So it's been a couple of weeks...
Grace is now just shy of 6 weeks old and has been gaining about a half a pound of week. She really likes food. If she's hungry, she'll take it however it's offered...even cold from the bottle, although that's not her preferred way to eat. We've been mastering the art of trying to spend time together/and me get someTHING done during the day while Josh is away at work. I usually don't get much done other than taking care of her... since she has digestive issues that mean at some point in the day the only way she is soothed is to be held tightly. These days won't last forever though and I'm sure a day will come when I miss her wanting to be held by me.
Her wake times are a bit more constant and consistent...although much of our wake time seems to be spent fussing. However, she does occasionally like to lay and listen/watch her mobile, look in the mirror, and sometimes will lay on her tummy and practice lifting her head. Really, she works those muscles more when she's on my shoulder being burped. Because burping is not eating...we're still trying to help her understand that taking a break to burp will help her tummy feel better and make more room for food. I think she's starting to figure it out.
She seems to really enjoy being in her car seat as long as she's fed. It actually seems to help her since being elevated helps her work out the gas. She takes her best naps in the car seat... Sleeping...we have good nights and bad nights. Generally she gets up once or twice depending on what time she last ate and if she's going through a growth spurt. Sometimes she goes right back down without fussing, sometimes she wants to cuddle with me in bed. We have let her cry herself to sleep a few times when she is tired and not obviously overwrought with gas or something else. (We do check on her every 10 minutes, replace her pacifier in her mouth, pick her up to calm her as needed, and keep an ear on the cries) I also let her cry in her swing when I'm desperately in need of food/bathroom/whatever...and so far she cries for about 5 minutes and then there is this sudden silence and she is asleep... It's hard, but I know it's necessary at times in order for both of us to get rest and food. If I don't get rest/food, she isn't going to get good quality milk.
I have to return to work part-time next week (well, work that is not from home) and I'm actually mildly sad that I have to even though it's only for 5 weeks. I know Josh is mildly terrified at the though of being alone with her for 4 hours...and during a common fussy time at that.
She hasn't responsively smiled yet, but I think it's coming. Well, I need to take a shower while I can... maybe I'll manage another post at some point with Mother's Day. We'll see. I also need to write thank-you notes (not easy to do when she's being held...) and do a bit of house-cleaning.
Posted by Anna at May 3, 2010 09:17 PM | TrackBack