From the daily cues, I can learn if he is eating more or sleeping less. What works for him, what doesn't.
Last night as I lay in bed breastfeeding him for the umpteenth time, I thought about the last time I had a full night’s sleep. It was three Sundays ago. Then why does it feel like forever ago? I can barely remember a time when our new addition was not in our lives.
My newborn has been with us for three weeks, yet it feels longer. Currently my world revolves around him. What I eat, when I sleep and so on.
Not only that but I live in this giant loop of everyday activities: eating, breastfeeding, sleeping, changing diapers… and before I know it, the day is gone and I get to repeat the cycle all night and all day long. It’s as though I woke up in the movie ‘Groundhog Day’. Every day I wake up, my days look exactly the same.
Most of us born and raised in certain cultural backgrounds believe in the postpartum recovery process often gained through confinement. A mother and her newborn will often stay over at her maternal family to be taken care of as she recovers from the traumas of birth. Sometimes, the family members will stay with the new mother at her marital home as they help to take care of the grown children and household duties.
The month post-birth is crucial for a new mother and baby to rest and recover from child birth. During this time, the mother is discouraged from doing any household or wifely duties to allow the body time to heal. The mother also gets to bond with the new infant without worry.
Unfortunately those of us who live in the diaspora or far from our families are not in a position to enjoy such luxuries. Luckily, in some countries, they recognise how much a woman needs to rest post-birth, and thus allow the woman a longer stay in the hospital. I spent five days in the hospital post-birth and I have been lucky to have a partner who has shouldered most of the responsibilities in the home, including taking care of the toddler.
As the days dwindle past and my partner's leave is slowly coming to an end, I can’t help but panic at losing my newborn bubble. The days of focusing solely on my needs and the baby’s needs are fast coming to an end. Before I know it, I will be forced to embrace my new role in life as a stay at home mother of two.
