Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Nursing treadmill - Christmas day

Since Wren started nursing this morning I have been running back and forward to the hospital. He is in his own room and with help from the lactation consultant he has finally managed to eat all he requires by nursing - once!

Before he nurses we weigh him on a special scale. Then I nurse him (with lots of complaining from him about how hard he has to suck and how he dislikes lying on his sore side) and after 30 minutes he gets weighed again.

He eats or is fed every 3 hours on the dot.

He must be fed 45 ml of milk.

If he doesn't eat 45 ml by nursing he gets it via his tube.

I know its best for him to nurse now.. he is very very sweet and interested in looking at us while he does... but, ye gods, I am even more exhausted than I was with rushing back and forward and settling him and having 1 hour at home before rushing off again.

Tonight I am planning to do the 9pm and 6am ones and try and sleep at home between those times.

Yawn.

4 comments:

tamusana said...

I hope you can feel the empathy + sympathy oozing through cyberspace to you :-) 3-hourly feeds are exhausting enough even when the baby is hanging out in a bassinet right next to you. Do you have to go back home between every feed? No chance you could hang out and nap/read/twiddle your tired thumbs between sessions once in a day? (I know, you probably wanted to be home on Xmas, but still...) And have you fully recovered from your own fever/chills, etc.? Hope you didn't have any grand plans for Boxing Day ;-)
love
Tam

Shannon said...

Tam, I am going to stay at the hospital in the early hours and sleep till the 9am session but during the day I feel like I need to see Frost and do some stuff at home. Today, especially.

I hope to stay more at the hospital tomorrow.

natashap said...

Sounds like you are going to be worn out entirely. It is your birthday in Australia now - thinking of you lots - hope you have a happy day when it catches up with you over there. Much love,
Natasha

Shannon said...

Tash, I think I have been saved by the nutritionists "only 4 nursings a day" rule and the benediction "you have good milk supply". I have just slept for 4 hours in row and yes, it is now my birthday.

Although probably not the 40th I had in mind a decade ago - its not going to be a bad one either. Mum has bought a cake and Frost is very excited to give me presents. Now, if I can stay awake through them all will be well.