Calm after storm – First summer week with Maia

After three challenging weeks we suddenly had the best week of my maternity leave so far! They do say “it’s the darkest before dawn” and that seems to be true! 🙂 Winter was very long this year and even the beginning of April was pretty miserable in London. Add to that a baby struggling with one challenge after another (a big mental developmental leap, four-month vaccinations, a cold, two trips away, etc) and very little sleep for mummy… Quite a combination, is all I’m saying. But as if the universe finally decided to give me a break – last week was amazing!

Most importantly, Maia got over her cold and whatever else was bothering her and started sleeping again. Seriously, nothing makes life as miserable as severe sleep deprivation because you just don’t get a chance to recover so it’s a downward spiral. We woke up just once or twice on most nights last week which felt heavenly! When I have more energy I can deal better with whatever gets thrown on my way during the day. And when Maia is having a good day, I can really enjoy it!

In addition to sleeping again, the winter would finally seem to be over! I had barely packed away Maia’s winter suit before desperately trying to find summer clothes small enough for her as the temperature suddenly rose to +28 degrees. It was warm and sunny all week and we were outside everyday meeting up with friends in parks, eating ice cream and strawberries – so lovely! Life is much better in the summer, isn’t it?

I went for long walks with Maia everyday – average steps per day were 15 000 and during the weekend alone we walked over 30km! I also did my resistance workouts outdoors with Maia on a blanket next to me with her toys. She enjoyed being outside but barely had any naps in the pram which used to be a given. Nor did she really want to be in the pram when awake which is why most of the time I ended up carrying her in the sling and pushing it empty which was quite a workout for me…

By Saturday I had had enough of it and I decided it was time to convert her pram to a pushchair (facing me). Maia is nearly five months (20 weeks) old now and can sit up with support. I was still a bit hesitant because the official guidelines suggest moving to a pushchair at six months but when I transformed our Joolz pram, I was pleased to discover it reclines all the way horizontally! Maia is much happier in it now because she can see out and my back is spared. She has also slept in it which is great! It’s nice to be outside all day when the weather is beautiful but I couldn’t have continued doing that if Maia can’t nap on the go as she still needs a few hours of sleep during the day. In case you wonder why no nap is a problem, I can tell you it leads to situations which make you wish you never left the house! E.g. a complete meltdown on a busy train…

During the winter when I was hibernating indoors with my newborn, I was looking forward to the summer imagining picnics with our mum and baby friends and it has been just as lovely as I pictured! Maia loved rolling on the picnic blanket and bare feet on grass were a big hit! Even on the days when I was alone (with Maia) I enjoyed my time pushing the pram in the sunshine. Being out with a baby is so much easier when it’s warm too – I could feed and change her anywhere. That being said, I think it’s great to have had a winter baby because now we can enjoy summer more as I have more energy to actually go out (more sleep) and I don’t have to worry as much about Maia overheating as I would have if she had just been born.

I was definitely not prepared for the summer weather and I had to go shopping for some baby essentials. Although I try to keep Maia in the shade at all times, I did buy a high factor babies’ sunscreen to protect her pale and sensitive skin. The few summer outfits we had for her were also way too big because they are mainly for 6-months old babies and she still wears size 1-3 months (oh my mini…). I know she might grow out of the smaller size soon but I bought a few summer outfits and a hat for her to get through these hot days. Side note – how cute are baby girls’ summer clothes, oh my world!! I wanted to empty the shop!! I also bought a thinner sleep bag (tog 1) because our bedroom temperature went up by a few degrees. Still on my shopping list is a canopy-like sun shade for the buggy which shouldn’t raise the temperature in the buggy (unlike some other kind of covers). We will be going to Lake Garda to check out our wedding venue in two weeks time and the summer gear will most likely be needed.

Despite all this shopping I haven’t bought anything for myself and my mum style has been pretty hideous lately… Think H&M nursing cami plus 10-years old denim shorts… I love to buy things for Maia but trying to find stylish but practical breastfeeding-friendly clothes seems impossible. Especially since I have little time and even less dedication to actually search for them! If only I had a personal stylist like the Duchess of Cambridge who looked more chic today than I ever, just hours after giving birth to her baby boy!

This week will be cooler than the last but it was fun while it lasted. I almost feel like I’d been on a holiday! I’m also relieved to know now that Maia can manage just fine in these temperatures. Bodes well for our summer travels!

Happy Monday all!

xoxoxo,

Sini