our first 2 weeks with Liesel

We are 2 weeks into parenthood! These last days are packed so full of memories, her lifetime's worth of happenings. The transition is going so well. We've had joy beyond compare at our highest, balanced by the normal physical trials of a newborn's body settling into independent life and my slow healing process. 

We had to stay at the hospital a day and night longer than expected, which was hard because I just couldn't sleep there, and I was so tired after my long labor. Liesel had to get a blood culture taken during her first day because my water was broken for almost 24 hours before her delivery. She initially had an elevated white blood cell count and then dropped 8% of her total body weight. We had trouble breastfeeding through the colostrum days, which didn't help her gain any of that back at first.

During one battle of breastfeeding attempts, the nurses helped me try to pump and we realized my supply was down to zero...and Liesel was starving. Any preconceived ideas I had about formula flew out the window instantaneously. We supplemented as much as she needed until I had enough milk for her.

Finally on the third day we headed home under the follow-up supervision of our awesome new Pediatrician and started settling in. My mom is here with us and she has helped in extraordinary ways with keeping up our household, loving on Liesel, and helping me heal.

Before she arrived, I had some trepidation about life as a parent. Did we wait long enough to enter into this? Were we ready? Could I handle the exhaustion and stress of being solely responsible for the well-being of a helpless baby? Before she was born, it had probably been about ten years since I'd changed a diaper. I knew I was clueless.

But I've figured out that changing diapers isn't that hard and being up at night isn't that bad when it's for my baby and she's hungry and needs me to feed her. I haven't really thought about all those other fears since bringing her home. We are so in love, and love covers over all the unknowns.

I am so happy. Whenever I get a quiet moment alone with my Liesel, my heart just swells up and overflows with thanksgiving that she's here, I'm not pregnant anymore, she's healthy, and we actually get to keep her, keep loving her, and watch her grow.

More on her birth story and pictures is coming soon :)