I can not believe that it has been 8 weeks but it has. I would not change one moment of the last 8 weeks and yet I was not prepared for it. It is the biggest learning curve of my life so far!
Living With A New Born
Sleep
I honestly thought that at least for the first two months, that a new born would just eat and sleep and from what I know from friends and family, this can be the case. However, with #babykyriakidou it is not the case. My baby wants to experience each day with me as much as possible. It is not what I expected and it is so much hard work. She resists to sleep during the day but this does mean that she sleeps for longer at night.
Breastfeeding
I had heard horror stories from my friends that it can be very painful. I am sure for some people this is true, thankfully once I got past the first couple of weeks, it got a lot easier. Before I got used to breastfeeding and the flow established itself, it was difficult and I would panic that maybe the baby had not had enough and how do I know if I have milk or not. Athina Eleni has doubled her weight over 8 weeks so I know now that I needn’t have worried. Now under the Pediatrician’s advisement, I am trying to allow 3 to 4 hours between feeds in an attempt to slow the weight gain down a little. I will breast feed for as long as I can, milk and work allowing.
Getting Around
For me this is the hardest part of being a first time mum. In order to leave the house, I have a baby bag full of things, the car seat, the buggy and anything else that I may possibly need. Even popping out to get milk is a mission because I can not leave the baby in the car; it is a case of carry her around in the car seat to get the bits I need, pay and then carry the items and the car seat back to the car. At least it is good exercise for my arms and I lift and lower the car seat trying to protect my back at all times.
Colic
I had heard of colic before but never really understood what it meant for my baby to have colic. From stories I have heard and read, we have a mild to medium case but it is a horrible feeling to see your baby in pain and not be able to do anything about it. Bath time helps to calm her and a good massage afterwards. I give her Infacol before feeds, I have found that Chamomile tea helps her and I bought her a baby hot water bottle from Mamatoto which really soothes her when she is in pain so that she can sleep peacefully. None of the above actually stops colic completely but gives the baby and me some important moments of calm.
Smiles, Cuddles & Play Time
My best time of day is whenever it is cuddle, smile and/or play time. Her smiles started when she was around 4 weeks old and around 5 weeks old, she started cooing. When she is rested, she is happy to be left on her play mat and baby talk “Agou” to the hanging teddy bears.
Church Blessings
We took Athina Eleni to church on her 8th and 40th day to be blessed. Did you know that there is also a prayer that the priest can read for you on the day that the baby is born? My priest had told me a few months ago so we also had this read once the baby had safely arrived.
Work
I am trying to work and keep up with work as much as possible. Some days are easier to write than others and some days are just impossible. Thank you all for being patient and enjoying this journey with me.
How Do I Feel?
It is an amazing feeling to wake up and enjoy my daughter. It is a challenge; for 38 years my life has revolved around me and more recently around my husband and I. Now, for both of us, we are enjoying the learning curve that is to have a child, what unconditional love feels like and we it means to be a family. It is the best feeling in the world!
If you have any questions, please send me a message.
