Wow, where has the time gone? Now I understand when people say the first 6 weeks or so go by in a blur. Time has little meaning to me now and I never know what day or time it even is. I can't believe Benjamin has been here for 12 days! It seems like he was just born but also like he has always been here, if that even makes sense. I'm pretty delirious these days but I guess that's what happens when you only get a few hours of sleep every night. It's been quite tough but we're adjusting to parenthood! I've had some breastfeeding issues, to say the least. No one told me it would be this hard! I ended up with a pretty serious infection and am currently pumping around the clock. We've also had to give him formula for 2 days (gasp!) due to the medications I was given, which I'm not happy about but today is the last day of that. Then we'll be back to giving him my pumped milk and hopefully will be able to move back to breastfeeding, if all of this bottlefeeding hasn't ruined my breastfeeding chances completely. I just have to say that I don't understand how single parents do this. Since Benjamin has been on the bottle for the past few days, it has given Rob the opportunity to take half of the night shifts, of which I am very grateful! My mom, grandma, and sister have also been down constantly to help cook, clean, and take care of things and I don't know what I would do without them here. My grandma and sister go home in a few days but my mom will still be able to help a ton. Rob is just working about an hour a day right now but will need to get back into the swing of things here soon, which means he'll need more sleep...which means I'm in trouble!
Other than that, we are just enjoying our little guy! We are so in love with him and I look at him every day amazed that he came out of me and that he's alive and he's ours. :) We had a nice quiet Christmas at our house with my mom, grandma, and sister. It was also the 1 year anniversary of my dad's passing, so while it felt like he was missing, I am confident that he is with my girls right now and hopefully they were all watching over us.
His nursery is finally almost finished, but there are still a few unfinished details. Hopefully it will be done in the next week or so and then I'll get some pictures up. It's so cute. :)
I meant to get on here sooner but you know how it goes. Here are more pictures of our little miracle.
Christmas Eve
The best Christmas present ever
All of my loves :)
Merry Christmas to you, too. I adore the pic of Benjamin under the tree. What a great idea. Glad to see you update.
ReplyDeleteI'm hanging in there. I've been laying around a lot. I've been very crampy since the cerclage. Which freaks me out, of course.
Thanks for sharing! Breastfeeding is NOT easy! I too had an infection not long after we were come from the hospital...I constantly got blocked duct too...but in the end I breastfed till he was almost 2 and he never had one single bottle or a drop of formula! It is worth it and just do the best you can do! He is a gorgeous baby! How happy you must be!! Looking forward to more updates!!
ReplyDeleteLinda
Harrisburg PA
Good luck with the breast feeding. I had issues after my daughter was hospitalized at 5 days old. She had an infection "sepsis" and I snuck home on the third day to shower and they gave her a bottle. One bottle and she didn't want to nurse again. Argh!!!
ReplyDeleteThey have a contraption that you can tape a very small tube to your breast so milk can come out easily and encourage the baby to nurse. I'm just letting you know in case. It wasn't easy and took a lot of dedication to get my daughter to nurse again.
Congrats on the beautiful baby!
Congratulations! See a lactation consultant if you can, insurance usually covers part of it and they are very helpful with any problems. I had a great deal of problems at first as well, but after I got past those it got much easier and was very rewarding. Please keep posting updates!!
ReplyDeleteHey there! :) I am so happy for you! I had breastfeeding issues with my daughter Madison. It was a rough first four months but we finally figured it out. I had two rounds of mastitis. My husband really, really wanted me to continue so I kept going. It didn't get easy until she was four months old, but it was SO worth it. I nursed her for 15 months. She stopped when I became pregnant with our second, which ended in a m/c at 13 weeks. Then we lost our little Mallory in preg 3 at 23 weeks. Hopefully our little boy makes it and I will be able to nurse. :) I'm now 36 weeks and 2 days. Anyway, if there is a lac consultant at the hospital, they are always willing to help. I know it will get easier and I'm sure you and Benjamin will get the hang of it. :)
ReplyDeleteJamie
Thank you so much for posting. I honestly thought you wouldn't post for at least a month or so (which is totally understandable if you would have). I want to thank you for this smile I can't get rid of because I am really enjoying your happiness right now; it really is beautiful. Make sure to try and be good to yourself these next few...well years, but especially now. It's so easy to forget to take care of yourself during this time, so be good to you, okay? And kiss Ben's chubby cheeks; HE'S SO CUTE!! God Bless you all
ReplyDeleteJenell, what a handsome little fella he is. I'm so glad you got your Christmas miracle you so deserved it.
ReplyDeleteLove those cute little lips! He is so Handsome!
ReplyDeleteHello my dear friend! Ben is so super cute, I just want to squish his little chubby cheeks all day!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope that breastfeeding is getting easier, I remember how strange it was at first and my chest hurt awfully, but it did get better.
Ben is only a few weeks old and already looks so different in all the new pictures, he's just a doll, Jenny! Can't wait to meet him!!
Happy New Year dear friends! XOXO
Jenell, listen to the nursing moms around you and get to a lactation consultant. My mistake was listening to the ped and my firstborn weaned himself at 4 months. Ugh! Next baby I listened to the moms and had a successful nursing until age 2. Don't multi-task when nursing, it defeats the purpose. You need to be relaxed so baby is relaxed and the milk lets down. Your body actually releases a hormone when the milk lets down that is the equivalant of a glass of wine for you! Isn't that nifty how God put that in the mix?? Sending love, Debbie Jones
ReplyDeleteI came across your blog and read every word...thank you for sharing your amazing story. Congrats on your little boy and your 3 angels.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Erin. I followed your story with your twins on babycenter. The other day I was thinking about you and wondering if you had been able to have another baby. I was so happy to find this blog! I am so happy for you and your family. I hope that you are all still doing well! I know that nursing can be difficult. I hope you got it all worked out!
ReplyDelete