We brought Bennett home Wednesday the 23rd and thank heavens my mom was here to help me. Lance and my dad were dedicating 12 hour days to finishing the duplex and with Bennett needing to nurse every 2-3 hours that left little time for me to sleep/eat/potty/or really do anything. My blessed mother was working her tail off hand feeding me food while I was nursing Bennett (he would nurse for 40 minutes to an hour each time). By the time I was finished nursing and had the opportunity to pee I had maybe 30 minutes to lay down before I had to be up doing it all over again.
On Saturday the 26th I woke up from a nap to completely blurred vision. I thought it was due to my new prescription, but as I walked around I realized that was not the case. I went back upstairs and fell back asleep for another hour and woke up to the same blurred vision. I tried to function as much as possible. I checked my blood pressure and it was still high 140/100 and thought I still had preeclampsia and had a minor panic attack. Lance came home and helped take care of Bennett so I could get some real sleep and luckily the blurred vision went away the next morning.
Wednesday the 30th my mom went home. After Lance took her to the airport we went to take Bennett's newborn pictures. He did so great for the most part staying asleep while being positioned and posed for 3 and a half hours. The pictures looked super cute I can't wait until we get our copies. With my mom gone Lance did a great job stepping up and helping out.
Thursday the 31st also known as Halloween was a little rough. I was trying to manage nursing Bennett while for the first time having to prepare and feed myself and still fit in a few naps. Needless to say I discovered the art of multitasking to be crucial for my survival... preparing lunch and eating at the table while nursing. :)
Lance was working up at the duplex and was supposed to be home in time for the little trick-or-treaters. Work ran late and I was a frantic mess trying to control my dogs, feed and calm Bennett while answering the door (yes my lights were off... but my neighborhood is FULL of little children... who trick or treat BEFORE it's dark). The first people to ring the doorbell I just ignored but I knew many more were coming and my dogs freaking out and barking all night long would not allow a nap for myself or Bennett. I decided to write a note which said, "Sorry. Baby Sleeping. Please take one. Happy Halloween" and post it on our door. In the process of getting the bowl of candy and taping this sign over my doorbell a swarm of children greeted me at my door. My dogs ran out and were licking and sniffing all the children while their mom was trying to ask me how things were going with the new baby... clearly I looked like a disaster trying to manage everything at once.
Saturday the 2nd is when I began trying to strictly pump and formula feed. Somehow from the get-go I only became engorged on the right. My milk on the left never really came in. I would pump and get 40-50ml out of my right and only 5-10 out of my left (double pumping for the same amount of time) From my appt with the pediatrician when Bennett was 4 days old I mentioned that he was favoring one side and she suggested that I try and nurse for double the amount of time on the left side. I tried that for over a week and production never increased. I began to come to the realization that the reason why I was nursing for so long and he still seemed unsatisfied was due to this lack of production from my right side. Since Bennett was 4 days old our 1am feeding have always been me nursing for over an hour and then supplementing with some formula to fulfill his hungry belly. By the time Bennett was 2 weeks old this supplementation was becoming mandatory at 1 in the morning, but also at 10 when we were trying to put him to bed. So Saturday I began to simply pump and supplement because my flow varied so drastically (left being super duper slow and right dumping milk everywhere) Bennett was having a freak out each time I tried to nurse due to the flow differences- neither was what he wanted. Saturday was great. Bennett loved the flow of the bottle and was calm and less fussy than he had been. It also gave be a little more sleep because I could pump for 20 minutes instead of trying to nurse for an hour and it produced the same outcome.
Monday the 4th we went in for his 2 week appointment. He was finally tipping the scale and at 7lbs 14 oz, 2oz up from his birth weight. He had grown half an inch and was now at 21 inches. Jaundice doing a lot better and overall healthy as can be. We discussed my nursing issues and decided that it was great that I had been able and capable of nursing for his first two weeks of life and that he would be just fine and healthy supplementing with formula. I know everyone has differences in opinion when it comes to breast vs bottle feeding. I know it's healthier and supposedly better to be breastfed but the stress that it was placing on my body to try to nurse him with only one breast and him still not being satisfied wasn't worth it. He is now a much happier baby and with the extra sleep I am able to get I am a happier mom and can better love and care for him. To each is their own!
He has outgrown his all white newborn onesies and I had to go out and buyGerber 0-3 month onesies because carters doesn't have 3 month with mittens... and clearly he needs them (this is him without mittens for 10 minutes... 3 scratches.
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| 2 week appt. |
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| Nov 4th: 2 weeks old |
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| Nov. 5th: 15 days old |
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| Nov 6th: 16 days old |
It is so great when you find what works for mom and baby. I've been an exclusive pumper since Auanalee was born. We went into the NICU for a week and she learned to love her bottle pretty quickly. It isn't too bad. I pump every 3-5 hours and I use it as my office time to check my email, etc. I've always had an uneven flow as well. It seems to get a little better the longer you pump, and as the baby has growth spurts or halts the flow changes then too. But I know exactly what you are talking about. When I was first pumping I would read if there was anything that would help. I chugged water, ate oatmeal for breakfast every morning and tried other voodoo tricks ;) haha!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you finally got your little guy :) I love being a mom more than anything!!
Are you going back to work?