George is three weeks old, which is truly unbelievable! Ryne and I have done some Christmas shopping and lots of Christmas-movie-watching from our couch while snuggling sleeping Goerge. In the last few weeks, we’ve managed a family trip to Target (an absolute circus), a couple of Starbucks runs, and a few breakfasts out. While this has been my hardest postpartum recovery, it has also been a sweetly slow newborn season.
MAMA
Weeks postpartum: 3 weeks
Recovery: Postpartum recovery is already a lot between the bleeding, the cramping, the engorgement, the mood swings, and the sleep deprivation. I always tear during delivery and need several stitches, so that was an expected discomfort. But over the last few weeks, I also ended up with a small blood clot and an infection, which made the recovery much harder. Add in Christmas shopping (and wrapping) and managing three kiddos’ school schedules, homework, and packing lunches and it has all been more challenging than I expected.
But perhaps the biggest surprise in my recovery was how weak I felt in the days following the birth. We wanted to leave the hospital as soon as possible to get home to our bed and our big kids. We left after one overnight, so that may have played a role. I’m also a decade older than I was when I had Quinn. But even walking around the house felt like a feat. So I mostly didn’t. I sat on the couch for the better part of the first ten days, just snuggling George and honoring my need for rest. Ryne took such good care of me by feeding me, keeping my water bottle full, taking care of our big kids’ every need, and changing all of George’s diapers.
Weight: Going into the hospital, I weighed just over 140lbs. I delivered a 7lb baby and a 2lb placenta, plus losing 2-3 more pounds of blood/fluids but somehow I came home from the hospital weighing 136lbs- only 4lbs down. Make it make sense. As of this morning, I weigh 125.4 lbs – 3ish lbs above my pre-pregnancy weight.
Mood: I am so grateful not to have experienced any baby blues this time around. I have felt so joyful and every bit myself.
Breastfeeding: George is such a good eater and wants to eat constantly. I experienced less engorgement than after my other babies. I think my body just knew what to do this time!
BABY GEORGE
Sleep: Napping most of the day on mommy or in the swing. Waking every 2-3 hours at night. He usually goes down easily after the first feed, but is awake for over an hour after the second feed. The greatest gift of being a fourth-time mom is knowing that it won’t last and this baby won’t keep. So I’m doing my best to enjoy even the hard, middle-of-the-night moments.
Belly button stump: Fell out at 13 days!
Weight: George weighed 8lbs, 4oz at his two-week appt, a pound and a half above his birth weight! As of yesterday morning (2 weeks, 6 days old) he weighed 9lbs 6oz. Big boy!
Clothes size: Barely fitting in his newborn clothing, but swimming a bit in the 0-3 month sizes.
BIG KIDS
The big kids are completely smitten by George. All three come running into our room the second they know I’m awake in the morning just so they can see him. Ivy follows George and I around all day kissing him and rubbing his little head. Conrad sweetly pauses to greet George and kiss him any time he comes barreling into the room we’re in. Quinn wants to hold him the second she comes home from school. They love him so much!
