Fruit first

Okay. I don't know if this is my fault because I introduced Ryden to fruit first at around 4 months, but I can't get him to eat anything else, except maybe sweet potatoes. I have tried peas, lentils, chicken, beef, butternut squash, carrots (all mushed, blended or as baby food). He prefers pears, plums, bananas, apples. He really has a fit like I'm torturing him if I feed him non-fruit.

Baboon Butt

Poor Ryden has gotten his first diaper rash. He cries when I change him. It looks so uncomfortable. I feel bad for bringing him to daycare which started all this.

Ryden was not in daycare from fri-sun and we were able to heal his...what I was calling baboon butt by monday. He is a trooper. He's actually a tough little fellow. He doesn't cry so easily from physical pain. He is quick, though, to let us know his emotional state. Even when I change his clothes he raises quite a fuss. Not sure why. Lower 2 teeth are prominently protruding now. He is so adorable when he smiles. And he is so ticklish. He's eating more regularly now. Prefers pears and apples. I've been signing all this time (since about 3 months). I think he understands some signs. And yesterday I saw a clear sign that he understood "change diapers" sign. I had him on the changing pad and had made the sign to him as usual before starting. Recently though he has been kicking his legs free from my grip and making it very difficult to change his diapers....so then I sort of stopped what I was trying to do. I looked Ryden in the eyes (which is sometimes difficult if he's crying with his eyes closed) and said to him while signing, "omutsu wo kaetai. Ry-kun omutsu wo kaetai". And then his legs relaxed and I was able to change his diapers! I was stunned. After I was done I was sincerely grateful so I looked at him and said "arigatou".

Took bath together

Ryden attended his third ultimate game today. He was pretty good. Ryden and I took a bath together down in the big ofuro like tub in the basement. It was nice. Ry liked splashing with his hands. Went to PEPS halloween party, just me and Ry. Ryden appears to be packing on the fat now. He is filling out around the neck & cheeks. He is so much more awake, alert, lively and lucid since starting solids.

Sick Ryden

Ryden has had a fever since last night. 99.8F Got it down to 99.2 but it went back up this afternoon. :-( I feel so bad. Gave tiny bit of baby Tylenol last night, this morning and this afternoon, less than .4ml. Putting cool rags on his forehead.

This morning I was eating breakfast with him in the baby bjorn and he actually sucked on an orange! Z said he was up every hour.

No more swaddling!

For 3 weeks or more we've finally elimated the need for swaddling! Yeah. We're all so much happier. And Ryden is sleeping better and his nap times are becoming more consistent and patterned...for now.

Ryden is showing huge developmental changes. Especially in the past week. His motor skills are very good. He can grasp objects well and transfer from one hand to the other. He tracks moving objects well. I gave him a basting brush from the kitchen and he actually held it with one hand while the fingers of his other hand delicately raked over the rubber bristles. I couldn't believe my eyes! He is exploring vocal variety and he plays with his lips and with the two new lower front teeth that are coming in.

Getting Out For a Visit

We visited Stef & Julie's. It was great. We celebrated Ryden and Dylan's birthdays with a mini cake and champagne. Their house is so beautiful now and full of sunlight. New floors, new stairs, new paint, new huge durable dining room/kitchen table from Crate n Barrel. Their house remodel has made their place so much more efficient and larger.

Had a very rough night. Ryden is back on the bottle and me pumping. My breast are just too sore and I'm too tired and my abdomen too sore to not use the bottle. It allows Z and Sara (our postpartum doula) to feed him. I slept til 9:40am.

Julie has her baby!

Julie had her baby Dylan on Thursday! 7lbs +!! We all think that when she came over to babysit Ryden for 2 hours that something was triggered. She was ready. I was sound asleep the whole time she was here so I haven't seen her since before Ryden was delivered. Anyway Z talked me in to going to visit Stef & Julie tomorrow. I am feeling much better, off the medications or at least the heavy duty Percocet. My stomach has reduced itself now to looking like I'm 3-4 months pregnant which I can accept. I can deal with that.

Ryden is a champ at gaining weight

Ryden had his second pediatrician appointment and has gained lots of weight. The doctor was surprised and asked what I did. I just said I switched to just breastfeeding to stop the nipple confusion and to make sure his intestines aren't upset by the Similac formula. I also am feeding him on demand rather than spacing feeds to every 2-3 hours. He weighs 4.8lbs.

Mother's Day

The little guy is here and today was the first day where we had a few hours in the house together just the two of us. Time to stare at this little creation and the new realities. He's here. He's healthy and he's our responsibility, a part of our life from here on forward. So beautiful.

Kay and Peter were here to greet us when we came home. I was feeling pretty good. I was on top of my medications so I wasn't feeling any pain. My belly is still huge. Looks like I'm six months pregnant. I look down and can't figure out what's in there. They say it's my intestines, swelling from surgery and leftover stuff in the uterus. Very discouraging. It was major surgery so...

Z has been great, no, wonderful. I have yet to change a diaper. I stay upstairs pretty much. Z sent out a mass mail to friends and family with a single close up of Ryden. He's got reddish blond hair, my chin, Z's hair line and cowlick spiral :-) so cute. I went to the pediatrician to get a basic check up with Dr. Risse. All looks well. He just barely passed the Belly Rubin test for Jaundice. The yellow skin is going away now. It gets passed through in his urine, etc.

Feeding every 2-3 hours is exhausting. I'm very emotional when I haven't slept enough, but it's okay because I know it's hormones so I just accept it. Mostly just weepy, especially if I have been separated from Ryden for more than a few hours.

Lactation Advice

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First few days after birth
- Place hot compress on breasts before breastfeeding in order to soften engorged breasts.
- Try breastfeeding baby for 5 to 10 minutes then if necessary offer your bottled breast milk or formula
- Formula does take more energy and effort for the baby to absorb and digest.
- Try to breastfeed for 10 to 20 minutes on each breast
- If baby isn't stimulating the breast enough you may need to pump your milk from your breast in order to get ample milk for the baby. This may be because the baby's sucklin is not vigorous enough.
- Sleep is just as important as breastfeeding. You should be able to get a minimum of 2 hours of sleep in between feedings.
- If baby doesn't nurse well then pump for longer to compensate and to keep milk coming. Pump for 6-7 minutes. Stop. Massage breast to encourage more milk, but don't overdo it.
- Baby should have approximately 4 or more stools a day.
- You can always do breastfeeding and continue to give your baby formula to help ensure that the baby is receiving sufficient nutrition. You may need to eventually pump more milk to increase your milk supply when you want to stop using formula.