Two week check up

J had her two week check up today and good news! All is well. She has regained the 10 oz she had lost while at the hospital and is back to her birth weight of 7 lbs 12 oz. Our pediatrician says mom is to be congratulated for the effective breast feeding (though mom still has a lot to figure out in that department - pediatrician sent us to yet another lactation specialist today, but more on that in a minute). She had to have the second heel poke for the standard new born screening, and she did not handle it as well as the first (she slept through that one); today she cried and cried, and then her darn efficient blood clotted too quickly, and they had to stick her again to finish the test. Poor baby!
We experienced our first growth spurt a few days ago, which was quite trying for all of us. Poor J was up most of the night (as were mom and dad). She just couldn't seem to get comfortable. She also couldn't get enough to eat. Thank heaven it only lasted about 24 hours! J is getting much better with diaper changes, bath time and getting her clothes changed, though none of them are high on her favorite things list. Burping seems to be improving as well. The pediatrician informed us today that she is only beginning her ascent into the "crying stage" and that we have a lot more wailing to look forward to in the coming month and a half. He says it is developmental, and there is not much we can do to sooth it for her; it's just something that she has to do and get through. Non of us are looking forward to that.
J also took her first nap in her crib today. Up until now, naps have been in her bassinet, mom and dad's or Ning Ning's beds, or in someone's arms. She slept for about three hours and only woke up when mom changed her diaper and dad fed her. She looked so tiny in that great big crib.

J with her daddy

Recovering from a trying day at the pediatrician's office

Our happy baby Buddha

We love the smiles we get after her tummy is comfortably full

So mom met with the third, possibly fourth, lactation specialist today. We would like to know how a nurse becomes a lactation consultant/specialist, because every one of them has given us different information. It's a little frustrating, and I feel like I am in information over load. And the worst is, I don't know which "specialist" I should trust. Today the specialist informed me that my nipples are cracked and need time to heal, or nursing is going to get more painful than it already is. Also, that I am engorged. She gave me the option of not nursing for a few days to give my body time to heal. I will keep pumping every few hours and we will bottle feed J with what I pump. We are supposed to use the bottle to re-teach J how to latch correctly (her tongue is too far forward, hence the pain, cracking, bleeding, etc.) and hopefully in a few days or so we will both be ready to go back to the "real thing." The specialist assured us that "nipple confusion" is more of a myth than anything and that J will be able to nurse with me again despite the use of the bottle. I must say, I am looking forward to the reprieve. Nursing, like pregnancy, has been much harder than I anticipated. I so want to be able to nurse her and have that bond, but sheesh! If it's this uncomfortable and only going to get worse, that's not the kind of bond I want with my baby! I gave her a bottle when we got home from the doctor's office today and it was the first time that we've been able to look at each other while she eats. I really enjoyed that aspect of bottle feeding.