Yesterday, I ventured out of the house for the first time without bringing Lucy along. It felt really strange! I was only driving about a mile away to our local grocery store, but I was stressed the entire time. It is a weighty thing to be the sole source of food for a person; it really made me want to get home quickly. <\/p>\n
When I did come home (after less than an hour), Jon was cozily typing away at his computer with Lucy asleep on him in the “BabyBj\u00c3\u00b6rn”:\/news\/2006\/must-have-hardware\/. (He is the best Papa!) I even had about twenty minutes before needing to feed her again. But I was still stressed.<\/p>\n
Part of my anxiety, I realized later, was that I kept imagining taking Lucy with me to the grocery store. How does a person do that? What if Lucy started crying inconsolably? I’m not comfortable enough with nursing yet to feed her while I’m walking around the store. How do other moms do this?<\/p>\n
I cried later with Jon, saying, “Other moms seem to be able to get it together so much better and faster than I am!” Jon gave me a reality check, pointing out that mothers of 16-day-old babies are not out grocery shopping and that just a few decades ago, women weren’t even coming home from the hospital until right about now. (He is also the best husband!)<\/p>\n
I do feel a bit of pressure to return to some normal life activities, especially now that Lucy has passed the two-week mark. But yesterday’s outing taught me that it is okay to keep taking it slow. I don’t get stressed if I stick around the house, go for a walk sometimes, and am able to nurse in my favorite chair with a big glass of water next to me. And that is okay. I’m sure that in a few weeks, I’ll be more ready for outdoor adventures (and the weather will be nicer too!).<\/p>\n
When Lucy started crying to eat after my return from the grocery store, I was surprised that I felt content. Instead thinking, “Oh boy, this is going to hurt to have her latch on,” I was thinking, “Oh goody! I know how to feed Lucy. This is a way that I can demonstrate my love for her.” Not that it doesn’t hurt to have her latch on, but I think the Enjoyment part of nursing is overriding the Pain part. Goody for me and Lucy!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Yesterday, I ventured out of the house for the first time without bringing Lucy along. It felt really strange! I was only driving about a mile away to our local grocery store, but I was stressed the entire time. It is a weighty thing to be the sole source of food for a person; it … <\/p>\n