6 week check up

Time since birth: 7 weeks
Weight loss this week: 1kg (2.2lbs)
Total weight loss: 11.4kgs (25.13lbs)

Monday I went for our 6 week check up. We had just gone out the door when Hannah did the biggest chuck ever. It was all over my clothes, her clothes, the baby carrier, and herself. By the time I changed both of our clothes, gave Hannah a bit of a sponge bath, and got lost on the way there, we were quite late.

At the check up, they checked my stitches (first time since I got them), which were “healed quite nicely.” They checked my blood pressure and felt my tummy to make sure my uterus has gone back down. Everything was fine. They also gave Hannah a check up, and weighed and measured her. Finally, she is over 4kg. Only just, she is 4.1kg. She has also grown 7cm since birth.

After our appointment, Hannah was hungry, so i decided to try out the parents room at the shopping centre. There was a nice couch, TV, microwave, change tables, etc. It was quite nice and i didn’t even have to worry about Hannah crying as no shoppers would be able to hear it.

I don’t know if any of you have watched wipeout before, but it seems every time i watch it, i laugh so hard that tears come out. Aaron and i watched the other day and there was this large woman who was a bit scared to jump onto the big balls. Lucky for us, the “motivator” was employed. A big squishy block hit her in the bum, knocking her off the platform and onto the big balls. She was already covered in mud. As she hit the big ball, watery mud flew out of her top and hit her in the face (pretty sure her boobs hit her in the face too), she bounced off the big ball and tumbled into the muddy water below. Aaron and i both had tears from laughing so hard.

Hannah held a rattle for the first time this week. Sure, i may have put it in her hand, but she still kept a hold on it, and shook it a bit before dropping it. We’ve been practising every day since then, it’s good for developing her coordination and such.

I walked to my first mothers group on Tuesday. Even though it’s in a different town, it only took me 20 minutes. Apart from one other girl, I’m pretty sure I’m about 10 years younger then every one else. i guess people are having them late these days. It was good though, there was a baby nurse there and we got to ask any questions we wanted. Everyone seemed to want to know all the same things, which is reassuring. I just thought that maybe Hannah was a bit strange, but when i asked about her rubbing her face on our shoulders and chest, i found out that is normal (although i still don’t know why they do it).

One morning, i had Hannah on her change mat, with a diaper under her, but not on. She likes to lay there and kick her legs and coo. She did a giant vomit and i had to sit her up as she was doing it so she wouldn’t choke on it. It was like 3 big vomits in quick succession and got everywhere. Immediately after that, she did a big poo all over, and as soon as i took the nappy away, she peed everywhere. Interesting morning alright.

Grandma went wit me to the boob specialist to mind Hannah while I was in there. I don’t think Hannah likes doctors offices, she always screams when she is there. Poor Grandma. If i wasn’t breast feeding, they would take my lump out, but since I am, I have to have another biopsy (not fun, but i will get into that next week) on it just to be safe. He said he’s quite sure it’s harmless, but because of it’s size, wants to be sure. If the lump is still there when Hannah is a year old, then they will remove it. Hopefully my boob won’t resemble a deflated balloon after that. Since the lump is now filled with liquid, doesn’t that men that when they take the biopsy, it could all leak out?? Turns out, that is possible. Ewww. Guess I’ll find out on Thursday.

We have private health insurance, but does it cover Hannah’s heart appointment, my ultrasound, biopsy, boob specialist, or the gap in doctors fees when they don’t bulk bill? Not at all. So what exactly is the point of paying $200 a month for private health insurance?

Hannah has been a fantastic night sleeper recently. She slept for 8 hours straight 2 nights in a row. Unfortunately, i haven’t been so lucky. It seems a neighbor has taken to clarinet playing at 10pm. I mean really, who plays the clarinet at 10pm? Everything seems amplified when you are laying in bed trying to sleep, so to me, it sounded like there was a dying moose right outside my window.

Friday I had my first post natal pilates class, where i found out that due to pregnancy, i have 2cms of separation in my ab muscles. Basically that means that there is 2cms in between my abs down the centre of my belly. I’ll have to work out to fix it. The class was really good though, i used muscles i forgot i had.

My jaundiced baby

Time since birth: 2 weeks 1 day
Total weight loss: 7kg (15.4lbs)
Weight loss this week: 100g (.22lbs but I weighed myself after eating and fully clothed so this is not too accurate)

Last Monday (a week ago today) a nurse from the early childhood centre came to do a home visit. She checked Hannah’s jaundice (which is now gone), weighed her (she had gained over 200g since that Thursday, which is really good), pushed on my tummy to see how my uterus is going, and asked any questions that I have. She said we were doing really well and that I seemed really calm for a new mom. I find it very odd that after getting stitches when Hannah was born, not one person has checked the stitches since then. I had a total of 4 home visits (3 from midwives, 1 from the nurse), and some checks in hospital, but no stitch check. This seems very odd to me. What if they are infected or not healing right or something. I wouldn’t know, I don’t know what vajayjay stitches are supposed to look like (nor can I see down there anyway…). I’m sure they are fine, but I still find it odd. I would think that would be something that needs checking.

I can’t remember if I mentioned it last week, but after you have a baby, your appetite goes out the window. I had to force myself to eat 3 meals per day for a week and a half. I could only get through small portions. The nurse said that is normal, and is due to hormones, etc. I’m happy to report that I now have my appetite back. Unfortunately I have not been drinking any milk as Hannah had lots of gas and I read online that sometimes this can be due to mom’s ingesting milk products. So, I’m giving up milk for a week to see if there is a change. It’s torture though, I LOVE milk!! I don’t think she has been as gassy though. Poor little Hannah gets quite distressed when she has too much wind. her poor little tummy hurts. Hopefully I can reintroduce milk slowly to my diet. I will have to ask the nurse about such things.

It’s funny how things change as soon as you have a baby. I never used to go out without at least a light dusting of my mineral makeup, but now, who cares, I just had a baby, I don’t have time for that! I’ve been living in sweats since I got home, and only shower every other day (except for washing my stitches which I do every day). I walk to the shops in my sweats and take Hannah for walks in my sweats. That is just what happens after you become a mom. I don’t want to be daggy for the rest of my life, but for now, while little Hannah is so young and in need of attention all the time, I just don’t have time to make myself look nice.

I am so thankful to our church and it’s members. They have been bringing us meals since we came home from hospital. I don’t know what we’d do without it. There just isn’t time (or energy) for cooking dinner at the moment. Hannah doesn’t really like to sleep during the day (she is sleeping now, but it’s the first time she has slept today, and it’s 4:40 in the afternoon), so that doesn’t really give me time to tend to any house duties or cooking. We are very grateful!

My coccyx is still sore, but getting better. I can now sit on the couch and breastfeeding chair (cushioned gliding rocking chair in Hannah’s room. Hannah and I love that chair) without a folded towel under each cheek. I still can’t drive as the seats in the car are quite hard and I have to sit really awkwardly in the car. If it was an automatic I might be able to drive it, but as it’s a manual, I’d have to sit properly to have both feet doing what they are supposed to, and that is painful still.

Hannah loves it when Mommy or Daddy holds her in a sitting position so she can stare at our faces. Sometimes she even smiles. She may not like to sleep during the day, but at night, Hannah is wonderful. She usually sleeps at about 10pm after a feed, and then sleeps for 5 hours. Another feed, diaper change, and settling (45min – 1 hour total), and she sleeps for another 2-4 hours. Another feed, etc, and she sleeps for another 2-4 hours. I get lots of sleep luckily (most nights, but we have had the odd bad night). She is just so cute.

Hannah was really unsettled yesterday. She didn’t sleep all day. We went to church last night, but she cried so much that Aaron had to take her out to the car and just sit with her the whole time while she bawled her eyes out. I wish I knew how to make her feel better when she is so unsettled. We check her nappy, feed her, make sure she is not too hot or cold, give her cuddles, etc, but still, she cries. I guess it’s just because she is a baby. She looks tired (yawning, and other tired signs), wakes up about 5 min after putting her to bed. I suppose she will grow out of it though. Better to be like that during the day then all night though! She does sleep when I take her for a walk in her pram. She will be bawling her eyes out all the way to the top of the driveway, then, as soon as we hit the sidewalk, she is out. She will be out the whole walk time, until we get right outside our driveway, then she is up and screaming again. I don’t know how she knows we’re home, but somehow, she always does. She is too smart for her own good I think.

I find getting out for a walk does wonders for me too. I like to get some fresh air, and it really puts me in a good mood. I might be really stressed or upset from trying to settle Hannah all day, but as soon as we go for a walk, I’m refreshed. Good old vitamin D (the happy vitamin) I suppose. I guess that is why all the baby books tell you to get out everyday no matter what, even if it’s just to the mailbox and back. Good advice, I second that. I like going for pram walks so much that I emailed all the girls from my antenatal class (we all keep in touch and meet up sometimes) and suggested we all meet up fairly regularly after everyone has their babies (one popped yesterday, and another today, a couple more to go) and go for pram walks. I’ve gotten favourable responses so far.

Anyway, Hannah might wake up soon, so I’m going to go now. ToOdLeS!