week 0 - back home

was discharged from "hotel hospital" on saturday noon and it was not without some unwillingness given that the past few days had afforded me quite a bit of well-needed rest (and a scenic view of the macritchie reservoir at that).

baby n had been on phototherapy since friday morning and we had to wait for the SB results before the pediatrician could discharge him. thankfully, levels were low (6, with possible extended stay needed if levels were 10 and above) and we got the green light to leave with baby in tow. the nursery nurse helping to bring baby n to the car said that he was very strong and I the lift ride down to the car, we got a sense of his strong neck muscles when he lifted his head on his own for a bit. he then took a one-eyed peek of the car before attacking my boobs. :(
this is day 5 and we are slowly adjusting to 4 in the house and getting a better sense of baby n's character. here are my initial impressions:
1. he needs his milk NOW! if he wakes up at feeding time and there's a delay in delivery of the liquid gold, he gets mighty upset. so i have actually resorted to feed first change later so as to avoid having to contend with flailing arms and legs that always get in the way of the multi-step diaper change ritual.
2. that he latches on well is the understatement of the year. he literally ATTACKS my boobs with a vengeance that i don't really recall with h. thankfully this time round the milk supply is plentiful otherwise i would expect the same kind of frustration shown by h previously.

3. he sleeps cries and feeds. those times when he is awake with his eyes open are rare ... he even sleeps when taking a bath!

4. he likes to be patted on his bum. not the case for h who is a hands-off-me kind of kid so i am treasuring this.

5. he is strong for a week-ling. he kicks off his socks, his mittens don't stay on, and when he is in one of his moods i lose in the battle to get him swaddled properly.

schedule wise, n is being put through the babywise rigeur just like h. except that it is eat sleep sleep most of the time rather than eat play sleep. he has fallen into the rather predictable 2.5-3 hour cycle and he definitely eats his full for every feed, so hopefully he drops the night feeds subsequently, babywise-style. it's really for my sanity that it happens as soon as possible because i am not one that can survive with interrupted sleep.

we are also having it that n is bathed and swaddled by 7.30 each evening so that he nurses and sleeps by around 8.15 ... this gives enough time for me to then put h to bed before 9.30 or 10 latest. hoping that this schedule can last us for quite some time to come!