A Tale From the Breastfeeding Trenches
Posted: February 20, 2009 Filed under: Mommy Notes Leave a commentIf you are breastfeeding or have ever breastfed…you’ll likely understand.
The first few weeks of breastfeeding are hard. Plain and simple. It can be lonely as no one can help. Unfortunately, husbands were not graced with boobs rendering them utterly useless…which brings me to my point.
There is no image worse than looking over at 3 am and seeing your husband sound asleep…lying there comfortably while you are breastfeeding your baby for the fourth time that night. Your boobs hurt. Your back hurts. Your nipples hurt. Everything hurts. You just want sleep. Not broken sleep. Sleep that can be defined in hours in-a-row. Should you be *blessed* with a husband like mine, you may even get him to roll over and tell you that the baby is likely hungry. As if the loud screaming didn’t give it away- the husband thinks his announcement in some way is helpful…when really you just want to smack him.
After uttering one such phrase and receiving the look of death from me, the Hubs asks what I want him to do. To which I responded, and meant, “I want you to get out of bed, wash your hands, change the baby’s diaper, and then sit up in bed and pinch your nipples for twenty minutes per side.” It sounded like a great idea to me, of course the husband promptly rolled over and went back to sleep. At least I got a good laugh out of it.
So, as I see it. Someone needs to invent an empathy belly that puts pressure on your bladder, a contraction simulator, and a nipple pincher so that men can really really understand a little bit what we go through. Everyday. Oh and for good times, throw in a day with a two year old after a sleep deprived night…
Sweet Baby Jake
Posted: February 5, 2009 Filed under: Jake, Pregnancy Leave a comment
The Birth Story (Lots of labor and delivery lingo and numbers)
Doctor’s appointment at 2:30- find out that I am dilated 4 cm and 80 % effaced. Go home and think I may have baby in the next couple days…until I get first contraction. Contractions go from zero to three minutes apart by 5:30. Have the Hubs come home from work. Head to hospital around 6:30 (don’t remember exact time). Checked in dilated to 6. Get to room and have to wait a very LONG hour and a half for epidural, meanwhile contractions are 2 minutes apart.
Finally receive epi and have a bad reaction to it. My blood pressure drops, baby’s heart rate decelerates, and I am numb from the boobs down, light headed, and nauseated. They back off the epi and give me blood pressure meds to bring it back up. Left side of my body remains medicated, right side not so much. They break my waters at 9:30. Epi finally under control and my blood pressure levels by 10:30-ish. I have been completely dilated for some time and am now waiting for the baby’s head to drop down further. I happily take the opportunity to rest. Start pushing at 11:25 and baby was born at 11:29. I literally pushed twice…it was beyond surreal that it happened so quickly after having all the complications with the epidural and blood pressure. I am totally fuzzy in the timing, but know that it all happened VERY quickly. I am still in shock that he’s really really here.
My Whiney, Venty, Complainy PG Post…
Posted: January 26, 2009 Filed under: Pregnancy Leave a commentPregnancy is not for wimps. Plain and simple. The first time around, many of the complaints and discomforts are lessened by the wonder and excitement that comes with having your first baby. The second time around, you are no longer ignorant of the true challenges to come and often spend much of your time chasing/changing/disciplining/parenting your first born. No naps. No rest. And, for many, because your husband has seen you successfully birth your first born…not a whole lot of pregnancy empathy from the Hubs- who would NEVER be able to handle being pregnant. I’d LOOOOOOOVE to see the men in my life wear an empathy belly and chase after my little darling for a day. That is, after they have a DRs appointment where they are asked to pee in a cup. The belly would supply ample pressure to the bladder so they would sufficiently understand the need to pee a gazillion times and NEVER ask why I am going to bathroom yet again.
I miss sleep. Already. And I know I won’t see it for a long, long time. I can’t seem to ever get comfortable at night and when I do…you guessed it, I have to pee. The baby seems to be supplying a constant, uncomfortable amount of pressure these days. I have blown up. My belly precedes me and the belly in the lap feeling when I sit isn’t so much fun. My fingers swell. My feet swell. Plain and simple. I am done.
Signed,
A Severely Pregnant, Uncomfortable Mama
Edit to add: Of course, now, today, I am having one of those feeling pretty good moments where I think I could make due all the way til the end…I’ll check back this afternoon ; )
Second Birthday Letter…
Posted: January 19, 2009 Filed under: Tyson Leave a commentDear Tyson,
You will likely hear me say the following every year: I can’t believe you are turning *fill in the blank* and I can vividly remember the day you were born. It’s true. It is hard to believe that two years have already gone by. I can look at you and see snapshots of the last two years: challenges, surprises, memories…
You have single-handedly taught me to see the world differently. You have redefined the joy and wonder of the holidays, birthdays, and simple things. Your smile melts my heart, can mend the worst of bad days, and infuses me with love. Your laugh is magic. Your hugs and kisses elevate me to another place…a happy place where all worries and toddler challenges are forgotten.
I have blogged the memories, the special moments, the challenges, the laughs…but nothing could have prepared me for the big changes you experienced during your second year:
* you dropped the bottles very quickly and easily- now drinking from sippy cups
* you have picked up words left and right (included a few Mommy would rather you hadn’t)
* you absolutely positively LOVE trains, cars, and trucks. You spend countless hours bellied up to your train table or lying on the floor playing with your cars.
* you love to build, and destroy, with your blocks and Legos
* you love to help Mommy cook and clean
* you can keep up with the best at the Rez, often running at least a mile (and making Mommy work)
* you now wear a 2T/3T in clothing and a size 5 diaper
* you weigh 30 pounds and wear a size 8 shoe
* you are very particular when it comes to certain things: the way food is prepared, the way your cars are lined up/put away, the way buckles are closed on strollers…your quirks are coming fast and furious and most of them make me giggle
* you LOOOOOOVE your bath
* you transitioned better than anyone could have imagined to your big boy bed
* you learned to say, “no, thank you” and “please”…I have a hard time saying no to your please because you know exactly how to work those gorgeous big brown eyes of yours (not that it takes much for me…and you know this)
* you conquered your fears of separation from me
The list goes on and on…
You are absolutely, hands down the most amazing little boy I know. Yes, I am biased and I fully admit that. You are the only one in this world who can drive me past the brink of craziness and bring back to earth within seconds with a smile or “mama” followed by a sloppy kiss. I wish you a third year full of love, laughter, and many many happy memories (and many many sleep-filled nights).
I love you.
Happy Second Birthday TyTy!!
Just About 36 Week Belly…
Posted: January 10, 2009 Filed under: Pregnancy Leave a comment
I’ll admit that these pictures were taken first thing in the morning and that the belly is a whole different phenomenon by the time I go to bed- after all, I seem to retain every single drop of water I come into contact with. By the end of the day, my belly, fingers, and feet take on a life of their own. I suppose the gabillion trips to the bathroom throughout the night are good for something…I wake up and have decent sized feet, belly, and fingers. If only the same could be said for the boo-hoo-tee.35/35
Posted: January 5, 2009 Filed under: Pregnancy Leave a commentI am officially 35 weeks pregnant with a mere 35 days to go. While I really feel this baby will come early, I can’t help but think I’ve jinxed myself this entire pregnancy thinking that. If this kid is anything like his brother, not only am I in BIG trouble, but he’ll make his appearance in a quick and furious manner. No warning. No signs.
As I near my due date…
* I worry about how Ty will do with a new sibling.
* I worry about the actual delivery…
* I wonder what we’ll end up doing with Ty when the time comes to deliver baby.
* Ty has only been away from me a couple of times overnight- the hospital stay could be the longest time I’ve ever been away from him.
* I wonder how people do this a third time…or even a fourth time.
* I want to laugh when people automatically assume I’ll try again for a girl. Nope. Sorry to let ya down. The odds clearly are NOT on my side for having a girl. I’ll take my two boys and call it a day.
* I am ready to have the baby. My body aches and the discomfort is not fun.
* I also know that however uncomfortable I may be, life is MUCH easier with said babe inside my belly.
My biggest concern:
We literally have NO idea what to name this kid. Nothing. While we struggled to name Ty, at least at this point we had a list of three favorites. By the time we went to the hospital we had it down to two. This go round…zip, nada, zilch.
Ty’s Christmas Art
Posted: December 16, 2008 Filed under: Arts and Crafts, Tyson Leave a comment
Almost every week at toddler class there is a table set up with an arts and crafts project for the kids. Ty usually slows down to watch the other kids but hasn’t shown much interest until this week. He sat down and started to decorate his tree. He LOVED drizzling the colored glue all over the paper and I think his favorite part was dipping the puffs into the paint and smashing them onto the page. He had fun. His first real “school project”…
Spicy Play Dough Recipe
Posted: November 20, 2008 Filed under: Arts and Crafts Leave a commentHappy play dough-ing…
Spicy Play Dough
2 cups flour
1 cup water
1 cup concentrated cinnamon spice/apple spice tea
1 cup salt
3 T oil
2 T cream of tarter
3 T cinnamon
Put ingredients in large cooking pot. Mix all together well, until there are no lumps. Cook over medium heat while stirring constantly. It will thicken and become difficult to stir. It is done when it sticks together in a lump and hangs off the spoon (should clean the side of the pan). Test doneness by carefully (it will be hot) sticking your finger into the lump. Your finger should come away clean. Remove from heat. Turn out of the pan onto flat surface. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Knead the dough to smooth texture. Store in an airtight container.
From start to finish: 10 minutes to make, 5 to cool.
Getting Bigger and Bigger…
Posted: November 5, 2008 Filed under: Pregnancy Leave a comment
Note to Self…
Posted: August 26, 2008 Filed under: Pregnancy Leave a comment* To be read in approximately two years time should you ever get baby fever again…
Dear Self,
Please remember to read this should you ever consider getting pregnant again. In case, for some reason, you forget that you aren’t a fan of being pregnant. Yes, some women see the whole process as a wonderful, beautiful time. Not you. Of course, these are the same women who glow with a special I-love-being-pregnant radiance. You, however, perspire. Shiny-pimple-inducing-too-hot-stinky shine = so not glow-rius. And the dry skin patches on the face. Nice. Some women, the ones who radiate, also grow tiny cute little bellies. You, remember, start the baby belly growth in the thighs and booty. Your body insists upon growing a J.Lo-esque booty to carry a seven pound baby. Back fat. Thigh rubbage. NOT CUTE. Now, these women who also “love” the labor and delivery…you’re not one of them. Epidural-schmepidural. It still HURTS. The glamor ends the second you find out your pregnant. Bloat. Tummy issues. Ah, the fun continues for nine glorious months.
Lastly, remember you LOVE sleep. Another baby = another eternity of no sleep. You miss sleep. You crave sleep. You are good at sleeping….at least you think you are. It’s been so long since you’ve had a full night’s sleep you can’t even remember.
Yes, the cute cuddly baby is worth much of this. And you’ll likely forget all about the above should you really catch the all-consuming-mind-altering baby fever.
BUT consider yourself warned.
Signed,
Non-glowing pregnant YOU
mom.run.craft 