two months in | postpartum update

Margot | two months in

January with Margot was really good and really hard. We started out her second month with Jordan home and it was a dream. We stayed home, I was able to get some extra sleep, and he cooked! We were able to get out a couple times as well and have some fun as a family on some odd warm days.

Jordan went back to work and everything else seemed to go downhill. We hit the 6-week growth spurt compounded with a cold for Margot. jordan was working difficult hours, especially those first two weeks and it was rough.

Thankfully by the end of the second-month things got better, Jordan’s schedule improved and Margot stopped screaming all night every night. And at last! Consistently sleeping 5 hour stretches at night!

It was also our first time having to fully figure out our routine at home through the week.

It takes a village

We’re continually thankful for all our family and friends. It’s made these hard days so much easier. There were several times this month where friends brought dinner on a hard night and even cleaned the kitchen! Grateful doesn’t even begin to cover how we feel about these people.

Breastfeeding update:

Who knew that breastfeeding was actually easy? I’ve graduated from awkward nursing positions and can now do more than just scroll my phone (so, sorry for those early days if I didn’t respond to you! text me again, because I can now type while nursing!) I can type and not even read a book.

I’ve been feeding on demand and really any time she cries in efforts to help her put on some more rolls. We stopped into the clinic at about 6 weeks and she weighed in at about 10 and a half pounds. Feeling good about that, I started to focus more on an eat, awake, sleep schedule. It has helped her to get more consistent and quality feeds. She is now starting to go at least two hours to three during the day.

Now, having a babe that nurses well, I do realize that it shouldn’t be painful after the first month. By four weeks, I no longer felt any pinching and we had a good routine down. And by 6 weeks we really had things mostly figured out.

How are you feeling and recovering?

I’m feeling great! I’m hungry all. the. time, but overall I’m feeling fully recovered. I still have some tenderness in my lower abdomen when I move too quickly or try to use my core. I’ve been doing some postpartum yoga workouts and they seem to be helping.

I’ve been following these yoga workouts by Sarah Beth, here’s her youtube channel, I like all of the postnatal yoga series. They’re gentle enough so I don’t push myself too much, but are concentrated to working out those postpartum areas. I like the core one specifically.

I still have a little ways to get completely back to my pre-baby body.

Sleeping update:

We went a little backward for a bit of time. Around 6-7 weeks which conveniently fell when Jordan started back to work, Margot started waking up more frequently. She went from sleeping 5 hour stretches to waking up every couple hours again at night. Thankfully it didn’t last long and resulted in some new squishy thigh rolls.

I’m pretty sure little girl was going through a big growth spurt and a chest cold at the same time. I’m impressed by how quickly she recovered. I’ve since have been avoiding all of the germy places.

She’s even started to go 6 hours at times now.

Here’s our schedule most nights:

9:00 – feed after putting Ruby down

9:30 – Either Margot and papa usually snooze on the couch or she may be fussy

10:00 – We take her upstairs when we get ready for bed. We get ready and change Margot’s diaper and swaddle her (we’re still using and loving her ollie swaddle every night)

After getting ready I nurse Margot

10:30 – 11 – Margot long sleep stretch

Somewhere between 4 -5:00 – sometimes it’s earlier, but she will wake up to nurse

7:00 – 8:00 – most days a couple hours later she will wake to nurse again, but will typically go to sleep again, unless big sister wakes her.

How’s ruby handling it all?

We all seem to be settling into life as a family of four. It feels normal now. Even more so now that Margot is getting on a better schedule and is generally less fussy. I snuggle in bed with the girl on weekdays, sometimes letting Ruby watch a show if it was a rough night so I can snag a little more sleep. The mornings are my best times with Ruby. Margot is happy hanging out in the mamaroo and sleeps there for her morning nap. Ruby and I still get our morning ritual of sitting at the kitchen island to eat breakfast and our morning quiet time in her art corner.

Nursing Margot used to be, and sometimes still are, the hardest times. Now anytime Margot cries, Ruby says, “You feed her?” She knows her sister’s needs now and doesn’t seem to mind when she needs me now. And instead of acting out she will choose to sit next to me or play quietly.

It’s still very challenging at times. The first couple weeks of this month with Jordan working evenings was really difficult. Bedtimes alone with a fussy baby and a tantrum-throwing-toddler seem impossible. Some of the days are about surviving.

Weight and self-image

I’m down 5 more pounds from last month, but I don’t feel like much has changed. I’m only 10 pounds and one pant size from my pre-pregnancy weight. Most days I feel ok about it, and then there are the days when nothing seems to fit and I whine to Jordan about feeling ugly.

I felt more like myself a little earlier this time, but it just seemed to plateau and I am waiting to feel 100 percent. These postpartum hot flashes, dull hair, and breakouts aren’t helping matters.

Overall I’m feeling pretty meh.

Self-Care

I have a few things I want to do for myself this next month.

Schedule a hair appoinment – my postpartum hair is very lackluster
Eat better – I’m giving up sweets for lent
Yoga – I’ve been good about doing yoga and want to continue doing more to help strengthen my body

It took me way too long with Ruby to take care of myself. And most importanly that I’m a better mama when I do. So, this time I’m taking action sooner.

Favorite postpartum clothing

I found my Old Navy Rockstar jeans from postpartum with Ruby and they’re so comfortable and flattering. Old Navy is my favorite place to shop for this time, I can order things in multiple sizes, try them at home, and return the rest easily by placing the bag with a return label on my porch for USPS to pick up. I needed some looser fitting t-shirts, and these guys are incredibly soft.

Favorite baby item:

I still love all of the things I’ve mentioned in past posts. Blooming Baby sent us one of their Blooming Baths and it has made bath time so much more easier. We even let Margot just hang out for a moment and she loved it. We never got a baby bath for Ruby and bath time was always challenging, so this is a welcome change.

What new with Margot?

Margot started smiling at the perfect time right as Jordan was ending his paternity leave. She gives us the biggest smiles and even her eyes twinkle. It melts my heart every time. She coos and even gives us some little baby chuckles.

She moved up to size one diapers and 0-3 clothing. By the end of the second month, her newborn clothing no longer fits her. The growth spurt was the real deal!

She loves to move. At night she has always been fussy, recently we learned that she just wants to lay down and kick her legs. We’ve always held her and bounced her, but as soon as we lay her down she stops crying and starts kicking.