Thoughts…

Well, here we are 11 days after Seth's arrival. It has been tough, honestly. I'm a terrific worrier, and taking care of a newborn feeds right into that.

1. Nursing. I didn't think it would be so difficult. Seth fights it mostly. I'm concentrating on making sure the latch is good, but when he is pushing me away, it only adds to my frustration. He'd love to just have his fingers in his mouth all day. He was down to 5 lbs. 15 oz. on Thursday when the home nurse came, which is still in the safe range. Again, I worry he isn't gaining because he either fights the feeding or has an improper latch. The home nurse showed me how to get him to latch, and of course it worked perfectly in her presence. It hasn't been that easy since then. He is wetting and pooping his diapers, so that's an encouragement.

2. Sleep. I knew I'd have to get up at night. The last two nights though have been almost completely without sleep. As soon as we lay Seth in his bassinet and we get into bed, he starts to fuss. Usually it's not because it's time to eat, he sometimes wants held. I always offer food in case he didn't get enough, but he'll push away and continue to fuss. Often he will fall asleep if I lay him on my chest as I try to sleep too. I don't think you're supposed to do this, but it's quiet for an hour or so, until I try to lay him back in his bassinet. He slept in the car seat one night, whatever works. Frustrating. Is he awake because he's hungry (see point 1)?

3. Pacifier. Apparently he's not supposed to use this until about 1 month of age. I've used it already between feedings to help him to settle. He loves it, which probably hurts the nursing issue. So today I'm trying to not use it.

So, I'm pretty frustrated, worried, and exhausted. He's adorable and I love him to pieces, but I feel like I'm doing everything wrong. Friday is our first pediatrician appointment. Hopefully he has gained some weight. I plan on talking to the lactation nurses there too. I'm hopeful things will get better, at least that's my prayer.

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UPDATE: Last night I tried pumping for a couple minutes to get the milk flow started before putting Seth on. This worked great! He latched on much faster and stayed that way until he was done. AND we got more sleep!! He still only stays in the bassinet for about an hour before I put him on my chest. Once he's laying on me, he's out like a light until the next feeding. This feels like progress!

Meet our son!

Yep, he came early! I'm still in shock, but he's adorable. The stats:

Seth Evan Hammersmith was born Thursday, August 30 at 7:24 pm
6 lbs. 9 oz.
18.5 inches long

We're adjusting to home and trying to get the hang of nursing and sleeping.

Of course, some photos, enjoy!

A peek at our son

Today was my ultrasound to see how big our son has gotten since the 31-week ultrasound. Well, he's still ahead of the game in his head and belly measurements. Everything else is totally fine. He's fine, just not going to be a small baby.

At 31 weeks they estimated that he was 4 lbs. 14 oz. Today at 35 weeks they estimated that he is 6 lbs. 4 oz. This was actually a relief to me. I had myself totally petrified that he'd be 8lbs already. whew. If he comes a couple weeks early, he might actually be a reasonable size for me to push out. It's just that darn head of his...

Anyway, below is a 3D photo of him. He was actually sucking on a finger or his hand quite a bit when she was trying to get these shots. You can't tell from this photo. Evan says he must have been biting his nails like his daddy. ha.

Enjoy!

A peek at the nursery

Well, the nursery is basically ready to go. We have all the essentials, we just need the child to go in it. :o)

Below are some photos, enjoy!

A brief update

This week marks the 34th in this pregnancy. How do I feel? Um, 34 weeks pregnant.

Sleeping is becoming a chore, or better said, getting comfortable with my 4 pillows each night is a chore. In between trips to the bathroom, my night consists of readjusting to find a comfortable position where my hips or back don't begin to ache. Fun, right? Let's see, putting socks and shoes on to go for a walk is comical. I'm getting real close to needing Evan's help with this.

Yesterday was another check-up at the doctor. Nothing new, still measuring big. How big? At 34 weeks I'm measuring 38. Any bets on whether this baby gets here before his due date?

And, to spare personal details over the internet, let's just say I'm pretty sure a pre-labor event has taken place...which tells me things are progressing. At this point, I'm hoping he holds off until after Sept. 8, which is the last social event I need to attend for the summer. I signed up for a breastfeeding preparation class on the 15th, we'll see if I can go. Might have to take him with me! ha.

Upcoming check-ups: Monday is the next ultrasound to take another look at his size. Sept. 4 is big doctor appt. where they are doing an actual exam to test for Strep B and also check dilation and effacement. Exciting!

That's the latest here.

My First Baby Shower

Saturday was my first baby shower, thrown by my aunts and my sister. It was a good time and great to see all my aunts, cousins, and other relatives and family friends who I don't see very much. I also had 7 friends from work and church make the hour-long drive to North Canton, which was so sweet of them! I feel very blessed and loved.

Well, we are off to a great start preparing for our baby. We received a few of the big ticket items: stroller/car seat system, pack n' play, bedding set. We also received some adorable outfits for the little guy as well as the essentials: blankets, bathing supplies, baby bag, monitor and safety gate.

Now it's organizing time for me. I must get all the outfits washed and put away, thank you notes written, etc.

Thought I'd include a photo of one of the outfits the baby received and a shot of the bedding for the nursery. When I have the nursery all set up, I'll post a photo.

32 weeks & Childbirth Preparation

Yesterday was my 32-week check up. No new news. I'm still measuring big, but we all know it's because I have a big baby. I asked the doctor how accurate the ultrasound estimate is: she said it can be 20% off in either direction. It gets more inaccurate the further along I am in my pregnancy. So, I'm just hoping that he's going to be a deliverable weight later next month. Next ultrasound is in 4 weeks.

Speaking of delivery, Evan & I had our first of 6 childbirth preparation classes on Monday. We saw a few videos which we handled with no problem. The guy next to me on the other hand, whose name was Rocky, couldn't bear to watch. ha. Anyway, the main points were the importance of relaxation and the importance of letting my body do what it knows to do. We did some breathing exercises and Evan even got a back rub when we had to show our coaches the rubs we enjoy. Of course, he liked that!

We have 5 more sessions, 1 of which is the tour of the birthing facility at the hospital. I'm fortunate that the hospital I'm delivering at has a brand new facility, so I know it will be very nice.

Well, my first baby shower is this weekend. Though I'm not a fan of being the center of attention, it will be fun to finally get started preparing for the baby's arrival. I still need to make room for all the things we'll be receiving, but I'm excited. We still need to buy the crib mattress, but otherwise the nursery will be on it's way to being complete.

It's been crazy hot and humid here, almost unbearable. Thank goodness for air conditioning! Though, I haven't been able to go on walks in the evening due to the heat. Hopefully it will cool off soon?