Ups:
- You started to really enjoy looking at yourself in your mirror, making eye contact and smiling, looking at your toys, staring at colorful objects, staring at spinning objects (you love the fan!), taking baths, and sleeping. At 8 weeks you started sleeping anywhere from 6-12 hours per night.
- You love to kick your little legs at all times!
Downs:
- You didn't gain any weight from month 1 to month 2, so at your 2 month checkup you still weighed in at 8 pounds, 9 ounces. I, of course, felt like a horrible mom, but I tried really hard not to make it all about me and my performance! The doctor was worried at first, but after she listened to your heart and lungs and checked you over, she reported that there was nothing physiologically wrong...so it must be me. With you sleeping through the night and missing so many feedings, my milk supply had plummeted and you were not eating enough. I felt so silly that I didn't really even realize. I knew you were small, but I didn't realize just how small. So began the weight gaining mission! We started feeding every 2 hours around the clock and every 3 at night. I started pumping, drinking Mother's Milk tea, taking Fenugreek tablets, and supplementing with formula after you nursed. Sadly, you HATED the formula, but I finally got some in you one night while you were too sleepy to notice what you were drinking. The next morning I woke you up, and you had a full body rash. It was so bad that I checked to make sure you were breathing. Yikes. Good thing we were supposed to see the doctor that day anyway. I took you in to All For Kids a little early, and after a few doctors came in and looked at you they referred me to a dermatologist with whom I was NOT impressed. At the end of the day, though, all the medical health professionals agreed you probably are allergic to cow's milk. Aha! This would explain your facial rashes that continued to come and go and the reaction to the formula. After this hurdle, I gave up dairy, and (after a lot of prayer!) you finally developed a taste for Nutramagin. We are now nursing, supplementing, feeding and weighing often. My milk supply is back up. You gained a pound last week and are back in the 23rd percentile. Yay Rubes! Whew. It's been a crazy month. I'm thankful to get to continue nursing you and that you are now thriving. This saga was great experience as a feeding therapist but not so great as a mommy.
- More eating means less sleeping, so you are no longer sleeping through the night. I never thought I would have to wake up my baby consistently to make them eat, but it is so very important that we get you fattened up.
- You spit up a lot more thanks to the formula.
Here are some precious pictures of what you have been up to!
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| Looking at your sweet little face in the mirror |
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| Playin' |
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| Tummy time |
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| Chillin' with your cow |
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| Lovin' your cow |
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| Sweetie pie! |
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| Sound asleep in your Snugabunny |
3 comments:
She's such a beautiful baby lady. chubbier every time I see her! I love when she smiles at her aunt, and it's also sort of funny when she bursts into tears looking at me too. Ha! Can't wait 'til she's one and she can sleep with her cow, lol. Lotta life between now and then. Ruby, be kind to your mom and go ahead and fatten up and start sleepin' all night again. Trust your aunt, Mommy deserves it!
We had to supplement formula at 2 months because Bryce wasn't gaining weight either. I was upset b/c I wanted him to be on 100% breastmilk. Nothing horrible like the experience you've had but Bryce is healthy now, but still on the "thin" side. I look back on his pictures when he was real little and you can see his ribs and skin sagging and I think to myself "How did I not see how thin he was?" Poor thing was starving and I didn't even know it. Don't feel bad!
I think she is getting much chubbier, too! Thank goodness. She loves her cow. I hope someday she looks like a GIANT compared to it :)
Katee, thanks for the encouragement. I felt so stupid that I didn't know she was way too small..I mean it is kind of my job to address children's feeding issues- OOPS. Good to know that Bryce is happy and thriving now. I am hoping the same for Ruby!
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