1. First few days

2. Hospital Bag Checklist

3. Things to Do (Checklist)

First Few Days

7/2/2026

Baby Leo arrives at 6 lb, 7 oz, 20.5 inches long, at 2039 on 7/2/2026.

Two weeks early! This is how our day went:

Woke up at about 2:30.
Her water started leaking a little bit. Pinkish. Wasn't sure, so we called the hospital. They said to come in.

Came to the hospital around 4:30.
Admitted to the hospital and was about two centimeters dilated.

Called my mom and her parents about 5:30. Let them know that we're going into labor.

Waited about an hour and then went to the delivery room. When we were waiting in the triage room, we heard one of the babies leave the hospital and they played this music, which was kind of cute. I think it's “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” but I can't remember.

She started having contractions more frequently, but the periodicity was kind of random. Sometimes it was every 3 minutes. Sometimes it was every 10. We initially didn't start oxytocin, but at about 10 o'clock, we started injecting at about one milliliter per hour or per minute, and then we upped it to 2, then 3, then to 4, and then we went back down to 3.

The pain got really bad. So right before starting Pitocin or oxytocin, or whatever it is, she finally got the epidural. She tried to get the laughing gas first, and then at the same time, just asked for the epidural. The epidural took a while because I think the anesthesiologist was busy, so she started the laughing gas. That didn't really help. And then, as soon as the anesthesiologist came, it took about 15 minutes to kick in. The needle wasn't as bad as we thought, because they put some numbing cream and numbing needles first. I didn't get to see the needle because they faced me away from it, because apparently people pass out. But I feel like I would have been fine. And her pain almost completely went away.

And then the epidural got disconnected, so her pain came back a little bit. And then it went back away.

And then, like the second time they checked her, she was 9.5 cm dilated. We thought she was just going to go into labor shortly after. But the reading they did, the blood pressure came back a little high, and then the nurse came in, and it was high again because she was moving around. And they're like, “We need to put you on mag,” which is magnesium. So she had to wait an extra couple hours after that. After it settled down, because she felt terrible.

And then we started pushing and had the baby 1 hour and 50 minutes later. Time 2039.

Six pounds, seven ounces. Twenty point five inches.

It was so interesting to see the whole thing. I really thought I might get grossed out, but that didn't happen. I really just thought it was wonderful. There was so much hair on this kid. 

• talk about touching his head

• initial interaction with the mom (lol so funny)

• us having to stay in the delivery room for 24 hours.... but not so much

7/3/2026

I guess the standard is to see one pee and one poop the first day, but he peed like three times the first day, and I think pooped at about the 18-hour mark. The poop was so dark and gooey, and I struggled to clean that up. It was stuck to the butt.

7/4/2026 - Discharge Day

👶 Leo Weekly Report

Week 1 (July 2 – July 9)

Age: Birth → 1 week

📈 Growth

This week was all about transitioning from life in the womb to life outside. The first few days were spent in the hospital, where feedings were naturally smaller and less predictable while milk supply was coming in.

By the end of the week, Leo had settled into a much more consistent feeding rhythm and was showing healthy newborn behavior.

🍼 Feeding Summary

Trend: Rapid improvement

Highlights:

• Milk intake increased dramatically over the week.

• Feeding frequency stayed high (about 9–11 feeds/day).

• Daily intake grew from approximately 13 oz/day early in the week to over 20 oz/day by week's end.

This is exactly what we'd expect as:

• Mom's milk transitioned from colostrum to mature milk.

• Leo became stronger and more efficient at feeding.

• His stomach capacity increased.

Biggest accomplishment

By the end of Week 1:

• Feeding was becoming much more predictable.

• Individual feed volumes became more consistent.

• He no longer relied on many tiny feeds throughout the day.

😴 Sleep Summary

Typical newborn.

Characteristics:

• Sleeping in short 2–3 hour blocks.

• No real distinction between day and night yet.

• Awake mostly for feeding, diaper changes, and brief cuddles.

Nothing unusual or concerning.

💩 Diapers

Although hospital days aren't fully represented in the log, diaper output during the first week is mainly used to confirm:

• hydration

• milk transfer

• transition from meconium to normal newborn stools

Since Leo regained weight appropriately later, his diaper output was almost certainly adequate.

📊 Development

Week 1 milestones included:

• Learning to feed efficiently.

• Becoming easier to wake for feeds.

• Starting to recognize familiar voices.

• Becoming slightly more alert during brief awake periods.

⭐ Week 1 Grade

Category Score

Feeding ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Sleep ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Growth ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Overall 9.2 / 10

Parents' Focus for Week 2

✔ Feed on demand every 2–3 hours.

✔ Continue tummy time.

✔ Continue exposing Leo to daylight during daytime.

✔ Practice a calm nighttime routine.

7/16/2026 - First check up

Original due date - Leo had his 2 week check up. Jaundice level is 11 (which is higher than 6 at birth, but normal)

Leo regained his birth weight

Head size: 34.8 cm

Height: 51 cm

Weight: 3.205 kg (7 lb 0.5 oz)

👶 Leo Weekly Report

Week 2 (July 10 – July 17)

Age: 8–15 days

This was Leo's first week at home with a real routine.

Everything became noticeably more predictable.

📈 Growth

Major milestone achieved:

🏆 Surpassed birth weight.

Birth:  6 lb 7 oz

Two-week appointment:  7 lb 1 oz

This is one of the biggest indicators that feeding is going well.

🍼 Feeding Summary

Trend:

Consistency.

Most feeds were between: 60–90 mL (2–3 oz)

He settled into roughly:

• 8–9 feedings/day

• 22–24 oz/day

This is exactly where many healthy 2-week-olds land.

Feeding observations

Leo seems to:

• wake calmly to eat

• finish most bottles well

• gradually increase total intake without forcing feeds

One thing I noticed:

His intake fluctuates naturally from day to day, but the overall weekly trend is steadily upward.

That is much more important than hitting the same number every day.

😴 Sleep Summary

The biggest improvement this week:

Leo started developing a predictable rhythm.

Typical pattern:

Feed  ↓
Burp  ↓
Diaper  ↓
Sleep  ↓
Wake 2–3 hours later

You also began building healthy sleep habits:

• dim lights at night

• consistent bedtime routine

• feeding before sleep

Those habits pay dividends over the coming months.

📊 Trends I noticed

1. More efficient feeding

Instead of many small meals,

Leo began taking larger feeds with fewer interruptions.

That means he's becoming stronger and more coordinated.

2. Better daily rhythm

Wake ↓

Eat ↓

Burp ↓

Short awake time ↓

Sleep

This predictable cycle is exactly what pediatricians like to see around two weeks.

3. Parents becoming more confident

This actually shows up in the data.

Early logs:

"How much?"

"How often?"

Later logs:

The schedule becomes much more consistent.

That usually means everyone in the house is learning each other's rhythm.

💩 Diapers

Diaper output remained consistent with healthy intake.

No obvious signs of dehydration or inadequate feeding appear anywhere in the logs.

Looking Ahead (Week 3)

This is what I'd expect to happen next:

Feeding

Average bottle:

➡ 75–105 mL

Total intake:

➡ 22–28 oz/day

Occasional cluster-feeding evenings are still normal.

Sleep

You may begin seeing:

⭐ One 3.5–5 hour stretch overnight.

Many babies continue waking every 2–3 hours, so either pattern can be normal.

Development

Watch for:

• Longer eye contact

• Better face tracking

• More alert wake windows

• Stronger neck control

• Beginning to lift his head briefly during tummy time

⭐ Week 2 Grade

Category Score

Feeding ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sleep ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Growth ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Development ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Overall 9.8 / 10

📈 Overall Trend (Weeks 1 → 2)

The biggest story isn't any one feeding or one night's sleep—it's the overall progression:

• Feeding: from learning how to eat → consistently taking full feeds.

• Growth: from expected newborn adjustment → exceeding birth weight by two weeks.

• Sleep: from completely unpredictable → a recognizable eat–sleep cycle.

• Parents: from figuring things out → establishing a routine with confidence.

If I were turning this into a regular feature on your website, I'd finish each report with a simple "Looking Ahead" section and a "This Week's Win." It gives the report a narrative arc rather than just charts and numbers.

🏆 This Week's Win (Week 2): Leo officially surpassed his birth weight and settled into a reliable feeding rhythm—a major milestone that shows he's thriving during his first weeks at home.

Things to do, by CHATGPT

Delete as completed

Do these first — high priority

1. Get certified birth certificates - done

2. Social Security number/card - done

3. Add him to DEERS and TRICARE — done

4. Passport - 8/3

Military admin you should knock out

5. Update Navy RED/DA / Page 2 and DD Form 93 - added - waiting verification

6. Request/confirm parental leave - submitted

7. Review SGLI (done), FSGLI (done), TSP (done), and beneficiaries (done)

8. Family Care Plan / deployment plan - N/A

9. Estate planning: will, guardianship, trust language, powers of attorney

This is not “hospital paperwork,” but it is one of the most important legal steps after having a child. A will can name a guardian and create trust language so a minor child does not directly inherit assets. Navy legal assistance offices can help with wills, powers of attorney, guardianships, and basic estate planning; JBPHH Legal Assistance lists basic estate planning/wills, powers of attorney, adoptions/guardianships, and notarizations among covered services.

How to do it: call JBPHH Legal Assistance at 808-473-0437 or email the Hawaii legal assistance office listed by Military OneSource, ask for a “new parent estate planning appointment,” and bring your marriage info, child’s full legal name/DOB, proposed guardian names, SGLI/TSP/bank account list, and any real estate/VA loan details.

Money / tax / savings items

10. Trump Account - applied

11. 529 education account - made

15. Credit freeze after SSN arrives

This is not urgent in week one, but it’s a good security step. FTC says if your child is under 16, you can request a free credit freeze to make it harder for someone to open accounts in your child’s name, and the freeze stays until you remove it.

How to do it: after SSN and birth certificate are in hand, request a minor/protected-consumer freeze separately with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You’ll usually need your ID, proof of address, child’s birth certificate, and child’s SSN card. FTC says each bureau has its own minor-freeze instructions.

16. Transfer Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits - done

17. Basic bank/savings or UTMA brokerage

After SSN arrives, you can open a child savings account or UTMA/UGMA brokerage. I’d prioritize Trump Account + 529 first, then consider UTMA only if you specifically want flexible non-education investing, because UTMA assets become the child’s property at the age set by state law and can affect financial aid differently.

My “do it now” sequence

1. Submit NSIPS RED/DA/Page 2 update and request parental leave.

2. Once certified birth certificate arrives, apply for passport.

3. Once SSN arrives, update DEERS, open Trump Account, prepare tax records, then do 529/credit freeze.

4. Book Navy Legal for wills/guardianship/POA.

#pregnancy #boymom #baby #mandoo

found out about the new journey on 11/10/2025

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7247-fetal-development-stages-of-growth