Home Sweet Home - Finally
I'm so very thankful that the first few days (okay, week) we had help with my family being here. Those first few days were stressful, probably because we'd never spent more than an hour or two with her. I've said it before, but I'm saying it again...I truly believe that having a baby in the NICU makes it more difficult for both parties.
Think about it...there are always bright lights on, various beeps, noises and cries. People who jump at the slightest whimper....
All in all, I'd say we did fairly well adjusting. There were a few times that we just didn't know what to do with her. Thankfully, this is where my mom came in handy. Whenever we had questions, mom was just a few feet away.
One night Charleigh wouldn't stop screaming and I was exhausted - mom stepped in and took her so that I could get a few hours of sleep. Then there was the night that Chad was exhausted and I started feeling shitty (pretty sure I was in the beginning stages of an anxiety attack just because I was thinking about how I was going to do everything after my mom was gone!) - mom gladly took CJ for a chunk of the night so that both of us could get much needed rest. Ahhhh!!!
Add in the meals that she prepared for us, it was a blessing, :-). I'm so lucky that she had all the pto available and her boss was gracious enough to let her take two weeks to come help me. I'm not sure how we would have made it otherwise. (Heck, we are still living off of her meals and I'm pretty sure that's a big part of why I still have some sanity!)
A week after Charleigh's birth, my Daddy flew down for a few days as well. It was great to be able to wake up in the morning and hand her over to my parents so that I could get a few extra hours of sleep. We had an enjoyable time and got a lot of cute pictures.
The day they left (a week ago today) I bawled my eyes out. It was real. I had to do this on my own. No more help.
You know what?! I survived. I still have my moments, but I'm getting better at this every day. The first day was nerve-wracking. How was I going to shower with a newborn? I didn't want to leave her alone. What if a cat (or dog) decided to smother her?! How was I suppose to eat lunch when I have a screaming infant demanding attention? And what about this thing called going to the bathroom? What if it took longer than anticipated?!
I'm sure every new mom has these same (or very similar) concerns. It's something you're never truly prepared for and something that you figure out as you go.
We had our adventures during our first week alone...
A blocked tear duct. Pooping while being changed. The two-week well baby appointment including Lab work. The first diaper blowout with poop halfway up the back. A sick visit with my doctor. The scavenger hunt for the special colic drops the pediatrician recommended. (These still haven't been located, by the way). A trip (or two) to Center Court and meeting the Center Court 'family'. (Minus Lisa, Joe, Paul & Dave) A few shopping trips and newborn photos.
But the biggest adventure was doing this together - just Charleigh and I. And ya know what?! We both survived!
Think about it...there are always bright lights on, various beeps, noises and cries. People who jump at the slightest whimper....
All in all, I'd say we did fairly well adjusting. There were a few times that we just didn't know what to do with her. Thankfully, this is where my mom came in handy. Whenever we had questions, mom was just a few feet away.
One night Charleigh wouldn't stop screaming and I was exhausted - mom stepped in and took her so that I could get a few hours of sleep. Then there was the night that Chad was exhausted and I started feeling shitty (pretty sure I was in the beginning stages of an anxiety attack just because I was thinking about how I was going to do everything after my mom was gone!) - mom gladly took CJ for a chunk of the night so that both of us could get much needed rest. Ahhhh!!!
Add in the meals that she prepared for us, it was a blessing, :-). I'm so lucky that she had all the pto available and her boss was gracious enough to let her take two weeks to come help me. I'm not sure how we would have made it otherwise. (Heck, we are still living off of her meals and I'm pretty sure that's a big part of why I still have some sanity!)
A week after Charleigh's birth, my Daddy flew down for a few days as well. It was great to be able to wake up in the morning and hand her over to my parents so that I could get a few extra hours of sleep. We had an enjoyable time and got a lot of cute pictures.
The day they left (a week ago today) I bawled my eyes out. It was real. I had to do this on my own. No more help.
You know what?! I survived. I still have my moments, but I'm getting better at this every day. The first day was nerve-wracking. How was I going to shower with a newborn? I didn't want to leave her alone. What if a cat (or dog) decided to smother her?! How was I suppose to eat lunch when I have a screaming infant demanding attention? And what about this thing called going to the bathroom? What if it took longer than anticipated?!
I'm sure every new mom has these same (or very similar) concerns. It's something you're never truly prepared for and something that you figure out as you go.
We had our adventures during our first week alone...
A blocked tear duct. Pooping while being changed. The two-week well baby appointment including Lab work. The first diaper blowout with poop halfway up the back. A sick visit with my doctor. The scavenger hunt for the special colic drops the pediatrician recommended. (These still haven't been located, by the way). A trip (or two) to Center Court and meeting the Center Court 'family'. (Minus Lisa, Joe, Paul & Dave) A few shopping trips and newborn photos.
But the biggest adventure was doing this together - just Charleigh and I. And ya know what?! We both survived!
Comments
Post a Comment