German Food...and why I am so busy (as requested by Destiney)

I have now been home from the hospital with Roy for 3 weeks...it is his 4 week birthday today.  I haven't really had time to blog (most of my time is spent nursing Roy...or holding him...or trying to put him down for more than 3 seconds without him waking up and screaming. 

I wanted to write about my care in the hospital, and what I thought was different than in the states.  I honestly don't know what would be different, except they want to keep you forever here...like you literally move in when you have a baby.  For a regular (vag) delivery, you stay between 3 and 4 days.  For a c section, they like to keep you 5 days.  I stayed 4 nights and went home on the 5th day...though they didn't really want to let me go.  I feel like I got (for the most part) excellent care in the German hospital.  All the nurses were very nice, and at the end of each shift, they came around with the new shift and introduced the next set of nurses to you.  Any time you pushed the call bell, they came very quickly, and did everything they could to help you.  My big issue was that (while having complications with nursing), everyone told me something different.  It was very flustering. 

Another big difference is that Germans eat VERY different than we do in the states.  Lunch is their "hot meal"...and the other 2 meals were lunch meat type deals.  They also served bell peppers in a vinegary dressing with almost every meal...I thought it was very good.  Here are some pictures of what I ate (I thought it was pretty interesting...)

.The was what I had for dinner one night...it was thin sliced turkey with blood pudding.  Every breakfast and dinner came with this bread or a brochen (a roll) and butter.  As you can see, there is the pickled pepper.  It also almost always came with a fruit- I always got a kiwi or a tiny apple. 

This was a dinner I believe (the one breakfast I got in my room came with coffee...which apparently is not a strong point for Germans?)- no clue what the meat was, or the cheese, but it was nice.  Again, there is the kiwi and the pepper...and a cup of tea (fruit tea).  One morning for breakfast I got a bowl of cucumbers with my meal...lol. 



So, I guess here is why I haven't had time to blog much:

• I go to bed at 10, get up at 12, 3, and again between 5 and 7.
• Roy has decided recently that he wants to nurse every 45 min or so, for 20-50 min on each side...I have taken up residence in a chair in the living room.
• When I am not nursing, I am changing a diaper, or rocking the baby...he has also decided he does not like to be put down...or sleep in his bassinet.  He wakes up much more there, so it is easier to keep him in the bed with us. 
• When I do get a chance to put him in the bed, it is a mad dash to do anything- wash bottles, pump, do laundry, find something to eat/drink, remember to take a shower or pee, or just sit quietly and try to catch a nap myself. 
• Roy and I have also taken up residence in the health clinic...since he hasn't made it back up to birth weight yet...and any time you have an appointment there, you might as well plan to stay the whole day..

My day normally consists of waking up with Roy, feeding/changing him, holding him, putting him down, trying to sneak away, going back to pick him up when he screams, rocking him until he falls asleep, putting him down again, sneaking away to find breakfast, eating a bite or 2 before he wakes up, holding/nursing/changing him again, watch cereal get super soggy while holding/nursing/changing him, putting him down, throwing away soggy cereal, finding something for lunch, getting Roy again when he realizes I have snuck away and starts screaming, handing him to Mark is he comes home for lunch, eating a bit of lunch, taking Roy back so Mark can eat, nurse/change/rock him again, try to nap while holding him, play the put him down/pick him up game until Mark comes home, change/feed/hold him some more while talking to Mark, try to get him to sleep in his packnplay or bouncer so we can do dinner, hold him while we eat dinner, feed/change/hold him until he goes back to sleep, take him to the bedroom to put in his cosleeper, pick him up and rock him until he goes back to sleep, continue doing this every 5-10 min until around midnight when he eats again, feed/change/hold him until he gives up and passes out, try to sleep until he wakes up again...do it all again the next day.  lol

I will try to do better about blogging...but am making no promises on the matter!