CddiapersI have now been a mom for exactly 4 weeks, and it's been…an experience alright.  All I have to say is you should give your mom a hug – hug her right now.  You owe her.  Trust me.
Week 1 went off without a hitch.  We went home from the hospital on Wednesday June 7th, just 2 days after Kiana was born.  I felt great, stitches were healing nicely, breastfeeding was going awesome, no problems latching…I thought, I can do this!  The only thing I could complain about was the swelling that took over my limbs when my milk came (I ballooned like a puffer fish).  I thought that was  a bit weird & annoying, but nothing to really be concerned about.  We even had out-of-town friends come & stay with us for a couple of days that week and we took Kiana out on her first shopping trip in downtown Victoria on her 5th day of life!  But as we all know, when things seem too good to be true, they usually are.
Week 2 was "interesting".  I woke up that Monday morning with a slight fever (38.1°C) chills.  Allan had been sick the past few days, so I figured I must've caught his bug.  We had planned to spend a few days in Vancouver to give Kiana's eager relatives a chance to meet her.  I piled on a couple of sweaters and napped for 2 hours to sweat out my fever.  Then I took a nice shower & felt fine, so we left that afternoon as planned.  Tuesday afternoon, my fever came back (39°C) and I did the same thing as the day before & I took some Tyleno flu pills.  The fever went away.  On Wednesday, Kiana & went shopping at Richmond Center with my mom & sister, then we went to spend the night at Allan's parents house before heading home the next day.  That night as I gave Kiana her bedtime feeding, my fever came back at 40.1°C.  Kiana was wailing, I was covered in blankets and still couldn't stop shivering, and poor Allan was left trying to figure out what to do.  He ended up calling the BC Nurseline for help and was told to take me to emergency.  12:30am on Thursday I was admitted to BC Women's Hospital & told that I wasn't going home for at least a few days.  =(  It turns out that my re-occuring fever was my body's way of trying to fight off an infection I had, and I had been ignoring it for 3 days!  I thought I was being a trouper.  According to the doctor, infections are normal in women who have long labours (me), catheters (me again), and forcep/vaccum or cesaerean deliveries (dammit, I had forceps!).  After multiple tests, they found that I had an infection of either the kidney or bladder, but they weren't sure which.  I spent 5 days in hospital with an IV of antibiotics in my arm to kill of the bacteria – wherever it was.  Allan & Kiana spent the entire time with me in my room…poor Allan again…he didn't even get a bed (so he crawled into mine next to me), and had to spend his very first Father's day there eating gross hospital food!  Even sadder was poor Kiana.  She had just spent almost half her entire life in a hospital room!  A friend of mine joked that she might develop a complex because she might be thinking we were trying to return her to the hospital!
Week 3 was better.  We were finally released from the hospital on Monday afternoon and I rejoiced in being able to breathe real air again.  I missed sunshine, wind, and the freedom to shower without an IV!  We spent the night at Allan's parents house, and the next day…went on a shopping spree on West 4th before catching a ferry & heading home.  After spending that much time trapped in a hospital room, I was in major need of retail therapy!!! 
Week 4 – our first "normal" week.  Monday was my champagne birthday (I turned 26 on the 26th) and Kiana's 3 week birthday.  For my birthday, all I got were many poopie diapers, spit up on my clothes, and a lobster dinner my husband lovingly prepared (that I got to enjoy in between feedings & burpings).  I use to celebrate my birthday for the whole month, drinking with friends and dancing the nights away!  Now all I want to do at night is catch some sleep in between feedings! 
This is what my life has come to…no more glamour, no more parties, now it's all about Kiana…but somehow it's not only ok, it's more fulfilling than the life I led before.  Funny how that works out.  Because of Kiana, I've suffered 41 weeks of pregnancy, 2 lacerations, 1 epesiotomy, 3 days of fever & illness, and 5 days in hospital because of the infection.  This child owes me big-time! (All future Mother's days will be expensive!)  Seriously though, even with all that I've suffered, she is more than worth it.  I love the way she looks into my eyes, I love her smiles (even if it is just gas), I love the funny faces she makes, and the way her face turns tomato red when she tries to poop!  Sure, sometimes I miss the way my life use to be, but I wouldn't trade her for anything!  I now understand Cinderella when she sang "So this is love…hmm hmm hmm hmm…"
One month down, a lifetime to look forward to…