Introducing Ronan

[Lindsey]

For anyone who is not on Facebook, I'm sorry I have been slacking on the updates My baby boy, Ronan Taylor Alexander, was born March 1 (11 days early) at 3:11 pm. It was a grueling 47 hours of labor, and 40 minutes of pushing but I finally delivered the 9lb 8oz bundle of joy!

Things were tough at first. Our first nurses in the hospital were AMAZING but the daytime nurse the day after Ronan was born was just awful and made us feel like bad parents so we were ready to leave. I should have had more help with breastfeeding in the hospital but was not given the option by the nurse. I ended up struggling a lot at home. We have a program called Healthy and Home for families of newborns where a health nurse will visit us at home and make sure everything is going okay. Well I had 3 or 4 of them come out, in addition to driving to the city to see lactation consultants, and I was honestly just becoming so depressed over the whole situation that I stopped trying to breastfeed and pump after 3-4 weeks. Latching was extremely painful and I was quite damaged from it, and pumping took so much time when I could be bonding with my baby instead. We had to supplement with formula anyway starting at 3 days because he had lost so much weight. I felt a million times better but it's still hard to not feel a little bit guilty about it. Actually, just a few nights ago I noticed I still had some milk so I tried latching him again, thinking maybe now that I'm totally healed and he is bigger, maybe it would work a little better. NOPE! Just a 5 minute latch had me hurting for days! I know I made the right decision for us.

Other than that, things have gone very well with Ronan! He usually sleeps well at night, for 3-4 hour stretches. Formula is great because Scott does his overnight feeds on Fridays and Saturdays. He is growing like crazy!!! He is now seven weeks old and he is already outgrowing 3 month clothing! He was 23 inches long at birth, so he barely fit in newborn sleepers at the beginning!

I am doing well too. I had second degree tears and got quite a few stitches but at my check-up this past week, everything has healed and life can go back to somewhat normal! My hips still feel very weird, like they are almost out of place, but I know they are still shrinking. I got back on the treadmill this morning and started doing some ab exercises. I still have 20 lbs to lose (it really doesn't look like 20 lbs but that's what the scale says!) but I'm going to try to lose it gradually. I told Scott this morning to not let me step on the scale for another 2 weeks. I don't want to get back into the habit of weighing myself daily and letting that dictate how I feel about myself!

In the first few weeks after Ronan was born I told Scott I am NEVER doing this again. Now I think I can lol. I still need to forget a lot of it, but the pain seemed to never end after delivery and now it seems like it didn't last that long lol! Oh goodness I can't believe I'm saying that already! I think there will be more children in our future though Just not anytime soon!!!!

[DIANE W]

Lindsey..... he is just so lovely, he is a little angel.

I have been thinking about you, I am not on facebook, and there was not much posting on here. I am so glad he is here safe and you are all well.

The photos are brilliant, they grow so quick don't they?

Enjoy your time with him, I hope you are getting your rest, I think for me the lack of sleep was the worst thing, I know it doesn't last.... but difficult to cope with all the same.

[Shada]

Lindsey he is perfect!!! Beautiful little baby.
Glad that Scott is helping with the night time feedings, great bonding time for him too with his son.
Looking forward to seeing him grow and hear amazing stories about your new mommy life. I am so happy for you and Scott.. now baby Ronan.

Love his name!!!! Welcome little Ronan

[Lindsey]

Thanks!! I can't believe how much he has changed already! I already get sad about him growing up lol! But I do enjoy him being awake more in the day and watching him learn!! I just love being a mommy!

[JJJ]

Wow, 9pounders Lyndsey Proud of you.


My three boys did not want to be breastfed and in my situation I did not have time to pump so they had formula. I read somewhere that formula babies tend to be overweight but mine are thin and very healthy. Every situation is different and whether is breastmilk or formula they are getting the nutrition they require. Formula lets the dad be more involve and that's a plus.

[Lindsey]

I know! They thought he was big so I was having ultrasounds right until the end. According to the last one he should have been about 8.5 lbs at birth! It was a pound off in the wrong direction lol. I don't know how many times I said "I can't do this! I'm going to die!" during delivery lol. His head was 97th percentile for size. I am so glad he came early because he would have been a c-section for sure if he stayed in any longer. As it was, he got stuck high up and my pushes were not effective so they had to pull him down one cm with forceps so I could actually push him out. The doctor said he did that to avoid an emergency c-section. Ending up with a section after 47 hours of labor would have taken a toll on me for sure.

My mom told me after two weeks of crying to her about breastfeeding troubles, that my brother and I were formula fed as well. I wish she would have told me sooner. It made me feel much more okay with it! I was a chubby baby but stick-thin growing up! And my brother and I have both been relatively healthy!

[DianaB]

Breast feeding just doesn't work for everyone.......and I was one that just didn't have enough milk. I tried so hard with Jaci but gave when she wasn't gaining weight. All that matters is that your ban is growing and happy! I've enjoyed seeing pictures on FB. He's so precious!! I'm so happy for you!

[gja1000]

I'm so glad everything is going so much better for you now Lindsey! Ronan is such a sweetie pie. It's so nice that Scott helps you out on the weekends so you can get some sustained rest. That's really important. Keep us posted, I love hearing about him.

[DianaB]

Me too! We could use some new pictures!

[Lindsey]

My little boy is 8 weeks old today! I feel like we have had him for way more than 8 weeks lol. I don't remember what life was like before him.

Scott weighed him last night and he is now a whopping 14.4 lbs! He is so long that he is already wearing 3-6 month sized sleepers.

This Thursday he is getting his 2-month vaccinations. I am terrified and I'm sure I will cry just as much as he does I will try to stay calm as much as possible though because I know he can tell when I'm upset!

[Lindsey]

Okay here is a picture I took just now lol. Scott put him down for a rest on the floor and he was fussing, so Scott grabbed Kash's favorite toy squirrel and set it beside Ronan. He stared at it until he fell asleep lol!

[DIANE W]

Ahhhh he is so gorgeous all fast asleep.....it makes you just want to cuddle him forever.

[DIANE W]

I just love love love love babies with dummys (I think you may call them soothers??? not sure), my heart just melts, I think it because you concentrate on the eyes, and I go all gooey,

[Lindsey]

Yes we call them soothers They are a life saver for me because I can stick it in his mouth while I get a bottle ready when he's hungry lol! It gives him something to suck on. It also calms him down when he is fighting sleep sometimes. I know some people hate them but I think I'd rather him use a soother than his thumb because I can take the soother away eventually He hasn't discovered his thumbs yet!

[DIANE W]

I don't think they do any harm, my daughter had one, and she had hers until she was about 3...... only around bedtime though, then when she went to nursery she sent her dummy to the fairies, because she was a big girl then going to nursery!!!!!

I just think they are so cute looking x

Just reminds me..... my friends little boy had 2 soothers, one in his mouth and one in his hand, then if he lost it in the night, he had one ready in his hand, worked for them for years. In fact he gained real comfort from his 2 soothers.. bless.