It's official, I have become a bottom sniffer.
I used to look at parents sniffing their children's bottoms and say to myself "is that really necessary?". Well I can tell you it is. There is nothing quite as disheartening as stripping a fighting baby to change his nappy only to discover there was no need. Other than opening the parcel, the sniff test is the only way to distinguish a fart from a full on follow-through.
We're nearly 7 weeks in, I would guess I'm nearing my 500th nappy change and that's not counting those done by Ivan. The books say that in the second month that the number of changes diminishes, but it also says that I should be able to change a nappy one-handed...I'm becoming pretty good, but I'm not that good. So every nappy that I don't have to change is a blessing. Hurrah for bottom sniffers.
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
6th time lucky??
So the whole process has taken over an hour, but I'm determined to persist today. We have a beautiful, perfect little boy who's starting to smile but who refuses to sleep in his cot or in his pram. In fact he refuses to be asleep or awake in anything but arms, but I am also persisting with his new hammock and so far we have a record of 5 minutes to beat. Finally he's sparked out in his pram (who knows for how long?) on the 6th attempt (2 in the pram, 4 in the cot). Each time I lower him in, Nico's fast asleep, but as he reaches the mattress it's as if he switches on. The arms come up, the fists ball, the legs pump, the blankets come off, the face crumples and the screaming starts.
The scene earlier this morning of me walking along the beach with the baby tucked under one arm and pushing the pram with the other has not been an uncommon one these last few weeks. According to just about all of the advice I've read, he's too little to be left to cry for any length of time, so after ten minutes of screaming I feel I have little choice. As if by magic, on my shoulder he stops. I appear to have the shoulder to not cry on.
Afternoon snoozes are regular and long, just as long as Nico has someone warm to nap on.
Night time sleeps have reached a record blissful 5 hours, but just as long as Nico has someone warm to sleep on. In his cot, that record is about 3 hours and appears to be diminishing every night.
So we're on a mission. From today, all daytime naps are to be in his cot or his pram. From January 1st, night time equals cot.
The scene earlier this morning of me walking along the beach with the baby tucked under one arm and pushing the pram with the other has not been an uncommon one these last few weeks. According to just about all of the advice I've read, he's too little to be left to cry for any length of time, so after ten minutes of screaming I feel I have little choice. As if by magic, on my shoulder he stops. I appear to have the shoulder to not cry on.
Afternoon snoozes are regular and long, just as long as Nico has someone warm to nap on.
Night time sleeps have reached a record blissful 5 hours, but just as long as Nico has someone warm to sleep on. In his cot, that record is about 3 hours and appears to be diminishing every night.
So we're on a mission. From today, all daytime naps are to be in his cot or his pram. From January 1st, night time equals cot.
5th time lucky...
...and the baby is asleep in his cot for his afternoon nap. Famous last words. Crying again...
Friday, 18 December 2009
The let down sensation of milk
I wanted to write what this feels like as it is quite unlike anything I have known before.
Is your let down letting you down?
Let down is the term for describing the flow of breastmilk through the breast to the nipple. It can happen at anytime, usually when you're out and about having forgotten the indispensable breast pads and wearing a cream silk blouse.
I can only describe the sensation as if my breats were gradually turning to stone as a coldness and hardness seeps from the armpits. It's not terribly pleasant and is accompanied by the desire to wrap my arms around my chest, close my eyes and count to 30 as the pain passes. If you're quick enough you can catch the ensuing leakage, but from the start of the sensation you've got less than a minute. Interestingly each breast functions independently so they don't have to let down at the same time, but for me they work a double act every time.
Is your let down letting you down?
Let down is the term for describing the flow of breastmilk through the breast to the nipple. It can happen at anytime, usually when you're out and about having forgotten the indispensable breast pads and wearing a cream silk blouse.
I can only describe the sensation as if my breats were gradually turning to stone as a coldness and hardness seeps from the armpits. It's not terribly pleasant and is accompanied by the desire to wrap my arms around my chest, close my eyes and count to 30 as the pain passes. If you're quick enough you can catch the ensuing leakage, but from the start of the sensation you've got less than a minute. Interestingly each breast functions independently so they don't have to let down at the same time, but for me they work a double act every time.
Cot or arms?
Nico - Week 6
In a rare moment where the baby is actually napping in his cot I have a little time for some updates.
My frustration with Nico's lack of interest in his cot can only be short lived. Our flat feels like the coldest place known to man. With outside temperatures not reaching much about 8 (I know, I know in London it's struggling to push above zero, but hear me out...) who on earth thought it would be a good idea to build flats without central heating? A major oversight when choosing our place to live and a mistake that we won't make again.
The fact is that houses and flats in the UK, with their shagpile carpets and insulation as standard are built to cope with the cold weather whereas here they are built for the heat. So the whitewashed walls and the white stone tiles will no doubt be a relief when the heat arrives next year, but for now I hate them. I feel as if I'm in a white prison with only the baby to keep me warm (shouldn't that be the other way around?) and a hot water bottle to prevent my feet from turning to ice.
Is it any wonder that our 5 week old baby prefers to nap and sleep in arms rather than in his vast cold cot. I know which option I'd choose.
In a rare moment where the baby is actually napping in his cot I have a little time for some updates.
My frustration with Nico's lack of interest in his cot can only be short lived. Our flat feels like the coldest place known to man. With outside temperatures not reaching much about 8 (I know, I know in London it's struggling to push above zero, but hear me out...) who on earth thought it would be a good idea to build flats without central heating? A major oversight when choosing our place to live and a mistake that we won't make again.
The fact is that houses and flats in the UK, with their shagpile carpets and insulation as standard are built to cope with the cold weather whereas here they are built for the heat. So the whitewashed walls and the white stone tiles will no doubt be a relief when the heat arrives next year, but for now I hate them. I feel as if I'm in a white prison with only the baby to keep me warm (shouldn't that be the other way around?) and a hot water bottle to prevent my feet from turning to ice.
Is it any wonder that our 5 week old baby prefers to nap and sleep in arms rather than in his vast cold cot. I know which option I'd choose.
Sunday, 13 December 2009
The girl with the golden tits
Nico - Week 5
As time passes and I'm still breastfeeding Nico then I will have to figure out how to feed him in public unless I want to stay indoors for the next six months.
Actually I've surprised myself by not being too bothered with the world watching. My philosophy is that if you are comfortable being a spectator at feeding time then so am I. If you're not comfortable then I'll go somewhere else. You won't see much of me however as he still feeds between eight and ten times a day.
Despite Nico being my parents-in-law's fourth grandchild it seems I have broken some bounderies by allowing them to watch me feed the baby. I'm certainly not the girl with the golden tits...
As time passes and I'm still breastfeeding Nico then I will have to figure out how to feed him in public unless I want to stay indoors for the next six months.
Actually I've surprised myself by not being too bothered with the world watching. My philosophy is that if you are comfortable being a spectator at feeding time then so am I. If you're not comfortable then I'll go somewhere else. You won't see much of me however as he still feeds between eight and ten times a day.
Despite Nico being my parents-in-law's fourth grandchild it seems I have broken some bounderies by allowing them to watch me feed the baby. I'm certainly not the girl with the golden tits...
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Fight, fight, fight
Nico - Day 27
It looks like we have a fighter on our hands.
Nico fights almost everything. If we put a hat on him he wriggles until it comes off, if we cover his hands with mittens he pulls them off, if we snuggle him up in a blanket he kicks it off, and nappy changes are a daily challenge with flailing arms and legs curled into his chest.
It seems we have been lucky with the basics however. He loves to eat (like his Daddy) and he loves to sleep, although a pair of cuddling arms is much more preferable to his cot. We have to sneak him into his cot once he's fast asleep and clench every muscle in anticipation for the cry that he's woken and is reaching up to be cuddled. He's not yet four weeks old so for now that's fine and he's so cuddly and fluffy that holding him in arms while he sleeps is a time to treasure.
It looks like we have a fighter on our hands.
Nico fights almost everything. If we put a hat on him he wriggles until it comes off, if we cover his hands with mittens he pulls them off, if we snuggle him up in a blanket he kicks it off, and nappy changes are a daily challenge with flailing arms and legs curled into his chest.
It seems we have been lucky with the basics however. He loves to eat (like his Daddy) and he loves to sleep, although a pair of cuddling arms is much more preferable to his cot. We have to sneak him into his cot once he's fast asleep and clench every muscle in anticipation for the cry that he's woken and is reaching up to be cuddled. He's not yet four weeks old so for now that's fine and he's so cuddly and fluffy that holding him in arms while he sleeps is a time to treasure.
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Beauty regime
Nico - Day 21
For someone who used to balk at the idea of going to the shops without a full face on, I now find myself to be an avid non make-up wearer. The time to put in on and then the hassle of having to take it off at night time is just too precious to lose. I'm managing a daily shower, face cleanse and moisturise, but my bag of essentials from MAC and Benefit have been replaced by Lansinoh, wound wash and and healing oil. I won't be throwing out the make up brushes just yet as once my nipples have toughened up and the scars have healed, I'm sure I'll be horrified with my bare face and resort to at least some covering up.
So am I letting myself go? More like letting myself grow....not only have I not worn make up since giving birth, I've not shaved and it's only today that I got around to cutting my toenails. My disastrous Spanish hairdo is also in need of some attention but that may have to wait until I take a trip to the UK as I'm not sure I'm prepared to put my trust in the local stylists again just yet.
For someone who used to balk at the idea of going to the shops without a full face on, I now find myself to be an avid non make-up wearer. The time to put in on and then the hassle of having to take it off at night time is just too precious to lose. I'm managing a daily shower, face cleanse and moisturise, but my bag of essentials from MAC and Benefit have been replaced by Lansinoh, wound wash and and healing oil. I won't be throwing out the make up brushes just yet as once my nipples have toughened up and the scars have healed, I'm sure I'll be horrified with my bare face and resort to at least some covering up.
So am I letting myself go? More like letting myself grow....not only have I not worn make up since giving birth, I've not shaved and it's only today that I got around to cutting my toenails. My disastrous Spanish hairdo is also in need of some attention but that may have to wait until I take a trip to the UK as I'm not sure I'm prepared to put my trust in the local stylists again just yet.
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