"Is he due a feed?" Barbara asks.
"Yeah, but I don't think I've expressed milk for him" Niamh sighs as Matthew starts to cry louder. Niamh stands up and takes him off her mum, "you don't mind if I feed him do you?" Niamh says.
"No no it's fine" Barbara smiles.
Niamh sits back down next to Joe and rolls her top up a little. "Niamh? But you Haven't fed him like that in over a month" Joe says.
"I need to do something to stop myself from leaking" Niamh says as Joe looks at her confused.
"What?" she asks as Joe looks rather puzzled.
"What you mean your leaking?" Joe says with a baffled look on his face.
"Do you not understand?" Niamh laughs.
"Sorry but I'm pretty clueless right now" he says a little embarressed.
"My breast is leaking Joe because I haven't expressed in a while... So easiest thing to do is feed Matthew like this to stop it soaking my top" Niamh says.
"Oh right I see, I feel so stupid now" he says a little embarrassedly, Niamh laughs and rocks Matthew slowly. "Sorry" he says awkwardly.
Joe gets up and goes to put his plate in the dishwasher while Niamh tries to eat the rest of her breakfast with her free hand. Joe laughs at her and comes and sits next to her.
"Your great with him Niamh" Barbara smiles as she watches Niamh.
"Being here has made it easier, I don't know why" she says with a smile.
Joe smiles at her "I've noticed it too babe" he says as he kisses her cheek and strokes Matthew's head.
"I'm always stressed at home which Joe picks up on a lot" Niamh says to her mum.
"What you stressed about pumpkin?" Barbara says.
"I don't really know different things I guess, I'm mostly on my own with Matthew most days so I'm normally tired which kicks me off, but Joe tries his best to get days off here and there but because of his schedules it's not always easy" Niamh says and Joe smiles at her and strokes her hand.
Matthew coughs a little and Niamh moves him away for a few seconds and then switches sides. "Your doing really well with him from what I can see" Barbara smiles.
Niamh gives a little smile "I have my ups and downs" Niamh says.
"Your bound to be with Matthew being your first born" Barbara says.
"Take the other night for example" Niamh says.
"What happened?" Barbara says.
"When you know we had a little row?" Niamh says as she looks over at Joe. Barbara nods as Brian walks into the kitchen and glances at Niamh.
"Morning" he smiles.
"Morning dad" Niamh smiles back.
"You all right?" he asks.
Niamh nods as she drinks her glass of water. Chloe comes in and looks at Niamh, "isn't that sore Niamhy?" she says.
"Chloe!" Barbara says.
"It's fine, don't worry, I don't mind her asking" Niamh laughs and Joe laughs too.
"So?" Chloe says as she pours a glass of juice.
"It did to begin with but it just tingles a little" Niamh says.
"Oh right" she says.
"Why do you ask?" Niamh wonders curiously.
"Just curious it looks painful, isn't he like biting you?" Chloe says.
Niamh laughs "he has no teeth Chlo, it just feels like he's gumming me" Niamh laughs.
"It can be sore sometimes when he's really hungry but other than that it's wee buns" Niamh says.
"Like if he's gumming you then how does he drink?" Chloe says.
Niamh bursts into hysterics and everyone looks at Chloe laughing, "what I just don't understand!" Chloe says a little embarressed.
"It's a technical thing you should ask your nephew about" Niamh giggles.
"Oh right" she says.
"If you could just ask mum she is a real life nurse after all" Niamh smiles.
"I thought you would know, that's the only reason I asked" Chloe says.
Niamh laughs and smiles "well all I shall say is Matthew is falling asleep and isn't taking anything" Niamh coos.
Chloe looks at Niamh completly baffled by the process of it all. "Niamh? This is a weird question but did it hurt when you gave birth like way before he came out like?" Chloe says.
"Yes" Niamh says as she gives her a straight answer. Chloe nods and looks down at her phone.
"The birth was a slow process for me though, I wasn't fully dilated at first" Niamh says as Chloe looks a bit shifty now.
Niamh pulls Matthew away and pulls her top down before passing Matthew to Joe, so he can burp him.
"Right sleepy head" Joe says as he sits him on his knee.
"How long exactly where you in labour for?" Chloe questions.
"Chloe why so many questions?" Barbara says.
"It doesn't matter mum she's curious... I was in labour for around 13 hours or so" Niamh says.
Chloe gasps, "wasn't that so sore? I mean the contractions and everything?" she asks.
"It was hell but Joe was with me the whole time which made things a tone better" Niamh smiles says strokes Joe's arm.
"Oh that's good, but doesn't he keep you up a lot at night? And isn't it like hard work? Doesn't he pee on you when you change his nappy?" Chloe asks.
"Wow one question at a time" Niamh laughs. Joe laughs and gets up with Matthew and heads upstairs, "he does keep me up a lot, he is hard work but worth it at the end of the day, he pee's on Joe mainly" Niamh smiles.
"Wasn't it like great not having a period for like 9 months?" Chloe says.
"Chloe!" Barbara says.
"What? I'm only asking" she says.
Niamh laughs "trust me Chloe I had such a heavy period after giving birth to Matthew the pads couldn't hold it and I leaked a few times" Niamh replies and Chloe cringes.
"That's nice" Chloe says cringing.
"Anything else you want to ask?" Niamh says.
"What was it like when Matthew first like cried? Did you feel emotional?" Chloe says.
"Erm...no not really because all babies do it, although I did cry when I first held him" Niamh smiles.
Chloe smiles "do you worry for him?" Chloe says.
"When he's sick, yes" Niamh says.
"When you were fully dilated and you were you know pushing did that hurt? Or did you have pain relief?" Chloe asks.
"I had pain relief but the real pain hurt when his head was crowning, I felt like I was going to split in two" Niamh replies.
"Ouch!" Chloe says.
"Do you breastfeed him all the time?" Chloe asks.
Niamh laughs "okay this is last question or me, Joe and Matthew won't be able to go out today, but half the time, when he's being fussy I do or my breast just casually leaks..." Niamh smiles.
"Wait on more thing Niamh please" Chloe says and Niamh nods.
"What do you mean leak?" she questions.
Niamh smiles happily at her "Because I express milk my breast leaks when I need to express."
"Oh right sorry for all the questions" Chloe says a bit shifty. Niamh smiles and gets up and heads upstairs to get dressed.