Can I Get a "Real" New Mom's Manual?

Yea, two flipping weeks old! They seem like the shortest AND longest two weeks of my life! Seriously!!! This child is such a blessing....but such a handful. Clearly karma had a role in her life...haha. My mom says she is just like I was so holy cow....I was a handful! 

She's been pretty good except we had a lot of problems trying to breastfeed her :(   I was so determined that I was going to breastfeed. It's the healthiest option for baby and mom, reduces the risk of SIDS and gives the baby vital nutrients. But, from day one, GA would not latch on at the hospital. I prayed and prayed that she would and the lactation consultant gave me a shield to use. The problem is, she was not gaining enough weight. I learned the shield was actually keeping her from getting enough milk....and it was keeping my milk from coming in the way it should. I was devastated. We had been to the pediatrician's office several times last week for her jaundice and weight problems. The dr we saw was okay but he was kind of condescending and acted like I was stupid. I decided to try and pump and just give her the milk that way....so she would still get all the nutrients. But this past Friday, I ran out of milk. Yes, worst nightmare. Ran.Out.Of.Milk. Right when she woke up! I had NOTHING to give her and I KNEW she was hungry. That was one of about a dozen meltdowns that day. I ended up calling my mom freaking out. We had gotten samples of Similac and Enfamil in the mail over the past nine months and my mom suggested using the Enfamil newborn because it was probably the one that would create the least impact between the two. Well....I'm pretty sure she had a reaction because she literally did not sleep at all....the rest of the night. From 11:30pm to 5am....screamed and screamed and screamed. Not just crying...the shrill shriek where she turned bright red and you could see her tonsils flaring in the back of her throat. There was NOTHING I could do to help her. I felt like a) the worst mom in the world and b) completely useless. We called the pediatrician's office and went for visit number 4 in the past two weeks. We saw another doctor who was AWESOME! Seriously awesome. She reassured me that some babies just don't like breastfeeding....that some are formula babies. But she encouraged me to still pump and do half milk, half formula. We've been doing that for two days now and so far, so good. I can definitely tell a difference in her demeanor and her sleeping habits, while sporadic, are better. I'm not having to try and feed her every hour so she gets enough. My mom reminded me that I was a formula baby. I wouldn't even take milk. I was so worried about formula because of all the studies that show the unbelievable sugar content in formula.The kind the pediatrician recommended does not have a ton of sugar, which I am thankful for. In the end, I realized I was formula-fed and still smart and not fat until I got to college and ate Cookie Crisp for lunch everyday, haha. So half and half it is. I felt like I had failed but I learned there are soooo many people, my friends, who struggled the same way I did. It was very reassuring to see all their messages on facebook. Some people who I haven't seen in years.....sending me messages of encouragement. Praise God for right people in the right places. 

Kyle went back to work today. Sad times. It was fun late last week when it was just the three of us. Although, if my mom had wanted to stay, I would have been okay with that. I am learning that she will cry and I'll have to be okay with it. I just hate hearing GA cry. She sounds soooo pitiful. But she is fun too when she's not crying. I'm trying to start her on some type of schedule but so far, she isn't having it, haha. We'll see if I can win this challenge.... :)

So to keep from having a long, drawn-out post.....here are some highlights of week one to week two....enjoy.

I can think of a lot of song lyrics about hands in the air....

I love daddy!

And I love mommy too!!

Mommy's Easter bunny!

Cutest baby EVER!!!