Post Partum: Week 2

Weight: 125.4 pounds
Waist: 35 inches

Aches & pains: legs, feet and back hurt and I have a headache most of the time. The abdominal pain is subsiding, but I'm still a slow mover. All the stitches are gone and it's a great relief as my skin is very tender.

This week has been one of taking lots of naps and feeding Elijah as much as possible.
Breastfeeding is well established and he has gained nine ounces this week. He's not back to his birth weight yet, but he should be by next week.

We went for his two-week well-baby appointment and the doctor said he is doing very well. He's not jaundiced anymore and he's got quite an appetite. He sleeps for about three and a half hours between feedings at night which makes for a pretty good night's sleep. When Finnegan was his age, he would nurse every 60-90 minutes because I just wasn't producing enough milk for him due to my severe anemia. It was pretty rough back then. This time however, we were prepared for the worst and luckily things have been progressing fairly well.

Today, I Mike drove me to the studio because I just don't feel up for going any long distances by myself. I was able to meet with Rachele and discuss some business things, drop off some materials and then come back home. It was nice to get out of the house for a little while, but I enjoyed coming back home to Elijah.

Finnegan is doing better. He has been trying to get attention by getting into the baby's chair, sucking on his pacifier, laying on his blankets and taking his toys, but we know that it's all part of the transition to being a big brother. He's learning to be gentle with Elijah and every day he kisses him good night and when he comes home. He's a good boy. We are becoming familiar with "time outs" which are pretty effective.

As for me, I've been experiencing night sweats and lots of random abdominal pains, but it's managable. The hardest thing for me, is that I miss having Finnegan in the bed with me. I miss waking up to his beautiful smiling face in the morning. I love the feel of his soft hands around my neck and having him curl up next to me to stay warm. I don't like having him on a different floor from my bedroom, but I know that he needs to be in his own room right now. Sometimes I cry at night because I miss him.

Last night I put Finnegan to bed. We read a couple of books and then I began to sing to him. As soon as he heard my voice he grabbed face between his hands and stared into my eyes. His whole face lit up and he smiled and smiled at me. I started to cry and almost stopped singing because I was so happy that he was enjoying being with me. I sang several songs to him while he cuddled with me and I felt so happy to be with him. After a while, I told him good night and to have sweet dreams. He closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Taking care of Elijah is a full-time job, but fortunately he's a good baby and Finnegan is a good boy too. I just can't wait until Elijah is big enough for all of us to sleep in the same bed and wake up in the morning to their little smiling faces and tossled golden hair. It's the best way to start your day.