storbarnsförälder

I recently acquired a set of Lilypadz because mere absorbent breastpads cannot possibly hope to cope with my supply. The idea is that these pads actually stop the leaking, rather than merely soaking it up before it reaches the outside of my clothes.

They seem to work so far, though I haven't tried them in the morning when things are soggiest.

The freakish thing is that they work basically by pushing the nipple in and holding it there. Looking down, it looks like I'm wearing some kind of padded bra. I've been smoothed. Sculpted. My clothes look different. It's very disconcerting.

I have a vague feeling that this nippleless look is considered desirable in parts of the US, partially because of the blurb on the box, not quoted here for fear of perpetuating scary anti-nipple rhetoric.

[mildly crossposted]

Motherhood brings with it a lot of First Times. The First Time one sees one's baby. The First Time one feeds ones baby. The First Time one changes a nappy. The First Time one cannot console no matter what one does. The First Time one goes to the bathroom unaccompanied. The First Time one has a bath alone with no pee in it.

Today was the First Time I had a Lush bath.

My Lush parcel arrived this morning, and true to the word of several friends, the individual items don't smell as frightening as the shops. This evening, Rob needed to go to a friend's to print off a couple of CVs for his interview tomorrow (wish him luck; he has a new haircut and a clean shirt already) and he took Linnea with him, as these friends are so keen on Linnea we hide her passport.

So I ran a bath and got in and dropped a Butterball Bath Bomb into the hot water. It fizzed. Basically, it's a ball of bicarb and citric acid, and when it gets wet they react and fizz. We used to do something similar with pillboxes, tissue, vinegar and bicarb; sometimes the lid of the box would shoot up over the roof of my mother's house. Cool. In with the bicarb etc, there's some oil and scent. It was basically a fun-to-watch way of getting bath oil into the water. It was pleasant to lie in, very mildly scented, and my skin feels smooth but not greasy. I didn't wash a whole lot since washing bath oils off with soap seems kind of pointless to me.

I have one more bath bomb, and I don't think I'll bother with them any more. I get more pleasure from massaging bath products into my skin, so I'll choose rich soaps and things in future.

Around bedtime, I'm going to try the Temple Balm that's supposed to aid sleep. I could use some nice restful sleep with dreams in which no-one dies or is murdered. It would make a pleasant change. Another dream about a long lie-in would be nice. After waking from that one, I felt as though I'd had ten hours' sleep.

Some of you may remember that I ordered and received a Mooncup, but then couldn't use it due to the birth injuries. So I decided that rather than waiting for surgery, which after all may not even be successful, I would order some Lunapads. So I did, a while ago, and they arrived after the heaviest days of my period were over, but I started using them anyway - why put any more disposable sanitary towels in landfill than I have to?

My first thought was "I wish these had been around after I had Linnea," because wow I have never used a "sanitary product" so comfortable. Seriously, it's actually pleasant. Not just "the absence of unpleasant", but pleasant. They're soft and slightly fluffy and comfortable. I want pyjamas made in this fabric. It's a shame that underwear made of this would be too warm, because it would be glorious. Mmm. Yes.

They are also very practical, with booster liners held in place with - laugh if you want to - ric-rac braid. I certainly laughed. It's daft. But it's effective. And they have Little Wings! All the best sanitary towels have little wings, after all - these ones popper up under your pants (panties for Americans) and all's well.

I was expecting utilitarian and a little adjusting to a less comfy but more ecofriendly lifestyle. Instead, I'm thrilled.

(And while I'm at it, I love my new post-pregnancy menstrual cycle - predictable almost to the day, and I haven't been disabled by cramping since I had her. Hurrah! Long may it continue!)