Thursday, December 13, 2012

Finally...an update...

Jimmy's 1 month old photo shoot :)
Obviously keeping this blog up to date is even harder than it used to be, but I promise to do my best from here on out.

So, our little guy is officially 7 weeks old, I can't believe it! Jimmy is doing great and is a very happy little guy. He's growing so fast and is already in 3 month old clothing...mostly because he's so long! He changes on a daily basis...sometimes he looks like me, other days he looks like his dad. He smiles a lot now and is starting to "babble" more and more every day. He just had another growth spurt, so my husband and I are absolutely exhausted. But when he's feeling well, he sleeps for a good 6-8 hours every night and naps during the day...which is great for Mom and Dad!

Going back in time a little...I knew ahead of time that I was going to have a C-Section and I'm proud to say that even with all of the breathing problems I was having towards the end of my pregnancy, I made it full term. My doctor's nurse was just as surprised as I was. But I did it and I'm glad I did because it meant my doctor was able to deliver Jimmy, something that was very important to me. My doctor was the same surgeon that dealt with my Ectopic pregnancy, so I trusted him 100% to deliver Jimmy. And thankfully everything went well. No complications and I healed beautifully. It took about 2 weeks until the pain really disappeared and I was able to get back to "normal" again and luckily my husband was home for those 2 weeks and our family was here to help as well.

As for my JRA, things haven't gone as well as I'd hoped. I'd always heard that as long as you keep breastfeeding, you feel great, like you did while you were pregnant...I guess I wasn't so lucky. I didn't go through a major flare-up, my JRA just gradually snuck up on me. I did great for a about 3 weeks and then I started noticing that my hands weren't working as well and that my ankles were a little sore...little twinges here and there that I hadn't felt in months. Then the pain slowly moved to my knees and hips and then my back and shoulders, until one day I woke up and everything hurt. A pain and discomfort that didn't go away after a hot shower and a short nap. And then I started to realize that I couldn't zip my son's PJ's, had trouble even unfastening the velcro on his diapers and at times lifting him felt nearly impossible. All of these things seemed so easy just a few days before. And then I realized I had to make a choice. Either I suffered in pain, stayed in bed 24/7 and continued to breastfeed my son or I could start my medicine again and regain the ability to care for my son. I knew the benefits of breast milk vs. formula, but I also knew the benefits of a parent caring for their child vs. a parent that was absent. I was physically there every day, but I felt absent, disconnected. I couldn't hold him, change him or even play with him without cringing from pain and all I could concentrate on was the pain. So that's when I made a choice...it was time to get back on my medication. Jimmy had a months worth of breast milk, a small supply still in the fridge, but more than anything, I wanted him to have his mom. After talking things over with my husband and our parents, I called my Rheumatologist and decided to start taking my Nabumetone again.

Now my little guy is 7 weeks old. I've been back on my meds for 3 weeks and I have no regrets. I still have good and bad days...mostly because of the cold weather...but my JRA is calming down. I'm back to caring for my son, zipping up his PJ's, changing his diapers, but best of all cuddling with him as often as I possible can.

2 comments:

  1. HE IS SO CUTE!! Look at all his hair!!! ~;o)

    Congrats on your beautiful, healthy son. And I'm sorry to hear that your JRA came back - that's sort of what mine did too. When it got to the point that I couldn't lift him anymore I decided that the benefits of having a loving, involved mom far outweighed the benefits of breastfeeding. But I know it's a super difficult decision (especially when your body is still full of crazy hormones!!) so I'm here to talk if you need someone to listen!! I know just where you are coming from!!

    Hang in there. I'm glad you're doing awesome back on your meds!! An inspiration, as always!! ~;o)

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  2. Thanks so much for all of the kind words! I felt very guilty switching to formula because I was producing so much breast milk, but I knew having a mom was the most important thing for my little guy. Thanks for all of the support! I hope all is well with you and your little guy!

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