The first month

It’s hard to believe Terran is one month old. I don’t really know how to put the last month into words. There is a lot to adjust to and process as your own body is healing and changing during postpartum while you learn to take care of a new person who is totally dependent on you. I find myself going between moments of feeling amazement and overwhelming love to moments of being in a survival mode with little emotion.

I think the best way to describe the past four weeks is that I have been in this constant learning mode. I have learned or still in the process of learning:
• Terran’s noises and facial expressions and what they are communicating
• Terran’s likes and dislikes
• How to change and clean cloth diapers
• How demanding yet enjoying on-cue breastfeeding can be
• How to use a breast pump and store expressed breast milk
• How to tie different sling possessions
• How to get simple household chores completed while wearing Terran
• How to feel rested after night after night of getting up at least once every two hours, etc...

Andy and I also have had to change most of our daily routines or habits. All the little daily tasks such as showering, cooking, running errands have to be altered slightly to meet Terran’s needs or schedule. We are getting more comfortable with our new daily routines. However, because newborns grow and change so rapidly, I feel just as we get comfortable with one routine Terran’s needs will change and may require a different routine.

The support of our family and friends has been amazing the past month. Andy and I are so grateful to have so many wonderful people in our lives. The visits, meals, cards, gifts, etc. have meant so much. I don’t know how we would have survived without them. It seemed like we had the perfect amount of support and time with others and time to ourselves as a new family.

Look at how much Terran has grown in the first month:

Two days old

Two weeks old

Three weeks old

One month old