1 Week Later...

So we've reached our 1 week mark with having Gwen and I have to say this week has been SO much better than my first week with Cara. I honestly didn't realize how much of a hard time I had with Cara. I just thought I was a little extra anxious and figured it was due to the big life change we were going through. Now that I've gone through another first week with a newborn I can see it isn't as hard as I was making it out to be.

So here's my experience of our first week with Gwen

• The biggest thing that helped me with this time around was a friend who had her second baby earlier this year told me that going from 0 to 1 was much more difficult for her and that the second baby was easier because you just make them fit your regular routine. They just kind of fall into it with you. That was the best thing I could hear as that's exactly what we've done. Granted figuring out some things there's a bit of a curve (bedtime with 2 kids when we both helped with Cara's has been an adjustment for example), but for the most part I still read a story at 7 for Cara (with Gwen next to me so she's hearing it too).

• The hardest thing for me with having a second baby is that towards the end of my pregnancy I had a hard time keeping up with Cara at all so I kept saying I couldn't wait to have the baby out of me so I could play with her again. Unfortunately, a newborn takes up a bunch of time so I still hardly have time to play with Cara and that's made me a little sad. In fact, the only times I've cried during this post partum is when I've been in pain or when I just really miss having any time to play with Cara. Luckily as the week has gone on I've found little moments to have with just me and her while I leave Gwen with Larry and that's really made a difference.

Putting up Christmas together :)

• I had to have a C-section this time around and the recovery for that has been REALLY hard! Sure, there are things that are more simple (TMI but the first poop is MUCH more difficult with a vaginal birth), but oh man does the pain feel so much worst this time around. At one point I was feeding Gwen and Cara went to jump onto the couch, but also on me and so I had to put my arm out to protect Gwen and it made Cara fall to the floor (queue the ultimate mom guilt and heart break when she started to cry), but just that exertion made me feel like I had ripped open some stitches. I also have the split ab muscles again and since I had the surgery I have to wait to start fixing those and that can be a bit frustrating since I wanted to start on those right away. I had a goal to have it as corrected as possible by the time I go back to work. So I have to really hope my 6 week checkup goes really well so I can start them up then and really crush that split!

Much less swelling this time around at least!

• I have been able to breastfeed this time around and holy moly is it one of the most amazing things ever! I told Larry one night about how my bond with Gwen seemed to kick in quicker than with Cara (to be clear I absolutely loved both of them from the second I saw them, but feeling loving feelings and feeling bonded to them are two separate things). Larry's response: "well yeah, they say when you breastfeed it creates a bond with the baby" and I was so shocked I didn't think of that before! It seems to be so true. Even though this means I'm the one getting up during the night, I still absolutely love being able to nurse her. And I love just putting something on Netflix and just kind of relax while she feeds at night.

• Speaking of night feedings, Gwen has been a great sleeper. She only gets up once or twice a night, which is SO nice!  She also hasn't been losing weight (as of a weight check she had on Saturday she was still only down 5-6%). I've been surprised the night feedings haven't bothered me, but I honestly still feel pretty well rested by the time the morning comes. I can't tell if I'm just used to not having as much sleep because of having Cara or if I genuinely am having a better time with it this time around (since she only gets up twice at most I get quite a few hours of sleep between each feeding and the morning so I feel great). She does make quite a bit of noise throughout the night, but it's nice. I don't feel as anxious about if she's breathing at night so if we don't get the owlet working I don't mind as much if we just turn it off. The only issue we have is that she doesn't like being cold, but I have to have a fan on to sleep so we make sure the fan is facing a different way and keep the heat up for her.

Sleeping babies are just the cutest!

• Gwen's cry is so different than Cara's. She screeches like a pterodactyl which is like the least fun sound of all time haha. Luckily she's freaking adorable so it's not hard to want to keep her happy. She also is becoming quite the twin of Cara. She's not exactly the same physically speaking, but there are quite a few similarities that I'm really looking forward to see how she's progresses as she grows up.