Feeding the Baby

September 18, 2013.

I hate that I wasn't able to breastfeed Jacob exclusively.  When he was in the ICU wearing the CPAP machine, they had to tube feed him.  When my milk came in (dang my tits looked great..) I had to pump it and take it down to him, but the machines did not do a good job.  Babies are totally the boobie specialists.  They stimulate milk production and get the milk to let down.  Even after the doctors took him off the machine, they insisted on tube feeding him!  They said we couldn't leave the hospital until I could breastfeed And bottle feed him since I was not producing enough milk.  I thought we were Never going to get out of that hospital.  So, I decided to read some books on how to produce more milk and followed the instructions, but to no avail.  I Needed him to nurse, but they were tube feeding him like clockwork a ridiculous amount of formula.  I had to resort to breaking the line during his feedings and sucking it down myself behind their backs so that the baby got hungry and at least tried to latch onto me or the bottle.  Finally, one night I stood up to one of the nurses and told her she was Not going to tube feed my baby anymore and she could go get the doctor on call if there was a problem.  I was on no sleep and a total wreck.  I could hardly find the words to fight about it.  Then, while waiting for the doctor to get there, Jacob pulled out his feeding tube.  (Good boy:)  They didn't put it back in that time.  We finally won the battle.  I nursed him for the first 4 months but my breast milk never did come back enough to keep up with his appetite.  I blame all around malnourishment for that.

So, at five months, he is still a formula fed, kind of a gassy, spit-uppy baby.  We were laying on the living room floor last night.  I was on my back holding him over me; we were just cooing and chatting until... he erked warm formula all down my chest and it flowed down the back of my neck.  I just held him there in shock yelling out "Noooooooo!"  while Conor laughed his ass off and ran to get me a towel.  The puppy trotted over and began to lick the puke off my neck..  Ew.  It was disturbing and hilarious at the same time..

I took these photos at home last night.

Jacob fact #2:  He sometimes sleeps with his eyes open.