A day in the life with a 5-week old

I wanted to try to track how much Lila is actually sleeping and if there is actually some kind of predictability with our day. Although I do write down all her feedings, I thought it'd be fun to record what we do all day (24 hr period). This day is pretty normal except Neil is in class from 6-10 and I don't have any visitors lined up for tonight. So it's all me today!

11:30-12:15am - feeding and down for the night in her bassinet

2:15am - feeding and diaper change

3am - back to sleep in bassinet

6:30am - up right before Neil's alarm, time to eat!

7:15am - Neil holds her while I pee, fill up my water cup, and make a quick bagel

7:30am - screaming and crying, I change her but thats not the problem. Lila is apparantly still hungry. Another quick feeding!

7:50 - 10am - morning nap for both of us

10-10:15am- I run around like crazy until she wakes up. I change clothes, bathroom, laundry, grab a snack, etc

10:15am- diaper change, go up to her room to change out of pjs

10:30am - feeding

11:15 - 11:40am - diaper change, play, sing

11:45 - 12:15 - Looks tired. She falls asleep in my arms. Try to put her down in swing. Nope. Crying! Pick her up. Falls asleep in arms again after rocking her. Put her down in bassinet. I make a lean pocket for lunch. (I eat a lot of things that can be prepared and eaten with one hand). She's awake and crying 2 minutes later!

12:15pm - feeding. I eat my "lunch", catch up on emails, texts, watch Dvr'd show from last night.

1:30pm - Finally, she's asleep!

1:40pm - Nevermind. Awake.

1:50 - 2:30pm - cold walk outside! Lila is sleeping!

2:30 - 3:30 - still sleeping in carseat inside the house

3:30 - 4:45 - diaper change and feeding, music and playing

5-5:45 - took a drive in the car, got dinner, nap until 7

Feeding every hour 7, 8,and 9! Diaper changes and short naps in there too. Kind of losing my mind at this point!

10pm - Neil home! Mommy gets a bathroom and snack break! Lila pretty fussy.

11 - 11:30pm - Neil trying to get Lila to sleep. We use the 5 S's. Swaddling, put her on her side, swinging/rocking, shushing/white noise... The fifth S is sucking, a la a pacifier. Unfortunately Lila prefers me to a pacifier.

11:50pm - Asleep in bassinet.

11:51: Awake and screaming. One last quick feeding.

Midnight - Asleep on Neil's chest in bed. Eventually he moved her to the bassinet.

Wow. What a day. She did well overnight. Only waking to eat around 2:30. Then she slept until 8am! I even got to shower!

And now it's another day!

One month!

I can't believe my little girl is one month old! She is getting so much bigger and is doing more and interacting with us. We had her 1 month appt. today and she did very well. She had to get a shot, which was hard for me, but she did okay! She screamed like crazy, but the nurse said feeding her immediately after would help and it did. I'll plan to do that again when she gets her 2 month shots.

One month!


Lila at one month:

Weight - 9 lb, 11.5 oz ~ 60th %
Length - 21.5 in ~ 50th %
Head circumference - 14.5 ~ 50th %

Lila is very average in size and very proportional. I'm so happy about her weight gain. She lost 10% of her weight in the hospital and was down to 7 lb 2 oz, in less than a month she's up 2.5 lbs? Amazing! She's a great eater, and I'm proud to know all the hard work breastfeeding is really paying off.

Diapers: Size 1, we prefer Pampers swaddlers sensitive

Clothes: almost all 0-3 months. Some newborn stuff still works if it has stretch

Eating: Lila eats 10-12 times a day. She is exclusively breastfed on demand and since I don't have much time to pump she's not been taking a bottle much at all. She cluster feeds in the evenings, which means she's pretty much constantly attached to me from 6 or 7 until she goes to bed. This is the hardest thing about nursing! It is so exhausting!

Sleep: Well, it's pretty hit and miss. Sometimes she gives us 4 hours in a row at night. Other times she's up every 2-3 hrs. She naps during the day here and there, nothing very predictable though. She loves being swaddled and can sleep anywhere but prefers mommy or daddy's arms.

Nicknames / what we call her:
Pretty girl, little girl, pretty, fussy butt, sleepy gus, sweetie

Milestones:

- started smiling at 2.5 weeks
- loves walks and riding in the car
- likes the bath as long as she doesn't get too cold
- getting better at tummy time, can lift and turn her head
- she's liking the swing and bouncy seat more
- can focus on faces and follow an object
- loves music! Especially Glee
- developed acne around 3 weeks, poor girl
- i've started reading to her. She likes looking at black & white illustrations
- does well with other people holding her, especially her grandparents

Things to remember/things that make us laugh:

- she's a noisy eater and sleeper - she snorts and grunts and farts!
- she is the most comfortable when whoever holding her is absolutely uncomfortable
- I love when she wakes up and watching her stretch. She makes the greatest faces!
- she spits up on Neil pretty much every time he picks her up
- she did poop on my lap this month, though!

- sometimes she does a little chirp or bark sound

- she has two distinct cries. Screaming and a fake cough/cry

Some photos:

Birth Story: Part 2

This is Part 2 of Lila's birth story. Read Part 1 first!

So.. after multiple issues with Lila's heart rate, the doctor said we had to have a c-section. She gave me the news while Neil was out of the room.

Apparently when Neil was in the cafeteria eating breakfast, he got a bad feeling and rushed back up to the room. Well, he returned to a nurse handing him his scrubs and hat for surgery. I think he probably felt as scared and overwhelmed as I did. I remember him reassuring me that it would be okay, and that we would meet Lila soon.

The rest is really fuzzy, but they wheeled me into the OR, redosed my epidural, put my arms straight out at my sides and started with the c-section. Neil was right there telling me everything was okay, and the midwife from the OB practice was reassuring me as well and telling me what was happening.

I couldn’t tell when they were cutting me, but I could tell when they were pulling her out. I felt crazy pressure and tugging. Then, at 10:13 AM she was out! They didn’t show me her right away like they do on a Baby Story. I actually didn’t see her until about 10 minutes after she was born. Anyway, right as they got her out, everyone in the room started going crazy about how tangled she was in her cord. Apparently it was completely wrapped around her: multiple times around the neck, body and through the legs. They unwrapped her and took her to the table to get her cleaned up.



Lila scored an 8, then a 9 on her Apgar test and I finally heard her cry! It was an amazing feeling knowing she was here and okay. Neil kept me updated on what they were doing and how she looked. They were still stitching me up and everything so I couldn’t see Lila. Neil was taking photos and video the whole time, thankfully. I remember him telling me the height and weight and that she had hair! I was shocked about that.

Finally, I got to see my baby girl. It was an amazing moment to see Neil holding her and to finally look at her face. I really did love her instantly.



We were in the hospital for 3 nights, which was no fun, but I needed the recovery time and it was really helpful to have the help of the nurses and lactation consultants. I felt pretty crappy after the surgery. I had so much fluid pumped into me and I was swollen and sore. The first day or so I still had a catheter, an IV and these compression things on my legs. The first night they made me sit up in a chair for a ½ an hour and that was really hard! Neil was amazing through the whole thing. He literally changed every diaper and did everything for Lila and for me for the first few days. He helped me get to the bathroom and shower for the first time after surgery. He was incredible!

Now, a month later, I’m feeling really good. I can drive, go up and down stairs and I’ve been going on daily walks with Lila in the stroller. My recovery has been great. My incision is healing well, and I can honestly say it is less of a concern to me than my stretch marks!

Sometimes I feel a little robbed of my birth experience and a bit jealous of other ladies who were able to deliver naturally. But on the other hand, I’m really glad I didn’t have to push her out and recover from that and possibly have a harder time with a vaginal birth. My doctor said for the next child I will definitely be able to have a vaginal birth if I want, but honestly, I might have another c-section since it’s what I know and it really wasn’t that terrible, all in all.

The most important thing is my sweet daughter arrived safely and is perfect and healthy! We love her so much and I couldn’t imagine life without her.

Newborn photos

We got Lila's newborn photos back! They turned out so well! We are very happy with them. To anyone in the Cincinnati area, check out Krysia Photography.

Here's some of my favorites:

3 weeks

Well, little Lila is 3 weeks today. It's been a blur! She's doing great. Fussy still in the evenings, and its sometimes hard to get her down to sleep at night, but it could be worse.

We've tried Mylacon and gripe water for gas. Not sure if its working, just tried the gripe water last night. Admittedly, we've let her sleep in bed with us a few hours here and there. Usually on one of our chests, but sometimes in the bed. I can never sleep though cause I worry about the blankets or rolling over on her.

One thing I've realized in my short tenure as a mother is the importance of doing what works for you and baby, even if its something you said you'd never do, or something your friends or family might think is wrong or weird. Going with your gut is the best thing to do sometimes.

Breastfeeding is still going well. Lila eats about every 1-3 hours during the day and usually gives me a 4-5 hour break at night. Its exhausting and harder than I thought, but I'm so glad to be able to do it. I pump once or twice a week, but she doesn't seem to like the bottle much.

Lila has some baby acne, which isn't very pretty but should go away on its own. It showed up the day after her newborn photos which was great timing. The photos are great, by the way. Can't wait to share them! Lila did so well and we got some great shots.

She is outgrowing some newborn stuff, and has moved to size 1 diapers. Most 0-3 months stuff is still too big. She is definately getting longer and heavier!

Her next appt. is next week. I'm nervous because she has to get some shots! Poor baby and poor mommy. Luckily Neil has the day off and will be there with us. I'm also finally getting my hair cut and colored that day! Long overdue.

As far as my recovery, I'm feeling good. I've driven, gone to Walmart on my own, and ran errands with my parents when they've visited. Stairs are getting easier and sleeping in more comfortable. For those curious about my postpartum weight loss, I'm down 25 lbs. I gained a total of 45, so I'm hoping the rest comes off when I'm cleared to exercise and I start eating better. Im hoping to get Lila out for a walk in her stroller tomorrow, its supposed to be 70 and sunny. So far she has only been out of the house for her two dr appts. I'm trying to keep her away from crowds until 6 weeks or so.

We will be making a 2 hour trip in a couple weeks to our hometown! I hope that goes well.

Well, my little love is waking up, better see what she needs!

2 weeks old

My baby girl is 2 weeks old! It's a big week for Lila. She had a dr appt/ weight check yesterday and she is doing great! She has surpassed her birth weight and gained 14 oz in one week. I was worried about her getting enough to eat being exclusively breastfed, but I'm happily relieved and proud of us both! She was 8 lb 6 oz!

Things are going well. Lila is a good baby and we all usually get enough sleep. She definately cluster feeds in the evenings, and is hungry/fussy or eating practically all evening. Luckily this usually tanks her up for a good 4-5 hours overnight.

She sleeps a lot during the day too but I try to take advantage of her awake times to sing to her or try to interact with her a bit. I can't wait until she's smiling!

Milestones/things of note this week-

Umbilical cord fell off!

Loves: eating, sleeping on mommy, having her hands on or near her face

Dislikes: wet diapers (doesnt seem to mind the poopy ones!), socks, bright lights

Still in newborn clothes and diapers

Nicknames/ terms of endearment: Pretty girl, pretty, flopsy or floppy, sleepy gus

Coming up:
Grandparents visit! (All of them)
Newborn photos on Sat. morning!

I'm probably a bad mom for posting these pics but here is my pretty girl. See how fast her mood changes?! Of course I came to her aid immediately! Pretty sure she was hungry!

Birth Story: Part 1

On Tuesday February 22, I had a Dr. appt in the afternoon and had my membranes swept (not sure if this put me into labor or not). I was still only about 1 cm dilated and 40% effaced and I scheduled an induction for that Friday. After the appt. I felt crampy for the rest of the day, but still went to dinner with my friend Kristen and then to Kroger to grab some milk and other necessities. Neil got home from class around 10, and my contractions started shortly after that.

They started off pretty far apart, but over the next few hours got closer and closer. We timed them on a contraction app on my phone, we got in bed at midnight but shortly after that got back up when we realized they weren’t stopping. The contractions hurt! They were about a minute and a half long and mostly in my back. We packed our bags with some last minute items and headed to the hospital around 2:45am. We called our parents to let them know what was going on and that they should probably start making their way to the hospital (a 2-hour drive).

When we got to the hospital I was put in a triage room and put on monitors and I was still only one centimeter! I was so bummed that I was there so early and wished Neil would’ve let me labor longer at home. They admitted me and put us in a delivery room.


Mid-contraction in the triage room!

The rest of the labor is pretty hazy as far as details and times go, but I’ve tried to have my parents and Neil fill in the blanks.

I labored until 6am or so with no problems. My contractions were getting stronger and stronger but still not terrible. My parents arrived and things seemed pretty routine. Then it got crazy.

My regular nurse left the room and said she’d be back shortly. A few minutes later 2 nurses I’d never seen rushed in and started frantically checking things and flipping me from side to side. Soon about 15 people were in the room. No one was telling me what was happening. They threw an oxygen mask on my face and I overheard things like “low fetal heart tones” and “not recovering” and “c-section”. I was absolutely scared out of my mind and was so afraid for Lila. Finally after flipping me almost on to my belly her heart rate recovered after quite a few minutes of her heart rate being well under 100, apparently as low as 50.

After she finally recovered, the doctor came over and explained what happened and that Lila was probably just laying on the umbilical cord or squeezing it, and that she should be okay.

Then it happened again. This time the doctor and nurses rushed in, threw my legs apart and broke my water. Then they put an internal monitor in, that attaches to the baby’s head to get a more accurate heart rate reading. The pain of my contractions was a lot more intense after breaking my water. They got Lila to recover again but it seemed to take longer this time for her to get better. I was still only 2 cm, but the doctor recommended getting my epidural placed just in case they did have to do a c-section. I hadn’t planned to get an epi until 4 or 5 cm so I could move around in early labor, but since they broke my water and with the internal monitor getting out of the bed wasn’t an option anyway.

I got the epidural. It took the anesthesiologist 3 tries to place it, but once it was in everything was fine. I was so nervous about the epidural, I was shaking so bad. But after it was placed it was really pretty easy. The epi took away the pain of the contractions pretty well, but I had to pee really bad and with each contraction my bladder was killing me! After practically begging, they finally gave me a catheter. Never thought I’d be looking forward to that!

At some point later that morning, the midwife came in and checked me and I’d progressed to almost a 5. I was so happy that I was progressing! But, the celebration was short lived when Lila’s heart rate again dropped down. After she finally recovered, the doctor came to my bedside and said that she needed to do a c-section. Neil was not in the room then, apparently he was in the cafeteria eating pancakes...

To be continued!

Lila: 1 Week Update

I can't believe my baby girl is a week old! She has changed so much in a week. She's losing the brand new newborn look and her features are becoming more apparent. She's getting more alert in her awake times and she's just such a good baby!

Lila on day 1:



And on day 7:


I'm biased, obviously, but I just think she's a beauty!

Exciting things this week:

First sponge bath
First doctor visit
Doing great on nursing! Every 2 hours during the day and every 3-4 at night. Mama's tired!
Started doing about a minute of tummy time a day
Visits from lots of friends and family
A lot of lounging with me and Grandma!
Wearing newborn size diapers and clothes
Sleeps for a 4 hour stretch at night
Likes white noise, swaddling and eating
Hates being delayed to eat, cold wipes and crinkling paper/plastic


My updates:

I'm healing well from my c-section. My incision looks great, I have a lot of bruising and I'm still sore, but I've stopped taking my pain meds and I'm moving around much better.

I've lost about 20 lbs since delivery and my belly is definitely shrinking! Pretty sure I still weigh more than Neil, though! Boo.

I'm feeling pretty confident as a mom and I'm definately proud of myself, especially since I successfully was able to nurse again after considering exclusively pumping because of latching issues. I'm happy things are working out on that front! Nursing is hard and time consuming but I'm starting to love it.

Happy 1 week, Lila!