Day 4 With My Newborn: Where Am I and What Is That Smell?
It’s Day 4 with my newborn and I’ve come to realize a few important truths:
- I have no idea what day of the week it is.
- My newborn has more outfit changes than a pop star on tour. Or, as my parents would say- ‘more than you as a teenage girl.’
- I may or may not have accidentally breastfed the same side twice (sorry, Lefty).
Let’s rewind.
Welcome to the Fourth Trimester
Everyone talks about pregnancy and labor, but no one talks about postpartum life. That’s the real reality show—except no one’s bringing you coffee and there’s zero chance of winning a vacation. I’m four days deep into this wild world of infant care, and let me just say: I’ve laughed, cried, leaked from places I didn’t know could leak, and Googled “Is it normal if my newborn makes dolphin noises at 3 AM?”
Spoiler: apparently, yes.
The Breastfeeding Olympics
Today I tried breastfeeding while half asleep. I’d give myself a silver medal for effort, mostly because I missed gold after realizing I’d been trying to latch the baby while my nursing bra was still fully clasped. Please don’t judge me. Remind me, again, why I need to wear a nursing bra? #unnecessary
Also: lanolin is now my best friend, and my nipple balm has replaced lip balm. One of these days, I’m certain to mix them up. That’ll be a fun TikTok story.
The Smell Test
Is it poop? Spit-up? Breastmilk? All three?
The answer is yes. My once-fancy, clean home now smells like a combination of sour milk and baby wipes, and I’ve fully accepted it. I’m considering bottling the scent and calling it Eau de Newborn Chaos. Please don’t come over and look at my house either. You will ask me who I am and what I’ve done with Jodi…?
My Sweet Baby, the Party Animal
This kid has no respect for circadian rhythms. She parties all night and sleeps all day. She’s living her best college life at four days old. Meanwhile, I’m stumbling through the house at 2 a.m., singing lullabies that somehow morph into grocery lists. “Hush little baby… we need more paper towels…..I am not buying you a mocking bird….”
Day 4 With My Newborn…a Few Glorious Moments
Despite the madness, there are these surreal, beautiful moments when she opens her tiny eyes and just stares into my soul. She doesn’t care that my hair has been in the same bun since Tuesday or that I cried during a diaper commercial earlier.
To her, I’m magic. Leaky, exhausted, possibly wearing my shirt inside out—but magic.
Final Thoughts from Day 4 With My Newborn
Infant care is not for the faint of heart. It’s for the caffeine-fueled, emotionally tender warriors who are out here loving hard, trying their best, and googling “how to burp a newborn like a pro” at 4:16 a.m.
So, cheers to day 4 with my newborn . I might not know what I’m doing, but I do know this: my newborn is adorable, my hormones are on a rollercoaster, and there’s a solid 40% chance I’ll ugly cry in the next hour—and that’s okay.
If you’re four days postpartum too, just know: you’re not alone. We’re in this together, wearing mesh underwear and dodging spit-up like the heroes we are.
#doulanearme #michiganfamilydoulaservices #michigandoulas #postpartum #newborncare #mamamichigan
