Roll with Ethan

I am so excited about Ethan's tummy time!  He rolled over twice.  We were so proud.
He really is a great baby.  He is so beautiful!  I love him so much.  I started taking Domperidone to up my milk supply so hopefully it will help me to eliminate formula supplements.  It can take 24 hours to two weeks.  I can't wait!'

The Bragging Post

My son slept through the night!  He went down at 11 and slept til 6:15 only because I woke him.  Then he slept again from 7:15-9:15!  In total today, I got NINE hours of sleep!  My son loves me. 

AND I had a lactation consultant meet with me last week.  She helped me get nursing down.  Ethan pulls his head back when he needs to latch so we have to push him forward.  It can take me a bit to get him on.  She helped out and commented that he is the strongest baby she has ever seen.  Just like his name...Ethan means strong! 

And finally, he let Jason and I enjoy a dinner at Chili's with no interruptions!  We are getting so spoiled!  Thanks baby! 

5 weeks old

I really have the best baby ever!  He is so precious and wonderful.  We have had our roller coaster ride and seem to not be drama free yet, but I believe the Lord is and has been with us every step of the way.  We definitely have had more than our fair share of challenges.  But God has answered so many prayers. 

My swollen ankles...

Ethan's jaundice

Ethan gaining weight

Ethan pooping 

Now I am believing for more milk to come in so I can eliminate formula from Ethan's diet.  Currently I only produce 2 ounces and supplement with two sometimes three.  He can eat.  Let's hope that I can increase my supply to provide for him.  It really makes me feel like I am lacking as a mom and woman when I am not enough for my son.  How can something so "natural" and the way God intended things to be, be so complicated?! 

Ethan is turning one month!

I can't believe that he has only been a part of my life for 28 days.  It feels so much longer.  I love him so much.  He is the most amazing gift from God.  I love to just stare at him and his adorableness.  Mommyhood has had it's share of challenges though.  I had no idea that I would have to worry about his weight gain.  I know I've done everything I could, but I feel like I am somehow lacking as a woman.  How can something God intended not work for me.  I want the best for Ethan, but I'm realizing I'm not it.  I have done so much to try to have enough milk.  I've done the herbs, the tea, pumping, and lots of prayer.  I don't know what else to do.  I just want my baby to grow.  He is still not to his birth weight.  The other problem we are dealing with is the formula we are supplementing with.  Since starting down this road, he stopped having regular bowel movements.  We got off the Enfamil because it really hurt his tummy.  We used the Simalac Sensitive, but he still hasn't regulated.  We have done suppositories and they work, but he needs to go on his own.  Monday we met with our Pediatrician and she told me to supplement him every meal with formula and gave us Entelacare.  That formula is insane!  It costs an arm and a leg.  He took the first three feeds but then rejected it after that.  So we went back to the Similac.  I'm really hoping that he gains for our next appointment.  AND that he starts to have regular bowel movements.  I've never felt so helpless in all my life. 

A day in the life of Ethan

I wanted to track a typical day in the life of Ethan.  I had had a lot of stress lately because he has been fussy all week.  I wanted to see how much he cried and didn't sleep.  Well, he must of suspected and has been the absolute most perfect baby ever!  Well, minus the poop.  That boy is making me scared with his lack of poopage.  

Midnight-3:30 Sleep in swing on high with white noise and vibration on
3:30-4:20 Wake up, diaper change, eat while mommy plays words with friends and reads bible
4:20-7:00 Sleep in swing
7:00-8:15 Wake up, diaper change, eat while mommy reads What to expect community boards and Babywise boards
8:15-9:20 Fall asleep in mommies arms til daddy takes me and holds me then puts me in bouncer.  Mommy got spoiled by daddy and had eggs, bacon, and toast.  Yum!

9:20-10:30 Wake Up screaming, diaper change, cry, diaper change, eat while mommy sings to me with her Glee App...pppoker face
10:30-11:18 Sleep in mommies arms til she puts me in bouncer
11:18-11:25 Wake up and look around.  Stretch and root and grunt and smile.

11:25-12:220 Whimper, Scream, get burped by daddy, diaper change,  eat while mommy checks facebook, email, and words with friends and watches Ellen
12:20- 1:36 Fall asleep in mommy's arms and oops on her zipper.  Get put in bouncer. 
1:36- 1:43Slowly Wake up, stretch, doze off, fart, stretch, root, make funny faces, grunt, get paparazzi-ed
1: 43-2:28 Cry, Diaper change (takes a little bit longer because the crystal beads from diaper are all over him) , Scream, eat while mommy cringes in pain from thrush AND you twisting and pulling on the boob.  And eats homemade pizza from daddy. 
2:28-2:35 Burped and chilling with daddy. 
2:35-2:50 Crying and diaper check.  Chilling in bouncy.
2:50-2:53 First attempt at tummy time.  Not too shabby.
2:53-2:57 Crying and diaper change.
2:57-3:08 Crying and rooting
3:08-3:47 Supplement an ounce of formula, nap, get in bouncy, cry, eat fist, chill, cry, root, diaper change, cry
3:47-4:30 Eat while mommy watches Holly's World.  Pop off after only 6 minutes? The latch is easiest when daddy helps out. 
4:31- 6:48Cry, diaper change, cry, swaddle, sleep
6:49-7:28  Diaper change, eat while mommy watches Les Mes and plays words with friends
7:29-8:30 Burped by daddy and sleep while mommy eats Spaghetti made by friends.
8:31-9:40 Diaper change and eat yet again.  Not as painful this time.  Hmm...  Fed for 15 x 2 and now he is starving still.  Gave another 15 and he seems ok. 
9:40-10:28 Burped by daddy and fussy.  Could it be constipation?  Screaming, crying.  Changed diaper, sang to, gave in and gave one ounce of formula.  Bath time!  He cracks me up.  He is wide awake!  But at least he's not fussy.  Phew.

10:28-10:45 Chilling in bouncy and not the least bit tired.  Uh oh.  At least he is happy and content. 
10:45-11:30 Fussy and rooting.  Diaper change and eat while mommy goes on La Leche website and breastfeeding sites.  She has a lot of questions. She emailed many people the following questions.

If my baby needs to feed every hour and a half will my breasts produce enough hind milk to fill up my baby?

He isn't pooping regularly, is this normal?  He went 6 days before the doctor recommended a suppository.  Now he has gone two days. 

He has started this new thing where he pulls back on my breast then nurses normally.  Is he trying to get more milk? 

After he feeds sometimes he still acts hungry.  Should I supplement with formula?

Baby has been gassy.  Farting a lot and grunting.  I'm taking fenugreek and blessed thistle.  Could that be the cause?

During the day he can only go two hours between feedings but at night he would go 4 hours or more if I let him.  Is that normal?
11:30-2:00 Sleep in swing with white noise.
And there you have it.  A day in the life of baby E. 

Three Weeks Old

Baby Ethan is three weeks old.  And what an adventure it has been.  He keeps us constantly on high alert.  We are still not out of the woods about his weight.  He has gained, but we want that to be more.  He still isn't back to his birth weight.  Tomorrow we have an appointment so let's hope it's the one! 

Currently our struggle is he hasn't pooped since Friday!  I really want him to go on his own, but I am scared that we may have to intervene.  Jason bought a suppository for him, but I really don't want to do it.  :(  Boo. 

Two weeks old...

Baby is two weeks old and what a two weeks it has been.  When he first came home from the hospital, we took him to the doctor to get his weight checked.  He was losing weight and had jaundice.  We set another appointment on Monday and he was down even more weight!  And they sent us to the hospital lab to get his jaundice levels checked.  He was a 7 at the hospital and 15 Monday.  We went back again on Tuesday and he was a 12 so they were happy with that and we were in the clear.  Except for his weight.  We had to get him weighed again Thursday and then Saturday.  We met with the lactation nurse three times.  They were boggled why he wasn't gaining weight since he was a champ at eating and latching.  The doctor took me off Vicadin to get baby off it because it was making him sleepy.  We went to the doctor again Monday and they finally had me give him supplements to make up for the weight loss.  I also needed to take herbs and drink Mother's Milk Tea to up my milk supply.  Tomorrow we have the big test to see if all this worked.  I am very stressed about his weight loss.  He should be gaining and I should be losing!  Here's hoping he gets to be a chunky monkey.