8 Week Skye & Postpartum Update!

And somehow this little girl will be 8 weeks old on Friday.  It’s the weirdest feeling because it feels like it has gone by so fast and so slow at the exact same time ha.

*She had her first bath in the tub the other day and I think she liked it but I’m never quite sure because her facial expressions changed so quickly throughout her time in the bath.

*Skye is an expert at knowing which elevation she is at.  She only likes the elevation where she is being carried and walking around the house (so about 4 feet above the ground) and the second we drop elevation to me sitting… there is a major problem.

*She is also very happy in the car if we are moving but the second we stop (if she is awake) she starts crying.  She likes the hustle and bustle… she wants to be on the move!

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*I somehow lucked out and Skye will gladly take a bottle.  This means we can go for a short date or I can run and not worry about her being super hungry while I am gone because she will take down the bottle.  I kind of think it is because she just really loves food/eating so she will take it in any form.

*Breastfeeding—>  anyone else have one side that produces more milk and is bigger than the other?  I sure try to feed/pump from both sides evenly but my right side is just the overachiever I guess.

*Mom guilt.  One of my biggest talents.  The last few days I have felt so much mom guilt for the fact that new babies just take SO MUCH TIME and I feel bad for not giving the big kids the time that I used to.  It just hasn’t been possible.  Luckily, when Brooke and Knox are together they just want to play all day with each other but when they aren’t together, the guilt kicks in.  I especially feel guilty about how much time I used to give Brooke a few years ago and how much things have changed even though I know she is happier.   Just trying to figure out how to better balance everything.

*As far as the binky goes, Skye’s not sure about it.  Every now and then she will take it for a little bit but most of the time she’s not interested in it.  Also, I LOVE when she holds our fingers (she holds on TIGHT)!

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*Rachel told me about the Wonder Weeks- Milestone app and I’m hooked!

*She has her doctor appointment this week and I’m interested to see how much she weighs now.  I feel like she has quadrupled in size already but I tend to exaggerate so we will see (at least I am sure her cheeks have quadrupled in size already)!

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*I don’t know why I took this picture one day (especially because oatmeal is never pretty) but this is just a normal scene of me eating breakfast sitting on the nursery floor watching her study her hand.

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*I seriously cannot wait for my stroller runs with Skye.  We’ve still got some time for that to happen but I’m excited! I have so many great memories of my stroller runs with Brooke and listening to her making sounds and see her little legs kicking around while I run!  I’m sure Skye will love to play the same game that Brooke did (she would throw her toys/blanket/bottle onto the ground as much as possible because she thought it was so funny to make me stop a million times each mile).

*Running is feeling really good and way better than I expected it to feel.  It probably feels so good because I’m not dealing with all of the pregnancy side effects and a baby to carry with me over the miles.

*Two sports bras is just what I have to do now.  I’ve tried all sorts of different sports bras and I can’t find one that will do the job without doubling up.

*The Rock ’N Play was seriously one of our best baby purchases.  She doesn’t always love it but when she does… it makes it so we can get a meal made or pick up around the house for a little bit.

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*The other day while I was getting the big kids breakfast I had a tight workout top on and Knox said, ‘it looks like you have a baby in your tummy again.’  We had a nice discussion all together the next day in the car about how it TAKES TIME for our bodies to adjust again after having a baby.  As my sister always says, it takes 9 months to add all of the weight to make a baby… it is going to take at least that same amount of time to lose that weight.

*I can say with 10000% surety, Andrew absolutely loves being a dad and I love watching him be a dad.

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*I felt REALLY EMOTIONAL the other day and then just fine one minute later without anything actually changing in any situation I was emotional about… another sign that it takes time for our emotions/hormones to level out again.

*Skye loves staring at the ceiling fan.  Loves.

*My doctor asked me if we were planning on having more kids too… and I said YES with all of the explanation points.  Turns out it didn’t take long for me to forget about what morning sickness felt like (I do this with the marathon every time too… I quickly forget ha).

*It made me happy when I noticed her positioning was mimicking the animal on her shirt.

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*Skye’s roughest time of the day… the second we sit down to dinner at the table (usually right as we are taking our first bite;) until bed time.  But if either of her grandma’s are around during that time she puts on all of the charm.

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*I came across this picture of my mom with Brooke when she was just a little thing and it made me really happy so I’ll post it again.

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*Skye is quite confused why in the world Brooke (one of her two best friend’s ((Knox being the other)) is trying to tickle her.

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*I love watching her become more and more aware of her surroundings.  She watches things much more now.  We try to talk to her as much as humanly possible and I think she is loving that (key word, think;).

*She is sleeping for a little bit longer stretches of time (the other night she slept for almost 7 hours straight) and I’m guessing it is because she has some extra storage these days so she isn’t quite as hungry at night!

*Her facial expressions are amazing and like I said earlier, they change so quickly… we never know what to expect next!  We get more and more smiles each day too!  Oh and her cooing is probably my favorite thing of the day.  I need to catch a video on it!

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As tiring and crazy this time of life feels… I really love motherhood and the happiness Skye brings us.

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Parents reading—>  fill me in on some of the new things your kid(s) is doing?

At what age did your little ones start sleeping through the night more consecutively?

Binky or thumb suckers out there?  

I would love to hear any fun/funny kid stories PLEASE!!

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47 comments

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I thought stroller running with Brooke gave you IT band problems or something?? Maybe I am thinking of someone else. Anyway, if it was you, did you find a solution? Hopefully because it will be nice to get outside with Skye for some runs when spring finally arrives!

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You are thinking of the right person! This time around I won’t be doing 15 mile jogging stroller runs like I did with Brooke! I’m thinking more like 3-5 miles at an easy pace together. I also did zero preventative care back then (foam rolling, strength training, stretching) and I will be this time BUT who knows… I might still have ITB problems this time too and if I do, I’ll have to stop. I sure hope that I don’t though because I think it will be so much fun! I hope you are having a great day Sandy!

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Skye is such a cutie! Wasn’t she born on December 8 though? (I only remember because she shares a birthday with my best friend’s daughter.) This Friday is 2/2. I think you may be counting every 4 weeks as a month, but most months have more than 4 weeks/28 days.

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She sure was ha! Thank you… I think I might need more sleep! She will definitely be 8 weeks on Friday! Thank you Susan and I hope you are having a beautiful day!

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I can’t believe how much she looks like Brooke! You can def tell they are sisters. Adorable!

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Oh I love that you see it too… I think they look a lot alike lately! I hope your day has been a great one Holly!

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Hope has started using the terms brother and sister.
Me: in order for you to have a brother or sister Mom would have to have another baby.
Hope: nope, the next person in this house to have a baby will be me.

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HAHAH I love it… Hope is already a planner;) She knows what she wants! Sure wish we could have a playdate with our girls tomorrow!

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One side producing more than the other—> completely normal! Always happens to me when I nurse.

Mom guilt —>also very normal and means that you’re a good mom! Just the fact that you’re thinking about spending enough time with them shows it. And Brooke will be just fine. She’s adjusting and it will make the times that you get to take her around one on one way more exciting and special for her.

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Good to know I’m not alone with one side producing more. AND THANK YOU for the pep talk… it was just what I needed! xoxox

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i always called it my “power boob!”

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BAHAHA I LOVE THAT… totally going to copy you!

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Skye is so precious!!! I’m 21 weeks pregnant now with a little girl (due mid June in hot Texas) and I am really starting to go overboard on buying clothes! I’m trying to get 6-12 month cooler weather good for layering stuff and then some 3-6 month summer/warm fall stuff especially when that’s all on clearance right now!!! What are you finding the Skye goes through the most of and wears the most? We’re obviously opposite seasons- but any advice would help!

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AHHH congrats Lauren! I am SO so excited for you (and I hope you have the best air conditioning set up in your home;)! Buying clothes is the best! Great question, she definitely goes through/wears her sleepers the most (the ones that keep her feet and hands covered and zip up ((DON’T BUY the ones that snap ha))! I just went and bought a bunch more of those because I feel like it is what she wears the most! I also love any of her one piece outfits. I don’t love picking out a top and a bottom every day ha… I don’t know if that makes sense. Oh and of course I made the mistake of getting a bunch of newborn/0-3 months clothing and she outgrew them in two seconds. Good luck and keep me updated with everything!

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She is sooo cute and looks so much like Brooke as a baby! I love the bullet points, this will be the perfect little journal of her life to look back on when she’s older, I’m extremely jealous of it for my kids cause I barely have anything!
As for the sports bra prob, have you tried the Moving Comfort Juno? It’s super fitted and has straps to tighten over your shoulders for more support. I have quite a few skinnier but larger cupped friends that all swear by it! Runner’s Corner by you had them to try on.

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Skye is super cute! Makes me baby hungry. Oh my..

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I just came here to say that my daughter will be 1 in 3 weeks and “the stud and the dud” are still as evident as ever over here! For the past year (almost) I’ve been nursing/pumping both sides evenly but to no avail! Hopefully they’ll even back out once she stops nursing. Haha. Congrats on your new little squish!

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BAHAHA stud and dud… that perfectly describes what is going on over here too. Thanks Janette and AHHHH it’s almost her first birthday!

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Umm… my kids started sleeping through the night consistently at age 3. So I sort of stink in that parenting aspect. My youngest had medical issues but I have no excuse for the oldest!! We did everything right, they did not sleep in our room past the infant stage, tried the cry it out, was consistent. But they just were not great sleepers. No issue with that now though at ages 7 and 10.

Funny kid stories? My youngest is brutally honest. I have been trying and trying to get my husband to get off his phone during family time. My youngest was at the table with him finishing her dinner (she is a super slow eater) and he had finished. I was prepping lunches for school and I said to him “it would be great if you put the phone away, I am sure Audrey would love to talk to you”. She looked up and said “No, no I really don’t want to talk to him”. I also gave her $1 for the school bake sale last Friday. She came home irritated and said “oh Mommy you only gave me a $1 and everything was 50 cents so I couldn’t get anything”. She did problem solve and found soft pretzel at lunch for $1..

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I breastfed and pumped my second baby for 11 months and I had one side that produced more. It was never an issue with direct breastfeeding (we only nursed one side per feeding). But when I would pump my right side would always give more!

I had one baby that used a pacifier and one that was a thumb sucker. If she isn’t really into the pacifier I would see if you can get her to suck her thumb (does she try to? My non-paci baby was making obvious attempts to suck his thumb as a newborn). I’m a big fan of teaching them to self soothe, especially for sleeping. And having either a paci or thumb is a key part of self soothing. Also, while I was scared of having a thumb sucker because you can’t take it away…..it was actually easier to stop my thumb sucker than it was to stop my pacifier kid from wanting that paci when it was time to quit!

Both of my babies started sleeping long “through the night” stretches by 10-12 weeks. We also found that moving them to their own room at that time helped them sleep longer. I think the sounds of us sleeping (ahem, their daddy snoring) would cause them to wake up more frequently. Once they were in their own quiet room they started going all night more often.

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Try a Mam binkie! I know you didn’t ask for advice haha, but my babe wouldn’t take those binks either and my sister told me to try Mams and he’s still hooked at 16 months. If you don’t care if she takes a binkie, that’s cool too! Haha feel free to ignore me :)

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I’m glad things are going so well for you guys!! SKYE is adorable.
I’m sitting here in bed breastfeeding after a really long night with my two week old and I just feel like things are so hard right now ? I know in my head that eventually he will get better at sleeping and things will get easier but it’s been so much harder than I expected. I feel bad even writing that ?. Anyways, I know I’ve got to give myself and him grace, it’s just difficult right now and I don’t feel like people ever talk about how hard post partum can be.

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hey amanda!! sorry to hijack the comments but just wanted to give you a virtual hug! the newborn stage IS so hard and all consuming and it’s overwhelming to realize the baby needs you (and only you) to survive. i remember reading that after 3 weeks, breastfeeding and everything else starts to get easier! just take it one day at a time and try your hardest to get 10 minutes of self care (ALONE TIME) every day ignore you can. my husband worked a million hours so i solo-parented a lot but still tried to get that time alone. anyway, sorry again to hijack but couldn’t pass by without commenting. ?

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that was every day *if you can not ignore!

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Thank you!! I really appreciate it. Even now, in the light of day things seem to be better ha. That’s how it always happens! I also didn’t mean to get negative on your awesome post about Skye! I was just having some emotions… you know how it is! Anyways I appreciate the encouragement. My 15 minute walks with my dog and baby are getting me through right now!

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AMANDA!!! You didn’t go negative at all.. you just said something we all experience! You are doing an amazing job… don’t forget that! I loved Kimberly’s advice too, that is something I make sure to do each day too and I’m so glad you are getting outside for some walks. My middle of the night brain and day brain are so different right now (good thing I blog during the day and not at night haha) but it is HARD. Newborns are hard and it already has gotten easier for us as far as sleep goes but there are many tears along the way for every new mom. Email me if you ever need to talk more about everything:) I’m here!

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You are not alone in thinking newborn stage is hard. IT IS!! I used to get so grumpy and downright rude with my husband in the evening because I knew he and the rest of the world was going to start winding down and going to bed and I was going to have to gear-up for a night with a newborn. I got a little smarter with my second baby and what worked for me and everyone is different is I slept on the couch on the roughest nights and I slept with a lamp on low light and with my glasses on in pj pants and t-shirt and the tv on. For me it was harder to get out of a warm bed, in the dark, next to my snoring husband. Also too it is ok to not like newborn stage. Everyone thinks ALL new mothers love having a newborn and that just simply isn’t true. You can love your baby unconditionally but hate newborn stage. It’s ok. My sister did not like being pregnant and never liked the newborn stage. She loved her two babies and loved on them but she didn’t like motherhood until they could walk and communicate their needs to her. She only talked to me about this and I was her best friend. Some days she would just call me and cry without saying a word and I talked softly to her and told her over and over again its ok to feel this way. So Amanda I would say the same things to you. It’s ok to feel this way and this stage will pass. At the end of the day, if the baby is fed and warm and loved you can cry all you want. That’s ok. A good cleansing cry is needed sometimes.
Hang in there! You can do hard things.

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My first also had what we called “elevation sickness” – haha! The trick that worked for me was to sit on a yoga ball and bounce a bit. It was enough to fool her into thinking we were walking around the house but I could take a break for a minute. Good luck1

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Aww! Zander wasn’t a binky boy either. We offered at 4 weeks old, he liked it from about 3 to 5 months but that was it. They were just toys to him! But he also didn’t love bottles. That’s why he slept through the night I think. Because at 7 or 8 weeks old, he started sleeping from 7:30pm to like 3/4am consistently, and I was getting up at 5am to start running before my husband went to work (because no way could I push the BOB postpartum….more like 2 slow miles with walking!) So my husband and I decided if he woke up before 5am he’d give a bottle and I pumped at 5am before running. What do you know, at 10 weeks he started going until 5am sleeping :)

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My son was the EXACT same way about “elevation”, lol. He had to be carried in an upright position and preferred movement. I don’t think I ever cradled him even once unless we were nursing until he was much older. My back has seriously never recovered. (Having back labor with him and my daughter didn’t help either. :D)

Right sided over-achievers unite. Big time. With both my kids. <3 <3 <3

We did gentle forms of sleep training around 7 months with both of our babies, so sleeping through the night started around then for both. Prior to that we also tried to start a LOOSE bedtime routine/bedtime right away with helped, too. (As much as you can do with young babies)

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I also always double up on sports bras too — it’s the only way to feel everything is in place!

At 24 weeks pregnant with my first, I really appreciate and take away a lot of info from all the Skye updates…so thanks!

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AHHH congrats Mary on your pregnancy, I am so excited for you! Double sports bra runners unite;) We get each other!

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I definitely was lopsided while breastfeeding! I hear a great way to even them out is always start on the side that’s smaller bc babies suck harder at the beginning of a feed and the more they demand from a breast the more it produces so eventually they will even out. Also I heard you can pump longer on the smaller side too so it produces more and they even out.

My baby didn’t take a paci at first either until we tried the MAM paci (sold at Target) and he LOVED it. Its been a life saver! ha

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Skye is soo cute in her little pink bath!

My right side is the underachiever! I’m pregnant with our second girl and thinking I may just be feeding her on the left side since I know it works much better!

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If you’re really hoping for a binky loving baby, try different types of pacifiers. Sometimes it takes 3-4-5 times to find the one your kiddo likes. Disclaimer, though: that worked for my third but my first two would never touch one, no matter what kind.
I had a super boob, too – but I got tired of being lopsided all the time so around 2 months I would always start on the lesser one, then switch to the super one. Somewhat non-standard but it helped even out the milk production between the two without affecting overall production.

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Aren’t chubby baby cheeks the best? And chunky thighs!
It’s so fun reading your updates because my little one is almost exactly one month older than Skye (he was born 11/9). He also loves the ceiling fan (I keep saying it’s going to blow his mind when we actually turn it on haha) and has the same elevation demands. I’m curious how many steps I get from walking around the house.

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Skye is looking more and more like Brooke every day! Such a cute little lady! Did you have her sleep in the crib from the beginning, or did you have her in a bassinet to start out?

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My little guy is four months old! He was an ANGEL at first and started sleeping long stretches like Skye around 5-6 weeks. It happened the same way, he randomly just slept 6 hours one night, then the next week it happened a few more times..before we knew it he was sleeping through the night every night, sometimes up to 10 hours! But alas, he is now four months old and decided to switch things up on us, he was up 5 times last night! Enjoy the sleep while you get it, and if you aren’t getting it, you can always remember it is just a phase! :-)

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My right side was the real MVP as far as milk was concerned. I would pump 1 oz out of lefty for every 5 oz from righty! With that I was also at least 2 cup sizes larger on the right haha finally after 25 months of nursing my twins, they’re completely weaned! And I finally get to buy a bra that isn’t quick release haha and the lopsidedness has decreased back to the normal amount.

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Oh my goodness, she is so precious! My little guy has a “witching hour” around dinnertime, too. It has gotten better (3months old Saturday!! AAAHHH!!!) but when it’s flaring, we just deal.
My right side is my under-producer. For about a month, I always started with that side, and would pump that side only between feeds. Now, the right is still a bit smaller, but they produce about the same.
Mom guilt — ugh. I only have the one baby, but am in my last semester of NP school and work full time as an RN. This means most weeks, I’m away from my baby for at least 60 hours/week, not including commute time. I feel sick just typing that. But I figure that I want to get school done eventually, and I’m almost there. He won’t remember me being away now, but would if I waited a year or two. I’m also super lucky to have family help 100% of the time so we don’t need daycare .Still, it is indescribably difficult and feel like a horrible mother for leaving my baby so much. I really hope it will all be worth it.

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This bra (is not a nursing bra), but heavy duty, comfortable, and amazing at keeping them in place…

https://www.amazon.com/Enell-High-Impact-Sports-Bra/dp/B000074RL3

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When do you find the time to pump? Do you do it privately? What do you do when you pump? These were my most dreaded times when I was nursing. Wondering how you manage it.

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Okay you HAVE to try the SheFit bra!!!i got it after having my second and it is/was a lifesaver! Breastfeeding friendly, adjustable band and straps, and extremely supportive. Plus it was on shark tank (YouTube it). You can try them on at the running store near Costco in Orem. Trust me trust me on this!!!

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THANK YOU LINDSEY!! I must find this and buy it!!

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Hi Janae! I don’t know if you will see this comment because I’m writing it months after you posted this. You have such a beautiful family!! I just recently gave birth to my son and he is currently 4 weeks old. I’ve loves going back and re-reading all your baby blog updates about Skye and seeing similarities in what I’m experiencing. I have an almost 3 year old daughter and I’ve had major major mom guilt. Reading about your experience makes me feel so much more normal!! It is definitely tough trying to find a balance with a new baby in the mix. My hormones are still off, too (I’m on the same page with you with the random crying!). I just wanted to say thanks for these posts because it’s really helping me through the tough days. <3

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Torrie! Thank you for your comment! Congrats on your new little one and you are busy with two young kiddos! Mom guilt is so so real and it is terrible… I just listened to this podcast by better than happy. Ep 167 about successful parenting. And she talks about defining your success as a parent and it has been really helpful! You are doing an amazing job and your kids are so lucky to have you. Hormones are soooo hard on us! Keep me updated on how you are all doing!

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Thank you for sharing the podcast episode!! I will listen to that for sure!! Thank you for your kind words and support, I feel like you are my real life friend :-) I’m giving you a big hug right now!! Have a great rest of your weekend, Janae!

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