newborn | My Simplified Life

Mommyhood: Giving Your All

I’ve written about getting 3 glorious hours of sleep and having a really good baby, but the past few weeks have been a learning experience. Baby D is just about 6 weeks old and the past few weeks have been a bit challenging. The witching hour turned into a witching 4+ hours every night. I would end up nursing him for 2 hours at the end of the night and just utterly exhausted. At his checkup we discovered he wasn’t really gaining weight and our pediatrician had us start supplementing his feedings with formula. This was not how I saw things going. I had the fantasy of most breastfeeding moms…I’d whip out the boob, he’d latch and feed and life would be perfect. Guess what? Breastfeeding is literally the hardest part of having a newborn.

We started supplementing formula but had to play around with which one he liked which is challenging in and of itself. It seemed one would give him extra gas and cause him pain, one made him spit up and so on. We finally settled on Similac Sensitive and he’s been putting on weight, but something else has been bothering me. He isn’t rejecting the breast but he’s having a hard time getting things started. The other day he tried so hard for 30 minutes to latch on and was crying so hard that I started to cry. It’s never good when both baby and mommy are crying (our puppy brought us all of her toys to try to make it better!). So I picked up the phone and made an appointment with a lactation consultant. My husband had been encouraging me to visit one and see if they had any recommendations and I’m so happy he did.

We had our appointment yesterday afternoon and it turns out that my little champ has a posterior tongue tie. Two consultants checked him out and agreed on it. They showed me what they were looking at and a checklist of what the experts look for. It was so surprising to see that so many of the symptoms were exactly what Baby D was experiencing. Finally! An answer! The #2 doctor in the country who specializes in tongue ties happens to be less than an hour away. I’m waiting on a call back…

I do have to say that once we started the supplementing, he no longer fussed during the evening hours. This of course is because he had been hungry at night and milk production decreases as the day goes on, so he was having a really hard time getting milk. He’s back to being a content little guy who naps regularly and who is sleeping in at least 4 hour stretches, but spoiling mommy and daddy with a few 7.5 hour stretches! Those are the days where I get a ton done since I’ve slept more than I have in over 9 months! The difference is that drinking from a bottle is much easier than drinking from the breast, therefore he’s getting more of the food he’s looking for and needing.

The reason I’m sharing this story is because as a mother you want to do everything in your power to ensure that your child is healthy and happy. I would go to the ends of the earth for my little man. To see your baby struggle and not know what’s wrong is one of the worst feelings in the world. When you know something is wrong, don’t hesitate to start looking for help and resources. You are your baby’s advocate and voice. Thanks to the internet, there is so much research that has already been done for you and groups that can help. My LC recommended a Facebook group that has tens of thousands of parents and doctors who have experience with tongue ties and welcome any and all questions. No matter what your baby might be facing, there’s sure to be others in the world who are going through what you are.

I’m anxious to get this solved for Baby D and to be able to resume our normal breastfeeding together. I’ll keep you posted on the outcome and if you have any experience with tongue ties or need help, please feel free to contact me!

Mommyhood: Late Nights and Love

Baby D is almost a month old and twice, yes only twice, have we had super fussy nights where my husband and I were pacing the bedroom and hallway for hours on end while Baby D exercised his little lungs for us. It’s so hard not knowing what is wrong with your newborn when you’ve done everything thinkable…fed him, changed him, burped him, swaddled him, cuddled him. I’m a big fan of Google and will research any and all questions I can think of. I also have a lot of time to do this when I’m nursing at 3 in the morning! As a first-time mom, I’ve learned that your newborn will have a fussy time, mostly in the evening or late night where they are just going to cry it out; it’s also known as “the witching hour,” but can last more than an hour!

Last night, my little man finally fell asleep after simply lying on my chest for 10 minutes and then slept for 3 glorious hours! This was after 2 hours of crying, stopping, crying and stopping. At his next feeding, he wasn’t fussy at all, just happy to be held, changed and fed in the middle of the night. As I fed him, I watched his little eyes starting to droop off into dream land and his tiny hand gripping my finger and realized that he’s only this little for such a small amount of time. I know the fussiness will pass, most likely pretty soon, and he’s simply going to keep growing up. Instead of getting frustrated with the fussiness and feeling hopelessly overwhelmed, I’ve decided to embrace it. I know he’s going to have his crying times and by remaining calm and knowing that I’m doing my best for him, then he’ll relax too.

I was watching the Today show this morning and was once again reminded that time really does fly. Days turn into a blur and you have no idea what day of the week it is or what the date is, taking a shower becomes a luxury and if you can style your hair then you’re even more ahead of the game, there will be breastmilk everywhere and getting 3 hours of sleep is a big accomplishment. Remember though…this won’t last forever and someday you’ll probably miss the middle of the night feedings and being the one that makes your crying baby instantly calm just by hearing your voice or being placed in your arms. I’m opting to treasure it all and soak it up while I can.

bellybelly has 12 tips to help cope with the “witching hour” and they’re all really helpful.

Be prepared – it’s going to happen.
Remember this isn’t your fault.
Get some peace.
Wear your baby.
Have backup.
Get outside.
Give good cuddle.
Have a bath.
Feed your baby.
Burp your baby.
Use white noise.
This too shall pass.

New Mommy Must-Haves

It’s been 18 days since Baby D was born and I’ve quickly learned what my “must-haves” are during this time. Of course like many first time moms, I scoured the internet for lists of what to get, what to expect, etc but going through it first hand will tell you what you need. Below is a list (with links!) to my must-have items over these past couple of weeks. I know the list will grow as Baby D does but these items have made my life much easier. I’ll keep adding as I find more must-haves!

Nursing tanks – I love these tanks from Target. They offer support and comfort. I have them in three colors.

Swaddle Me by Summer Infant – Most infants like to be swaddled because it reminds them of the womb. I love this inexpensive swaddle that is easy to put on. It wraps tightly but since Baby D loves his hands out, it allows him to do that sometime in the night.

Aden & Anais Muslin Swaddle Blankets – These swaddle blankets are the best. They’re large so they will grow with your baby

and the material is breathable. As a first-time mom that’s really important to me…one less thing to worry about. We were lucky to get a ton of these at our shower so I have them in every room of the house.

Mamaroo – Some babies enjoy the Mamaroo, some don’t. Baby D likes it. I did find it second-hand though for a very reasonable price, so if you don’t want to spend the money, check out local Facebook Mommy pages.

Graco Snugride 35 Carseat – This carseat grows with the baby up to 35 lbs. It comes with the base and simply clicks in. It’s so easy and lightweight!

Graco Snugrider Elite – Your carseat snaps right into this lightweight stroller. It folds easily and has been a time saver and space saver. We take it everywhere with us.

Graco Pack ‘n Play Playard with Cuddle Cove Removable Seat – I like to refer to this as Baby D’s tri-level mansion. The bottom is a regular Pack N Play, the second story is a bassinet and the third is a changing table and removable seat that also vibrates. Baby D is currently sleeping in this in our room. It’s convenient and he loves the vibrating motion.

Motorola® MBP33S Wireless Enhanced 2-Way Audio Digital Video Baby Monitor with 2.8-Inch Screen – This monitor is color and has different tunes you can control from the base. I use it right now when Baby D naps in his crib and it gives me great peace of mind.

Wubbanub Pacifier – Not only is this pacifier adorable but it’s also great because it doesn’t cause nipple confusion for a newborn.

iBaby Feed app for iPhone – As a first-time mom, I want to make sure that Baby D has enough wet diapers, is sleeping enough, eating enough, etc. This app has been such a life saver so that I don’t have to write anything down. It also analyzes and charts everything so you can see what patterns have been created.

Delta Haven Glider and Ottoman Set – We bought this glider on sale at Target. It’s comfortable and I love the look of it since it’s not like regular gliders. I sit in this many hours of the day so it was important to find something that I would want to sit in.

Carseat Canopy – I love having the carseat canopy because it protects Baby D from the sun and from unwanted strangers who might want to come too close or touch him. Look out for promo codes to get one for free and only pay shipping and handling!

Kindle – Late nights and middle of the night feedings are a nightly occurrence. Trying not to fall asleep is tough but when you have a good book to keep you company, then it makes it much easier. I have my Kindle by my side loaded with a good book to help me not fall asleep. I keep the lights dimmed during the late night feedings so it’s great to have the various screen lighting options as well.