Don't get me wrong, I love C with all of what I have and more...and dread the return of work because I may miss out on his milestones...

A typical good day gets him more smiley and awake and smiling than usual. Yet most days are rinse and repeat.

No wonder mummies always say - get the sleep you need during pregnancy because sleep ranks least priority in parenting. 

Lemme try to give a breakdown of what usually happens in 24 hours before another prick comes along and declares maternity leave the equivalent of annual leave with a baby. Surely there is a difference else why the different categorization? 

Feed: Usually frozen breastmilk in the day and latch and formula at night. 

My own meals are jumbled up, either gobbled when he sleeps in the baby carrier or skipped. Who ever said meal times would be the same...ever? 

3am First big feed of the day, change of diaper and back to sleep!

4am First pump

7am Second feed and pump. Wipe down and change of clothes.

10am Third feed and pump.

1pm Fourth feed.

4pm Fifth feed

7pm Sixth feed

8-9pm Bath and last big feed of the day.

10-11pm Shower, last pump and lights out of a game of tsum tsum does not entice. 

What isn't documented are his high octane screeching, fussing during and after feeds, those large round eyes starring at me fighting sleep and repeated diaper changes because he pee-ed on me during a diaper change. 

At almost three months this is his so called routine schedule..imagine the earlier weeks were spent on two hourly feeds and changing diapers nonstop since a wet nappy upsets him as much as a hungry tummy. 😂 

Where do I find the energy? Beats me, really. Considering I do not need much sleep (max 7-8 hours at a go) yet motherhood brings this game up another notch. Exhaustion is so real I can sleep standing and sitting...occassionally even holding him. The cherry on top of the icing comes stress - the number of times I have woken up thinking my pillow or hubba's arm is C. I may very well be in the running for mad woman as it is...😝

Somehow somewhere I've found the strength in my own mom - sneaking off for dates, pampering sessions and some me time infront of the lappy even. Lifestyle changes aplenty yet when I get a milk coma face or a coo and gurgle, it makes this all worthwhile. 

So here's to all mothers - you women are amazing. To those who still think that maternity leave is a holiday; try going without proper sleep for 16 weeks first.