Miller went for his two month checkup last Tuesday and we found out he was very underweight. It has been a difficult week and a half. We had to go to the hospital and have labs drawn to make sure his electrolytes weren't off kilter (Praise God, they were not, or he would have been admitted!!) and then we went home and proceeded to pump him full of breast milk and a little formula too. The doc wanted him to get 4-6 oz every three hours and see if he gained any in by Thursday. We went back last Thursday and he had gained a few ounces. I have been nursing him as much as humanly possible, pumping as often as possible when I am not nursing or running after Madden, seeing the lactation consultant, using an SNS (supplemental nursing system) device to get more milk in him when he does nurse, taking fenugreek and other herbs to help increase my milk production....it has been even busier around here than normal and I think I have been more tired than I was after he was first born!
He had his labs drawn again on Monday to check his liver enzymes (they were extremely elevated the first time but may just be due to him being a little dehydrated) and then to see the Doc again yesterday for a weight check and to get 2 month shots. Praise our Father in heaven above, he had gained 9 ounces since the first visit to the doctor 9 days before! God is so good and we are so relieved that he is gaining. I will be checking his weight at the doctor's office every couple of weeks to make sure the trend continues.
Thank you for all your prayers and I apologize to all my friends and loved ones who have no idea what has been going on--I just had no time to post about it the past several days. But, please continue to pray for Miller to be a strong eater and continue on his way to being a robust little fella; I really think that he might be a bit of a lazy eater which is quite foreign to me! Both Ley and Mad loved to nurse and were quite good at it. I am just now coming to terms with the fact that he is different than they are in this aspect and needs a little help and extra attention. It's been difficult for me though because nursing has always been SUPER easy for me--I am very thankful for all the support I have from friends close by and far away (Helena, Ash, Terri, and my Mere--you ROCK and I love you!)...I definitely have a much better view of why many new mommies don't stick with breastfeeding. If you don't have a core group of people to encourage you and tell you "You can do this!", it would be so easy to just quit...I am so blessed to be surrounded by uplifting and prayerful people!
I am going to stop now so I can post some pics...
