The newborn days, though amazing as they are, are challenging even with our third baby. We’re all adjusting to a baby again in the home and a brand new dynamic in the family. I’m partnering with BabyNes and their feeding system to talk about what the newborn days have been like around here if you’d like to take a peek inside our lives lately…

Family newborn days photos are by photographer Rachel Thurston 

I was scheduled for an early induction at 38 weeks due to a pregnancy related liver issue called cholestasis. Two days before my induction I was already dilated to a 5 and the doctor warned that I could possibly go into labor really soon, and if I did it could progress really fast! The next morning, the day before my induction date, I had my first contraction and my water broke.  Two and a half hours later Dot was born! Wowzers! It was really quick and very intense. I was feeling lucky that I had gotten a good nights sleep the night before and didn’t have to spend days in early labor or pushing.

Bringing a new baby home is always intense. At the hospital they’re so overly involved and then they just let you go home with very little instruction! Scary and overwhelming, even the third time around!

Adjusting to three has been harder for me than adjusting to two. Three kids is pretty intense, and we were barely feeling moved into our new home. Edie’s at a very demanding age as well so it’s a real challenge with two littles ones, plus an older child who has very different needs than the other two. It’s full on parenting for sure! I used to work in the evenings but now I find myself permanently glued to the couch. More than ever I need serious relaxing time and brainless tv.

Those first few weeks I spent much of the time in bed with Dot. You feed them and then they fall asleep in an awkward position on you and you’re so scared to move even a muscle for fear of waking them up! So that’s where I’d be most of the day: in bed with Dot, ordering Jared and the kids around to fetch me water or snacks and trying to stay comfortable. Just finding time to shower and get dressed was an ordeal it seems like (still is!).

From day one of Dot being home, Edie has been fascinated by everything the new baby does and is a great little helper. She’s always had an obsession with baby dolls and we’ve practiced putting on and changing diapers and clothing before Dot was born. It was easy to get her involved with the baby from nursing to diaper changing and bathing- she loves watching all of it. Although it’s still been a big adjustment for her as she’s had less of our attention. One thing that was hard this time was that I still wasn’t supposed to be lifting anything heavy postpartum.  Which meant I could hold Dot, but not Edie and that felt unfair to her. So I would snuggle with Edie a lot in bed and Jared would hold her standing up if she needed to be carried or some extra attention (she’ll choose Jared over me anyway).

Everyone said Edie would seem so huge when Dot was born. And that was true, for sure. But what I didn’t expect was how different the dynamic would be. It really seemed like she grew up over night: talking more, attention seeking, and being a helpful older sister. She went from our baby to our big girl! It’s been really bittersweet to me but I’ve loved seeing her personality develop. She’s become such an animated and lively 2 yr old, and being the middle child now I think just makes her personality stand out even more. We all sit and laugh at her antics:  she’s definitely the most entertaining one in the family.

Edie’s really into watching me nurse Dot and is especially fascinated by the breast pump (really though, aren’t we all? Such a crazy gadget!). The other day I saw her trying to pump milk out of her own breasts. Of course in the time it took me to try to grab a phone to document it, she had already given up (always!). For the most part Edie’s very soft and sweet with Dot and knows how to gently touch her. Although I always find myself saying, “not her eyes or mouth”.  She loves holding her on our bed and gives her kisses when she’s done.

When Edie was born Henry was 6 years old, which is old enough to help but not really old enough to be a very responsible helper. Now though, at 8 years old, I can hand him Dot on the couch while I’m making dinner and he knows just what to do and how to hold her. It doesn’t stress him out too much if she starts getting fussy and he loves being her bodyguard, protecting her from the poking and prodding fingers of her older sister. I’ve showed him a couple different ways to hold Dot and move her around and he’s really done a great job at it.

I’m really proud of how much he’s grown up the last couple of years. He can also push her in the stroller if I need to be dealing with a tantrum of Edie’s while we’re out and about. It’s so nice to have a real helper that is responsible and loving, and takes his job as a big brother and protector seriously.

Even though I’m back to work and don’t spend nearly as much time snuggling with Dot in bed, I still try to take off the later afternoons and evenings from work. Dot tends to get fussy in the evenings so preparing dinner is sometimes a huge challenge and days that Jared works out of the home I sometimes have to wait for him to come home to even start dinner prep.

I remember with Edie driving around trying to get her to stop crying- sometimes there’s not much you can do but just hold them for long periods of time. Even when they’re screaming, it’s not the worst thing in the world.

We’re trying to savor all these fleeting, precious moments and I feel lucky to have them this wonderful crew to share them with. We really do feel like a crowd now! This season in my life is challenging for sure, but I wouldn’t change a thing about the newborn days.

Thanks again to Gerber feeding system, BabyNes, for sponsoring this post and celebrating all mothers on their feeding journeys. Gerber agrees that breastfeeding is the very best for baby, but sometimes it’s not a viable option. BabyNes is the most advanced alternative with six different stages of formula for each stage of development. You can get $50 off your BabyNes machine by using code SMARTNUTRITION  at checkout on babynes.com. Valid through 6/30. They also offer 90 days money back guarantee so you can try out the feeding system risk free.