The First Six Weeks

Rod Radtke Photo 

I cannot believe that Linnea is nearly 7 weeks old already! What a crazy, exhausting, heart-wrenching and heart-warming adventure it has been so far! I say heart-wrenching because it breaks our hearts to see her cry, but every happy little smile and coo just warms our hearts right back up! This picture just melts my heart... grandpa does such good work. We had a blast taking her 1-month photos, and I am looking forward to our photo shoots every month!

Rod Radtke Photo

Now that we are on this side of the first 6 weeks I feel great. My body is mostly healed, I only have 5 more pounds to lose and most of my clothes fit, and breastfeeding is finally easy as pie. Well, except for the part where I tend to overproduce and Linnea has to try to drink from a fire hose. #goodproblemtohave

This is seriously what happens... source

Linnea is a pretty happy baby, doesn't cry too much and she is easy to soothe when she does. Most of the time. She's even cute when she cries! She wails the hardest when she is overtired, which is great actually because the harder she cries before we get her to sleep the harder she sleeps. She's gaining weight nicely, doesn't spit up too often, and I am constantly amazed at how her breastmilk poos don't stink! She's even started smiling for us, and she rolled over from her tummy to her back twice so far. The little things in life!

Rod Radtke Photo

In the first couple weeks I remember thinking that I was never going to be able to get dressed again, let alone go out and about. A few days postpartum I remember my father-in-law commenting "wow you got dressed!" (For the record, I had been mostly just wearing a robe, not nothing at all.) I still can't believe we came home from the birth center a mere 4 hours after she was born! I definitely felt weak but it sure did feel good to be in our own bed, the three of us all snuggled up together. A hospital surely wouldn't have allowed for such snuggling on that single bed.

How things have changed! We are definitely figuring out our rhythm as a family, though Ross says that Linnea really is the one that runs this family. We function on her time, sleep on her time, etc. But she's so worth it! I'm feeling so much more confident as a mother, and Linnea and I can even nurse and walk at the same time!

Proud Papa

We have also been extremely blessed in these first few weeks, not only by our beautiful, babbling baby girl, but by the love and support from our family. And we loved all our visitors.

Ross' mom spent the first two days home with us and she took care of everything. She was our postpartum nurse essentially (since we didn't have those two days in the hospital) - and I don't know what we would have done without her. She made sure we ate, slept, bathed, and of course that Linnea got lots of cuddle time. She also went grocery shopping for us since we had been planning on going that Friday, but someone made her debut on Wednesday.

Linnea and Grandma

My Grandma Caryl was in town for a wedding and stopped by to meet Linnea when she was 12 hours old!

Great Grandma

Then my Dad and Grandma flew out for a couple days and made sure we were showered with love (and fed as well.) Seriously, making sure we ate meals was the toughest things in those first couple weeks (and still is sometimes!) My Dad was even kind enough to sweep our floors!

Proud new first time Grandpa! 

Four Generations! Great grandma Barb, Grandpa Don, Jenn & Ross and Linnea 

Ross' Cousins Blake and Jenna came over one night and make us pizza from scratch! Blake's bread making skills definitely rival mine. ;)

Blake

Jenna

My Grandparents, sister and Niece came out for 4 days to visit as well! We had lots of fun realizing how not toddler-proof our home is (it's ok, we have time) and we took Linnea on her first outing to the Sea Life Aquarium at the Mall of America. My grandparents also made me my favorite meal of theirs - spaghetti with Italian sausage. Once again, love the meals!

Marissa, Grandma, Me, Renee, Papa and Linnea

Linnea's first ferris wheel

Then my dear friend Krystal came out from Omaha, though she just returned from a year long masters program in Hungary. We hadn't seen each other since my wedding! It was wonderful to have her around, AND she helped us out so much. We hadn't cleaned our house since before Linnea was born (over a month at this point) and Krystal did it all, made us food, and just helped us catch up on all those silly little chores that pile up. I feel so much more relaxed and on top of things now that I don't feel so far behind! We also had a lot of fun, going on walks to Minehaha Falls, napping, and visiting the Como Zoo!

Someone got hungry at the zoo! 

We are blessed beyond measure, and looking forward to sharing our lives with our beautiful little girl.

Rod Radtke Photo 

Adventures in Breastfeeding

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week 2012 - here's my story. 

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And what an adventure it has been! Breastfeeding has been the most physically, mentally and emotionally challenging thing I've ever done. Yes, I had a natural unmedicated childbirth, but this has taken far more endurance, support and encouragement than I could have even imagined. I was very confident going into labor, I trusted my body and knew that it was meant to do this and that biology wouldn't fail me. Breastfeeding, I thought, would have been the same. I was perhaps even a bit idealistic about how it would go, I mean - my birth had been a dream, but it sure was quite a slap in the face with how much I struggled.

First off, even though she was only a week and a half early, pre-term babies have a tougher time sucking. We had latch issues from the get go, she was very lethargic, and within 24 hours my nipples had tiny blood blisters on them and I was so sore when she would wake up to eat I would just start crying. Everyone offered their advice to tell me how painful contractions were, therefore I could mentally prepare for it, but no one told me how painful breastfeeding is if you don't do it right (although I really appreciate my sister stocking me up on nipple cream and a friend reminding me to have it handy.)

Breastfeeding is a 4, perhaps 5 handed task at the beginning. I wouldn't be nursing today if I didn't have Ross by my side holding my boob, adjusting the seven or so pillows, holding her arm as she squirmed and fussed, creating the super baby swaddle (where you swaddle just the arms to allow for continued skin-to-skin contact). He was unwavering in his love and support and was always cheering us girls on. A bit of criticism I got in deciding to breastfeed was that Ross would never be able to feed her (which sharing feedings is really no reason to decide not to breastfeed... you'll probably have to pump and use bottles at some point) - but PLEASE, he was there every feeding making it happen. Emotionally he was my rock, and enabled me to continue to give our daughter an incredible gift of health.

At our 24 hour homevisit with our midwives I got lots of help and coaching and was reminded that we both just have to learn how to do this - and the learning curve is huge. Other than the occasional mother at work and my cousin when I visited her for a weekend, I'd never really seen women breastfeeding. I'd read a book and watched a few videos, but it didn't quite click. At 36 hours I was crying to Ross and while I knew I couldn't give up I knew why so few women actually breastfeed their children - there are so many barriers! Short, often unpaid maternity leave, lack of experience and support, formula companies advertising about how great their overpriced-infant-digestive-and-immune-system-havoc-wreaker concoctions are. I get why so many women give up: it's hard, not instinctive, and society doesn't make it any easier on us.

But I decided that it was important enough to me to persevere, and I was determined to make this work, so we pushed on. We ended up using a nipple shield. It makes it easier for baby to suck and get milk, and protects your nipples. I thought of it like wearing wool-skin in your hiking books to prevent blisters, thought it's temporary, once you form those callouses then you are fine. And it definitely helped, allowed me to nurse my baby pain free after a couple days, she could get all the milk she needed, and we were off and running.

Except that I hated it - it had a bit of a reservoir and milk would leak everywhere (especially when she would bat it off) and it was one more thing to clean, to pack, to make sure we ALWAYS had with us. And I felt hurt by it - that my own breasts and nipples weren't good enough for her. So after our three week appointment my midwife suggested going cold turkey, and that it would be like starting over (it was, and I didn't like it) but that I would be so much happier in the end (I am!).

The whole process was depressing to me - she outright rejected my nipple at first and I felt terrible, like I wasn't good enough, and that I was just a failure. I spent an entire 3 or 4 days where I decided I wasn't going anywhere, doing anything or letting anyone visit until we figured this out. She and I just hung out in bed, didn't get dressed or anything, and just worked on breastfeeding. Sometimes it would take an hour of fussing and crying until she would take the nipple, but then it was 45 minutes, then 30, then she finally realized that I had what she wanted and this was the only way she was going to get it. And boy did I feel like a champ once we got it! Of course my nipples were super sore for about another week and a half, but now they've toughened up and she's a nursing pro. It feels SO good - and I'm finally comfortable heading out into the world with my little one.

Now I LOVE breastfeeding, and am actually enjoying it and all the benefits! We have milk for her ready to go at any moment, at the right temperature, and we don't have to do any extra dishes. I don't even have to get out of bed at night for nighttime feedings, I can just roll her into my side, nurse, and we fall back asleep together. We get so much more sleep!!! I can even walk and nurse at the same time. I'm only 4 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight and fitting into nearly my entire wardrobe and I've been eating whatever I want (my midwife told us that we need 500-800 extra calories everyday while nursing... I'm going to enjoy it!). I'm giving my baby incredible health benefits, aiding in the development of her immune system, and growing her myself. Oh - and it's all FREE.

As I'm reflecting on it now that we've almost made it to the 6-week mark and things are going well I want to share my words of wisdom:

DON'T GIVE UP - especially on a bad day; it gets better.
BUY - Nipple cream and soothing gel pads.
GET SUPPORT - having our midwives on call 24/7 made it possible, a lactation appointment, talking with a La Leche League leader, friends and family offering their love and prayers, and an incredible husband/partner to help you through those tough times. Don't wait to ask for help.
ATTEND - a La Leche League meeting while pregnant or after and watch other women breastfeed. It's not creepy, trust me, and the mother-to-mother support is incredible.
READ - as much as you can beforehand when you have more time. Get The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding and keep it by your side.
LOVE - the beautiful bond that you have with your little one. I love that I'm the only one who can nurse her, it means I get dedicated time with her that no one else can take away from me.

I know that for some there are significant medical barriers to breastfeeding, but I really believe every woman is capable just as our ancestors have been for millennia, and I just hope my story offers a bit of hope and support out there for you if you are trying to make it work. You can do it! Your body was made to produce milk!

Breast milk is the best milk!

Tie-Dye & Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs

When my sister passed along a TON of plain white onsies, I knew instantly that they wouldn't stay white for long. Not because of stains from baby vomit or other bodily fluids... but from tie-dye!!! Therefore, Ross and I decided to throw a little tie-dye party to help us make them all. 

So I made some summer treats.

Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs 

Ingredients: 

1 pound organic strawberries 

1 large Angel Food Cake

1 bag marshmallows (we used vegan Dandies) 

Almond Bark or other melt-able chocolate 

Bamboo skewers 

Directions: 

Slice the green blossom off the strawberries and cut into bite size pieces if needed, the rinse thoroughly. 

Cut the angel food cake into bite size pieces. 

Assemble your kabobs - skewer the strawberries, cake and marshmallows in the pattern of your choice. 

Then melt the chocolate according to the directions on the package and drizzle on top of the kabobs. 

Let cool and enjoy! It's really that simple, and the result is delicious! 

Invited over some friends and family.

Some friends came all the way from Alaska - so happy to see Michelle from The Runner's Plate and her sister Kristy! 

And we dyed some onsies!!! It's really quite simple - pick up a pack of dye from your local craft store (like this one) and follow the directions. The great thing about it is that you really can't mess it up - just tie the shirts with the rubber bands and dye away! 

The results were beautiful! 

I can't wait to dress our little one in these! 

Cloth Diapering

My Mother-in-Law found a little gem in Blaine called All Things Diapers - and was a treasure it has been! They are a great local business, answered all our questions (and believe me, we had a TON) and got us all set up for cloth diapering. They even have great workshops and education events as well.

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Why on earth use cloth diapers?!?!?! Because we're crazy. Crazy broke and crazy in love with the earth. And disposable diapers are just that... disposable. They go right into landfills and don't biodegrade (even biodegradable diapers don't because the conditions in landfills are not conducive to it). Solid waste then goes into trash cans instead of into the sewer system.  

To be honest though, it's not really an all-or-nothing thing for us. For instance, we really won't start using cloth until she grows out of newborn size (I didn't want to buy cloth newborn diapers for what would be such a short time, so we'll use disposable for a short while. Plus it'll be just a little bit easier in the first few weeks that I'm sure will be crazy enough anyway.) And I'm definitely using disposables when we travel/camp - it just doesn't make sense - how on earth would I wash them? 

AND... it's a heck of a lot cheaper. Thanks to wonderful family and friends, we have only spent $9 towards getting our cloth diapering system ready. But even if we hadn't been gifted so much it still would have cost only about $200 for everything on this page. Disposable diapers cost about $1000 a year. So add in a little extra laundry detergent and a little extra on the utility bill... the cost savings is just incredible. 

The Basics: Cloth Diapers 

Initially when I started researching cloth diapers and read a bunch of blogs it seemed like all-in-one diapers like the Bumgenius were the best - they were cute, convenient, and so highly recommended that we thought that was for sure the way to go. After going into All Things Diapers and getting a little tutorial and looking at our options, however, we decided that the classic pre-fold route was not only cheaper (by more than half) but the process was more appealing to us. I think what it comes down to are which companies are getting bloggers to write about them... and it had me convinced. Ross and I are pretty happy with what we decided to try out - and will definitely let you know if we are still happy with it after! 

So we have the pre-folds, which are just an absorbent cotton diaper worn against the skin. 

Then of course you need the waterproof outer diaper! You need 1 cover for every 4-5 diaper changes, which of course will vary as they get older. We got four from Thirsties -  their duo diaper. They ran $12.95 ($1 more for prints) in the store. We got 3 with snaps and one with Velcro - I personally feel like the snaps are more durable, but thought we could try out the Velcro as well. Who knows what we will really like. Great thing is we can return/exchange everything!!! 

I like that the Thirsties come in a size one and a size two - so you should only need two sizes until potty training as opposed to ones sizes in newborn, s, m, l, xl. They get a bit better fit than one size, but are still very adjustable. 

This one was on consignment for $6 so we decided to try it - a Bummis size small. (That's another great thing - they have a used/consignment section!)

These next two are one size and adjustable - we have them snapped to the smallest right now (I should have taken pictures with them unsnapped). This is a Rump*a*rooz cover. 

And these two are Econobums which were by far the best deal at only $8.95, and we definitely wanted a couple plain white to go under certain outfits. As cute as the colors and prints are, we thought they might show through some clothing and having plain colors would be nice.  

The Accessories 

No more pins!!! For which I was relieved. The are called Snappi Diaper Fasteners and work the same way that those little metal clips on an elastic bandage would. 

Something awesome that my soon-to-be cousin-in-law (1 week til her wedding!!!!) Jenna found were these flush-able, biodegradable diaper liners from OsoCosy. The line the pre-folds so that solid waste easily goes right where it should - down the toilet. Makes for easier clean up and as my sis-in-law said, she would be much more willing to work with cloth diapers if should could use these liners. A pack of 100 cost $8. Not sure if these will be a permanent part of our system, but maybe! Makes for a nice hybrid between cloth and disposable. 

These are flannel wipes from Osocozy - instead of buying wipes! You just wet them with warm water and use one every diaper change. Toss them in with the diapers when you are ready to wash and you're good to go! These were also a great deal - $6.50 for 15. 

Cleaning 

Seems like it could be the worst part right? Eh... shouldn't be too bad. 

My dear friend Krystal sent us this beauty (along with a few diapers and such) - a hand held diaper sprayer (among other things)! It just attaches to the toilet and when you wish to use it you pull the lever and have a high powered stream of water to use to rinse soiled diapers and put solid waste directly into the toilet. 

Also we got two diaper pail liners (large) to keep diapers in between washes (recommended is every 36-48 hours) and a small wet bag to use if we are out and about. Both are cloth, waterproof, and go right into the wash with the diapers. I imagine we may need to pick up another small travel one, but we'll see how it all goes. 

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Many brands of cloth diapers make their own laundry detergent, but really you just need something that is additive free like Seventh Generation Free & Clear. Plus you can find this brand at Target or the like - which is much easier than worrying about ordering it from a website.

 For washing you just use a hot wash, cold rinse, extra rinse perhaps, and it's best to line dry in the sun (will remove the most stains) but tumble dry is fine in the winter. 

Practicing 

You can see the use of the Snappi here. 

Then we tried a couple covers on our Slumber Buddy Frog. This one Ross did... and then he ran away when I grabbed the camera. Oh well. 

Looks like Froggy is giving us a thumbs up! 

Any tips or advice for using cloth diapers? 

The Nursery

Getting ready for baby... 

We were so excited when we found our duplex because the smaller bedroom was already painted green! It really didn't take too long for the nursery to come together, and I love how it turned out! 

A couple things in this photo that I'm excited about include the little frog on the top of the cube wire shelf - a slumber buddy! It plays white noise and shines stars all over the ceiling. I also love the color the fabric storage boxes add - they are full of books, bibs, toys and one is empty! 

The dresser/changing table is awesome and gives us a lot more storage. The top drawer is full is butt paste, diaper rash cream, baby sunscreen, and all sorts of things. The other two drawers are full of blankets, extra crib sheets and the like. We've also got a cloth diapering system in the works though it is not complete, and I'll talk about this more and share how it all goes for us as well. 

I LOVE the big leaf canopy from IKEA as well as the hanging mobile of bugs. The decals for the wall came from Target and are just adorable, and they really add some color and character to the room. 

This is a poster I bought while I was in college and decided that right above the changing table was the perfect place for it, and that it fit the theme of the room so well. The poster is a shortened version of the poem, and I think the advice is sound for a little one who is growing and all of us. 

Advice from a Tree

by Ilan Shamir

Dear Friend,
Stand Tall and Proud 
Sink your roots deeply into the Earth
Reflect the light of a greater source
Think long term
Go out on a limb
Remember your place among all living beings
Embrace with joy the changing seasons
For each yields its own abundance
The Energy and Birth of Spring
The Growth and Contentment of Summer
The Wisdom to let go of leaves in the Fall
The Rest and Quiet Renewal of Winter
And delight in their presence
Look up at the moon that shines down upon you
And the mystery of the stars at night.
Seek nourishment from the good things in life
Simple pleasures
Earth, fresh air, light
Drink plenty of water
Let your limbs sway and dance in the breezes
Be flexible
Remember your roots

Feel the wind and the sun 
Be content with your natural beauty 
Enjoy the view!

This rug was also an IKEA purchase and one of my most favorite things in the room. I can't wait to see our little girl crawling on the rug and how it might spark her imagination as she grows! 

The wall decals are from Target, we only $12 and really gave the room some character. At first Ross and I poured over nursery sets and couldn't decide on a perfect one, but in the end I realized that getting a matching set is not only super expensive, but it's not as much fun as just letting some pieces inspire you. 

Plus the homemade quilts and other gifts make it so much more unique - like this quilt my dear college roommate Megs made, or the teething caterpillar my friend Hayley picked up at the Fremont Market. 

For a while we were worried that the room was too green and bland, so we decided to hang this quilt that my Great Aunt made - cute and pink with butterflies. 

The close is full of all kinds of goodies! I love this hanging organizer, and it was fun to wash and organize all kinds of tiny little onsies and dresses. Also got a Pack'n'Play!

Some things we decided to buy with Baby Shower gift cards include a Boppy and a Bumbo. 

All kinds of goodies for breastfeeding - a pump, bottles, tubes, and lots of storage bags. 

My dad got us an Ergo Baby Carrier which we are very excited to have! It will be perfect for our hiking and outdoorsy adventures. We also got a Moby Wrap which we spent some time last night practicing how to tie. I'm excited to get to try it with her outside of my belly! The amount of fabric that the Moby Wrap has was definitely intimidating, but after practicing tying I decided it's not that bad at all! Just like learning new knots for rock climbing. The Moby is definitely a better choice for us that the Baby K-tan (which is essentially the same kind of wrap but pre-sized) because the Moby is adjustable and both Ross and I can use it. No point in spending the money to buy two! I can't wait to try them out and let you know what I think.