This month has been busy, busy! Lots of home improvements, many more outings with Jack, and even a visit from Grandma Carroll who flew all the way from WV to meet her chunk of a grandson! Jack actually turned 2 months on the 12th. We've seen many new developments this past month and it has been so much fun!
2 month old Jack likes...
bath time
bright lights
singing with mommy
his lamaze peacock
napping in mommy's arms
playing on his activity mat (or whatever you call those things)
2 month old Jack dislikes...
tummy time, although he's pretty good at it!
napping in his bassinet
wearing anything on his head
interrupted feedings
Breastfeeding: Things are getting a little better with breastfeeding every week. My naturopath has me taking a Lecithin and Echinacea supplement 2x a day to help combat the reoccurring mastitis. I've also upped my daily Vitamin C intake and am trying to drink lots of water. The biggest help though in the feeding department has come from Jack himself. Jack is a HUGE comfort sucker and for the first 6 weeks he refused to take any sort of pacifier. This left me feeding him 17+ times a day, causing my body to produce copious amounts of milk! Then out of the blue, shortly after Jack turned 6 weeks old, he took a pacifier (he'll only take Soothies), and my breastfeeding relationship really took a turn for the better! Now instead of 17 times a day, he's only nursing 7-10 times. He's still a big eater but cutting back on about 7 feedings a day gives this momma a much needed break and is helping my milk supply regulate. Hallelujah!
Also, when Jack was born the midwives advised me to use a nipple shield because he had a small mouth and blah, blah, blah.. I wish I never would have listened to them because since then I've learned that using a shield can lead to mastitis as well. At his 2 month appointment my Naturopath told me to kick the shield. I had been trying to wean Jack from it before, but after that appointment I was more determined then ever to get rid of it. It was a bit of a frustrating adjustment for Jack, but I'm happy to say that yesterday we didn't use the shield for any of his feedings. Hallelujah again and again! I'm hoping my breastfeeding woes are now a thing of the past. :)
Sleeping: The 6 week mark for Jack brought about a lot of changes. Not only did he start taking a pacifier, but he also started sleeping longer through the night. He goes down around 7 or 7:30 and usually does a 6 hour stretch (sometimes 5). He then wakes up to feed and then sleeps for another 4-5 hours. He wakes up a second time to feed and then usually sleeps for another hour or two, waking up around 6 or 6:30. He averages about 9-11 hours a night. Before this he was waking up every 1 1/2 - 2 hours. I know the pacifier has a lot to do with his improved sleeping habits because he doesn't wake up to comfort nurse. So thank you, pacifier. You are truly a lifesaver.
Naps are hit or miss. He fights nap time even when he is getting overtired. We rock, nurse, sing soothing songs, etc. and I eventually get him down only for him to wake up about a half hour later. I know some babies are simply cat nappers, averaging 30-45 minutes a nap, while others take the glorious, regular 2 or 3, 1-3 hour naps a day. But hey, we're working on it!
New this Month: Lots of smiles and even little giggles here and there! I love hearing this little guy laugh and seeing his smile light up his face. He thinks I'm hilarious ;) This month we also had a week long visit from Grandma and ventured out of the house a lot more than usual. Jack went to the park for the first time and even had his first sit down restaurant experience. He was a champ! This month, he also took a bottle for the first time. Since I have to return to work I've been pumping and freezing my milk a lot. We finally offered him his first bottle at 8 weeks. He took it fine, but it was hard for me to see someone else feeding him :(
Saved my favorite pic for last. Apparently Jack doesn't share my love of sock monkeys.
Happy (belated) 2 Months, Jack!
Mommy and daddy love you.
