One-handed

After a month, I'm finally figuring out how to do things one-handed. I sort of wish I would have bought a sling or a wrap of some sort so I could get things done around the house. However, I'm also glad I didn't because I don't want the boy to be THAT attached to me that he can't handle it when I put him down. I think we have a happy medium right now. I am his major source of food (though we are still supplementing with formula some) and we spend all day together alone so I am not surprised that he's most comfortable around me. He's also very content in his crib, pack-n-play and his papazan chair. He is okay for a while on the floor, but the dog is usually close by to entertain him. I've caught him staring at the dog a lot more lately and I think it's adorable.

We are now in week 5 of his life. Here's an update from week 1:


Reasons why I'm glad he's out:

• I'm down 16 of the 45-ish pounds I gained (current weight is 226), so that's good news. Still weigh 226. I did go up to 228 at some point, but I'm not really weighing myself every day and honestly I haven't checked in several days. We wake up and eat immediately (him, not me) so I don't even think about the scale. I refuse to weigh myself at any other time of day.
• I can also bend and breathe at the same time now. I've done yoga a few times during his naps. It's amazing how inflexible I've become.
• I can properly work out again (after four weeks of walking only). I've been walking every afternoon with him in the baby bjorn - at least a mile, most of the time we go farther. I go for my six-week check up next week. I want to build up to doing "real" workouts soon.
• I have energy, which is somewhat crazy considering the amount of sleep I'm still not getting. This is the same. I feel like the hubs is more affected by the lack of sleep than me - probably because he's working all day while I lounge around the house.
• I can eat chicken again without being disgusted. Yay for lean protein! 
• I can shave my legs properly. Thank the lord!
• I can give myself a pedicure - which I did yesterday. I don't have the money to get one in the salon unless it's a special occasion. I think I do just as good of a job here at home. It's almost time to do this again!
• My clothes are already starting to fit. I'm wearing a size L t-shirt today instead of my husband's XL or XXL that I had been living in for the past few months. Not much change here, but I'm not complaining, yet. 
• My legs are not cramping up at night while I'm just sleeping. I never did understand why that was happening. It's not like I was using the muscle! My side core muscles still do cramp up occasionally when I strain to one side or the other reaching for something. 

Postpartum things I was unprepared for:

• I'm still bleeding. It has been 9 days. I guess that's normal. I bled for a good three weeks. I'm still not completely back to normal in this department.
• The skin on my stomach (the widest part that did the most stretching) still hurts. This is gone, but those pesky stretch marks remain.
• My heel that developed plantar fasciitis still hurts. Definitely still hurts. It's really hard to do yoga with this pain - especially any standing forward bend or down dog.
• My ring can get back on my finger, but it's still tight, so that means I'm still swollen a little bit. Can wear my ring like normal.
• The mushiness of my belly. It's a little disturbing how much mush is there. Still mush.
• The amount of strength my hands and wrists do not have. Every muscle in my hands hurt and my wrists are killing me every time I pick him up. Getting better, but still sore. I notice it when I do other things now - like driving.
• Breastfeeding is super hard work. I thought the little nugget would just have an instinct on how to do these things and it would just happen. I think we've found a balance of Bmilk and formula that works for us. The pediatrician is pleased with his weight gain, so I guess we are doing okay. I'm still a little disappointed that I'm not solely breastfeeding, but I'm glad that he's getting more than half of his nutrition from me.
• Our little nugget is very orally-fixated. He must have something in his mouth at all times - whether that's the pacifier, his fingers, his arm, our fingers, the milk truck, whatever. So true.
• I also have this weird pain down the back of my leg that started right after birth, but I thought I'd just strained it during the labor process somehow. It's actually probably worse than it was those first few days. I'm guessing it's a nerve thing from the epidural because it only shoots down my right leg (bent or straight) when I arch my back. Very odd and I plan on talking to the OB about it next week.