Saturday, April 16, 2011

Week 1: Accomplished

Exactly one week ago, I was laying on a hospital bed, enjoying the luxury and peace of an epidural. That moment seems so recent, and yet I feel like I've had my little bean in my life for a long time.

In some ways, the transition into motherhood has been much easier than I expected. I'm sure it makes a huge difference that my parents are here with us and taking care of all the meals and cleaning, though having extra people in the house has definitely added to my stress levels in other ways (and I've got a week more to go before all grandparents are gone and we get our house back to ourselves for a little while...sigh). Having a husband who is able to be super flexible with work and really share the burden has definitely made a huge difference.

I feel overwhelmingly blessed by how nicely breastfeeding is going. I really prayed that I wouldn't have major issues with it, as breastfeeding problems seem to have the capacity to bring down the most easy-going moms. By about our third feeding at the hospital, Brax and I had figured out our latch, and he's been terrific at keeping it up. On Tuesday, when we went for our first "Newborn Club" appointment at our hospital (basically a free consultation with a lactation consultant that everyone with Kaiser gets to go to), he had lost 10 oz, which our LC said was completely normal and attributed to the fact that my milk hadn't come in yet. She was so impressed by his latch, though, that she called one of the other nurses over to show him off! She told us my milk would probably come in that night, and sure enough, I got some pretty funny faces out of Brax when he was feeding that night and suddenly finding it way easier to get way more! We went back on Thursday and he had gained back up 5 oz, and he gained 1.8 oz just by feeding off one of my (currently gargantuan) boobs at the appointment.

My biggest challenge in the breastfeeding department is simply to keep him awake for a full feed each time. That oxytocin is powerful stuff. I've found he often falls asleep enough to quit sucking around 15 minutes into the feed. I sometimes have to work about 5-10 minutes to wake him up enough to latch on again. Then I usually get really sleepy around 25 minutes in. But after he gets back on, he seems like he could go forever. I often pull him off after about 40 minutes because I figure he's just sucking for fun at that point.

The other challenge is how monstrous my boobs are. And underwires are a no-no for breastfeeding moms.

Brax has also been fantastic at putting himself to sleep about 80% of the time. We've been working on establishing a Babywise/Baby Whisperer Feed/Wake/Sleep schedule, and he must be taking to it. He gives his daddy some trouble during the first night shift, but we have some different things we're going to try to work on that.

And I close with...what else? Pictures!




13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh soooo cute!!!!! What a little man! Glad the breastfeeding is going well - I remember that sigh of relief when the milk came in and she was latching well!

Kakunaa said...

Oh my goodness! Look at all that hair!

I am soooo glad BF is Going well and your supply is good. I worry about my supply, but it is so hard to tell!

What is this schedule you speak of?

Congrats on making it thru the first week! He is so beautiful.

Anonymous said...

You are doing so awesome, Mama!! We use the Happiest Baby on the Block techniques....Baby Wise is in a pile of books I need to read (started it in the 3T and never made it too far).

I totally hear you on the visitors. My parents came when Lucy and Charlie were 3 days old. I was SO exhausted and hormonal and honestly it stressed me out more than anything having them here. Hubs's mom is helping us out here and there but she doesn't stay here 24-7 and it makes a HUGE difference!!!

Brax is ADORABLE. What a head of hair on that little cutie pie!!!! xoxo

cdg said...

He is so cute. Very glad to hear that things are going well and that you are all adjusting to your new life together :) Much love and happiness to you all.

Augusta said...

Glad everything is going so well. Breastfeeding seems to be such a huge component of the newborn and new mom's life: how nice that the two of you have it figured out!
Beautiful pics. What a cutie he is!

Jos said...

So fun to see some pics!!! Glad to hear the first week went well. :)

Lesley said...

YOU look amazing! How are you that un-puffy already? And of course Brax is just about the cutest little guy ever.

I hope you keep blogging... I would love to hear all about Brax's adventures in China. So exciting!

Kaysie said...

Thanks Charissa... I would love to hear updates on breastfeeding and babywise. I hope to do both as well! Congratulations! So happy for you!

Alex said...

So glad to hear everything is going so well! From breastfeeding to establishing a schedule - how wonderful! Great pics - he is so cute, and you look great!

Stephanie said...

Such a cutie! Glad to hear it's going well so far. I'm sure the help is wonderful, but I think I'd feel the same about having my house back to the new "normal" finally.

A m a n d a said...

Awww, he's adorable! I'm so so glad things are going well, it sounds like you're a natural :)

sienna said...

umm, you look GREAT and not like someone a week out of giving birth! baby brax is adorable (love the 2nd pic!) and i'm so glad everything is going well :o)

Jem said...

Awwwwww! Too precious!