Week 30: Newborn days
Every time I think about adding a new baby to […]
Every time I think about adding a new baby to our family, all I can think about are the newborn days. With my first I was clueless of those days. During that pregnancy I would think about bringing her home, and my mind would immediately go to about 5 months old.
Growing up I was always around babies. I babysat every summer starting at a early age, I have a brother that is 10 years younger than I am, and my sister had her daughter before I got pregnant—but no matter how many babies you know, nothing really prepares you for the newborn days at home with your first baby.
It still feels like yesterday. We stayed in the hospital three nights due to my C-section with Addie Rivers. Those days were like Christmas morning as a child. It was something so new and exciting—and not to mention that you get to send the baby to the nursery from 12-7 a.m. They would bring her back twice during the night to nurse, and I can barely remember that.
Then we came home. Did I mention my husband is a high school football coach and we had Addie Rivers the first Tuesday of football season? That means we came home on Friday afternoon. Which means that was the first football game of the season. Talk about a stressed out husband! We also had her two hours away from where we live.
Barrett went to his game, and we stayed home with my parents and his. Everything was great the first few hours home. Every one wanted to hold her and we talked and talked about how perfect she was. Midnight rolled around, and Barrett and I decided to go to bed. Both of our parents went to get hotel rooms, and thankfully my mom stayed on our couch for the night. As soon as we got in bed after Addie Rivers was fed and swaddled, I put her in the bassinet and Barrett turned off the light. That’s when I lost it. I began to panic. I can’t just fall asleep! By this time Barrett was already snoring. Poor thing I know he was exhausted from driving back and fourth daily and then coaching a game, but how could he possibly sleep when we have this little thing squirming next to us?
The next two nights I slept in a recliner with my mom on our couch and Addie Rivers in a rocker seat. At one point my mom had to tell me that the baby wasn’t going anywhere and to seriously get some sleep!
Many people tried to tell me how exhausting the first few nights home are, but it’s just something you really can’t understand until you go through it yourself. Another thing no one really explains is how hard breastfeeding is the first week at home. Once you and baby get the hang of it, it’s a piece of cake! But those first few days are miserable. Between being engorged, getting mastitis and overall just learning what works best for you and baby.
Now that we are at 30 weeks and have everything ready to welcome baby Hayes, all I can think about are the early days to come. The feeling of pure exhaustion and excitement. Only this time I’ll be adding a 2-and-a-half-year-old into the mix, which means no naps for this mama like last time. We have eight weeks left, and I’m fully prepared for the newborn days. Although I’m sure that will be a different story when he gets here!