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Cecilia at 1 Month

In this photo she is sporting the Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe–or as we like to affectionately call it, the baby straight jacket!

Today she weighed it at 8 lbs 13.5 oz. She gained 13 oz since last week. Since 0.5 oz is the allowable minimum weight gain, she’s putting on the weight very well.  The supplementing is helping her continue to gain and the midwife I’ve been seeing at the birthing center has advised to continue doing what we’re doing.  It’s been very difficult for the mathematician in me to let go of the numbers game–the 2.5-3 hour feeding cycle, the extra oz of supplement, setting and resetting the alarm clock in the middle of the night waking me to wake her to eat. Every so often, I don’t think I’m making enough milk, and I start pumping and doubting and stressing out. Thankfully when my hubby is away from the brew pot, he keeps me in check.

How is the rest of the household holding up? Well, we finally have a working shower in our bathroom! It’s been very nice. Now we have to save up to do the upstairs shower–when Adam secures a new job. It’s taken me over week to bake a loaf of bread because it seem to never be the right time. It took me two days to vacuum two rooms. The laundry beast is about all that I can keep up with because I really don’t have a choice.  We’ve been using more paper plates that our friend Mark brought over the other day because doing the dish–even getting them in the dishwasher is quite an accomplishment. So usually when someone brings a meal, we’re eating on paper plates.

The kids…Therese has been a trooper doing her school work most of the time. It certainly keeps us busy. With this Mother’s Milk tea I’ve been drinking we’ve started an afternoon tea time. She’s just in it for the cookies of course.  Fulton keeps talking about his birthday and everything he wants for it. I’m not sure where this is coming from, I just nod and say, “ok.” Muffin, oh Muffin! Mischief and mayhem is imprinted in her DNA or something. Since the weekend, I’ve found her running the water forever to wash her hands. Saturday, I just found the water running. I don’t even know how long it was doing so.  Yesterday, half the bottle of shampoo was squirted ALL OVER the kids’ bathroom. I’m sure because a certain little two year old thought it was nice smelling hand soap. You would think I would have been able to clean the bathroom then but instead only got far enough to wipe up the mess. I’m sure the toilet is still sudding when the kids flush.

So, we’re still alive.

Progress

Today we had our 2 week well check with our pediatrician. I was a bit apprehensive about going into the germy doctor’s office. But good news came from it. Cecilia is up another half pound. She weighed in at 8 lbs today. That makes a weight gain of one pound in a week’s time or about 2 oz per day. She also grew 2.5 inches since she was born. Now she’s up to 20.5 inches. Our pediatrician was pleased with her progress as was I. Since the average weight gain for infants is 1/2 to 1 oz per day, he gave us the green light to lay off the formula a little bit. He just said to watch her feeding cues and ‘maybe’ go to supplementing every other feeding. He also said I let her sleep longer at night instead of waking her every three hours! Alleluhia! I don’t have set the alarm anymore–Adam will be very pleased since it’s on his side of the bed. This was also more or less the opinion of the lactation consultant when I talked with her yesterday to update her on everything.

In other news…our bathroom–remember that huge mess?–is almost fixed. The tub was installed earlier this week. Wednesday and yesterday the tile was put in. Today, it was grouted with the most amazing grout–one that we never have to maintain, regrout, or seal EVER for the rest of our lives! It was worth every penny. The walls were patched up. The grout should be dry by Sunday and the guys are coming back out to finish the last touches on Monday.

Endocrinology update

Well, I almost felt I wasted $20 on the copay to visit the endocrinologist. She said it looks like I have post partum thyroiditist. AND I have hyperthyroidism instead of hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is underproduction of the thyroid which can lead to low milk supply. Hyperthyroidism doesn’t. Post partum thyroiditist can work itself out sometimes and other times it can be an indication of long term thyroid problems which will require medication. The doc didn’t want to medicate me since the meds are all bad for a nursing baby.So she’s running more lab tests and I have a follow-up in 3 months to see where my thyroid is at.

I’m somewhat disappointed that this wasn’t the answer I was looking for. I’m somewhat relieved that I probably don’t have anything seriously wrong with my thyroid since as she confirmed I really don’t have any of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

So this still leaves me with less than adequate milk supply. I’m still supplementing and taking the herbs. I’m pumping less especially if I feel Cecilia had a good feeding. I think it just boils down to an anatomy issue. The right breast just doesn’t work. It’s still possible to build up the left to provide the entire supply. But to what lengths am I will to go and put the rest of the family through to satisfy my pride?