Friday, August 8, 2008

Fetus Friday #3

Fetus Friday is a carnival hosted by Amy Beth to help her Roomie learn all she can before giving birth in a few months.

I have to admit that I'm not the normal Mom after I give birth. I don't rest when the baby is resting. My house looks amazingly clean. I prepare great meals. All of that is because I feel so much better after that thing is out!!! In fact I had Campbell at 5:43 in the morning, left the hospital at noon, & attended a church potluck that night at 6. Not normal, I know.

The reason is that I get extremely sick during my pregnancy. Can't go anywhere. Lose some weight. The first I lost 23 lbs, second I lost 18 lbs, third I lost 16. Of course I gain it back (plus) after baby is born. =(

If you feel more normal after your birth (and by normal I mean...hit by a train) please accept help from those who offer. BUT, be clear. A lot of good meaning people just want to come hold your baby. Truth is...YOU'LL want to hold your baby. Tell them what you need help with. Laundry, freezing meals, grocery shopping, mopping floors....anything at all. My Mom came for a week and did all of this for me. Even though I didn't NEED it...once she left...it was a huge blessing.

You'll want as much quality time w/ baby during those first few days. Don't feel like you have to let everyone hold him just because they offered help. BTW - some of this fear will ease with each subsequent birth. =)

Another thing people will do is grab baby's hand & kiss it.....YIKES. Babies put their fists in their mouth. Your baby could have just gotten herpes...seriously. When people come up to my baby, I'm quick to put my hand up & say "I prefer you touch her hair & not her hands. She likes to suck on her fists." Surprisingly kids are cool with this...adults are not. But I WILL NOT risk my baby getting something nasty because I was worried about hurting people's feelings. I am their only advocate.

Of course you could just put on those little mitten things too. But I always had girls & painted their nails so...I CAN'T DO MITTENS! Here are some pics of my middle girl Kenady:

My brother holding her at 2 weeks.
Her little puckered lips...Mmmm...kisses.
This girl has some great eyelashes.
And great hair.

5 comments:

Jen (a.k.a. motor mouth) said...

I remember you having AWFUL pregnancies, and such easy births!! Kenady looks so sweet! She's grown up way to fast!

Bethany said...

You're right, kids don't mind being asked to touch Baby somewhere else (probably because they're used to being told their hands are dirty). Adults on the other hand can get downright persnickity.

They can get pretty rude when you ask them not to touch your baby belly too. Why do people insist on touching without asking permission?? :::icky:::

I wore my babies in a sling and it solved a lot of problems for me. Great post! =)

Anonymous said...

Oh snap. I am totally guilty of wanting to touch people. Dang. I am a touch-er. I heart kids and people. But usually I know them. Dang. Now I feel icky. Okay...so not that I am trying to make myself feel any better (even though that is totally what I am doing) but here in SA it is totally acceptable to touch anybody anywhere. Like for woman it is a form of friendship and acceptance to talk to them while resting your hand on their chest. Yup. No, not in a sexually "honking' manner...just kinda like in an almost embrace kinda way. It took me a while to get used to it, but now that I am in the boob club, I kinda like it because I know I am included and welcomed. All that to say...I hope that I will know the boundaries when and if we ever have kids. Dang. These Friday posts are confusing. (No, I am still NOT comfortable touching other woman's breasts but I let them touch mine). In case you were wondering.

World's Greatest Mommy said...

What a doll that girl is.

I get really sick too, and usually feel so much better after the birth. The fifth one, though, was tough. I was eager to go home and have people help out. So much service from those around me, gave me plenty of time to recover fully. My husband was great at taking over everything, too.

Jen said...

Beautiful hair!
And, I must admit, I'm guilty of offering my help, only to get on the mommy's good side so I can hold Baby! ;)