Last weekend, the boy offered to look after Baby between feeds so that I could gallavant around town by myself. I was so excited at the prospect that I could hardly contain myself - all the shops I could go to which are normally too "cosy" to take a buggy into; all the dressing rooms I could try on clothes in, which are big enough only for one or two upright adults (without mobility devices); places I could go to which are feasible only via car (Baby gets agitated in the car seat and anyway my car has broken down)...
Then I remembered I had to be back home in time for each feed, plus allow for traffic hold-ups and the possibilty that Baby is hungry earlier than expected. In other words, I had to do my gallavanting in 2 hour spurts.
My first objective was to look for some nice t-shirts which would both cover my still-flabby belly and be suitable for feeding Baby in. This should have been an easy task, because most clothes shops sell t-shirts, right? Wrong. If you're female, finding a t-shirt which fits properly, is the right colour and has a friendly price tag on it is actually really hard. Why do all the shirts with the most interesting designs on them have such claustrophobically narrow necklines?
Despite my lower half now being slightly slimmer than it was pre-pregnancy, my voluminous boobies put paid to any hopes of fitting into a proportionately small sized shirt. Size "large" shirts are still on the menu. After a morning shopping session and an afternoon one, I was finally triumphant in finding a single soft and squishy t-shirt (in brown, of all colours) from the Max shop.
Next day, the boy made me the same offer, and this time I went to Spotlight and bought some blockout curtains for the bedroom (all the better to get Baby to bed by 7pm, with).
Although I can't say my shopping sprees were relaxing, due to the time constraints, it was still really good to be able to move about baby-less. I don't know if the boy's going to be game enough to do this for me every weekend, but this is the best thing anyone could have done for me.
8 comments:
Awww, that's really lovely - it's good to get breathing space, huh. But don't you feel like you've FORGOTTEN something? (pram, baby, etc).
Don't feel bad about fitting "big" clothes, either - I went sluming in Warehouse to try and find a cheap black skirt for dancing and I could only fit their XL... as IF!
no, I just felt enormously free - does that make me a bad mum?
I'm sure XL in your case means Xtra Lovely :-)
I always loved having some free time like that. It was a real sanity saver--though strangely often ended up spending most of the time buying little presents for the baby. Either that or parenting books at Whitcoulls. Just the fact of being by myself for a bit was wonderful. A good mother takes care of herself. Sane, happy mum makes for happy baby
Yes, I can't say I find shopping fun with a toddler and stroller. It particulary irks me when childrens shops or areas of shops selling kids gear are virtually impossibly to get round with a stroller.
Incidentally, I found ezy buy good for post baby clothes, t-shirts etc. They were not especially nice but on the other hand not very expensive and being able to order on-line is good.
mtnw: "Sane, happy mum makes for happy baby" - someone should tell my baby that!
I've become a fan of ordering online - I have to stop myself from buying Buffy books from Amazon instead of breastfeeding tops.
juliabohemian: it's a good way of discouraging business I think. I can think of several places I won't go into just because there isn't good wheel access, or it's too cramped inside.
yay for you getting out and being baby buggy free. what a sweet boy to allow you to get out and shop. maybe if you get him a little someting as a thank you , he might watch the baby more for you. but your so very right about getting to enjoy your own 'me' time
that all sounds so frustrating!
as for clothes, I tend to think they make most shirts for women a few inches too short. if i get something to fit my back, arms, chest, the bottom of the shirt hits above my belly button. not so good for office wear, you know? besides, i'm 27 and the days of showing off my belly button outside of wearing a bathing suit should be long gone. It's like designers think we all want to wear our pants with thongs exposed and shirts with bellys out. I get cold around the mid-section with all that exposed skin!
robyn: the boy mentioned yesterday he thought he'd take a couple of his pals clothes-shopping this Saturday (i.e. leaving me home to babysit), so I guess I'm paying him back soon!
hazel:27 is not too young to show your bellybutton - I was doing it when I was in my 30's (and still gyming it). My problem is that the tops which fit me best are relatively fitted; this is not a style which suits breastfeeding.
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