Seven weeks old!

I've been dreadfully lax in keeping a record of the Little Lady's development. Finding the time is hard - between pumping, baby care, animal care, eating and just gazing at her I'm all but out of time. It makes me sad, because there is so much that I know I will forget and I don't want to forget any of it.

She's smiling a lot these days. She has the most beautiful smile that lights up her face, and lights up my heart. I can't believe she is here. A friend who also dealt with infertility was saying that it wasn't so much that she couldn't believe that her baby was hers, but that she couldn't believe that she was his. I completely understand what she means. I could love any baby that was placed in my arms, but I am Little Lady's and hers alone.

Her hair is really growing. Her head still feels like a soft fuzzy peach, but there is definite length at the nape of her sweet neck. I love just stroking her head and inhaling her scent. Sadly I can detect a faint whiff of maple syrup, which comes from the large amounts of fenugreek I'm taking for lactation support, but she has the most delectable baby smell.

She is currently battling a recurrent skin infection. We've just chased it out of her neck, but there are still a few spots behind her ears that look like they may flare again. I don't want to go down the antibiotic route again if we can help it because it was just so difficult getting them in to her.

We've even had a couple of giggles out of her. The Baron spends the evening dancing and singing for her, and she adores it. It makes me laugh too :)

She reached 9 lbs at her weight check on Thursday. I'm still exclusively pumping for her, and it was such a boost to see what progress we're making. Pumping is hard work. I'm proud to say that we've got 4 feeds in the fridge ready for her and there are approximately 80oz in the freezer now. It isn't a lot, but it is a start. I'm taking More Milk Plus, fenugreek, agnus castus and domperidone to help with supply. Sometimes I feel like I should rattle with all the tablets I take....

We still haven't moved to the cloth nappies. I really want to, but I can't find the time to wash our clothes as it is so I'm loathe to add even more to my washing pile. I suspect that I'll have to save cloth nappying until I wean or if we are lucky enough to have a second child.

I thought my period returned at 5 weeks. I'm not so sure - I think the pumping is not quite enough to suppress them totally, but enough to prevent a clear return. The next few months should be interesting! Neither of us mind conceiving again soon, but I would like a little more time to recover from pregnancy and enjoy my little newborn.

My pump is beckoning. Again.