Two weeks

Today Clover is two weeks old. It is amazing for lots of reasons, but I think it is punctuated for me of how time doesn’t really mean anything to me. I feel like I’ve known Clover for a long time, while at the same time I feel like I meet em for the first time every time I doze off and wake up, which is about a dozen times a day. :slight_smile:

We visited the pediatrician today, as a follow up to check Clover’s belly button. The umbilical stub had been slightly inflamed. It wasn’t that bad, but it had us worried. It fell off on the way to our last doctor’s visit, and after we cleaned it and applied some Neosporen, it started looking like a normal alien baby belly button.

Today we were also happy to hear that Clover had gained more weight. Babies lose about 10% of their body weight after they are born, and gain it back. I forgot the exact time frame, but on Monday Clover had lost even more weight. However, in the last five days Clover went up about 6 ounces. Go Susan!

Speaking of which, nursing is so hard core, more so than I had ever imagined. There are a lot of aspects to it, and it takes a while to get into a groove that is not painful for a mother. I don’t think we are there yet. I try to help as much as I can, but Susan carries the real weight. We have sorta retained our old schedule, where I go to bed in the early morning (between 3AM and 6AM), and then she starts to wake up and cares for Clover solo in the morning while I rest until around noon. Susan goes to bed at around 11PM or so, when we try to get Clover to have longer sleep cycles; which means 3 hours instead of 2 hours.

However, even if I have Clover most of the night, I still have to wake up Susan every couple of hours to nurse. Even then, it isn’t a completely restful nap, since sometimes Clover cries rather dramatically (e can go from apparently asleep to cranking it to 11 and breaking off the knob). I’ve tried to go for the occasional walk with Clover in the sling, our equivalent of driving around the block. But the point remains, it is really tough on Susan.

When exposed to the ordeals and experiences of a new parent, it makes one understand how important maternity leave is. Also, I probably sob at the thought of single moms at least once a day. Like, well, my mom, when she gave birth to me.

Well, I just wanted to get some thoughts out there. Clover is doing fine. Susan and I are sleep deprived, and Susan is being taxed in every way possible. We are deliriously happy, though again, the sleep deprivation may have something to do with that. Then again, there are times when Clover is quietly sleeping, and we look at eir and each other, and tears of joy and contentment freely flow.

It is an amazing feeling. :slight_smile:

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