2 Month Update

Bundled up on one of our many cold days!

Bath Time!

Brandy: So, it has been awhile since I blogged. I got caught up in mommy-hood. I had time to blog, but I was really focused on spending time with Orlaith before I had to go back to work. This afternoon I dropped her off at the sitter for the first time for a trial run. I have to go back to work Monday and I am not looking forward to it one little bit. I finally stopped crying long enough to type. I had no idea just how hard it would be to leave her. Wow.

This past month has been great. Orlaith is growing and changing everyday. She has found her voice and loves to make sounds... yells, shrieks, squeaks... all are adorable. She has also found her legs. She kicks them a lot more and pushes against things to try and stand up. Her neck control is pretty darned good now too. She loves to sit up, and even hangs out in the Bumbo chair for a bit. She has started sucking on her fist. She can't quite figure out how to get her thumb in her mouth, but I am sure that will happen soon. She also discovered the TV. If she sees the TV, she stares intently. If I turn her away she tries to turn back so she can see it again. If she can't maneuver herself around, she will scream. It is pretty funny that she is learning how to put up a fight for a little screen time at 2 months old. I think I might be in trouble! She LOVES bath time! Her favorite part is getting her hair washed. Orlaith finally stopped fighting her sleep during the day. She now is happy to take little naps in between feedings. She loves to sleep propped up on her Boppy pillow. She sleeps really well at night. She gives me a good 6-8 hours, gets up to eat again, and then she will sleep for another 3-4 hours after that! We are still using the co-sleeper. I think I am going to try out the crib tonight... maybe. She has been such an easy baby. I know I am super lucky. She sleeps and she really only fusses when something is wrong. She is such a little doll!!!

We took our first trip to Houston. I took Orlaith to my old office for a visit and we also showed her off at her Sip and See. Our friends Dawn and Tony rocked as hosts! Thanks a million!

I did decide to take Domperidone to help increase my milk supply. I have had zero side effects (as expected) and it has been working. I was previously having to supplement 2 oz each feeding, and now I am only supplementing 1 oz. I am hoping that I can eventually stop the supplementing. We'll see... I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Last Friday (the 19th) Orlaith went to the pediatrician for her 2 month check up. Dr. Linderman had nothing but fabulous things to say about her. She is doing great! She now weighs 10 lbs 11 oz (50th percentile), is 22 inches long (48th percentile) and her head circumference is 38.5 cm (48th percentile). We decided to vaccinate her on the alternate schedule recommended by Dr. Sears in The Vaccine Book. It puts the most important vaccines first. She will never get more than 2 vaccines at a time, and only one of the two can contain aluminum. It took me a while to sort through all of the vaccine hoopla out there, but this book is a lifesaver. So Orlaith got 2 vaccines last week- 1 was oral and the other was a shot. They gave her the oral vaccine first, and the shot second. I had her in position to breast feed when they gave her the shot. As soon as it was over I began feeding her and we avoided any crying! She was such a brave girl!

So Monday is back to work for me... BOO! I will be working 4 days a week with Wednesdays off. We are going to have one more trial run with the sitter on Friday. This one will be all day, but I am going to pick her up for lunch with the girls and then take her back when we are done. I am slowly working my way towards leaving her all day.

Pictures

Brandy: Here are a few of the pictures we had taken yesterday. Baby O is one month old today! Sharon Neel Bagley (who also took our maternity pics), is responsible for how freaking cute these turned out. If you are in the Dallas area, I would highly suggest using her. http://www.sharonneelbagley.com/

Our Week In Words

Baby O ready for girls day out!

Brandy: This week has gone by quickly!!! On Tuesday, I met two friends and their newborn girls for lunch and a movie. Don't worry, it was the cry baby matinee at the Angelika! We had a lot of fun and decided to meet for lunch once a week while we were able (off of work).

On Thursday, Orlaith and I met Daddy for lunch. She was good and slept most of the time. After that I dropped by the pediatrician's office to check on her weight. She is now 8 lbs 14 oz! I couldn't believe it! I don't think I need to worry about her losing weight any more. After that we went to North Park Mall and went shopping for a dress. Baby O is having her first professional pictures made on Sunday and I needed to find a dress for her to wear. I ended up finding two dresses for pictures, plus 2 adorable outfits for everyday wear. It was more than I was looking for, but I couldn't pass up the adorable-ness!

Friday we stayed in, but it was still an eventful day. Orlaith was 4 weeks old! Also, during tummy time, she turned over. I was SO excited!!! I think it startled her a bit to suddenly be on her back, but she did so well! I tried to get her to do it again, but she was over tummy time by that point. We will try again today so Daddy can see.

Next week will be busy... pictures, a trip to the vet with mommy and Pepper, lunch with friends/family 3 different days. I can't wait to see how the pics turn out and what new adventures await us next week.

Adventures In Mommy-hood

Brandy: These first 3 weeks have gone by SO QUICKLY! My mom and Brian were home for the first week. The second week, I was home Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday by myself. The third week my mom came back. This is week four and I am solo again. Orlaith and I are trying to get in a pattern that works for us. I got a little spoiled with all of the help from mom.

We have had some feeding and weight issues with Baby O. We took her to the pediatrician the day after we brought her home from the hospital. She had gone down to 6 lbs 15 oz (from 7 lbs 11 oz). She had lost 10% of her birth weight and that is the maximum weight loss they want to see. So... we were forced to supplement. It took a full 7 days for my milk to come in. I had some blood loss during the birth, and this has wreaked havoc on my milk supply. I am still trying to get my body to play catch up. Once my milk came in, we stopped supplementing and went back to solely breast feeding. Then, when we went in for her 2 week check up, she had lost more weight. I had a feeling about this because of the way she was acting. She would nurse for over an hour at a time, only sleep if I was holding her, would scream if anyone else held her and was nursing every 1 1/2 hours. Let's just say I was constantly feeding her and when she would sleep, I still couldn't lay her down or hand her off. Those several days were quite trying. Once we figured out my supply was not adequate to satisfy her, we had to supplement again. We went ahead and introduced a bottle this time. We had used a supplemental feeding system the last time. Once we started giving her formula after breast feeding, she was a different baby. She would fall asleep after feeding and let me lay her down! I felt SO incredibly guilty that she had not been getting enough food previously. It was deceptive though because she was having all the appropriate pee and poo diapers each day. Her pediatrician said that she was getting enough to stay hydrated, but not enough to grow. Anyway, she is growing now. Her cheeks are filling out, and she is a happy little baby girl! The last time we weighed her, she was back up to 7 lbs 9 oz (just 2 oz shy of her birth weight). I am going to take her in tomorrow to check on her progress. Her next official appointment is her 2 month check up on 2/19.

I have been really torn about not being able to solely breast feed like I had planned. Her pediatrician assures me that she is getting all of the benefits of breast feeding, even though she is getting formula as well. I just want my body to work the way it is supposed to... just once! I have been pumping and taking herbal supplements to get my supply up, but it does not seem to be working. My lactation consultant told me to try and get a prescription for Dom Peridone. It is a nasal spray that increases supply and makes let down faster. Orlaith's pediatrician advised against it because she is not familiar with the drug. Then my midwife advised that it does work and she recommends it. Everyone always has something different to say about everything. It makes it so confusing! Has anyone used it? What is your experience with it?

I broke down and starting using a pacifier yesterday. I am only using it when she is falling asleep. I am taking it out before I lay her down. So far, so good.

Other than breast feeding issues, motherhood has been going great. I love my Baby O, and I am enjoying watching her grow and change every day. We are getting ready for a girls day out today. We are meeting 2 friends from birthing class and their newborn daughters for lunch and the cry baby matinee at the Angelika. It is a beautiful day and I can't wait to get out!!!

Orlaith will be four weeks old this Friday. We are going to get her picture made... hopefully this weekend. Then I will finally get around to sending out birth announcements...