Babymoon

Many veteran parents have told us that this time - about a week after birth - is considered the "Babymoon" period when newborns typically "sleep like a baby" all the time, only waking to tell us when they need a diaper change or is hungry.

Well, so far, this description has been pretty accurate. My C-section incision continues to heal and Baby Maxity continues to grow and grow every day. One of my long-time girlfriends, Beth, a vet mom of two little girls, told me that everyday brings changes and new experiences.

How right she is.

The B and I are slowly adjusting to parenthood and are really enjoying it. I love nursing Baby Max and then looking - actually staring at him - in wonder after.

Did I really bring this little guy into this world?
I still can't believe it.

He's such a cuddly baby and loves to be held. Also, lucky for me, or at least for now, he seems to be a relatively calm baby who likes to eat and sleep. So far this week, I've mustered a few days of sleeping six hours a night - once interrupted by a diaper change and a feeding. And since Baby Max has already surpassed his birth weight of 8.02 lbs., I've been fortunate enough to let him sleep as long as he wants and can typically get 3 to 3.5 hours of sleep in a stretch.

I'm not complaining. I've heard the horror stories of other parents who have to stay up all night feeding and soothing.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he stays like this, but according the experts, he apparently may get a lot fussier as he approaches six weeks.

Oh boy. I'll have to adapt.

Obviously, with the C-section, I have to take it easy. And I am. But The B and I have made an attempt to get out and at least walk everyday since we've been home. I never thought I'd like walking around, but at this stage in the game, I'm pretty game!

I also don't want to rush it. Last summer I bumped into another runner at a local race who had a baby a few months earlier. This was no ordinary runner. She was an age grouper who typically won races for her age group or came pretty close. She's a Boston Qualifier many times over, so when she gave me advice for postpartum exercise, I listened.

"Whatever you do, take it easy postpartum," she said. "Don't rush it. I did and paid. I ended up with a stress fracture."

She's not the only one. I remember reading about Paula Radcliffe's postpartum return to running. Yes, she won the New York City Marathon short of a year after Baby Isla was born, but she admitted that she may have pushed it too hard, too soon after having the baby because she was sidelined for a period with an injury.

So I'll follow a slow course of recovery and at this time, will have to exercise extreme discipline and patience as I listen to my midwives and the doctors who've all told me to slow down.