The Gift of Life

Here’s the lowdown on Erin. She has got to be one of the fussiest babies I’ve ever taken cared of, if not the most! It’s no secret that I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep ever since she arrived. This little innocent bub likes to wake up in the most unholiest of hours (between 1 and 4 in the morning).

It doesn’t help that I’m breastfeeding as well. It is such a huge challenge! We’re trying to cut down now on her formula intake so she could take more of my milk. From 4 to 5 bottles of formula, the community health nurse has advised me to reduce it to just two. The rest of the time she should be breastfed. The transition is terrible, believe me! I tried implementing it yesterday afternoon after Erin’s weekly check-up at the health centre (BTW, she now weighs 3480 grams). It seems like she’s always hungry and I have to sometimes feed her every hour. That went on until this morning. So, imagine us waking up at 1 to 2 hour intervals last night. Definitely no sleep for me! Makes me think now that my milk supply may be low. Oh dear… Well, proceed I must because they say, the more you try to feed, the more milk will come. God, I hope so. Soon, please!

Speaking of Erin, she’s already a month old. That was fast! She’s more alert now than she was a few weeks ago. Her waking hours are longer these days and when she’s in a good mood, you can play with her for 15 to 30 minutes. She sometimes coos and gurgles as she plays. She is interested in anything mobile, colourful and that’s sound-producing. Her neck control is getting better and she tries to hold her head up when she’s on her tummy or when she’s made to sit down on someone’s lap. (Gosh, this sounds like one of my patient’s progress report! LOL! ) All in all, she’s good!

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Meet the little girl who’s been keeping us on our toes lately. All of us are at her beck and call. Who wouldn’t?

• We just got back from the community health centre. Nurse Eleanor was there to check on Erin. Erin has gained 245 grams since her last check on the scale (28th of March). She now weighs 2945 grams, which is just a few grams shy of the 3K mark.
• I was able to get more sleep last night/early this morning because for the first time, Erin was more settled and did not have any of her colicky episodes.
• I am now back to my pre-pregnancy weight of 54 kilos. I weighed 140 pounds just before I gave birth to Erin so that means I lost a total of 22 pounds in two weeks. My appetite for food is basically the same. Sometimes I eat more than the usual amount (maybe because I am breastfeeding). But i think it’s the hectic schedule and the sleepless nights that are the culprits in my weight loss.
• And since we are on the subject of measurements, let me add that from a 40-inch waist at full-term, I’ve managed to shed off 8 inches in the past two weeks. Honestly, I thought it was more than just that. No wonder my pre-pregnancy clothes (especially my pants) still can’t fit me. Ambisyosa! Haha! Need to trim this waist soon. Otherwise, I’d need to shop for new clothes. Hmm… But, come to think of it, that doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.