Mommyism, 2 Months in.

We’ve hit the two month mark just a few days ago. It’s insane to think that I’ve been a mommy (and a geeky mommy at that) this long. I’ve been at this for what seems like forever and it feels also like it’s never ending. But at the same time, it’s already certain that I’m going to have a hard time keeping track of everything. They always say, “they grow up so quickly” and they’re absolutely right.

As of his 2 month doctor appointment last week, he was 10 lb 2 oz. That’s nearly double his birth weight of 5 lb 14 oz. Incredible! Honestly, by growing up emotionally as a mother besides my physically growing baby, I’m not able to realize how he’s growing. What I do realize, though, is that he’s chubbier and bigger.

Emotionally, I’ve been told, his development is at 2 months. His gestational age is, erm, 43 weeks now (do they say that anymore?). That means he’s measured on the chart like a 3 week old even though he is performing like a 2-month old. The only thing we’re missing as parents is an on-demand smile during his waking hours. We haven’t hit that milestone yet.

The greatest thing right now is actually having a kid who doesn’t wake up crying all the time. He actually wakes up and coos or looks around. It’s so much more pleasant than the newborn days of crying no matter what when he woke up. I think it only started about a week ago, but it’s definitely a milestone to be noted.

I’m having fun with the cutie, especially as I notice that he’s awake more often. He’s also becoming a lot more demanding in my opinion. First, I feel like this kid is ALWAYS hungry. Seriously. I feel that as soon as I sit down, he’s already ready for another meal. That said, what is he really supposed to eat and how often? (Obviously, you can gather at this point that I am still up all night. He eats every 1.5 to 2.5 hours and often doesn’t give us much free time. His grandmas both say that this is acceptable because he’s so tiny — 21 inches now — and needs to grow. I don’t know if that’s true.) I read somewhere that you’re supposed to give him 2.5 oz the amount of his weight in a 24 hour period, so at 10 lbs, he gets 25 oz a day. I feel like he’s taking SO much more than that, though. Perhaps a spreadsheet will make keeping track of this easier?

Speaking of which, yes, I’m not “breastfeeding,” per se. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had difficulty with low milk supply. Most lactation consultants would recommend fenugreek seed and/or blessed thistle, both of which are herbal remedies that are supposed to increase milk supply. (The former even makes it taste like maple syrup, a fact I learned after the mystery of the maple syrup smell was solved in Manhattan.) In any event, neither worked for me. I had been pumping between 4 and 7 times a day and saw 3-5 oz. of milk, which doesn’t help when you have a kid who at that point was taking between 15 and 20 oz. So after meeting with Dr. Mona Gabbay, who actually is an MD specializing in these issues, I was told to try Metformin, which is available by prescription only, and Domperidone (aka Motllium), which isn’t even available in the US (except at compounding pharmacies). I honestly haven’t seen much with regards to the Metformin, but the Domperidone is something else. I’ve been on it for about 3 weeks now and have seen an increase of about 8 oz per day. It’s incredible. The “side effect” of Domperidone that makes this happen is prolactin production, which is so cool. So yes, I’m thankful I took the initiative to pump and make it possible to provide my son with both formula and more breastmilk; he takes about 8 oz of it daily, which to me is something I thought would be unheard of a month ago.

The baby had his first immunizations last week, and all of them were given without issue, which I’m glad about. Sure, babies don’t really like getting pricked in 582842 places (actually, 3 — all in his thigh — and one immunization was administered orally), but he handled it like a champ. I’m proud to be his mommy.

All else is just pending. We’ve seen him turn over from tummy to back at 4 weeks. He still does that but now is more aware of his tummy and bobs up and down with it. In a way, sometimes I feel as if he forgot he has legs that help him do the whole turning-over bit. But hey, he’s a happy camper and it should mean I’m doing something right. I’m waiting for him to start standing — he definitely seems to want to try it!

But hey kid, please smile for mommy. We love looking ridiculous in front of you. It’s only fair. 🙂