So much...

has happened since I last posted. What I thought was glorious sleep (it did feel good!) was actually a sign of a growing problem. Oliver should not have been sleeping that long at only a few days old. And since Friday, slowly, things have gotten worse and worse. His fussing was getting worse and worse, and feedings have slowly gotten longer and longer, with him still wanting more. He wasn't having enough wet diapers and he still was only pooping once a day. We had a weight check and my fears were confirmed - he was losing weight, not gaining. This is typical of newborns, especially breastfed ones, but by 10 days old they should at least have gained something. Oliver kept going lower and lower. We got pretty scared and started supplementing with formula on Monday, with another weight check on Tuesday. We thought for sure he would gain weight with the formula. He didn't. That's when we started getting really scared. The pediatrician said if he weighed even .1 of an ounce less we were going to have to admit him to the hospital to figure out what's going on. At that point I realized that the breast reduction surgery I had done 5 years ago was playing more of a part in this than I realized. Unfortunately breastfeeding help is hard to come by around here, but I did find support in Eagle River, a town nearby. After talking with that La Leche group leader it was decided that even though I have sensation, there were probably too many nerves damaged by the surgery so that my brain was not getting the message to make more milk, and slowly over several days my supply dwindled to an amount no longer healthy for Ollie. I have *some* milk, but no where near enough. So then came the really hard decision - to give breastfeeding up. I'm fine with it now, but yesterday was pretty tough. This was not how I imagined it would be! But Ollie really started showing scary signs - he was no longer moving very much, he just sort of stared up at us into space. He didn't even cry at diaper changes. I was so scared for his safety.

So yesterday we switched to formula exclusively. We had another weigh-in today, (we've been there everyday...oh that gets old), and were dreading the scale. I just didn't want to know. But we were so overjoyed to learn that Ollie not only gained weight - he gained 8 ounces in 24 hours!! The pediatrician was so surprised. We were hoping for half an ounce or a full ounce - but not half a pound!! Needless to say I couldn't have been happier. I have my little baby back who is active, crying, and thriving!!!

So now we pack! We move on Monday and it's coming fast and furious. We will be in Park River until next Sunday, and then we will be in Mayville after a lake vacation with my family.

Hope you're all doing well! TTFN. :)