Maureen, our midwife, has just been by again to check my stitches (things are not healing very well, but that’s another story). I took the opportunity to ask her to weigh Fiona.
Fi was asleep, so we didn’t want to strip her to the skin and wake her up. Maureen suggested we put another bodysuit and nappy in the scales, then subtract that weight from the weight of the fully clothed baby. I pointed out that if we zeroed the scales with the clothing and nappy in there, then we’d get the right weight for the girl. We did this, and stared at the reading. It was too high to believe.
So we stripped Fi down and put her in the scales naked (and complaining), and the weight was confirmed.
4.74 kilos (For those of you who think in Imperial, that’s 10 lb 7 oz.)
She was last weighed at 6 days of age, and was unusual enough then for having gained 50 grams rather than losing weight, as most babies do in the first week. That put her at 4.1 kg/ 9 lb 1 oz. So she’s gained 640 g / 1 lb 6 oz in the last 10 days. That’s a lot of weight..
I had noticed that her clothing was getting a little tight in the tummy, and a little short from shoulder to crotch. And she does seem to be eating all the time. My mother was once told that her milk had a “high butterfat content”, and such things are hereditary. So some weight gain is to be expected, even with anaemia. But 15% in 10 days?
The health visitor is coming on Monday with a different set of scales. I wonder what they’ll say?
Did Alex hit the proverbial ground growing?
Alex was much more typical – he lost weight for the first few days. He actually lost almost 10% of his birthweight (10% is the trigger level for them starting to worry.) The doctors thought he had jaundice and the midwife made sure to keep a close eye on him for a little while until he started gaining.
I suspect part of this is that I was less experienced as a breastfeeder with Alex. Also, this time I was giving milk as well as colostrum (sugar-water, basically, which is what you usually give for the first few days after the birth) from Day One. But most of the difference is because Fi is just a milk monster.
Seeing all this “mom” stuff come from you . . . how crazy. Cool, but crazy nonetheless.
Mom says you’re simply delighted. I’m so happy for you. I miss you like crazy. I’ve found myself talking about you a lot here, and when Fiona was born, I went around all day telling everyone.
Take care of yourself. I’ll be studying over there Fall Semester hopefully (well, Prague); it’d be great to see you.
I guess I owe you an email . . .
Love you.