Getting Caught Up

I have been really slacking on posting updates. I thought Id be able to keep up but it turns out its not easy typing with a baby attached to you. Even when she is napping and I think I have a minute to get some things done I realize that I need to nap as well, because lets face it those 3 hours per night just aren't enough.

So lets see...Penelope is 2 weeks yesterday! I cant believe its been that long, I feel like we literally just brought her home. On Monday July 16th, we had our 3-day home visit with Rene, a nurse and lactation consultant. She is a wealth of knowledge. To anyone who is planning on breastfeeding you MUST meet with a lactation consultant, maybe more than once. They say breastfeeding isn't supposed to hurt, but I have yet to find anyone who hasn't experienced some pain. The baby has to be at the exact perfect angle with the perfect latch, which is hard to know when your a first time mom. Anyways things were pretty painful there for a few days. But Rene helped bring peace to my breasts. At the home visit Penelope was checked out and while she was healthy she had lost quite a bit of weight, 10% of her birth weight to be exact (they prefer no more than a 7% loss). My giant 9lb 1oz baby was now 8lbs 3oz, still giant but not as giant. We concluded it was due to my milk not being established yet, this happened at day 4. 

Also, Rene noticed that Penelope had a possible minor posterior frenulum, more commonly known as the tongue tie. That's medical language for the piece of skin under her tongue was thicker than normal, causing her not to be able to stick her tongue out completely. As it turns out its a hereditary condition coming from Aaron's side of the family.  She suggested we meet with a ear, nose and throat specialist. Of course, me being the momma bear I am now, began freaking out immediately. What do you mean something is wrong with my baby? Like with most things Aaron took a very relaxed, 'everything will be just fine' stance.  Our appointment with Dr. Connelly, the ear, nose and throat doctor, was 2 days later and Rene, the nurse, was right. We opted to have her posterior frenulum taken care of with a small in-office procedure.  The procedure literally took 1 minute and I was hysterically crying by the end of that minute.  Poor Penelope has an emotional mom sure to embarrass with her tears for the rest of her life.  The following day we went to the birth center for a weight check. Rene wanted to make sure breastfeeding was going better and that Penelope's tongue was taken care of.  Penelope had gained 4.5 ounces in 3 days! Since her tongue had not healed yet, I attribute her weight gain to my milk coming in and getting a better latch with breastfeeding.

We had our 2-week postpartum visit on Friday July 27th.  Both Penelope and I came away with a clean bill of health.  Penelope now weighs 8lbs 13oz, still not at her birth weight but making good progress.