The Savaiinaeas: June 2017

Happy 1 month to our daughter Talia. Adjusting to #5 children! Man where to begin... actually to be honest we are still adjusting. The kids are doing so well adjusting to having a sister. My recovery has been up and down and I have had to really slow my pace and life down and be okay with saying no a lot more for a lot longer while we adjust to our new little one. Everyday I have tried to treat it like a new day, not comparing it to the previous day and instead saying this is day 6 or day 15 or day 21 and then being ok that whatever comes that day we will get through it.

Something that has really helped this time around was to do freezer meals before hand. Having them and being able to just pop them in the oven was very helpful. The Relief Society sisters in my ward brought meals for a week after Joe returned to work (after only 1 week...boo hoo) and that also was so helpful so that I didn't have to worry about cooking etc for the first couple of weeks. It is still hard to fit everything in and I am trying to make sure I am sharing my time between all my kids and also not to be to tired or to stressed out. I am not always succeeding but like I said above we are still finding our balance. Even Joe and I are still adjusting to our new life. I mean 5 kids is a lot of kids, if he takes out 3 kids I still have 2 at home or if he takes our 4 I still have 1 at home. He was sick on 3 week so I took all 5 to church (thankfully we are in the same ward as my parents and 2 sisters so I had helping hands) but I did feel a little overwhelmed by the fact I had 5 to keep my 2 eyes on. So yes it is an adjustment but a good exciting and welcome adjustment. I am just so glad she is on the outside and not on the inside anymore.

Talia is demand feeding every 3 to 4 hours and she is gaining weight beautifully. I am constantly reading and watching youtube clips to ensure she is doing a good latch so I can to the best of me avoid mastitis and enjoy breastfeeding. She can be a slow nurser at times and my flow is still over the top right now so we are both doing the best. She is very gassy but that can be a result of my overflow of milk because she has to gulp so fast so again we are adjusting. She is a great sleeper once she goes down, is fine with noise like the kids, the vacuum or Gilmore girls (yay!) and she is just a little darling to stare at and cuddle. Her favourite positions are on your shoulder or on your chest. Doesn't really like being side rocked. She has taken quite quickly to the dummy which is nice when I know she has had both sides or when we are in the car. She has done a couple of 5 hour stretches during the night which helps me out a lot! Her birth weight was 3.650kgs or 8lbs and at her last weight in she was 4.850kgs or 10.7lbs so she definitely is getting plenty of milk.

She is my first winter baby which has mean that I am ensuring her room is a good temperature, that we dress her in warm but breathable clothing and use breathable blankets. For now it feels like we are doing okay and our winter hasn't gotten terribly cold yet. It is funny to think my sister in law in Utah who had a baby 2 days after me has a summer baby!