He's 2 Weeks Old!
Wow, time flies. I can't believe we've been home over a week...and our little peanut has been in the world for 2 weeks now. In the last week, the swelling in my lower legs, ankles, and feet has subsided (thankfully). However, I've developed a good case of dry everything - my lips are dry, the corners of my mouth have split and bled numerous times, and my hands are dry, cracked, and occasionally bleed. I've gone back to using hand cream with every wash, and I've been using the non-soap hand cleanser (Savannah Bee...which Bath & Body Works no longer carries!) for nearly every wash.
Our little peanut has had some nursing issues - just too sleepy and lazy to really nurse. We've been back and forth to the pediatrician a few times, and finally at the last visit he started to gain. Hopefully at tomorrow's visit he'll be up a bit more. In the meantime, the majority of my days are spent trying to nurse, nursing, or pumping then feeding it back to the peanut using an SNS feeder. Literally takes me nearly all day to stay on top of the feedings. Looking forward to getting to the 20 minute nurse every 2 hours. At that point I think I'll finally be able to manage on my own. Or try to!
Thankfully, my parents live just 15 minutes away, so my Mother has spent the majority of the day with me since my husband is back at work. She stays until my two year old is down for his nap...and when he's up it's nearly time for my husband to be home, so for those few minutes or hour I'm usually fine.
Good thing is although our peanut isn't the best eater right now, he's a good sleeper. We get at least 2 hours in a row, if not 3 or 4. However, that's part of the problem with nursing...by the time he's awake to nurse he's SO hungry he fights me. Think we're working our way through that and finally getting into a groove. Today went very well, haven't had to pump all day...here's hoping that continues.
The fatigue hasn't been too bad. Although I am trying to lay down and nap in the afternoon when both of the boys are asleep. I managed about 30 minutes today before our afternoon company arrived. Yesterday I got well over an hour. My husband actually called on his way home, and when I didn't answer the phone (I have the ringer turned off upstairs), he called my parents in a little bit of a panic. Luckily my Mother was home and knew that I was going to lay down for a rest. I just remember being SO much more tired with our first son. Probably because he didn't sleep. We'd have to hold him all night long...and he wanted to eat every hour for about 45 minutes...so there was about 15 minutes of time in which we changed diapers and he had a little nap.
I'm fortunate not to have had any major signs of a Sjogren's flare-up...at least from what I can tell. I'll be meeting with my rheumatologist again in a few weeks, at which time I'm sure I'll discuss what I've been going through. Hopefully she won't notice any signs of a flare-up either.