Baby Patow & Mama update (kind of a journal)

[cpatow]

Hi Ladies!!

Tomorrow is 2 weeks and man does it go FAST!

Recovery wise it is SLOW going for me. My incision, as you guys know, got infected and then was fine but yesterday I think I did just way too much and now the outside of it started bleeding again and the inside of my tummy (rather than the actual incision) is still hurting a bit. This is so frustrating. I want so much to get out and about and I'm like a slow moving turtle....my great grandma could pass me up. Weight-wise I'm just a couple pounds away from pre-preggo weight but my tummy is still swollen, so I went to that French store, Target' (prounounced Tar jay :0)) and bought a collection of shorts in 1-2 sizes up from my normal size, just so I wouldn't be confined to just sweats. Well, THOSE don't even fit at the waist!!! How long did it take you post-delivery gals to have your uterus shrink down to "normal" so you could wear at least some "normal" (aka non-maternity) clothes?

Little Christopher is just so darn CUTE and so good!!! After two colicky babies prior to him I was braced for another. So far (so far, so far, so far) he's not fussy really at all except when there's a reason. He cries when he's hungry, has a dirty diaper or is really tired. This week is when colick does tend to set in, so we're watching him closely, but so far, so good!

Night time feedings are going really well, too. He does wake every 3-4 hours but I get him up, feed him, change him and put him right back down and so far (again, so far, so far, so far) he just goes right back to slumber land. I'm telling you, right now he is such a dream!!!

I can't remember if I mentioned this in my "announcement" post, but he was born with a really low platelet count and they were concerned, but chalked it up to my being on Heparin for my previous blood clot. He had petichia (spelling?) and he also had the newborn rash erythemia toxicum (again, poor spelling, sorry) but that is super common and goes away between day 7-10 w/out treatment...it just looks ugly. Well, both the platelet count and the rash have resolved themselves so he now LOOKS like a newborn instead of a beautifully mottled rashy version :0).

I've had a couple of "bluesy" days but not baby-blues really, just overwhelmed and exhausted blues. One was when my 7yr old DS called me a ginormous something-or-other (can't even remember now) and started crying (pah-leeze...how immature can a 40-yr old mother get???!!!) and the other was when my mom, the only real help I have here since we're out-of-state and don't yet know a ton of people, became sick pre-delivery w/ pneumonia, only to heal from that and then 2 days ago became sick AGAIN with some terrible bowel and GI bug (can you say grown-up diapers??? Seriously). School's out for summer, I still can't move around very well (although somehow I managed a shopping trip to TArget...guess I know what's important, huh???), my DD & DS want to go everywhere (please, mom can we go to the pool, store, park, outside to ride bikes, so-and-so's house, this place or that place) and I'm stuck on the sofa still and my DH works 12 hours / day and my mom is sick. AND we have relatives coming in for a 1 week visit on Wednesday, for which I need to somehow clean the house and get groceries. YIKES! So I went bluesy over that.

But then DH said, "Hon, my dad and step-mom are flying in to HELP. They don't expect to be pampered or entertained; they're here to help you while you're recovering and your mom is down for the count and I'm working".

So I cried over that!! Love them!!

Of course I cry at everything, now. My mom's bug came from your's truly. I thought my incision got re-infected b/c I had the runs and a fever and I thought for sure I was going to be admitted for IV antibiotics. So I cried about what would happen w/ the little guy...would they let him room in w/ me or not? Turns out incision did NOT get re-infected and I had a bug. I cried because I was so relieved! And then when my mom caught my bug and became so sick I cried over THAT!

I cried when my DD expresses how in love she is w/ Little Christopher and I cried when DS finally gave his little brother a kiss (he's been so afraid of touching him for fear it meant he'd himself have t have a baby...how funny). And then I cried AGAIN when DS asked Little Christopher to come into his video game room so he could teach him how to play Lego StarWars!!

And then I just cry b/c I'm tired :0)

Sounds like a lot of crying but not really. Most of it just lasts for a few minutes and then we're back to our day. We're all doing really great, all things being said, and I'm sure I'll do personally even better when I'm FINALLY healed. Definitely a longer recovery cycle this time around!!!

Oh, and while it's only 3, I did post a few photos in my profile. I've taken some more but haven't had time to post them yet. Will do so this week.

So that's what's going on here in newborn land. Tomorrow is 2 week check-up for both me and the baby. Hopefully he's gained some weight as we left the hospital at 6lbs even.

He's crying now so off I go!

Christina
Little Christopher = 13 days old

[saj39]

I am sorry you have had such a time with your incision. I to had complications with my Emergency c section. I had a blood clot then I had a blood transfusion and was re-admitted to the hospital and after 2 months I am still in a little pain. As for the weight hand in there, I was bigger after I had Sidney than when I went in to have her, and my doctor said that at about the beginning of the 3rd week post partem that I would start to lose the fluid. She was right b/c in the last 5 weeks I have lost 43 lbs!! Grant it I still could stand to lose another 15 but I am hopeful and you should be to. When you have complications like ours it takes a bit longer to lose the weight. Good luck and if you want to talk or just need someone to listen please write. Sheri

[pcarsey]

Christina- First of all let me say CONGRATS!!! I am sorry I missed the big debut! Happy Birthday Christopher!!! I am sorry you have to endure so much stress at such a blessed time but I am more then happy that mommy and baby are getting along so well!! He is such a beautiful little guy too I might add! And you look absolutely in love! I hope you heal quickly and get to really enjoy that little tyke! Take it easy and give him kisses and hugs from Brayden and I!!

((Big Hugs to you all!!))

[montie2]

Christina,
I have been a big cry baby since Rhett was born and I am not a crier.  He is 3 months now and I am still very emotional.  

Give yourself time to recover and don't do too much.  I learned the hard way and pulled apart my incision.    

Thanks for the post/update.  I loved reading about how you and Christopher are doing.

[Tennesseegirl]

aaawwww Christina...

Sounds wonderful.. he is such a good baby, already helping you out!!  Thank you so much for your update.. brought tears to my eyes for you to have to go thru this but.. I guess its just part of the pregnancy still. Its such an emotional time anyway. and for you having to go thur your recovery time.. ugh.. I can understand the tears. please .. let your inlaws, tend to themselves. It would be awful for you to have a setback because of it.

You have your hands full.. with DH working so much and your mother ill.. wow.. I hope it gets better for you real soon. Hang in there !!  (((Hugs)))

thanks again for the update.. wonderful to hear from you.
Teresa 39w 6d

[kellym]

Usually when posts are that long I tend to just read bits & pieces. I read your whole thing. Our babies are only a day apart so I feel every bit of your pain and tears! I haven't got the whole night thing down yet, where is baby Christopher sleeping? I have the pack & play (raised up high) in my room and try to nurse and put him back down and he won't have anything to do with it. He wants to sleep on my chest and it's not working out very well. I turn on the tube to change his diapers which in turn wakes DH and then we both don't sleep well. Do you get out of bed and feed him in a different room? What are your secrets?? Well, the tears will go away and you will become strong again soon :)  Don't laugh, but at least you don't have  a hemorroid the size of a large blueberry on your bum, ha ha ha, deer fly bites on my swollen foot and those annoying swollen taste buds on my tongue. Can anything else go wrong for me?? I have to say that the incision pain is almost gone but I refuse to take off the steri-strips.... Slowly but surely I'm coming back together.

[HeathJo]

You are too cute! I'm a cryer also, so I am sure I will be a nightmare post-partum! Your post even made me misty-eyed!!! You poor thing, I hope things get better. I know it's not all bad, but I can tell you're in need of some relief, somewhere!

I hope you get it soon :-)

[Tanker Chic]

Girl I was the same way with the tears. I cried over eveything. I couldn't even tell someone about it without breaking down in tears.. and it wasn't the little kind.. it was full on tears down the face.  I cried over eveything and nothing at all..  I think it lasted about 3 weeks.  

Oh my stomach is still the biggest thing on me.  I would actually be able to fit into a couple of my old clothes if it wasn't for the gut. Jacob is now 3.5 months. But then again, I'm still not back to prepreg weight either..  

Sorry about the all the chaos.. and your dh is right.. they are there to take care of you. If the house is messy, let them clean it and they can do the shopping too!!  

Congrats, enjoy and I hope you start feeling better soon..