Six weeks down

Well, almost six weeks anyhow.  I had my six-week appointment at the ob/gyn yesterday and all is well.  After Avery and I stopped at the pediatrician's office to use their scale.  The good news is Avery is up to 7# 12.5oz.  That isn't crazy progress, but it's progress in the right direction none the less (so up 2.5 oz in the past week and 5 days).

I'm getting more smiles but still narrowly missing capturing them on film or video.  We're also starting to create a good, healthy pattern at night which has been resulting in good sleep!  Of course, I recognize that now that I typed that everything will go out the window.

Caved in

We have had our days when Avery seemed to constantly cry and would gladly eat more frequently than prescribed.  We  have had our days when there were plenty of wet diapers but very little poo.  This day is both.  This combined with the limited amount of milk I seem to be retrieving when I pump led (combined with his suggestion) to me offering her supplement formula.  Two ounces later she is still fussing on and off, but is a bit calmer and seeming willing to nap.

I'm very concerned about my ability to gather enough pumped milk to send to daycare.  Like I said - across two pumping sessions today I'd be lucky to have gathered a fourth of what she might need while away from me all day.  I know pumps aren't as effective at getting milk out as she is and I know that if I weren't feeding her too there would be more... but this just doesn't bode well.

I don't want to fail at this.  Feeling a little bummed.  I feel like I cheated.  Plus formula feeding reduces her time pulling at me to produce more.  Maybe I'm dehydrated and need to drink more to produce more.  Her diapers don't seem to be changing as far as how closely the tape attaches (as would indicate weight gain).  So many questions ad so much uncertainty.  I definitely need to go to the ped office this week (between scheduled appointments) to weight her.

A few firsts

On Sunday, the 24th we celebrated Avery's one month birthday.  Round about that time she also showed us that she knows how to roll over from her stomach to her back when set down for tummy time and she isn't into it.  On Wednesday, the 27th I got a real smile out of the girl first thing in the morning when I leaned in to pick her up.  On Friday, the 29th we drove to Altoona and she got to meet most all of her great Aunts (on both sides of my family) and two great Uncles!

On the sleep front, I got a new mattress.  I'm glad I didn't do so while still pregnant as I would have never been able to roll out of the bed as I am struggling to get out now.  We've been doing pretty good overnight and getting a little more sleep.  Avery is willing to sleep for longer stretches, which is torture for me since I love my sleep - but I know I need to wake her to feed in order to get some weight on her and to maintain my supply.

Slow and steady

Our Thursday appointment at the pediatrician turned into Avery's one month appointment.  As such she got measured - showing she's now 21" long and her first vaccine (Hep B).  She did gain a little bit more weight and is back to 7# 9oz (where she was when she left the hospital).  This is indeed slow going.  But the doctor is still okay with everything. This puts her at the 10th percentile for weight and 15th percentile for height.

We had a few rough days leading up to this appointment.  On Tuesday she was fussy every time she was put down on her own and insisted upon being held.  Fortunately, she snapped out of that for bedtime and allowed us some rest.  Then on Wednesday night she decided to be a bear in the evening - staying awake well past 3am.

Overnight last night she was unable to get anything from my left breast on her own.  When I pumped this morning I was able to get a half of an ounce out of it.  Of course, I also got another half an ounce out of the right which had just fed her.  So I am a little more concerned about production levels than I was even before.  Right now I am going to go ahead and guzzle some fluids to see if I am just not drinking as much as I should be.

Some upward progress

At the Thursday appointment we were up... slightly... to 7# 7.5oz.  Granted she hadn't had a single poop that day to that point, so I suspect that helped us out, but at least we didn't lose more weight.  I am continuing to feed her around the 3 hour mark and trying hard to get through any of the initial pain of latching on by trying to get her situated better for feedings.  We're also sitting still for 20 minutes or so with the hopes that the hind milk will help out.  We return to the pediatrician again this coming Thursday.

In the mean time, we were getting a little more of a routine/predictability down, so I was brave enough that we ventured out to see some of his family on Friday night (an hour away).  It went well and she got to meet some folks.

I won't talk about sleep other than to say I'm rather tired right now.  I do yearn for when the feedings are spaced a little further apart as right now by the time I'm ready to put my head down we're within an hour of the next feeding and that short of a nap just leaves me grumpy.

Yearning to Gain

We were back at the pediatrician today, and unfortunately - she has lost even more weight.  We're now down to 7# 6.5oz.  *sigh*  Of course, I immediately started crying.  I need her to put on weight.  We're going back again on Thursday.  I suspect if the next 48 hours aren't productive we'll be headed down a path of supplements (which is another healthy expense).  I'm pumping and feeding often - she'll guzzle the pumped milk, but sits lazily more often than not when she's on the breast.  Of course, pumping I'm not getting a huge amount either, so that sits poorly with me.

Two weeks and counting

It blows my mind that two weeks have already passed since Avery joined us.  The time has gone so quickly, but the nights seem to crawl as she is unhappy and hungry for hours on end each night.  We've been able to feed, offer what I pumped earlier in the day, and feed again - then with some cuddling to get her out I am able to get some sleep, but I'm still feeling deprived.  It's hard to get through that cycle at 2am.

If only you could sleep while they slept on you.  She goes out nicely laying on top of me.  But we all know that is not a safe situation.  Sometimes I get lucky and after she falls asleep like that will stay asleep after the shift to her bed.  I do wonder/think that perhaps the coldness of her bed is what wakes her back up.  Time to take a heating pad to her mattress until I'm ready to set her down.

At Avery's appointment on Tuesday she was only up an ounce (7lb 10oz).  So here I am looking for ways to increase my output. My left breast doesn't seem to be as productive as the right, so I am also starting her nursing on the left more often, which displeases her too if it doesn't let down as quickly or as much.  I'm also sitting here with a cup of oatmeal, which supposedly will increase supply.
Her Aunt Jackie will be coming to stay with us tomorrow, so I'll have another set of hands to hold the baby - I'm hoping this will give me a little more sleep time, but I also know all too well that it can be hard to sleep and relax with company here.

We ended up scheduling an appointment with the Picture People for her photos since I heard back from only one of the other photographers and it was a dismissive response.  I hope we can get some good shots. I need to take some time to put the outfits on her tonight that I want to take with.  I do fear some will be too big and make her look like she's swimming.  I picked up a few other items from consignment to keep her covered in an appropriate size, but nothing there that is so adorable as to warrant photos.