Lazy Sucker!

I knew parenthood would be difficult, but it is so different than what I had expected. Things I had anticipated to be difficult aren't even applicable and then situations I never even thought of have presented themselves. Every day is an education in patience. I am learning so much and still loving it. I mean, how could you not love this dude?

Hunter is doing really well. He had lost more than the average 5-10% after birth but he's well above his birth weight now and steadily gaining. He had lost the weight due to being a "lazy sucker" which is the medical diagnosis and now also his nickname. He has a good latch and likes the boob, but isn't super interested in eating. He definitely doesn't get this from my side of the family.

After Hunter's second pediatric appointment for a weight check it was recommended that I see a lactation consultant at The Pump Connection (If you need it, this place is fantastic). The lactation consultant surmised that Hunter's laziness at emptying my breast caused my milk production to wane which in turn made him think what he was getting was all he got and he just accepted it and lost close to a pound in the first 10 days.

Now I have a very intense feeding schedule, which is super frustrating. I have to feed every 2 1/2 hours, which is fine if it was only breast feeding. But this schedule involves 10-15 minutes on each breast, pumping for 15-20 minutes, then he gets a bottle of previously expressed breast milk and then about an ounce of formula. So between breast feeding, making and cleaning bottles and pumping it takes me anywhere from 50-75 minutes to feed the Lazy Sucker! And this is at every feeding! 8-9 times a day! We do a bit better at night because he LOVES to sleep (my one saving grace) so he's only on the breast for a few minutes and he gets a bottle while I try to pump. Then he goes right back to sleep.

The good news is that my milk production is coming up slowly but surely and the Lazy Sucker is more interested in breast feeding than bottle. And he's finally fitting into newborn clothes. He had been wearing preemie outfits, which we had none of because we were told constantly throughout this pregnancy that Hunter was going to be a huge baby. He was measured in the 90th percentile at my 28 week appointment (but I was later told this is normal because they have random growth spurts) and at my 37 week ultrasound he measured in the 67th percentile. At birth Hunter was near the 50th percentile but by the time he got home he was a scrawny lad and at 6 1/2 lbs he was swimming in newborn clothes.

We went to the pediatrician today and I am glad to say Hunter is in good health and we no longer need to go in for weight checks!!!! He's just shy of 8 pounds. And I say good health instead of great because the little man has a blocked tear duct. This is pretty common and no big deal and the treatment is easy. We just have to keep it clean and massage the area a few times a day. Oh, and the best part: squirt breast milk directly in the eye. Breast milk is like a cure all because of it's antibiotic properties. Like if a baby scratches itself a bit deep with a fingernail, put some breast milk on it. Your nipples crack, rub some breast milk on them. Truly amazing stuff. Here are some other uses.

xoxo,

Lauren