Follow my blog with Bloglovin Rafe's Two week update!

Okay so Rafe is actually 15 days old as I type this, but it's pretty much impossible to get anything done on time when you have a newborn! The photo I'm including was taken yesterday for accuracy.
I can't really say that these two weeks have flown by, my days all seem to merge into one nappy changing, bottom wiping, burping and feeding blur! It's been a lot harder than I thought it would be, the lack of sleep is a killer. I end up walking around in a daze most of the time which is dangerous seeing as I wasn't the sharpest tool in the box before motherhood!

Lets talk about sleeping, something I miss more than anything in the whole world right now! The first couple of nights after we brought Rafe home from the hospital were terrible. He would not settle at all and just cried and cried...and cried. Even if he had just fed. I ended up giving him dentinox colic relief thinking he must have had trapped wind. However after seeing a midwife on day three it was explained to us that brand new babies like to cluster feed the first few nights until your milk has come in. Quite reassuring to know we weren't doing anything wrong and our child didn't hate us. I did feel bad for giving him medicine that he didn't actually need though.
Fast forward to day fifteen and sleep has improved, slightly. It's a challenge to get him to actually settle and go to sleep and he tends to like to fall asleep while I am breastfeeding him. This isn't good because apparently he will associate feeding with sleeping and not be able to settle himself so I will be trying to break this habit. Some nights are better than others. On the occasional blissful night he will only wake up a mere two times and go back to sleep fairly non-confrontationally...and then other nights it's three plus wakes. He goes through spells of wanting to cluster feed aswell, cluster feeding is the tough on both me and my nipples! Thank God for Lansinoh!
Rafe also sleeps in bed with me at the moment in a sleepyhead deluxe pillow (I think they are called Dock a tot pillows in the US) and Richard has been banished to the sofa, something we are hoping to change soon...

In terms of weight gain Rafe is a piglet! He was a fairly little 6lb 9 when he was born and when he was weighed by the health visitor yesterday he is now 8lb 4. Something I am very proud of seeing as he is solely breastfed. Makes the lack of sleep, cluster feeds and sore nipples somewhat worth it! He tends to feed at least every three hours, most of the time more or he will just latch on for a snack! He usually wakes by himself to be fed but if he doesn't I tend to change his nappy, which wakes him, before hand. His length is currently 51cm and his head circumference is 37cm. Unfortunately I haven't got any previous measurements to compare to but apparently all is normal there. I can definitely tell he's getting bigger all his clothes are actually starting to fit him without swamping him like old hand me downs!

Something not quite so positive is the fact Rafe has jaundice. Apparently its very common but it's usually cleared up by itself by two weeks in full term babies and he still has a yellow tinge to his face and eyes. We had to go to the hospital for a blood test today to see what the levels of Bilirubin are in his blood and we may have to go back for another to ensure the levels are going down. Don't ask me what Bilirubin is because I have no idea! He seems fine in himself, he's very alert and feeding VERY well and producing lots of dirty nappies so his only symptom is his slightly tanned appearance.
Just to make matters worse in terms of appearance Rafe has started to peel. It started on his body and is now affecting his hands and feet. It doesn't seem to bother him just looks a little unsightly!

Rafe's stump fell off on day number six (thank goodness) it really started to smell! After it had gone we gave him his first bath which he surprisingly really enjoyed! He didn't like getting out quite as much but bathtime is a hit. I've been filing Rafe's nails but I actually braved using some baby nail clippers yesterday. His nails are so sharp and scratch mits don't tend to stay on so I am going to try and keep them short. Quite nerve wracking clipping nails on such little fingers!

Rafe doesn't actually do proper smiles yet, he makes all kinds of facial expressions especially while he is sleeping but I think they are still gas smiles at the moment. Cannot wait for the day when I get a real smile. He is very alert when he is awake and looks at faces (especially mummy's) we also have some black and white wallpaper on one wall of our lounge that he loves to stare at. He had a hearing test before we left hospital after he was born which he passed and he does startle at loud noises.
Rafe loves going out for walks in his pram and being in the car in his car seat, which sends him straight to sleep! If only we could use it at night! He's currently a bit too small for his baby swing so we haven't tried that and I attempted baby wearing but even after watching instructional YouTube videos I couldn't work out how to put the thing on so I abandoned mission.

I think thats about all to report for the two weeks. I can see from comparing the photos from immediately after he was born to the ones now that he has changed so much already. Makes me feel quite emotional, I would like him to stay little forever, just maybe little but sleeping through the night! I will probably do another update at one month and keep you posted on the jaundice situation. Anyway the little cherub is currently asleep so I am going to try and get a nap in, I have been up since 4am so it is much needed!

Jx 

Here he is my little smurf! This picture doesn't really do him any justice but he was not in a co-operative, photo posing mood at the time!


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