It was my intention to write this on Mason's 3 month 'birthday' but I got so busy, I forgot!
So my little man turned 3 whole months on May 21st! Time really does fly and I can't keep saying that enough. Here are some of the things Mason has experienced in the last month:
is quite active with arms and legs, always swinging when he's on his back
uses arms (with fists) to bat at hanging toys on his play mat
has started drooling and often shoves his fist into his mouth to gnaw on (hasn't discovered his thumb yet!)
opens and closes his hand and grasps onto my finger, clothing, necklaces
range of cooing has increases, more vowels. Says 'oh, ah, wah' a lot
both tear ducts are functioning but not a lot of tears during crying spells
no longer fusses when being put back to sleep after a feeding
is weaning himself off the binkie, he often spits it out when we give it to him. Only uses it at night now.
has discovered his tongue and often rolls it around his mouth when bored
neck muscles are very strong, can hold his head up for long periods of time when held
able to move head side to side with no issues
tummy time is still not a favorite but will tolerate it for longer periods
will 'crawl' forward on his belly if his feet are up against something (like the palm of our hands)
has learned that touching certain toys will start the music
has more of a feeding schedule
still only poops every 2-3 days, same consistency every time (not looking forward to solids lol)
is tolerating bath time more
still does not like to be wet/cold or naked for more than 1 minute
is smiling a lot more especially when he sees Mommy/Daddy first thing in the morning
is awake more in the day and while in the car seat (so much for my errand time while he's sleeping)
loves to laugh (Clayton can really get him going)
laughs in his sleep (can't wait to record that on video)
have started to put him in his crib during naps
will amuse himself for 30 min periods in his crib while he watches the mobile go round and round
Finally grew in the rest of his hair! For the past two months we were sporting quite the receding hairline
Took the mittens off in month two, has the occasional scratch but is doing okay
After I finished Masey's list, I was thinking...hmmm I didn't write anything about *my* experience of being a Mommy of 3 months. I'm sure some of you new mothers to be (including new mommy2b cuzzie Leanne!) are wondering what to expect within those first 3 months...so here goes:
Immediately after birth:
leaky boobies! I used the disposable breast pads but switched to cloth reusable types after a month to be more enviro friendly. Unfortunately these things are a bit bulky and do show through most cotton shirts
still a little sore in the nether region (which went away by week 3) I had a vaginal delivery with minor tearing. If you have an episotomy (which is rare nowadays) expect more discomfort..especially if you are going to have/had a c-section. Treat this like surgery and get extra help!
I felt like super woman in the first 2 weeks and people were surprised with the level of my energy. I was boasting that I didn't have any meltdowns.
By week 3, I had broke down and spent a good hour bawling. From going through childbirth, the realization that you are a parent!, to the awe of your baby will be overwhelming and there is NOTHING wrong with letting any frustration/emotion out. If you have to do it in private, go for it but please don't bottle it in! No one is grading you on how you are at being a new parent! You are going to make mistakes and be confused. I spent the last month of pregnancy reading at post partum depression (to ensure I could pick up on any symptoms if I was to have it) as well as what to expect in the first year (great book).
I lost all 20lbs of my pregnancy pounds within eight, yes 8 days of giving birth. I don't think that's common. However, my body looks nowhere near what it did pre-pregnancy. I guess I thought it would. Breastfeeding is known to cause saggier boobies. Pregnancy grew my already large breasts from a 38D to a 40D (it's an in between size so very hard to find a good bra!). I did get stretch marks but only in my 9th month and the skin on my tummy has become a lot more loose and jiggly.
Month 1 - 2
They say to wait 6 weeks before resuming hanky panky but it really depends on how fast you heal and how you feel. You might be too tired for any kind of fun time with your bf/hubby (sorry guys) and they say this gets better when the kids are in elementary school (haha)
Depending on your baby's schedule and how you and bf/hubby arrange feedings, you are going to be tired. I was feeding every 2-3 hours around the clock. Clayton was home for the first week of Mason's life but had to work after that point so he would get up at 6am and do two feedings allowing me to sleep in. Not everyone is going to have that luxury, so make sure that you have some sort of system, especially if you formula feed. Bf/Hubby can help out with feedings/diaper changes for this!
So many people will tell you 'sleep when baby sleeps'. If you can do this, great! I couldn't unless I was absolutely exhausted. I used baby napping time to catch up online, laundry, and other chores.
I unfortunately have issues with low breast milk and had to resort to many different things to increase it. At first I was pumping exclusively to ensure baby was getting enough. Sometimes I would only get 1 oz out of both breasts, it was extremely frustrating. We started to supplement with formula in week two. I also started taking herbal supplements 'Fenugreek & BLessed Thistle' at the same time. It was a combination of 6 pills per day. I didn't find they helped that much.
During my very first Mothers Day I ended up having emergency surgery for Kidney Stones. My Urologist told me that the stones were caused by my pregnancy (prenatal vitamins - fluids = stones). Luckily the surgery was quick and painless, recovery took a bit longer. Expect an increase in bladder infections after pregnancy!
My arms are starting to look more toned due to picking up Mason every day, he is now at 11lbs!
Had first night away from baby in month two, wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Got to sleep through the night for the second time, it was nice!
Month 3
I started taking Domperidone (otc drug) to increase milk supply and will post how that is working for me in a few weeks
I'm not as tired as Mason is more routine with his sleep/nap times and I can plan my day
I still have bouts of exhaustion when I feel like I'm taking too much on, I try to limit outings every second day
Stretch marks are starting to fade
Still have a pain in my left calf from pregnancy, I must have pulled a muscle and it's still sore!
Take advantage of your work extended benefit package! Most have free massages (up to $500/year) and trust me, these feel SOOOO good after having a baby. I just had my first one (since my 8th month of pregnancy) and I wish I had done it last month. I really felt better.
I think that's it for now! All I can remember at this point! Will add more as I think of it :)
~Jodelene