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August 2013 - Postpartum Chat

  1. MrsB2012

    nectarine / 2466 posts

    @.twist.: I went and look after you posted this. I think I look prettttty normal? I dunno. The front bit looks a little odd still, but that's where I had lots of swelling. It's still a little swollen, but I think I'm actually mostly recovered. I'd say I'm about 90% back to normal. Still some pain from swelling but that's pretty much it. I guess I'm lucky. ( I'm still taking stool softeners everyday thought, my hemmohorids are finally clearing up so I'm afraid they'll flair up again if I stop taking them.

    @skipper2010: THings are going well. I think babe is eating better, she was up 4oz in 5 days so she's finally getting over the not gaining anything. We go back on Tuesday, I'll be really happy if she's back at birth weight. How long did it take for your babies to get back to birth weight?
    Our biggest stress is visitors. We were having a minimum of 10 family members over every.single.day. for the first like 9 days. We finally told everyone that we aren't having any visitors ( except husbands dad and grandma as she flew from Ottawa to BC to see her first great grand daughter) Everyone is kinda mad and still keeps asking to come, but I had such a break down the one day. I cried all day. When people came over I went into our room and cried and cried. Our place was such a disaster from all the cups and dishes everyone was leaving. We couldn't get anything done as we always had to sit and talk with the company. Husband only had 1 week off and we spent the first half just sitting and visiting while everyone else held our baby and we couldn't do anything.
    We might try and take a day trip out of town tomorrow. I'm just worried about trying to feed her in public. She doesn't latch super well yet so trying to hide under a blanket and do it is kind of hard. I think it'd be nice for us to go and do something though.

    Baby is 2 weeks old today and tomorrow is my due date. I cried when her belly button cord fell out cuz she's already growing up. I told husband we need to start trying for another one soon cuz I want another newborn around haha.

  2. skipper2010

    kiwi / 597 posts

    @Alivoo01: Ouch! Clogged ducts sound like no fun. Hang in there!

    @.twist.: Oh no! Are you still on stool softeners? Who would've thought that one of the biggest challenges of being a new mom would involve going #2? lol

    @MrsB2012: Good to hear your little girl is gaining some weight back! And oh my I just cringed reading about all your visitors! I told DH that I'm really getting tired of people coming over and it hasn't even been close to what you've been dealing with! I can't believe they were leaving cups and dishes everywhere! That's unbelievable! I really thought I would enjoy the company, but I can't help but feel I need to entertain my guests and it's been exhausting! I appreciate everyones excitement so I feel bad, but it's not easy to get rest when you constantly have people in and out of your house.

  3. .twist.

    pineapple / 12802 posts

    @skipper2010: seriously! Honestly, I was in tears. Even after the fact, for hours. I started up taking softeners about four days ago. I had stopped because things seemed to be going okay and then bam. I've never been so scared to go in my life it hurt so bad.

  4. delight

    pomelo / 5326 posts

    @.twist.: nooooooooooo! This is my biggest fear. I am way more scared about #2 after birth than I am about delivery. Hope things continue to get better for you!

    ETA: I should just totally stay away from this thread until I have the baby! I like checking in though!

  5. MrsB2012

    nectarine / 2466 posts

    @.twist.: aww I hope things ease up for you soon. I would just keep taking the softeners until everything is all healed up maybe. I'm still taking mine, I'm afraid to stop taking them haha.

    @delight: Just start taking softeners as soon as possible and don't stop. I didn't take them until a few days after and I wish I had just asked in the hospital for something. It was never offered, maybe it's not standard practice but I thought it was.

  6. .twist.

    pineapple / 12802 posts

    @delight: @MrsB2012: thanks, it's started to get better, however now i sick. woke up this morning with a sore throat. I seriously just want to feel normal for one day!

    Anyone know of anything I can take while nursing to feel. Better??

  7. MrsB2012

    nectarine / 2466 posts

    @.twist.: you'll have to double check, but I'm sure you can take most while breastfeeding? I know it's OK to take like advil which is a no-no while pregnant, but completely fine while nursing.. so I'd think you could take the tylenol or advil cold medications etc?

  8. JennyG

    clementine / 912 posts

    @.twist.: I'm pretty sure cold medication is ok now. This is the link i used when i was feeling a cold coming on after the babe was born. I hope you feel better.

    http://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/meds/cold-remedy/

    @delight: I took the stool softeners for about three weeks just to be on the safe side. It is no longer scary to go to the bathroom.

  9. Alivoo01

    wonderful olive / 19353 posts

    @.twist.: Oh no!! Hopefully this is the last of the whammys for you! Poor momma!

  10. StbHisMrs

    pomegranate / 3329 posts

    It's only been 3 days for me and I'm a sleep deprived wreck!! I knew it was going to be tough with a toddler, but I forgot about the no sleep thing..

    My hospital gives 200 mg of stool softeners at nighttime, I gladly take them. It really helps, I went today and no problem. I am worried when I start taking iron though.

    I think M is beginning her jealousy phase, she was great the first day home (yesterday), hugging, and kissing. Now today she wakes her up as soon as I get her to sleep and set her down. She also learned how to unlock and open the front door and bolt outside.

    My bleeding has slowed a bit, I've had a few smallish clots since being home, but I think they're safe size. I have a lactation consult tomorrow and Charlie has her first check-up as well. I found out today that out imsurance covers any breast pump from either the hospital or a medical supply source so that was good. I can't wait to pump so I can have some help feeding her. She's attached to my boob 20 hours a day

    Any pump recommendations?

  11. Sapphiresun

    nectarine / 2220 posts

    Ya'll just scared me back onto my stool softeners...

    Hope everybody's doing well. We actually had a pretty easy night last night so hopefully this is a little bit of light at the end of the no sleep tunnel.

  12. StrawberryBee

    nectarine / 2530 posts

    @delight: if it makes you feel any better, I went #2 within 4 hours post delivery (never did ask if I went #2 during pushing. Probably don't want to know lol) and since I usually have *cof* loose movements, it didn't hurt at all. They kept giving me softeners at the hospital, but I haven't taken any since I got home and so far, so good. I think I'm probably abnormal in that though. I also skipped the sitz bath completely; it's still wrapped up on the kitchen table (yum).

    @StbHisMrs: Every time I think I'm done bleeding it starts up again. It's like your body gets back at you for the months of no period.

    I have the Medela Freestyle; only used it three times, but it seems to work nice! I also just got the Simple Wishes hands free bra in the mail from Amazon, and it is wonderful. Just typed this while hooked up to the pump! I don't know how they expect people to hold the flanges to each nipple AND have a hand to push the start button on the pump.

  13. StrawberryBee

    nectarine / 2530 posts

    Questions for those of you who are breastfeeding. So I'm going back to work at the end of October, and at that point I have to be pumping enough/have enough of a stash so that DH can feed her during the day.

    I am almost 6 days postpartum. Milk has definitely come in; boobs haven't gotten hard yet, but they're bigger (sigh). I have played with the pump now three times; the first time I barely got a dribble at the bottom of the bottles, the second time I managed to eek out an oz between the two boobs, and just now I managed to get a little over 2 oz from both boobs, which I feel very accomplished about even though I'm sure that's nothing lol.

    When Ella feeds she usually does one breast for 7-15 minutes, and then sometimes the other one for 5 minutes before falling asleep. I switch up which one I start with the next time she feeds. Is she getting enough of fore and hind milk this way? Am I stimulating enough milk production this way?

    Should I be using the pump more often? Will this signal my body to overproduce? I'm so confused by what is the right and wrong way to do this, and I don't want to screw it up and end up with no supply when I go back to work! Should I continue to pump past the point at which it produces milk, or will this again stimulate too much?

    I may end up posting to the board at large to get a broader set of experience, but wanted to start with you girls first since we're all in it at the same time.

  14. .twist.

    pineapple / 12802 posts

    @StrawberryBee: hm. Lukas feeds from one boob for about 20 mins and then I offer him the other (sometimes). I am paranoid about making sure he gets the hind milk.im in the same boat as you though. I'm not sure what is right. I just assume that since he's gaining well that he is getting hind milk. I've also read that green poops mean they aren't getting to the hind milk.

  15. StrawberryBee

    nectarine / 2530 posts

    @.twist.: good to know! Her poop has definitely turned to mustardy yellow with seeds. I'm curious/scared to see what she weighs at her dr appointment on Thursday.

    Also, anyone else experiencing swollen feet? Got through the whole pregnancy without it and now my right foot is swollen!

  16. .twist.

    pineapple / 12802 posts

    @StrawberryBee: I was swollen worse after labour than before labour. It went away after about a week.

  17. delight

    pomelo / 5326 posts

    @StrawberryBee: that does make me feel better. Maybe I'll be a good pooper like you!! I am definitely going to take softeners though to be on the safe side!!

  18. MrsB2012

    nectarine / 2466 posts

    @StrawberryBee: I'm not going to be much help cuz I'm still trying to figure out the pumping thing myself.. So the public health nurse told me to pump when she's finished eating to stimulate more production of milk. ( This was because she wasn't gaining that weight and I needed extra to supplement her with. ) So I would try pumping when she was done a feed and I'd literally get 2.5mL's from each titty. No joke, 2.5mL's, I felt like such a milk producer failure. Now when I pump after a feed I get like at most an ounce from both boobs combined. So at least I'm getting more... They said if you continue to pump after they feed that will tell your body to produce more milk, and that it will take 4 days to really make a difference in your supply. Another nurse told me to wait after I fed for a while and then pump and I should get more.. but she's feeding almost every 2 hours during the day so I just don't have time to feed her, then wait a bit then pump.

    I had no idea it would be this annoying to pump haha. For some reason I had this naive idea that I'd be able to breastfeed, then pump out a bottle then be able to bottle feed her when we were out.. yeah friggin' right!

    Sounds like you're doing it right though. They told me not to pay attention for how long she feeds for as some babies are really efficient at feeding and can get all they need in 5 minutes, where some babies will take 20 minutes to get the same amount. They said to watch for big long 'gulps' opposed to little tiny sucks.

    If you post to the main board can you let me know, or post the link, I'd like to see what others say as I'm wondering the same.

  19. StrawberryBee

    nectarine / 2530 posts

    @MrsB2012: Thanks! Here's the link to my post:

    http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-correct-way-to-work-on-your-supply?replies=1#post-1016993

    I must say, it was very nice to get out for a haircut today and leave DH with a bottle of milk! She drank two ounces and was asleep on him when I got back. I'm also planning on bringing a bottle with us to the doctor's appointment tomorrow, so I don't have to worry about bf'ing on the go.

    We're going to do our newborn shoot on Friday...I'm so excited!

    Edit: in posting to the bf'ing board I realized I've graduated from "pregnancy" to "parenting". Gulp!

  20. .twist.

    pineapple / 12802 posts

    Don't get a cold ladies. Coughing hurts. at least, it does for me. Haha I'm so whiny...

  21. MrsB2012

    nectarine / 2466 posts

    @.twist.: haha I sneezed a few days PP..... ouch.

  22. Sapphiresun

    nectarine / 2220 posts

    @.twist.: Ugh, I can't even imagine having a cold. I went to swallow my pain killers a few days after giving birth and started to choke - coughing fit ensued, I spit water all over my kitchen attempting to make it not as bad as it could be if it all went down the wrong tube, but it was seriously painful.

  23. Sapphiresun

    nectarine / 2220 posts

    Is anybody else totally blown away at how loud your baby's farts are? I thought she'd have these little dainty baby noises, but nope... loud enough that the first few times I thought it was DH trying to blame her for his.

  24. MrsB2012

    nectarine / 2466 posts

    @Sapphiresun: hahah yes, they are not dainty at all! You can hear my babies clear across the room! Just like her daddy in that way...

    I'm really having some problems with breast feeding and it's sooo frustrating! Every time she latches on, she sucks for like 10 seconds then she pulls her head back and sucks just my nipple. I try and adjust her but she just does the same thing again. I let her continue with the bad latch, but my poor nipples are just traumatized! I also find that she's starving in the evening. tonight she ate from 715-750, then we went for a walk from 8-840. She started SCREAMING bloody murder as soon as we got home. She ate again from 9-945. Following her routine, ( she's always eaten like this ) she'll eat again around 10-1030 and then she won't eat again until she wakes up between 330-5. Do you think that I should try and give her a bottle of formula around 7 to see if that helps fill her up a little? During the day she's feeding every 2-3 hours so it's not like she should be that hungry in the evening.
    I'm just worried that she's not getting enough. When I pump after she eats I maybe get 30ml's combined so it's not like there's lots extra, maybe my supply is still low? Who knew breast feeding would be this challenging.

  25. Grace

    cantaloupe / 6730 posts

    @MrsB2012: I've heard from friends that cluster feeding in the evening is pretty normal. It might be what is making it so that she lasts 5.5 hours in the night (and I doubt she'd be sleeping that long if she wasn't getting enough to eat).

  26. Sapphiresun

    nectarine / 2220 posts

    @MrsB2012: That sounds exactly like our pattern. She likes to cluster feed pretty much hourly (more if I'd let her) from 7:30 to 11:30, and then will sleep until about 2 am, and then 4 hour stretches through the night.

  27. .twist.

    pineapple / 12802 posts

    @Sapphiresun: hm, I'm going to have to try this. I've been waiting for him to sleep longer stretches but he is a little alarm clock every 2.5 - 3 hours!

  28. MrsB2012

    nectarine / 2466 posts

    @Grace: @Sapphiresun: Glad it's normal. She was so hysterical last night I seriously thought she was starving. Still getting the hang of all this, it can be so hard!

  29. Sapphiresun

    nectarine / 2220 posts

    @.twist.: Yeah, I kind of feel like she should be waking up a bit more, but she's like DEEP asleep and doesn't even seem hungry when I do wake her after 4 hours at 6am. She'll comply, but she's kind of like... "yeah, I'll take your stupid boob if it'll let me get back to sleep sooner" and half awake while she does it.
    It kind of works for us though, since my husband works 12-10pm... if she's up a little bit after 1030 he'll actually get to see her, and I don't go back to work for a year, so not like we usually have anywhere to be before 10. But ugh... I worry it's a bad habit. But then, is she even old enough to be making bad habits yet...

  30. .twist.

    pineapple / 12802 posts

    @Sapphiresun: yea, L wakes up crying for boob. I often wonder if he's just being dramatic. LOL. Also, I don't think they can form bad habits this early and I've read that for mothers sanity to do whatever it takes to get them to sleep

  31. Sapphiresun

    nectarine / 2220 posts

    @.twist.: We have the opposite problem that she doesn't wake up. To go 4 hours overnight, I have to wake her up, change a diaper, blow raspberries on her tummy etc. enough to want to eat. But I took her down to the health unit today and weighed her, and she's been gaining 45 grams per day (dr gave us a goal of 20-35g per day) on average this week so she must be getting enough.

  32. Alivoo01

    wonderful olive / 19353 posts

    @.twist.: Boo for catching the cold!! Hope it passes quickly.

    DS is an alarm clock every 3 hours too. Super sad face.

    @Sapphiresun: OMG! Yes on the loud farts!! We're all super impressed by the pressure behind those things. We're like really?!

    And that's awesome your LO is such a great sleeper! I'm still waiting for DS to sleep more than 3 hours during the night...

    @MrsB2012: DS wakes up screaming bloody murder because he's hungry! It's absolutely heart breaking. And since he's screaming so hysterically, he won't latch or will latch, chomp down on my nipple and turn his head - OUCH!!!!!!

    Anyone else's LO have MASSIVE boogers??? I have to suck them out every day and they're HUGE!! I'm like, you're nostrils are itty bitty, where in the world are you storing these adult sized boogers?!

    DS is also struggling to sleep. He's tired and his eyes get all droopy, then they'll close. 5 minutes later - they're wide open and he's super fussy and begins crying. After calming him down, he'll drift back off to sleep, but 5 minutes later again... Rinse and repeat. We thought it was gas issues so we got him some gas drops, but that doesn't seems to make things any better. Ladies have any suggestions on what's going on??

  33. .twist.

    pineapple / 12802 posts

    @Sapphiresun: wow! That is awesome that she's gaining enough! Kinda freaky that it doesn't seem like she's eating enough but enjoy it!

    @Alivoo01: thanks I'm actually feeling much better today! Does he take a paci? I am not sure what else to do. Sometimes we have the same problem. Rock him, but the moment you stop, he's awake! Wish I could be more help! I always have to laugh when I hear about people who change sleeping babies diapers! I move DS and he's awake! No changing sleeping diapers in this house!

    Ladies, I walked in on a flipped baby. How is he even old/strong enough to do this!?



  34. MrsB2012

    nectarine / 2466 posts

    @.twist.: I often find my babe on her side when I put her on her back. When I put her on tummy time, she can flip herself over back onto her back. She's done it like 5 times. It freaks me out that my 20 day old baby can flip from her stomach to her back - and she's been doing it for about a week.

  35. delight

    pomelo / 5326 posts

    Hi ladies! Ready to join the chat! Ill have to re-read through everything!

    My only question today is: is it supposed to hurt to breast feed? I thought if the latch is correct then it isn't supposed to hurt. My nipples really hurt when she feeds and I think she's latched correctly. Is it just because this is new and my nipples need to toughen up? Or should I see a lactation consultant to make sure she's on properly?

  36. .twist.

    pineapple / 12802 posts

    @delight: my nipples usually hurt for the first few seconds and then I don't feel anything. In the early days they hurt a lot more. A bad latch can make them hurt all the time too.

  37. StrawberryBee

    nectarine / 2530 posts

    @delight: For me I can tell a bad latch because it's much more of a ZING than just the regular 'my nips aren't used to this' discomfort. Plus it doesn't go away. All the LCs who visited me the hospital said that if the pain continues past a count of 15 (? 20? something like that) then it's due to a bad latch.

  38. MrsB2012

    nectarine / 2466 posts

    @delight: You might feel a tugging and that's pretty normal, but it shouldn't really hurt. I found my nipples hurt so bad for about 3 days then it got better. If you find you have blisters or any sores or whatever, expel a little milk on your nipples, rub it in and let it air dry, then put on your nipple cream, will fix you up in no time. Good luck!

  39. JennyG

    clementine / 912 posts

    @StrawberryBee: The LC at my hospital said the same thing. If you count to 15 and it still hurts, it's a bad latch.

    Since the first time we started breastfeeding, I used a nipple shield on one side. He just didn't like that side and would not get a good latch. Fast forward three weeks when I tried to get rid of the shield. We had a couple good sessions even though that side was sore and hurt ( from not being toughen up at the beginning). After those initial good sessions, it all went downhill. He wouldn't latch, would fuss the whole time, and I could tell he wasn't getting enough on that side. I ended up giving up and going back to the shield. I'd really like to be able to not use it, but sessions are so much better with it. Any suggestions or should I just keep using it to save my sanity?

  40. StbHisMrs

    pomegranate / 3329 posts

    @Delight:mine feel like a zing or a shock at first and then fade away. I've got blisters on one side, but that isn't the side that hurts.

    I thought she was doing great waking up like clockwork every three hours! It's way better than every 10 minutes when we first brought her home!

    I picked up my pump yesterday and I'm pretty excited to try it out. I have no idea how to though!

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