The turning point

I remember talking with a friend about breastfeeding my first time-around. She said, "It can be really hard for the first six weeks - but if you make it past six weeks, then it gets easy."

Another friend, offering advice when I was moaning about no sleep (again, with Maddie), told me, "The first six weeks are difficult - but then they start getting into a routine. Hell, even some babies start sleeping through the night by six weeks." I have actually met some women to who this has happened - and no, I didn't stab their eyes out in a jealous rage. But I may have wanted to... {kidding} {sort of}


For us, breastfeeding routines get into place within the first couple of weeks - with both girls they did. I will never say breastfeed is "easy", but I've been lucky in this regard that it hasn't been as difficult as it can be for some.

The sleep - well, clearly I make good eaters, but not good sleepers. I'm sure I could be better at putting them down more often (Maddie spent a lot of naps sleeping in my arms as well). But I've come to terms with the fact that I don't like to put my babies down. And for that, I pay a bit of a price. And that's okay (some days) with me. Just remind me of this post the next time I decide to whinge on about no sleep, m'kay?


The biggest thing I personally notice at six weeks is the interaction. Get to six weeks and they cease to be so baby-blob-like and much more like a little person. They smile. They coo. They interact. You can put them down in a bouncy chair, awake, and walk out of the room and they don't (necessarily) freak out - because there's things to look at and see and watch and wonder about.

I've spent more time this past week, just hanging out with Katie, watching her, watch the world. She is taking so much in - learning, absorbing - I find it fascinating to watch. And I love the added freedom of being able to just set her down and let her be. While I do the dishes. Or make dinner. Or write this blog post.

Not to say there aren't downfalls. Like at 2am last night, when all I wanted to do was sleep and Katie was all, "Hey hey! Wanna Play? Looky at that over there! It's a curtain! Let's stare and smile and coo at it for a while. Oh no? You don't want to? Well watch me smile and be adorable for a little bit then. Because I'm not closing my eyes ... nope - not gonna do it. Let's chat at 3:30 and see if I'm tired then okay?"


So yes. That will be my advice to new moms. Survive to six weeks and watch your little one become a little person who is in love with the world around them. And interested. And learning. And interacting.

It's a fabulous time.

xxoo.S