One Month With A Newborn
It’s been one month since I had Caden, and my life has forever changed in the best possible way. I’m not an expert as I’ve only been a mom for 4 weeks, but I figured I would write this post to give helpful tips and insight to other new moms, plus I really just wanted to document for myself what it was like the first month!
I’m so thankful that Caden has been healthy and an overall great baby. I feel blessed that he got the hang of breastfeeding, and that he sleeps well. Again, I’m only 4 weeks in, so a lot can change, but I’ll take the blessings as they come. I’m also thankful to be healing and recovering well. The first 2 weeks were painful and overwhelming for me. As my recovery has progressed things have become much better. At 4 weeks postpartum I’m feeling more “myself”, a little more normal…well a new normal.
Life has changed in a lot of ways, but it’s becoming normal-we are adapting and learning to this new way of living. Our nights our short, and the days are…also short. When you are living on a sleep, eat, change schedule it seems like time just flies. My day starts much earlier, and also ends much earlier. We start our bedtime routine around 8, and in bed by 9 to wind down before drifting off to sleep around 10. I wake up 2-3 times in the night/early morning for feedings, and then after his AM feeding I jump in the shower and get ready to start the day- sometimes I take advantage of his sleep and continue to sleep myself. I have come to treasure the sleep times. All I can say is take advantage of the times your baby is sleeping. In the morning I like to get my work and chores done, and in the afternoon I often try to slip in a nap. The days he doesn’t want to sleep get hard because I wonder how I will get anything done. That’s when I pull out my carrier (some use a wrap), and you can at least use your two hands for a bit. Sometimes he just wants to be held, and I’ve learned to slow everything down and treasure those moments of holding him and remembering what it’s like right now, him as a newborn.
Your love grows immensely when you have a baby. I didn’t realize how quickly I would just fall in love. During pregnancy, I would pray, talk, sing and I became very attached to him, but the moment he was born it was like my whole world collided and my heart exploded with an unexplainable love. Treasure each day, because they go by quickly and each day they change and grow. I take one (at least) picture each day to document him and I can already see how he has changed…and he is now a couple pounds bigger too.
If we have plans and we are going to leave the house, things take a little bit more time. My time to get ready has shortened so that I can get Caden ready, his bag ready, and most of the time I feed him before we leave. It’s a whole process. I’ve learned to give myself plenty of time, and if I don’t have a lot of time, well I now put myself on the back-burner.
The little sneezes, coughs, and baby sounds are just the sweetest-I just swoon. He also makes the MOST tooting noises I have ever heard in my life and he has us rolling laughing all the time. Even in the times where both Jacob and I have been peed and pooped on, we just laugh at ourselves and make fun of each other.
Caden loves his bath time, staring at his play gym or the fan, swinging on our wicker chairs outside with mom, and he’s learning to embrace his tummy time. I bring him into his room everyday for play, reading, and tummy time so that he can get acquainted with his room and bed. His little smiles and facial expressions are the sweetest and melt my heart.
I’ve seen Jacob come into his father role with every ounce of his love. He’s been helpful and supportive in ever aspect and I’m so thankful. You come to fully understand what sacrifice is when you become a mom. My body doesn’t look the same, I’ve got a scar, stretch marks, and skin that’s a little more “fluffy”. This newborn baby is fully dependent on my body, and my time. I witnessed the power and the strength of my body. The same belly that held him for nine months on the inside, is the same belly that he now rests on when I hold him.
I wish I could bottle up this time and savor it forever.
–The Unexpected–
-Postpartum healing– I was VERY prepared for my after pregnancy recovery, I had all the essentials. Too bad I prepared for the wrong kind of delivery. Because I had a c-section instead of a vaginal delivery I didn’t need most of things I bought. Thankful for Amazon! I snagged myself some granny panties. However, the first week and into the second, I lived in the hospital mesh undies, huge pads and a robe. I was in a lot of pain for the first week and it slowly tapered off. I was able to get off my pain meds after the first week as well. I could start walking upright in the second week, and now at four weeks I’m walking around like a champ, and even taking smaller walks around the neighborhood! I expected the bleeding, but gosh I forgot how annoying that is. It’s a little different than a period, but switching out your pads for several weeks are just bleh. I had a basket in our bathroom of pads, panties and other essentials. At 4 weeks, I’m thankful that it has pretty much stopped. I also didn’t realize how exhausted mentally and physically I would be, mainly in the first two weeks. The blood loss, medication, and embracing my new mom life was difficult in those first weeks. I slept any chance I could get. I limited most of my activity and kept to my bedroom and living room. Each day I have been getting better, and I’m thankful for that.
–Breastfeeding– It was tough for the first couple of days until my milk came in, but when it did, I’m so thankful Caden latched and we’ve been doing great since. I learned a lot from my lactation nurses while in the hospital. What I didn’t expect was the amount of fluids coming from my body. So, you have your postpartum bleeding, and breastfeeding leakage. I’m a constant mess. Breastfeeding is kind of messy. I leak and soak through my t-shirts (if I’m not wearing nursing pads) and even when I’m feeding Caden and he’s done, he unlatches or before I even start it’s dripping all over his face. I often wake up in the night completely soaked..by my own milk. My breasts ache sometimes when they are full, especially at night when he doesn’t eat as often, and early on my nipples were painful. Keeping a nipple cream on them really helped.
-Newborn fluids– To go along with the above bodily fluids coming from me, you also have fluids coming from your newborn…which sometimes end up on you too. The amount of times Caden and I change our clothes! I don’t even bother putting cute outfits on him or myself unless we are seeing people. Be prepared for all the fluids to be everywhere, from baby, from you…it’s just a whole mess all the time. This may be just a boy thing, but poor thing would pee all over himself. We learned to do diaper changes quick and block it. Jacob and I have laughed so many times about it.
–Body image struggles– I didn’t expect to look at myself in the mirror and see a totally different person. I thought I would just “bounce back” to my normal body, but there’s a new normal now. I didn’t know I would have these stretch marks on my tummy and boobs. I didn’t know I would have a huge scar. It’s been hard on me to see my body so different. Jacob tells me I’m beautiful and bringing Caden into this world was amazing. So, now I just need to find my own confidence.
I’m starving ALL THE TIME. Like more than I was in pregnancy.
A note from Jacob: Jacob wanted to have a little input here. “I did not expect the amount of tooting he would do.” I agree. It’s unreal and we laugh so much about it.
–Helpful tips–
I highly recommend getting several comfy clothes ( matching sets are great) to wear postpartum. I purchased several comfy pieces I could mix and match with each other. That way I didn’t have to think about what to wear each day. I have several go-to outfits that I wear and then wash and re-wear again when no one is watching. It makes life easier, trust me.
Get plain and simple onesies for baby. As I mentioned above, with all the fluids and messes, you end up changing baby several times. It’s easy to have a pile of onsies in your room or wherever you are recovering so that you can easily change baby.
Nursing pads and nipple cream are amazing items for breastfeeding mamas. Just get some, trust me.
Prepare your room or recovery room with essential for you and baby. Have your postpartum care items in a basket in the bathroom, and a basket for diapers and wipes for baby. Having a changing station in our room for the first little bit has really helped, especially for night changes.
Give yourself grace and time to recover. Your body went through something MAJOR, and your baby did too! If the laundry and dishes don’t get done it’s ok. Soak in the newborn snuggles because they change and grow so quickly. Take time to rest, especially in the beginning. Your body NEEDS the rest. Takes naps when baby does, or at least find ways to rest. Accept help from family/friends- especially if they want to bring food!
A note from Jacob: “Help your wife out in any way you can, cooking, cleaning, changing the baby. Give her time to rest. “
–Newborn Must Haves –
You can check out my IG Stories titled Baby Links for more on our newborn must haves that have been amazing these first few weeks! We have loved our SnuggleMe lounger, it snuggles up to his body to keep him comfy. We use our 4Moms Mamaroo swing all the time and Caden loves it, it’s nice when you need to give your arms a break from all the cuddles and snuggles! Plus you can hook it up to your phone and control it from there. This is also why we love our Hatch sound machine, I use the app to control the settings! I use the night light for those night and early morning feedings. I’ll be setting up programs for Caden when he moves to his room. I didn’t think I would using a nursing pillow much, but I use it every single day. Caden often lounges in this as well. We have the Halo bassinet and it’s been so nice. It swivels and has easy access to baby with the collapsable side. I’ll be linking more items as we go so keep an out on my IG!
A note from Jacob: ” I second the SnuggleMe lounger. Caden loves it, and loves to sleep in it. It keeps him snug so he feels more comfortable.”
Check out my birth story HERE!
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