This week started with this mama having to have her first solo outing eeeek! Part of our antenatel class package was mums and bubs classes 2x a week and this was our first one. I had to be in Epsom by 10am and face driving with Kinsley by myself. So naturally the planner in me had the nappy bag and car packed the night prior so I could hopefully throw myself together in her morning nap and feed her and go! Lucky for me it did go to plan and we were even 10 minutes early and you know what, it wasnt even that scary haha only spaghetti junction on the motorway was and was telling drivers out loud not to hit her or crash into me 😂 #crazymama
After this Kinsley was asleep so I even did a quick food shop on the way home (I know who am I!?) Capsule into pramb easy! It was crazy how normal and relaxed that day made me feel! Doing normal things but with a baby, it made me feel I really can do this mama gig! HUGE confidence boost, I was so so excited to tell Nic when he called I must have sounded INSANE haha "omg babe I had the best day I went to Pak n Save and brought milk" #thisislifenow
Kinsley is so much more alert at awake times now so we make sure we capitalise on this, lots of face time with us talking to her and in her nuna leaf swaying, but we also started tummy time and nappy free time. She LOVES having her nappy off kicking around breezy as 😋 she quickly taught me that you need to have a waterproof mat underneath haha or she ends up in a warm puddle! Tummy time is important for neck development and learning to lift their heads so I am trying to do it 2-3 x a week and these first few were a success she didnt mind it at all!
The back end of this week we had our weekly midwife check in and it had some disappointing news. Kinsley wasnt gaining enough weight and we were being put on a feeding plan. Ok so this actually wasnt a bad thing and worked out super well but weirdly when your being told, its disheartening and upsetting as a mama. You feel like your letting her down or failing at keeping her healthy! Actually she just preferred longer naps and less feeds haha! So we had to wake her every 3hours and feed her and then also on demand when she wanted it in under 3 hours. Mum came up to help me with this as with Nic working he needed rest, so she slept on my couch for the rest of the week and we nailed it together, smashing her 3 day check in target by 300g wooo (arnt mamas the best hehe!) Dad was moral support sleeping on an air bed in office with ear plugs 😋 oh and taking Nic to buy a mountain bike which my bank balance loved haha! #Kinsleyletthemdoit
Mum and Dad also managed to help me do some Christmas shopping by coming with me and being pramb pushers hehe sooo nice to get out and feel organized and get our tree! (I am a Chrsitmas nut!)
So overall an awesome week and I'm feeling really good about the next ones!
-Ax
Tips for the week:
- Invest in front pack that's suitable from newborn! We got the Tula half buckle front pack and it's super easy to pop on and bebe LOVES being snuggled in there sleeping and your hands are free (win)! We used it on our walk and besides getting extremely hot with a mini human on your chest it was fab! Next step may be the dishes haha!
- Get the wonder weeks app (Thanks for the hot tip Amby) it educates you on bebes mental development and what they call leaps so you can help them through each stage (bonus it tells you when you are about to have a stormy or sunny period haha! Keeps you a little saner) we had our first mental leap this week so Kinsley was a little grizzly and wanted to be on me all the time (but I secretly love the couch days and the cuddles hehe).
- Try things again that may not have worked the first time as with newborns things change all the time ha! What works one week doesnt the next- Kinsely is a wriggler who did not like being swaddled the first few weeks so she slept arms out, but this week she kept waking herself up with moving her arms so back to the swaddle and shes sleeping like a dream and loves it! Day naps we leave her free as if she wakes up quickly Its not as horrid haha!
