Caycen's First Week

Well I can't believe that it's already been a week and a half since Caycen was born.  So many things have happened during the first week that I would like to share.

Caycen's First Bath:
Caycen had his first bath at the hospital when he was two days old.  Of course he didn't like it too much while he was getting the bath.  One of our nurses, Brooke, was who gave him the bath.  She showed us the proper way to bathe him since we can't submerge him in water yet. Here are some pictures of his first bath:

getting his clothes of to take the bath



washing the front



washing the back

washing the hair

getting dried off

getting his hair brushed out

happy and content baby with a comb over :)

First Week News on Caycen:
Well, we were told that Caycen has Jaundice the day we were going to leave the hospital and his bilirubin level was at 8, so we had to go to the pediatrician the next day, which they usually have you go within 48 hours of being released from the hospital anyway.  When we went to our first pediatric appointment that was on Saturday and his bilirubin level was at 16... so the doctor said we needed to make sure he was eating a lot so that he could pee and poop out the bilirubin and to put him in sunlight as much as possible... then of course we had to go back the next day to get checked again.  On Sunday we went and his level hadn't moved, which they said was good because at least it didn't go up at all.  They said that they wanted his level to get at least below 12, so we went back Monday and Tuesday to be checked.  By Tuesday his level had dropped a good bit so our Dr. told us to take off a day on Wednesday and come back Thursday.  We were very happy to have a day off (well at least we had the day off from taking him in to the pediatrician, but we had other problems where we didn't actually get the day off... I'll explain this in a little bit under news about me the first week).  We went back on Thursday and his level was at 12.7 so our Dr. said that we could just come back on our two week check-up.  YAY! We were ecstatic!

baking in the sun

BUT... then we got the news that Caycen has a heart murmur... ugh!!! So now we have to take him to get an x-ray of his heart on Monday, go to the cardiologist on Tuesday, and to his 2 week check-up on Wednesday... looks like another BUSY week!!!

Now other than all the medical stuff, Caycen is doing WONDERFUL!!!! He is eating, sleeping, pooping, and peeing just like he should be.  He smiles and makes all kinds of really cute faces! He actually laughed during the middle of the night last night for Chance and then I heard him do it again this morning.  He loves to move his arms around and stretch. 

Sleeping:  We have him sleep on his back (this is what the doctor's told us to do) in his cradle for about half the night and then he sleeps with us for about half the night... I know, I know... I'm creating a bad habit! But he sleeps longer when he's in the bed with us, and about now I will do anything for more sleep... you'll read why later.  Even though he is supposed to be sleeping on his back, he LOVES to sleep on his stomach! We put him on his stomach a few times during the day when we were sun bathing him in the window in the bassinet.  He doesn't make a sound when he sleeps like this!

Eating:  He started out eating about 2 ounces per feeding, but he is now eating about 3 ounces per feeding.  He started out eating every 1 1/2 to 2 hours, and is now eating every 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  I am trying to get him on a schedule by using the "Baby Wise" method (if you are an expecting mother, this book is WONDERFUL!!!!).  The last couple of days we've started to try a schedule and it's been working pretty good.  I try to have him eat every 3 hours.  If he wakes up hungry between 2 1/2 to 3 hours from his last feeding then I'll go ahead and feed him.  If he hasn't woken up and it's been 3 hours then I wake him.  During the night I'm letting him go up to 4 hours between feedings, but because of the Jaundice we don't go any more than that.  We will start letting him sleep as long as he wants to during the night pretty soon. 

First Week News on Mommy - that's me! :
Well I started off the first week great... of course I was very uncomfortable from the stitches I had to get because of the episiotomy and ripping during labor, but other than that I was doing great.  I was breastfeeding and everything was going wonderful.  The day after we got home from the hospital I started getting a little sore during the breastfeeding.  A few days later I was in so much pain that I couldn't even breastfeed him! I had to start pumping.  I called and made an appointment with the lactation consultant at the hospital, which was on Wednesday (this was the one day we had off from Caycen's pediatric appointments - that's why I was saying we really didn't get a day off all week). 

Before I could even go to the lactation appointment I started getting a fever on Monday and then had to go back to my doctor on Tuesday (this was after we left Caycen's appointment) for them to check me out.  Turns out that I had Mastitis, which is an infection in the breast tissue... it can come up for several different reasons.  So I had to be put on antibiotics, but they are supposed to be safe for Caycen while I breastfeed. 

At the lactation appointment on Wednesday I went in and the lady took a look at my boobs and said that my nipples looked "horrible".  She said I really needed to take a break from breastfeeding and just pump exclusively and to pump on a low setting.  I had to get another prescription cream for my nipples to help them heal faster.  She said it would take probably 3 to 4 days before I could put him back on the breast. 
It's been 4 days and I actually breastfed him for the first time yesterday morning since being to the lactation consultant.  It went pretty well, so I'm hoping it will continue to get better.  Pumping exclusively was the hardest part about all of this because I got absolutely no sleep doing this!!!  Caycen would wake up, I would feed him with a bottle of breast milk, then he would most likely stay up for a few minutes before going back to sleep, then I would pump for 30 minutes (remember I have to pump on a low setting so it wouldn't usually take that long to pump, but of course it has to be even more difficult), then by the time I got done doing that I only had like an hour to sleep and sometimes less than that. 

Now, other than all the breast issues, I'm doing great!!! I am so in love with our sweet little boy and everything we've gone through has certainly been worth it.  I pray that others do not have to go through so much during their first weeks as new parents.  I knew to expect very little sleep, but I was not prepared for all of the obstacles that have been put in our path.  This week has been emotionally draining, but it will only get better. 


Things I'm thankful for during the first week:

I am so thankful to have such wonderful parents and in-laws!!! The first day we came home from the hospital, which was Friday, Chance's mom came to stay with us for the weekend.  She stayed Friday and Saturday night.  She was SOOOO much help to us!!! She helped around the house so we didn't have to worry about anything other than taking care of Caycen.  And of course she helped out with him too!  Coming home from the hospital and having her help was such a blessing!

Nona

My mom came to stay with us on Sunday and she stayed through Friday to help out.  It was so wonderful having her here to help with the house, the baby, going to appointments, and just being there for me while I had all my emotional breakdowns.  I couldn't ask for a better mother.

Grandma

My son is so lucky to have such wonderful grandparents who love him so much!

I am also thankful for my sweet husband.  Even though I've told him over and over that he doesn't need to help me during the night because he has to go to work and needs his sleep more than me, he gets up anyway.  Chance has helped me so so much!!! He has really encouraged me and has constantly reminded me that God is in control and is watching over us with all the challenges that we are facing.  Chance loves his little boy so much. He is already such a great daddy and only going to get better at it!

I am thankful for all of the time that I'm getting to spend with my little man! I am already dreading the day that I have to go back to work and leave him with someone else.  He is such a sweet little boy and I want to spend as much time as I can with him.

Well, I hope you enjoyed seeing what our first week was like... Please leave any advice (especially about breast feeding or newborns) or words of encouragement!!!! And please pray for our little man as we take him to get the chest x-rays and all next week.

Love ~ Aimes