Let's start out with a sweet picture of this little girl (this is what she is currently doing!):
We have survived 2 nights at home with a newborn! Things are going pretty well...I guess as well as can be expected with a first-time mom. I never expected all of the worries that come along with this whole mommy-hood thing. Our first two nights at home have been good. On the first night, I felt like I was breaking every baby rule I've ever heard because she cried so much that night and the only thing that was soothing to her was to be held. So I spent the entire night in her room, either rocking her in the rocking chair or sleeping with her on the guest bed in the room. Every time we tried that night to put her in her own bed, she cried. Basically I was so exhausted that I did whatever it took to get that baby to sleep! :) And it worked: as long as I held her or snuggled with her on the bed, she would sleep. So I did manage to get some sleep that night. Last night, Ryan and I worked in shifts. I took her when we first went to bed and after her first feeding I passed her on to him. She slept with him in our bed until he decided to try and put her in her own bed. Apparently, he spent the next hour walking around with her because she was crying. He brought her back to me for her next feeding and I kept her for that shift. I fed her and then we fell asleep on the bed together. Both of us were sleeping so well that I didn't wake up until ten minutes after the 3 hour mark for her next feeding! Oops!! I fed her and took her back in to Ryan and he snuggled with her until it was time to get up and get ready for our appointment we had at the hospital today.The appointment was scheduled for us before we left the hospital on Friday. Since Karys was slightly jaundiced, we had to return for a follow-up and have her blood taken again. The news from this appointment was slightly less than to be desired. At this point in time, she should have only lost 10% of her birth weight. Unfortunately, she's down an entire pound. I'd been feeling like the breastfeeding wasn't as successful as I thought it should be, but I didn't know how to fix it. Every time I would feed her, she would eat (usually pretty well) and stop after 10-15 minutes. However, after she stopped, she would start crying. So I'd try to feed her again, and she'd cry more. So I would stop, thinking she was finished. The place where we had our follow-up today was at the Lactation Center at Good Shepherd hospital. So that meant that the nurse helping us out was a lactation specialist. She's gotten me set up with this really cool contraption that will allow me to double-feed Karys. She's going to be getting breastmilk as well as 1 oz. of formula. This little contraption has a small bottle with a tiny tube attached to the nipple. This tube gets taped right up next to my nipple so that while she's sucking out breastmilk, it mixes with the formula. I fed her with this woman's help today and it was the most successful feeding ever. I actually felt like I knew she was getting nourishment and was satisfied because after we finished, she was completely conked out and stayed that way until we woke her up to feed her again. I feel like this nurse completely saved me because now I know how to help my baby. And I know that she's being nourished because I can watch the bubbles in the bottle of formula to know she's actually eating. I guess that's all the news we have for now...I will update how the results of the jaundice test go (we should find out later this afternoon).
And the good news: I was able to type this without holding a baby!! :) (I mean, come on! I love her, but my arms need a break!!) Thank goodness for feedings that work!
3 comments:
I've heard of those breastfeeding contraption things. I'm glad you're getting it figured out! Just don't give up. It's so worth it, and it gets easier. I found breastfeeding very painful for the first few weeks (those people that say it shouldn't hurt are talking about older babies who know how to nurse!). But after 3 weeks she got the hang of it, and now I get sad just thinking about having to wean her some day!
I agree breastfeeding is extremely difficult in the first few weeks. It does get easier. I fall asleep feeding Sophie almost every night but what ever! Jack turned out ok and sleeps in his own bed!
She is adorable!
I not getting a blog or gmail account just to reply! This is Sarah not John.
I don't know why those nurses freak out about newborns losing weight! Everything I've read said they will lose weight in the beginning, until the mother's milk comes in. Ryan lost a pound, but in two days my milk was in, and by his two week check up, he had gained two pounds (just from breast milk). Imagine how big he would've been if I had supplemented formula for two weeks, like they suggested! Anyway, Janette don't feel pressured to supplement formula, unless you want to. I only supplemented until my milk came in (couple of days), and he was fine. You will produce whatever amount of milk Karys demands!
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