I thought for today’s post I would chat postpartum and a little bit about how things are going with Chase! Our sweet sixth baby!
I always wanted a big family but never pictured any certain number. So now, seeing where we are at with six kids it’s pretty amazing… all these faces and personalities that are mine! It’s overwhelming and incredible all rolled into one. I remember when we were pregnant with Chase and we would all chat about how we couldn’t wait to see his or her face…and now he’s been here for almost 8 weeks! THAT….feels crazy. April was a total blur. The first weeks with a newborn are naturally pretty intense but I think with a Pandemic on top of it…..well, let’s just say it’s been wild. haha. The sweet family moments keep me going through the crazy!
We snapped these photos one night in our backyard…boys were covered in dirt running around and we were prepping for smore’s.
Having this be my 6th baby has it’s advantages though…I’ve done it before and wasn’t going into it blind.
I have kids a variety of ages so it’s not a house full of toddlers…. the big kids have responsibilities and are capable of being helpful family members.
Every day I feel like I’m telling a big sibling not to wake up the baby to snuggle him haha. Or I nurse Chase and someone wants to scoop him up!
I’m so grateful and happy about how they want to love on him. Having a baby with big kids is a whole other ball game for sure.
I definitely know more of what to expect. I know about the lack of sleep and the juggle that goes on when baby wants to nurse a lot and sleep very little outside of your arms.
One thing that I experienced before with my last baby was colic. As we got closer and closer to my due date I was pretty anxious about if this baby would be like Hunter and be so colicky. During the first weeks, and even up till now, I have to check myself. If Chase is getting fussy it sometimes throws me back to the newborn days of Hunter and I start stressing. I have to remind myself that Chase isn’t Hunter and even though he might have some days where he’s harder to soothe, he is not colicky. I remember with Hunter I wouldn’t be able to sit still ever. I was always swaying or pacing/bouncing. Even nursing didn’t calm him down. It was around 5 months that Hunter decided he was a happy guy! Luckily, this time around with Chase he is easier to make happy. If he falls asleep we can sit and hold him without him fussing. He nurses calmer. I have to stop and remind myself that this isn’t the same. Thankful for that! I wouldn’t say he’s my easiest baby (Sophia, my first, takes that title!) but he for sure is easier than my last and I’ll take it!! haha.
Every baby is different. And I REALLY realized that this time around with how Chase likes to be swaddled. With all of my other babies I used the “hands down” type swaddles. But Chase wasn’t such a fan of that position. I ordered the ones where they are swaddled with their hands in an upward position and it FOR SURE has given us better chunks of sleep for him. I got the Love To Dream Swaddle Up Original. I know routine and bed time clues are important with getting babies to sleep and this swaddle has become a “signal” for sleep time when we put it on him! If you have a baby and have only tried the hands down type swaddles and aren’t getting results… I highly suggest trying the other kind. I’m so glad we did.
Chase is for sure going to be my chubbiest baby! He arrived an average 7 pounds but WOW he chunked up fast! He’s a fan of the nursing. ;)
I guess I make whip cream!! My biceps are burning already haha.
We are all kissing on his chubby cheeks all day (and me all night….cause he wakes up a lot. ha.)
Physically, I’m exhausted. still bleeding (which feels like a long time. sorry if that’s TMI.) I’m grateful I can nurse him but I’m never a huge fan of the “huge chest” stage of nursing. It’s all a bit much and I just don’t feel comfortable in my own skin just yet. I’ve lost the pregnancy weight already which is exciting (and shocking because I’m slamming the Double Stuffed Oreos haha.) I’m assuming it’s because of nursing and chasing 5 kids. It didn’t happen this fast with my last baby and Hunter didn’t like to nurse as much as Chase?? I don’t know! BUT I’m still squishy and nothing looks like before. And I’m OK with that…It took 9 months to grow a baby…it’s gonna take 9 months to feel how I did before.
As far as how I’m doing mentally… It’s been rough and I know the pandemic has a huge part in that. The stress and nerves of everything going on is wearing on me. It was specially hard those first weeks. Everything was shutting down right as we got home from having Chase. Grateful Ben was able to be in the hospital with me at least! I found myself feeling soo worried and anxious- a pandemic and postpartum hormones are a wild combo lol.
I was so excited to have this baby near family… last time we were 12 hours away and I missed having family so close. Now we are close and my parents haven’t even been able to hold their grandson. It’s made me sad a lot. I’ve wished my mom could be around for emotional help like I pictured. The pandemic for sure took that from me but at the same time we are all healthy and I am able to bunker down with my kids in a good space. We have everything we need and focusing on the things I have to be thankful for has been key in helping me calm my nerves.
That being said, It took me 5 kids to realize it’s ok to say you’re not ok. With Hunter being colicky it really was rough those first months mentally and it pushed me to be more vocal about what I was feeling and what I needed. So this time around…as soon as I felt this anxiety bubbling up I knew I needed to be vocal with Ben. I’m so thankful for him. He is such a good dad and doesn’t view helping with the kids as babysitting..,he’s being a dad! ASKING for help is always hard for me though. I feel guilty for not being able to handle it all. A lot of us mamas go through that battle in our minds! Getting more sleep for sure helps me…so looking forward to when Chase gets bigger chunks of sleep going. I’ve reduced what I put on me to get done. I try to make sure I’m doing something creative or that makes me happy (outside of motherhood stuff.) I love being a mom…and the sweet moments that come with it…but running a household and raising kids is hard work. It’s not just the sweet family moments you get! So making sure I add in some fun is important. That can be organizing an area….or decorating something..or planning a special activity… or making a recipe I like! I’m gonna be honest… I don’t get a lot of this right now- no strolls through Target like I love! ;) Not as much time to put into my work (that I enjoy!)….but this is the season I’m in. I’m the luckiest mama to have this chubby baby in my arms…and a kitchen table full of sweet kids! These are the days I’ll treasure and bottom line is… the challenges of motherhood are more than worth it.
I hope you and your loved ones are healthy and staying safe.
Thank you for checking in with us and following a long our family as we grow.
Seeing some of you guys comment on Instagram about how you’ve been following since my first kids were babies is so special. We love sharing life you guys!
