26 days old

Time is flying by!

Things are going well. Chase is doing very well and growing fast. He's a big boy and eats a lot! He's a good baby and really only fusses when he's hungry (and wants his food NOW) and pooping. Sometimes he has a hard time pooping and really strains and fusses. I've been giving him gripe water for the gas and tummy troubles and I think it seems to calm him down some.

My dad flew in last week and this past weekend my mom went back home. I have had a really hard time with her leaving. She was much more help and I needed/need her more than I expected. I have dad with me for the next two weeks so that's really nice. Mom and I are not so great in the kitchen so meal time was a little difficult, but that's where dad comes in. He's been making me some really nice meals and helping out with the dishes and washing pump parts which is a neverending chore.

I had a root canal last week that necessitated taking several medications and my research led me to think that I shouldn't feed Chase breastmilk within several hours of popping my pills. The dentist gave me vicodin (which I haven't taken) and Prednisone which I needed to take. I BF during the early morning hours, pump in between to try to build a supply, take my pills around 2pm, pump and throw out my milk from 2pm until 10pm and then supplement his feedings with formula if I have to. It's a lot of work, but thankfully this kid is such a chow hound he doesn't give a rat's ass what he's eating or how it's given to him; boob, bottle, formula, milk, he doesn't care and just wants his fill.

His chord stump finally fell of this morning. YAY! That darn thing was gross and annoyingly in the way. We had a diaper blow-out yesterday and I had to give him a bath (he hates them) which is much harder to do with a fussy, squirmy baby while trying to avoid and keep the chord dry.

We have his one month check up on Friday and I can't wait to see how big and tall he is.
His stats so far:
Birth - 9lbs 1oz, 21 inches
4 days - 8lbs 7oz
8 days - 9lbs
14 days - 9lbs 13oz, 21 3/4 inches (95% & 90% respectively)

Pictures I took after his feeding yesterday morning.

Quickie

Chase is now 5 days old and doing wonderfully. He is so darn cute I can't stand it. Chubby cheeks and a full head of super-soft hair. We had our first pediatrician appointment today and he's doing well. A little jaundiced but nothing to be concerned about.

Breastfeeding is going okay. At first it was unbearable because he is a chomper and likes to bite down and I have super-sensitive nipples. I have done a lot of bleeding and scabbing over (yes I have been using the lanolin cream religiously and that does seem to help) but my milk came in last night full force and I have been able to feed him and pump the remaining for relief. He is very active with his hands and likes to push and pull and grab my boob when I'm trying to get him to latch. Once he does latch, it's usually good, but we have been having a little problem with him using my boob as a pacifier. He likes to suckle for a little bit but then falls asleep. I tickle his cheek or his feet and then he'll suckle a little more before nodding off again. The doc called this snacking, and that's about all he wants to do which isn't so good. He does take the bottle with breastmilk a little less lazily, but still likes to snooze during feedings. Doc said to take his clothes off and not make him so comfortable and he should get down to business a little better.

The first night we were home (I was only in the hospital for 48 hours) was terrible. He literally cried from the time we put him in the car seat until 9am the following morning. No sleep at all. The following night was much better and he actually slept in between feedings and diaper changes. Last night was awesome and he sleep for about 4 hour increments. Of course, my boobs were about to explode before each feeding but the sleep was great. We'll see how tonight goes.

Weight stats; I ended up gaining 32 lbs and weighed 142 when I checked into the hospital. Today I weighed myself at the pediatrician's office and I'm at 126. My appetite is still going full-force and I'm eating quite well. TMI: I still have not pooped since checking into the hospital, but I'm not going to worry about it until I feel uncomfortable. I am taking stool softeners so it probably won't be too much longer until I have to pay my toilet a long visit. My incision looks great and will probably not leave too much of a scar. I also don't have any stretch marks. How lucky am I?

Pics:

Surprise!

Well guess who decided he didn't want to wait until his scheduled delivery appointment date and time? Yep, baby Chase is here and I am doing wonderfully.

Short version:
I woke up with different contractions on Thursday morning and figured that since I had a dr. Appointment that afternoon, I could wait until then and mention the change in braxton-hicks and the added back pain. I have to admit that I had a sneaky suspicion that it was labor, but I kept telling myself he was two weeks early.

I go to the appointment and doc says, "I think you're in labor", does a cervix check (OW!) and concludes that I was at 3cm. She sends me on my way to the hospital and baby Chase was delivered via c-section at 8:30 that night.

Oh, and he weighed 9lbs 1oz and was 21 inches long.