WEEK SIX

What a week…

So as it turns out most babies will go through a big growth spurt in their 6th week, and Oliver was right on mark. Of course I didn’t realize this when the week started but when he suddenly started crying for food every hour I did a little online research. The crazy feeding days where followed by sleepy days, where it seemed as though he was sleeping all day, waking only to fuss and squirm and eat. As it turns out it is during this sleep time that they are doing their growing, and because they are growing at such a rapid rate it can actually be very uncomfortable for them, hence the fussiness. And man was he fussy. He would constantly make this ‘ehhh’ noise ALL day. Not content but not crying... really did a number on my nerves. At the same time I couldn’t help feel sorry for the little monster. It was a very long week, especially since it seems my days are now starting at 3:30 in the morning. It’s around this time that he starts wiggling around in his crib, crying out with gas pains, wide awake. So, I take him down stairs and put him in his bouncy chair, which I’ve discovered among other things is GREAT for him to sit in and let out all his gas. I don’t know if it’s the mesh or the angle, and frankly I don’t care, all I know is that when I put him in there he seems to find instant relief. We seem to have come to a morning understanding. He sits in his chair quietly, and I quietly read the morning news online (if it’s been posted yet…I know…sometimes I get up before the news…). There are days where not a peep is exchanged between us for a half hour. Then he goes in his sling (which I LOVE LOVE LOVE) and we both take an early morning nap. I really don’t know what I would do without this sling. It calms him to sleep immediately when he's tired and fussy, giving me the opportunity to nap or do some cleaning. These days I’ve been opting for the nap when ever I can get it. ‘Sleep when the baby sleeps’ had been told to be so many times before, but now it’s my new mantra.

One of my saving graces this week was that during his growing sleep days I was able to go for some really long walks with the stroller. I’m talking 2 hours long. It’s such a relief to be pretty much all healed up from surgery that I can start enjoying the nice weather we’ve been having. When I go for my walks I always take a bottle and he tends to wake up for a snack part way through. Lamby joins us in the stroller for these walks which I find helps him sleep and stay relaxed so I can be out longer. I know that getting him hooked on this little lamb sound machine is probably going to come back to kick me in the butt later, but right now it’s all about getting through the day, and if that means a little rain noise is required…so be it!

I’ve become interested in trying baby massage on Oliver. Especially since I’ve read that it can help relieve their gas pains. I watch some videos online, but then decide to go to Chapeters and see if I can find an instructional book. I find this great one which is part of the ‘teach yourself’ series called ‘baby massage and yoga’. It’s very simply laid out with a week by week learning schedule, and easy to follow instructions and diagrams. So, I pick up some sunflower oil and give it a go. Week one starts with the legs. At first i think it’s going to be tricky since Olivers legs are ALWAYS moving, but once I get going it seems to calm him and he actually stops kicking long enough for me to rub them down. I guess with all that kicking around a little rub down would feel pretty good. I find that it’s a really nice bonding time for the two of us and it’s an easy activity for me to do with him that helps break up our day together.

The highlight of this week amongst all the long nights and fussiness would have to be that Oliver had his first real big smile this week. And, of course it was at daddy! My husband is wonderful with Oliver. He gets right down there on the floor with him, singing and making voices. It was during one of these occasions that the biggest grin yet was cracked. We were both ecstatic!