Jane is 6 weeks old today. Life is good. She’s still fairly temperamental, but has gotten noticeably better in the past week or so. She started smiling and is just so much more interactive – the times when she’s awake and happy are longer and longer and she seems to love being around new people. Her baby acne is getting better too!
Yay, cleavage AND a happy baby!
Nonni & Jane
We went for our first walk last weekend, the snow is almost gone despite it being the (5th?) snowiest winter on record in Minneapolis. (Ha it’s still early April though, we’ll probably get more…)
She cried for the first two blocks and I was so afraid, because I love taking walks, but then she was great for the next hour.
First walk!
I can’t imagine going back to work right now, it feels like we’re just starting to get the hang of everything. It seems so wrong that some women have to go back full time after 6, or at the most 12 weeks. Our whole outlook on maternity leave in this country is just shameful, it makes me want to protest for better laws, laws like most other countries that give moms at least 6 months.
I still haven’t had the “can I go part time” conversation with my boss. I guess I need to get around to doing that in the next couple weeks… wish me luck.
Random Baby Question: How many wipes do you use for a poopy diaper? I use like three and think I need to work on my efficiency. We’re still using regular Target brand wipes and disposable diapers, I have cloth of both but haven’t gotten around to figuring out that system yet!
K
Frugal Vegan Mom 
I’m a terrible over-wipe-user, which is extra ridiculous since I mostly cloth diaper. I’ve tried using just cloth wipes, but I tend to find the store-bought ones easier. I do, however, think they are not as good for sensitive baby skin, even if you do buy the ones w/o added perfumes & stuff. Anyway. Not a helpful comment, but just sharing that I need to work on my efficiency, too!
Too cute, love the pics! Happy 6 weeks baby Jane!
Oh, so cute! You’re brave to venture out in the cold cold! I’m complaining here and it’s not half as cold as there.
I have always used a ton of wipes. I suppose I could be more efficient, but it’s poo we’re talking about. My favorites are from Costco. Very large, nice and soft.
Now I know who the brainy one is, I’ll keep loiokng for your posts.
I too like the Costco wipes (and their diapers). I rate Costco first, followed by Target and trailed by WalMart. In case you wanted my opinion on store-brand diapers. 🙂 I used Bum Genius and Bumkin cloth diapers with my little guy for a year and those worked well.
I felt the same way at 6 weeks. I got to take 6 months with my first and then go back part time, which really was ideal. Hopefully you have a open minded boss.
Try using a clean area of the dirty diaper to get more poop off before you use wipes. Works for sposies and cloth diapers.
I like using cloth everything but lately we are slipping. Have sposie wipes for serious diapers and now only using cloth during the day. Not beating myself up about it too much – Henry is 17 months and we’ve used cloth since he was 2 weeks old.
I generally use 1 wipe per diaper. But, I also use the edge of the fleece cloth diaper liner to do the first wiping. So, the wipe is kind of the second wipedown and most of the mess is already gone.
She is so beautiful!!! =D
And I hear ya. Seth, after taxes, brings home about $32k a year. Which for our area, is not much. And we struggle a lot. But, I refuse to put Liam in daycare just so I can go back to work. By the time we factor in child care costs, transportation costs, more household expenses (definitely more eating out or take out meals, convenience foods, etc.) it’s totally not worth it. Not to mention the added stress, and the time I’d miss by someone else raising my kid. I’d rather do without extras that have his active time be spent with someone else. My plan right now is to do per diem overnight care at a group home when I wrap up this last class. On the occasional times that I do that, my friend will babysit Liam so I can get a few hours of sleep during the day. But that’s pretty much the extent of what I’m ok with doing.
When she was first born, I thought she looked more like Nathan. But as she gets less squishy, she’s looking a lot more like you. 🙂
Alright, Costco wipes are on my list! My M.I.L. has a membership and has gotten us diapers there before.
It’s funny to try and decipher who she looks like, because Nathan and I have gotten lots of comments in the past about how much we look like each other, so I suppose either way she’ll look like both of us!
By the time Jane’s 1 you’ll have it down to one cloth wipe. We fold it in quarters, spray one part and wipe, fold in half and spray/wipe again, and then if he needs it we turn the thing inside out and do it again. You’ll get lots of practice 😉
I was lucky enough to take 5 years off to have two kids but by the time I went back to work I lost all my social skills, couldn’t make a grown up decision and completely unravelled financially.
Add me to the Costco wipe fan list. I’m very efficient — 1 or 2 wipes, unless it’s really bad. My husband uses tons and it drives me crazy.
Jane is adorable!
Jane is absolutely beautiful 🙂
[…] While lactation is not a function of breast size, it is commonly observed that mothers with a new baby usually have fuller, heavier breasts than those whose children are already grown. This is called the “post-baby cleavage” (image from The Frugal Vegan Mom blog). […]