Hellobee

Charlie turned 8 weeks old and he’s a cooing, giggling, laughing little monster that’s getting really good at putting his fists in his mouth. I can also tell that his vision has improved so much. He’s mesmerized by any kind of light, and can track movement with his eyes really well.

Weight

According to Dr. Sears, babies gain an average of 4-7 ounces a week during the first month, and 1-2 pounds a month for the first six months. Charlie has put on almost 5 pounds in 8 weeks!

8 Weeks – 13 lbs 3 oz (+12 oz)
7 Weeks – 12 lbs 7 oz (+8 oz)
6 weeks – 11lbs 15 oz (+12 oz) – 90th percentile
5 weeks – 11lbs 3 oz (+9oz)
4 weeks – 10lbs 10oz (+8oz)
3 weeks – 10lbs 2oz (+1lb)
11 days – 9lbs 2oz (+9oz)
5 days – 8lbs 9oz (+3oz)
Birth – 8lbs 6oz

– Charlie has been cooing since he was 3 weeks old, and now he imitates us when we making cooing sounds.
– Charlie has started giggling at four weeks old, although not nearly as frequently as he coos.
– The baby acne that appeared when he was 3 weeks old is now almost gone.
– Charlie has discovered his fists and though he can’t control his arm movements that well yet, he is pleased as punch when he can get his fists inside his mouth.
– Charlie already outgrew size 1 diapers after going through just 2 boxes.
– Charlie outgrew his 0-3 month clothes and is now wearing 3-6 month clothes.
– When Charlie was first born, you couldn’t even see his eyelashes. Now they’re super long — he definitely got that from Mr. Bee, not me!
– In the past 2 weeks, Charlie has started drooling a little bit.  Apparently many babies start drooling months before they get their first tooth. (source)

I’ve read that baby fussiness peaks at 6-8 weeks and is typically gone by 3 or 4 months. This definitely seems to hold true for Charlie! He used to pass out after his evening bath and bottle, but in the past week he has had trouble going to sleep every night. A friend of a 5 month old told me her son was “beastly” during the 6-8 week period, so hopefully this is just a phase.

Plagiocephaly aka Flat Head

Since Charlie favors his right side and always turns his head to the right (that’s where the door to his room is), the right side of his head is a little flat. His left eye used to be bigger than his right eye, but because his head shape has been changed, his right eye is now bigger! Our pediatrician says that facial asymmetry is common in infants that favor one side like Charlie.

Although we’d been turning his head to the left when we put him in his crib, he’d still favor his right side. Now we’ve just switched his head to the other side of the crib so if he wants to see the action going on in the room, he has to turn his head to the left. Our night nurse used to put a rolled up blanket under alternating sides so we could rotate which direction he faced, but I was too scared of SIDS and asked her to stop. She’d also put him to sleep on his side during the day because he sleeps better on his side, especially since he has breathing problems caused by his laryngomalacia. But I was too scared of SIDS once again and I had her put Charlie on his back. “Back is best” is too indoctrinated, but the rolled up blanket under his side is probably fine. And though back is best, side isn’t too bad if their arm is in front of their body to prevent them from rolling onto their stomach. Still my anxiety gets the better of me.

Babies’ flatheadedness usually corrects itself as the baby gets older and sits up, but preventative measures early on definitely help!

Body Update

I bled for a full 6 weeks even though I didn’t have a vaginal delivery. I felt a little under the weather this week, and thought I might be getting my period. I searched the net to find out when you typically get your period after giving birth. Some women get it within a couple months. But if you’re breastfeeding, you may not have a period the entire time you’re breastfeeding woohoo!

I had to attend an event last week, and I was away from Charlie for 4 1/2 hours. I think that’s about the longest I can be away because I got engorged like a mofo. First you’re pregnant for almost 10 months, then you breastfeed for a year, so your baby owns your body for almost 2 years. I’ve given up my beloved alcohol. Abstained from all the foods you’re supposed to abstain from when you’re pregnant. I haven’t slept on my stomach since I had a baby bump since you’re not supposed to sleep on your boobs if you’re trying to increase milk production. And now I avoid foods that can potentially cause gassiness in Charlie like cabbage (the main ingredient in kimchi!) and soda. Charlie is my master.

I also had a checkup with my ob this week, and she said if I give birth within 2 years, I should have another c section to allow my uterus sufficient time to heal. But if I give birth 2 years after Charlie was born, I can try having a vaginal birth. The only problem with a vaginal birth is… will my next baby be as big or bigger than Charlie because I don’t think I could push such a big baby out!

Bonding

I didn’t feel an instant bond when Charlie was born. I think the first two weeks you’re delirious from lack of sleep, you have no idea what you’re doing, and you’re functioning on pure adrenaline. Around the one month mark, I really started cherishing our alone time together in the mornings. I play with Charlie, feed him, and rock him to sleep. I hold him tight, sniff his wonderful newborn scent, and realize just how much I love this little guy.

Some moms told me that it gets a little bit easier around the 6 week mark, and they were right. By 6 weeks you get into more of a routine, and better understand your baby’s personality and needs. I can tell when Charlie needs his diaper changed, when he’s hungry, when he needs to be burped, and when he’s tired… most of the time anyway.

Every day he gets just a little bit cuter to me, and every day my love grows a little bit greater.

Vaccines

Charlie got his first hepatitis B shot at the hospital, and is supposed to get his first round of vaccines next week.  I don’t believe that vaccines cause autism, but I have been looking into whether we should space them out.  This is the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommended vaccine schedule, but Dr. Sears believes in following an alternative vaccine schedule that “spreads the infant vaccines out over the first few years of life, instead of bunching them all up in the first 18 months. It gives fewer vaccines at a time, gives the most important vaccines first, and slightly delays the less important vaccines. But ultimately the end result is the same – a fully vaccinated child.”

Our pediatrician does allow us to space out vaccines (some pediatricians don’t), so I’m definitely going to do more research before Charlie’s appointment next week.