Pet Hates for the First Three Months of Life

Pet Hates for the First Three Months of Life

This post could also be called the 'Oh no no no' post.

I am finding that there is a lot of what I like to call 'balance', in motherhood. Lots of learning to take the pros with the 'a bit tricky', a mix of great days and 'not-so-great' days, and the inevitable 'happy feelings' days and the 'all-in-your-feelings'* kind of days too.

This post is dedicated to those things that I have to do relatively frequently, that I do not look forward to. This is all very personal and may even change in the next few weeks or so. Also, somehow I feel the need to clarify that Coco makes it ALL ok with her lovely, smiley self!

But for now here it is:

Trimming baby nails
Babies' nails seem to grow so long and sharp too. Even now Coco has a little nick on her face from where she cut herself with her sharp nails. I know she did them to herself because my nails are short short and sometimes when she does dig her nails into my skin, it hurts.

I try to cut them every two weeks, but often wait till its absolutely necessary. I think it's a fear of cutting into her skin and hurting her, combined with the attention-to-detail required to get those nails off (just the nail bit and nothing else).

Night time diaper changes
First there's the the variables involved:

• warm water, cotton wool pads, barrier cream/oil - to be readied, 
• slightly brighter light, but not too bright - turned on
• bag or bin for the old diaper  - correctly identified

All of this being co-ordinated while you're half asleep, can begin to feel like a mission to go to mars.

Then, theres the waking the baby part. Yes, she may be awake from wanting to nurse, but I find once you take off a layer of clothing a new level of awakeness sets in, the kind that does not rush off back to sleep again too quickly.

Leaky poo 
Usually running down baby's leg or up her back. It's the scene thats left in their wake that makes this one a pain. Her clothes, my bottoms, change mat, my socks, diaper  - all dirtied and one very happy baby who is ready to play, preferably in my arms, while I stare over my shoulders at the scene of the crime, wondering how soon I can return to make everything nice and tidy again (I abhor mess).

Cleaning & sterilising feeding bottles
I use bottles when I express, and the Dr Brown ones which are great for preventing air being sucked in by your baby, have worked best for us. They're truly great as they don't leak either, but they do come with two additional parts compared to your conventional bottle. I am going to come clean (pun intended) and say it's not the number of parts to be washed that is the problem, just bottle washing and sterilising, in general. I loathe the whole process. I think this may be because I have the breastfeeding option and use it most often and so conveniently too. [While we're on the topic, I love this reminder on NOT cleaning your breast by Medela.] Im going to have to say this pet hate is purely psychological. In fact, isn't the entire list?

That's my current list of pet hates/pet peeves and I'm not ashamed of it.
(ok I am a little bit, every bit of motherhood is off course a blessing, but you know what, I try to loathe them for a very very short time only when I am in that moment).


*Phrase borrowed from Tamar Braxton of Braxton Family Values. Reality TV is my weakness.

Pet Hates for the First Three Months of Life