The new beginning: The adventures of Fuzzball and Shnook.

Fuzzball is the temporary nickname of our newborn, also a boy.

Summary of week's activities: Fuzzball, TSA and I are discharged from hospital after planned C-section. Mom is feeling pain, but not that sleep deprived thanks to my new 2^nd child attitude: “It won't kill him if...” For example: It won't kill him if he goes to the nursery for 3 hours. It won't kill him if he has 1oz of formula since I've already breastfed him 11 times today.* It won't kill him if he has a pacifier and I'll just work extra hard to correct his nipple confusion tomorrow. This attitude has allowed me to get probably DOUBLE the amount of sleep I got when I was in the hospital with Shnook. So other than the fact that my gut was split, the resulting pain and thus resulting drug hangover, I'm feeling pretty good.

Fuzzball has been relatively cooperative as far as sleep is concerned thus far. Of course, the kid is only 11 days old, so...that means absolutely nothing. When we left the hospital Fuzzball was recovering from the lovely circumcision procedure directly prior to his discharge and was in a hardcore sleeping situation. He could not be roused for nursing. Not at 10, at 11, or at noon. Finally, I realized what was happening: This kid was going to sleep and sleep until this afternoon, when he would proceed to nurse constantly from the moment he woke up until dawn. I recalled the first night that Shnook was home when he exhibited the same behavior. I began to panic, but then decided to immediately take a nap to prepare myself (at least partially). Unfortunately, it didn't really help. One hour nap minus eight hours of sleep is still seven hours in the hole.

Meanwhile, for your entertainment: I present to you a transcript/description of our first night home and the resulting activities (post 11pm).

11:15 I nursed Fuzzball again. TSA puts together cosleeper.

11:45 Swaddled sleeping Fuzzball gets placed in cosleeper and then immediately proceeds to wake up and root around for more food. TSA gives Fuzzball a pinky to suck on and rocks him for an hour.

12:45 I feed Fuzz again. Fuzz goes to sleep for a bit. Shnook wakes up. TSA goes to him and he goes back to sleep.

2:30 Fuzzball wakes up. I feed him put him in the cosleeper. He doesn't go to sleep. TSA picks up and rocks. I go back to bed.

3:12 Shnook wakes up. Claims: “I can't!! I can't!! There's a froggy in here!! There's a froggy in here!!

TSA: A what?

Me: Did he say a 'froggy?”

TSA goes into Shnook's room with Fuzzball and attempts to get him back down. He is met with more froggy claims and leaves the room with an awake and unhappy Shnook in the crib.

I get up and go into Shnook's room.

Me: What's the matter?

Shnook: There's a froggy in here.

Me: Where is the froggy?

Shnook: There (and points to his pillow).

Me: Let's look for the froggy.

I turn on the light. I pick up the pillow, his blanket, his goose, his lion and his brown bear.

Me: There's no froggy here. I don't see a froggy. Do you see one?

Shnook: No.

Me: Ok? Back to sleep?

Shnook: Ok. (in a wimper)

Shnook goes back to bed reluctantly. I go back to bed gladly. At about 4:00 I get the uncontrollable shakes, followed by teeth chattering. Both TSA and I are freaked out by it and concerned that I possibly have some kind of infection in my incision area. I get out of bed and google the possibilities. TSA does the same on his phone. Although our findings are inconclusive, could be hormonal, could be leftover from my epidural meds, could be infection etc...we are somehow, in our sleep deprived state, overcome by fear that my milk is contaminated by infection (totally irrational but nonetheless...). So, another ounce of formula is given. Fuzzball is still mostly wide awake and ready for more but then succumbs to sleep at about 5:25 am. He sleeps until almost 8. Unfortunately, Shnook only sleeps until about 6:30. So begins the juggling lifestyle of two children.

 *After this first night home from the hospital, I ceased the formula since I learned here and here that it actually does affect milk supply if I were to continue to give one feeding of formula a day. From BabyCenter: “Remember that your supply of breast milk depends on your baby's demand for it, so the less frequently you nurse, the less milk your breasts will produce. If you start supplementing with formula regularly, even for just one feeding a day, your milk supply will decrease (at least until you reinstate the missed feeding).” I have at least two friends that couldn't sustain milk supply because of minimal supplementation.

 

 

Comments

[Maggie]

Thanks Naomi, for blazing the trail before me so bravely. At least you have your sense of humor! The shakes thing is a little scary. Did you call the Dr.?

I hope you're feeling better.

[Naomi]

You're welcome, Maggie! It's the least I can do (no really, the least!)

I asked my doula about the shakes and she said it was hormonal and normal. It was very scary but haven't had any since that night. Definitely weird that it didn't happen until I got home, though.