Lauren's Laugh

She's been much more vocal lately and also giving smiles and even laughs:


Lauren with mommy:

Lauren with her new Peacock toy:
Lauren with her suped-up lamb chair (I added extra dangly toys to it):


Lauren smiling in her sleep in her crib:
A corner of our living room. Lauren likes her rain forest toys mat and also bouncing on the the exercise ball while listening to music. Notice the cute little baby sock on the coffee table.
Lauren taking a nap at the park near our house.
Lauren's hand:
Lauren's feet:

I finally cleaned the breast pump equipment but I'm kind of reluctant to use it because I like having Lauren with me all the time and I like nursing her:
Hanging out at the park:

Vaccinations!

Here is the link to the 2010 vaccine schedule on google docs (just copy paste):
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:IA0c93Y9CCEJ:www.dshs.state.tx.us/immunize/docs/6-105.pdf+2010+vaccine+schedule&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESi-MG69le_NbpFYrTNlm-sBle6lAuNjwR6qnbwYou5v-e7rYM_NEj7xWryAgKkdK3jPSsbT3G84AoLmWgoDegkgxar4q2rk0SQ-szUdqholTCCczIXgn8peUbwvzhHQW8-XE2FV&sig=AHIEtbSVrgCpNNUN-STRdDxNDE9jM1dfWw

I'm starting with this and focusing on the 2 month recommended vaccines... then going to read in Dr. Sears The Vaccine Book to figure out what to do... more to come:

At 2 months, the recommended vaccine's from the Center for Disease Control are:
RV
DTaP
Hib
PCV
IPV

So now I'm researching to see what we will do for Lauren. Dr. Sears has a modified vaccine schedule which is more conservative than the CDC's.
------
3-21-2010 update

I've read parts of the Vaccine Book (plan to read more as I have time) and have decided to use Dr. Sears' alternative Vaccine Schedule. I'm not a doctor, so I don't know what is best for your child, but this is what I'd like to do for mine. I sent this email to my doctor to prepare for this Friday's 2 month appointment and see what she thinks:

Hello Dr. Malawa,

Lauren has her 2 month appointment this coming Friday.
Question 1: I'd like to give her 2 vaccines at this 2 month appointment: the DTaP vaccine by Daptacel (Sanofi Pasteur) & the Rotavirus vaccine (although we can skip the Rotavirus vaccine if you don't think it is as important - I think you said that last time we met. Lauren is breastfed and is not in day care).
Question 2: For the DTaP, can we give her the Daptacel brand (Sanofi Pasteur)? I do not want to give her the Infanrix brand of DTaP which contains double the amount of aluminum as Daptacel.

Can you email me back to let me know if I need to call the office about this question instead of using this email?
I included the big picture vaccine schedule for Lauren below (Polio vaccine would not be given until 9 months).

Thank you,
////

This is the vaccine schedule I'd like for Lauren:
Dr. Sears' (modified by me) Alternative Vaccine Schedule (only one aluminum-containing vaccine at a time and only one live virus vaccine at a time)
2 months: DTaP, Rotavirus(?)
3 months*: Pc, HIB
4 months: DTaP, Rotavirus(?)
5 months*: Pc, HIB
6 months: DTaP, Rotavirus(?)
7 months*: Pc, HIB
9 months: Polio, Flu (mercury free flu shot)
12 months: Mumps, Polio
15 months: Pc, HIB
18 months: DTaP
21 months*: Flu
2 years: Rubella, Polio
2 years, 6 months*: Hep A
3 years: Hep B, Measles, Flu
3 years, 6 months*: Hep B, Hep A
4 years: DTaP, Polio, Flu
5 years: MMR, Flu

* the 3, 5, and 7 month vaccines occur during a "shot-only" visit

Lauren is Growing!

Lauren is dressed up for church:

Lauren's friend Samantha was born a week after Lauren. Sam's parents are in our Sunday school.
Lauren really likes this toy (see video below).
Lounging on the breastfeeding pillow:

Lauren continues to melt our hearts. Her little personality is showing up in various ways.

* How she crys out in the early evening when she wants her milk and mommy is trying to get dinner cooked or trying to take a little break from the 'feeding frenzy'. The cry isn't one of pain or helplessness... it's one of demand and I think it's kind of funny.

* She coos and 'talks' when we sit on the bouncy exercise ball together and sing. I think she is showing me how she enjoys this activity.

* She smiles while looking at us.

* She follows me with her eyes when I walk into a room or when I walk by. She knows when I'm in the room and when I leave (she crys when I leave).

* I know she likes to be held (what baby does not). She is content and happy when I'm holding her. I can put her in her bouncy chair for awhile, but then she wimpers a bit... I pick her up and she is happy again.

* She is growing! She wears 3 month outfits and will probably grow out of them soon.

* She likes her new toy:

Lauren's Unofficial Schedule

Last night was a wonderful night for mommy because Lauren slept for 5 hours straight! After a feeding frenzy starting at around 6:15pm and going until 11:30pm (with a break for a walk around the neighborhood which turned into a mini-nap for Lauren and small breaks to hangout with daddy till he couldn't keep her from sucking on his arm or shirt), Lauren slept from 11:30pm until 4:40am! Then she slept for another 3 hours... but those weren't as restful for me because although she was sleeping, she was making lots of little noises in her crib. She makes lots of grunting/chirping noises in her sleep.

We haven't inforced a schedule for her, but so far looks like she likes the following:

rise and shine (between 6:45 and 7:30am)
mid-morning nap (at around 10 or 11 am for about 1 or 2 hours)
afternoon nap (any time between 1 - 4pm lasting for about 2 or 3 hours)
eating before bed (between 7-11pm)
bedtime (at around 10 or 11pm)

This works well for us because daddy sometimes doesn't get home till 7pm... so an early bedtime would be bad for daddy since he wants to play with his little girl when he gets home.

I hope that the night feedings will continue to be like last night:

feeding #1: 5 hours after bedtime
feeding #2: 3 hours after feeding #1

I'm really not as demanding as I look... "I want my milk now!":
Grandma Bonnie likes to come play with me:
Ms. Debi is the sweet lady who set my mommy and daddy up on their first date! Without her, there wouldn't be a me!
My first big girl outfit (I no longer wear NB size):

Early mornings with mommy:

Lauren's Life at Home

Lauren was born during a storm. Here is a rainbow from our kitchen window after another rain storm at 5 weeks of age:

Lauren lounges in her chair after breakfast at 6:45am. This gives mommy a chance to eat her breakfast.
Daddy is gaga over Lauren. Well, so is mommy.
My chubby, peaceful baby:
After a bath I put her in this outfit to warm her up:
Pink bear outfit... sitting in little lamb chair:
The milking station:

Aunt Jessee's Visit

Jessee is my twin sister and my best friend. She visited Lauren in early February. She loves Lauren just like I love her two boys, Tyler and Garrett. We all had a wonderful time together!

Valentine's day at Chez Nous in Touca Lake:
Valentine's Day with Aunt Jessee and Lauren:
An open eye!
Aunt Jessee... Lauren is so comfortable with her!

Week 5 --- Breastfeeding is hard, but I'm sticking with it

[Update: Met with Lactation consultant today (Roxy Sims from Glendale Memorial Hospital) and all is well. Lauren weighs over 10 pounds! Wow we were surprised by that. She ate 3 ounces during our lactation visit. Her latch is just fine. According to Roxy, she sucks in air due to excessive letdown at times... she pulls back a bit and then loses the latch momentarily. She's been doing better lately and I'm not as stressed about it, especially now that I've gotten the OK from Roxy... Lauren is doing just fine!]
Roxy Sims, lactation consultant from Glendale Memorial:




Look at those chubby cheeks!

This is where I feed her and a few of the pillows I use:
Lauren's giraffe toy and her little lamb chair. Happy and chubby.
Lauren loves her daddy so much:
One of her favorite positions:
Chubby cheeks:

Breastfeeding was easy at first... but has gotten harder the last week (week 4-5) mainly because I think Lauren has a shallow latch sometimes (especially during the middle of the night feedings) and she sucks in air sometimes and I can hear the air bubbles going into her tummy :(.

I started out the morning in tears for a few reasons:

1. I'm really tired
2. Lauren was fussy the night before due to gas... which I suspected she was getting from ME (not my foods, but from breastfeeding - is it an improper latch, a weak latch?)
3. Lauren was fussy in the morning and was sucking some air
4. I have 5 pillows, one "my brest friend" aide, and a love seat and I was frustrated trying to figure out how to best set up for feeding Lauren. Is this normal to have so many pillows and to feel awkward when getting set up and trying to get a good latch?

So today I spent some time on the internet looking for info and videos on breastfeeding. These videos helped (you tube) and I got a good latch this evening from one little tip (a slight rotation so the chin rotates away from the areola getting the "asymmetrical latch"). Asymmetrical latch means that the lower lip is farther away from the nipple and the upper lip is closer to the nipple. The lower lip massages the milk ducts and the baby gets the fatty hind milk if she can stay on for around 20 minutes. Lauren doesn't usually make it to 20 minutes unless I coax her and try to keep her awake and alert. Well, instead of me explaining all of the breastfeeding tips I found useful, I'm going to create a link list to my favorite helpful breastfeeding sites and videos. Breastfeeding is very rewarding and I am sticking to it. Tomorrow I have a lactation appointment (my last free appointment at Glendale Memorial Hospital) and then I'm going to become a regular at the GMH breastfeeding support circle which meets every Thursday from 1-3pm... it's free and I need the support right about now!

Also, I got a lot of great encouragement from friends including my friend Crystal L., mother of 3 little ones. One reason I love using facebook is all of the encouragement I've gotten from my mommy friends, including Crystal. Here is the facebook post from Crystal that really encouraged me:

"I made a mental note to self about a week and a half ago, that I would re-assure my daughters when they have children - that nursing takes time, and not to give up - it took Judah and I a good 2 1/2 months to get in sync - and often - you are more than likely doing just fine - and it doesn't SEEM like it. They are hardwired to nurse - and it does get easier - we PROMISE!" - Crystal

Love my friends for the encouragement. Also, my hubby bought some mylicon drops to help Lauren if she has swallowed air and needs some gas relief. We were going to get Gripe Water, but Target was out. Those were the two medicines friends recommended for gas relief.

Did I mention how tired I am? I'm not sleeping very soundly... to be honest, I'm having nightmares that Lauren is in my arms while I'm sleeping or that I'm squeezing my breast while she is nursing (in my sleep) or other anxiety/baby related topics my mind chooses to go to while sleeping! I need to pray about this and get rid of this anxiety before sleeping.

Off to feed Lauren!