Maia Papaya Brings in the Spring 2010

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baby

August 6th post

by Tatiana on September 22, 2009

For the most part, my pregnancy has been a pleasant experience. While digging around some old stuff I’d typed up, I came across this little rant and since it made me smile, I thought I’d share it with you. This is from Week 14.


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Around 7:30 last night, an earth-shattering craving struck me. Not for pickles, which rest conveniently in my fridge, nor saltines, which I wisely keep near my desk; not even for the grapes and oranges in my fruit bin, nor the Pop-Tarts snuggled into a dark corner of a cabinet.

Not for those, but for Cheetos. Nasty, neon-orange, CRUNCHY SALTY NOMNOMNOM Cheetos.

I begged my husband to get me some, but he was playing Diablo2, which means he was completely oblivious to my pleas, as there were monsters that needed to be struck down. Clearly I have been too pleasant of a pregnant woman, because I feel like he should have feared the wrath of God smiting him when his wife falls at his feet, rests her head on his knee, and cries about needing Cheetos (no, I am not too proud to beg). I will say that he dug $1.52 out of his pocket, gave it to me, and said, “Then go buy some, hun.”

This, unfortunately, meant I needed to get dressed, which is a trial when all the sudden none of your pants will button at the waist yet you’re hardly showing except for the constant thrill of OH MY GOD MY UTERUS IS GROWING that makes you stand in front of the mirror at least three times a day to see if it’s poking out any further (note: last week, when I pulled my belly chub up, there was a slight curve; now, when I don’t pull it up, there is a pronounced one; this is a source of constant joy, as are my massive, beautiful, and SO FKING TENDER IT HURTS boobies).

Anyhow, I got dressed and went to the store. Cheetos were on sale — for $2.49, goddammit — and so I agonized over which bag of 88 cent potato chips I would buy (sour cream and onion means my husband may steal from me, salt and vinegar means I may end up with a numb tongue, bbq means no numb tongue and no stealing but also no satisfaction). I settled for s&v, which were opened as soon as I arrived home and plopped down on the couch to watch So You Think You Can Dance, which is one of my favourite shows right now (I can’t help it). And then the chihuahua army came; between yelling at them to get away and listening to my husband roast monsters, I had to turn the TV up louder than I like. And then I commenced eating.

Now, at this point, let me just mention that other than a few delicious bags of Gardetto’s that got in my way while I was in the US, and a drunken handful or two of Cheetos at a friend’s birthday party, I have (happily) abstained from the “potato chip aisle” category of junk food for approximately eight months. But this was a craving that refused to be ignored (unlike yesterday’s craving for banana bread which conveniently disappeared when the sky opened up and decided to piss on our town).

At some point between dances, I looked down at the bag and realized I had consumed half of its contents. It also struck me that baby is not yet satisfied with the amount my body had taken in, and so I kept eating. Then I looked down again and thought, you know, not only is this unhealthy and disgusting and utterly AMERICAN of me to be shovelling potato chips down my gullet while watching competition-based reality TV, but maybe I’ll want some tomorrow with an egg salad sandwich and a pickle for lunch, so I should stop.

Thank God I didn’t eat any more. Thank. God. Because half an hour later I felt so sick it was like someone had taken my intestines, tied them in knots, and let their chihuahuas fight over them. I couldn’t sit up. Watching TV became an exercise in patience, waiting for the commercials so I could race to the washroom. All I have to say is this:

MOMMY’S BELLY DOES NOT LIKE POTATO CHIPS and I will not be fooled into this manipulation again. If baby wants vinegar, I’ll eat a pickle. If baby wants salt, I’ll eat saltines. If baby wants something crispy and salty, I’ll eat homemade hash browns, or maybe I’ll get really saucy and just have a granola bar instead (how do you like THAT?) Or maybe I’ll buy sunflower seeds.

What I will NOT do, though, is consume any more potato chips, nor will I fall for the “I want Cheetos” craving. Because I am an unhappy mommy that just wants to go snuggle with daddy, but is too bloated and keeps burping up a disturbing vinegary potato taste to possibly be a good sleeping companion.

{ 3 comments }

Nursing Strike, day three.

by Tatiana on September 18, 2009

Well, she’s still striking.

I feel miserable and rejected.  The fact that she won’t nurse is constantly on my mind when I interact with her.  I’m trying so hard not to let my frustration with it change the way I feel about myself as a mother, but failing.

Failing.

Worse than that, this stress, this ball of guilt and anger in my chest, is impacting my milk production.  I sit in the nursery with her with that fucking pump attached to my chest and I WAIT, WAIT to see the bottle fill with my milk, WAIT to make a meal for her because she won’t just take it fresh from the source.

But I’m not making “enough”.  I’ve pumped out only eleven ounces today.  I’ve divided it up — three, four, two, two.  Three for breakfast, with a bowl of cereal.  Four for lunch.  Two in the late afternoon, with some bread and green bell pepper.

Two for bed.

Not enough.

I mixed that last two ounces with formula to total five ounces, after trying desperately for half an hour to pump out more.  I feel like a failure.  What am I supposed to do? Put her to bed hungry?  Watch her cry and whine and sob, refusing my breast?  I’m not going to starve her in the hopes that she’ll decide to come back to me.

I stood there over the crib, watching her drink from the bottle, her eyes fluttering shut.  When she fell asleep I took the bottle. I wanted to throw it across the room and scream.

How can my body be failing HER?

{ 5 comments }

What did I do to deserve a nursing strike?

September 16, 2009

This afternoon, around 1pm, Maia started getting a little fussy.  The first thing I did was try to get her to nurse, but no luck.  Awhile later, we figured that maybe her teeth were aching (we think she may be getting one of her top teeth in, as well as both of her bottom one) [...]

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An unexpected side effect of breastfeeding

August 5, 2009

It’s World Breastfeeding Week! To celebrate, each day this week I’m going to have a breastfeeding-related post.
When Maia first arrived, I wore a hair elastic on my wrist to indicate which side she had last nursed from.  During each nursing session, whenever she delatched for one reason or another, I studiously swapped her to [...]

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How we established breastfeeding

August 3, 2009

It’s World Breastfeeding Week! To celebrate, each day this week I’m going to have a breastfeeding-related post.
I’ve written in detail about my birth experience, but I haven’t really mentioned anything about establishing breastfeeding.  I felt like my nursing relationship with Maia was just as easy as everything I read during my pregnancy led me [...]

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Maia on the move

July 24, 2009

On the night of July 21st, I took this picture:

She had been rolling around and playing with her toys, being, as I thought, “so big”.
This morning, I took this picture:
You see, two days ago, Maia decided that laying down is for BABIES, and she’s no longer a baby.  Literally in the space of a moment, [...]

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Babies of 2009 Blog Carnival

July 1, 2009

Welcome to the Babies of 2009 Blog Carnival!  I am so happy to be hosting this and dearly hope that all of us 2009 (or near 2009!) moms can meet a few new people through this.  Since BlogCarnival.com is a waste of internet space, just add a link to your post in the comments and [...]

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The Highs and the Lows (or, accepting that it ain’t all roses)

July 1, 2009

I’ve documented a lot about my little girl here.  I’ve shared some of the highest highs, but I’ve avoided many of the lowest lows.  It’s not that I don’t want to talk about them; I do.  There are times I’ve felt so overwhelmed at how much work this motherhood thing requires that I’ve sobbed while [...]

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Upcoming Babies of 2009 Carnival!

June 18, 2009

As of July 1st, the year 2009 will be halfway over.  ALREADY!  It feels like New Year’s was just yesterday.  For those of us who have been taking care of babies this year, time has flown by (although on those long, sleepless nights, it sure didn’t feel like it!)
In the spirit of celebration, I’m hosting [...]

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My Baby’s Mind Monday 03

May 25, 2009

Welcome to My Baby’s Mind Mondays! If you’d like to participate, please copy and paste the HTML code below to grab the button, which will link back here. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve posted, and I’ll add a list of participants to the end of each weekly post.
<a href=”http://averygoodyear.net/?cat=192″ mce_href=”http://averygoodyear.net/?cat=192″><img title=”My [...]

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