Do you have a baby who doesn’t sleep? If you’re looking for answers…this ain’t the blog post for you. If you want to feel better about yourself…this is the blog post for you. Sit back and enjoy!
Ten weeks ago my life changed for the best. It hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows but it sure has brought more laughter and cuss words or eye rolls if you ask Tucker than I thought possible. Today is the day that I accept that our baby does not sleep. We really haven’t progressed past 4 hours maximum at night (ok ok that only happened once) and nap times have regressed from the long 47 minutes to 25 minutes. Please don’t tell me how tired you are when you have a baby who sleeps through the night. No sympathy from the Barnhart household. Please don’t ask me how the sleep thing is going from here on out because when that morning comes that I have slept more than 3 hours y’all know I will blast that post on social media. Now…let’s get to the good stuff.
Becoming a mom has made me the most brave/outspoken version of myself. I have no problem telling someone no, speaking my mind, sticking up for my loved ones, whipping a boob out in a restaurant to feed my screaming baby (don’t worry the boob is covered by a drape) and leaving notes on parked cars who park so damn close we cannot get the carseat in our car. That last one makes me want to key their damn car. Call it crazy but I like to call it sleep deprivation mixed with a side of my baby is heavy and it’s cold outside please park appropriately.
If you’re wondering how my postpartum fitness journey is going…it’s not. If you consider doing kegels on the reg a fitness program then consider me a #fitmom. Have to squeeze in those kegels daily (no pun intended) because if I don’t you may just witness me pee my pants when I sneeze, laugh or run to get my baby who woke from a 25 minute nap. Oh the joys of an 8lb 7 oz baby traveling through the birth canal. I will resume working out when I can manage to properly form sentences again without it really taking a lot of work.
I think I have managed to scare Tucker with my ability to go from smiling and laughing to losing my mind and cussing in 2.5 seconds. Blaming it on the hormones. Hey, he essentially gets two wives…never know which one he’s gonna get these days. #hesblessed. He would tell you I am doing great and that I am exaggerating. That’s why I married him, he sees the best in every situation. He also gets a little more shut eye than me #breastfeedingmama Oh yeah…breastfeeding let’s switch to that subject.
I breastfeed Tatum and I am 100 percent for #fedisbest doesn’t matter if it is formula or the boob. Our journey this far has strictly been breastfeeding and I am thankful that I am able to nourish our baby and stop his screaming in the blink of an eye. I would like to speak for all mamas who breastfeed and get these questions and comments….
- Are you sure he’s getting enough? He would probably sleep longer if you switched to formula. Yes. Yes I am 100 percent positive he is getting enough. Ask my new friends at the breastfeeding support group every Monday and Friday. They truly see me at my best. I go in weekly to weigh Tatum to ensure that he is gaining weight, have the lactation consultants double check his latch and we all wonder when the F we will sleep again. I am not too proud for formula. If my baby was hungry and losing weight that wouldn’t even be a question to switch. That is not our case. That little chunk is 12 lbs and is gaining weekly. Would he sleep longer if I switched to formula? I don’t have a damn clue and am not going to find out probably anytime soon.
- Is he eating again?
Bitchare you eating again? Yes he is eating again. He is a growing baby. Breastmilk digests quickly. Does it bother you that he is eating every 2.5-3 hours?? It isn’t bothering me and I am the one wearing damn pads on my boobs to keep them from leaking, slathering lotion on to prevent more stretch marks and containing these jugs daily. So yes, yes he is eating again. And he will eat again in another 2 hours. 🙂 - “Holy boobs!!!” That is what happens when you have milk in your breasts. They are the size of f ing Texas.
- I have been dairy free for almost 7 weeks and it is HARD some days. Please don’t ask me to just take a bite or make an exception or one little bit won’t hurt. You’re right. It doesn’t hurt me. It hurts him. His belly doesn’t do well with dairy. I will have my cheese plates, Papa John’s, brownies, all the other good stuff I miss terribly and complain about missing in approximately 3-4 months. hopefully
- Breastfeeding rant over.
Long gone are the days of staying out and dancing at bars until 4 am, accidentally drinking until I get sick, late night dinners with Tucker, making sure my eyebrows are waxed right at the 2 week mark, finishing off that last glass of Cab in the bottle, watching a tv show on the actual night that it’s televised, long bubble baths without hearing a nonexistent cry in my head, running into the grocery store without the car reminding me to look in the rear seat and long gone are the days of being selfish. My entire life is devoted to being a wife and mama. I would not trade it for the world. My baby cries for me in the middle of the night, smiles when I soothe him, lets out a milky burp after he eats, laughs at his daddy’s funny voices and makes my entire world go round. I may be crazy as hell these days but my life is full. Almost as full as my boobs are right now. Gotta go feed the babe.
Mama B