Follow my blog with Bloglovin  Me and Rafe's 8 week updates...a little late

Monday 6th February 2017
So Rafe will be 9 weeks old on Wednesday so this update is a little late, not unusual for me though! Thought I would do our updates together because I don't think there's quite enough content for two separate posts.
I'll start with Rafeybear because he's the important one! He is now sleeping either five or six hours per night, and more often than not it's six which is SO nice! We aren't really following the sleep routine that I talked about in my earlier post. Rafe doesn't like being left on his own upstairs yet and rather than us going up and down continually for hours and then him eventually settling at 9pm or 10pm when we would go to bed anyway, he now stays downstairs with us. He won. We still bath him at 7pm every night and we turn off the main lights and have lamps on and turn the volume on the television right down (no kidding we use subtitles a lot of the time!) but we just take him up with us when we go to bed as he's usually asleep by then. I think he is still a bit to young to have a strictly regimented sleep routine, but any advice on the subject would be welcome...

He is so alert now and his personality is really coming through. He recognises us and smiles at us LOADS, and when we talk to him he seems to respond with his own little noises which is so cute! He loves being centre of attention, just like his mummy or so daddy says! He loves his Fisher Price Rainforest playmat, it lights up and plays music and has lots of hanging toys and a mirror. He kicks his legs loads and reaches for all the dangling objects so we can tell his motor skills and co-ordination are improving. We think he is going to be right handed because he tends to use that more and he always puts it in his mouth when he is hungry. He still enjoys walks in his pram and rides in his car seat and I try and take him out to get fresh air whenever the British weather permits.
He still has a very big appetite, and he goes from fine and calm to RAVENOUS in 0-5seconds! Since I gave up eating dairy his eczema and acne have completely gone and his cheeks are finally soft and blemish free. Just when we conquered the acne and eczema he developed mild cradle cap, but after applying liberal amounts of coconut oil after every bath and massaging his head when we washed his hair that has also nearly gone now.

He had his 8 week jabs today, I was super nervous but luckily Richard was starting work later so could come with us. First Rafe had a liquid to drink which seemed to go down a lot better than the Infacol we have to give him sometimes. Then he had THREE different jabs, I think it was one in his right thigh and then two in his left, but I might be wrong there. He (understandably) cried when the injections went in but was then immediately fine again afterwards. I am so so proud of him for being this brave! I also managed to hold it together and keep the tears at bay! He then had his first ever dose of Calpol and now he's napping. Have to see what the rest of the day will bring. According to the information sheet on giving babies paracetamol suspension (Calpol) after jabs, fewer than one in five children develop a fever with the use of Calpol after jabs so I'm hoping he won't get one. If he does it is likely to peak six hours post injection so I'm just going to keep a close eye on him today. Duvet day on the sofa it is!!


My update

In terms of weight I am now at around 126/127lbs so still 5lb away from my pre baby weight. Still not in any rush to get back there and I don't want to eat less because I am working out and still exclusively breasfeeding and I don't want to effect my milk supplies. My waist is slowly getting back to it's original size with the help of lots of ab exercises, I'm now two inches away but there is a lot more loose skin so I have some work to do there.
Breastfeeding is still going really well which I am SO thankful for, I'm not going to lie I miss having a glass of red wine every night, but I'm probably a lot more healthy without it! 

Physically, apart from the tiredness (which varies depending how long Rafe has slept) I honestly feel great. As I mention all the time I am back into a regular workout routine and exercising at least five times per week. My episiotomy stitches are completely healed and I no longer have any pain or discomfort in the area at all. Okay TMI here but I haven't actually had sex yet, and it is something which quite frankly terrifies me! At my six week check the doctor asked about contraception and I am planning on getting the copper coil fitted as I do not react well to the hormones in the pill or mini pill.
Something else that I am SO happy about is that I do not suffer any bladder weakeness at all. I was really worried that this would be a problem, I used to do kegel exercises before I got pregnant but I didn't do them very reguarly during my pregnancy. However I think the workouts that I did before and during pregnancy mean I must have a strong pelvic floor.
I have not experienced any post natal hair loss yet but apparently it can start between 3-6months post partum so there's still time. I'm really praying this doesn't happen and I'm doing all I can to avoid it (see earlier post).

Mentally I have had a lot of ups and downs recently. As much as I love my baby and being a mum, at times I do miss my old life and being able to spend so much time with Richard. I would love to go on a family holiday aswell which is just not an option at the moment, and probably won't be for some time.
Also I find that because I am breastfeeding I still don't feel like my body is my own...if that makes any sense. It makes me feel horrible about myself, which seems like a hugely ungrateful thing to say I know. I am so happy I can do it but the world of breast pads, nursing bras and leaky nipples isn't really one I enjoy being in, and I honestly can't wait for when we can wean Rafe and I can be done with it all. Plus I am not expressing yet and I refuse to breastfeed in public which means it's a massive hassle for us to go out anywhere for any length of time, and it would be so nice for Richard and I to have an evening just the two of us.
I don't think I have any sort of post partum depression but I definitely have good days and bad days. Some days Rafe is a happy chap and has lots of naps so I can get the house clean and tidy, my workout done, showered and made up and then other days I just find myself trapped on the sofa with a crying baby and only get to jump in the shower when Richard gets home. But I guess that's just part of having a baby and having to put someone else's needs first.

Overall I feel like I am pretty much recovered, and I am so thankful for that. I think even though it's been eight weeks I am still adjusting a bit to being a mum but I think it's always going to take a bit longer when it's a first baby. I often find myself feeling guilty when I have a bad day for getting upset or feeling unhappy because I know that I am blessed to have a healthy, happy baby and be able to breastfeed him and take care of him. But being a mum is a tough job, anybody that thinks staying at home with a baby is the easy option is seriously mistaken and a massive hats off to all the mums out there who have babies and young children to take care of. 
I have found the journey to becoming a mummy both seriously mentally and physically challenging and also incredibly rewarding. On one hand I cannot wait for Rafe to get older and begin walking and talking and on the other I want him to stay a tiny baby forever!

Jx

 
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