One week old

Aimee celebrated her one-week old birthday with a two hour sleep and three hour screaming session - all this at 1am. Well you can't say we weren't warned (about the sleepless nights and unsolvable screaming).

There are so may deep issues that I have come across when concerned with baby care. Issues which divide people and cause arguments amongst professionals and parents alike. One is the breast feeding issue. There is no doubt that breast milk is indeed best. But what if your child refuses to take to the breast. Bottles are convenient and save on sore cracked nipples and 1-hour to 2-hour feeding cycles.
Cat was too ill to breast feed for the first two days of Aimee's life. Ther staff at hospital fed her bottled formula milk. Our attempts at weening her onto the real thing have proved a frustrating, tearful and unproductive experience. Sure, we could continue various tactics, but it is incredibly stressful for all. Already we tried cold turkey - denying her food untiul she caved in (you know who won that one), we tried deception (silicone teats which attach to the breast) - yeah like she was fooled, not; we also tried cup feeding to stop her relying on the bottle - a horrid messy practice that causes untold amounts of wind and pain for the baby.
Now we are resigned to a cycle of bottle feeding her Cat's expressed milk. So, our clockwork regime goes like this:
1. sterilise equipment
2.express milk
3. Store milk
4. Warm milk (when baby needs feeding)
5. Feed milk
6. Wash and sterilise bottles
7. back to step one.

This regime is no respector of day or night. It takes an extra pair ofhands from Cat's mum to ensure that we both actually get something to eat and something clean to wear.

Another major issue for debate seems to be the dummy - or soothers. Whether to soothe or not.
Many experts seem to suggest never give your child a soother, she will grow up with a deformed mouth, hideous teeth or some other fact to scare the living daylights out of new parents.
Other's say nonsense and a soother is good way of calming a baby earnestly seeking something to suck on for comfort, instead of food. A babyin the womb naturally sucks on her hand for comfort so when she does not get this in the real world, you get screaming and upset.
We'll try the soother over short periods to see if it helps. But all the time, you are aware of the fact that you might be doing something wrong.

Doula suggests we try the dummy, or even my little finger, as a soother. She also suggested waking her to feed every three hours to ensure she doesn't get so hungry during the night. It would also perhaps time shift her fretful period to a more parent friendly late evening, instead of mid early morning.

Nothing tests your reserves of patience or tolerance more than a baby wailing at top volume,only for her to notch it up a gear yet again.

I have more things to get off my chest, but right now, guess what? It's off to sterilise some bottles and pump some milk like a hand maiden. Poor Cat, she was born the sign of the buffulo you know. She says she certainly feels like one.