Day 8 Postpartum - Doing well!

Today was my first day "flying solo" as DH went back to work. I didn't feel like I was ready yesterday, so I'm glad he stayed home one more day. But today was perfect, although a little hectic with a doctor's appointment for Charlie & I. I hate appointments, always have & always will - how they mess up my day's routine. =)

I was a bit nervous as to how it would go, my first outing with the baby - especially since he is on such an amazing schedule. He is naturally following BabyWise and has been for the past 5 days, I am just holding my breath that it continues because I LOVE it!!!

Basically he wakes up at, say, 10am, and nurses for 45 minutes in between a poop/change or two. And a few times of unlatching him when he falls asleep while nursing and setting him down in which case he promptly wakes up and wants more. =) He then stays awake (or I try to keep him awake during the day, but at night I let him go right to sleep) for 10-15 minutes while the kids hold him, or I talk to him - he's so sweet how he just stares at me wide-eyed in wonder over everything going on around him. He hears very well and will follow my eyes if I move my head, listening very closely to what I am saying. So sweet. =)

Then I lay him down in his bed in the same position every time, on his side tucked close to the edge of the bed so his little fists are right there if he wants to suck on something. So far he refuses a pacifier - he seems to prefer the Nuk brand size 2, which I only had one of and lost it, of course! The other SIX that I stocked up on were size 1 which is a tiny nipple, the cheap Walmart brand and he hates those and has never liked them. But anyway, he still doesn't like a pacifier at ALL if he's crying or upset in any way - he's only content to suck on it if he's already content. So what's the good in that, anyway?? So I'm hoping that he'll just find his fists because I don't know what I'll do once I try to go somewhere with him and he's crying like in church or the car.

He goes to sleep on his own SO well!!! And then sleeps like clockwork to almost the exact mark of 3 hours since he woke up the 1st time. It's really strange but SO welcome for me because it eliminates those late, late hours in the night when the baby has nursed, and been changed, and SHOULD be asleep but will.not.go.to.sleep and Mama is so frustrated and so tired and the tears come. I have been spared that except for one night and I am so thankful because I feel like because of that, I've been able to get pretty good sleep! Granted, it's just 1 to 1 1/2 hour increments at a time (and I am catching up on the entire season of Nikita rather quickly because of all the 1am, 4am, etc feedings lol!) but at least I can put him down, look at my watch, and know that for the next hour I am guaranteed sleep if all goes well.

DH dropped the kids off at school for me this morning, and my MIL graciously took the two little ones for the morning, so I was able to sleep until 11:15 at which time I jumped out of bed and went to make lunch for the 3 littles who were due to walk in the door at any time. So I was "alone" with the 4 younger kids 5,3,2,0 from then until 3:30 when DH brought the kids home from school.

Then we (DH, DD2, DS3, Baby, me) jumped in the car and drove to the appointment which we were 15 min late. I could tell my body didn't like all the crazy trying to get out of there on time-ness, lol, it did not approve of my trying to move quickly to get things done. It rather likes the slow movements and lots of resting I've been doing instead. So that kind of wore me out - but good results, the baby weighed 7lbs 3oz on day 3, and today weighed 7lbs 13oz on day 8. I am always concerned about weight gain because my milk just has problems, but hopefully the beer and oatmeal + rest is going to do the trick this time!

I've been such a night owl lately. It's strange to look at the clock and it's midnight and I'm just starting to eat my dinner of salad, oatmeal, beer. Ha ha that is a really strange combination, eh? But whatever, it's what sounds good and it's healthy so I consider it a win-win. Time has no relevance to me, it's all just a matter of if I have gotten sleep in the last 3 hours or not, and if I need to rest and/or am starting to cramp or not. Thankfully DH can take over after dinner and I am able to just go to my room and sleep for an hour like I did tonight.

Guess that's it for now, I'm going to do the bills for a while until the baby wakes up and watch an episode of Nikita, then hopefully take a quick shower & head to bed. Considering the fact that it's 10:30 right now...looks like it'll be another late one. Oh well - thankful for my friend Lucy who is coming tomorrow from 8-3 so I can nap when I need to. =)