And so the work begins, after vacating the hospital, you're all on your own. No more nurses to come rushing in when baby cries, no more rolling baby to the nursery while you take a long bath...it's all you and baba from here on out! You become a ninja juggling baby's needs as well as your own!
I'd say the first month was the hardest, getting to know each other and dealing with the notorious 'night shift'! I still had the assistance of Yellow...but when you're breastfeeding, there's only so much another person can do! You still have to wake up and whip it out on demand at all odd hours.
I started reading up on sleep training, letting baby know that routine is key! Evenings are made for baths, feeds and then off to bed. It really paid off as both Clarissa and I enjoy a good 10 hours of sleep now.
I recently started a group on Facebook, #MommyChronicles, just for mom's to share issues, specials on baby products and just to have a platform to talk about your child as much as you please without getting the side eye from others! Feel free to invite more moms, we keep each other company even at 3am during feeds etc.
I can't really complain hey! I've had the best time of my life with my daughter, playing dress up, taking her for play dates and even just for walks in the park! I won't lie and say it's been easy, but it sure has been worth every moment spent with her!
Watching her reach milestones before her 'expected time' is just as exciting! A toothless smile means the world to me! Who would have thought:) And as she reaches 3 months, my maternity leave sadly comes to an end. It's time to rejoin the world and leave our cocoon of a bedroom.
Step 1 : Overcoming separation anxiety:/ The hardest parts of my day is always leaving her side to get to class or even have some 'me time' which is equally important in a new mom's life!
Step 2 : Finding a caregiver or crèche! We went through a couple of screenings before we found a nanny that we like. And that's not the end of it...baby also has to 'approve', as my mom says "let the little voices be heard". We had one nanny come over and just as she held Clarissa, her cousin Damian-Lee adamantly shouted that she should give the baby back! "She's not yours! Give our baby back" Mom said they can sense aura's better than we can, and with that she was given the boot. After searching high and low, we finally found someone for the job that loves the children and the children love her and is good with Clarissa!
Step 3 : Milk overload!!! My first day in class, I found it extremely difficult. Milk started leaking and showing through my light blue vest, the horror!!! I was so full, I wanted to cry! The relief of getting home to feed her was overwhelming...but it really is true what they say, it does get easier! And days when she's at daddy's house I simply have to make due with expressing! Luckily for me she took quite well to formula milk and bottle feeding without rejecting the boob!
From here on out, it's been easy sailing! There are still major hurdles we will have to overcome. And to that I say,
"Keep Calm and Deal With It":)
