Mason: The Early Months

 

 Poor little M is already getting the shaft on my blog by being the second born.  I always felt so jipped as the second child.  There are not nearly as many pictures of me as there are of my older sister.  For many years it was a sore spot, wondering why my parents didn't make a greater effort to document my babyhood.  But now I get it.  These past 8.5 months have gotten away from me.  It has gone by so fast.

Mason's first few days of life were very hard. I was incredibly sleep deprived and an emotional wreck, but once the insomnia subsided and I was able to think more objectively, I began too cherish and enjoy my time as a new momma of two sweet children.

M is such a good natured, mellow, even tempered baby.  The only challenge that him and I have had was nursing.  Before he was born I pretty much expected that breastfeeding would be a breeze because every moment of it was so incredibly difficult and miserable with Sofia.  When the same difficulties arose around week five I was heart broken.  There were times when I would sit in my rocking chair with M in my arms and weep at the sense of loss I felt.  His refusal to nurse felt like reliving my worst nightmare.  However, I discovered that when he rejected my milk the conventional route, I could pump and then feed it to him in a bottle.  I did this exclusively until December when his demand for more milk increased and my supply stayed the same.  I began adding an ounce of formula to his bottles.  Unfortunately this began the demise of my milk supply.  I was able to offer him half formula and half breast milk for a while, but by the beginning of January I (prayerfully) made the decision to switch to formula full time.  While I still feel sad that I am not able to nurse my little boy I do not, however, feel guilty because I know it was the right decision made at the right time.

Despite this difficulty Mason's first months of life were and are a pleasure and we are loving every minute!