Don't use peroxide in a sitz bath!

Um, today has been fabulous so far.

First of all, Kathryn slept from midnight to 7:00, and then from 7:30-ish to 9:30!

I wanted to get out for a little bit, so I decided to go to McDonalds, even though I shouldn't be eating that crap, and she did so well, I decided to take a ride around the neighborhood. She didn't make a peep! As a matter of fact, I thought she was asleep. When I got home, she was still awake and she smiled at me when I said hi to her! :-)

I'm so proud of her and so relieved to have had our first perfect ride since she was two days old. Yay.

She's eating now. I've discovered that I have a forceful letdown, which causes her to get choked when she's eating, and then causes her to spit up a lot, and she ends up with hiccups. So, I've decided to try to feed her from one side per feeding rather than switching her and having her get a second forceful flow of milk. So far today she's doing great with it. It's making my boobs a bit off balance, but they will even out over time.

Today is Halloween, my most favorite holiday. We forgot to get candy, so I may try to get some at Kroger later. I'd hate to not have something for the kiddies! We'll see how the day goes. Kathryn is decked out in her cute little coverall a friend of ours gave her. It's nice and cozy.

Tomorrow is my doctor's appointment. I'm so nervous. It will be the first time K will be in his own with her, the first real outing I'll have without her, and I'm scared of what the doctor will say!

I have made a conscious effort to keep my legs closed. This is harder than one might think. Rocking a baby while standing is easier if you can open your legs to about should width. Climbing stairs is easier if you don't have to do it sideways. Getting out of bed is challenging with closed legs. Oh the things we do without thinking about them. LOL.

Anyway, I've seen no blood since the day before yesterday, which is when I started doing this. I also started wearing my Be Band around my hips as a reminder to keep my legs together. It also sort of squeezes my bottom together, which squeezes my perineum together as well. I've felt no pulling at all with it on. Wish I had thought of it weeks ago. The way I see it, if I'm still having blood there, then the skin hasn't healed and therefore it can still knit together.

I also discovered that I should not have used peroxide in the bath like the midwife told me to when I called. Peroxide actually slows the healing process because it, like alcohol, kills infection-causing bacteria as well as the good cells needed to heal/close the wound.

Now I know!

Grrr. Postpartum care sucks. I think women should be seen a week after the birth, then a month, and then at 6 weeks. This way any complications can be caught early and managed more effectively.

Happy Halloween, everyone! May your ancestors bring good news this night.