Declan had professional photos taken

Declan had professional photos taken when he was 9 days old. That was a difficult day for me because I was really trying to push myself to do life as normal and prove that I could handle this 'parenting thing'. Yet, I was so overwhelmingly tired from the lack of sleep and not yet catching up from those 2 nights with no sleep at all before Declan was even born. I had struggled with the issue of breastfeeding. Things didn't go over so well with that, and then I felt the pressure of people saying I wasn't trying hard enough. I think I had about 10 major issues with it (e.g. over tired, sore breasts, swollen body, severe stitches, bleeding / scabbed nipples, hemerroids and the list continues). I just didnt' have it in me to keep at it when I was in utter pain. I tried pumping and that was just as bad (I would collect a couple ounces of blood!).

When I think about our second child (when we decide we are ready), I am leaning towards forgetting about the whole breastfeeding thing, and just start with formula. Another idea I had was to assume I am bottle feeding, but try breastfeeding and see how it goes. I put too much pressure on myself and didn't really realize that once the milk comes in, it is different / better. Well, Declan has been a bottle fed baby! He uses the PC brand iron fortified, Omega 3 & 6. So hopefully it will be sufficient. He has had about 3 colds and one bout of the flu. It seems like he only gets a break for about a month and then gets sick again. People tell me that this is just normal for babies (especially since it is the winter . . . and it is going around).

Brenda Coghlin took Declan's 9 day old pictures. I brought him to her house. I remember feeling sooooo tired. I remember thinking that Declan looked cuter in real life. I find that pictures change his face a little. I don't know if this is actually true or not, but it just seems that way to me.