10/29/2004

First week at home - 10/29/2004

Notes: Amber and Dave think AJ is the most beautiful baby. He has just the sweetest little expressions. The first few days, it seemed like all AJ wanted to do was eat and sleep. He has started being more alert and stays up long enough for us to read books to him or just talk to him. He now looks at our faces and just stares.

Our biggest struggle has been feeding. Amber has become very emotional at times over the fact that AJ won't latch on for breast feeding. We visit with a nurse from the hospital about three times a week for breast feeding consultation. Some days are better than others, then he will go back to refusing to even try to latch on. It would probably be easier if we just gave up and started formula, but Amber had her heart set on breast feeding, so for now, we keep trying. So far, Amber has been able to at least pump enough breast milk that we supplement very little formula, but as AJ eats more, the fear is that pumping won't keep up the supply needed.

All of Amber's friends have asked if she is getting any sleep. She figured out today that she gets 6 hours a night. Sleep two hours, up for one, sleep another two, up again for one hour, and then sleep two more before we are up for the day. This seemed sufficient for a while, but she is starting to feel the effects of too little sleep. Dave loses sleep too, but he has mastered something that Amber has yet to: how to take a nap.

One of Amber's mother's friends called motherhood "joyful exhaustion." I think that expression sums it up perfectly. This little precious guy has been so worth everything!