Shannon Falls, August 2012

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Trial & Error

If any of you have seen my Facebook status, you know that it currently relates how I'm learning that parenting is a process of trial and error. And while we've received well-intended advice and well-wishing, very little has applied to our son and worked. Part of that has to do with his size. He's easily close, if not over, 12 pounds. Very little fits, especially not his newborn shoes! It has taken us 6 weeks to realize that our poor baby is starving. I'm not getting him what he needs fast enough. If I can pump and give it to him in a bottle, he can go a few hours. If I solely nurse, he's hungry again with an hour to an hour and a half. My mom and I believe it's because he's working so hard to get what he can when he eats (and yes, I do everything to keep him awake and eating constantly while he nurses) that he wears himself out and can't stay awake. So then I can literally time it--he's ready to eat again shortly. But pumping is taking me a great deal of time right now, especially with him nursing often. This process repeats day and night, which means very little sleep. We started supplementing at night (which I hated, but had no choice). I'm calling his pediatrician tomorrow about starting to incorporate rice cereal. Everything I have read says he's too young, but I can't have my baby starving. I will continue to nurse and pump because that time with Hayden is so precious to me. There's something about being the only one who can feed him (even though I gripe sometimes when he's ready to eat around the clock!).

Oh, and please take this kindly: before you start leaving advice and wondering how we knew he was hungry, it took me doing 2 days (Thurs. and Fri.) of curriculum work in Vancleave at the county office to come to this conclusion. I left bottles I had pumped that my mom and the sitter gave him while I was gone. I texted all day asking how much he had been eating, but surprise! He was going 3+ hours between feedings! When I got home, he was the happiest, content baby. I could hold him without him immediately diving to my chest and me feeling like Bessie the milkcow. He cooed more, played, and was just happier. Fast forward to Saturday: I solely nurse, he's fussy, eating all day, and unhappy. This continued for a few days. At night, we started supplementing and started sleeping 3+ hours instead of waking to eat every 1-1 1/2 hours. Blessed sleep. So there you go. Oh, and we've discovered no more pizza or homemade tacos for me! It kills him! Bummer.

4 comments:

tpillstrom said...

Good for you for being brave enough to think outside the box! Every child is different and if Hayden is hungry...then let the little boy eat! I had to suppliment with Kaden but like you, valued the one on one time that you get with nursing! It was very hard for me to keep up with pumping in a sales job and I ended up just nursing him morning and night! That was really hard to deal with since I never gave the older one a bottle! But you know what? I did what was right for that kid! So, Bravo to you! No one can tell you what is exactaly right for you! I can, however, lend a shoulder or ear! So, fell free to vent if you need to or cheer on your little guy! He's so stinkin cute I just love his little face!

Anna said...

Anyone that says nursing is easy has never done it. It is more convenient than having to prepare & clean bottles but that does not equal easy. I know pumping all of the time is difficult and time-consuming. Hopefully, you'll be able to figure everything out. The good thing about the whole "trial & error" part is that as they get older it is a little easier to figure out what works and what doesn't. Sometimes, in the early baby stages, it can be more difficult to read their moods (which you know by now). G'luck!

Brittany said...

My friend gave her little girl cereal way early and she turned out great!

So do what you have to do! You are a great mommy!

Unknown said...

Jamie, this is the just pediatrician side of me (and by this time I know you've already gotten advice for YOUR pedi!) but I would hold off on the cereal. Hayden is already big...and we knew he would be looking at how tall Mama is!...since you got success with just supplementing your own milk, why don't you stick with supplementing for now? There is nothing wrong with formula if Mama's milk isn't enough. Anyway, just a thought! Hope you've gotten it figured out now and Hayden is a happy baby!