Sleep… what is sleep? We only speak in naps here! Everyone tells you to be prepared for no sleep with a newborn. They almost tell you this with a laugh it seems. Even though we have been hearing about no sleep since the day we announced our pregnancy, nothing could truly prepare us for the lack of real sleep once she arrived. Kayden is feeding every two hours so between feedings I get a whole hour to sleep. Just enough time to refill the milk ducts and do it all over again. Kayden is an awesome sleeper during the day. As soon as night falls the length of her naps decreases significantly and she becomes very alert. She also needs to eat more often, which means I can’t get enough of the good sleep at night. Lucky for me, I fall asleep very easily and I get the whole hour of REM sleep. Miss Kayden is a sleeping beauty as long as the sun is up. Come night fall, she is a new baby who is ready to party! I keep asking people when I can expect her to sleep longer… all I get is laughter. Wondering what I should make of that?!
Author: Tiffany Hatcher
Kayden’s First Sponge Bath
After a week of being alive I decided it was time to give Kayden her first bath. She isn’t the most graceful of eaters and she has had her share of milk mustaches and needed an overall tune up. The bath went well. All I knew was that I wasn’t supposed to submerge her in the water because her belly button stump hadn’t fallen off yet. I wasn’t sure however how to go about sponge bathing her. I got creative and we made it happen! I bathed her, she smelled great, and I wrapped her in a nice comfy towel. This is where my I made my first mistake as mom. I put Kayden on the bed snuggled up in her towel as I got her outfit and diaper ready. I guess this took longer than I thought because after I put her diaper on I noticed that her hands and lips were bluish. Of course Scotty was out surfing so I was on my own! Rather than start crying because I froze my child, I immediately put on her pants, long sleeve shirt, knit hat, and socks to reheat my child. She never even cried to tell me she was cold!! After a few minutes sitting in the sun light she was back to normal! Phew! Hopefully next time goes a little smoother…
What are we supposed to do now?
The hospital gave us our walking papers and we couldn’t have been more excited to return to the comfort of our own home. Kayden was born face up which resulted in a cone-shaped head with a pretty massive bruise. We knew shortly after her birth that she would be a jaundice baby. We certainly weren’t prepared for all that came with it! Kayden spent a day in her own ‘tanning bed’ to help bring down her bilirubin level. We were released on Tuesday with a clean bill of health. The bilirubin level went down to within the normal range and we were out the door. Next, it was time to figure out what this whole baby thing was all about! We are certainly blessed to have the support of two amazing families that are willing to help in any way possible… I wonder if they know just what they are signing up for!
First Smile
I know this doesn’t officially count, but Kayden has been smiling since the day she came out. Everyone says the first smiles are from gas, but I think it has more to do with the jokes I tell or faces I make!
Kayden’s Arrival
Kayden Riley Hatcher graced our family with her arrival two weeks early on Sunday June 6, 2010. She was ready to come meet the word and she came on her own terms. After two days of labor she came with a relatively easy delivery. A little over 8 hours of official labor and she was finally here. She is by far the best thing I have ever done! Scotty was absolutely amazing through the whole experience- all 9 months! His patience, love, and support made my pregnancy and birth experience a wonderful milestone in my life. We are so thrilled to be Kayden’s parents!