(Totally posting this a few days late, but posting it as of Friday so it shows as on time…the life of a mom, right?)
Weight: 8 pounds, 4 ounces as of Wednesday’s appointment – officially over birth weight!
Health: Good, and belly button is healing well.
Sleep: Pretty good at night, but Abbie is a HORRIBLE napper. It’s a fight to get her to nap during the day at all – she’ll sleep about 20 minutes at a time and wake up…any ideas on getting her to nap? I’ve tried swaddling and rocking her, and having her sleep on me, and trying to co-sleep at naptime…
Social: Abbie is definitely starting to recognize us and always calms (at least momentarily) at the sound of my voice. Abbie met her Godmother Nichole at her baptism on Sunday, and met my friend Katie this week too!
Diet: Mostly breast milk with some formula to supplement. I’m not going to lie, this week has been a struggle. Abbie started cluster feeding at night at the end of last week, and has done it pretty regularly this week. In the afternoon and evening, she’s on me CONSTANTLY. The problem is that my body seems to need about 2-3 hours to make milk, and she wants to be on me every hour, leaving me not enough time, which in turn leaves her upset and hungry because she isn’t getting full. It’s incredibly frustrating and I hate having to give her formula, but sometimes I just can’t keep up with her. I’m drinking the lactation tea and taking fenugreek in an effort to up my supply, but I don’t really know what else to do. I am thankful that even with supplementing, she doesn’t seem to have any nipple confusion. I’ll take the small things right now.
Clothes: Still newborn and 0-3 months, and still in newborn disposable diapers until she hits about 10 pounds and we start cloth.
Baby Gear Love: using her playmat a lot, and loving her sleep sheep.
Crying: She’s definitely been crying more, sometimes as a result of the milk situation, and sometimes she’s just cranky and wants some comfort. She’s definitely a cuddlebug and likes to be in Mama and Daddy’s arms.
Likes: Clean diapers. My daughter doesn’t like to be dirty!
Postpartum: I’m feeling pretty good. My last weight watchers meeting had me down 3.4 pounds, so I only have about 7.5 pounds of pregnancy weight to lose, but there’s 66 pounds of weight I was already trying to lose prior to pregnancy, so I still have a ways to go. The other issue is still the hemorrhoids, which are getting better, but still painful at times. Here’s hoping they get better soon!
Milestones: Abbie was baptized on Sunday the 6th. (If you’re new around here, Chris is Catholic and I’m Jewish, so we’re exposing Abbie to both faiths.) We’ll probably have a Jewish naming ceremony for her later on. She’s also been holding her head up really well!
3 Week Photo!
Also wanted to wish my sister Melanie a happy 19th birthday!!!
6 Responses
Such a cute little girl! 🙂
Thanks hon!
Just throwing some tough love out there – ask a lactation consultant for help! Cluster feeding can be a growth spurt and your body WILL catch up and produce what cute Miss Abbie needs. The more formula you give her is less milk she’s getting from you and your body is telling itself to stop producing so much. Please don’t think I’m being rude or making you feel worse, that is not my intention at all! When Molly was a newborn she would eat every hour, and sometimes an hour wouldn’t even pass before she’d want to eat again. If you’re okay with formula, than that’s fine, but it seems like you’re conflicted about it and I just wanted to offer up some advice. Honestly, lactation consultants are amazing. If you didn’t have one at the hospital then look in your area, do a google search. Some even have websites and will do consultations on skype or over the phone. Please, please, please don’t just give up. Surround yourself with support. If you need a new mom to chat with about it, hit me up via email, or twitter! And please don’t think I’m trying to make you feel bad about supplementing. I know it’s hard, trust me I know. I had a bloody, cracked nipple and a screaming 5 day old who wanted to eat. It sucked, but we got through it.
Email: megangwen@hotmail.com
Twitter: megangwen314
You can do it! Trust your body!!!
Thanks hon! I’m working on it and trying to be patient, and I think I’m starting to catch up – it’s definitely better than last week!
She’s just the sweetest. That’s great you are exposing her to both faiths. 🙂
Thanks!