Bennett at One Month

Happy first month to our sweet baby boy!

There's nothing like having a newborn to make a month somehow simultaneously seem to fly by and also slowly creep by at a snail's pace.  It seems like he's always been here, yet how we've made it through 30-some days and nights seems like a miracle.

We've come a long way in this past month.  He's hopefully put on a pound or two and grown an inch or so.  I don't know the specifics as my doctor doesn't make second-time parents come in for a one-month checkup.  He's out of newborn clothes and into his 0-3 month set, and he's developed a roll in each thigh, so we are on the right track.

The first couple weeks of Bennett's life were filled with some feeding trouble (which naturally also lead to sleeping trouble).  A visit to a lactation consultant lead to a diagnosis of tongue-tie.  A quick snip of the membrane under his tongue (while a slightly horrified mother sat by his side) allowed him to begin to nurse effectively and not maim me.

Most days we are able to keep Bennett on a 2.5-3 hour feeding schedule (a la Babywise) pretty well.  This schedule has been keeping the two of us sane, or as sane as one of us can be in a sleep-deprived state.

Sleep has been going okay.  He's not one of those kids we have to wake up to eat all day long.  He takes mostly one hour naps throughout the day and at night we can get him to sleep about two hours at a time.  It could be worse!

His favorite awake activity is "playing" on activity mats.  If they have a mirror, all the better.  He can lay there for 20-30 minute stretches if he's in the mood.  He tolerates the Bjorn bouncer chair and can really enjoy a good swing ride if he needs a morning nap.

Our favorite mother-son activity at the moment is going for walks with him in the bassinet.  He can relax awake just looking around, and he's happy to dose off and take his nap so long as the stroller keeps moving.  Orelia never liked the bassinet, so I especially appreciate our relaxing walks where I get some fresh air and the opportunity to listen to Taylor Swift albums.

Bennett loves being held and especially likes napping on his daddy's legs.  When he's lucky he gets to be held by his big sister for a few brief moments.  What he really, really likes at the moment is some quality time with his pacifier.

We can't wait to see what he's like next month!