Fallyn // Week 1

Fallyn, Friday Bella Baby came in and took your pictures. You did so good and I love every single one of these.

Your coloring is absolutely beautiful! Love those chubby cheeks of yours!

Snuggle time our first night in the hospital. I loved doing skin to skin with you and your Sissy.

Love your hair! You had a little feau hawk going on..

When Whitney came to visit you...

We had a rough night on Friday night and we swaddled you up in the hospital swaddle. 

Milk coma... falling asleep after nursing..

We came home from the hospital on Saturday, April 29th. They got things moving pretty early that morning as far as getting all the info to discharge us and we were on our way! With your sister, we had to put you in your carseat and I was wheeled out in a wheelchair to the car... they let us just walk out with you! Daddy carried all the bags and I carried you and walked down the long hall, we took the elevator downstairs, and walked all the way from the ER exit to the parking garage. WHEW!! It was HOT that afternoon. I was so tired by the time I got to the truck. Your Daddy realized he needed to adjust the straps on the car seat so that took a few minutes and then finally we were on our way!

Love this outfit Mimi and Papa got you.
You are SO TINY in the carseat. I forgot the insert was boxed up so I did the only thing I knew to do and that was to roll up a blanket to help support your neck.

Finally home! Cracking me up with these facial expressions.

Finley LOVES you and she has adjusted well to your arrival. She just hugs and kisses all over you and she asked to hold you here.. she originally asked for Daddy to put you in her chair and Daddy did for a couple minutes then Finley wanted to hold you. It was the sweetest and she was calling you Sissy.

This is the only time thus far that I've seen you find your thumb. You don't really ever take a Paci either.. just every now and then.

I love all the sweet outfits you were given.

"Working" with Mommy!

On Tuesday, May 2nd Lizzie came and took your newborn pictures. You did amazing! It was very chilly that morning for how hot it had been. Lizzie had a heater for you but towards the end, I asked to go inside because it was so cold to me. She finished up your pictures in our new back porch addition with you and Finley in your "sister" shirts. 

HEALTH

Your 1 week appointment was after pictures ... We are still using Dr Setia and we absolutely love him and his nurses. We were very surprised at your weight loss since you were born and we had to go back the following day for another weight check. You were even jaundiced so we had to leave after your first appointment and go to the Athens Regional lab and get blood work done and Dr Setia put you on formula to supplement you. You did so good getting your blood work done.. you didn't even cry. I would like to think it's because I hummed Jesus Loves You to you the entire time the nurse was doing her job.

Back home after your appointments.

Kyli loves you!

SLEEP

I am writing this a few weeks after and I haven't done very well with taking notes. From the looks at my app that I have to keep up with your feedings, it looks like most of the time you were feeding every 3 hours for the most part and you would definitely sleep in between. I even remember a 5 hour stretch you had one night and I couldn't believe it!

You definitely slept well considering all the construction noises that were still going on after we got back home.

EATING

In my opinion, you were doing great nursing every time. You had a wonderful latch and I could tell that for the most part you were getting milk. You would get upset if your arm wasn't positioned just right while feeding and you would NOT nurse until you had a clean diaper on.

By the time we had gotten to your one week appt, Dr Setia instructed that we nurse and supplement... I did not supplement you with a bottle instead we did a syringe (per Dr).. I was happy about this because I was worried you would get used to a bottle and not want to latch back onto me.

I did have some concerns and Danielle was great about answering all my questions when we were able to talk on the phone. 

On Thursday, May 4th, my friend Jennifer took you to your weight check and to get more blood work (the reason for Jennifer taking you will be explained in another post).. You had lost even more weight and Dr Setia strictly put you on formula for one week. He didn't even want you taking it out of the syringe, bottle only. This was devastating for me since I thought nursing was going so well, but I wouldn't have had a choice anyways...

(Wednesday on our way to weight check)

POSTPARTUM

Compared to being a first time Mom and with all those hormones, I thought this time was a breeze the first week. Obviously, you know more of what to expect, you aren't watching them every second to make sure they are still breathing, and you establish more of 'routine'. I mean I was able to get a shower before lunch! With Finley I wasn't getting my showers until after 9PM. HA!! 

My bottom hurt extremely bad but I just made sure to take my pain meds (until it got closer to the end of week 1). I was ALLLL scared again about that first major trip to the bathroom.. but honestly, it ended up not being as bad as the first time or from what I remembered. I am SO thankful that Coach made sure our new furniture was delivered the morning that I got discharged. The ends recline and he even got one huge recliner that he joked about me using "big daddy's" chair until I got better. Which he gladly did. This helped me so much and made things so much more comfortable.

I was SO thrilled that my legs, ankles and feet did not swell this time to the point where I could not walk. Even the nurses at the hospital would comment on how I had no swelling when they would check me.

Another thing I was thrilled about was how awesome my milk came in this time. Don't get me wrong it came in great with Finley but this time, I think because Fallyn had a great latch and I wasn't in so much pain, I was relaxed more and it would drip out of my breasts, especially after a shower. It was just wonderful to see after praying for something like that.

I would have to say the one thing that 'worried' or got to me the most was Finley adjusting to little sister being here. She did GREAT, but she did think the only person that was supposed to hold Fallyn was me, and that was really hard at times. She would get SO upset and it did take a couple weeks for that to calm down. 

I probably should have also been sleeping more than what I was. In all honestly, besides my bottom being so sore, I really felt good and I was trying so hard to split my time equally with the girls that I just didn't want to miss any more time with her than I already was. Especially not getting some Mommy/daughter time before I delivered. 

When Fallyn was a week old, on May 4th, I was sent to the ER and got admitted to the hospital.....

I took this picture right after I got to my room and before Fallyn went home.