The first two weeks of having Preston join our family have been overall pretty good (maybe with some bits of chaos in between!) Naturally we're transitioning, and it has been really nice to have Josh home this whole time to help out with that. Starting to get a little bit of a groove...though it has also helped that the boys are now on Fall Break, so that has eliminated the stress of trying to do deal with school work + chauffeuring + trying to get dinner on the table, etc (though that fun will begin next week!)
Anyway, like a typical newborn Preston lost a bit of weight coming home. Right away the pediatrician exclaimed that he needed a formula supplement in addition to nursing. Frankly, the third time around, I've grown a little tiresome of that advice. I tried nursing with both Nathan and Aaron, and both times the pediatrician said the same thing, which eventually just led to them both being full formula fed soon after. I really wanted to make nursing work this time around and wasn't very anxious to introduce formula unless I really needed to, or in other cases such as me being away every now and then, if it wasn't possible for him to have milk.
I'm glad to say that since then Preston has been gaining weight, I think in thanks to effort on both sides - him eating frequently (I'd say his definite favorite activity of the moment) and me also trying to eat,drink and take things that are suppose to help with lactation. In a way I'm anxious for our next pediatrician appt when we can see if he is still thriving (all signs point to yes in my opinion). This would make the first time I have strictly just nursed without any additional help.
For us that has been the biggest stress since having him home. Preston is a very alert baby. He knows our voices. He doesn't take to a pacifier yet, if anything, actually the lid of a bottle (or me!) Sleeping wise we have about a 50/50 shot at getting him to sleep in his bed during the day, otherwise he sleeps being held. I'm trying to avoid introducing anything that rocks, as I've learned in the past that's just one more thing to wean him off of later.
At night right now he's really good about eating every 2-3 hours. Bedtime ranges usually between 9-11pm, and by 7am usually he's awake and ready to eat and start the day. I've had days so far where it seems like he doesn't sleep at all during the day, and just eats, and others where he goes through a nice cycle of eating and sleeping.
His first week home was very busy with a lot of appointments! Both of the doctor and picture taking kind.
Tricky, tricky, tricky those newborn pictures are! Keeping baby warm, ever so slightly keeping them covered to undress/dress them in outfits...I didn't realize. We're just getting his birth annoucements sent out this week and scheduled his baptism for next month!
We also already had family portraits done (might as well just get it all over with!)
There you have it, our first two weeks with baby P! The next two will be more interesting as Josh heads back to work, and Nate and Aaron continue on Fall Break before starting school again next week.
It's been awhile since I've given updates on Nate and Aaron...that's up next!
