July 23, 2009

Max and I ventured out of the house on our own today! It’s much easier to travel with Daddy. We went to see Dr Lackman so she could follow up on the circumcision she did yesterday. Yesterday was a hard day. I want so much to protect my little guy from pain and yet I signed him up to get a circumcision. I cried and cried. I think it went well, though. I had to put some gauze and vitamin petroleum jelly on it for about 5 diaper changes yesterday, but there really wasn’t that much blood. I also gave him .4 mL of baby Tylenol every 4 hours or so to try and take the edge off.

Birth weight 7 11

Discharge weight 7 3½

Home visit 6 15

Lactation Office 7 15?

8/4 8 14

Turns out Mommy doesn’t make milk…

I started breastfeeding in the hospital and continued to do it at home. A day or two out of the hospital a nurse came to do a home visit. She weighed Max. He weighed 6 lbs 15 oz. That means he had lost 10% of his birth weight, which is when the doctor gets concerned. Dr Lackman suggested we start supplementing 25-50 mL after each breastfeeding. I contacted the lactation specialists at the hospital and told them about my concern about not producing enough milk. I rented a breast pump from them (strangest contraption you’ll ever see!) and pumped for 10 minutes after each feeding session Saturday – Monday. Monday I met with the consultant who weighed Max before I breast fed him and after- no difference. So the poor guy wasn’t getting any milk from Mommy! She suggested I keep pumping and start taking an herbal supplement Fenugreek. I did, but by Thursday saw no difference. So Mommy tried, but was just starving her son. L Now we offer up to 4 oz each feeding. He’s having wet and poopy diapers pretty regularly now. That’s a good sign he’s getting enough to eat.