22-2-2010 - Aimee is 9 days old!

My mood while writing this blog: So in love

Hey everyone, sorry it's been so long but this is a big one so should make up for it!

Like the title says Aimee is now 9 days old and I have no idea where the time went! Maybe it's the broken sleep makes all the days merge into one or maybe I just love her being here so much that I dont notice time drifting by.

So i'll tell you all about her first. She has been registered now so Aimee Kate Bridge Dorrell is an official person at last! As soon as she got home she settled straight into her moses basket and slept for about 6 hours. She is such a good sleeper and feeder. The midwife said not to let her go 6 or 7 hours regularly without a feed and to wake her every 4 hours to make sure she is staying satisfied otherwise I wont produce enough milk - I am breast feeding by the way. She has taken to it so quick but I still usually have to wake her for a feed - apart from at night when I let her go as long as she likes as I think it will help when I start taking her through the whole night. She usually wakes after 4 hours though apart from last night. Last night her feed was due at 2am but she cried and cried and after eliminating everything else I decided to feed her. This meant she had a feed at 10pm and again at midnight but then she slept right through to 7.30am! She didnt wake for her 4am feed. So far she has settled fine today. I'm prepared to give her a top up in a couple of hours if she needs it but am going to try and stick to the 4 hours today. But if that works for her it works for me - hey 7.5 hours of solid sleep!

Sorry to go on about the feeding - im just a little apprehensive about it and want to make sure im getting it right - so any tips or comments on what im doing would be great.

She had her heal prick test which was just horrible, they really squeezed her little foot and she's got a little bruise around the puncture mark too. I hated seeing them do it, I wanted to tell them to be gentle! She has also had her first weigh in and instead of loosing any weight she'd gained an ounce! I was really proud of her.

I know Aimee's eyes wont be able to focus just yet but she is so alert. She certainly knows her mummy and daddys' voice and I love how she is so content to have cuddles with me. Shes a little fuss pot too and loves having her back tickled. She does loads of the wind smiles when I do that and I just love it. Still trying to get a picture of her doing it! Shes got such a character already and i can't wait until she can see properly so I can start to stimulate her with toys and books.

At the moment she is so laid back and content it's great, I couldn't ask for a better baby. Makes up well and truely for the pregnancy I had.

Speaking of which I dont miss pregnancy at all! It's such a relief to all be over. I feel light as a feather in comparison and have got so much energy back! I still have a tummy but I've lost a stone since the birth and am back to just under my pre pregnancy weight. The figure isnt the same yet though, the tummy is still loose and a bit bloated but im giving myself 6 weeks before I do any serious exercising. I may add a belly pic, I've took one but not sure if I'm brave enough to add it yet?

The breast feeding is slowly getting easier. At first my nipples were raw and felt like they were on fire for the first few seconds that she latched on, but thats eased now - they must be hardening to it. The only problem I have now is still down below. It still stings a little to pee due to the friction burns I have on the inside and they dont seem to be healing very quickly. I also have a tight feeling all around that area that feels pressure when I try to go to the loo. It feels like it needs to stretch or something its wierd, it may be the tightening of the healing process though? As for the other end, I had such pain there for a couple of days which was a result of bearing down while pushing and as a result i have a couple of heamarroids(sp?) which I've got to get some cream for. So all in all down there is still quite painful but hey i did give birth! I must remember that!

Anyway, thats it for now I think, theres probably a mllion things ive forgotten but thats what tiredness does to you! I'd love to hear from you all, hope your all as happy as I am when your little ones arrive, or if they're already here!

Loads of love Kate and Aimee x x x