Friday, December 18, 2009

Surviving week one



So little Morgan has been home with us for a little over a week. What a crazy week it has been! I still can't believe that I am a mom. Luckily Morgan is a really good baby.....she really only cries if she is hungry or needs to be changed. (I think we have almost gone thru a whole box of diapers already. )




Learning how to breast feed has been a challenge. She falls asleep five minutes after I start feeding her, but everyone that I have spoken to says that is how it is in the beginning. I have been given several different ideas of how to keep her awake. Including, putting a cold wet washcloth against her skin and flicking her feet. I will try my best to diligently keep breast feeding, but it definitely is frustrating.


I now know what everyone means by the "baby blues". I hate to admit it but I think I have a mild case. I don't want to cause harm to my daughter and i'm not unhappy. I will however cry at the drop of a hat. Poor Kevin has witnessed this a couple of times, but thankfully he understands that my hormones are a little out of control right now.


Sleep deprivation....AHHH yes....that is one thing that everyone talks about with newborns. Kevin and I have had some rough nights, BUT somehow we have started our own little routine. I try my best to wake her up every couple hours during the day and keep her awake so when night time comes she is nice and sleepy. We try to get her tummy full by 10:00 so we can all go to bed. This little plan as worked out a couple of nights. Last night she didn't wake up again until 4:45 A.M. Actually, she might have slept longer I woke up and then I woke her up.


Everyone said that is better to have newborns sleep in your bedroom for the first couple of months because of how often you will be tending to them at night. We thought that would be a good idea. Especially since as a new mom you find yourself constantly checking to see that they are breathing. Anyways, we didn't have a bassinet and didn't feel like spending 150 dollars on something for her to use for only 2 months SO we got creative. We took two chairs and pushed them up to the side of the bed. Then we got a laundry basket and put a mattress type pad inside. It works great! Also, whenever I want to look at her and make sure she is ok I use the light from my cell phone. Gotta use what you got :)

 

5 comments:

Elizabeth said...

oh my gosh, she's so flipping cute.

Elizabeth Moon said...

I was such an emotional wreck those first couple weeks. You are on a huge rollercoaster of hormones and sleep deprivation and happiness and you are completely overwhelmed. It gets better! So does breastfeeding! I wish so bad I hadn't listened to the bad advice I got when Atticus was born, that he should sleep in a different room. I got SO much more sleep with Gwyneth keeping her right next to me all night!

You are doing great mama!!! She is so gorgeous and you look very happy!

LanceandNance said...

Hey Heather, I found your blog through your facebook page and I just had to leave a comment and say your little Morgan really is one of the cutest newborns I've ever seen! I just kept saying "yes" and "totally" as I read your post cause I had all those same feelings including the baby blues and constantly checking the baby to see if it's breathing causing the baby to wake up. With John I basically had to undress him down to his diaper to keep him awake to nurse and lying down and nursing always seemed easier to me. That's great you already have her on a schedule and your makeshift bassinet is so smart! Enjoy your beautiful baby girl, it goes by too quick! My John is already 8 months and huge. Love your blog by the way.

-Nancy

mrs_stailey said...

She is so adorable! Congratulations!!

The Jones Family said...

Oh believe me, it takes a while before your over the fact that you are a mom.. I still can't believe it.. Neither can Trav believe that he's a dad... its so wonderful :)