As can be derived from the title, week 2 and 3 have not been a cake-walk, such as week 1. This was to be expected and while you prepare yourself mentally for the challenge, the physical demands still sets you back.
I realized that they DO actually grow in a week. The Newborn vests that were fitting perfectly a week or so ago suddenly became very snug. So snug that after 15 minutes of my wife struggling to get the now tight-fitting vest off Luke and he getting quite agitated at the situation, I make an entrance with the kitchen scissors. The missus held him tightly and I cut very carefully to relieve him of his body-suite and with relief we peeled the remains from his arms to proceed with the bath. With his weekly weigh in, there was a nice increase to just under 4kg's so it is confirmed that the clothes did not shrink in the wash. We expect a similar gain by tomorrow's weigh-in.
His tummy was also rock-hard this week. It is probably a combination of the formula powder and colic medicine, but as I was trawling through the shelves at Pick n Pay to get infant pro-biotics I spotted the Phipps' Milk of Magnesia bottle and suddenly had flashbacks from my Grandma's medicine cabinet. This little bottle of magic cured many a tummy ache, so into the trolley it went. It seemed to sort out the tummy nicely after a week of pro-biotics did not do much.
We also got what seems to be a light introduction to colic. Every evening after his 8pm feed it is a real mission to burp him and get him to sleep. We moved his bath to the afternoon and continue with Telement drops (spelling?!) before his feeds and Gripe Water afterwards. Sunday night and last night we took him for a 40 minute drive which seems to get him to settle, but as soon as the car stops, the fussiness starts again, so it is trial and error until he either outgrows it, or we hit the sweet-spot with various techniques of burping, playing soothing music, tummy massages and the like.
I am becoming more and more grateful for the night nurse that we have twice a week. While it is truly amazing to see how fast a little human develops (he is already holding his head up by himself for most parts and he seems to be coming along nicely with control over his arms and legs) it is sometimes forgotten with the short term focus of feeding, burping, changing and putting him to sleep successfully.
Furthermore it is great to have friends and family who not only sympathize, but are also willing to get their hands "dirty" and help out where necessary.
Good news is that the missus got the all-clear to drive, so I suspect that if things gets too much she will be turning off her laptop (jip, she is still working between 4 and 6 hours a day even though the little man became so demanding) and take him for a nice stroll on the beachfront. The weather is at least pleasant for the rest of the week.
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