Lessons Learned, installment #2.

Let the learning continue.
My newest list of lessons learned in the brief 41 days of  being a mom.

Life with a baby gets better with every passing day,
we are getting to know each other, and I love him more with each day!
I enjoy the way he makes me laugh!


Lesson Learned:  Laundry is constant.
It has grown exponentially since this little baby arrived on the scene. 

Lesson Learned:  Stock up on blankets
You'll need a lot of them

Lesson Learned:  Stock up on burp cloths
You'll need a lot of them


Lesson Learned:  Recovery takes time and patience
Physically, it takes much longer than anticipated and or desired.
Emotionally, it takes time.   

Lesson Learned:  Breast feeding...It's no joke.  
In order to have prepared myself for what it would be like I should have tried waking up every 2 hrs for a 24 hr period; simulated the real deal by getting out of bed (where it's warm and comfy) taken off all the clothes above my waist; walk into Wills room, sit on the couch;  attempt to stay awake and not freeze, for minimum 40 min. 
And then repeat, 8-12 times in a 24 hr period. 
If i had done that,  I would have gained a glimpse into what my new reality would look like; from a scheduling standpoint.
(Yet nothing can fully prepare you for the real deal)
From a physical standpoint; hard to prepare for that one as well.
It took me 18-22 days for the razor sharp pain to subside.  Not kidding.
During those 1-2hr breaks in between feedings, ice packs.  That's all I'll say about that.
During those breaks, I'd pray his stomach would expand and he'd sleep longer, just for a little break.
I'm a special case: insert pumping to stimulate increased milk production; add that to the after feeding, before the next-- yup lack of sleep really is the name of the game. 

I'm conjunction with the above; pre baby I didn't full grasp the amount of time per day breast feeding would take.
When breast or bottle breeding, one is sitting. 
I have a job where I sit less than 8 hrs a week. 
We own a couch I don't find comfortable to sit in. 
Never in my life have I sat down so much; well maybe for school and even then it was in smaller increments and wasn't around the clock. 
I've loosely calculated how much time I sit feeding my super hungry perfect little baby...
and it's a lot!! 
Almost 18-25% of my day is spent sitting.
It challenges my patience and my mind. 
With breast feeding; along with everything else, it gets easier and better as time goes by.  I've made it 41 days; almost 6 weeks, in my book every passing week I don't give up...
It is a success. 
It's hard. 
They tell you that, but the defining pieces of what that means I'm sure differs from woman to woman. I wish I knew more than I did going into it; to be more prepared, if that's even possible.

Jealousy.
I have learned that this thing called jealousy is nasty yet real.
DB gets to leave the house and do his work thing.
I'm jealous of his freedom.
This lesson hasn't been learned,
Its more of me figuring out my role during this transition and during this time
 I am attempting to figure out.

Lesson Learned:  Its all good.
Through the challenges, this transition into parenthood, the lack of sleep, all of the above...
 It truly is good.
Surviving labor and delivery,  becoming a mom, its changing me for the better