Maggie: One Month

It has been a month (okay, 10 days past a month) since our Maggie Claire came into our lives. What a month it has been!

Likes and Dislikes: Maggie loves to be held and rocked to sleep (what newborn doesn't!) and hates trying to fall asleep without assistance. So it is a struggle finding the balance between those sweet newborn cuddles, playing with a toddler and needing to do some household duties. For now, I'm soaking the cuddles up. She strongly dislikes bath time but calms down the moment we start washing her hair. She despises her crib and being in the carseat for too long. She likes walks, being swaddled and watching her mobile on her swing or projector light in her room.

Development: Maggie definitely went through a growth spurt at two weeks and I think went through another one between four and five weeks. She's changed so much in the last month and although I love the newborn feel, I really love seeing how much they change and develop the first year.

Eating: Oofta. Where do I start? The good: She eats every three hours during the day, every two hours from 4:00-9:00 and then one or two middle of the night feedings. The bad: nursing never took off for Maggie. As most know, nursing in the hospital started terribly and from there never got better. We worked with a lactation consultant and although her latch was okay, it would take her anywhere from 10-30 minutes to get latched and when she did she tore me up, threw up throughout it and was angry during and after feedings. Feedings were getting longer, harder and there were more tears from both of us. Finally, I made the gut wrenching, guilt ridden decision when she turned a month to switch to formula (with a combo of breast milk). We were both unhappy and it was effecting the entire family. I so badly wish that I could have nursed her and it would have been easier for us, but I made a decision that was best for us and our family. For a week I nursed her once or twice a day and did our final feeding last week. She and I are much, much happier (so are Emma and Matt). She's taken to the bottle just fine and is still on the same feeding "schedule".

Sleeping: Maggie absolutely hates her crib and laying flat; it has been that way since the hospital. The first two weeks we could get her to do one stretch in her crib, but haven't been able to since. So, she sleeps at night in her rock n' play sleeper (located in her room) and naps in that as well or her swing. We try every day to see if that will be the day she will like her crib, but nothing yet. Please tell me the transition won't be terrible? When did you switch your kids to the crib? Anyways, her naps have been anywhere to 30-60 minutes in length with usually a good long one in the morning and/or afternoon. She's been going to bed between 9:00-10:00 with a feeding in the night and then waking between 4:30-5:30 in the morning. The morning wake time has been rough because it then takes an hour to get her back to sleep and by that time, you might as well stay up. So hoping she starts pushing it back soon. It's just a phase, right? :) Like I mentioned above, she only falls asleep by being held or rocked. I don't know how some people say that they can lay their child down awake and they fall asleep on their own. That wasn't the case with Emma and definitely isn't so with Maggie.

Family transition/life update: Matt, Emma and I are doing well since Maggie joined our little family. Matt was able to take a whole week off after she was born to stay home with us and that was really nice   and helpful. It is Matt's down time with work, but you wouldn't know it by the events of this last month (new basketball coach). Luckily that is all over now and we can enjoy the rest of the summer that is going too quickly. Emma seriously loves her little sister and is just the sweetest with her. She gives her a million kisses a day, is concerned when she cries and is really helpful so far with throwing away diapers. While Emma's meltdowns have been more intense since Maggie's arrival, she's easily bribed with getting to hold her sister. She's still going to my mom's during the day for the 1:1 attention and to keep with her routine. I am doing good postpartum and have been able to do a lot more this time around. With Emma I was too nervous to leave the house, but this time around you know that life needs to still go on and so we run errands and get out as much as possible. I started working out this last week and taking time for myself and that his been super helpful. All in all, we are doing great adjusting and just loving on our little Maggie.