This precious little boy has turned 1 week old today.
This has been a week of overwhelming joy and such an adventure of learning for all three of us.
A week ago, Jarek entered our lives as a perfect warm soft cooing baby that was placed on my chest and stole my heart. A few days later, we were admitted to Children's Hospital for jaundice and he had a 24 hour "cooking session" under UV rays.
All night, we stayed in his room, as he "cooked". Every two hours I got to take him out and nurse him, with a tiny little green glow pad. I bonded with our tiny baby all night, cuddling him and holding him with the glow pad, and calling him my little glow worm. That night was monumental for all three of us. It gave me a chance to be his biggest advocate fighting for early release so we could return home and lower the stress so my milk could come in.
The next two days were visits to the pediatrician to make sure his weight was coming back. From 7lb 4oz down to 6lb 9oz at his tiniest, we are officially back up to 6lb 12.5oz and climbing as of yesterday. I wouldn't be surprised if he was already back at 7lbs today since his feedings are constant and my milk is steady and flowing.
The rest of the week has been a learning curve of nursing cues, diaper cues, gas cues but we got them down mostly. He is such a Good baby. He sleeps so peaceful most of the time and his few crying fits taper off easily with a good rocking and a song.
We took him for his first walk up to the turkey farm and he was so well behaved.
I cannot be more thankful for the love that this baby gives to us and gets from us. I feel that things happen for a reason. Had we not been admitted to birth in the hospital, we never would have known that Jarek's bilirubin was climbing past 16.9 and we may have had a bad incidence with Jaundice. Even though life tossed us a major curveball, it happened for a reason. We are so lucky that he is now healthy and treated and safe at home.
We have also been so blessed to have so many beautiful cards arrive to congratulate us from family and friends. We are also so thankful my parents sent us an Edible Arrangement (chocolate covered pineapples!) and Mom cooked us stuffed shells w/ricotta and spinach, MMMMM, macaroni salad and apple pie!!!! Our friend Will brought us a pizza, and Matt and I got a "date afternoon" as my parents stayed with Jarek. It was a well deserved couple afternoon to grab some chores and some sushi (after 9 months!) and celebrate the small miracle that we created. After we came home, I met with the lactation consultant that helped me with his latch. It feels SO Much better now. (can you say no more aching nipples??!!)
And to my friends (known and internet), thank you for all of your emails and messages. I PROMISE I will write back to you soon. Time slips away from you, when all you want to do is cuddle this angel.
Please enjoy the pictures of him....more to share soon. I think I will start with the birth story.
This has been a week of overwhelming joy and such an adventure of learning for all three of us.
A week ago, Jarek entered our lives as a perfect warm soft cooing baby that was placed on my chest and stole my heart. A few days later, we were admitted to Children's Hospital for jaundice and he had a 24 hour "cooking session" under UV rays.
All night, we stayed in his room, as he "cooked". Every two hours I got to take him out and nurse him, with a tiny little green glow pad. I bonded with our tiny baby all night, cuddling him and holding him with the glow pad, and calling him my little glow worm. That night was monumental for all three of us. It gave me a chance to be his biggest advocate fighting for early release so we could return home and lower the stress so my milk could come in.
The next two days were visits to the pediatrician to make sure his weight was coming back. From 7lb 4oz down to 6lb 9oz at his tiniest, we are officially back up to 6lb 12.5oz and climbing as of yesterday. I wouldn't be surprised if he was already back at 7lbs today since his feedings are constant and my milk is steady and flowing.
The rest of the week has been a learning curve of nursing cues, diaper cues, gas cues but we got them down mostly. He is such a Good baby. He sleeps so peaceful most of the time and his few crying fits taper off easily with a good rocking and a song.
We took him for his first walk up to the turkey farm and he was so well behaved.
I cannot be more thankful for the love that this baby gives to us and gets from us. I feel that things happen for a reason. Had we not been admitted to birth in the hospital, we never would have known that Jarek's bilirubin was climbing past 16.9 and we may have had a bad incidence with Jaundice. Even though life tossed us a major curveball, it happened for a reason. We are so lucky that he is now healthy and treated and safe at home.
We have also been so blessed to have so many beautiful cards arrive to congratulate us from family and friends. We are also so thankful my parents sent us an Edible Arrangement (chocolate covered pineapples!) and Mom cooked us stuffed shells w/ricotta and spinach, MMMMM, macaroni salad and apple pie!!!! Our friend Will brought us a pizza, and Matt and I got a "date afternoon" as my parents stayed with Jarek. It was a well deserved couple afternoon to grab some chores and some sushi (after 9 months!) and celebrate the small miracle that we created. After we came home, I met with the lactation consultant that helped me with his latch. It feels SO Much better now. (can you say no more aching nipples??!!)
And to my friends (known and internet), thank you for all of your emails and messages. I PROMISE I will write back to you soon. Time slips away from you, when all you want to do is cuddle this angel.
Please enjoy the pictures of him....more to share soon. I think I will start with the birth story.