Since everyone asks us the same things about our life since Levi’s been home, I figured I would go ahead and blog the answers for posterity.
- Q: How is Levi doing?
- A: Great! From looking at him, you’d never know he was a preemie, or had been through a stroke or any of those other ordeals so far. We’re guessing he weighs at least 11 or 12 pounds already. He is still on the home apnea/bradycardia monitor (that tracks his breathing and heart rate), but that’s more for our peace of mind than anything else at this point.
- Q: What do the animals think of him?
- A: The doggies love him. Cosmo is very protective, muttering at us and whimpering when Levi cries. Kramer is very gentle and sweet as well. We don’t let them interact with Levi too much until he can control his faculties enough to fend them off, but both dogs love to sneak in their slobbery kisses whenever possible. Sushi, on the other hand, is curious, but afraid. He has steered clear of the whole back of the house for the past few weeks, and only conducts his investigations when Levi’s asleep.
- Q: Is he sleeping through the night?
- A: No, but he sleeps for 4- to 5-hour stretches, which is quite luxurious compared to earlier. He sleeps in a co-sleeper (like a padded shoebox) between our pillows at night, so it’s not as hard to get up to feed him. If we had breastfeeding down pat, it would be even easier.
- Q: How is the breastfeeding going?
- A: Is breastfeeding natural? Superior? Worth some effort? Yes. Easy? Intuitive? No! But it’s getting a little better. The NICU drama early on has set us back a little. He initially required a shield to latch on, my supply was low, and he got used to a bottle. Plus it hurts! Other than being discharged from the hospital without my baby, this has been the most difficult thing I’ve encountered. Our routine used to go like this: I’d struggle to breastfeed him for at least 30-45 minutes, then I’d pump for 20+ minutes, then we’d finish bottle-feeding him, and finally we’d wash all those dishes. Then I had to do 1 or 2 extra 20-minute pumpings before starting the process over. There was no time for anything else! We’re now done with the shield, though we still use another prop – basically I tape a straw to myself and run it to a milk bottle nearby – to prevent him from getting too frustrated. Thanks to lots of pumping and a prescription medicine, my supply is better, but I still have to pump at least every couple of hours. And we’re still trying to get him eating well from me, which is not too easy since he’s learned to prefer a bottle, a.k.a. “fast food.” But the good news is, he IS getting breastmilk and is gaining weight really well. We’ll get the rest down eventually, I hope!
- Q: How are you guys doing? What does it feel like to be a mom? How does Brad like being a dad?
- A: We’re a bit sleep-deprived, but doing well. In some ways it still feels like we’re babysitting someone else’s kid, especially since we can’t see Levi’s resemblance to either of us. But we’re getting pretty good at the “baby jiggle” and other methods of calming an otherwise irate baby. Brad is an awesome dad. He is an enormous help and reassurance to me. I have a new respect for single parents, because I truly don’t know how they do it!
- Q: When do you go back to work? What are y’all doing for daycare?
- A: I started back to work after 4 weeks b/c I haven’t been at this job long enough to qualify for any sort of leave. Thankfully though, I have an awesome boss and understanding employer. I’ve been able to work from home for the past 3 weeks, and I can work any hours I choose as long as I’m getting my work done. So except when I’ve had meetings, I’ve been able to take breaks as needed to try to feed the boy. Brad’s taking only night classes this semester, so he keeps Levi during the day and I keep him at night. It works out really well!
I’ll try to post any other common questions as I think of them. Have a good night!
