Settling In

So it's now been just over a week since we brought Mister Man home from the hospital. Perhaps my memory isn't the greatest, or maybe it's just because he's my second baby, but everything seems much easier to adjust to this round.

Sleep is still fairly elusive, but the sleep I do get has been sound at least. With Nadia I was so terrified of SIDS that I got up every five seconds to check that she was still breathing. Granted.. I'm still terrified of SIDS, but I'm handling it in a much less manic way this time. Mister is a lot less demanding and fussy than Nadia was as well. As long as his belly is full and he's not naked, he stays pretty much content.

I had started out trying to nurse, but just like with Nadia it became frustrating FAST. All the advice I find/get isn't very helpful. Apparently if you just "latch them on right, it doesn't hurt at all!" I was cracked and bleeding by day 3, even with the help of the nurses and LC at the hospital, but decided to just barrel through it in the hopes that it would soon pass. I really, really don't want to give up nursing. I made it 6 weeks with Nadia before giving up entirely and they were the most painful, frustrating, heartbreaking weeks of my life. I keep telling myself if I can just make it one more day, that I can do this.

One thing I have this round that I didn't the first round is an actual working breast pump. I tried to pump after the nursing fiasco with Nadia but could never figure out how to use one. I am relieved to find out it was most likely the cheap pump and not that I'm a moron. I found out the last month of my pregnancy that if you are on WIC, you get a free pump if you choose the nursing option. It's a manual, but it's a Medela manual and that means it actually works! Simple: Insert boob, pump out milk. I pumped a few feedings so that Tim could take over a few while I try to let everything heal up a little more, but it is still killer when I nurse. I have checked his latch over and over and everything looks right, I'm putting enough in his mouth, over his tongue, his lips look like the fishy face they are supposed to, and so forth. Who knows? At this rate I'm considering pumping exclusively. At least that way he still gets the breast milk.

BTW, if you read this blog and happen to be one of those wierd moms that is a member of the "Breast Only-Bottles are the DEBIL" cult, just move it right along, okay? Advice I can handle but the down-talk, holier than thou breast only thing really bugs me. I have all but given up asking for advice on forums because the minute you mention a bottle or even a paci they just swoop down on you and peck out your eyeballs, and I happen to really LIKE my eyeballs.

Other than that, Nadia seems to be adjusting rather well to the new baby. She's actually been a HUGE help ever since we brought Mister home. She loves going to fetch things and sitting next to him and watching him. Tim is back at work now and on night shifts. It's a total bummer, but not nearly as stressful as I imagined it would be. Still, I can't wait until he has some more time off.