Boob Pillow

Why didn't anyone remind me what life with a newborn was like? And why didn't someone tell me that 3 boys under 4 would be a massive handful?

Things are starting to get back to normal. Darren is back at work this week, and preschool is back from holidays, so this week was a taste of what they all will be like. I was super proud of myself for getting Bowen to preschool on time, with all the boys (and myself) dressed and everything! We even went to swimming lessons on Tuesday, I took the boys' Poppy with us to watch Austin while I went in the pool. That's love for you, getting back into a swimming costume 3 weeks post-birth for my middle man. I took Riordan and Austin to Westfield yesterday to get Weeds season 3, and even breastfed Austi while Riordan had a play, just daring anyone to say something to me about it.

Today we took Ruby back to the vets (she has had three weird lumps removed, a week apart, so I've been practically living at the vets, what with surgeries, dressings and stitches. I totally have 5 kids already), and then went to Bunnings. The boys have been using our bedroom as their new playroom, pulling the weights out of the blinds while they hide behind the curtains, messing the bed up for their games, and disturbing Austin while he's sleeping (this is just Riordan, he goes in and pats him, and starts swinging the hammock in an alarming way). It's super annoying (not just because I have to make the bed more than once a day!), and I couldn't figure out a way to stop them from going in. My foggy brain finally cleared on the subject this morning, and I had a Eureka Moment; a door knob cover! So obvious, I should have thought of it before Darren tried to put a sliding latch on the hollow-core door. So it was off to Bunnings, all three boys in tow. the cover works a treat, until Riordan figures out how to use it (which won't take the little minx long at all). If I get a few days peace for my baby and I, I'll be thrilled.

Austin is going fine. He's very much like Bowen in his newborn temperament, a bit highly strung. Riordan was a very laid back baby, but it didn't take much for Bowen to start a crying fit, nor does it take Austin very long. If he doesn't get his boob when he wants it, the whole street knows about it. He's feeding much better, his attachment is still crappy, he just won't open his tiny little mouth wide enough to latch on properly. He's getting plenty of milk, he's already put on a kilogram since discharge (2 1/2 weeks), so he's 4.4kgs bare. I am going through about a million nappies now we've gone to cloth, I swear he looks at them and they are soaked through. He's feeding 2-3 hourly, although I think the 2 hourly ones are more for comfort, and are just a bit of a pain. He won't take much, and it just stuffs up the rhythm, as he wants another feed quickly.

Sleep is a bit of an issue. Mornings are usually a write-off, anything we do happens of a morning so it's just about grabbing snatches when he can. Today he was having a lovely sleep in bed (after many visits to bounce the hammock) when Riordy decided to have a visit. That was the end of that nap. He'll manage a couple of hours at a time of an afternoon, and, annoyingly, his longest sleep of the day seems to be the late afternoon one. At least I get dinner ready, I suppose. He'll doze in the swing over dinner, and then hang out with Daddy for a bit. The first part of the night is spent in the hammock, he usually wakes at about 11pm for a feed, then 1 0r 2, and then from 4am we have an unsettled period. I don't know why, if I get him up for a feed he usually passes out before we make it to the lounge (I can't feed him in bed yet, he has no idea where my nipples are if he can't see them, and gets really grumpy, really quickly trying to find them!). As soon as I go back to bed, he's awake. Oh, I didn't mention that he spends most of the night in bed with me... It works, most of the time, although I HATE getting up in the cold. The heater is on all night, and sometimes that's not even enough! I've tried the dummy, and it works occasionally. I'm thinking about using it a bit more for the crying that seems to be pointless. Then I remember weaning Bowie off his, and I reconsider...

An interesting settling technique I've discovered is my 'Boob Pillow'. I'll get a boob out (I have these great, super-cheap breastfeeding tops that I wear to bed, no shelf bra or anything to be uncomfortable, but they keep my tummy warm and give great access) and he won't feed, but just lay his head on my booby and go to sleep.

Physically, I have no idea who he looks like yet. I'm thinking maybe Riordan, but I don't know. He's still got his hormone rash, and his hair is starting to fall out in that attractive, Fryer Tuck style, as all my boys have. He's starting to fill out, as he should, packing all that beef on in a short amount of time.

I wish he was always like this!