I went to the free health clinic in downtown Durham yesterday for Luca's checkup. We don't have any information in the mail yet about our application for Medicaid, so I decided to stop calling pediatricians in the area (who just kept telling me they weren't taking anymore Medicaid patients), and take him to the clinic. I guess it's because it's run by Duke, but it is a very nice clinic... with a VERY nice pediatrician! I was surprised. Not only did she have a basic knowledge of breast feeding (you wouldn't believe what pediatricians will say sometimes on that subject... they need way more training in that area!) but she did not have a problem with me wanting to do an alternative vaccine schedule for him. She even said the Heb A/B and Rotavirus vaccines were not necessary for him (gasp!). He weighed 8 lbs 13 ounces... which means he gained 7 ounces in 5 days. Holy cow! What a porker.
I think he eats so much because he loves to suck for comfort. I'm glad you can't overfeed a breastfed baby. I just feed him whenever he starts putting his hands in his mouth and let nature take it from there! Breastfeeding isn't easy but it sure is low maintenance. Well, I hear it gets easy... you just have to get past this crazy newborn stage.
It's funny how he is settling into a little routine already. He always nurses for about half an hour (actively for 10 minutes and then comfort sucking). He is fussy and gassy all afternoon and evening, eating every 2-3 hours or so. Then at about midnight he sleeps for 4-5 hours (I think this is a plus to having oversupply... a full tummy) and then wakes up to be fed every 1.5 hours for the rest of the morning and is slightly less fussy. So I sleep during his long sleep at night and during his longer stretch in the afternoon, and go out and do stuff in the mornings. Yesterday I didn't get my nap and it was HELL.
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