I can’t believe that just over a week ago I was full of excitement but also a great deal of fear and trepidation about what was ahead…. how would I get through labour? What if Bean didn’t bond with me? What if something was wrong with Bean? How would I know what to do with a newborn? Would I still love Bean if they were weird-looking?

Fears melt away

I know *everyone* says that things will just click straight away and mother’s instinct will kick in – but they really do! From the moment baby W was placed on me for skin-and-skin and latched on for his first feed, I had a feeling that everything would be ok!

Things I love from Week 1

• W taking so well to breastfeeding and generally being awesome – sleeps most of the time and only really cries when he’s getting changed.
• The way he looks around while he’s being fed – those gorgeous eyes!
• The way he twitches when he’s sleeping – kicking his legs and arms out – he spends a lot of time with one arm covering his eyes – this is how he was in the womb (and possibly why I tore when he was coming out!)
• The way he stretches his neck/arms/legs when he’s awake
• His funny grimaces and smiles (people say newborns don’t smile – I’m pretty sure he does!)
• The funny noises he makes and his hiccups!
• Having my other half home – he’s been amazing, cooking our meals, doing the dishes, doing 99% of the nappy changes and loving being a dad – it’s been great being a proper family for the week and it will be weird when he’s back in work. He’s already taken W out for a couple of walks and over to his grandparents when I’ve been too tired and sore to – so it’s good for us all that I’ve already been apart from W for a few hours at a time (I didn’t want to be a clingy mum if I could help it!)
• His firsts – first walk, first bath, first time sleeping outside, first trip in the car to see his grandparents
• Seeing baby clothes on the washing line for the first time 🙂

I also feel like I’m starting to earn the ‘mummy badge’:

• my food going cold while I finish feeding W
• multi-tasking – cleaning up baby sick from underneath me while still feeding W and trying not to move him
• wet patches in T-shirts (!)

So W is fine – perfect and adorable –  how am I feeling/looking?

• Still sore – down below – after stitches – enough said!
• Legs are still sore – been wearing support stockings all week and now I think I need to do some mild walking!
• I have aches in places I haven’t ached before – upper arms and lower back  – probably from picking him up and cradling him etc! (And I guess my body was in some weird positions during labour!)
• My bump is nearly gone already which I can’t believe!
• After having great skin during pregnancy, my spots have returned!
• When I was pregnant, I used things like body butters every time I bathed/showered – that’s now gone out the window!
• Tired – I would say I’m tired most of the time – probably from the 2 or 3 night feeds and I’m guessing breastfeeding in general zaps your energy. I try and nap every day but think I need to nap for longer if/when I can. Also trying to get fresh air in the garden when it’s not raining!

So there we have it – we not only survived our first week but we loved every minute! I love how every day is like a new adventure, I’m now so excited (and a lot less fearless about what the next days, weeks and months will bring 🙂