Intrepid Murmurings

Chug-a-lug
We just got back from Emma's third weight check appointment, and she gained 8 oz in 6 days! Yahoo! She is up to 8lbs 8oz, and while they like to see a return to birth weight in two weeks and we probably won't make that due to our rocky start, we definitely should in 3 weeks, which is fine. This also means we can start weaning her off the formula supplements! She's been getting about an ounce after breastfeedings 4 times a day, so we will start stepping that down. I'm still pumping, so she will get breastmilk bottles occasionally for a bit longer, at least until we are off the formula completely. Next step....weaning her off the damn nipple shields! They are really annoying, but they were a lifesaver for a while there and now she likes them a lot, of course. I am able to get her latched without them for a bit at the end of a feed, so I think there's hope. I'll try a lot harder with that after another week or so of good feeding, when I'll be less concerned about interrupting her or pissing her off a little. Ha. On Sunday we went on our first (non-doctor related) family outing! We went to the farmers market, and she went in the sling with only a bit of a whimper when she first went in. We all three LOVE the sling! She goes into it pretty easily when she is sleepy, and just hunkers down into a ball in it. If she is alert and awake she is not a huge fan, yet, I think because she can't see out all that well. She does settle down pretty quickly if we go for a brisk walk with her in it, which we did last night during a fussy time, so thats good, too! Now that she is feeding well and settling a bit, she is becoming an easier and easier baby! No more screaming after feedings, during diaper changes, and when we try and put her down for a second -- she is just a lot less fussy in general. The last three times we've put her in her Amby slightly awake, she's just laid there peacefully for a few minutes and then drifted off to sleep. Yahoo! Before that she's had to be totally asleep before we transfered her or she'd let out a huge yowl. Last night she slept for 4 hours straight in it! Thanks kiddo! Here are a few more photos from the past week.