16 days old!
I can't believe baby Elliott has been with us for 16 days already! The last 16 days have been a whirlwind of emotion. We have had our ups and downs, but I think we are finally getting the hang of things.
The first few days in the hospital were trying, but we thought it was because we weren't getting any sleep and we were still figuring this whole "parenting" thing out. Once we got home, we realized there was much more to it than that. I take responsibility for not doing enough "homework" before baby girl got here. I knew that I wanted to breastfeed. I know that is incredibly healthy for babies and offers so many good things for them. I also knew that I *could* have trouble due to some of my health conditions. We had been very optimistic and hopeful that things would work out. I did not do enough research about the whole breastfeeding process...like how long one should nurse, or how much babies should be getting...etc. I had expected that the first time I nursed the L&D nurse would help me....but no such luck. We were on our own. A lactation consultant came in to the hospital room on Monday, but didn't really help with the overall situation. On Wednesday in the hospital, the pediatrician came in and expressed concern about Elliott's weight loss. She was just a couple of tenths of an ounce away from losing 10% of her birth weight. The pediatrician suggested that we supplement Elliott's feedings with formula. I of course, was crushed. I did not want to give my baby formula. So we stayed an extra night in the hospital, and supplemented her feedings and she gained a little over an ounce, so Thursday, they sent us home. We were very excited!
Once we were home, we continued to nurse and supplement until our pediatrician appointment on Friday. This pediatricians appointment was with Elliott's pediatrician and not the one at the hospital. The doctor sent us straight over to the hospital to meet with the local lactation consultant (LC). The LC worked again with us on latch and so forth, and changed us from bottle feeding formula to syringe feeding it. So we went home and tried it the entire weekend. Let me just tell you....it was awful. Feeding sessions were lasting between 3-6 hours, Elliott was screaming and acting like she was starving. It got to the point where I was dreading every feeding because I knew that they would last so long, they would hurt, and she would still be hungry at the end of them. I hated dreading those times. I hated that when Elliott was calm and happy, someone else would have her because I was so tired that I couldn't manage to stay up with her. Something was very wrong.
On Monday, Labor day, I had a chernobyl style meltdown. I couldn't take it anymore. Something had to change. So I called my LC and amazingly, she called back. I sobbed and told her my sad story, and that day we came up with a plan. The plan was for me to take a "break" from nursing and pump only, and supplement with formula. So, for the next 24 hours that is exactly what we did....and it was wonderful. A. I knew exactly how much food Elliott was getting. B. I realized how little I was producing. C. Elliott became satisfied. D. Matthew and I finally got a couple of hours of sleep. The downside however, was that I went into mourning. I cried because I wasn't producing enough milk to feed my child. I cried because my pie in the sky dream of breastfeeding and cloth-diapering and being that "granola" mom was vanishing. I cried just because.
In the weeks since, I have kept up the pumping and supplementing and honestly, it is working for us. Elliott is happier, I am happier, Matthew is happier. We are all getting sleep...not enough, but we are getting sleep. I am working with the LC to increase my supply, but it isn't where it needs to be even still. We are unsure of what the future holds with the feeding issue, but as for now, the system we have is working for all of us...so we are going with it.
The other big adjustment since being home....Samson. Poor guy. He is SO protective over Elliott. He cries when she cries, he comes and gets us when she starts making noises, she checks her out and sniffs over her at every opportunity. The first week was very rough. He wasn't eating or sleeping. There was one evening that Matthew and I looked at him and he looked absolutely exhausted. He is doing much better now. We are settling into a routine, for sure.
I am doing well. I feel like I bounced back from the C-section faster than my friends suggested that I would. I am still kind of sore as feeling is beginning to return to the incision site. I went back to the doctor last week and received fantastic news....I have lost 23 pounds since delivery! That's right, I lost 23 pounds in a week and a half. I had only gained 9 pounds during pregnancy, so if you do the math, that means I am 14 pounds skinnier than before I was pregnant. I haven't been this thin in a long time. I have no idea what I am going to wear. Crazy! For the first week and a half or so I was a hormonal, crying, hot mess. I cried all of the time. I cried when I looked at Elliott....I cried when she cried....I cried when Matthew held her....I just cried for no reason. I could not stand that. I know I am an emotional person to begin with....but that was ridiculous! I am improving now.....no one warned a girl about that!
Other things I have learned since becoming a mommy:
1. I really can function on very little sleep.
2. I am very protective of my little girl.
3. Always keep a set of clean sheets. You never know when that formula is coming back to haunt you.
4. I have no idea how single moms do it. Really.
5. I may never get anywhere on time ever again.
6. I really don't have to shower EVERY day.
7. Google search is even more valuable to me than ever before.
8. I am incredibly thankful for friends and family who have answered all of my crazy texts.
9. The type of bottle you use DOES matter.
10. Poop is even more entertaining.
11. Baby smiles are the best thing ever.
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| Coming home! |
The first few days in the hospital were trying, but we thought it was because we weren't getting any sleep and we were still figuring this whole "parenting" thing out. Once we got home, we realized there was much more to it than that. I take responsibility for not doing enough "homework" before baby girl got here. I knew that I wanted to breastfeed. I know that is incredibly healthy for babies and offers so many good things for them. I also knew that I *could* have trouble due to some of my health conditions. We had been very optimistic and hopeful that things would work out. I did not do enough research about the whole breastfeeding process...like how long one should nurse, or how much babies should be getting...etc. I had expected that the first time I nursed the L&D nurse would help me....but no such luck. We were on our own. A lactation consultant came in to the hospital room on Monday, but didn't really help with the overall situation. On Wednesday in the hospital, the pediatrician came in and expressed concern about Elliott's weight loss. She was just a couple of tenths of an ounce away from losing 10% of her birth weight. The pediatrician suggested that we supplement Elliott's feedings with formula. I of course, was crushed. I did not want to give my baby formula. So we stayed an extra night in the hospital, and supplemented her feedings and she gained a little over an ounce, so Thursday, they sent us home. We were very excited!
Once we were home, we continued to nurse and supplement until our pediatrician appointment on Friday. This pediatricians appointment was with Elliott's pediatrician and not the one at the hospital. The doctor sent us straight over to the hospital to meet with the local lactation consultant (LC). The LC worked again with us on latch and so forth, and changed us from bottle feeding formula to syringe feeding it. So we went home and tried it the entire weekend. Let me just tell you....it was awful. Feeding sessions were lasting between 3-6 hours, Elliott was screaming and acting like she was starving. It got to the point where I was dreading every feeding because I knew that they would last so long, they would hurt, and she would still be hungry at the end of them. I hated dreading those times. I hated that when Elliott was calm and happy, someone else would have her because I was so tired that I couldn't manage to stay up with her. Something was very wrong.
On Monday, Labor day, I had a chernobyl style meltdown. I couldn't take it anymore. Something had to change. So I called my LC and amazingly, she called back. I sobbed and told her my sad story, and that day we came up with a plan. The plan was for me to take a "break" from nursing and pump only, and supplement with formula. So, for the next 24 hours that is exactly what we did....and it was wonderful. A. I knew exactly how much food Elliott was getting. B. I realized how little I was producing. C. Elliott became satisfied. D. Matthew and I finally got a couple of hours of sleep. The downside however, was that I went into mourning. I cried because I wasn't producing enough milk to feed my child. I cried because my pie in the sky dream of breastfeeding and cloth-diapering and being that "granola" mom was vanishing. I cried just because.
In the weeks since, I have kept up the pumping and supplementing and honestly, it is working for us. Elliott is happier, I am happier, Matthew is happier. We are all getting sleep...not enough, but we are getting sleep. I am working with the LC to increase my supply, but it isn't where it needs to be even still. We are unsure of what the future holds with the feeding issue, but as for now, the system we have is working for all of us...so we are going with it.
The other big adjustment since being home....Samson. Poor guy. He is SO protective over Elliott. He cries when she cries, he comes and gets us when she starts making noises, she checks her out and sniffs over her at every opportunity. The first week was very rough. He wasn't eating or sleeping. There was one evening that Matthew and I looked at him and he looked absolutely exhausted. He is doing much better now. We are settling into a routine, for sure.
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| Snuggling together... |
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| Samson is upset because she is upset.... |
I am doing well. I feel like I bounced back from the C-section faster than my friends suggested that I would. I am still kind of sore as feeling is beginning to return to the incision site. I went back to the doctor last week and received fantastic news....I have lost 23 pounds since delivery! That's right, I lost 23 pounds in a week and a half. I had only gained 9 pounds during pregnancy, so if you do the math, that means I am 14 pounds skinnier than before I was pregnant. I haven't been this thin in a long time. I have no idea what I am going to wear. Crazy! For the first week and a half or so I was a hormonal, crying, hot mess. I cried all of the time. I cried when I looked at Elliott....I cried when she cried....I cried when Matthew held her....I just cried for no reason. I could not stand that. I know I am an emotional person to begin with....but that was ridiculous! I am improving now.....no one warned a girl about that!
Other things I have learned since becoming a mommy:
1. I really can function on very little sleep.
2. I am very protective of my little girl.
3. Always keep a set of clean sheets. You never know when that formula is coming back to haunt you.
4. I have no idea how single moms do it. Really.
5. I may never get anywhere on time ever again.
6. I really don't have to shower EVERY day.
7. Google search is even more valuable to me than ever before.
8. I am incredibly thankful for friends and family who have answered all of my crazy texts.
9. The type of bottle you use DOES matter.
10. Poop is even more entertaining.
11. Baby smiles are the best thing ever.
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| Sleeping beauty... |
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| Grandma cleaned the kitchen floors....Elliott didn't like the smell! |
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| Baby Smiles! |
Glad things are going a little better in the feeding department. Hang in there! I am not sure if anyone recommended Fenugreek to you, but I was having the same issue and that helped me a lot. You can find it at GNC for pretty cheap. I hope things continue on the upside!
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