Success!

My low-birth-weight baby is now a breastfeeding success story.

Hadley was born three weeks ago weighing five pounds, six ounces. We took her home two days later at 5.1. I was determined to breastfeed and we went at it with gusto. Roughly a week and a half later, she weighed 5.14!

I'd been stressing over my supply because it seemed like I wasn't getting as much on the rare occasions I pumped; the MD told me to go ahead and pump after feedings to either get the hang of it and to try to increase my supply. At first I'd get four ounces per breast; lately I'd only been getting one or two but that seemed normal from posts I've seen on the internet from other nursers.

Well, we weighed Hadley today, two weeks after her last weigh in. She was SEVEN FOUR! I was so thrilled! My baby, who had been in the 5th percentile for size, jumped a whopping 5% and is now in the tenth percentile. The Pediatrician said she was perfect and doing amazing. He also said she was really strong and that she held her head up longer than he'd expect from a baby of her age and size.

This appointment thrilled me to no end. It's an amazing feeling knowing that your baby is thriving solely on the nourishment you give her. I sometimes hate getting up in the middle of the night, but at the same time I love snuggling up with her when it's just her and me, and it's all quiet in the world.

I look at her and I can't help but think that she was my reason for all that I am, and all that I've experienced in my life. At first I wondered why nobody ever told people about this; this furious and devoted love you feel for your child. And then I realized, if you don't have a child that you take care of or that you've birthed, you really just can't understand it.

Loving her makes me appreciate those who love me so much more. I love all of you so much, and I can't wait to see you.

Until then, have a cute picture.

Quickie

Everything's great, healing perfectly and we're nursing like champs. Here's some pictures to hold people over, feel free to pass them on.


Hadley Mae

BREAKING NEWS

Okay it's not really breaking news. I thought everyone already knew this, but after my marathon phone session with Amy, I was informed NO, NO ONE KNOWS ANYTHING.

I'm having a c-section on Tuesday. That's right, THIS Tuesday! Cancel the Monster Trucks and the Swap Meet! The Half-Pint is making her appearance! Although I can't really call her Half-Pint anymore because she gained nearly a pound in...ten days, so I call her Chunk now. I won't call her that when she can hear me, don't get your panties in a twist! The last thing I want is my baby to grow up with a complex and anorexia and then she ends up on Lifetime in her own movie, played by Melissa Gilbert. If any nickname can lead in any way to Melissa Gilbert, it's not healthy on any level.

I actually thought of a great nickname for her the other night because we were lying in bed and once again, my womb was playing host to Fight Club. I thought to myself, gosh, she sure is sassy. And then it led to us having a dog named Moxie, who is also sassy, and it led to FURTHER thinking (I do a lot of internalized dialogue in bed) that I have a Moxie and a Chutzpah.

For you that are UNENLIGHTENED;

mox·ie (mks)

n. Slang

1. The ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage.

2. Aggressive energy; initiative: "His prose has moxie, though it rushes and stumbles from a pent-up surge" Patricia Hampl.

3. Skill; know-how.

chutz·pah also hutz·pah (tsp, ht-)

n.

Utter nerve; effrontery: "has the chutzpah to claim a lock on God and morality" New York Times.

---

[Yiddish khutspe, from Mishnaic Hebrew upâ, from ap, to be insolent; see p in Semitic roots.]

So, Chutzpah isn't nearly as cool as Moxie, it's more like the Robin to the Batman of Moxie, but that's okay. Moxie is the dominant force in this trainwreck and Hadley will probably be her willing sidekick anyway.

In other news, I'm knitting like crazy. If anyone wants a kid-or-infant-sized beanie, leave a comment. I'm knitting a two-tone purple striped beanie for Hadley-cakes (as her Daddy calls her) right now, but drop me a note and your email address and I can let you know the hojillion yarn colors I have. Bonus points if you request Hogwarts House Stripe Colors.