Don't judge, but I am posting during my one quiet time; pumping. I'm sure some of you are laughing at how odd that is, but it really is the only quiet minute I have had lately.
My pump and I are basically joined at the hip. I would have preferred a different best friend, but looks like I'm stuck with Ms. Medela.
I had looked forward to breast feeding Sully. I dreamt of those glorious mother and baby moments where we would sit together, snuggle & nurse. Obviously, nothing with his birth or motherboard has really gone according to plan.
Because of his oxygen saturation levels right away at birth, and then the discovery of his heart defect, Sully didn't eat for the first five days he was alive. He received calories through an IV. When he was 2 days post op, the doctors said we could try bottling him. I asked about breast feeding. They said we could do that as well but their main concern was teaching Sully to eat. See, the main reason that it takes some babies forever to be released from the hospital is that they don't know how to eat regularly. The hospital won't release them without strong eating habits.
At that point, all I wanted to do was to take Sully home & if bottling was the ticket, I was all for it.
Lucky for us, Sully the Amazing took to the bottle the very first time we tried & we went home 6 days post op.
I pumped while at the hospital & they helped me get a hospital grade pump through my insurance. Sully drinks what's called 24 calorie breast milk. Normal breast milk has 20 calories an ounce, but, cardiac babies sometimes have trouble gaining weight & they need the breast milk fortified with formula. Again, not the ideal, but I will do anything for my little man. So, I take eight ounces of breast milk & mix on three teaspoons of formula & that makes the breast milk 24 calories an ounce. I don't think Sully has trouble gaining weight, though. :) Today my son is seven weeks old & weighs 9lbs 7oz. He has gained almost three pounds since birth. I must have wicked boob juice.
So, here I sit. Attached to my pump. Watching early morning tv & listening to both of the men in my life sleep. Smiling.
Happy New Year ladies. 2011 was an amazing year for me. I know 2012 will be awesome & some wonderful babies will be born this year & I can't wait to read all about them. :)
Love,
Courtney
:+)
ReplyDelete