For this baby, my parents were the first to come to help out and meet the new family member. Jordan's mom and dad were the first to meet and greet Jonas 3 years ago.
So, of course, West coast style, my parents had to wait until the day after Karina was born due to high winds and ferry cancellations. Funny how things work out because we found it nice to have that first partial day to ourselves to unpack and settle back at home. We weren't discharged from the hospital until later in the afternoon after Karina's birth. It was nice, though, because I got the chance to rest and take a few showers without worrying about cleaning up after myself.
We settled in at home and my parents arrived as we were waking up the next morning!! It was a nice surprise to have them there so early and they brought some snacks and chocolate (Easter weekend!!!) and some presents for Karina and Jonas. It was very festive and I was feeling great. I did not have much pain after the birth - just an achy back and some strong after pains around my belly and lower gut area (the uterus shrinking very quickly!).
Karina slept ALOT those first few days and I swear my parents only saw her awake a handful of times. She only really nursed every 3-5 hours, but I was not concerned as she was filling up her diapers with gusto and a postpartum Midwife appointment confirmed her weight gain.
My parents entertained Jonas and took him out and about. They made us some meals and hung out as we rested and recuperated. Our very thoughtful friends had us over for a turkey dinner and we got some great little pink sleepers etc - Thanks to the Fabien's and Ruff's! We felt very well taken care of!
My parents left after the long weekend and the next day I became so engorged! My milk had come in already but now it was coming full force and Karina could not drink it all! She was still sleeping all the time and only feeding every 3 or so hours. My nipples were beginning to get sore and I organized myself so that I was pumping a little and using ice packs and cabbage leaves. I was very diligent but I was in alot of pain and couldn't believe this was happening to second time mom! I nursed Jonas for 2.5 years and I thought there would not be any problems breastfeeding a second time. I was wrong. It was like starting all over again. teaching Karina how to latch and trying to figure out why my nipples were so sore and why Karina was making a clicking sound at each suck. I also began nursing on one breast only for 5 hours because I was overflowing! It was a really difficult 3 or 4 days and I needed to take alot of Tylenol and ibuprofen. I had abit of relief and healed slowly.
A week after Karina was born, Jordan's mom came over from the Island to help out. Having taken the week off, Jordan needed to finnish off a paper and prepare for a presentation for the following week. Janet stayed for the week and made our dinners, cleaned the house, shopped and took care of Jonas on the days he was not in school. I was feeling quite tired that week and I was still dealing with sore breasts. The timing couldn't have been better and she helped us out tremendously and all of the support we have collectively received has helped us get off on the right foot - well rested and healthy and school work successfully completed. Jordan has taken a week off and then he will get back to his thesis and also hopefully line up more research money for his PhD.
Aside from difficulties with soreness, mothering a second time has been really easy. Barely an adjustment. Jordan is totally confident and often puts Karina to sleep. Jonas has welcomed his little sister beautifully and loves to talk with her and watch her diapers being changed - he calls her milk poos 'flat poos' and really gets a kick out of her 'blowouts'. She has had all of her baths with her brother and one of us and she is very mellow and observant and seems to enjoy being with everyone while bathing.
Karina is a little more alert these days, but still prefers sleeping to anything else. Jonas liked nursing more than anything else. He fed every two hours whereas Karina can go for 4 hours without a feed. She is also able to settle easily without a huge need for sucking. Totally opposite of Jonas so this is all very new for us. Many times now, in the evening, after an alert period, she will nurse and then I will lay her beside me in our bed and we look at each other, side by side and I slowly close my eyes, blinking sometimes and watching her and she copies me until she is actually asleep! She begins to close her eyes when she thinks that I am sleeping - but if I open them abruptly then she wakes up fully.
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