1 Month Update (With Bonus Assvice!)

Happy 1 month birthday, Whoorlita! You are such a sweet little baby.

(On the eve of her birthday. She has enormous eyes just like her brother!)

Things I’ve learned (or re-learned) about new babies that I desperately feel the need to share with you:

1. Breastfeeding – Engorged boobs are ridiculously huge and hard. Letdown can be painful. Be sure to wear pads at all times for you can never predict when letdown will occur, especially in public places. Taking Lethicin daily can help prevent plugged ducts. Your nipples might kill. Don’t believe the experts that say your nipples shouldn’t hurt after the first week. Believe you me, I don’t have thrush and Wita’s latch is great (confirmed by the greatest lactation consultant ever – if you are looking for one in the OC area shoot me an email), but I STILL wince when she starts to nurse. Some people are more sensitive than others and that’s just how the cookie crumbles.

You are probably going to feel like the baby is attached to your body all the time. In fact, just last night, I looked down from my second-story bedroom window at my husband and son having a great time outside with all the neighbors. I felt a little like Rapunzel, locked up in my tower. It’s worth it, though! (Plus, that’s why cute nursing covers were created!) Nothing’s better than seeing your baby chub up before your very eyes and know your Very Painful Nipples played an integral part.

You are going to feel frumpy – most likely stuck in between your maternity clothes and your regular clothes. Yes, it sucks. I personally do not belong to the Breastfeeding Makes Me So Skinny Camp. With Wito, I didn’t lose the last 5 or so pounds until I stopped breastfeeding. Your body needs to keep an extra layer of fat to help produce all that milk you are feeding your baby. Don’t sweat it, mamas!

2. Sleeping – To parents of more than one child, if you are lucky enough to get all children napping at the same time, for the love of Christ, TAKE A NAP. Sure, your online pursuits and domestic duties are going to suffer, but honestly, no one really cares. Get some sleep while you can! (I am assuming all parents with only one child are napping already. Right? RIGHT?)

Newborns make all sorts of crazy grunting noises while sleeping – don’t assume they are waking up and/or need to be picked up. Most likely, they are just being insanely loud sleepers. If I could get back all the minutes I spent this month staring at Wita and wondering if she was going to wake up at that very moment, I could spend two full weeks drinking fruity cocktails in Bora Bora. I find that a white noise machine helps me to sleep through all of the racket.

Accept the fact that you are not going to get a full night’s sleep for awhile. Even if your significant other does the night feedings, you will still need to wake up to pump in order to keep your boobs from becoming rock hard torpedoes. Sexy! (If you are breastfeeding, that is. If your baby is formula fed and you aren’t doing the night feedings, well, ENJOY YOUR LENGTHY AND RESTFUL SLEEP, DAMMIT.)

(Sorry, that’s the sleep deprivation talking.)

3. Words With Friends makes 3am feedings infinitely better.

4. It’s so tempting to wish for the newborn phase to fly by, but try to revel in the little things that will soon be a distant memory. It won’t be long before your little one won’t curl up on your chest and snooze for hours. Smell their precious tiny heads on a daily basis! Before you know it, the lingering scent will most likely be grungy toddler sweat. Awesome.

Hmmm. What am I forgetting? Did anything surprise you about parenting newborns?

I Think I’m in Love — Gilligan & O’Malley Nursing Tanks

Once upon a time, I spent a ridonkulous amount of cash on expensive nursing tanks that weren’t even my favorite. (They showed off way too much cleavage and left me feeling a little exposed…but if you’re into that kind of thing, go for it.)

This time around I found these tanks at Target and I LOVE THEM. Good coverage plus super long for lengthy torsos like mine. And the best part? The $16.99 pricetag! I bought three for the cost of one pricey nursing tank. Hello, DEAL. Pair these with rolled-up boyfriend jeans and a cardigan and you are now experiencing my uniform. (It’s still cool here in coastal California, thankyoulordy.)

A New Baby — First Time vs. Second Time

First Time:

Breastfeeding is done in the privacy of my bedroom – complete with a perfectly-placed My Brest Friend pillow, a brand new pink Bravado nursing tank and an online breastfeeding log.

Second Time:

Breastfeeding is done at my kitchen table – baby is in a one-armed cradle hold while I eat a Chipotle Carnitas bowl while donning a ratty, stained tee pulled up to my shoulders.

First Time:

A week after delivery, I’m physically feeling a little pep in my step.

Second Time:

A week after delivery, I feel as though my pelvic floor will fall out of my body if I so much as sneeze.

First Time:

Completely sleep deprived and exhausted.

Second Time:

Completely sleep deprived and exhausted with a three-year-old who is most decidedly NOT sleep deprived and exhausted.

First Time:

Could spend hours staring at my sweet, sleeping baby.

Second Time:

Yeah. That one pretty much hasn’t changed.

(Looking at Wito’s newborn photos, it’s uncanny how much these two resemble each other. Siblings FTW!)

What about you? What am I forgetting, first time/second time-wise?

Smitten

She’s Here!

Malou Olivia
7 Pounds
20 Inches
29 June 2010
11:25am

Happy, healthy and the best smelling baby’s head ever.

40 Weeks + 1 day

Whoorlita seems to be comfy and cozy and NOT going anywhere. Her due date came and went with not an ounce of fanfare.

So we took a 2-mile hike this morning.

Although this might be a better depiction of the way I currently feel.

Have you read about the Sneaky Hate Spiral at Hyperbole and a Half? Yeah. I am nearing Rage Sprinkler territory. (Also, check out Wito’s windblown Dwight Schrute hair.)

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must scarf down an enormous bowl of incredibly spicy Kung Pao chicken. Peace be with you.

Blergh

I’m officially out of energy. My parents get here in two days, my last scheduled OB appointment is in a few hours and my due date is this Saturday. I had given birth to Wito at this point in my last pregnancy, so I was spared the discomfort of the 40th week.

dfjnfrgngergio;rehgi;orehg;ioehio;ejh;ioenh;oeih;iaehn

That’s all I’ve got. Hopefully happy news is around the corner!

I Think I’m in Love — Maclaren Volo

PEOPLES OF THE INTERNET! I love my Maclaren Volo. So much, in fact, that I wrote a review last year when I was still writing for ParentDish. (Here is the post, for those of you who like details.)

It has been put through the ringer for years and is still my #1 stroller. (I also own a Bugaboo and a BOB jogging stroller, for reference.)

Why am I telling you this? Well, I just purchased a Maclaren double stroller on Gilt for el cheapo and noticed they also have the Volo for 85 bucks, people. 85 BONES. If you are looking for a super lightweight stroller that takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’, I highly recommend this baby.

Check it out here. (And if you aren’t a member, click here to join.)

The Fallen Soldier

(Let’s just get this out of the way. No one has guessed the name. Yet.)

Last December, Whoorlito’s top teeth had a particularly shudder-inducing run-in with the bottom shelf of a steel baker’s rack. It was directly following one of his dramatic exits, usually involving my request to do something highly undesirable (such as finish eating his lunch or cleaning up his cars…I know, I am a TYRANT…) where he flails his arms, screams and runs full speed into his bedroom. I have no idea where he inherited these kind of ardent entrances and exits. This time, however, he tripped over his feet and made direct oral contact with a massive shelf.

I knew the minute he starting crying that this wasn’t any ordinary bump and bruise situation. That assumption was quickly verified when he looked up at me with blood spewing out of his mouth all over our kitchen floor. That’s the thing about mouth injuries in toddlers. Lots of blood + Lots of screaming = Bonafide Blood Sprinkler That Shall Not Cease.

Additionally, his two front teeth were not in their normal place.

I freaked the hell out.

I tried to stop the bleeding, called the dentist and hauled ass to her office.

I had all sorts of thoughts running through my head while driving to the office. Mainly, MY CHILD WILL HAVE NO FRONT TEETH. We might as well take up residence at a trailer park while donning matching mullets!

Now, a tooth being knocked out at any age is traumatic, but the thought is a little easier to swallow when the child is let’s say 5 or 6 and is expecting their permanent teeth to arrive within a year or two. Let me remind you, my child is three years old. We would be waiting for 3-4 years for his front permanent teeth to arrive. 3-4 YEARS IS A LONG TIME TO HAVE NO FRONT TEETH, PEOPLE.

I tweeted about it and received so many super helpful emails about pediatric partials, fake teeth and generalized “Oh girl, I’ve been there” responses. (Thank you, by the way.) When we met with Wito’s dentist, she made the executive decision not to pull the teeth. She explained that, although Wito’s roots had been 100% severed, toddler gums were extremely resilient and could tighten around the tooth and keep it in place indefinitely. It would be an uphill battle for us because Wito was a thumbsucker which couldn’t possibly help with the gums firming up, though. It would be a wait and see situation.

Well, I am happy to report that those (quite loose) teeth held on for 6 months. 6 months of thumb-sucking, 6 months of apple-biting, 6 months of crazed preschooler antics.

Pearly whites intact!

Until yesterday. Yesterday, one tooth tossed up the white flag. The Dangler, as we liked to call it. A quick trip to the dentist, some high-potency topical anesthetic and The Dangler was no longer.

Au Revior, Dangler.

Wito seems to be taking it well. Actually, I am too. What’s three years, really? (Uh, A REALLY LONG TIME, that’s what. Whatevs.)

Luckily for Wito, he had a very special visitor deliver a very special dollar bill while he snoozed last night.

Wito would like you all to know that he hopes to purchase a “toy and a drink” with his “one money.”

Rest in peace, Dangler.

37 Weeks — The Name Remains a Mystery!

*While many of you guessed the middle name correctly, I must say that no one guessed MO’s first name in the comments, on Twitter or in the emails I received. BWAHAHAAAAA, it is a mystery of epic proportions! I HOLD THE POWER.

*My back labor has eased up substantially, which is good and bad. Good? Well, obviously, I feel better. Bad? Why in the hell did I pack my hospital bag? I mean, the baby is Never Going to ARRIIIIIIIIIVE. Let’s all feel sorry for me right now.

*We had a 37-week ultrasound yesterday and for a brief, fleeting moment, MO pulled her hands out of her mouth to show us her little profile. Wito was in the room with us and yelled, “It’s the Baby Bean show!!” (We also call her Baby Bean around the house. Whoorlita, MO, Baby Bean…we welcome confusion.) Here she is:

Annnnnd, hands back in mouth.

*I am having these massive energy spurts at 11pm while everyone else snoozes in our dark house. Last night, I poked around Wito’s room for a good 15 minutes while he slept until I realized I was being sort of creepy.

*We are in the thick of June Gloom out here, which is only making my antsy mood worse. Can’t sleep! Baby will never come! Restless legs! The world is ending!

Tell me something good. I am seriously funkafied right now.

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