Eight weeks old

Ripley is eight weeks old today.  We have now been home for two weeks and it has felt like much longer.  Ripley is still gaining weight well on breastmilk, but continues to have difficulty with overactive letdown.  It is so frustrating that the reason he gains well (good milk supply) is also the reason he gets so upset with nursing.  I had this issue with Madison as well, but I just don't remember it lasting this long or being this pronounced.  At times, we will be working on one nursing session for over an hour as Ripley will scream at the letdown, I will try to calm him, and we try again, sometimes multiple times.  Sometimes he will fall asleep in between.  I have tried all the suggestions given online and nothing seems to work.  Even laying completely flat such that gravity should help does not do the trick.  I just hope that the milk supply regulates or he grows out of this soon.

Nursing really has become the bulk of my frustrations.  He still is growing very well though.  On Tuesday, we met with a lactation consultant and he was 10 lbs, 9 oz.  On Thursday, he was 10 lbs, 12 oz.  I am glad I at least don't need to be overly concerned about his weight gain.  

Ripley now has stopped using Tylenol for pain on a regular basis.  He is having some trouble with getting #2 out so I sometimes give him a glycerin suppository to get that going.  

He has a typical newborn problem of not being able to sleep well alone or in his crib.  Since I still don't want him to cry too hard, during the night he co-sleeps with me.  This makes nursing easier and quicker for me to get to him.  He tends to do better with nursing at night too.  During the day, I find that I hold him a lot or baby wear him to get him to sleep.  I think I was a little better about making Madison sleep in her crib, but I'm just more nervous with Ripley.  

I am excited for when things become more manageable, but I am happy that the issues we are facing right now are more usual newborn issues than complications from his CHD.