Friday, June 12, 2009

Poor Baby

this post is about poop. Yes, you know you are reading a blog about a child when poop is being talked about.

My little one is backed up, BAD. I went to change her diaper before putting her down to sleep last night and noticed some poop trying to come out, she was trying so hard to push it out but she just couldn't. It was pitiful. I put her to sleep, hoping it would just come out on its own. This morning, she was in so much pain. She was pushing so hard that her face was turning red, her stomach was so hard and tight, and of course the crying was AWFUL. The poor baby just couldn't get the poop out at all, she's always has loose stools, so this hard poop was just too much for her.

So I called the Pediatrician to see what I should do. They told me to take a rectal thermometer and stick it in her butt to stimulate her to push. Umm, excuse me??????

Does that NOT sound right to anyone else? I was like, " I can't do that!"

So, of course I'm standing at the changing table with the rectal thermometer in my hand, and my daughter is looking at me like she knows exactly what is about to happen. Then, my doorbell rings....thank god. It was my cousin, who happens to be an RN (hallelujah)! She was stopping by to bring an outfit she had bought for the baby, so I told her about my dilemma.

She laughed in my face. Not cool.

She said, that was normal and it was nothing to freak out about. She also suggested taking one of those dental syringes and putting some water in it and squirting it in her butt to soften her stool. I'm sorry, what is wrong with the medical community?? The best part, she said that if my daughter didn't go to the bathroom, that the Pediatrician may want me to manually "un-impact" her.

"How do you do that?" I asked.
"With your finger", she replied as she laughed out loud at my horrified expression.

I know, being a mom can be a messy business, but I never expected to EVER have a conversation remotely like this with my cousin! So, we sat there while I fed my baby, and I was praying that she would just poop so that I wouldn't have to prod it out of her. After she ate me and my cousin took her into the nursery and plopped her on the changing table, I opened her diaper and....EUREKA, poop! Thank goodness! She was still straining to get it all out, but the important thing was it WAS coming out!

I'm pretty sure she heard and understood every word of our conversation :)

Monday, June 8, 2009

New Mom Tip

YOUR TOLERANCE ISN'T QUITE THE SAME

Last night was our first "grown-up" night out without the little one. My mom watched her, while we went to a friend's engagement party. This wasn't my first experience drinking since having my daughter, I've enjoyed the occasional glass of wine at home, and drank beers by the pool while we were at the beach, but last night was my first time socially drinking with all my friends. And everyone knows, you drink more when your friends are around.

I had a baby 5 weeks ago, my tolerance isn't quite what it use to be. Don't worry, I didn't embarrass myself or anything like that (thank god) but after about 8 beers (no, I'm not kidding) my head started pounding. I basically passed out the second I got home, but naturally still had to get up for those middle of the night feedings, which was SO HARD. I'm one of those people that sleep really well when I'm drunk, when I'm out, I'm out. But, the second I heard my daughter crying for her bottle I snapped right up...it's like something in you just snaps into gear. The night wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but 6 a.m. definitley rolled up much faster than I thought it would. My daughter's morning nap though, literally saved my life because I was able to go back to sleep as well!

So, basically my tip to all new moms out there, is DEFINITELY take it easy, or at least save the heavy drinking for a night when your baby is with the grandparents and THEY have baby duty for the night!

Saturday, June 6, 2009

The Incredible Shrinking Woman?

So, I gained a lot of weight when I was pregnant. I know, everyone says that, but I really did. I may or may not have gained about 53 lbs! ( please contain your shock)

Anyways, now that my baby is almost 5 weeks old, I am definitely ready to start getting this weight OFF. However, I haven't been able to work out at all because I had a c-section (so frustrating). I had my follow-up doctor's appointment and I'm happy to announce that I've already lost 20 lbs and that's without doing ANYTHING (besides labor) and my doctor gave me the go-ahead to start working out, but no heavy lifting of weights and crap like that. Who cares about weights, I'm more than happy to put my fat-ass on the treadmill or elliptical, anything to start getting the rest of the 33lbs OFF!!!

So, although it's only been 2 days, I'm 2 for 2 and totally proud of myself. I went to the gym yesterday and today, and have strictly been ONLY drinking water..no more sodas for me. I'm excited and really hope I can stick to a work out schedule (because let's face it, working out IS work, and I've never enjoyed it before)! I really hope I can get back to my pre-baby weight, I've never really been a big exerciser and never had to really watch what I ate, so I know this is going to be quite a challenge for me, but I'm up for it, and so help me god I will definitely be back in my bikini....at least by NEXT summer :)

Friday, June 5, 2009

No Privacy

Having a child is a humbling experience. Labor and Delivery is unlike anything you can possibly imagine, it's painful, messy, hectic, and basically "out there" for everyone to see.

There has been one issue though that has bothered me throughout my whole pregnancy as well as now that my baby has arrived. Breastfeeding.

I'm sorry, but I don't think my breasts or what I do with them for that matter are anyone else's business but mine. It's amazing how many people ask "Are you breastfeeding" or when I was pregnant, " Are you going to breastfeed?" It's one thing to have that sort of conversation with my mother, but when people I barely know ask me that question, it makes my skin crawl.

Why is it that pregnancy and new babies seem to make people forget manners and etiquette?? The breastfeeding question is the most annoying, but there are other instances where my privacy has been thrown out the door. After delivery for example, people feel like they can come visit you in the hospital and just stay there for as long as they want. Hello? When you have a baby, things are still messy, getting up and going to the bathroom takes a lot of work, and having to do it while someone is sitting there watching you is so annoying. Not to mention your hormones are crazy, and if you are trying to nurse, you have to feed your baby every 2 hours, and some people don't even have the sense to offer to step outside when it's time for your baby to eat, they wait for YOU to tell them to leave.

My ultimate peeve though, is people who just show up without calling. When your still in the hospital that's one thing, you have to accept that people are going to be dropping in, and thats fine, but when you get home and you are trying to adjust to life with a new baby and someone has the nerve to show up at your house and lay on the doorbell without even calling to see if it would be okay to stop by (which they probably didn't call because they KNEW it wasn't okay to stop by but wanted to anyway) that is TOTALLY uncool!

AND when it comes to breastfeeding, don't make someone feel guilty about not doing it. In my case, I tried to nurse, and then I pumped. Whether I nursed or pumped I still had to supplement with formula every now and then because my body just couldn't keep up with the ounces my little one was taking in...so now, she is strictly on formula, and yes I felt guilty when I made the switch. Oddly enough, I can't even say why I felt so guilty, I think as a woman it is drilled into us that breastfeeding is so good for your baby, and I know the lactation consultants at the hospital where crazy about coming in and lecturing me about nursing, and staying patient (because believe it or not, nursing is hard work). The fact that everyone and their brother felt the need to ask me the breastfeeding question, and then give me "the look" when I answered with "No, not anymore" didn't help either.

Oh well, my baby is thriving and that is all that matters. But honestly, the ridiculousness of some people can just drive you crazy!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Beach Baby

We just got back from the beach! First major trip since having the little one....the trip was surprisingly not bad at all, Nags Head is about a 3 hour trip from Richmond, Virginia and Juliette slept the whole time!!!!

We went to the beach for a family reunion, and the house was packed with uncles, aunts, and cousins and of course my parents as well. Everyone loved Juliette (naturally) :) It was nice to have so many people (mostly my aunts) fuss all over her, and although it was still a lot of work taking care of a 4 week old, I was able to lay out for a few hours everyday by myself while my dad or my mom or aunts watched her in the house. However, a mom never really gets a break, and being a new mother only makes me appreciate my own mom that much more! It's hard work, nevermind we literally packed the whole house up for the trip- play mat, swing, pack and play, blankets, swaddles, clothes, bath lotion, bouncy chair ( you get the idea) and eventhough it was a "vacation" that word no longer includes the option of "sleeping in" anymore.

I really shouldn't complain too much, she's only getting up once a night, usually around 3 or 4 a.m. and then she usually gets up around 7, not bad at all especially since she usually goes back down around 9 a.m. for a pretty good nap which gives me the chance to pass back out :)

The ride back was great as well- she slept! Our next big trip we have planned is going up to Cape Cod- the dilemma= how do we get there? It's about a 13 hour drive (yuck) so my wonderful other half wants to fly. I am totally against this idea...have you ever been on a plane with a screaming baby? NOT PLEASANT! So, I have suggested taking a train, it will still be a long trip but at least we can get up and walk around if the baby is fussy...other half is against the train idea, of course. Normally I wouldn't even bother making a trip like this with an infant, but other half's family lives in Cape Cod, so it's important for us to get up there...we will see whether car, train, or plane wins out!