Yesterday was a tough day at our house. Everything started out fine, but around 4:00 LJ hit a fussy time and the baby blues hit me. According to What to Expect When You are Expecting...the baby blues hit sometime around the 3rd day post-delivery. Well, mine hit at the exact hour 3 days post-delivery. I cried and cried...LJ cried and cried. Thankfully, LJ gave us a good night last night, so RJ and I got about 6-7 hours of sleep and my mom got a full night. We'll see how today goes...so far, so good. LJ is napping now, but should be ready to eat any minute. I managed to take a shower, blow dry my hair, and do a couple of things around the house...so I feel pretty normal right now. I just hope the baby blues don't turn into full-blown post-partum depression.
LJ has been a great nurser from day one, but this is also a detriment. Anytime his hands get near his face, he tries to suck on them...which is fine. But, when nothing comes from that, he thinks he needs to eat! So, we battle to not eat ALL THE TIME, but he usually wins that battle. I keep thinking..."he is only 4 days old, he doesn't know what he's doing, so how can I really teach him anything about waiting to eat?" But, you know how I like a schedule...so I have an internal battle...this makes me cry and I get overwhelmed. I'm trying to put it all in perspective and take it one minute at a time. RJ has been very supportive and so has my Mom. RJ really likes LJ a lot and is willing to listen to him cry and try to soothe him, while I cry too! We are a mess, but I am optimistic things will brighten up. LJ is still pretty darn cute! I think he'll end up looking like his Dad when all is said and done.
So, things are ok here. Those of you who have had children...please tell me this is normal! Or, if it isn't...let me know that too!
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4 comments:
As normall as it can be, do not worry, try to relax and enjoy the mess because later you are going to miss it (belive it or not). On the feeding schedule just try not to be too flexible, the baby has to eat every 3 hrs. you can do it every 2 an a half but no less, because he will get us to feed small portions many times during the day, and latter on you will have a bigger problem trying to change this habit. Everything else is normall, I even cried when I saw a fly on Alexandra´s room and thought I was a very bad mom, because I let it in. Sleep as much as you can. You will laugh latter on about all of this. I send you a Hugh and a kiss for LJ (I like his name a lot) Love Nora.
First of all...........this is all normal. Some post-partum crying (even lots of it) is totally normal and to be completely expected. You have no need to worry about post-partum depression. You will know that has hit you in several weeks when you find no joy in anything. That is not the case now so don't even think about that. These first many days after giving birth are about being with your baby and getting to know each other, not about teaching the baby about a schedule or trying to get things done. The fact that he is a good nurser is a big plus. I am a big believer in feeding on demand. This does not mean that you will be a milk cow that is teaching your baby that you are always going to be there to feed him, this is meeting his immediate needs and showing him that you are there for him. He is 3 days old, his only needs right now are to be fed and loved. Thats your job!!! So, please just relax, nurse him when he wants and snuggle him as much as you want! All the rest of the schedule, sleep, etc stuff falls into place later. Thats my soap box. You might want to try reading "The Womanly Art of Breast Feeding", its from La Leche League, I think you will find this book really helpful.
Love, Lena
Totally normal!
I just remember my doctor telling me that the baby's schedule was completely opposite from yours while in the womb, so it takes a few days for the baby to get on your schedule. I wasn't a real stickler on schedules, so this probably doesn't help you. When she was hungry I fed her, when she slept I slept, so I would say that I was really on HER schedule. After a couple of weeks we had created a pretty consistent routine together, not that it was planned from the beginning, it just evolved into our "schedule".
I'm so glad your mom is there to help you and so you can take a breather when you need to. It is quite overwhelming at first, but I'm sure you'll have your routine before too long.
Keep us posted!
-Amanda
I think that children's schedules and parent's schedules NEVER coincide. I have been trying to get my children on MY schedule for over twenty years and it hasn't happened yet! Actually they all USED to go to bed according to my schedule but now 2/3 of them perhaps never go to bed at all. I on the other hand have adapted well to sleeping whenever I want and eating whenever I want. I guess that actually has nothing to do with what you are going through but it was theraputic for me to verbalize it. On the other hand I seem to be alot like LJ.... as for your crying - I bet it doesn't bother LJ at all. Be sure to get outside some each day, that will help LJ and you. Jennifer, Bekah, Jared and Rachel can't wait to see him. That goes for Kathy and me as well.
Big bro
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