As I walked into my OB's office today for my six week postpartum visit, a big smile spread across my face. I know this sounds terrible, but I looked at all of the pregnant women waiting around me and was just so thankful I'm no longer in their position! I feel so good now, I can't even believe it! It also felt great to to kind of close the book on OB visits and all of that stuff for a while. I can't believe I just wrote that--when I had this same visit after Parker was born, I cried because I missed being pregnant. Such a difference this time...
Speaking of different, Griffin is so different than Parker was as a baby! I had all of these theories regarding babies and I was so sure of myself. In fact, I was probably way too prideful! I actually thought the same techniques would work with Griffin. Believe it or not, he's a totally different baby...ha! Parker was sleeping through the night at this point....Griffin isn't there yet. I think maybe Griffin is just normal and we were totally spoiled with Parker. Quite possibly, it wasn't our amazing parenting skills that produced an awesome sleeper. We were complaining to a friend tonight about how Griffin just refuses to go to sleep around 9 when we put him down and she gently explained (with a little smirk:) that this is a very common thing. Really? Here is another one: I used to be adamant that all babies like to be swaddled--Griffin hates it so much! In fact, about the only time he gets really upset is when he is swaddled. Argh! Oh, and I used to say that I would never let my baby sleep in my bed with me....guess where Griffin slept last night--the entire night?
Alright, so I'm totally a newbie again and I really should have realized long ago that I'm not a little Miss Smarty Pants...
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9 comments:
I am not sure if I have ever commented on your site before - but I lurk a lot! As a mom - I love to read other mommy experiences. This one - I had to comment on!! I currently have 2 children, with one on the way. Kelsey, my oldest was the epitome of the perfect baby,healthy, an easy toddler, elementary kid... and on and on (she's 12 now)..and adolescence is another story altogether!!! AND I love her SO MUCH!
Matt came along and I thought I knew ALL there was to know about parenting. Well - nothing I knew applied to this kid. Not that he was bad, but definitely different. I now know about colic, heart problems, tummy issues, hearing aides, a child who then learns to manipulate his hearing impairment to benefit himself (ha - fun) and the terrible 2's (and 3's...) and now he is in kindergarten and keeps us in stitches. How I love this child --- and ALL that he humbled me to!
All this to say, I am sure this time around that I don't know everything!!!! I don't even remotely think I do - but even still - I am sure I will feel DUMB and incompetent a time or two.
And I must say - my father in law gave me the best advice when he told me that I hadn't been a parent until I had more than one child --- that I now believe is TRUE! (Though admittedly, at the time, I thought he was crazy!! I was a perfect parent!!!)
Ok - so there's my take -- I agree... each one is different!
During that first pararaph, I totally thought you were going to say that you found out that you were pregnant at the 6-week visit! I've heard it happens a lot!! Yikes.
Cindee
(pg with #5)
Found you through Jenn...
My daughter was not big on the swaddling either. It just really made her very mad! Hang in there, you'll figure it all out. God has never made two people alike...it's better that way!
Found you through Jenn...
My daughter was not big on the swaddling either. It just really made her very mad! Hang in there, you'll figure it all out. God has never made two people alike...it's better that way!
Yup, all 4 of mine were a little different from the other(s). It makes it so exciting that way! ; )
Enjoy!
Love, Aleah
hey girl - my kids didn't like being swaddled either - Karina slept with us and still does at age 3 - I was determined to NOT have Cade sleep with us and he has been in his crib eversince month 2 and usually sleeps from 7pm - 7am - we are so blessed with Cade - such an awesome sleeper! Have you tried puting Griffin in a pack & play in your room? Or even moving the crib in your room - I heard that helps - But You need to do what you need to do to get sleep, so don't let others tell Griffin sleeping with you is bad - just try to get him out of your bed by month 3, so he won't get really use to it - or you will be like us and he will be 3 and still sleeping with you - take care
Hey girlie!
It is so fun to hear how Parker and Griffin have such different personalities! I can't wait to see how our next little one is different from Audrey :) Although some of the differences- like the sleep thing- can be tough on mamas!
I totally had to eat my words too with the whole co-sleeping thing with Audrey. I swore that I would never do it and then it ended up working so well for our family. I don't know what I will end up doing with our little guy; it depends on his personality, I guess. One nice thing that I found with co-sleeping is that I never felt like I was lacking in sleep like a lot of mamas of newborns! I barely had to even wake up to nurse :) I will admit that it is probably much harder to get a co-sleeping baby into their own crib eventually than one who starts out there, but we did it with Audrey at 10 months, and now she sleeps awesome on her own.
Geesh. I wrote a novel again. Sorry! You just have to stop writing about things that I can relate to :)
I have to agree with Andie, I ended up co-sleeping with Devyn too. And I loved it!! Of course, she slept with us until she was two and I DEFINITELY learned my lesson. Hudson is enjoying sleeping with us too. Although he'll be switched to a crib A LOT sooner, I'm thinking by 6 or 9 months. I found that nursing was SO much easier with co-sleeping.
You're doing an incredible job; each child is different and you'll meet each need differently. Cut yourself some slack and try to go with the flow. I definitely admire your mothering skills!
Neither of my kids have enjoyed being swaddled; in fact, both have hated it!! I hope you're doing well...
i CANT believe it's already been 6 weeks! that flew!
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