I’m interested to hear how much others were doing at 2 weeks postpartum.
This is my second baby, and I feel like I have been absolutely non stop from the moment I gave birth. I had a homebirth, no complications other than a 600ml haemorrhage and second degree tear.
Since the birth we have had appointments every day - at the hospital for baby’s check ups, midwife appointments at home, but also gas safety checks, plumbers coming out to give quotes for the landlord, dentists etc etc. I think we’ve had two days since we’ve had baby where we haven’t had appointments, and some days we’ve had 3 in a day. We’ve limited visitors to an extent but have seen baby’s grandparents etc.
This is my second baby, luckily my 2 year old is at nursery 4 days a week which does make life much easier. DP goes back to work next week, and I feel like I’ve missed out on that newborn bubble - of course it was going to be different the second time around with my eldest to look after, but I was hoping for a few hours a day while she was at nursery to cuddle/feed in bed, watch some rubbish tv, put my feet up a little bit and try to recover.
I haven’t had a single nap since she was born, am exclusively breastfeeding so doing all the night feeds - which is fine as I’d rather not express/am too lazy! I haven’t had a day in bed, and am trying to be as present for my toddler as I can so I’m getting her ready for nursery in the morning/playing with her when she gets home and doing her bedtime.
Baby is quite happy to sleep in the Moses basket between feeds, which is great, but there is just so much to do. The minute she’s happy I am running around doing washing/cleaning the kitchen/tidying. I’m not being fanatical about cleaning by any means, but the absolute basics seem to be taking up so much time. I feel like I’m either tidying, feeding baby, or entertaining toddler 24/7.
DP is older than me, and struggling a lot. He’s exhausted and has caught a virus, and has a trapped nerve which is causing him a lot of pain. He is great and very hands on with baby, has been doing nursery runs and all the cooking. However he’s got suspected ADHD and I think is overwhelmed by the house. He has a stressful job and works long hours so when he’s not on paternity leave I do 95% of the housework. I don’t think he “sees” what needs doing or where to start.
He goes back to work next week so there will be cooking and nursery runs to add in as well as looking after the little ones solo. I’m not sure if we’ll have anymore children and I feel so sad - like I’ve missed that newborn bubble with my baby and will never get it back. It feels like she’s growing up already and I’ve missed this time to enjoy her because it’s back to real life and running around now. I know I’m being silly because she’s not even two weeks old. I had my first during Covid and don’t remember having anywhere near this many appointments. I feel like I had so much more time to nap/have skin on skin/ snuggle her. I don’t feel like I’ve had chance to really bond with baby yet, or sit and look at her the way I did with my first. I’ve been trying to limit the time I spend with baby when my eldest is home so she doesn’t feel pushed out but then it’s been so busy when she’s at nursery I haven’t had much time for baby then either.
I feel exhausted, totally depleted, and am worried about how I’ll cope when DP goes back to work, though part of me thinks it will be easier when I can get in a steady routine and just worry about baby and I. The appointments should finally be calming down now we’ve been discharged from midwives etc.
I don’t know what I’m looking for in posting really - did anyone else feel this way? Did you manage to regain that feeling/ have some naps and cuddle days with baby? How long was it before you were back in your normal routine/doing as much in the house as before? I worry if I haven’t managed to rest and do that while DP is on paternity leave there’s no way I’ll manage it when he goes back to work :(