Yesterday we had our first trip outside the house with Lucy (as long as you don’t count standing on our front stoop for about 90 seconds with her last Friday morning). We succeeded! Here are some of Lucy’s experiences from the afternoon:
* first time on the highway
* first time to the doctor’s office
* first time in the stroller (and Papa’s first time unfolding it “in the field” — I’m so glad he can figure out these baby machines)
* first diaper change on the go
Dr. Minkus, our pediatrician, was just fabulous. Jon and I arrived with a whole list of questions. He listened to each one carefully, asked us follow-up questions, and then more often than not said, “Don’t worry about it.” How reassuring!
p{color:gray}. Photo: Lucy all wrapped up in one of Ann’s “hand-knitted baby blankets”:http://knittingcircle.org/hats.php, waiting for inspection by Dr. Minkus.
One of the main things I wanted to find out was whether Lucy is getting enough to eat. All the books I’ve read about nursing say the same thing: as long as she is producing enough wet diapers and swallowing audibly while nursing, she is doing fine. But it is so hard to not worry about this! Dr. Minkus was very reassuring, and Jane, a lactation consultant on staff there, sat with Lucy and me while we did a feeding and gave me some really good tips. (A new thing I learned: massage helps the milk to flow into Lucy’s mouth so she’ll swallow it even if she is getting sleepy.) They even weighed her before and after the feeding, which let us measure that she gained an ounce of milk! I cried, of course. It is nice to have hard evidence that she is actually eating something.
When we asked him about cutting Lucy’s fingernails and I said, “Using clippers on her terrifies me,” he replied, “Then don’t do it. Just use an emery board.” I love it when people take my feelings seriously and give me new options to consider. After I started about my fifth question with, “I read in a book…,” he said, “I’m going to have to get you a good novel!” I’m really thankful for this doctor. Several friends at “our church”:http://gracechurchchicago.org/ bring their kids to him, and they told me that he makes them feel like the best moms ever. I think that kind of support and encouragement will help me to actually _be_ the best mom I can be.
We had Dr. Minkus for a year right before we left for Madison. We enjoyed him as well. I truly hope we can find someone similar here. The Dr. I currently have is still in question.
You know I nursed twins and Naomi is my fourth but I still wonder if she is getting enough milk even though she has outgrown clothes:). I am glad that the Dr. was reassuring for you.
I definately recommend the emery board. They even sell little ones for babies. I wish I would have known about that when alex and joseph were little.
I dont have time to give full reviews…..but a few books I have enjoyed recently
Piano Lessons by Noah Adams….a beautiful true account of his year long journey of learning to play the piano.
Translations of Beauty by Mia Yun…About twin sisters who with their parents have immigrated to America from Korea. The book speaks of their relationships with each other, their experiences in the states…Enjoyable…even though as I read it I missed the diversity of Chicago and all of those rich friendships I fostered there.
A string in the Harp by Nancy Bond….this is a Newberry Honor book. I read this about two weeks after Naomi was born…..my hormones were all wacky ….there was a foot of snow on the ground….Andy took the boys sledding and Naomi and I curled up on the couch in front of a roaring fire and read.
The book was enjoyable but at the time I would have enjoyed anything! Blessings to all three of you!
Nicole
Hi Ann and Jon!
It’s so fun to catch up on how you are doing when I get a moment! I’m glad to hear things are going smoothly!
I just had to comment on Lucy’s doctor recommending you pick up a good novel. This morning as I was helping Cole get ready for school he asked if I ever let him sleep with me when he was a baby. I said that it was a rarity because every book I read said not to because it would be too difficult to transition that baby to his own bed in a few months. Well, I said it this morning and I’ll say it again…I shouldn’t have listened! I probably would have gotten a whole lot more sleep!
I just share this to say that you are the parents and you know and love Lucy more than anyone else on earth. The decisions you make for her will be the best, because you know her and what your family needs better than anyone else!
I’m sending love and joy from the flutters in my heart for each of you!
Kate
Nicole, thanks for the encouragement about how even a seasoned mom worries about her daughter eating enough! I’m looking forward to having Lucy weighed this Friday. Thanks for the book recommendations, they look awesome!
Kate, you are totally right — it is hard sometimes to trust my instincts being so new at all of this, but I’m learning and it is helpful to hear your encouragement to listen to my heart. I’m glad to have read all of these books except for when they contradict each other and I get all confused in the middle of the night!