Re-Entering the Real World

I did it! I made it through my first post-pregnancy social event. I had a bridal shower to go to and it was the first time I've left Baby alone with anyone for more than an hour. I started having anxiety last night while thinking about the things I had to do to get ready and leave the house for the shower. And after freaking out the last time I was supposed to have plans to go somewhere, I thought for sure I was going to back out at the last minute. This morning when I woke up I started doing what I had to do, I ran into a poop detour, but once I set my mind to get in the shower and get ready I was ok. I'm so happy that I did it. It sounds so dumb, but it was an obstacle. I was really starting to think that I'd become institutionalized by being at home with Baby all the time...like I couldn't function in the real world, having to be in a certain place at a certain time. Now I feel much better about it though.

Another thing is that its hard to leave your baby for the first time, especially after you've been with her 24-7 for the past 7 weeks. I'm sure any mother would agree with that. I wasn't even leaving her with a baby sitter. It was with her own Dad! But even that was hard. He's never been alone with her for more than 45 minutes. I was afraid she'd cry and he wouldn't know what to do and that can be so frustrating and tiring. Not only that but it was also her first time drinking from a bottle. I've been breastfeeding exclusively this whole time. Its important to me that she only drinks breastmilk so I had to pump, and that was a first as well. (And an experience I am not fond of at all!) Yesterday was the only chance I had to try pumping and I didn't even have a chance to try feeding her the bottle. We were just hoping she would take it today. Luckily she had no problem with it. We were pretty confident about that one though. We figured once she started sucking and realized there was milk coming out, she wouldn't refuse. She's such a good baby. We're really lucky.