An Update on Gracie

We know you're all here to see pictures of Gracie, so I'll post them first. If you'd like to know how our first week and a half has been going, keep reading...







We've come a long way in a week and a half. I think we're finally getting the hang of things. But I'm absolutely amazed at how little time we really have. Literally, I have about an hour or two in the entire 24 hours to do what I need or want to do. I've been choosing to eat and take a bath with my time. I'm hoping to get back to returning phone calls, checking email, blogging, and interacting with others over the next few weeks.

Ryan has really been amazing. We make a great team. I have no idea how anyone could do it alone. We've had many visitors, and are grateful for all the support. I'm so thankful for my dad who has been here for a week, cooking for us. He's leaving tomorrow, and I'm not sure how I'm going to remember to eat, sleep and bathe, but I know we can eventually learn to manage.

Grace and I continue to learn how to breastfeed. We were having many issues, so last Monday, we attended a support group and they suggested I contact a private lactation consultant. Kimberly, from the Northern Virginia Lactation Consultants, came to our house to work her magic. She was ultimately our savior. I honestly don't think I'd have made it another day trying to nurse Gracie. I still talk to Kimberly every other day to follow up and ask questions. Poor Grace was not getting enough to eat and had lost almost a pound in five days. We were on a strict schedule (aka: "the cure") for 48 hours that wore Ryan and I, as well as Gracie down, but it was worth every painful minute. I was to touch base with Kimberly on Wednesday afternoon to figure out what was next, but Grace had decided that afternoon that she was ready to wean herself from all the tools we'd been given. I was scared when she began to refuse these tools. I didn't think I could bear the pain to return, but I decided to follow her lead. To my surprise, she was right. We could do this without much pain.

Both the doctor and the lactation consultant had strongly suggested I wake her every two hours to eat. That also proved to be a painful experience. She just wanted to sleep, undisturbed. It took me an hour to wake her and another hour to eat because she kept falling asleep, and by that time it was almost time to wake her again. She was restless for those few days. So yesterday I explained it to the lactation consultant and she said as long as I'm getting in enough feedings, try letting her lead. That was at 5pm yesterday. Since then, we have a completely content and pleasant baby girl who woke for about an hour twice last night to eat. Compared to the screaming baby we had for the last week, I'm impressed. So anyone having a first baby, let me know if you plan to breastfeed because I have quickly built a repertoire of resources, tools and tricks. Of all the lessons I have learned this week...the most important for those who want to breastfeed is to get help as quickly as possible, even before you need it. And make sure whoever helps you is not just a nurse, but a lactation consultant. The nurses at the hospital tried to act as if they were specialists and I believed them. If I'd gotten help sooner, as I asked, this may have been much easier. It really is the most difficult thing I've ever done...and I have to say the pain anxiety caused by unsuccessful breastfeeding is worse than the general pain and anxiety of labor.

Tonight we gave Gracie her first bath. She absolutely loved it and cried only when we took her out of the tub. We are now trying to put her to bed in her bassinet, prior to us going to bed. So far, the bedtime thing is going okay, but not great. She did lay awake and quiet for a good while, so we'll keep trying.