I’m going to start a series of posts of things I can’t live without now I’ve got little DJ. I’d do it all in one post but time is precious.

First thing, The Sling.

My Mother bought it for me before DJ was born. I was sure I’d want one so we started looking around on eBay. We came across Tilly’s Slings. The sling in particular that we bought was just your every day run of the mill Ring Sling. I went with black because I figured if N felt like wearing it at least he wouldn’t feel uncomfortable because it’s some stupid girly colour.

The sling took some getting used to but I love it. More importantly, DJ loves it. Generally I can put him in there and he crashes out straight away. It’s pretty easy on the back too. It’s exceptionally handy for those times when you need to use your hands and the wee one is being a fussy bum.

It does take some practice getting them in there but eventually you get the hang of it. You know you have it done wrong because the rings don’t hold together properly and they gradually give a little. Enough to thoroughly give you the shits.

I’ve used the sling quite a bit now and I have to say it’s on the top of the list of most useful things we bought before DJ was born. Only thing I’d do differently is probably buy one of the non adjustable varieties. I hardly ever actually adjust the sling, but the extra bit of material is super handy for when you need to breast feed in public or on the move. I spent 10 minutes walking around a shopping center breastfeeding. Not traumatic at all. No awkward boob flashings. No sore arms. Just a happy baby and happy Mama.

So, he was awake from 6am to 2pm today…

I was just getting to the stage where I was over it all and then what do you know? He goes to sleep… Shit head…

Hi, how are you? Good I hope.

We’re doing really well. DJ is feeding like a champ. He’s already put on 500gm’s since we left the hospital. Sometimes it feels as if he never stops. Thankfully, that means the painful big boobs only happen rarely.

He’s also sleeping for quite a bit at night. I can get about 6 hours of sleep a night now which is awesome. Of course that has about 3 wake ups in it but that’s not too bad. Having to deal with insomnia for most of my life means I’m somewhat equipped to deal with sleepless nights. I’m sure it would be different if he was a screamer but the kid is unbelievably mellow. He only cries if I leave him in the bassinet for five minutes when he’s awake so I can go pee or have a shower. He cries to wake me up when he’s hungry, but it’s not the ear piercing sort of cry. More of a whimper.

He’s most definitely all boy. You put the kid to the boob and sometimes he goes absolutely spastic. Shakes his head, pounds on the boob with his hands, bangs his head on the boob, makes a million different funny faces. Also, he lifts one of his legs when he farts. Who knew newborns had that much co-ordination?

All of his features are starting to fill out too. He’s getting that chubby little baby look in stead of the scrawny newborn one.

Oh yeah, we had our first feeding session in public the other day. I’m sure there are some women out there who will want to hit me for saying this, but I think I’ve gotten the hang of it. The only time feeding hurts these days is at the start when he’s a little over enthusiastic about the boob or when he’s let go half a dozen freaking times.

I’m not sure what else to say. Mum brain FTW…

We’re visiting some friends who live 4 hours away this weekend. We’ll be leaving around his nap time so I’m suspecting he’ll sleep all the way.

I’m sort of kind of working on the birth story too. It’s a bit of a mindfuck so it will take some putting together.

I just played “The Chemical Brothers - Hey Boy Hey Girl”. It’s the song that would wake DJ up without fail while he was still happily inside me.

The kid, he smiled.

I fucking love this child.

We are both doing wonderfully well. DJ is almost a master at latching on now. I really should try and take a photo of the little birdy face he pulls when you try to feed him. Reminds me of the baby penguin from the cartoon “Pingu”.

We’re getting better at the sleeping thing. Although last night was particularly annoying due to a head cold. Very frustrating but what do you do? Nana or Daddy can take care of him for a little while today while I catch up on some sleep.

I’m coping pretty well I think. At about day 5 my hormones went absolutely ape shit and I spent quite a bit of time crying. All part of the game I suppose. The crying has stopped now.

I’m pretty sure the stitches have dissolved now because, oh my god, yesterday it was so itchy. I can almost get around like a normal human. The pain has gone from feeling like someone has taken a jackhammer to me, to just feeling like someone has kicked me in the nether regions a few times. The recovery process is very strange…

The overdue skin flaking has almost stopped on DJ which is totally awesome. Now it’s just waiting for his itty bitty hands and feet to get to normal. They are still a little bit wrinkled and flaky. Feet more so then hands.

I still love him. Also, he smiles. I didn’t think newborns smiled? First few times I thought “Have you got gas? Are you pooping? Peeing?” but the smiles happen way more frequently then any of those thing. I should take a photo of it. It’s a pretty funny little smile.

DJ
Born at 6:05pm on the 4th of July 2008
Weighed 7lb4
52cm long

Both of us are very healthy. DJ is having some trouble working out how to latch on. I’m recovering from 4 days of the latent birth phase and an episiotomy. Amazingly enough, considering how exhausted I was, all I used was the gas. Oh boy did I use that gas. They had to take it away from me a few times…

I was saved from the “ring of fire” because it was looking like a vacuum extraction was needed so they had just administered the local when, hello, I get my act into gear and push him out. There is nothing quite like the feeling of having just given birth. It’s amazing. You go through all of that pain and then suddenly nothing hurts…

… Until the doctor starts stitching you up.

More photos to come.

So yay, the site is back up again properly. That was relatively painless. I shall explain what I did sometime in the future. Right now I’m too busy focusing on when the next “Oh my fucking god I’m in early labour” contraction comes on. They hurt in the way that if I had to put up with any more then the 1 every ten minutes for 60 seconds I’d probably cry. I just spent an hour in the shower because I was too scared about what they would feel like out of the water. They aren’t terrible. Just tolerable. Any worse and I’d be getting back in.

I’ve been like this now for 7 hours. I think it’s safe to say things are happening. Funny thing is someone is betting on the fact that the kid will be born today, that he’s a boy (obviously she already got that one) and he’s 9 pound. I’m hoping she’s wrong about the 9 pound part but I’ll be laughing if she’s right. It’s all her fault…

So, I’ve decided to take my mind off the fact that I feel like someone just ripped my heart out, I’m going to do something I meant to do a while ago.

The site may go down for a little while I change things around in a minor way. Still with the same host but finally purging myself of bellefemmenetwork.com .

Hope your days have been better then mine.

Just as I finished complaining/mentioning to someone that I haven’t had a braxton hicks contraction all day I get one that lasts 60 seconds.

My body and I… Sometimes we don’t see eye to eye.