Thursday, January 26, 2006
Breastfeeding
25-JAN-2006:
Breastfeeding has been such a struggle for me since Dominic was born. During my 3-day stay in the hospital, he refused to latch on or suck on my breast. I have tried again and again but in vain even with the nurses' help. Perhaps because of that, my milk supply did not come in and I had to use a breast pump to stimulate milk production. On the 5th day, I see trickles of milk as I pumped, but I couldn't even produce 1/2 ounce of milk. By then, Dominic was consuming 2 ounces of formula every 2+ hours. We had to give him formula because he was crying and we couldn't get any sleep.
On the 7th day, my breasts finally started to engorge and I was able to express 1 ounce of breast milk every 2-3 hours. By now, Dominic is already consuming 3 ounces of formula every 3 hours. I accumulated the expressed breast milk in the fridge and feed it to him when I had accumulated 3 ounces. I was able to give him about 2 feeds of breast milk each day.
In a week's time, my milk supply had increased and now I was able to feed Dominic 5 feedings of breast milk every day (he eats 8 times a day). Things are going good. By the third week of his life, Dominic is drinking 4 ounces of breast milk every 3 hours, 5 - 6 times a day. I was thinking that soon, I'll have enough milk to feed him fully on breast milk. It was tough work because I was perpetually pumping milk all the time. By now, I have given up direct feeding. I guess expressed milk works for me because I can see exactly how much Dominic is drinking.
When Dominic was about 5 weeks old, he began to drink less and less. He will only drink 2 ounces and refuse to continue. I was worried that he may be infected or ill. This happened for 3 days when I finally realized that it was breast milk that he was refusing. When I feed him formula, he happily emptied the bottle. It also took much longer to feed him breast milk (40 mins as opposed to 15 mins if being fed formula). I realized that he didn't like the taste of breast milk. I can understand that because I think it tastes terrible too.
Yesterday, Dominic refused to drink my breast milk at all. He cried and cried until we finally gave up and fed him formula. Since then, I have decided that I'm not going to breastfeed anymore. In my situation, the disadvantages truly outweighs the advantages. First, I had to spend large amount of time expressing milk, even in the middle of the night, because I was not able to get my baby to latch on. Next, it's a hassle to have to warm up the milk everytime Dominic gets hungry. Finally, he doesn't even like the milk. Well, at least he was given a chance to choose and he has made his preference clear. And one whole month of expressing milk round the clock is enough for me. I can even feel that my arm muscles has toned up.
So, that's my breastfeeding story. I hope to be more successful with my next baby. But seriously, there are reasons why formula was invented. I believe it is truly for our convenience.
Breastfeeding has been such a struggle for me since Dominic was born. During my 3-day stay in the hospital, he refused to latch on or suck on my breast. I have tried again and again but in vain even with the nurses' help. Perhaps because of that, my milk supply did not come in and I had to use a breast pump to stimulate milk production. On the 5th day, I see trickles of milk as I pumped, but I couldn't even produce 1/2 ounce of milk. By then, Dominic was consuming 2 ounces of formula every 2+ hours. We had to give him formula because he was crying and we couldn't get any sleep.
On the 7th day, my breasts finally started to engorge and I was able to express 1 ounce of breast milk every 2-3 hours. By now, Dominic is already consuming 3 ounces of formula every 3 hours. I accumulated the expressed breast milk in the fridge and feed it to him when I had accumulated 3 ounces. I was able to give him about 2 feeds of breast milk each day.
In a week's time, my milk supply had increased and now I was able to feed Dominic 5 feedings of breast milk every day (he eats 8 times a day). Things are going good. By the third week of his life, Dominic is drinking 4 ounces of breast milk every 3 hours, 5 - 6 times a day. I was thinking that soon, I'll have enough milk to feed him fully on breast milk. It was tough work because I was perpetually pumping milk all the time. By now, I have given up direct feeding. I guess expressed milk works for me because I can see exactly how much Dominic is drinking.
When Dominic was about 5 weeks old, he began to drink less and less. He will only drink 2 ounces and refuse to continue. I was worried that he may be infected or ill. This happened for 3 days when I finally realized that it was breast milk that he was refusing. When I feed him formula, he happily emptied the bottle. It also took much longer to feed him breast milk (40 mins as opposed to 15 mins if being fed formula). I realized that he didn't like the taste of breast milk. I can understand that because I think it tastes terrible too.
Yesterday, Dominic refused to drink my breast milk at all. He cried and cried until we finally gave up and fed him formula. Since then, I have decided that I'm not going to breastfeed anymore. In my situation, the disadvantages truly outweighs the advantages. First, I had to spend large amount of time expressing milk, even in the middle of the night, because I was not able to get my baby to latch on. Next, it's a hassle to have to warm up the milk everytime Dominic gets hungry. Finally, he doesn't even like the milk. Well, at least he was given a chance to choose and he has made his preference clear. And one whole month of expressing milk round the clock is enough for me. I can even feel that my arm muscles has toned up.
So, that's my breastfeeding story. I hope to be more successful with my next baby. But seriously, there are reasons why formula was invented. I believe it is truly for our convenience.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Full Moon
22-JAN-2006:
Today is Dominic's one month old birthday. It is also the first day I have to take care of Dominic by myself (since the helper that I hired for one month is leaving today).
SM and I took Dominic for his second dose of Hepatitis B immunization. His growth after one month since birth is as follows:
Weight: 3.01Kg at birth; 4.49 at 1 month old
Height: 49cm at birth; 53cm at 1 month old
Head circumference: 31.5cm at birth; 37.5 at 1 month old
We also took Dominic out for shopping for the 1st time. It's after all his birthday! :-) It was not that bad. He just slept through the car ride and the entire afternoon while we strolled him along. He only cried for his feed.
Today is Dominic's one month old birthday. It is also the first day I have to take care of Dominic by myself (since the helper that I hired for one month is leaving today).
SM and I took Dominic for his second dose of Hepatitis B immunization. His growth after one month since birth is as follows:
Weight: 3.01Kg at birth; 4.49 at 1 month old
Height: 49cm at birth; 53cm at 1 month old
Head circumference: 31.5cm at birth; 37.5 at 1 month old
We also took Dominic out for shopping for the 1st time. It's after all his birthday! :-) It was not that bad. He just slept through the car ride and the entire afternoon while we strolled him along. He only cried for his feed.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Breast Milk
17-JAN-2005:
I took a sip of my own breast milk. It didn't taste good at all!
Today, I downloaded a sound clip which is designed specifically to calm colicky babies and to put them to sleep. It simulates the sounds in the womb which is familiar to the baby, including the mother's heart beat. When I put on the audio, Dominic seemed to recognize the sound because he suddenly became very still, eyes wide (before this he was crying and flailing about). But it only worked for a while. I still need to rock him to sleep ... SIGH!
I have also downloaded some white noise clips such as vaccum cleaner, hair dryer and electric fan. I have yet to try them.
I took a sip of my own breast milk. It didn't taste good at all!
Today, I downloaded a sound clip which is designed specifically to calm colicky babies and to put them to sleep. It simulates the sounds in the womb which is familiar to the baby, including the mother's heart beat. When I put on the audio, Dominic seemed to recognize the sound because he suddenly became very still, eyes wide (before this he was crying and flailing about). But it only worked for a while. I still need to rock him to sleep ... SIGH!
I have also downloaded some white noise clips such as vaccum cleaner, hair dryer and electric fan. I have yet to try them.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Insomnia
12-JAN-2006:
Dominic is now 3 weeks old. He has become more alert, which I think is a good thing. The downside is that he doesn't fall asleep easily now. He is always wide awake or crying. He needs to be rocked to sleep and he naps only for a short time while being carried. According to the books, babies need to be cuddled, rocked and held very often to assure them that the world is safe. I just hope that Dominic will grow out of this otherwise I'll never get anything done around the house. Right now, he fits the description of a hyperalert or high-needs infant, who require more of everything except sleep. He's not very regular in his feeding (I blame it on the breastmilk), and he needs lots of holding, carrying and rocking.
He has become more chubby now. Since he seems to eat more than a regular baby, I'm slightly worried that he'll turn out over-weight. While still in the womb, the gynae has mentioned that his waist measurement is bigger than usual, in other words he could be a fat baby. I tried to weigh him on the home scale (which is not very accurate) and I think he has gained about 1kg since birth. We'll be able to know his exact weight after we visit his pediatrician next week.
He is also beginning to lose hair. The top of his head is almost bald now. I hope the hair will grow back soon.
Dominic is now 3 weeks old. He has become more alert, which I think is a good thing. The downside is that he doesn't fall asleep easily now. He is always wide awake or crying. He needs to be rocked to sleep and he naps only for a short time while being carried. According to the books, babies need to be cuddled, rocked and held very often to assure them that the world is safe. I just hope that Dominic will grow out of this otherwise I'll never get anything done around the house. Right now, he fits the description of a hyperalert or high-needs infant, who require more of everything except sleep. He's not very regular in his feeding (I blame it on the breastmilk), and he needs lots of holding, carrying and rocking.
He has become more chubby now. Since he seems to eat more than a regular baby, I'm slightly worried that he'll turn out over-weight. While still in the womb, the gynae has mentioned that his waist measurement is bigger than usual, in other words he could be a fat baby. I tried to weigh him on the home scale (which is not very accurate) and I think he has gained about 1kg since birth. We'll be able to know his exact weight after we visit his pediatrician next week.
He is also beginning to lose hair. The top of his head is almost bald now. I hope the hair will grow back soon.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Growth Spurts
5-JAN-2006:
Dominc is 2 weeks old now. He seems to get hungry more often. According to the books, he might be having a growth spurt (gorwth spurts generally occurs around 2 weeks and again at 6 weeks and again at 3 months, and it normally lasts 4 to 5 days). However, after 5 days, Dominic was still eating more than usual. I suppose it was due to the varying fat content in the breast milk, which makes him hungrier at times.
Dominic also stops pooping after every feed. He now poops only once a day.
Dominc is 2 weeks old now. He seems to get hungry more often. According to the books, he might be having a growth spurt (gorwth spurts generally occurs around 2 weeks and again at 6 weeks and again at 3 months, and it normally lasts 4 to 5 days). However, after 5 days, Dominic was still eating more than usual. I suppose it was due to the varying fat content in the breast milk, which makes him hungrier at times.
Dominic also stops pooping after every feed. He now poops only once a day.
