Breathing is easier now.

While I never got around to writing a birth story (it was a routine c-section without much to tell), some of it might end up being interspersed here.


Today was a big day for Will’s mommies. It was a big day, not because today was his two month checkup, not because the doctor swooned all over him, and not because he received his vaccinations- but because he’s made it out of the 5th percentile for weight.

When little Will was gestating, we never thought he was going to be big baby. Janet never really looked 40 weeks pregnant, no one ever joked that she was as big as a house- so I just assumed he was going to be a high 6, low 7 lb baby. Dr. Lo always seemed to be on the same path as well.

Fast forward to delivery day. When I was huddled at Janet’s face, waiting for them to bring him over from the initial check lungs/wrap in blanket stage of delivery, I couldn’t figure out why it felt like it was taking them forever. I looked to see the scale on the warming cart- 5lbs, 9.8ozs. “What the F$%%???” was the first thing that went through my head, immediately followed by, “Did we do something wrong?”. His vitals were fine, but it wasn’t my imagination, it was taking longer because they spent more time warming him. Holding tiny William for the first time, was akin to mortal fear combined with complete joy. Was he truly healthy, did he have an underlying condition, why is he latching on to my nose, he looks like a cute old man in a tiny body...all questions/thoughts streaming though my head. Dr. Lo tried to convince me that Will’s weight was at one time a normal baby weight. She’s right, but I still felt scared/worried, etc.

The next 2.5 days were spent with a two fold mission, stop his weight loss and keep him warm. He had problems latching- not with the will to latch- he came out rooting for the goods-but with the- my mom has big boobs and I have a small mouth- how do I make this work? The day before we were to leave, he had lost more than 10% of his birth weight, so we were handed formula to supplement. While Janet was working so hard at breastfeeding, we succumbed- as nice as they were at the hospital, we just wanted to be home. By Sunday, he had gained enough weight to be let out of jail. The weeks following release were filled with scales, weight checks, and visits to the lactation consultant. At his first non weight check pediatrician visit, he was 5th percentile for weight, and 50th for height- I don’t remember his head. We were highly encouraged to bring back a baby double his birth weight to his two month check up.

~2 months later, our little man, while not doubling his birth weight, is a happy 10lb 4oz boy and in the 25th percentile for weight. He’s happily hanging onto his 50th percentile for height, measuring in at 22.25 inches. I finally know his head measurement (why is that one so hard to remember?)- 15.25 inches, which places him in the 25th percentile as well.

Our little man will probably never have chunky thighs or baby rolls- but his mommies can now stop stressing out over him sleeping an extra hour here and there.