Update on Life with Boo

Summer Nights
After spoiling us in the early days often sleeping as much as 6.5 hours at a stretch, Hope has adopted a more typical newborn schedule. We try to put her down at 8pm every day, and most days that works out for her just fine. Some days it takes a bit of work on our parts, but she always goes down eventually, and in her crib in her own room. She loves to be swaddled and of course has her noise machine to mimic a womb-like environment. She always wakes for a feed around 1 or 2am and then  usually goes back to sleep until 5 or 6 am.

Summer Days
We're over halfway through the summer, and Hope and I have settled into something of a routine.  Every other day I leave her with Tommy at 6:30am while I go for a run/walk (I'm starting the Couch to 5K program up again). Then we spend a few hours in the morning in bed, dozing/feeding/pooping (well, she's the only one who does the last two), and then I try to get a few things done while she takes a morning nap. I'm not too ambitious here: I try to get a shower, water the plants on the deck, take a prenatal vitamin, drink a cup of coffee, and then load the dishwasher or do a load of laundry. On days I didn't go running, I do post-natal yoga with a DVD. After her morning nap, we both get to eat, and then the afternoons are either spent with me trying to get things done around the house (sorting through maternity clothes, organizing photos and videos, processing vegetables from our CSA, etc) or out and about. In the early days, before I could go running, we'd take a walk to the zoo or the grocery store or just down by the banks of the river. Now it's just so hot and we often have other errands to do during the day so we don't walk as much. We've been to various breastfeeding support groups in the area, and on Fridays we go to Ardmore for Mommy Coffee Time at Milkboy Coffeeshop with other new mothers and babies. Our doula organizes this gathering, and it's great to both get out of the house and also get to connect with other people who are going through similar things. Since I'll be going back to work only Monday through Thursday, it's exciting to think that we can continue to stop by as she gets older. 

The Joys of Breastfeeding
First of all, let me say that I'm so glad that we've been able to breastfeed so far. I know many people who truly want to but are unable for a whole host of reasons. I know others who have persevered through tremendous obstacles to make it work. I also know the health advantages for both of us are massive, and it's a great bonding time for mother and daughter. That said, breastfeeding is HARD WORK. I knew this going in, but I don't think I really had any idea about how emotionally exhausting it would be. Sure there's the physical pain from bleeding nipples and engorged breasts, but the emotional toll can be even worse. When things go wrong or are difficult, you have thoughts like, "What is wrong with me? This is the most natural thing in the world--why can't I get it right?" or "I can't believe she needs to eat again! She just finished 20 minutes ago" or "It hurts too much, I just can't do it" or "Am I doing this right? Is she getting enough hindmilk? Am I going to get mastitis? Can I stop burping now?" or worse lately: "Is that little bit of dairy I ate the other day causing her this pain and suffering?"

No More Moo
RE: That last thought. Following an after-hours call to the pediatrician where Tommy and I debated the relative color of our daughter's stool ("Is it black-black or just really dark brown?") where the answer indicated whether or not she needed to go to the emergency room, the blood in Hope's stool resolved itself in a matter of days. Bloodwork ruled out serious issues, but we really don't know what caused it. It could be just a hiccup in the workings of a developing digestive system, it could be a food sensitivity, or it could be something else entirely. Because dairy is the most common culprit (and because cutting out major dairy products had improved earlier symptoms), the pediatrician recommended a total elimination of all dairy products from my diet for at least two weeks. Considering that I named all of my cats after types of cheese, this has been a big lifestyle change for me. Also, I've come to learn that dairy is lurking in many food products where you wouldn't expect it. The bread I buy, for example. Cereals and salad dressings. Peanuts. Peanuts! So, I've found it easier to stick to fresh foods prepared at home for the vast majority of my sustenance. I did take a trip to Whole Foods yesterday (in which I spent more money than a family of 3 should spend on groceries in a month) and read the label on every food I picked up. The upshot: I was able to find some acceptable prepared foods as well as substitutes for those dairy products I most miss (coconut ice cream = not so bad). The really good news is that she's been feeling better and that any food sensitivities are most likely temporary.

Spreading the Love

The best parts of this summer for me (aside from time spent snuggling with or cooing over Hope, of course) have been visits to and from friends and family. It's been so wonderful to introduce our daughter to the people we love and to see the joy she brings them just by being her: it seems everybody loves a baby. We've had many friends and family members stop by the house; we met some on a trip to the zoo; and I even got to take Hope to a work-sponsored Happy Hour. Both sets of grandparents have come to see her, and she had her first overnight trip on July 4th to see (translation = sleep through) the fireworks at Pappy and Grandma Stone's house in Ephrata. Finally, we were able to make the three-hour journey to northeastern Pennsylvania to spend time with my grandparents (Hope's only living great-grandparents) and assorted aunts, uncles and cousins. Although we were happy in our wedded bliss before Hope's arrival, we truly feel like a family after this magical addition.

Thanks for following our journey so far. It's exciting to think that it's only just begun...