One Month in Review - Part 2

Way to grow, Corey! At today's one month well visit his weight was 8 lbs. 5 oz. and his length was 20 1/2 inches. Both figures are in the 10-25% percentile. This means he's up 2 lbs 5 oz from his birth weight and has grown 2 1/2 inches. Dr. Smoak was very pleased. I told him the concerns I mentioned in the first segment of this post and as usual, he put my mind at ease. On the way out of the office there was a scale and I couldn't help but to hop on. Down another 10 lbs! I had lost all of the baby weight of 16 lbs. before leaving the hospital and the additional 10 lbs. must be a result of pumping milk and not having much time to eat.

A Month in Review

Corey turns one month old today! We go to see Dr. Smoak for the one month check up later today. When Corey was first born I thought, "Now my family is complete." There is much joy in my heart when I look at Rick with our two boys. Rick and I started off as a couple of mid-20 year-olds in a Charles Schwab stockbroker training class as friends who carpooled together. That was in 1998. Now we've been married for 8 1/2 years and have two children. We have a complete family.

This month has passed by at an astonishing pace and each day runs right into the next. There is no going to bed for several hours each night and beginning a new day the next. Actually, I feel like it's all one big Ground Hog Day. But this too shall pass, as the saying goes. I wouldn't change it. I'm tired but that's okay, Rick is so very, very helpful. He's more helpful than one can imagine and I am grateful for that.

Corey has gotten chubby cheeks and I've noticed eyelashes and eyebrows that have started to come in over the past week. He's a perfect, beautiful baby. He could be the next Gerber baby. Rick and I get worried about his excessive gas and his breathing sounds. My brain tells me that those two things are normal but my heart disagrees. I'll ask Dr. Smoak about those concerns.

I know I've thanked you over and over, Lord, but let me thank you again for my family and my newborn baby boy, Corey.

Breast Milk, Bottles and Boobies

Hi, My name is Jen and I'm a milking cow. Corey has not been able to latch on yet despite help from the L.C. in the hospital and two different trips to the L.C. at my pediatrician's office. Actually, he was able to extract a tiny bit of milk with the help of the L.C. and a nipple shield on our last trip. This was promising but we are going back in another week once Corey turns a month old. Everyone who's helped me try to get him to latch on has said that he has an immature suck, probably due to being four weeks early. Additionally, white males have the hardest time latching on. Isn't that interesting?

I have a close relationship with the breast pump I rented. I do not enjoy this relationship and am even coming to dislike it but I will say that it's working out well for Corey's sake. I pump six times a day religiously but can't manage more than that. At first I was happily surprised that it did not hurt. Well, it sure started to hurt about 14 days after beginning to pump. Now I cringe when it's time to turn on the pump. Ouch. I don't produce enough milk to solely feed that to Corey but at most I'm only giving him formula about 20% of the time. Pumping, bottle feeding and washing the pump parts and bottles takes up a large part of my life. Each day I want to give up but I don't because I figure if I've got the milk I'd be a fool not to pump it. Some gals don't produce enough milk as is the case with one of my good friends. She's going through that right now.

My prayer is that Corey will be mature enough to latch on soon, that we'll have a break through at next week's L.C. appointment. Also, at some point, if he does not latch on I won't be able to pump enough to give him what he needs. The percentage of formula vs. breast milk with shift. I'm not someone who hates formula but I feel like I really need to give Corey breast milk. Tyler only got my breast milk once. He was NPO (nothing by mouth) for several weeks and I simply stopped pumping. I had to take that off my plate given everything that was going on with him being in the NICU and my mom dying. I have absolutely nothing to feel guilty about however I will always wonder if Tyler didn't have as good a start had I pumped and put the milk in the freezer. Maybe I'm partially trying to make up for what Tyler didn't get by giving it to Corey?