Well I thought I'd beter do an update on how the little man and I are doing post birth.
Me
Well straight after the birth of Malachi I was really struggling with lower back and coccyx pain, due to the position of M's head in the birth canal. This took probably two weeks (and a fair bit of nurofen and panadol) to resolve. The midwife gave me some tubigrip to wear around my belly and lower back and this not only helped my back pain, but made me look skinnier too :-) It's like free shapewear!!!
My stitches were quite ouchy, but surprisingly not quite as sore as my back was. It took probably two weeks for them to dissolve and now I have no pain 'down there'. I really struggled in the first two weeks to realise that I had been through quite an ordeal and it was normal not to feel 100%. I thought since I had a relatively easy birth I should feel super, however as the midwife pointed out childbirth is draining!!
I now weigh 4kgs less than I did pre pregnancy which is a nice little bonus. In the end I only put on 5 kilos during the pregnancy. I would like to start walking with Malachi soon, it's so hard when it's so darn cold outside. Also, not really knowing the area very well makes me nervous to venture too far!! If only the local shops weren't so far away I could walk there.
Mentally, I'm struggling a little bit at the moment. I think it's probably a combination of sleep deprivation, and breastfeeding issues. I broke down to DH last night. I was trying to feed M and he was fussing and choking and screaming. I just told DH I can't do it anymore. I'm not sure whether I was talking about breastfeeding or being a mummy.
I had a blocked milk duct about a week ago and had to use a manual breastpump on the affected breast to try and clear it. It seems to have gone now but the little guy still seems to favour the other breast and doesn't quite seem to latch on to the affected side quite as well.
Malachi is normally quite placid and chilled and easy going. I'm having issues with fast letdown and too much milk. So when he attaches he gulps in air, and chokes (to the point of not breathing!!) and has milk oozing everywhere. Not only does he end up soaked in milk but I do too. So sick of smelling like a milky cow!!! I have started to just handexpress at the beginning of a feed into a cloth nappy and that seems to be helping a little bit.
I went and got refitted for maternity bras and I never knew breasts could get so large!! 12G!!! No wonder the poor little tyke is drowning and struggling with the flow of milk. I've decided to keep going with breastfeeding, despite our issues, until my 6 week checkup and will then reevaluate.
How's the little guy going?
Well he's nearly outgrown some of his 0000 suits. He's getting a little too long for them. Although the 000 a still a little big. We put him in a 000 suit last night and he looked like such a big boy :-) It's amazing how quickly they grow!! I'm going to go get him weighed on Wednesday for his 4 week 'birthday'.
He is a little pooing machine. Never have I seen so much poo in my life! He tends to poo after every feed, and we've had many a leaks through the jumpsuits. I have never washed so much before. I have already decided the next baby will not be wearing white. It's just way too hard to get poo stains out of white clothes.
His hair is starting to get lighter and his eyes are changing to a blue colour. He loves bath time with Daddy and happily lays there as daddy scrubs him clean. He has pooed in the bath the last two bathtimes. The look of disgust on hubby's face was priceless!!
Sleep is very hit and miss. I guess like everyone he has his good and bad days. Hubby went back to work Tuesday but is still getting up of a night and helping out. He tends to change him for me and bring him to bed for feeds.
I decided today I'd get out and do something. I wanted to go shopping but Malachi decided to be grumpy. But I put him in the car anyway and went and got a takeaway coffee from Maccas. Oh real coffee how I have missed you!! I then got home and put him in the pram went for a lap around our unit complex and now he's asleep in the pram in the lounge room. Thank goodness he's asleep, he's been catnapping all day.
Well Malachi must have sensed I was writing about him as he's decided to wake up. I heard him doing a little poo-nami. Gosh I hope he hasn't dirtied his pram bassinette!!
I will try and put some new photos of him up when I can.
