72 Hours of Exhaustion

I spent this past weekend at the hospital for the 72 hour breast feeding lesson with Maxim. Ok, so I didn't exactly do the full 72 hours, but it was close enough.  The hospital suggested I stay there and "imprint" on Max as I try and breast feed him at his feedings every three hours.  This meant that I had to stay over night in the sudo-hotel room they have set up down the hall from Maxim's pod.  I did not stay Friday night because I was so tired from the work week and just wanted a good night sleep.  I did get there early on Saturday and stayed until Sunday night.  I figured this would also give me a glimpse of what it would be like when he comes home. Boy, was I exhausted.  Here is how the weekend went.
1. Do Maxim's cares (change diaper and check his temperature)
2. Breast feed, but not actually breast feed because he is still learning how to feed
3. Rock the big man back to sleep
4. Walk down the hall to my room and pump since the big man did not actually feed
5. Walk back down to his pod to hand in my milk to the nurse
6. Walk back down the hall to my room to try and get some sleep
7. Sleep for about an hour
8. Repeat the above steps

It went on like this all weekend.  I was SOOOOO EXHAUSTED.  I felt it wouldn't have been so bad if I didn't have to pump, clean the pieces and hand in my milk.  If I could have just breast fed and called it a success and went back to bed then maybe I wouldn't have been so tired.  Plus, it was even more rough getting out of bed on Monday morning to head into work. Since I am working until Max comes home I am teaching him how to breast feed at night after work while the nurses give him a bottle during the day and in the middle of the night.  He is doing well, but it's a slow process.  If he is up to it he will take up to 35 ml of breast milk from the bottle.  His full feeds are 50ml, so he still has a bit to go.  He will latch on to me, but doesn't get much as he falls asleep fast, so we are working on that with him.

After a full belly!

I believe he just needs to learn how to feed on his own without the tube and then he can come home.  One nurse suggested this could take 10 days, so I am hoping we have a fast learner on our hands.  I am so excited for him to come home and have my bonding time with him that does not include the hospital and a lot of nurses.

Here he is smiling.  He smiles a lot when we hold him.  He has even laughed a couple times.  Too cute!

Maxim is currently 5 pounds and 10 ounces.  He is a growing little boy who is starting to look HUGE to his mommy.