Before we left the hospital I received a text message from my OB-Gyne with a few reminders about how to take care of my incision and the baby and a note reminding me that the first two weeks will be the hardest and everything will be easy breezy after. Summer's pediatrician also visited her and assured us that we will be taking home a healthy baby and that we should come back for her first check-up after a week. She assured me as well that the random red patches on baby's skin are normal and there's nothing to worry about it. Of course, my endocrinologist reminded me to come back after 6 weeks and go through another round of oral glucose tolerance test to ensure that I did not carry my diabetes post-pregnancy.
My planner is being put to good use early on. I have so many doctor's appointments to remember now apart from all the feeding schedule to follow. I was also lucky to have my sister at home after I gave birth to help with all the new momma chores that I needed to face.
I've also read a lot - enough to arm me with the knowledge to take care of my baby and here's what I did:
I picked her up when she cried.
No I was not trying to spoil her as most people, including my mom, would remark. I know she is not capable of manipulating me as well. She's too little and too delicate to be a dictator. I know she wanted her mommy's hugs, she wants to feel secure like she did inside my tummy. Besides I would rather pick her up than leave her to cry. She'll never be as light as she is now anyway.
I let her indulge her sweet time by sleeping on my chest.
I like the feeling of having my little princess curled up so comfy on my chest. I usually do this after burping her - skin to skin time plus tummy time in one. Although I received warning not to do this because this would create a bad habit. Really, I would do anything and every thing that feels good for me and my baby just so we could survive the day unscathed. Oh and yes, I can watch TV while doing this as well so we both enjoy our "bonding time".
I did not give her a bath every single day (morning).
My sister always reminded me to bathe the little one before 8AM (so she doesn't get a cold). I question this though, baby's don't necessarily have schedules and they got morning and night mixed up so I guess I am in the clear about this. I feel iffy waking her up just to undress her and sprinkle her with bath water. I would not want that to be done to me so why would I do it to my daughter. Anyway, I like her smell even without taking a bath and I am sure that she is in fact a newborn and not a construction worker so she wasn't really that dirty. I change her clothes at least twice daily though.
I/We fed the little milk monster on demand.
I remember asking, "she can't be hungry, we just fed her!" so I would attempt to talk to her or tickle her lips with the pacifier or pick her up and do my little chicken dance to no avail. If I offer the bottle, the fussiness will go away almost instantaneously so why give in to her demands yeah? If she's happy then I am happy too and of course daddy too. So that's the routine now - feed first then change nappy next. It's working for us!
I let her sleep - as long as she wants.
I don't think waking a sleeping newborn is fair. Let her sleep for crying out loud! A newborn needs at least 16 hours of sleep anyway. While she sleeps, I try my hardest to do all my chores - wash her dirty clothes, wash her bottles, clean the house, take a very quick shower, clean my incision, cook and believe you me 24 hours is never enough for all these chores. Oh and yes, you have to make sure to squeeze in some nap time too so you have willpower to stay awake when your newborn declares "party time" at night.
Memorize the trinity of baby's happiness.
Dry bum + Full tummy + Snooze time on mom or dad's chest = Perfection!
Time just comes and goes too quickly when you have a newborn inside the house. So, I make sure I enjoy every single minute I have with her by giving her warmth, food, hugs and loads of unconditional love. She can only be a newborn for a month after all.
LET'S CONNECT
