So for Labor Day we packed up and headed to the lake. We had a great time with the family. Sawyer even went on her first boat ride. She loved the Blue Goose and did a fabulous job!
Quick family photo on the Blue Goose, and yes, we have an infant life vest for her! :)
Such a sweetie!
We had a great time at the lake, but we were ready to get home and get back into our routine!
Finally. I say that with caution, but I do feel that we are finally adapting to life with a newborn and are somewhat on a schedule. Now I will say that schedule does change if we go off somewhere for the weekend or someone else (such as grandparents) are around. But, for the most part we are in a routine. I have learned (or think I have) her cries. I am usually able to figure out what she needs. Sawyer is a very happy and continent baby. She takes after her Daddy in that way. She is like me in the way that sometimes she just wants to be left alone. She enjoys swinging in her swing and playing on her floor mat. When she is tired, she will let you know, and wants to be put down so she can nap by herself.
Spencer and I are so blessed to have such a precious baby girl. She melts our hearts on a daily basis. We love you Sawyer Rhea!!!
Currently at 7 weeks old you :
We love you Sawyer!
Sawyer is now six weeks old. It totally amazes me how fast time flies. She has grown so much. We are doing much better with a schedule. All it takes is a little time. In the next few weeks we will really be working on our routines. We have to practice getting up, getting ready, and loading up to get out the door on time. Not quite ready for all that, but we will get adjusted. I think we both work well on routines and schedules.
We are trying to figure out our nighttime routine right now. She can sleep anywhere from 4-6 hours during the night. I want to be able to put her down between 8 and 9, but I have to make sure she gets enough to eat so she will sleep until 2 or 3. I don't like it when she gets up at 4 because then, there would be no point in me going back to sleep once she finishes eating, because I need to be getting up at 5. Once we figure all this out, we will be good to go.
Wow! Is it really possible Sawyer can already be one month old. It is so hard to believe. I feel like the last month of my pregnancy lasted forever now here we are one month on the other side of it. Crazy! Sawyer has grown so much over the last month.
At one month Sawyer:
Sawyer Rhea- Mommy and Daddy love you more than anything! We are cherishing every moment because you are growing and changing daily! We love to just watch you grow!
I know the last post was very truthful and some may even wonder why did you write that. But, I just want to be able to clearly state the facts of how I feel and document this entire experience. Including the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Before I talk about the positive outlook I must go back a day. On Tuesday I had to go to the doctor for my 3-4 week appointment after my C section. I went and everything was great. The incision healed nicely and the doctor was very pleased. She discussed with me getting the vaccination for the tetanus and the whooping cough. The whooping cough is highly contagious for infants and can even lead to death. So needless to say, I got my vaccination. She also recommended that Spencer as well as Sawyer's grandparents get the vaccination; because adults can carry it (without knowing it) and pass it to infants. Infants in turn have a very difficult time fighting it. The shot itself did not hurt one bit and I am terrified of shots. But of course, I am going to do whatever I need to do to protect her. Well, Tuesday night my arm started hurting so I took a couple of Tylenol. I woke up around 1:30 AM shaking I was so cold. I had the chills and could not get warm and my body ached all over as if I had the flu. I woke Spencer up and made him go and find the thermometer. He claims I didn't have a temp, but I am not so sure. Anyway...I couldn't go back to sleep and then Sawyer woke up for her 2:30 feeding. It was all I could do to nurse her. However, I pulled through and I put her back down and she went right back to sleep. Such a little angel! Me on the other hand could not go back to sleep so I just lay awake tossing and turning trying to get warm. Then, 5:30 rolls around and she is ready to eat again. So I get up and go downstairs. Might as well start the day. I took more Tylenol and it kicks in and I finally begin to feel better, yet I am still exhausted from lack of sleep and feeling horrible the night before.
So Spencer had gone on to work and apparently called his mom and told her I wasn't feeling well. She and Grandmother rode down with Spencer's dad and watched Sawyer so I could get in an afternoon nap. I began to feel a little better after some sleep.
On to the more positive.....
Last night we gave Sawyer a bath with the sleepy time bath. Love that stuff!!!! Then I topped her off with a bottle I had previously pumped after one of her earlier feedings. I then put her down and she slept a whole 5 hours. I nursed her, put her back down and she slept until 6:15. I felt so rested when I woke up at 6:15. I felt as if I had actually gotten some sleep. Thank you sweet Sawyer!!!!
I also decided today that I was going to finally attend one the breastfeeding support groups. This was so helpful. I have a much more positive outlook on how to be able to continue to breastfeed once I return to work. Now it may not be 100% breastmilk, I may have to supplement with formula, but something is better than nothing. The lactation nurse was so helpful and made me feel so much better. Now, I can just inform Spencer, instead of him thinking he has a CLUE as to what he is talking about.
I believe we are headed in the direction of getting on a schedule that will work for us! We shall see, but at least today I am very POSITIVE about what is in store for the future.
Everyone always says how hard parenting is, but I really don't think they put enough emphasis on how hard it really is. It definitely has to be one of the hardest yet most rewarding jobs I have every had. I have no idea how I am going to even attempt to go back to work. If anyone has any ideas on how I can make the same amount of money with benefits included and stay at home with Sawyer I would greatly appreciate it :)
Sawyer is growing like a weed. I believe over the past week she has gone through a growth spurt. She is now eating about 4oz at each feeding. This has been slightly stressful for me. We have had to supplement formula because I wasn't making enough for her just yet. However, I believe we are now on the right track. I do get slightly (very) frustrated because when I pump I really make the only amount she needs, and I would like to make more so that I can store some up for when I go back to work. Not sure if this is going to happen or not though. We shall see.
Breastfeeding is also one of the hardest jobs I have had. I am not going to lie, it hurts and I don't always enjoy it as everyone says you should. I am not sure how I can bond with my sweet baby when she hurts me. Therefore, during the day I try to pump and only nurse at night. This can make things quite complicated when Spencer wants us to go somewhere. Hopefully, soon my body will catch up and I can make a little extra. I am not so sure Daddy completely understands all that is involved with a newborn and breastfeeding. Don't get me wrong he is very supportive, but it is still hard to make him understand everything I am going through.
I know Sawyer is almost four weeks old, but my Type A personality is ready for Little Miss to be on a schedule. I know that will take time, but I am so afraid we won't be on one by the time I return to work. I am also already worrying how in the world I am going to get her ready, fed, and myself ready, and all packed up and ready to leave by 6:30 AM. I am wondering if I should even go to bed!
Then, on top of all that, I would like to try and continue to breastfeed her, so I need to work out things with work. But, then going back to work is stressful enough, and stress reduces your milk supply, so how in the world am I going to make it work? If you have suggestions please feel free to share :)
Spencer thinks it is all a piece of cake, but I am not so sure he understands that my teaching job can be quite stressful at times and I don't always have time during the day to really even go to bathroom, how am I going to pump for her? Yes, he is supportive, but teaching is complicated!
On top of all this, Spencer had a job to do out of town last week so he loaded up and left early that morning so he could get started before it got so hot. I was left to feed, pack, load the car, and Sawyer up by myself. Needless to say this job was completely exhausting, and yet again, I still do not believe Spencer understands, or rather anyone right now (expect other Moms) how tiring and exhausting Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were. We were completely out of our element. I believe this may have had something to do with making my milk supply low.
With all this venting I have done, I must end on a brighter note. Apparently, I am producing enough for her because she is growing like I weed, I am just not making any extra right now to freeze for later use. When I weighed her the other day she was well over 9lbs. Yay for Baby Sawyer!
Sawyer went back to the doctor last Wednesday for her two week checkup. She now weighs 8lbs 4oz, which is one ounce from her birth weight and is 21 inches long (she was 20.5 at birth). She is growing like a weed. It made me feel good that she had gained almost all of her weight back since I am breastfeeding. That means she is getting what she needs from me. We are not supplementing with any formula right now. She is strictly on breastmilk.
Currently Sawyer eats about every three hours during the day and about every 3-4 hours at night. We are usually able to put her down around 10:00 and she will sleep until about 1:30 sometimes 2:00. She will then wake back up at either 5 or 6 to eat again. This is the time I should be getting up with her and getting ready, but I am still so sleepy that I usually just go back to sleep with her and we wake up around 8:45. I must say she has done a pretty good job at putting herself on a schedule. I am just hoping we are able to somewhat stick to this schedule once I return to work. But, life with a newborn is ever changing, so we must just go with the flow :)
Sawyer does not like to be swaddled at all. She doesn't mind having a blanket wrapped around her from her chest down, but you cannot confine her arms. She loves to stretch! She is a very content baby. She usually on fusses when she is hungry or needs her diaper changed. She is very good about letting us know when she is hungry. She does great with the hunger cues.
