7 Quick Takes — Post Partum Edition

*** 1 ***

Maggie is two weeks and three days old! So much has happened since December 28; it feels like it was five months ago.

She had a weight check on Monday, and she was back to her birth weight (plus 1 oz.) so I am feeling less apprehensive about her getting enough to eat. Her little cheeks are starting to fill out and get so cute!

*** 2 ***

Today I went to a local La Leche League meeting. It was really good. I wasn’t sure what to expect; maybe some breast-feeding zealots who would smell the formula on my baby and expel me from their midst? Not so much.

One of the leaders of the group sat with me and observed Maggie’s latch and looked at her tongue. She recognized the tongue-tie and she said the latch is very tight.

Our pediatrician told me to attend one of these meetings, and if the LC’s still thought her latch was poor, she would give us a referral for a frenectomy (when they clip the frenulum). I’m feeling like this might be the best choice at this point. Another mom at the meeting, whose daughter is 8 weeks, had tongue-tie, and she had her daughter’s frenulum clipped at 4 weeks and she said breastfeeding got a lot easier after that, and she didn’t have to use nipple shields anymore. This gives me hope!

Also, they suggested “laid-back” nursing. It’s basically nursing in a reclining position with the baby on your chest. I tried it this afternoon, and it is so much more comfortable for me than the football hold. She seemed to be able to latch alright (or at least as good as before) while reclining.

Nursing is still hard, but its getting a little better.

*** 3 ***

In addition to the breastfeeding help (which was really appreciated), it was so nice to be around so many women with babies! Also, many of these women are into things like baby-wearing and cloth diapers.

So even though I’m not exclusively breastfeeding, I’m loving wearing Maggie in the moby wrap! She seems really content in it most of the time, and it lets me be more active in the house (or at least not confined to the recliner!).

We haven’t switched to the cloth diapers yet because she is still only about 7.5 pounds, and we have the one-size diapers. They say you can put a baby that small in them, but I’m somewhat wary of leaks. I think we’ll wait a bit longer to switch.

*** 4 ***

I’m pretty happy with the fact that I’m only 5 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight, and I seem to have managed to only get one stretch mark!

Now I just have to not gain any weight, even though its January, too cold to walk outside, and there is chocolate in my house. Now that’s a challenge!

*** 5 ***

Maggie hates being bathed. She hates it. We have her a sponge bath when she came home, and she screamed the whole time.

Then her stump fell off on Monday, and we gave her a regular bath that afternoon. She screamed the whole time. I tried singing, caressing, everything. I made the water warm, but not too hot.

I’m wondering if you ladies have any suggestions for making bath time more pleasant for her? We’re only bathing her about twice a week right now, but eventually it’ll have to be more, and I want it to be a good experience.

*** 6 ***

I have the most amazing husband ever. He really, really is.

Also, his mother has been spending a lot of time with us lately, because Atticus has gone back to work, but I am not quite ready yet to fly solo with Maggie. Mama Atticus is also a pretty amazing person.

I can’t believe there are people who have to be single parents, when I feel like I’m barely keeping my head above water and I have two people helping me most of the time!

*** 7 ***

And of course: