is amazing how your life turns into poop and pee...but it's fun :) It sounds like you're adjusting well.
You will appreciate the ridiculousness of early parenthood later. Pretty soon NOTHING will phase you.