Being Productive with a New Baby

Here's a list of my accomplishments over the course of the past week:

• Slept
• Nursed the baby 10-14 times per day
• Changed oodles of diapers
• Mastered the art of swaddling

I haven't cooked a meal or washed a dish since coming home from the hospital over a week ago. 

I have, however, learned to say the phrase "Thanks, we'd love that" instead of "no thanks, we're fine."  When someone offers to bring dinner, or when a kind friend offered to bring lunch over one day, it has been tempting to be polite and say "no thanks."  But over the past week, I've chosen to say thanks instead, and appreciate the help and kindness.

I remember talking with a woman from China shortly after I'd had my first child.  She said that in China, a woman is like a queen for months after she has her baby.  All relatives and villagers help out and make sure she doesn't do anything but rest and care for her baby during that time.  I know that the queen mentality stems from their policy of limiting family sizes in China, but even so, it sure sounds nice to me. 

While I haven't necessarily been a queen for the past week, I've gotten a chance to really recover after surgery and get the rest I need to adequately care for my child.  I've stayed in my pajamas every day, except to go to the doctor last week.  Several older, wiser moms, including my own mother, have told me that the only things I should do for a while is nurse and rest.  There will be time for cleaning & cooking later.  I get to cuddle with my baby now.  And I think I'll do just that.