one month after baby

I just can’t believe it.  Porter is one month old! 

I look around at my kids sometimes and wonder where all the time went.  You can’t make it stand still and I’m kinda freaking out about the fact that Henry will be SIX this Fall?!!?  SERIOUSLY – Where did the time go?!?!!

I’m not sure how consistent I’ll be with these updates, but we’ll roll with it for as long as I remember.

One Month Postpartum – Me

My Body

• Overall I’m super happy with how my body has adjusted during the past month. I have no idea how much I weigh, but I’m guessing it’s pretty close to my pre-pregnancy weight.  All the pieces are still there…things just look a little different.
• As I told you, nursing and sleep deprivation make me extremely hungry so I’m usually munching on something throughout the day.  I always prefer sweets and carbs, but I definitely try to have a balanced diet as Porter gets what I pass on to him!  I’d say I’m eating between 2,000 and 2,200 calories, give or take.
• I’m drinking around 100 ounces of water every day (which is pretty normal for me).
• My boobs are larger than I’m used to, which makes running or jumping during workouts harder.  I just accommodate by wearing an extra sports bra.
• For the most part, the postpartum bleeding has stopped.  My linea negra is still very visible as you can see above.
• I’m running on 5-7 hours of broken sleep.  Most afternoons I lay down when Porter and Clara nap – sometimes I fall asleep and sometimes I make to-do lists in my head and have to get up.

**Truth time – I’ll randomly have the thought enter my head that I should amp up my workouts or decrease my sweets in these final weeks leading up to Blend.  But that quickly gets pushed away.  There will be no special diet or any special changes to make – I just wanted others out there to know that those thoughts still pass through my brain and that it’s ok to take control of them.**

My Fitness/Workouts*

• I’ve been walking every day, anywhere from 2 to 5 miles.  I usually wear Porter in my ERGObaby carrier and push the older kids in our double stroller OR on shorter walks, Henry and Clara will ride their scooters.
• Around the 3-week postpartum mark, I started lifting weights downstairs.  I think I’ve lifted four times now.  I can’t express how much I’ve missed these types of workouts.  All the sessions have been LIGHTWEIGHT/BODYWEIGHT and 20-30 minutes.
• For the first time in months, I ran!!  Three miles.  Super sweaty.  Just what I needed.

My Mind

• Mentally, I still feel like I’m struggling with postpartum hormones.  I definitely DO NOT have postpartum depression (I had this with Henry – should I write a post??) – just the normal hormones that come with a new baby.
• Exercise and fresh air help!  Some days I cry.  Some days I’m totally fine.  Travis is definitely a trooper and my ROCK when it comes to this – he knows exactly when I need a chest to cry on.
• Juggling three kids is hard.  But doable.  And I’m just so blessed to be able to do this job in the first place!

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Let’s move on to the baby!

One Month Old – Porter

I’ll divide Porter’s update into three sections:  EAT, AWAKE and SLEEP.  We use (and have used for all three kids) the Baby Wise method and it works well for us.  If you thrive off of schedules like me, you should look into this book (I also recommend, “Secrets of the Baby Whisperer.”  Both books follow the eat, awake, sleep cycles that work well in my opinion!)

EAT

• Porter is a chunky monkey.  I’m not sure how much he weighs today, but at his one week checkup, he had gained nearly TWO pounds!
• He exclusively nurses every 2 to 3 hours during the day AND night. <-I’m currently writing a “Breastfeeding Q & A”-post!  If you have any breastfeeding questions, please leave them in the comments!  I should have it up on Monday!
• He typically nurses at 7AM, 10AM, 1:30PM, 4PM, 7PM, 10PM (dream feed), 1AM, 4AM.  A total of EIGHT times per day.
• It takes him about 20 minutes to “empty” both breasts.
• He is considered a “happy spitter,” meaning he spits up (a ton) but doesn’t fuss about gas or reflux and is gaining weight.

AWAKE

• Porter is a CONTENT and HAPPY child!
• He spends his awake time in his swing, on his Boppy or on my lap.  He LOVES to grunt and is a very loud baby.
• Likes:  His car seat, his brother and sister, taking baths, his mama’s voice, the way his daddy holds in on his forearm.
• Dislikes: Being hungry.

SLEEP

• In every 3 hour “cycle” (eat, awake, sleep), Porter sleeps around 1 1/2 to 2 hours right now.
• We swaddle.  He loves it.  (here’s the one I use)
• He can fall asleep most anywhere, but we prefer to lay him down in his bassinet (which is currently in our closet…remember the grunting?!) just before he knows he’s sleepy.
• We started off co-sleeping (Weeks 1 &2) but he is now exclusively in his bassinet at night (except when I bring him to bed to nurse – we “side nurse” while I doze in and out of sleep).

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QUESTION:  Anything changed in your life in the last month??  Remember to leave me a comment if you have a BREASTFEEDING question for next week’s post!

splendid…lindsay

*The workouts I’m doing are what work for ME.  If you’re recovering from childbirth, listen to your own body and make your own adjustments.