Introducing Savannah Leigh Baker

We welcomed Savannah into the world at 2:12 pm on Wednesday, June 2, 2010. She weighed 7 pounds 5 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long.

The new family!

Daddy was worn out from all that hard work during labor and delivery. ;) 

Mommy was recovering well and just wanted to go home already.

Ah, total relaxation.

We have been doing pretty good at home although I'd be lying if I said we haven't had a meltdown or two.  For one thing, we've struggled with nursing.  She's just not interested.  If she doesn't fall asleep right away, she thrashes around like she's being tortured.  Starting when we were in the hospital, we were having to supplement with formula because she refused to nurse at all.  It is so heartbreaking to want to do something so badly and not know how to make it work.  We've tried everything and still nothing.  And at this point I'm afraid she's so completely spoiled with a bottle that my persistance in trying to get her to nurse is useless. 

I held out with supplementing in the hospital as long as I could which exacerbated the other challenge ... the dreaded jaundice.  Because she wasn't getting what she needed to start having good wet and dirty diapers, her bilirubin level got out of hand and we ended up having to take her to get blood drawn for four days straight to monitor it.  It was so emotionally draining to have just brought a new baby home and have to turn around and make trip after trip to the hospital lab and pediatrician.  I can't help but blame myself for being so stubborn about wanting to nurse.

After our fourth trip to have her heel stuck yesterday, we got good news that the level had gone down enough that we don't have to go back anymore.  We'll go to the pediatrician Monday for a weight check and then our first actual well baby check the week after that.

So how do I look at all of these events?  Is she struggling to nurse now because I didn't have a choice but to feed her with a bottle in order to flush her system of bilirubin?  Or did I have a choice?  I don't know.  The support I got in the hospital was lacking.  Every nurse and lactation consultant had a different opinion and method for trying to get her to nurse ... none of which worked.  Maybe if there had been some consistency we'd have made more progress.  Is it really possible that "some babies are just bottle babies?"  What did they do before bottles???  For now, we're going to keep working on it.  I'm praying for success because I don't know how long I can endure being attached to a pump.

And despite these little hurdles, we are overjoyed with our new addition.  She's the most precious gift we've ever received and I can't even remember what life was like without her.  I could just sit and adore her all day long, which thankfully is almost reality since I'm getting to stay home with her.  So be prepared for lots and lots of baby updates to come!