Taking Stock at 6 Weeks Old. 2-28-12

Here’s what’s happening at 6 weeks old:

Long legs!

• I’m not sure if we’re getting more sleep (and by we, I mostly mean me), but Boop is a little more predictable. Lately, <knock on wood> we’ve had some success with the swing in the bathroom with the shower going. She generally is able to sleep there after I’ve fed her. So, I’ve managed a few showers. And the Moby has given me a bit more mobility. I’ve gotten a few walks in with the Moby and warmer weather. Winnie is enjoying that part.

• Boop still has those knots on her head, but they are a bit smaller. She still keeps her thumbs in her fist, but she is more able to wrap fingers and thumb around my finger. I saw her sleeping with all of her fingers and thumb spread out straight a couple of days ago. Her eyes are still blue. Belly button is out. She is smiling more often. Big smiles. I love it.

• Last week, I was stressed about my 6 weeks maternity leave being nearly over. I spoke with my friend who had been in human resources in another state, and then the HR person at work. I have FMLA until August; so in theory, I could take 12 weeks. Fortunately, my boss approved 2 more weeks. Now I need to focus on getting childcare lined up.

Reactions. 2-26-12

When I talked to folks about my pregnancy as a single woman, and still as a single mother, I typically have gotten two types of reactions:  “You’re brave” or “You’ll be a good mom.” Typically, the former comes from other women who are single/don’t have children, maybe who haven’t known me as long. It almost seems like there’s a subtext of, ‘you must be out of your mind’ :)

Boop giving her opinion

I’ve gotten the ‘You’ll be a good mom’ response from a mix of mothers. Some, who maybe don’t know me as well, seem to offer it as a pep talk/bit of reassurance. It’s always nice to hear. And then there are the folks that have known me for me a while and who know how much I’ve wanted children. Maybe they know I’ll try really hard at it, and I guess that means something. I’m certainly better than some of the crazy mothers that are on the 5 o’clock news. Other’s opinions are all well and good, but the ultimate decision about whether or not I’m a good mom will be little Boop. And she will no-doubt change her mind about my mothering abilities throughout her life.

The Wrap. 2-25-12

My student and his wife came by yesterday morning. She was dressed in a burka and head scarf. I remember in my Middle East classes in college, there was so much push back about the meaning of being a liberated woman. Folks in the West think that wearing a burka is so repressive, but women in the Middle East often see it as liberating. Head scarf=no worries about how your hair looks. Burka=no worries about your clothes underneath. As his wife stepped up the stair to enter my house, her jeaned leg peeped out. What type of jeans? It doesn’t matter. Very easy. And so I totally get the liberation of a burka.

Outfit from my student and his wife
This one goes out to my peeps in da 'hood

And so it is with babies being swaddled. Being swaddled means freedom from flailing arms and worries about being unsupported. Talking to my middle/high school friend, M, on the phone about FMLA, she mentioned how her middle son didn’t want to be put down. She was also concerned about the Bjorn for newborns and suggested a Moby. I figured it was worth a shot, and I found one on craiglist.com. For $20, it was half what they are in the stores and in very good shape. Having small children, the seller and I both agreed to meet at Starbucks and made a quick exchange in the freezing parking lot. It kinda felt like making a drug deal. I hear that all sorts of deals go down at the Starbucks these days.

After a good wash and dry and after viewing the videos for the Moby multiple times, I decided to dig in. Basically, the Moby is a long piece of fabric about 20 feet long, but the trick is in the tying. When I first put her partially in, Boop wasn’t thrilled. So, I gave her some formula in the Moby, took her out, and changed her diaper. Then, I put her back in little by little, and eventually, I got her all the way in. I know I’m feeling liberated, being able to use both arms! Boop is sound asleep, and I feel like I should be wandering through a village carrying a jug of water on my head, or something.

Peking Acrobats. 2-22-12

When I was in college, the Peking Acrobats came to town. It was really quite something, watching person after person climb up, building a precarious human pyramid. As the tower got higher, the people on the pyramid got smaller and smaller. That didn’t help the men on the bottom much, though, because having 20 small people on top of you is still very heavy. Uncharacteristically, the tiny girls near the top of the pyramid bobbled and seemed to slip. They managed to recover, which we recognized with applause.

I remember when ‘It Takes a Village’ to raise a child came out, and I thought of how so many of my aunts/uncles and cousins took care of me. How my Paw-paw, and partner in crime, did all he could to spoil me and protect me from my parents who tried to keep me in line. Being home this past week reminded me of how different my life was from my little Boop’s. We’re working on building our ‘village,’ but it’s much slower than having my family close by. Rather, I feel a bit more like we’re those Peking Acrobats with my little Boop on top.

When we got back from the trip, there was a package from my grad school friend, S, an SMC. Her little boy, W, is about a year older than my little Boop. She’s given me much help along the way, getting me hooked in with the SMC group. Then, I think of my other grad school friend, M, on her own away from family with her two little ones. And I think about how things are still a bit precarious for us. I keep telling myself that we’ll get better at this with time, and that even though we may bobble a bit, little Boop will be just fine. In the meantime, we’ll keep working on building those connections around us.  

More Adventures of Boop and Winnie. 2-23-12

I was so exhausted from the 5 hour drive back home. We left on Monday instead of Sunday, due to the snow. Boop did pretty well, except as we got close to home. Turns out she had a very full diaper, bless her heart. We made it, though. When we got to the house on Monday, little Boop was still pretty upset. G looked at her and asked if Boop could smile, and lo and behold, Boop did! I was shocked.

After getting Boop in a clean diaper, I decided to try the Baby Bjorn for the first time. I’ve been a little concerned about hip dysplasia, but I decided to just put her in for a few minutes. I was able to get a fair bit of unpacking done in an hour, and she seemed happy enough.

On Tuesday, we slept and slept and slept. Then, I figured I’d give a bath another shot. I let the portable heater get the bathroom nice and warm. Then, I filled her tub. The rubber ducky temperature monitor was still reading too hot, but the water felt good to me. I figured Boop would let me know if the water was too warm ;) You guessed it, she did heaps better this time. No tears. We even got a bit of soap on this time.

My goal was to get a walk in, some sort of walk in, while the weather was decent. Even though I planned for it all day, it was 4pm before we did the deed. I switched Boop out of her ballet onsie from Mom’s Grandma Shower at work, and into her big brown bunting. Winnie was chomping at the bit and took us to the dog park, of course. I managed to get Winnie to walk the nature trail that surrounded the fenced dog area. Boop was sound asleep. After a half hour, we wrapped up our little walk. Winnie was happy but not ready for the walk to be over. If the weather holds up, maybe we’ll get another walk in this week.

One Month Old. 2-22-12

Mom decided to come on Friday afternoon and Saturday. On Friday, I needed to meet with someone about a grant for about an hour, and Mom was going to babysit. So, I figured I would go home with her that night, which was about 1.5 hrs away. I was so excited to show off my little Boop, even though it was short notice.

That evening, I had Mom pick out the clothes that Boop would wear for her photos. She found an outfit that she liked, and I packed it in the diaper bag. The next morning, I got the diaper bag ready with her bottle. I’m getting better at it. Of course, Boop wanted to nurse before we left; so I took a few extra minutes. We were late picking up my dad’s aunt D (the one who is nearly 90 that is the awesome cook) and my dad’s cousin RA for breakfast. We met S & S at the restaurant. Pre-baby, it was uncharacteristic of me to be late, but now, it’s more of a challenge. Mom and RA held Boop most of the time, with me feeling a little frantic, being so used to handling Boop’s whimpers on my own and not wanting to overwhelm others with taking care of her.

Waiting for photos with Grandma...

We had a nice visit at the restaurant and spent a few extra minutes at RA’s so G could see her, which evolved into another nursing session. S had found a photography special; so we went over there to get some quick photos done. Mom didn’t like the outfit she picked out: glad it wasn’t me who decided  ;) In the end, we liked the pose in just her diaper the best, of course. It was much easier than I expected. We then stopped off to see Mom’s aunt J who was in town, and she just ooo’ed and ah’ed over my little Boop. And then after that, we drove 2 hrs to my aunt S’s and went and got ribs for dinner. She also enjoyed seeing my little girl. I’m amazed Boop held up as well as she did; she was just one month old that day. I know it was tough on her, but I’m glad she got to see so many people.

Wheels on Fire. 2-21-12

G called last Tuesday evening from CA to make plans for a trip home last Wednesday (2-15). I was so happy that Boop, Winnie, and I could hitch a ride for a trip back home to see my family. We would be arriving soon enough that Mom could drive to my aunt D’s to visit that Wednesday evening after work.

Packing, well, I really didn’t know what to pack. I asked my helper to come over to help me get ready. We must have packed 20 outfits for Boop, as Mom wanted to take Boop to have her photo professionally done. I figured I’d let Mom pick the outfit(s); so that she would be happy with the photo—or at least she couldn’t blame me if they didn’t turn out well ;) I packed some cloth diapers but mostly disposable. I packed my pump, even though I figured I wouldn’t have time. I packed Winnie’s bag as usual. We were going to be gone for 4 days, but maybe I packed for 40? Of course, I forgot one very important thing: my cell phone.

G was so patient with us. She loaded all of those bags into her car, and persisted through Boop’s tears. I had prepared myself for the worst during our 5 hour trip, but Boop did as well as could be expected of a 1 month old. Winnie was happy to have my lap. Boop did not like being in the car seat and wailed, but fell asleep after a while. When I arrived, my mom was waiting at Aunt D’s. God love Aunt D, she mentioned that I had never really told her for sure that I was coming. She didn’t know anything until Mom arrived. Mom hadn’t mentioned anything either.  She was happy to see us though. Mom and D took over holding duty to give me a little break, and Boop and I crashed on the futon soon after.

Taking Stock at 5 Weeks Old. 2-21-12

Here’s what’s happening at 5 weeks old:

• I’m stressed about having to go back to work next week. 6 weeks flies by. Getting the letter in the mail from work that I have to return next Wednesday was like having cold water dumped on me. Not sure what happened with the midwives. I never heard from them, even though I requested a call twice.
• I still don’t have daycare lined up. The last I heard, Boop was 27 on the wait list at the work daycare. I bet it will be a few more months before they have any openings. So everything is at sixes and sevens. I have a couple of possibilities, but I will need to do a bit of investigating.
• Boop’s been doing much better with diaper changes. Sum total of the times she’s peed on me? 5 times so far + 1 on Mom. Wait, I thought that was only for little boys.
• Boop’s head is looking a tiny bit better, but she still has her ‘horns’. She is starting to pull those thumbs out every once in a while, more the left than the right. Wonder if Boop will be left handed? I’ve been noticing that Boop’s scleras are a bit grey. I will need to check with the doctor about it. Hopefully, it’s just a typical infant thing. 
• Is that a social smile I see? G told Boop to smile when we arrived home, and she did. Coincidence? Look at the photo...

Letterbox. 2-20-12

"Never know what you'll find when you open up your letterbox tomorrow..."--They Might Be Giants

Here are some recent things that the mailman has left on my doorstep for my little Boop:

From my college friends--lots of books to read! We almost got through Dr. Seuss. It won't be long!

From my grad school friend, M. More pretty clothes! Mom is so excited about all of the Christmas clothes :)

From my Irish penpal and family. Not too many "mummies" in the States :) 

I Love Mommy. 2-16-12

Power to the people!

Boop has several outfits that say “Mommy rocks” or “I love Mommy.” But, I know that she really doesn’t understand these things and can’t form her own opinion, yet. I know I complain a bit about the challenges of being a new mom. However, it’s no secret that I love my little Boop.

Here are a few of things about her that I’m enjoying now:

1.       The way she will be crying her little eyes out, I can pick her up, and it’s like suddenly shutting off the water from a gushing spigot. Some would say she’s spoiled. Well, yes, and your point?

2.        The way I can get her to burp. When my helper tried in vain to get my little Boop to burp after her bottle, I offered to take her. I bounced Boop a few times, patted her back a few times, and magic: she burped like an old man.

3.       The way she can give 40 different facial expressions in the span of about a minute. My favorite is the big eyes, little mouth expression. I also get a few fleeting smiles.

4.       The way she seems so peaceful and satisfied after she nurses. She usually falls asleep while laying on her Boppy.

5.       The way she stretches out and throws her fist up in the air, alongside her head. Sometimes it just stays up there. Mom hates that I call it ‘Power to the people’. Well, I could say, ‘Workers of the world unite,’ but I figured the former was less politically charged.

6.       The sweet little sounds (um, not her crying or demanding ones), the little hums and sighs, she makes. They seem to say, ‘ah, I’m so content.’

7.       The way she’s so focused when you talk or sing to her. She seems to like the French bird plucking song (Alouette) and the Mexican cockroach song (La Cucaracha)—upbeat (?) songs.

8.       The way she wraps her little arm around me when I’m holding her head above my shoulder to burp her. I didn’t realize what she was doing until I saw her doing it with my aunt D. Maybe she’s trying to burp us?

9.       The way her crazy big toe sticks out during her Babinski reflex. Her little toes look just like mine and my dad’s, but that big toe is a bit whacky.

10.   The way she’s mine, and I get to keep her! Very cheesy, I know, but I still can’t get over it.

Taking Stock at 4 Weeks Old. 2-16-12

Here’s what’s happening at 4 weeks old (+1 day):

• Is Boop a month old? Well, I guess that won’t be until a few more days. That’s going to make the weekly reports a little tricky. They won’t coincide with her age in months, which seems to be the way time is measured for babies—different than fetuses (feti??) and embryos. So, I’m not sure if I’ll change the way I do these updates.
• The swelling on Boop’s noggin is pretty much gone. However, her skull plates are overlapping, which results in some pretty large, bony knots. They don’t seem to bother her though. She’s starting to spread out her fingers a bit, and her thumbs are coming out from under those fingers. Her eyes are still blue. Boop is becoming a bit more—weighty, which is a good thing. She’s also filling out her 3 month clothes pretty well in length, when she stretches her legs out. Like my family used to say of me, “She’s growing like a weed.” J

• We’re still trying to manage this sinus problem that seems to be hanging on. I’ve finished my antibiotics, but they didn’t seem to phase me. I guess I’ll try to follow up next week. Boop doesn’t need to go back for 3 more weeks, but she seems to be doing better than me. I’ve lost a couple of pounds, but it’s much slower going. I wish I had the chance to do some exercise, but in spite of Boop’s strength, she is still quite floppy and needs to be held constantly.
• Boop is less likely to wail when I change her diaper. Note: I said less likely, meaning she still can let out some howls when the mood strikes her. She still wails, period. One of her favorites is, “UH-NAY! UH-NAAAAAAYYYYY!!!” which means, “I’M HUNGRY! FEED ME *NOW*!!!” It’s a slight variation on Dunton’s “Neh”. Mom is also very familiar with “Eh, eh, wah” which means “Burp me, please burp me, and I’m going to cry whether or not you do what I want!”

Clogged. 2-13-12



<Happy Valentine’s Day!>



I’m slowly getting over this cold. Even with antibiotics, it’s been 2 weeks that I’ve been sick. And little Miss Boop has been sick even longer, it seems. She’s having a nice long nap and seems unperturbed for a change. We’re both pretty clogged up. I wish that were the only problem. My main-floor toilet decided to clog on Friday; so, that’s been a problem. I also had a clog in the upstairs sink.



At this point, I’m trying to decide when I need to call a plumber. My first attempt was a plunger, which did nothing. Next, I saw a recipe online from Heloise to unclog a drain that included ½ c baking soda and ¼ c salt mixed and poured down the drain, followed by ½ c vinegar, then 1 min hot water, and finally 1 min cold water. I figured I’d try it in the sink upstairs first. I didn’t quite make it to for the full 1 min. of hot water until the basin was about to run over. Thumbs down, Heloise. It looks like my next stop is Draino.



Taken by my friend from`work, B.E.



First Bath. 2-12-12

I had really been looking forward to Boop’s first bath. I thought she would love it. I thought it was in her genes. I imagined her cooing and splashing. I was planning to do it in the evening as we were winding down, hoping that it would calm her before bedtime. Websites about bathing a newborn said to wait until the umbilical stump had healed before attempting a bath. Based on our last visit to the pediatrician, her naval was in pretty good shape. They also suggested leaving a diaper on during the bath so the newborn doesn’t feel exposed?

Nothing exactly went as planned, as you might have guessed from the introduction. Boop had a blow out in her cloth diaper. When she was jaundiced, I celebrated every poopy diaper, as it helped to take the bilirubin away. Forgive me for not being as enthusiastic about poopy diapers these days. Boop hates having her diaper changed <This should have been my first hint that the bath may not be as fun as I had hoped>. And although I fought valiantly with wet wipes, Boop’s flailing arms and legs were making a bigger mess of things. So, I got the worst of the mess taken care of with wet wipes, and then I decided to try the bath.

Uncertain

Unhappy

Everything was still in packages; so I was trying to get things unwrapped one-handed with an unhappy baby in the other arm. I got the tub, I got the towel, I got the wash cloth, I got the baby wash, I got a clean diaper, I got the ducky bath thermometer. I didn’t really understand the ducky bath thermometer; it kept saying hot, even though it felt a bit cold to me <It would have helped if I read the directions>. Thankfully, I went with my gut--warmer. It was time to put her in. I took her blanket off, and she began to wail. I put her in the water. It didn’t help. I put the blanket over her in the water, and with some cajoling, I went over her with the wash cloth. After a couple of minutes, things took an increasingly unfortunate turn, and I pulled her out. Maybe better next time.

Winter. 2-12-12

The snow has finally moved in. Boop is sleeping in the portable crib, and I can hear her wheezing. The pediatrician told me to use saline and the nasal cannula to clear out Boop’s sinuses if needed. I knew that if one of us was sick, the other would be too, but I thought Boop had it first. Boop seems most congested after formula; so maybe that’s the cause of the wheezing. Certainly if she were getting it from me, I would have thought that she would have had it long before now. It’s been 2 weeks. Mom was here last weekend, and she’s been having symptoms for a few days now. I’m still having symptoms; not sure if the antibiotics have helped.

Channeling Grandma on the Phone

S and S were planning to come today but had to cancel due to snow. In retrospect, it might have been a better idea to go to the grocery rather than to clean the house with my helper yesterday, but I have enough to get me through. I ran out of milk this morning, and my neighbor was nice enough to pick some up while she was out today. I don’t think I’ll need that much. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get a ride to see family as G goes. She said she would call to let me know her plans. Five hours is a long trip for a  month old, but it will be easier if I can sit with her (and Winnie) in the back seat. I can’t wait to let the family see my little Boop.

The Best Laid Plans. 1-17-12

<I just found this blog post from the night before delivery. I'm behind on blogging; so I thought I would post.>

I spend a fair bit of time imagining my life after Boop’s arrival, assuming we make it through delivery unscathed. <Well, it could have been worse.> Partly this is to manage immediate concerns: what can I do now to prepare for Boop’s needs? And partly this is to imagine what sorts of things I can do to take care of myself to be in the best frame of mind. I don’t know which is more difficult to anticipate—her needs or mine.

I’ve already had one challenge: I was invited to be a reviewer in another state in February, but I couldn’t figure out a way to get Boop taken care of during the daytime meetings. That’s work, but I’m also wondering about leisure time. Clearly, there will be some trade-offs.  It will be tough to do fun things like go to concerts and such. The last concert I managed was Liam Finn’s at 7 months. <Boop's hearing seems fine, BTW.> I keep wishing I could manage some of his concerts in NYC, but little Boop would likely make an appearance, too. Perhaps that’s what I need to encourage labor? Somehow, I don’t think Dr. Karp would approve.

Looking Up. 2-9-12

The cloth diaper fairy came by to give us a booster session. I was relieved that we didn’t need to use the fasteners, as they tended to come off and scratch my Boop. Then, I managed a quiet lunch at the Mexican restaurant. Boop slept right through it, thankfully. Afterwards, the pediatrician visit went well. Boop was 8 lbs. 6 ozs. So, she is right on target. Boop should be gaining 6-7 ozs. per week now. I even noticed that I was leaking a bit, which was a very good sign. I’m still supplementing with formula, but no more than 10 ozs. Her belly button is healing well. The doctor thinks she may be an outie. Her heart seems to be just fine. And of course, the nurses came in to coo over her. I think it must be in the job description.

Boop's belly is getting bigger!

On the way home, we stopped and got batteries for Boop’s swing. I had joked to Mom last weekend that it could be our new babysitter. Unfortunately, as soon as she woke up, I realized the swing wouldn’t work in that capacity. Thankfully, S and S are coming for a visit this weekend. It will be good to see them, and I can sure use the help with Boop. In particular, I’m hoping for a few good naps J I’ve been averaging about 4 hours cumulative sleep over the course of the day and night. Some of that sleep is sitting up. So, I’ve been pretty out of it. Also, with Boop’s belly button doing so well, we may be able to give Boop her first little bath.

Taking Stock after Boop’s Week 3. 2-8-12

Here’s what’s happening at 3 weeks old:

• Perhaps we should have a skull and crossbones outside the house due to all of our illness. I’m looking forward to the time when Boop and I have an entire week where we aren’t sick. Hopefully, we’ll get a good report at the pediatrician tomorrow. Eyes on the prize: it won’t be long until I can get a couple of hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Pacing the floor...

• The swelling on her head has gone down a bit since last week, but the side with the vacuum extraction feels strange. Rather than puffy, that knot feels hard. I also want to check on the heart rate. Hopefully, they can get an accurate count this time.
• Has it been that long, seriously? Seriously. Boop has wanted to be held constantly, likely due to her cold. I was hoping to get a shower last night, but this morning, I knew it had to happen. I emailed U to see if she could hold Boop for a half hour, and she came over before going to work. In the shower, I remembered that I hadn’t washed my hair since I had it cut, which was—SATURDAY!
• We’re still working on feeding issues. I’d love to get rid of the formula, but she still needs supplementation. Although I feel like I’m providing more for Boop when nursing, I know it’s still not enough. At least maybe I can keep her from needing more supplementation as she gets older.

From the Mouths of Professionals. 2-7-12

Odd things I heard in the hospital from nurses and other health professionals:

·         We’re all trained in lactation.

This was from the nursing staff. I had asked to speak with a lactation specialist, and this was the response I received. I asked multiple times for a lactation specialist, but I didn’t get to speak with one until I laid down the law with the pediatric nurse practitioner on consult. After a week, the lactation specialist was quite upset. Folks sometimes overstep their boundaries—just like when they say that the physician assistant at work is doing genetic counseling. I feel the lactation specialist’s pain. We lost critical time.

·         You don’t need to burp a breast feeding baby.

This was said by the nurse who was trained in lactation. Everyone thought this was crazy. Unfortunately, now that Boop is not feeling well, she’s swallowing a good bit of air. I suspect her latch isn’t good.

·         That clicking sound is a good sign.

I’m still not sure about this one. The lactation specialist said the clicking sound when nursing is a sign of a poor suck. I have noticed that Boop has been a fair bit more gassy since she’s been clicking while nursing. I suspect it’s due to the cold.

·         You should only nurse for 20 min. at a time.

I think this came from the first pediatrician or the pediatric nurse practitioner. This was followed by an explanation that any sucking after this point would cause Boop to expend more energy than she is taking in. The problem with this is that babies will suck on pacifiers and fingers with no energy return. I read in the Nursing Mother’s Companion that some babies nurse for 45 min., and the lactation specialist advised nursing until she was ready to stop.

·         Your baby is just using you as a pacifier.

This is along the lines of the previous bullet point. Boop does fall asleep at the breast a lot, and nursing does calm her when she’s crying. There are alternate explanations, though. First, Boop is hungry. Second, she is in ‘milk coma.’ Breast milk often makes babies sleepy.

·         I’ve never seen nipple confusion.

Multiple groups do not recommend pacifiers in newborns, and at least one does not recommend a bottle in the first month. After Boop had a pacifier, she did not nurse for 8 hours!

Building Up. 2-6-12

I’m trying to build myself back up. This sinus infection has been rough on my energy level, and I haven’t been doing well with nursing. It’s been rather haphazard. I missed a few days of pumping and just started pumping a bit this afternoon. It was easy enough to eat my milkmakers cookie; so that didn’t falter. I’m also trying to get going on herbal tea to improve my milk supply. A few days ago, I called the local grocery to see if they had the same tea that my friend, M, sent me. They confirmed that they did. So, I had my mom make a run over there, and she couldn’t find it. The one she got is a bit strong on the anise flavoring, and I’m not a big fan of licorice. But I have to admit, the warm liquid feels good on my throat.

I’m definitely feeling better than yesterday and the day before, thank goodness. Aside from supplements, another element to improve nursing is to be able to keep Boop awake and interested in feeding, which is a bit easier since the jaundice is gone. However, the bottle with formula makes it a bit too quick and easy for her to get formula; so it’s harder for her to stay the course with nursing. B, my friend at work who just had a baby, has let me borrow her Nursing Mother’s Companion book, which has been helpful. I was reading something that was interesting—that inadequate removal of the placenta can cause symptoms like infection and delay milk production. Maybe I’ll mention it to the lactation specialist this week when I visit to get her opinion. Otherwise, we’ll just keep plugging along.

Boop snugggling up to my hand

3 Musketeers: Boop, Grandma, and Winnie. Looks like trouble when Boop can walk!

The Cavalry. 2-5-12

Yesterday evening found me at the Urgent Care. After nearly a week of fighting this cold, I had enough. The doctor called in a prescription for antibiotics to the pharmacy, which was closed. Thankfully, I was able to arrange for it to be transferred to a different pharmacy, where the pharmacist was anxious to close from being ill himself.

I’m not sure whether the cold is easing, the antibiotics are kicking in, or I got some decent rest, but I’m starting to feel a little better. Boop is resting in her portable crib for the first time in a while. It was such a relief to have Mom here this weekend. I definitely would have needed someone here to help me if she didn’t come. Cramming tissue up my nose to plug it from running incessantly only got me so far! It was nice to be treated to fried pork tenderloin for a change. I wish I could have tasted it a bit better. And Mom also served valiantly on bottle washing duty and bottle feedings. I was able to make a trip to get my hair cut. <This was my first time seeing this beautician, and I must have looked a fright with my white surgical mask on.> Mom also managed a trip to the dog park with Winnie.

Boop napping in Grandma's arms

A view of Boop's Lungs!

Hopefully, Mom won’t get this cold, but I know she loves spending time with her Sweet Pea—who she refuses to call Boop. We both agree that she’s probably the best thing since sliced bread—too cute to beer? I admit that I keep looking at my little Boop and find it hard to believe that she’s mine; although I remember her little blue feet across from me on the exam table and see her little hands are a miniaturized clone of mine. Maybe it will be a bit easier to believe as she chunks up and her porcelain skin starts to brown a bit.

Cold. 2-3-12

Last night felt like a longer night. Not sure if Boop was more agitated or if I just had less energy. Admittedly, I’m running a little low on sleep. If I’m up puttering around the house, Winnie and Boop sleep or entertain themselves, but if I’m resting, they need my attention. They must be in cahoots to keep me awake.

I suspect I caught my cold from Boop. When I put her up to my shoulder, she’s started sucking on my cheek. While I’d like to believe she’s giving kisses, I know she’s really looking for food. She was sneezing a lot at the hospital before we left. They said the sneezing was to help to clear out amniotic fluid from the lungs, but after 2 weeks, I doubt that is still the case. I started developing a sore throat a couple of days ago, but now I have a cough, sneezing, and runny nose. I bet Boop is miserable if she has the same.

Boop Mid-Sneeze

I rarely look for the cavalry, but today, I could use someone to sweep in and let me get a little sleep. Mom is coming tonight; so that will be a big help. Hopefully, I’ll even be able to get a haircut tomorrow, which should make me feel better. If it’s a bit shorter, maybe it won’t be a Boop formula magnet.

Accomplishment. 2-2-12

Being able to take care of my Boop and my Winnie is empowering. I had 3 things to do today, and I was feeling a bit nervous about being able to manage them all. First, I was concerned that I might have an infection; so I made an appointment with the midwife. Second, the lactation specialist was concerned about the knot on Boop’s head; so the pediatrician’s office had suggested I make an appointment. Third, Winnie’s hair was getting everywhere, and after her last unfortunate grooming, I knew I needed to take her to her original groomer across town. I was hoping to do it on Saturday when I would have help, but the only day the groomer could do it was today. My goal was to drop Winnie off before the pediatrician and midwife and pick her up afterwards.

I was pretty drowsy at 5am, but I knew I had a lot to do to get Winnie to the groomer by 9am. Thank goodness, everything worked like clockwork. I was able to get myself showered and dressed and Boop, Winnie, and the diaper bag ready and in the car in one trip. Boop only complained a little, and Winnie was so excited about being in the car. The pediatrician and midwife gave us a clean bill of health, with Boop up to 8 lbs!! Before leaving the doctor, Boop got enough to eat, and I even managed a quick trip through the drive-through for a bit of lunch myself before picking up Winnie. The groomer was nice enough to bring Winnie to the car so I didn’t have to get the baby out. We got home in one piece, which is an accomplishment!

Time. 1-31-12

It just takes time, I remind myself. Everything takes more time than I thought. I did not expect the recovery from jaundice to take so long; I didn’t think I would have so much trouble nursing; I thought Boop had already passed her meconium, but I was surprised to see it several days later; I figured Boop would be growing and adding weight like gang-busters, but we’re fighting for every ounce. We’re still #26 on the wait list for the daycare I want.

And then there’s the time that it takes to get out of the house. I was trying to go meet with the lactation consultant at 1pm. Of course, that didn’t happen. I nursed Boop a bit so that she would have a little something in her stomach for the trip. She calmed right down, until we were ready to leave, and then, she let me know she was hungry. We had to stop for a bottle. At almost 1pm, I was trying to get out the door. Then, I saw 3 packages. I stopped to open them as I needed supplemental nursing system and the Milkmakers cookies for the lactation consultant visit. My milk production has increased a bit, but it wasn’t enough to keep Boop from screaming in hunger in traffic on the car ride home.

A gift from C. I can only aspire to Boop's coolness in the zapatos!

So far, I’ve been managing on my own, for the most part. People call and email me offering to help, for which I’m very grateful, but most times, I really don’t know what to say. I think of things I need as I’m doing them, but that doesn’t help much. Hopefully, as Boop’s times between feedings increase, our available time will increase, and I can think a bit ahead.

Taking Stock after Boop’s Week 2. 1-31-12

Here’s what’s happening at 2 weeks old:

• Boop’s bilirubin is starting to lower. The week in the hospital and follow-up were tough to manage, but it looks like we’re through the worst of it. Boop still has some pretty good horns, but the pediatrician said they would get worse before getting better. At the pediatrician, when we undressed her, Boop threw a fit, and the pediatrician was a bit concerned about Boop’s heart rate. She couldn’t get a count. Hopefully, this is just a fluke. Thankfully, Boop is getting a bit better about diaper changes, but I wonder if there is an underlying heart problem.

What a shiner! I wish it would go away.

• Winnie has stopped her crazy barking when the baby cries, thankfully. She wants to go outside as soon as Boop and I are settled into nursing. Overall, she seems to be managing, though.
• I’m transitioning back to more breast feeding. The lactation tea seemed to help increase my production, but I had a wee rash and a tickle in my throat. Maybe it’s a touch of a cold, rather than being an allergic reaction to the tea—maybe ragweed exposure. I might see if I can find an English one where they don’t have ragweed.
• As to me, my hair is beginning to fall out, which is a bummer. The stitches seem to be bothering me a bit less, and I can sit and rest a little easier. I’ve lost about half of my pregnancy weight, which means I have about 25 lbs <YIKES> to go. Brushing my teeth isn’t as nausea-provoking, and I’m starting to enjoy tea a bit more. I’m starting to get used to hair caked with formula.