Dear Cake or Sleep?

Dear Cake or Sleep?

Cake or Sleep is bigger than the 90’s Daddy or Chips dilemma. (Totally Chips won by the way- my dad always nicked our chips- grrrrr!).

Currently I can eat cake, ALOT of cake. In fact I eat at least a Jamaican Ginger Cake a day, plus the odd glass of wine, a fair amount of chocolate and not enough fruit or veg. I’m not putting a jot of weight on, in fact I am losing it because of the breastfeeding.  I am currently  lighter than I was when breastfeeding Oddler (she was mixed fed but predominantly breastfed, Omble is pretty much exclusively breastfed as she keeps bottle refusing but we do offer her the occasional bottle top up as her weight gain is a bit crap).

Generally I am not all that bothered by my weight, it fluctuates and I have a pot belly and big old childbearing hips, but heck I have had two kids neglects to mention the fact the pot belly was pretty much the same size before kids if not bigger  but I must admit am rather enjoying the compliments (and the “you need to eat more cake you are too thin” comments) and the fact I have brought new clothes that actually look good on. I haven’t been this slim since I was about 14!

If I remember correctly Oddler weaned early and fast. By 7months old she was down to 3feeds a day by 13months she had lost interest completely- in those 6months I did put a bit of weight on (I was living on my own with Oddler in Somerset knowing no-one, while LordCurd commuted while we tried to find CurdHall- it was a tough and lonely time and I think I probably also comfort ate as well as continuing the eating pattern I had established while breastfeeding.)

Then I fell pregnant again, it was ectopic, then pregnant again and in the ensuing vomitous months my pregnancy body did its usual trick of losing weight from everywhere except the bump- my legs, arms went slim, my cheekbones verged on emaciated. Omble Baby was eating me alive, just as Oddler before her. I know I am a bit of a freak of nature to be at my thinnest when at my belly is fattest!

So now here we are- Omble is almost 20weeks old- we are miles from weaning her- Oddler was far more advanced (much bigger so was rolling and grabbing and  was nicking food).  Definitely won’t be starting weaning until the 26weeks reccomended and even then I have a strong suspicion she won’t take to it like Oddler has. Let’s say Oddler has inherited my appetite and frame and I think Omble is going to be a different kettle of weaning fish entirely.

I know once Oddler started weaning life got so much easier – suddenly my life had a vague structure to it, breastfeed, breakfast, nap, breastfeed, lunch nap, breastfeed maybe a snoooze, dinner, breastfeed, sleep, nightfeed (just the one if lucky), and Oddler’s sleep got so much better.  So part of me can’t wait, but then also part of me wants to breastfeed her til she is 18 so I can still eat this much cake and still stay slim! Have I mentioned I love cake?

However currently I am getting bugger all sleep , as Omble literally feeds all night, so I am tempted, before we started weaning, to add a bottle to her night feeds to try and tank her up so she sleeps for a longer stretch (at the minute she wakes every 40mins or so!). This does involve effort and I am quite lazy plus the knock on effect will be on my milk supply, if she is feeding from me less then cake will stop being calorie free. I like calorie free cake, but I also like sleep.

So help- what do I decide- cake or sleep?

At the minute Cake is winning to be honest. Mmmmm cake…

Love

LadyCakeLovingSleepDeprivedCurd

Cake?

Sleep?

Dear Jamaican Ginger Cake

Dear Jamaican Ginger Cake,

As a breastfeeder, cake is my friend, I am constantly starving hungry in a way that only huge amounts of sugary stodge can fix. In the absence of a wonderful Cake Fairy doing a delivery, then you, my dear darling Jamaican Ginger Cake, are my favourite.  I generally need to eat one whole one of you A DAY!  Such greed I hear you cry- but I will have you know that the Jamaican Ginger Cake& Breastfeeding diet is one of the best there is.  I am now below my pre-pregnancy weight and still losing because my little Mothersucker is eating me alive,

Anyhow let me share how easy it is to devour you in a day, this sequence of pictures were taken last Wednesday prior to the Cake Fairy‘s wonderful and unexpected delivery on Friday.  (I would have posted the sequence of devouring that enormous cake of wonder, but frankly I was too busy stuffing it into my face  and it’s too late now.)

9am - Just get you out of the cupboard as I put the kettle on

Peeling back your scrumptious layers

Cheeky gnaw on you while waiting for the kettle to boil

9.10am first third of cake slice with a cup of tea

Second "slice" hunk at 11.30 as I was just passing the kitchen

1.30pm A slightly more modest slice for pudding

2.43 A cheeky sliver on my way past to the loo

2.45 Another one on way back from the loo

2.45 Ah sod it- seems silly to leave such a tiny piece

2.46 scraping the paper clean with my fingernails frantically getting every last crumb

And that is how a breastfeeder eats a Jamaican Ginger Cake.

I also lied about the timings- lets just say that last picture was actually taken um  before elevenses.

Gingerly yours

LadyAteAllTheCakeCurd

Dear Cake Fairy

Dear Cake Fairy,

Thank you so much for risking life &limb to breach the biohazard tape around my house and leave this:

on my doorstep. It has cheered up Oddler no end, plus sorted my lunch, dinner and breakfast til Monday.

You are an awesome friend,
Lots of love

Lady Quarantined Curd
xxx

P.S We also had a visit from the Pharmacy Fairy so now Oddler’s chicken pox spots are annointed and itching soothed. Hopefully they will stop appearing soon.