Sunday, July 16, 2006

Why Can't I be Boobyfed?!?

This weekend has been sort of a struggle. All this time, Wes seemed to like the bottle more than the breast. When he was wide awake, he would always seem to fight the breast. I don't know if it was coming out too fast or not fast enough. From time to time, I kept thinking I just want to quit. The only thing that stopped me was that I wanted him to keep getting breast milk for as long as he could and that pumping every time was too much work. I found that I can't get any milk out when I'm stressed out..like hearing him fuss or cry while I'm trying to pump. When I did give him a bottle, he would accept it. Now, he fights me on it. He's hungry, thinks I'm going to lift my shirt, and instead gets a bottle shoved into his mouth. He is mad! He usually doesn't get this angry. Course, for the last couple of weeks during the day, we've been lying on my bed while he's sleep eating. He's been having it good for the last couple of weeks. And, I let him cuz it was easier to feed him that way. Today, it's going a little easier. He's not fighting it as much (prob cuz he's hungry). Hopefully things will settle down real soon.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

3rd Day of Day Care

After the first night of Day Care, we got him ready for bed a little late (8:44pm). I put him in his sleep sack. Next thing I knew, he put his thumb in his mouth. It threw me for a loop since we have this routine where I put the pacifier in, then hold him til his eyes close. I cautiously repositioned him in the crib, kissed him, and left. During that time, he was talking to himself. I couldn't relax. I was thinking it was the calm before the storm. I was waiting for him to cry. He never did! He just went to sleep! I was so happy!

Day 2: Wes woke up at 5:42am. I tried to get him to wait til 6am. Couldn't do it. I got to 5:55am and got him up. Normally I would bring him to bed, feed him, and we would sleep. This time I had to keep him awake til I brought him to Day Care. I tried to breastfeed him and he was really distracted (prob feeling my anxiety about preparing to leave). We got there and he looked tired. But, he didn't sleep. He finally took a 20 minute nap in the provider's arms at around 9. He normally doesn't stay up that long. After I left, he barely slept. He kept waking up while the kids were coming in. He did take a bottle from her and ate a little less than I hoped. After I picked him up at 10:00am (which he looked TIRED), we went to our Breastfeeding support group. He didn't sleep during the car ride, but zonked out during the class for an hour. Poor baby! I woke him up to weigh him (12 lbs) and he got cranky. So, I left thinking he was going to sleep. Nope. He talked to himself on the ride home! Fed him at 12pm and he fell asleep in our bed for another hour. Took another nap at 3:00 for 2 hours! Thought everything was going OK, til last night. We got him to bed a 1/2 hour earlier than usual. He woke up at 9pm. Jay went to check on him after a bit since he was still crying. Not good. He just cried harder when he heard someone come into his room. He kept on crying til I went in at 9:45 pm (longest he has every cried). The only way I could calm him down was to breastfeed him (normally Jay bottle feeds him at around 10pm while Wes is asleep).

Day 3: He then woke up at 2:30 and 5:00am. I probably shouldn't have fed him at 5am, but I didn't want to go thru another crying session. Course again he didn't settle down to sleep til 5:40am, and then I had to wake him up at 6:15. He fussed, but actually woke up ok. Got him to Day Care at 7:30am. He napped in her arms at 8:45 for about an hour, then she put him in the swing, and he slept til 11am. When returned at 11am, he didn't take the bottle from the provider or myself. We think it was because he heard and saw me. He would only take the breast. this time we went straight home, and right now he's napping..so far it's been 45 min. I'm crossing my fingers that tonight will be better. I hate this adjustment. The provider says that it might take a month for all of us to adjust. Thank goodness the first 2 weeks is where I'm not back to work yet. Hopefully Wes will catch on quickly.

Monday, July 10, 2006

1st Visit to Daycare


Today was Wes' first real visit at Daycare. We got there around 9am. I thought it was strange that there was only one child there before us. What time do these parents have to work? Right now the only 2 babies there is Wes and the Provider's grand-daughter (almost 2 months). We put them face to face and they just stared at each other. Wes did really good when the other kids showed up. He just watched them as they came in. When the toddlers were playing a game, it almost seemed like he wanted to join them while on the provider's lap. She suggested leaving him for a hour there and I agreed. I thought better start this now and get it over with. I was surprised that I felt totally comfortable with it. I feel good that I chose her. So, for an hour, I went down the street, got a coffee and actually bought a Top! When was the last time I bought clothes for myself? When I was pregnant. When I came back, he was talking to her and looked happy. He did fuss a little. They thought he was hungry at first, then realized he was tired. He didn't take a nap there, though. They also said that they put the babies on their backs side by side and they held hands! How cute! They had to take a picture of that! Guess Wes has a girlfriend! My Ladies Man! They also said how Easy Going he is and how well he's doing. Whew! I think I'll really worry when he stays there for a longer time and they will have to put him down for his nap. That will happen soon. Tomorrow and Wednesday, we're going again for a couple hours in the morning. Thursday and Friday we will be going in the afternoon instead. Then all next week, he will gradually stay there longer and longer to where Thursday and Friday he will be there all day. I'll probably be a nervous wreck next week. I'm glad she suggested we gradually ease him into it. It just confirms that I picked the right person. I know he is adjusting though. When we got home, he was sleepy, and then he cried a couple of times after I put him down. Too much stimulation for him in just a couple of hours. Hopefully he'll keep sleeping as well as he has the last 3 nights. He's been getting up at around 4 and 6! Yea Wes! Keep it up!

Monday, July 03, 2006

thumb sucking



Wes has figured out that he enjoys sucking his thumb. I think he's been using it to sometimes self-soothe himself when he's sleeping. We were able to get him out of the swaddle and now I'm using a sleep sack. Unfortunately, he still hasn't gotten back to longer naps and longer sleep. For naps, it seems to still be only for 1/2 hour, unless I'm driving with him somewhere. For the last two nights, Jay has been doing a "dream feed" at 10pm. This is where you feed the baby while they are still sleeping. This, so far has actually help. For the last 2 nights where he's going to bed around 8:30, he's been getting up at 1am and at 2am. Without the dream feed, he was waking up around 11:30pm. We're going to keep this up and see how it goes.