Success! Ryan is brought in at 6:30am, and after ten or so minutes of him snorting and squealing in hunger and frustration, something in his little head clicks: he begins sucking! He happily nurses away for about fifteen minutes, and is then “topped off” with a bit of previously expressed milk via syringe.
We laze about in bed until about 9:30am, when it’s then time to get up (oh, the pain!) and get Ryan situated into a baby gown for his newborn pictures. The photographer arrives, takes the photos, leaves, and then Ryan settles down in his bassinet while I enjoy breakfast, and Daniel enjoys a bit more interrupted sleep.
Daniel left for work around 1:30pm, and no visitors came by, so Ryan and I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening on our own: nursing, cuddling, sleeping, etc. I’ve been taking the percocet every four hours since that first dose around 2:00am Thursday morning, and I have to say, it’s certainly working. I’m still in pain, but it’s not as bad as it would be otherwise. Also, the percocet makes me drowsy… drowsy to the point of being able to drop off into naps in as little as five minutes. I’ll sleep for as little as twenty minutes or as long as an hour or so. It depends on Ryan being awake or sleeping (or in the nursery), the nurses coming in and out, etc.
It’s like clockwork: I take the percocet, and in about fifteen minutes I start feeling better. Roughly forty minutes later my eyes are drooping shut.
Tonight I watched three CSI episodes in a row, and I fell asleep during the last ten minutes of each one. And for those of you who watch CSI, you know that it’s during the last ten minutes that all of the pieces fall together and the case is solved! So yes… talk about frustrating. 
After talking with two doctors and a nurse earlier today, my tentative discharge date has been changed from Saturday to Sunday. I’m not feeling confident enough to leave just yet. Besides, Daniel and his brothers will be completing the painting of the bedrooms on Saturday, and then spending all day Sunday moving everything in and unpacking things. Ryan and I staying here will be easier on him (so he won’t have to worry about us) and my mother (since she can just concentrate on Alyssa, rather than deal with all three of us), and on me, as I’ll have nurses to help out as needed.
It’s now nearing 2:00am (so it’s Saturday), and Daniel should be back from work soon. Ryan is sleeping next to me, but I’m going to wake him to nurse him, as my milk is starting to come in and my breasts are rock hard, uncomfortable and leaking.
Page last updated on 10/03/2006.
