How Is Mommy Doing?

People have been wanting to know how I've been getting along since the birth. Well, so far so good. Physically, I'd say I was feeling very good. The pain after leaving the hospital was comparable or slightly worse than it was with Rowan, but I feel like I've been able to deal with it better this time around. That may be because Lydia has been sleeping okay at night (knock on wood). She had one night there where she slept five hours straight, but typically, she sleeps three hours at a time. After I feed her, she goes back to sleep fairly easily.

When I get up in the morning, I don't feel the need for naps during the day, so I guess I'm getting enough sleep at night. Of course, this could all change, and Lydia could suddenly be a terrible sleeper like Rowan was at first. Even if this happens, I'm thinking I might be better equipped to deal with it this time around, since I know what to expect. Also, I'm not panicked anymore if I don't get a bunch of sleep at night. I know that eventually during the day, I WILL get that sleep, so it makes me more relaxed.

I think that's the theme with Lydia so far: Mommy's much more relaxed than with Rowan. I've already dealt with this before, so I know what to expect AND I know that I can get through it. I know that if it's rough at first, it will get better. And I know that this stage will be gone soon, and I'd better enjoy it now, with all its ups and downs, because I probably won't have another chance.

I put away the scales so I wouldn't be obsessively weighing myself while the baby weight is coming off (I read this tip in a magazine recently). Instead, I should be concentrating on Lydia, recuperating and eating healthy. In actuality, I've been catching up on all the desserts that I wasn't able to eat those last few weeks of the pregnancy because the nighttime heartburn was so horrible. And rediscovering the joys of having a beer, a glass of wine or even one (very small!) martini in the evening. Incidentally, I haven't felt any twinges of postpartum depression coming on yet. Coincidence? I think not.

It's a funny thing about body image right now. Even though I am still much bigger than my pre-baby size, every time I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I think "Dang, I look awesome!" This is because after having looked at my massive girth the past few months, I now appear comparatively "tiny". It's still hard to believe that all that baby somehow fit inside my belly just a short time ago.