Outdoor time

We have to put the baby in sunlight at least three times a day, ten minutes each time, as naked as possible. That hasn’t happened, but it is improving. I’m not really allowed to do it myself, but also am not really capable still, so it falls to others. Nonetheless, she has been getting some sun, even though it’s less than prescribed.

That being said, my mom pointed out that the baby was starting to get diaper tan lines. So, today, I took off her diaper while I was sitting with her outside. I had intended to hold the diaper under her while holding her. However, when I opened up the diaper, it was already full of urine.

So, I nixed the idea of the diaper. My husband was stressing out trying to get ready to leave, so I didn’t want to ask him for anything else. (Remember that I can’t really get around yet on my own.)

Suffice it to say that, we were sitting there and chilling, and then I had a feeling. I shoved myself forward in the chair enough to have her bum hanging off the chair. Sure enough, another ten seconds or so after that, I heard gurgling explosions and aww baby poo splashing onto the patio below us. She had another spurt a minute later, and then even rocket-launched a bit outward after that before peeing. It was gross and a bit of a disaster, but none got on me. Just a bit on the burp cloth. And all over the patio, of course.

My husband was very annoyed about it. I found it hilarious. The chickens poo all over the patio when they’re out and about – this seemed little different to me. Nonetheless, he got it all cleaned up after I went inside. Hopefully, he will forgive me soon, because it truly was hilarious.

The world got its revenge for him, though. The haaka fell off me later on, and a whole load of milk spilled all over my chair and my feet and the ground, and soaked into my underwear and everything. It was all wasted. I had to go shower. I cried. This, too, happened on the patio.

Post-a-day 2025

Another day

We’ve made it through another day with a baby and with me in very tough recovery. I started having a sharp, stabbing pain on the left side of my vagina this evening… perhaps it is a stitch that has partly dissolved, leaving a pointy bit poking me. Seems likely, given the feeling and the length of time since getting them, ten and a half days. It really sucks.

However, I have mostly enjoyed our chance actually to discuss name ideas this evening. My brain has been clear enough at last for me to be with the baby and have thoughts beyond pain. We still don’t have a name set, but we are actually making progress now. And that feels good.

I’m hoping my husband and I bath will have dreams tonight that give us a clear answer on names for this little baby. We shall see!

God, grant us ease, please, through healing my body. Show us this baby’s names, that we may call her by them and make her fully ours and part of our family. Keep our family safe. Make us well, please. And heal my body fast as only you can do, please. In your name, we pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2025

Baby toy

This baby is very much like a toy for us at times. Even when we’re just burping her, there are often times that she ends up looking like a little toy that we’re twisting around and playing with. It’s so silly. But it brings such wonderful joy to us all, which makes a positive difference in the middle of all the effort and sleep challenges we have been facing since having the baby with us.

But, seriously, it is very much toy-like at times with this baby… haha 😛

Post-a-day 2025

Improvements and speaking up

It seems things have improved immensely for me since seeing the chiropractor this afternoon. Even the baby is doing better in a lot of ways. I am grateful. I am still in pain and miserable and totally unable to do almost anything on my own – it took almost five minutes and two step stools for me to get into the car today to go to the chiropractor. I also was in disastrous tears when I was left alone for five hours, and the baby was screaming and I couldn’t move well enough to help her fast enough, and I messed up changing the diaper – in bed is not the easiest, especially when one can barely move in the first place – and got poop and pee all over the pillow I’d had to set her on, and pee all over her chest…

It was just a lot. Being physically incapable is so hard when it is for things we know we normally can and could do, no problem.

I did speak up in a sense about our needs. We need food. Someone set up a meal train – that’s apparently a thing, though I hadn’t much ever heard the term – for us. It didn’t end up looking how I would have preferred, but I wasn’t in a place to handle it when it was being made. Nonetheless, it hadn’t been sent to very many people. And even fewer signed up to bring us fresh food. So, I went ahead and posted on my story, which only lasts 24 hours, a tiny close-up of the baby and a request for people to help us with food. So, we shall see how that goes!

Anyway, going to sleep. Hoping to finish clearing out these ducts in the next several hours! Here’s to that! Cheers!

God, heal us all, please, and keep me and the baby and my husband safe and make us well. Also, would you provide some encouraging guidance for my husband and his career, please? I know you know that he really could use some support right now. Thank you for all that you are and give to us, especially your love through my family. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2025

Nipple tears

My breasts did the thing today for the first time (and, of course, continued to do it afterward each time), where they started dripping milk as soon as the baby started crying. It was sudden and silly. But it was also fun to see it happening.

Perhaps what was coolest about it was that I knew I wasn’t all emotional about her crying. Those who had told me about its having happened to them were always very emotional about their babies crying. I have not been and don’t seem to be at all like that. I feel for the child, but I’m not torn apart that she is suffering in this way.

So, it was cool to see how biology really does connect us so well, yet also in a silly way.

Post-a-day 2025

Chicken baths

It only took hours for someone to give me the dinner I had actually requested tonight. So it goes for people with ADD and a lack of experience caring for others who are basically bedridden.

Nonetheless, while lying on my side in the tub, right before bed, feeling like I might pass out due to nutrition, I finally got them to bring me the salmon I’d requested from the fridge. I was on my side, so my mom held the container for me while I used a fork in my free and exposed hand to eat the salmon. It was awesome and what I needed.

But it wasn’t quite enough. So, she then went and got what was supposed to be shredded chicken. It was sliced and chopped, which is completely different in terms of textures, but HEB clearly doesn’t care to have their labeling correct for such matters. Nonetheless, I had to root through it while she held it to find pieces I could stand and not gag on. Of course, they ended up being the smaller pieces. So, eating those on a fork meant that several pieces fell. And, recall, where was I? Yes, in the bathtub, doing a sitz bath.

So, I ended up having chicken pieces in my sitz bath right at the very end. Pretty sure I cried about it. But I only was in it a few minutes more, and the water was close to tepid. Plus, the chicken was fully cooked and only seasoned with salt. I showered and washed fully right afterward, too, so all should be well with my body on this front.

But seriously. Chicken in the bath. Ugh. It grossed me out so much. Ugh.

Post-a-day 2025

Birthday song

We recorded the baby making noises and sent it to my cousin for his birthday today, saying, “You recognize the song, right?”

She made silly sounds and threw in a few cries just before the end… it was just like the flow of the song, really. And I do mean that. It was very cool. Also totally silly. But cool and fun.

Thank you, Lord, for this family. Help us always to love and support one another. Please, keep us safe and well. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2025

Another day

The midwife said she expects anyone else in my situation would start feeling physically better after tomorrow. She hopes I will be like everyone else in this case. Her only concern on it is how I am hypersensitive and very aware of things going on in my body, and that that sensitivity will make things feel worse for longer. However, if people start improving at that point, there’s no reason I wouldn’t start improving, too. I might feel worse than the average person still – as I likely do right now – but I would start feeling better than how I have thus far felt.

So, that is a positive.

Dear Lord, please, keep us safe and well. Help my nipples to heal quickly and easily, and grant us an easy relationship with nursing. Thank you for all the love. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2025