Liam is 18 Weeks

This week was probably one of the most stressful weeks I’ve had since Liam was born.  I’ve found that if he wakes from a good nap, he will nurse, but if he’s been up for a while and needs a nap or if he doesn’t get a good nap in, he is too tired to nurse and will cry until he gets a bottle.  This past weekend, he was off his sleeping schedule and got so tired he would not nurse.  It lasted most of the day on Sunday, and I ran out of fresh pumped milk (that was for work on Monday), and I had to use 2 frozen milks that I have reserved for when I’m at work, or emergencies (like that).  When I started work a month ago I had around 10-15 bottles worth saved up, and generally used them at the start of the week, then just used the milk I pumped at work for the following day. Then during the week the milk I was able to pump dropped nearly in half.  I’m thinking the lack of him nursing over the weekend, and the stress it brought on must have caused the decrease.  One of my friends had sent me some Mother’s Milk herbal tea before Liam was born.  It has fenugreek and other herbs that are supposed to help increase milk production.  It had some pretty positive reviews online, so I tried it, as well as started to pump more frequently, and thankfully I have been able to increase it up again.  Although, he wants to eat so much, I can barely keep up with him.  He has also been fussier lately, and he also is having a hard time napping during the day.  I have read that can be caused by a developmental change.  So it seems, he is going through a growth spurt, and developmental change all at once!  He does sleep pretty well during the night, he does get up to eat at times, but thankfully he will go back to sleep without much effort.  I am grateful for that!

Liam is going in for his 4 month check up and vaccines next week.  We are guessing he will weigh at least 15 lbs. We will also be working on filling out his 4 month questionnaire this week.  We have briefly looked it over, and think even though he’s a preemie, he will score pretty well on it.  Liam has started to relax his hands more and is grabbing things more with them, as well as chewing on his hands.  He tracks objects very well now, side to side, and up and down!  He has a lot more interest in his toys, and also the TV.  He also has started to jump a little in his Jumparoo.  Fussy or not, we love this little guy more and more each day!

comment by Gaylene on 04/24/2008
That's so awesome that he is doing so well. Can't wait to meet the fella