Yesterday wasn’t brilliantly normal, as I noticed with the unerring timing of it being just as a friend arrived, that Ben had a crop of mouth ulcers on his bottom lip. I’d never seen anything like it, panicked and had to take him in to the ward to be checked, as my brain cycled through all the cheap magazine headlines of babies dying from kisses that I could recall. And I knew he was more yellow too, which really didn’t help. However, once claimed by our lovely doctor (our second lovely doctor) I managed to be convinced fairly quickly all was well, though they’ve swabbed them to be sure. They reassured me about his jaundice too, though I was not happy that he’d dropped to 5lbs 11 and I’m still not that happy.
Today, thanks to some help from a friend with several early babies, I’ve got a bit more of a grip of getting food into him despite earlyness and jaundice making him sleepy – and we are doing better. After 2 highly successful breast feeding experiences, I was not expecting to get caught out this time but the problems are minor and resolving and I think we have reversed the circle before it got critical. But that’s a post for another day.
For Ben and I, today has been all about feeding and pumping and getting him to be full and awake enough to latch properly. Fran was at school, thrilled to the core with a glowing report card stuffed with 5 stars for effort and behaviour and predicted grades which would already please me – and which I am quite sure will improve further. The others have been engrossed in Lego games and Lego building, having earned a day off by working hard each morning this week despite new baby. Josie has read to me in bed each morning, Amelie has tried really hard and Maddy has been great. This week her achievements are two 500 words stories, creating a net for a folding box that opens up into a pack away smurf house, a gorgeous cake and fabulous music and generally lovely behaviour. It’s been a low key week while we all sort out our emotions, but rather wonderful.
I’ve been keeping my daily photo diary over on Merrily.Me but I had to put this one here too.
However, our new feeding methods seem to mean he now understands bout awake and hungry, so no time for more now 🙂 who knows how tomorrow will feel, but today has had a more even feel to it, a sense of mental and physical relief that is long overdue.
you’re doing all the right things Merry 🙂
The jaundice will come & go (frustrating) but he’ll get there. He’s followng the same course as Nell – she was 6lb 5 & went down to 5lb 9 I think, it – we had two weeks of pretty intense feeding regime but after that I was able to demand feed as I did with the others & we had no further problems. You do need to be more proactive wth tiny babies – they are basically still fetuses 😉 – but on the plus side you get longer of that wonderful newborn stage.
Wish I could have a Ben squeeze … Rufus looks massive now!
I really don’t know where we would be without you advice now Layla. Doing much better thankfully but really only because of you 🙂
But I’ll be glad to get more newborn after spending the first week worrying.
You’re through the first week! That’s wonderful really, with such a tiny sprout, early to boot, but you sound as if things are going really well at home. I know it’s scary and frustrating when they lose weight, especially starting out early and smaller, but it is normal, and it sounds from what you say that nursing is going well, and getting better? Merry, you sound really good and it is wonderful to hear (in your blog voice!). {{hugs}} i know how hard it can be and is, welcoming the new baby even as we mourn the one who isn’t here. Much love to you. He looks so sweet in those photos!
He is so yummy looking. Glad he got a good check with the Dr. and hoping he will continue to latch well for you!