What week

4th week postpartum but this week she is 3 weeks old and will turn 4 weeks old the day this is posted. The mathematics of this tripped me up a little but I’ve now I’ve reconciled it in my head haha!

How big is baby

10lbs! Or 4.57kg. She has really packed it on. My midwife was very impressed with her weight gain. She is getting very tubby and squishy, with a very impressive double chin!

What’s something new this week

Tons of smiles and a few little laughs. You have to work for it since she’s still so young but when she dishes them out, they’re heart melting. I’ve also been getting a couple of really nice long sleeps, but of course, the first night Mark is home she is back to waking more frequently and has a gassy tummy, after I’ve been boasting about my sleep filled evenings to him!

Most challenging moment

I took the kids out on my own into the city the night before Mark came home, and I felt really accomplished being able to wrangle them all easily. Ahhh I’ve got this down, I thought.. The bugaboo was a godsend, Poet in the bassinet, Forest in the toddler seat and Bodhi on the skateboard. We cruised through the city, got some boba tea, went to the toy shop to get some “treasures,” and then headed down to a food court to eat dinner as the sun was setting before going back to the car. I was feeling on top of my game juggling them all, everyone in good spirits, smiling at passers by “you’ve got your hands full!” I was quite feeling myself until I got to the car park...

Poet started scream crying as I was trying to get the boys in their seat, then just as I’ve strapped Forest in, he decides he needs to pee NOW (signature Forest move). Poet wouldn’t stop crying unless I held her, I scooped her up in one hand and tried strapping Bodhi in with the other. I then quickly put her down in the pram (I got about 15 seconds before she started crying again) unstrapped Forest, who was dancing around trying not to wet himself, grabbed one of Poets spare nappies since I couldn’t get them all to the toilet quick enough before he would’ve wet himself, had him wee into the nappy (still proud of this quick thinking decision), discarded the nappy in the boot (which I forgot about until the next day), grabbed a crying Poet again, re-wrangled Forest back into his car seat, who had by this time already jumped in the drivers seat and was beeping the horn, “I’m a truck driver!”. With two children finally in their seats, I sat in the passenger side to nurse Poet (it’s all she wanted). She quickly falls asleep, I strapped her into the car seat to a symphony of complaints; “why haven’t we left yet?!”, “What’s taking so long?!?” And “I need water!”, so I start folding up the pram but the button gets wedged and I can’t get the pram into the back seat, FIFTEEN minutes of messing with it and it finally relents (I’m sure I was doing something wrong!). I shove it in the back of the car, wipe the sweat off my face (a cold instant sweat that started with the words “I need to pee!”) and I drive off only to find that I need to pay another $7 on my parking ticket before exiting for taking too long to leave the car park! Oh, and it’s not accepting my credit card...wahooooo!! and yes, I still want more children.

Favourite moments

Strange to say that the above was one of my highlights? I know I’ve said it before, but those chaotic moments in parenting where you really feel like you’re in the trenches are some of my favourite moments. Once the sweat dried I actually drove home giggling about the absurdity and the hilarity of it all. These little people and the waves that they bring! I should be so lucky to be around such colourful people with all their opinions, thoughts and choices that sometimes make my life feel so hectic and wild, but also makes my life so full, vibrant and enriched. I’m grateful for all of it. I’m just lapping up all these moments and enjoying the memories we are making together. It really goes so fast and I know how lucky I am to get to be a parent and to have happy and healthy kids.

Mama time

Not a ton of time without one of the kids right now as Bodhi got back from New York and I’ve had the three to myself, so there’s been lots of juggling. I’ve definitely had moments after the boys are at school and ELC to grab a smoothie, listen to a podcast and have some time with just Poet and I. It’s felt very manageable and although sleep is quite interrupted, I’m not feeling too bad. I’ve also been catching up with friends and their kids and when the kids run off and play together, I get to have some great moments of connection with my friends, which has really served the soul.

My body

Aside from some pretty dark bags under my eyes (that by the way Poet has inherited, she has my same eyes!), I’m feeling back to my old self again, with a softer body! I’m still bleeding a little but that’s it. I’m starting to work out again and one of my closest mates James Duigan is going to start training me. He trained Daisy Ridley for Star Wars and has offered to do the same kind of routine with me but adapted for postpartum. I’m definitely feeling ready to get back into some light exercise, so I’ll see how it all goes.

What am I eating

I’ve been having some vegan pizzas, salads, tons of kombuchas, Lovewell smoothies, lots of fruit and popcorn as a snack. Chia seed puddings, green juices and vegan waffles with coconut cream from Sukha Life (my new favourite place in Adelaide). My appetite is coming back and I’m feeling pretty hungry a lot of the time!

*Poet getting her passport picture taken!*

What’s working

We seem to be in a natural flow right now. I’ve really talked to Bodhi about how he the biggest guy now and ways in which he can be helpful when I have the three of them on my own. This past weekend when I was on my own with them we had 2 birthday parties and a circus class, plus I took them to the BMX track to ride bikes. For me, it’s just about being organised, having the pram in the car, the day bag packed the night before and always having a carrier handy. I make sure I have breastfeeding friendly clothes on to keep Poet happy so I’m able to feed on demand and on the go when we are out and about and I’m wrangling the others. Bodhi has been really helpful. I can ask him to hold Poet if I need to help Forest do a nature pee or set him up with food, etc.

The boys just love her, there’s no jealousy at all. Forest has made up a song that he sings to her “sissy is AAAAMAAAZING!!” It’s just so sweet. Their love for each other really warms my heart and has made the transition from 2-3 much easier than I anticipated.

Checking In

My sweet GIRL Poet, I’m still not yet used to saying girl. Poor thing has been called a “he” so much! She’s wearing a lot of the boys hand me downs so often strangers want to peer at my “gorgeous little boy” ha! Poet and I are getting such beautiful daughter and mama time each night from about 8 -10pm when we fall asleep. It’s just such cherished time together. The boys are asleep and we sit on the bed with the lights dimmed and smile at each other, nurse, I give her a light touch massage and lots of eye contact and chats. It when I get the most little smiles. Sometimes the eye contact feels so profound and deeply connected, it’s so powerful and moving. I love seeing her work it all out and discover her surroundings.

Week 4 Post Partum Vlog by Teresa Palmer