8 week update!

Coming at you a little late with this one, but Monday Eli hit the 8 week mark! 

Our update got a little delayed because we've been a little busy! Nothing like Monday appointments that turn into Tuesday follow ups! 

Monday we saw Ms. Audrey at lactation and today we saw jerks at the pediatrician. He's a run down of what happened: 

Here we are at 8 weeks, still nursing every 40-60min from about 7am to 7pm with about 2 naps for a total of 2 to 4 hours during that 7 to 7 time. At night he usually goes about 2 to 3 hours between feedings and will go back to sleep after. If he isn't really angry, I still offer without the shield and occasionally he'll take it. 

I noticed what seemed to be a lip tie and made an appointment again with Audrey  to see if maybe that was what was causing our nursing woes. She observed him eating, messed with his mouth and weighed him before and after eating. He's a chunky 13lbs and appeared to only be eating an ounce during his feeding. She mentioned there was certainly something going on that wasn't correct so she put in a message to his clinic that she recommended an ENT referral. I later received a phone call that i had an appointment with the clinic today to see what was going on. 

Here's where it gets crazy. 

*Might I add he's going through a growth spurt and has slept more yesterday and today than he has since he was 2 weeks old.*

The first nurse made me weigh him twice because there was just no way he had any ties and weighed 13lbs. The second nurse told me I needed to be giving him vitamin drops (I should have really just left right then. This is an outdated practice. Unless you live in like Washington, Alaska, or a cave- you don't need to do this). Then the doctor, in the nicest way possible, told me I was full of crap, my child was fat and an ENT would laugh in my face. I was then passed off to nurse Grace who "has been in lactation for like ever" and had previously been a NICU/PICU nurse. She told me I was over feeding him and causing him to have stomach cramps. That "for my sanity" I needed to not be nursing him so often. I get plenty of sleep but she ignored that and kept telling me I need rest. She was addiment that I need to just let him cry because he knew that if he cried, I would pick him up/nurse him. Now I don't jump at every noise he makes. I make sure its not diaper, gas, or just boredom before I offer to nurse but if he's packing myself or my husband like a chicken, I just nurse him because obviously that's what he's asking for. Besides that, I could have sworn that this young (8 weeks), they don't just cry to cry nor are they physically able to establish habits. I was told that buy wearing him too often, letting him sleep in my arms/on my chest/near me would spoil him and create a terrible toddler- even through that's when he sleeps the best and longest. Geez what other terrible things did she tell me. Oh she tried to tell me to just pump and bottle feed him. I'm a SAHM mom and have NO reason to do such a thing. I would rather use a shield until he weans than do that. But in leaving, I was prompted to join some new parents support group and to just let him cry because "he can't afford to gain anymore weight. 

Now, I know most of that is a crock of crap. What concerns me most is that shes telling me I am causing him stomach cramps. I though that at this young age their digestive systems were still developing and that cramps just happen and fall under the colic category.

Currently I intend to continue nursing him as he asks for it and continue to offer him the breast without the shield. Unfortunately I have to go back to this same clinic and see the same doctor for his 2 month check up and immunizations where they seem to expect me to have him feeding less often. I almost yelled at 2 of those 3 nurses and know it won't do my nerves any good to keep trying to stand up to them. I have contacted a well trusted IBCLC in our area with all of this info to see what she thinks and hopefully meet with her. 

I just don't understand how someone can tell me that i'm doing everything right, my kid is cute and i'm a great mother while also telling me he's fat, it's mt fault and i'm causing him pain as well. WTF. 

Anyway....Eli is smiling so much these days. He really is a beautiful little guy. He's ticklish too! 

We're scared he might be teething already UGH he's chewing on his hands, my shirt, my arms, and his paci. He's drooling as well, yuck. He even seems to like having his bottom gums rubbed. I ordered one of these RazzBaby teething pacifiers to see if he will enjoy it. 

Also this passed week we started cloth!!!! My whole stash arrived and I got to prepping! Man he's so cute in his diapes!!! 

He's loving being held so he can look around and see everything, so we got him this neat little sit-me-up floor seat by Fisher Price so I can say...stuff diapers while he watches, or he can look out the window, etc.  

A cute moment from out appointment with Audrey yesterday though- Eli found himself in the mirror and absolutely would not look away! Both during and after nursing he was loving looking at himself hahaha

Oh yea, even though we usually get plenty of sleep, sometimes we party at 4am lol