The new insomnia

Have got a video of baby I added but it took forever to load being an AVI format. Does anybody know how to reduce the size of videos? And with what software? Listen carefully for the sound of chimes, Chat-chat's bell and the ambulance siren.

Still basically no time for anything here in my new role as mommy. I sacrifice my sleep during her nap times to run errands that I can't avoid. She has that annoying (but of course we love you, baby) habit of waking up when we put her in her crib, despite seeming passed out to the world seconds before. The baby sling is coming in handy to lull her to sleep while I go about some of my normal household activities. No heavy duty things though. I can actually put my contacts in while she's in the sling. Get some stuff out of the fridge.


The other night she kept me (and my husband for part of the time) awake for nearly 3 hours. During the wonderful hours between 2 to 5. It'd be different if she'd just feed and sleep. But it's continual feeding or stop and start or I don't know what. I still don't speak Baby so I haven't finetuned her needs. Last night she was polite enough to wait till about 5 to do this. Husband has the bright idea now to go sleep on the couch when she has that wee hour waking. What a guy. He has given a bottle or two, to his credit, plus help with chores, etc. Yes, you see, since the lactation nurse saw the baby wasn't gaining and might have lost at one point, she instructed us to give her some formula. Later my pediatrician said he didn't like this idea as that wasn't going to increase my milk supply if ever that was the problem. Now she's back on mother's milk, some of which I pump to give her a boost at strategic times like midnight (so she'll maybe sleep till 3 or 4). Nursing is proving to be complicated for something that's supposed to be super natural and easy.

I complain, but I'm sure all new moms do. There are times when she's really cute and alert like in this video. And of course we're so happy to have her. We're just adjusting. And that's never been one of my strong points. I knew babies were a lot of work, especially at the beginning. I just figured there would be more times where I could really do other things. There are some times, but with her not sleeping well in the crib, I must carry her around and can't very well sleep in those times. Don't even get me started on housework. The scumminess of my floors is really starting to get to me. And I was never the cleanest person, but I do like a minimum. I can't very well do the dishes and risk getting hot water on the baby in her sling.

Oh, yes, so that paragraph was supposed to be positive. Hmm, she really is a cutie, and we like to play with her, as much as you can play with a four-week old. Still not sure who she looks like. Or what color her hair will really be. All that will come later. Something to look forward to.

She's here!

Baby is sleeping after her last feeding. Husband too since he kindly stayed wakeful to coax baby girl into feeding well (kind of sort of worked) and also to watch the impressive thunderstorm. It's still rumbling lightly but I chanced it to tend to my abandoned blog.

So as most of you know baby arrived July 22. About 6 pounds and 6 ounces. She's still a tiny thing and in fact hasn't regained her birth weight (they often lose 10% those first days). It being a C-section for me and her being a light weight made nursing difficult at the beginning. Plus it's all new to me. Little darling is perhaps a bit lazy (like her mom) in really getting down to business. There were some times when they gave her my milk or formula in a bottle at the hospital so she might be craving the easy life of the artificial nipple. I try not to project too much frustration on her, but when she "plays" 30 minutes to an hour before really feeding, I can get a bit frazzled. When she really feeds and then sleeps hard afterwards, I feel ok. We're still getting there.

Chat-chat seems to be adjusting fairly well to not being baby # 1 anymore. There were some moments when he sniffed frantically on the couch. He's mostly playing the indifference card. He's still mellower since his balcony jump. Perhaps it did him some good...

Mom and sis and hubby have been ever so helpful around the house and at mealtimes. I've hardly had to lift a finger, which is good since I can't really lift anything with this dang C-section recovery. Not even the cat. I wasn't disappointed when my OB/GYN told me she was going to "get the baby" for me, maybe the lazy part of me was a little happy I wasn't going to be pushing away. But I didn't realize how painful the day after would be and that there would be so many precautions to take for weeks to come. Again, that's why my family has been a real godsend.

Well, when baby gives me time to blog again, I will relate more exciting details to you.