Bits + Pieces

"Bits + Pieces" are a little late this week but I kind of like that this way it includes Saturday. This week was pretty intense, with some major ups and downs for me and baby Ben. 

Ben turned 6 weeks old. Lots of social smiles now and I soak them all up. Put your hands in the air and wave them like you just don't care. Heh.

I can't believe how fast my baby is growing! I took his photo with this giraffe at one week and again here at six weeks.

Isn't my mom so pretty? She needed headshots for a new blog/website we're working on for her. She's on such an exciting journey and I can't wait for her to share her talents and passion with her new clients. Go show her some love!

Instagram/iPhone wrap up: 

+ I'm really loving my goal to read the Bible in a year. So far I'm staying up with the list. Occasionally I've missed or not finished a daily devotion but I've made it up before too much time has past. I have to get creative to read, either staying up after an early morning nursing session or reading while walking and wearing Benjamin. Earlier in the week I was reading while pumping. Hah - now that's a sight! I am learning so much and it's fun to have the encouragement of my sister and friends that have also joined the challenge. 

+ We got a new baby carrier this week. I ordered this ring sling from Raspberry Baby which I talked about more in "What's In My Diaper Bag?".

+ We've had a few rough nights this week. For the last 10+ days Benjamin has had a rash on a lot of his body, including his face, arms, and back. We thought that it might have been a contact rash caused by an outfit washed in a different detergent but after a few days it still hadn't gone away. Separate of this issue he's been very gassy and as a result, uncomfortable. Most of the time he's irritable and his sleep, fitful, especially during the day. Then, this week, he's had a lot of diarrhea and I could hear the milk travel right through him as he ate. Poor guy. I started doing research online to figure out what the problem might be. I've been thinking that maybe he is lactose intolerant but after reading some I now believe he may have a milk protein intolerance. His 2 month appointment isn't scheduled until the end of the month so I called to get him in on Friday. I interviewed Ben's pediatrician in my last month of pregnancy to make sure that we would be a good fit. (I highly encourage you to do this before your baby comes especially if personal referrals aren't available to you.)  He has a holistic approach which I like because it means he first "prescribes" natural remedies before turning to antibiotics. He believes I have an oversupply of breast milk. When he first suggested it I was skeptical (in all my experience, right?) especially when told me that it meant I'd have to stop pumping entirely and start nursing on my back (say what?!). He said that there may be something to the milk protein intolerance as well but maybe not. In that article from the Le Leche League it says that oversupply is often misdiagnosed for lactose intolerance. I found another great article on oversupply here. 

We are 48 hours into making these changes. Breastfeeding on my back is really complicated but we're slowly learning with practice. He has a hard time staying latched on sometimes and it's difficult with the amount of pressure on his stomach. With that being said, he is eating longer and a little further apart. He already doesn't seem to have as much gas and hasn't had anymore diarrhea. All good things! As a precaution I've also cut obvious dairy out of my diet (milk, cheese). His rash is still there but I'm hoping that it dissipates soon. Not pumping has caused quite a few tears. I'm in so much pain throughout the day and it really sucks not being able to get that release. I understand the reasoning behind not pumping so as not to signal more milk but I wasn't using it to produce a supply. I would pump a feeding or two at a time so that I could get a break if I was too sore and would pump the feeding that Ben was bottle fed. We're trying this though. I am praying that if we can get my supply under control that will also alleviate the painful letdown that I experience caused by forceful milk ejection. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers!

+ Mama kisses. I love Benjamin's face like, "What are you doing?" He's always watching me, every moment. I love kissing him, talking to him, and making him smile. 

+  Antiquing loot -vintage book, Jo's Boys, and Gymboree sweater for $12. Score. I have a confession to make. I bought the book based solely on its cover. I love this vintage edition and have picked up a couple others like it over the years. What I love most about it is the title! I mean, how perfect is that for me? I instantly started thinking about a stylized photoshoot with my two Ben's reading it. Jo's Boys. Cute, right? I know. It wasn't until today that I really looked at the book and realized that it was written by Louisa May Alcott. I have always loved Little Women. Of course my favorite character was always Jo because we had the same nickname. I never read Little Men and this is the sequel to that. It looks like we'll be doing some actual reading over here! Sounds good to me.

Yesterday Benjamin, my mom, Jaydean, and I went to Old Town Temecula so that I could take Jaydean's senior photos. I can't believe my baby sister is in her last semester of high school! When did that happen? The air was cold and biting but Jaydean and I knocked it out. It was like old times when I used to photograph her all the time! We had so much fun and I can't wait for her to share the photos. After our session we met up with my mom and the baby, who were inside keeping warm. We only had a little while to explore the antique shops before they closed at 5PM but I still managed to find the book and sweater.