Our baby is officially one month old, and we have barely survived to tell the tale. During Westley’s first few days at the hospital, Melody recovered quickly from her C-section, but did not realize how physically and emotionally draining the breastfeeding would be. We tried to break down the issues – latching, ankyloglossia, milk production – but got mixed information from the nurses and lactation consultant. With the baby losing more weight that first week, we struggled between pushing the breast and supplementing with formula. Melody was so exhausted, she thought her spinal headache and vomiting was due to her lack of sleep. With the exception of a short trip home to pick up clothes, I pretty much stayed in the hospital room, where I spent my few non-baby-dealing hours checking out a few new shows like Black Mirror, American Crime Story, and the X-Files reboot. By the time we went home, my in-laws were already there with a stockpile of groceries, ready for cooking and laundry duty for the next 4 weeks. We spent our days slowly building a routine – setting up our breast pump, a changing station, and a system for cleaning / drying bottles. Having enrolled as a control in a probiotics study, we also had free in-home lactation consultant visits to help us optimize the breastfeeding. Over the following weeks, we had frequent doctor visits for his circumcision, a frenotomy, and weight checks until he started to gain weight more steadily. We learned to cover his penis when changing diapers and our shoulders when burping him. We learned that a finger was a good substitute for a pacifier, and that we did not have to respond to every sound he makes in the night. We even managed a few trips out with the baby to the local Target, and despite warnings to avoid crowded areas, stopped for pho with him on our way back from the doctor. The rest of the time, we left him with grandma to shop for more additions to the house, including a new RH floor lamp, a sofa, and various wall hangings. Otherwise, we’ve done most of our shopping online, including bedside lamps, rugs, and chairs to go with our new dining table. My returning to work has been tougher for Melody, especially after my in-laws took off at the 1-month mark. My team at work was kind enough to throw a baby shower for my first clinic back, which also helped restock our diaper supply. Thankfully, my parents will be coming into town to tag team for house duties next week.