First Week

Posted March 12th, 2011 in Ume and Baby 6 Comments »

My first week with MIHIRO (we call him “hiro” or “hiro-chan”) was … full of things and pain.  I feel like it’t been few weeks already, as there were so many things happened.  Very concentrated 7 days.

I said “pain”, because my body was still sore from the delivery…  And probably the muscle ache from the lack of sleep and tiredness.  I was having little problem with my breastfeeding too (his mouth is too small and he can’t suck properly) for couples of days so I’ve been using an electric pump at the moment.  Lucky I had bought it beforehand!   I still try to breastfeed him, but need to have a top-up with pumped breast milk.

A nurse from Child Health Centre visited our house to check on Hiro during the week.  His weight had dropped about 6% of the birth weight, but it’s normal for newborn babies to drop around 10 %, so I’m not worried much.  I just hope he will catch up on weight gain soon.  To do so, I need to feed him well!

I knew people say that parenting is hard job, no time for yourself, etc etc.  I didn’t believe it was all true…  until I experience it.  But, it’s all normal and people are doing it, so I think I will manage it too.


6 Comments on “First Week”

  1. 1 Anna said at 12:55 pm on March 16th, 2011:

    Ume Hiro-chan is adorable.. gosh i miss the smell and soft skin of a newborn baby! I know it’s difficult to juggle things in life now that you’ve got someone extra special to care for 24-7 but it will get easier as you settle into a bit of routine. Gambate!

    I loved your ‘birth story’ and it’s wonderful that you have this blog to ‘record’ your entire journey.

    My little Isabelle too had problems latching on properly (she was tiny at 2.09kg, having come out about 4 weeks early) and we were at the hospital for 12days. It was after we’d been home for a week that she managed to latch on properly on the breast. I was also expressing alot as ‘top-ups’ and also for ’emergency’ (in case I needed to catch up on badly needed sleep!).
    Take care! 🙂 🙂 🙂

  2. 2 umepontarou said at 9:21 am on March 17th, 2011:

    Thanks Anna, yeah I hope things get settled in few weeks or so. I’m trying to grab his sleeping pattern and also get used to the routine every day.

    It’s always nice to hear someone else’s experience, as I sometimes get confused if I’m doing the right thing or not. I think he is so used to drink milk through bottle now, though he still can drink from my breast if I use a shield. Anyway, I think that the important thing is he is having enough milk and growing each day. 🙂

  3. 3 Ume said at 9:40 am on March 17th, 2011:

    Ume it sounds like you’re in the exact same situation that I was in with my little girl! 🙂 I too had to use a shield – without that baby couldn’t latch on properly. But the midwives at the hospital told me that if i keep using a shield, it’s not ‘direct stimulation’ as when baby drinks on the breast – that means I had to keep expressing to make sure there were no blockage in my milk glands (I didn’t mind expressing anyway as it also encourages milk production). Anyway when Isabelle was about 3 weeks old I finally got her to drink on the breast without using a shield.

    You’re absolutely correct Ume – it’s more important that little Hiro-chan gets enough milk (how he takes it shouldn’t matter – breast or bottle) and as he gets stronger and bigger he will be able to suck better and perhaps drink on the breast directly.

    One of my girl friends who gave birth few months ago was never able to breast feed her baby AT ALL (not even using a shield) as baby refused it. Her little one has always used the bottle from Day 1. Whichever works for you and baby, stick to it and don’t feel guilty ever about the choice you’ve made. 🙂 🙂

  4. 4 Anna said at 9:41 am on March 17th, 2011:

    Oops sorry Ume!! In my hurry to type the above I’d accidentally put in YOUR name instead!! heehee…

  5. 5 Anna said at 9:50 am on March 17th, 2011:

    Oh dear me.. what happened to my ‘comment’ before the msg I’d posted above? 🙁 Sorry Ume – just to clarify I’d typed out a comment and posted it, THEN i realised in the ‘name’ section I’d typed out your name instead of my own. Some days I suspect I still have ‘baby brain’… 🙂

    Anyway what I was saying is, it sounds like you are experiencing the exact same things that I’d gone through with my little girl! I had to use the shield as well, and had to continously express (midwives said as baby’s not drinking directly on the breast, expressing is important to encourage milk production and making sure the milk glands don’t get blocked). When Isabelle was 3weeks+ though, I finally managed to get her to drink directly on the breast, without using a shield. It was a matter of craddling her in the right position as my mum had pointed out to me when she arrived in Perth! 😛

    You’re right though, that it is most important that your little one is geting enough milk and growing well daily. It doesn’t matter how he’s taking his milk, so don’t feel guilty about him using the bottle (it is good in fact and convenient if you take him out around town next time).

    One of my girl friends who gave birth few months ago, her baby’s never wanted to drink on the breast no matter how she tried. Her baby’s been drinking from the bottle from Day 1 and she’s still expressing till now. It gets easier as your milk production picks up. 🙂

  6. 6 umepontarou said at 10:21 am on March 17th, 2011:

    Haha! No worries… 😀

    Anne, things you said really helped me feel better. Thank you.
    I will focus on giving him filled stomach, rather than how I feed him. 🙂


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