Fit Mom = Big Baby

When the shock of my big baby coming out of my body wore off, I asked — in great puzzlement — the dr and nurse how I could possibly produce such a large child when I am A) petite and B) took care of myself.

“It’s hereditary,” the nurse said. “You take after your mom.” I was eight pounds and my brother was nine, and since boys are larger, this is why I had a nine pounder myself.

Then recently I started reading a book about baby brain development. It has been long thought that exercise helps keep babies’ birth weights down. The thinking is that if the mom keeps her weight in the check, it would be the same for the baby. However, imagine my surprise when the book cites several recent studies that show the opposite! Exercise builds big babies!

So I guess I should’ve just sat on my butt and ate bons bons!

(Is anyone else sick to their stomachs knowing that Nicole Kidman and Matthew McConaughey’s girlfriend both have NO TUMMIES after only having their babies 2-3 weeks ago?)

My Life on “SATC”

I never thought my life would be like on “Sex and the City.”

A friend of mine came over and I was finally having some adult time! Then Peyton started getting fussy, so I decided to pop a boob into his mouth. My friend continued talking, but then Peyton popped off and started wailing.

“Sorry,” I said to my friend as I tried to get Peyton back on. “Hold on a minute,” I said trying to get Peyton latched on and he wailed and wailed.

My friend and I looked at each other. “Uh, wasn’t this a Sex and the City episode?” I asked. “Yeah,” she said. “Miranda and Carrie.” We just laughed.

Happy One Month!

Peyton is one month and 11 lbs now. Is he sleeping well? Not exactly. Are things getting better? A little. Has Mommy left the house by herself since giving birth? No. (Very sadly.) But Peyton did smile (dare I say “giggled”?) for the first time on Monday and I was ELATED. Since then, we haven’t been able to reproduce it.

But I have to say the little guy has definitely gotten used to us and has developed quite a personality. He does these funny things that I wonder where he picked up.

I have been thinking of entries to write but haven’t had time (duh!). Among them:

1. Having a child = unsolicited advice. I thought it was just when I was pregnant, but apparently, it continues and gets worse.
2. When you become a mom, do you just start stating the obvious? My mom, sister, and mother-in-law will say the stupidest things to me as if I’m intentionally hurting my child. (“He likes the sound of a blow dryer? Make sure you don’t burn him!”)
3. In-laws and boundaries. Apparently, an oxymoron.
4. Mothers who breastfeed and stay at home full-time. I give them props.
5. How the heck do people pump at work? I go back in September and I have to pump every 2 hours. How?
6. Five hours straight of sleep is like heaven. Who would’ve thought?

Outta Whack

I had mentioned the BO in my last entry… well, I have never had BO in my life! I’m not just saying this — it’s true. So, you see, this new development has me taken aback. I’ve taken a shower and then still smell a little later, I know something’s wrong. I looked it up and, apparently, because my hormones are all over the place, it can cause BO! It can happen during pregnancy and afterwards. (Again, why didn’t any of the pregnancy books mention this?) Plus, you sweat a ton after having a baby (again, the hormones), which is what can cause the major BO. The thing is I’m allergic to antiperspirant! I have always been (gives me a terrible rash) and only use deodorant — which I have been using since this BO discovery — and it does NOTHING to mask the stink!

Speaking of my body being out of whack, here’s a list of aches and pains since labor:

• My abs are still sore from pushing so hard and long.
• The right side of my back is always hurting, mostly when I stand or sit too long. (I read it can be from my weak abs, so my back has to overcompensate.)
• My feet are still wide! (Not fat from swelling, but extended from the soft ligaments.) Now they really look like my mom’s duck feet. I hope they go back soon so I can wear my cute shoes again. (Of course, I could have fun getting new cute shoes…)
• My stomach is always making weird noises and I have no idea if it has returned to its lawful place.
• Sometimes if I walk too much, I get this weird stabbing pain in my right inner thigh.
• My fingers are still too fat for my wedding ring!
• And I can never sleep comfortably. I thought I would love sleeping on my back again, but it just feels weird now. I guess it’s just as well since I barely get any sleep anyway.

A New Low

The baby has been going through a growth spurt since Wednesday. What does that mean? It means that he sleeps unpredictably (well, even more so) — anywhere from 30-40 minutes, maybe 10-15, or not at all — and wants to eat every hour. So, needless to say, I haven’t slept too much (well, even more so).

The hub returned to work on Monday, so it has just been me & baby, which has been challenging. Yesterday, after experiencing the horrors of the baby screaming every hour, I handed Peyton over to the hub and cried, “Here, take the devil’s spawn off my hands!” (This week also confirms that I can never be a stay-at-home mom.)

I have also hit a new low. The other day, a neighbor stopped by to drop off some food, which was very nice of her. I answered the door all bleary eyed and looking pretty haggard. Normally, she is very chatty but when I answered, she gave me this strange look and said, “Well, don’t let me take up your time… you obviously need some rest,” and retreated down my front steps. Unbeknownst to me, I had snot hanging from my nose! Great.

Then (possibly the same day, but all my days are running together), as I was changing the Peyton’s diaper, I kept smelling something yucky. “Gross,” I thought. “The baby’s pee is smelling funky.” I thought maybe my breast milk was causing it. Then as I sniffed some more, I realized that the stink was coming from ME! I hadn’t showered in three days and was a zombie, so it didn’t occur to me. I cried to myself, “Ew, I’ve hit a new low!” When the hub came home, I stole some time to shower and it felt like I had just been to a spa even though if my shower was only for 15 minutes. It was still a blissful 15 minutes.

More Realizations

I have so many things that I want to share, but sleep is more important, so it’ll have to wait. But one thing that has been bugging me since I’ve been home from giving birth is why doesn’t anyone talk about how hard breastfeeding is and the recovery from labor?

I feel like those were the two big things that no one talked about. I was so preoccupied with labor, I never thought much about the recovery. In some ways, it’s almost as hard as labor because it lasts longer and you have to take care of a newborn. Anyway, late in my third trimester, I tarted reading this book, From the Hips, which I think really does touch on things the other pregnancy books didn’t.

And breastfeeding… it is definitely a learned skill for me & baby. As a mom, you want to give the very best, right? It’s been so emotional and draining, I wish the books I read didn’t make it sound so “natural” and easy. It’s complicated stuff and there is no one solution for each baby because it’s different for everyone.

I’ve resorted to seeing a lactation consultant who will come to my house at $150/hr. This makes me wonder — is breastfeeding a luxury? I went to a breastfeeding support group this week and every mom in there had used or is using a lactation consultant. If I were a sociologist, I’d be curious to see how many high income households breastfed their children and used consultants.