"At Least We're Not The Slim Jim Parents" - Hudson At One Month

So technically as of today Hudson is 5 weeks, 1 day old. I had the best intentions to get this up while he was still one month old, however last week was pretty tough including switching Hudson's reflux medicine, a hunger strike and a majorly clogged milk duct so I did not have any computer time.

Leaving the hospital

Here we are, one month into parenthood and all I can say is "at least we're not the Slim Jim parents." (Keep reading for that to make sense)  Having a newborn is an experience that NOTHING can prepare you for. I had this grand idea of what my first month of motherhood was going to be like including; my baby will sleep all day long (wrong) I will just put my baby in hiss cozy little bassinet and he will be content (double wrong) my baby will just cry when he needs a diaper change or is hungry (TRIPLE WRONG)

First off, Hudson has acid reflux. It's pretty common for newborn babies and most babies are not bothered by it and eventually grow out it. This was not the case for Hudson. Even before we left the hospital Hudson would just scream and cry all night long. Todd and I could not figure out what was wrong with him. I would sit there in the room trying to calm him down and just imagine the nurses outside my door shaking their heads at my parenting. I just pictured them saying to each other "That poor baby, those people don't know what they are doing!"

Typical Hudson face

When we brought him home it didn't get any better. There were times when you just could not calm this baby down.  There were so many times I would look at Hudson, his face so red from screaming and I would just say "I am so sorry you stuck with the new parents who have no idea what their doing" It killed me to not be able to soothe what was hurting my baby.

 The only thing that would get him to stop crying was to nurse. Since his crying usually peaked in the evening, I spent most of 4-9 pm during the first two weeks nursing non-stop. Luckily Todd's mom came out to meet Hudson and right away said "it looks like he has reflux." Todd had it really badly as a baby so she had some experience with it. I made an appointment with the the pediatrician and we worked out treatment plan including Zantac for Hudson and me cutting all dairy out of my diet...the one thing I was hoping I would never have to do. It is still a work in progress and I wish I could say today we are 100% fine, but reflux deserves its own post.

Hudson enjoys the superbaby hold aka colic hold

 Hudson also refused to sleep in his bassinet for the first weeks of life. He would only sleep if I held him in my arms, including naps. During those first few couple weeks I was lucky to get 15 minutes hands free to take a quick shower. At night I would wrap myself up in my Snoogle maternity pillow so I wouldn't fall over on him during the night. I did not have any solid sleep because I was so paranoid I would smother my baby. Today he is sleeping in a bassinet next to our bed, but it was a very slow process. I scoured books, blogs and movies to find some advice on helping your baby sleep, also deserving of its own blog post.

These moments make it all worth the sleepless nights!

Even though they were an incredibly rough first four weeks, I can't imagine my life without my little man. There were moments that just melted my heart; rocking him to sleep while singing him a song, the way he puts one hand on my chest while he sleeps in my arms, the way he bunches his little hands up into fists when he first starts to nurse, his hiccups...he is my greatest accomplishment.

I have also learned I am not as incompetent of a parent as I feel. I have loved putting statuses on Facebook about what I think are parenting fails only to see so many of friends and family went through the exact same thing. During one midnight feeding where I was rocking to him to sleep and thinking how I am creating a sleep crutch that will mean Hudson will have to be rocked to sleep until he is in high school, I posted a status asking if anyone really does sleep training at night. I had so many comments saying "I still rock my baby" or "We love co-sleeping" or "My baby didn't still through the night until he was 1." It made me feel so much better about my own struggles between trying to do what the "experts" say and doing what I know works for my baby. I am constantly having to remind myself that when it comes to Hudson, I am the expert. I am the one who will know what works for him and even if it goes against the "rules" if it makes him happy and keeps him healthy, I am doing it!

Funny guy!

At our one month appointment our pediatrician was going over the regular questions about Hudson health and he asked "no juice right?" I looked at him like he was crazy. Of course I am not giving my newborn baby juice! I told him "No, of course not. I didn't think were supposed to introduce anything like until like 6 months" He said "You would be surprised, I think the worst thing I saw was when I lived in North Carolina and some parents gave their 4 month old baby a Slim Jim to teethe on." So now when ever I feel like I am failing as a parent because I am not sleep training Hudson or that after I change his diaper in public I give him a little squirt of his Colic Calm because he likes the flavor so he won't scream when I walk out the bathroom or that I once nursed him for 2 hours so Todd and I could watch a movie in silence, I always tell myself "At least we're not the parents with the Slim Jim"

Hudson's One Month Stats:

-He weighs 7 pounds 13.5 ounces
-21 inches long
-Still wearing newborn clothes, I was so hesitant to buy any newborn stuff because I was told he would only wear it for a week. His 0-3 month clothes are so big one him! Poor guy has to rotate the same 7 rompers.
-Average stretch of sleep is 2 hours during the day and 3 hours at night

Hudson's One Month Highlights

-His first Christmas at Nana and Pop Pop's house. He loved sitting by the fire.

-Meeting his Grandma and Grandpa

-Meeting his Great Grandma McLarty

-Bath time! Hudson loves soaking in the warm water.

I just have so much love for this little guy!

-Mrs. J