You have to be wondering what I do all day while normal people are at work, right? I mean, I would be wondering. I didn’t think it would be all bon-bons and Passions or anything, but I don’t think I was prepared to be so busy and yet…not do anything. Since I try to anticipate your every need, here is an actual accounting of how I spent last Wednesday at home with the beautiful Nora (who I have a feeling is going to be very good at math).
8:05 am – Fed Nora a bottle and put her back in bed, without much hope she would stay asleep.
8:25 – Took two breaks from breakfast to put Nora’s pacifier back in.
8:35 – Pumped.
8:55 – Started the dishwasher, and in the process accidentally stole the hot water Blake was trying to shower with.
9:05 – Read a few blogs while waiting for my email to load.
9:20 – Took a shower and got dressed (actually, it was quite a coup to bathe this early in the day).
10:00 – Ate my assigned snack and started checking my email.
10:30 – Pumped.
10:45 – Fed Nora her two ounces, which she does NOT think is enough.
11:05 – Gave Nora a bath with the yummy-smelling Aveeno soap (hard to tell, but I think she is loving the baths lately).
11:25 – Put away the load of laundry I folded last night, while Nora barely tolerated sitting in her Papasan chair.
11:30 – Consoled a crying Nora and convinced her that lying down in her crib was not the worst idea since two-ounce bottles.
12:05 – Made and ate lunch, and finally finished reading my email and deleting spam. Responding will have to wait for another day. Oh, I also retrieved the errant pacifier four times.
12:30 – Pumped.
12:50 – Fed Nora a bottle.
1:15 – Bundled Nora into her stroller and took a walk–we dropped things off at two houses in the neighborhood and got some prints made at Inkley’s to mail to my brother Jeff (I took along my 2:00 snack and ate it on the road).
2:30 – Pumped.
2:50 – Unloaded and ran the dishwasher again.
2:55 – Started a load of laundry and put a clean one away.
3:15 – Fed Nora a bottle and started the last disc of Gilmore Girls season 2.
4:00 – Snuck Nora into the crib while she was asleep, and ate a snack in front of the end of Gilmore Girls.
4:30 – Pumped.
5:10 – Fed Nora yet another bottle.
I only wish my days at work would have gone by so quickly.
For the one person who is still reading, this is the eating/feeding/pumping schedule the lactation specialist put me on last week. Now we’re on to the next phase, so the schedule is different but similarly full of nothing.
whoa. so busy.
My life is still kind of like that. Why the prescribed snacks and pumping instead of nursing? Pacifiers are more trouble than they are worth. Do you have Healthy Sleep Habits and The Happiest Baby on the Block? Give her 3 oz. if she wants more, don’t you pump that much in 20 minutes? She would be drinking her fill if she were nursing. Sorry for all the unsolicited advice, just trying to be helpful since I was in your shoes 8 mos. ago.
I can relate all too well and I know how you feel. It does get much better, I promise. Keep up with the breastfeeding. It’s so hard in the beginning, but after about 6-8 weeks, it gets much easier.
Breastfeeding or pumping, that seems like a whole lot of boob action to me. You’re a baby-feeding CHAMPION, Lis. And Nora’s looking so cute and healthy and chubby-cheeked.
Dang it, now I want to leave work so that I can come over and nibble on her cheeks and neck.
Dear Lisa,
If I ever muster the courage to have a child, will you be my life coach? Because you are an awesome mom, and if I ever get to that point, I hope to be like you.
Love,
Mal
Thanks for the supportive comments. I love you guys.
You are seriously my hero. I think you’ve just about made it to my sum total of 9 weeks nursing (that includes both children–hence, sum total), or was it 10 weeks? I can’t recall. I am so impressed with your dedication! Way to go! Watch out, Nora, your Mama rocks!
lisa,
you are a beautiful mom. and nora is a doll. i wish i could see her in person. maybe at christmas we can hang out – once a year is not enough. by the way, kid #3 is on the way. and no, i don’t have any advice except stop thinking because otherwise you will realize that one kid is definitely enough 🙂 love you guys – we’re so happy for you! lindsey and andy (and kids #1, #2, and #2.5)