Baby Poop

Hang around new parents for long, and baby poop will come up. I promise. As gross as it is, it's a frequent topic of conversation among parents. The website babycenter.com even has a photo guide to help parents better understand their baby's poop. Much to my consternation, with Jack, I haven't had much to talk about. For some reason, unlike his sister, this boy is not much of a pooper. As of today, it's been eight and a half days since his last poopy diaper. I know...right...eight and a half days. That seems crazy to me. The first time he went four days, and I assumed it was a fluke. Then he went five days after that and I took him to the doctor. She said it's not abnormal and nothing to worry about. Now, it's been eight days, and I have to admit I'm a little worried. I feel like it has to be bothering him, but if it is, it's only slightly. For the most part he is totally eating and sleeping as normal. He does have a little extra gas and is fussy at times, but not terribly. I'm not really complaining because it has saved us lots of laundry compared to Lily, but it's weird...anyone else out there have babies who went that long?

Jack Smiles

Jack has started smiling. It is rare, but adorable! I tried to catch it on video, but only got the last little bit of the real smile and some lingering smirk. Still, pretty cute!

Feeding Jack

Jack's First Bottle

Before Jack was ever born, one of the things I looked forward too most was nursing him. I loved nursing Lily and was pretty upset when she decided to ween herself when I got pregnant with Jack. I consoled myself by remembering that I'd have another little one soon to nurse.

Nursing Jack, however, has not been at all like I dreamed it would be. It seems to be one challenge after another. I had a few problems with Lily, but nothing long term and felt like because I had been there before, it would be much easier this time. My doula wisely pointed out that although I had nursed before, Jack hadn't, and, honestly, he's just not good at it. I think it's mostly due to a pretty major recessed jaw, but he just doesn't want to latch and nurse properly.

The Funky Frog Nursing Position :)

In about the first week he had torn my poor nipples up to the point they were scabbed and bleeding (sorry for the TMI). It was super painful to nurse him. I went into survival mode and went to see a lactation consultant while also starting to pump quite a bit in an effort to heal. Then my supply (which had started out abundant) dropped way down to the point I couldn't pump enough to feed him and had to give him formula. Then, with a new position to try and healing nipples, we started to get better.

Then a week and a half ago, at the lactation consultant because I was afraid we had thrush/yeast (we don't - Jack has an Epstein pearl), I found out he was loosing weight. So, I began to try to feed him more by supplementing with bottles of pumped milk, only to have him again stop nursing very well.

We've gone to the chiropractor (much to Josh's skepticism) the lactation consultant, and even an ENT to make sure there were no physiological issues. We've tried all sorts of positions and the nipple shield. Sometimes he nurses well, sometimes he doesn't. I'm not totally ready to give up and pump exclusively yet, but I may be getting close. It is exhausting, and frustrating, and by far the hardest thing about Jack so far. I just hope he will grow into being a good nurser!

Jack and Lily

One of the main questions people ask me is what does Lily think of Jack. I would say that on the whole she is adjusting well. When she first came to see him in the hospital, she was sort of oblivious. She was much more interested in looking out the sixth story window than looking at the baby. In fact, I think it took her a while to really understand that this baby was her brother, Jack. For at least two weeks, she called him "Carter" the name of our friends baby and continued to point to my belly for Jack.

Now, however, she knows that he is her brother, Jack and she certainly loves him. She wakes up every morning and from every nap asking about him and wanting to see him. When he cries she says "Mommy, uh-oh, Jack" as if she feels she has to let me know he needs me. We do have to work with her on appropriate ways to sooth him, which do not involve forcefully rocking his chair, slapping him on the head, or jabbing the pacifier in his mouth! :) I know she is just trying to be helpful, so it's sort of cute, but I'm also still a little afraid she'll hurt him.

She has had a little bit of added tantrum time lately, which could be her age, could be Jack, and is probably both. She has always been so good, but has started screaming, throwing things, and obviously testing the limits the last few weeks. Josh and I are both trying to counter that by giving her as much attention as I can, but it is tough when Jack needs me so much. I tried to take her on a Mommy daughter shoe shopping trip a few days ago, but that backfired and ended with us both crying! Today, however, we had a successful day out to the library and picking up Josh for lunch. It was nice and I hope she understands that I love her and still want to give her attention too! That has to be the hardest part of parenting two, making sure both know you love them!

Jack is Here

Tomorrow is Jack's one month birthday! Wow! I thought life was busy a month ago. Turns out I had no idea how busy Jack would make our life. In order to play catch up, I'm going to be writing a series of posts about the last few weeks, starting with this one telling his incredibly fun birth story!

I was really worried about having to be induced with Jack. Week forty came and went without any real signs of labor. I had a scheduled induction for forty two weeks, but Josh and my Mom both thought that was too long to push it. At my 41 week appointment I was going to ask to do it right away. I was scheduled for a non-stress test on Wednesday, March 14th, and I was really dreading it. On Friday, April 9th I went to a chiropractor to get an adjustment to hopefully get everything in line for his arrival. At the midwife appointment that afternoon, I was 2cm dilated and he was very low! I tried not to get too excited.

But nothing much happened over the weekend, which was a little disappointing. then Monday night, as I was going to bed, I felt a gush of fluid. My water had broken. I was excited! I instantly texted Josh, who was out with a friend. He replied, "Cool, let me finish my beer", then "JK, I'm on my way home!" We went to the hospital that night and they checked everything and let us go home and get some rest with instructions to come back around noon the next day to start induction if labor didn't start on it's own.We actually slept a little and I woke up around 7am disappointed that nothing was happening. It looked like I was facing induction after all.

We called our parents and told them to come, but not to hurry. I emailed some friends and asked them to pray that I would go into labor and not have to be induced. At 7:30, I felt the first real contraction. After two more, that were strong enough I felt like I needed to get out of bed, Josh said he thought we should go on to the hospital after our nanny arrived. I thought he was being a little over cautious, but agreed and we both got a shower and got ready to go. By this point my contractions were fairly strong and frequent. I decided I should have something to eat, and, although not hungry, forced myself to eat some applesauce while my nanny set timing my contractions. At that point they were about three minutes apart! We needed to get to the hospital.

We left our house around 8:45 and Josh debated stopping at Mc.Donalds for breakfast. At first I told him it was fine, but after we pulled in the parking lot I told him I thought maybe we should keep going, so he pulled out the other side and drove quickly to the hospital. At this point I was having nearly constant strong contractions and was starting to feel like a sissy. I kept thinking. "We are just getting started and this hurts...how in the world am I going to be able to stand this for hours". Josh was apparently thinking, "I hope I don't have to deliver this baby in the back of this rental Cadillac!"

We made it to the hospital and I, stupidly, refused a wheel chair and opted to walk up to labor and delivery. I had to stop and lean on Josh several time in the hospital lobby to have contractions. Apparently people were looking at me like I was about to deliver in the lobby. At check it, it seemed to me that the lady was going incredibly slow and I was in almost constant pain, so I finally demanded a room, or at least a bathroom (I felt like I needed to poop) NOW. A nurse took a look at me and said she would take me back and get me settled. Soon after, about 9:45 a midwife came in and checked me and said I was 8cm. She had to see another patient, but said to page her if I felt like I needed to push.

As soon as she walked out of the room I told Josh I knew she would think I was crazy, but I sort of felt like I needed to push, so he pushed the nurse button and the midwife and nurse came back in. Sure enough, he was there and ready to be born! I pushed for about ten minutes and at 10:36, little Jack entered the world screaming! It was amazing. I got to hold him right away and even try to nurse him soon after his birth. Josh got to cut the cord. My doula made it just in time to help with pushing and my Mom and Dad were texted Jacks picture just as they pulled in the parking garage!

It was crazy fast, but amazing. I felt great after his birth and not even tired or all that sore. It's the kind of birth experience I wish all women could have. I'm not going to lie and say it didn't hurt, it did, but it was so quick and all of the pain felt like it had a purpose and was bringing us our little man.