Stomach virus/nursing

All this happened while we were still with Melanie. I just never posted it.

Colby made 11 months this past weekend. Boy did we have a rough time with nursing in the beginning. I had to have a C-sect because he was too big to come out. He had jaundice and they told me to supplement with formula bottles. Then he preferred the bottle over the breast. So, I cut out bottles completely. Then when I was going back to work, he wouldn't take a bottle. He would only take it from daycare. I guess that was a good thing because I most likely would have quit nursing him at that point. I didn't decide to definitely bf until I was about 6 months pregnant. Then I planned to stop when I went back to work. I just got a manual pump. Then pumping was going well and a friend gave me an electric one. Then I decided to buy the parts to make it a duel pump. I wasn't having enough time to empty both breasts with a single one. I was pumping way more then what he was taking in a day. So, I figured I'd keep on nursing til he got teeth. Then I started having problems keeping weight on. I thought I'd loose my supply and have to stop. He has always had sleeping issues. But, he has gotten better in the last couple of weeks. Before that he was waking up every 2 hours and wanted to nurse to fall back asleep. Now, he normally in in bed by 8 and up about 4:30. I was always worried that if I stopped nursing, I'd never get him to go back to sleep. About 3 months ago, he decided it was OK to take a bottle from anyone. So, I started giving 3-4 oz of formula before his last 2 nursing sessions before bed. About a month ago, I st oped pumping enough to last him all day. He takes 2 four oz bottles and a 5 oz. It wasn't a problem because I still had a back up supply. Lately he had been wanting to flip onto his belly while nursing. Then he gets mad because he has to let go. Silly boy. Sometimes he will not unlatch because he wants to suck and sometimes he won't stay on very long because he wants to play. I started having diarrhea at 2 am 2 days ago. I was going like every 10 minutes. I went to the Dr. yesterday and he told me to be on a liquid diet for 2 days. Colby was still nursing like every 3 hours. Yesterday I could only feed him like 3 times because I didn't have enough milk. I'm not in taking enough. Plus I can't keep down what i am in taking. I know most babies don't nurse as often as he was at this age. I think I'll be OK with it if it ends. He fell asleep while Rowdy was feeding him his bottle 2 nights in a row and I was OK. I think he'll be OK with it too since I had already supplemented some. All and all, I conquered many obstacles and made it way further than I thought I would or intended on doing. What an accomplishment for me! I will keep trying to nurse. But, since my supply was already dropping, I don't think it will come back. I was still pumping 3 times at work too. (another obstacle). I'm still having stomach problems. But not going as frequent. I hope Colby doesn't get sick. Another reason I want to continue nursing is so he can get the antibodies to fight it of if he did get exposed. It is definitely going around over here. He has only been to the Dr. twice for a sickness! I know I haven't posted much on here. I just don't have much time. I do come here sometimes and try to help when I can. I know a few of you have read some of my stories and responded with great advise. I don't think I would have made it this far without you. Such great information here! If you have advise or thoughts on this one, please give them to me. When people ask how long I'm gonna nurse, I always say as long as I can. To those of you who are struggling, don't give up. If you have your mind made up that you are going to do this, you can! Sorry so long and if I was rambling. I just finally had time since I'm home and Colby isn't.

11 months old

I forgot to post his 11 month picture.

Sleeping better

I have not gotten up at night with Colby since he was about 10 months. Notice I didn't say he doesn't wake up. He will wine for a little while a couple of times most nights. He'll put himself back to sleep though. All I can say as to how that happened is I think he gave up on me coming get him. I got it through my head that if he eats and sleeps the same amount at the same times every day. Then sometimes he sleeps all night without eating. That he was not really hungry and did not need me to get him. So, how does he put himself back to sleep? His thumb! And if anyone thinks for one minute that I'm gonna try to stop that habit with him, they are sadly mistaken. I'd take that over getting up every 2 hours then going to work any time. I just hope that getting in our house doesn't mess him up too much. Right now his crib is in the bedroom I sleep in. I don't know if that makes a difference. But, I think he has been sleeping good for so long that the switch won't make us go back to square 1 for too long. He goes down for about 8. I nurse him to sleep most of the time. Then we are up for the day about 5:30. I swear I don't need an alarm clock with him. I don't mind the early hours since i have to get up for work anyway. Although it is nice when occasionally I can get ready while he is still sleeping. It would also be nice to sleep late on weekends. Last night he didn't go to sleep till 9:30. He actually did that one day last week too. But, that time it was due to a late nap. I think yesterday was because we had a busy day will new people. He has just started to pull up on furniture and in his crib. I try not to move to look at him if he wakes up at night. I don't want him to see me move. But, if I do look and he is on his knees or standing and it is after 5:00. I know he isn't going back to sleep. And when he is up , he is up. No nursing him back to sleep at that point. But, again, I will never complain about that after all I went through with restless nights. I thought I was going to have to stop nursing a few weeks ago due to a stomach virus that made my supply drop. But, we made it to a year! I'm worried about stopping though. the first thing I do in the mornings after he gets up is nurse him. It's also normally the last thing before bed. They say to only do cow's milk with meals. He doesn't normally eat breakfast at daycare till about 8:00. I don't have time to feed him like that before work. So, I don't know if I should try a milk bottle before or what. I also don't know how he'll feel about cold milk. He is not good with change. For example, sippy cups and big bath tubs. Sorry to get off subject here. I just had a lot to catch up on.

Jan 26...Colby goes down about 8 pm and we have to get up for the day by about 6am. Normally he is already up before then. I refuse to nurse him more than twice a night. Normally it is between 10 and 11 and 1;30 and 2;30. I stopped even going to him more than that. I just let him cry. I think it is normally about 2 other times that he wakes up crying when I don't feed him. I think he is to the point of giving up on me getting him. If I don't go by 5 minutes he normally finds his paci or thumb and goes to sleep. If it is longer than that, I may get the paci for him and turn on his mobile. It pisses him off even more when I leave. But, it doesn't last. If he wakes up before 10:00, I don't feed him. I never change a diaper at night. I don't want to wake him anymore than he already is. Normally he falls right back asleep when nursing.

Ouch Thumb

Colby had a blood blister on his thumb for a few weeks. I forgot to take a good pic of it. But, you can kinda see it in these. One morning I dropped him off at daycare and it was there. Then I picked him up and it was gone. So, I guess he swallowed it. I guess he has a strong suck to cause that. But, it is just when he is tired or sleeping. Yes, he sleeps at night now and I'm not about to take it away.

1st haircut

He finally got his 1st haircut. His sitter Stephanie did it. Boy did he fuss! What a mop he had before.

1st trip to the zoo

Yep, We finally too Colby on his first zoo trip. He slept on the way there and the way back. He was really more interested in looking at the waterfalls and trees than the animals. Not that he didn't like the animals, I just think sometimes he couldn't find them.