To continue our analogy with project management the first few weeks should be considered as the testing period. Our product however, Poppy in this case, "went live" with the customer - us - at the same time! Not such a well managed project, but tricky to see any other way of doing it. The first few weeks with her were certainly testing, quite hectic and mostly fun, with loads of visitors and a lot of getting used to each other. The key areas for "testing" are feeding, sleeping, bathing, nappy changing and socialising.

We had a bit of a struggle with feeding in the first couple of days but the "Tower Midwives" were brilliant, reassuring and well trained in the art of persuading you that you are doing well. One told us to allow a fortnight to get breastfeeding established and I'd say, on reflection, she was absolutely right. The worst time was at ten days old. We had bravely hired a car to visit my sister in Kent, thinking things had settled down. We used to laugh at other people loading up the boot with all the paraphernalia that goes with children but we found ourselves shoving in the Moses basket, nappies, steam sterilizer and breast pump kit, spare clothes... and not forgetting a rucksack for our own things! That evening Poppy began a feed around 5pm and at 10pm she was still demanding more but I had none left. Pacing around with her, singing nursery rhymes, missing dinner with all our friends - it was a bit testing. The midwife just said "Oh, it was probably a growth spurt. It often happens, and again around 6 weeks."
Poppy did not find sleeping a testing experience at all. In fact she was so good at it that we had to set the alarm to wake her for feeds, not the other way round. Chris was also pretty quick off the mark with being able to sleep through her nighttime bleats for food. So that left me, catching up most afternoons with a little extra "siesta".

Nappies and changing them does not appear to be a big test. Poppy seems to enjoy having a clean bottom. Perhaps the testing time for that aspect of babyhood is yet to come! She also enjoys the water at bath time, but drying and dressing can be a bit of a battle.

That leaves socialising. Like most babies, Poppy had many visitors in her first few weeks of life: Grandparents, midwives, aunties, uncles, friends, cousins, her Great Grandad, the health visitor. You name them she had cuddles galore. An honoured few even got to see her eyes when she woke up. A huge thank-you to everyone who sent us cards and presents, or came to see us bearing gifts, food and good wishes. It was a special time that we will always remember.