We soaked up our last few weeks of maternity leave and are now settling into life in child care and back at work. It’s been tough to spend more time apart but I know it’ll be good for both of us!
Growth
Violet is 12 pounds, 9 ounces – she’s gained 2 pounds in the last month and has gone from the 30th percentile to the 50th percentile in weight! She’s in 0-3 month clothes and size 1 or 2 diapers, but we’re only a week or two away from 3-6 month clothes and exclusively size 2 diapers.
Eating
In the last month Violet has had exclusively breast milk, mostly through breastfeeding but drinks pumped milk at daycare. We’ve given her formula a couple times for convenience (out and about somewhere that isn’t easy to nurse). I’m so proud to be back to breast milk only and have her growing at such an awesome rate! Pumping while at work has been a chore, but I keep telling myself it’s only temporary and will be worth it in the long run.
Sleeping
She’s still sleeping great, going to bed at 8 p.m. and waking up around 6:30 a.m. She typically wakes once around 3 a.m. and eats for 15-30 minutes, but falls back asleep quickly. She’s totally slept through the night once (which was amazing), but also had a few nights of regression when she started daycare
Milestones and Development
- Sits with assistance (Bumbo, on laps)
- Laughs
- Makes lots of new sounds and accompanies them with spit bubbles!
Loves
- Reading stories
- “Talking”
- Her mama
Hates
- Being tired
- Dave says him, but she’s just been extra clingy to mom since we started being separated during the days.
Products we loved this month
- Cloud Island by Target Playmat – Now that she really plays with her toys and likes to spend time moving independently, we’ve used this beautiful and soft playmat almost every day.
- Honest face & body lotion in Dreamy Lavender – a great new addition to our bedtime routine!
- Old Navy Ruffle-Back Jersey Leggings – perfect for the cooler fall weather.
What I wish I knew before this month…
I wish I had been more prepared for how hard it would be to go back to work and leave my baby girl… right when we had gotten the swing of things and were having so much fun during our days together!
What’s happening with mom…
I’m getting used to our new routine. Going back to work has brought a return of normalcy to our lives, but everything about it is different. Getting ready has taken on a whole new meaning since it now entails feeding Violet, getting her bottles ready for the day and getting her changed and dressed. My days are spent worrying about when I can pump next and whether I’m saving enough milk for her to eat the next day, and of course wondering what Violet is up to at any given moment. Our evenings at home have been spent snuggling on the couch while she “catches up” after not nursing most of the day, which means I’ve hardly had a chance to catch up on my to-do lists. Leaving her is not easy but I’m confident I’m making the best choice for my family. I’ll work on a full post on that topic soon!
I’ve also been feeling a little down about the fact that my body is definitely not back to its pre-pregnancy self. I really thought I’d be able to “bounce back” quickly, but now I realize it’s going to take a lot more effort than I anticipated. I’m trying to be patient, but it’s hard when all I want is to wear my old jeans again!
From Morgan to Mom 