Let's keep chatting over here after we have our babies! Welcome to the flip side!
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How did I miss this? How is everyone recovering?
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I didn't see this either! My little boy is now 13 days old! We are both doing pretty well. He had some issues with jaundice, so we have a bili blanket at home even after discharge from the hospital. From what I understand it's not unusual when they are born early (he was born at 37 weeks, which my hospital considers preemie). Hopefully will be done with the blanket in the next day or so. Otherwise he's doing great, just tiny!
I'm doing pretty well too. The recover from my VBAC has been so much easier than my c section recovery was! Probably the hardest part is helping DD adjust to her new brother. She loves him, but it's still hard for her to have this new little person taking up mommys time!
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Hi there! My baby girl is doing well--she is such a sweet, sleepy baby--born at 37 weeks (I was induced with high blood pressure) almost two weeks ago, so I'm still not at my due date, which seems crazy. Nursing is going well and my recovery from the birth was very easy this time but my blood pressure hasn't gone down to normal yet, which has me so frustrated since I now have to take a medicine for that which makes me feel so wonky. They say it can take awhile to resolve itself so hopefully I just need to be patient for a little while longer...
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@CoffeeMom: I hear you on the big sister adjustment period--it is pretty major!
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@mossyslane: I'm not at my due date yet, either! He wasn't due until August 2, so we still have another full week to go! My little boy is pretty sleepy as well, although he is finally starting to have some longer awake periods.
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@mossyslane: @CoffeeMom: Looks like we all have some sleepy little ones. I'm having to wake my boy at night to nurse. He's not thrilled with me doing that and he takes a bit to wake up and get going. So tempting just to let him sleep as long as he wants so I can sleep too. I'm excited for him to be more awake during the day too, so we can see more of his personality. For now it is sleep, eat, sleep, eat, repeat...
My two kids have adjusted pretty well so far but I feel like that is because they have each other and I was such a miserable bump on a log during pregnancy that they are thrilled with how much attention they are getting from me now.
@mossyslane: No fun about those meds! Hope you get to quit taking them soon. I'm glad the rest of recovery is going well!
@CoffeeMom: Hurray for a good VBAC recovery! That sounds much more pleasant than a c-section recovery process.
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@dcw6411: My recovery has been a breeze this time around, makes up for last time!
I am one day past my due date and Jack is 4 days old. Surreal!
@CoffeeMom: DD is coping pretty well with LO but tonight we had a meltdown because she couldn't take him to bed with her.
How is everyone going with feeding? My milk felt like it took a while to fully come in and we seem to have a bad latch on the right. Feeling a bit anxious about LO getting enough hindmilk, we've had some greenish poop.
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Anya is 9 days old! Her mouth is a bit small for my breast so we've been using a nipple shield since day 2. We've been supplementing with formula but she's getting better on the boob. It's touch and go and I haven't been able to pump all that much when I try, she seems much more efficient at removing the milk when I can get her to latch. Hopefully when she gets a bit bigger, I can lose the shield and cut back on the added formula!
NB clothes are still a bit baggy on her but she's almost back to her birth weight! She sleeps a good 3 hours before feeding again but is only now becoming a bit more alert. She's been so sleepy! She loves sleeping on someone but we're getting her to sleep a bit in her rock n play so we can hopefully get on a better sleep schedule eventually and get more rest! Overall, she's a super happy baby who screams through diaper changes lol
Though I've heard that's pretty normal!
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@mrschickpea: Super normal over here. J haaaaaaates nappy changes. Hopefully it's not long before she's off the shield, their mouths get bigger pretty quick!
@pregnantbee: How are you and baby girl doing?
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@AprilFool: Aaaaah, I can't believe I get to join this thread. We're overall well so far, thanks for asking.. My recovery feels so much easier this time - helps that I literally pushed 5 times. I'm happy my girl can latch and enthusiastically suck, but oh my I forgot how painful the early breastfeeding days are! My milk is already pretty much in, so she has what to eat. I think I may simply have to wait for her tiny mouth to get bigger. And try different positions.
It's 2a here, and she just gave me a 4-hr stretch. I'll take it!
How are you all?
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@AprilFool: having this issue too with green poop. I'm just not producing enough and with the nipple shield, she's only getting foremilk even after feeding for over 30 minutes. It's been making her colicky and gassy
I'm not responding to the pump either. I've only been able to pump .5 oz altogether.
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@mrschickpea: It might help to have a LC come help you with your pump, maybe there's something wrong with one of the parts or your set up? You could also try hand expressing before feeding.
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@mrschickpea: Are you alternating sides at each feeding? Another thing the LC said I could try was to offer the same breast again at the next feed first.
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@T.H.O.U.: yes, I've offered the same breast for a couple feedings and she's still not getting the hindmilk
I had her feeding for over 40 minutes both times, I'm just not producing much. I fed her formula after and she took over 2.5 oz
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@mrschickpea: I lurk on the August threads since I'm due in September. Are you having LO nurse for 30 mins each breast? You may need longer. I was told to switch my DS to the next breast after 20-25 minutes but the truth was that my breastmilk flows slowly so that wasn't nearly enough time for him to get what he needed and he didn't gain back to his birthweight for a whole month because of it. If you aren't already, I'd highly suggest letting your LO nurse on each breast until they are done (they will usually pop off or fall asleep) and then switch. I can't guarantee that that will fix your issue but your situation reminded me so much of mine. At the very least, it will stimulate more milk production (although it sucks to breastfeed so much, you start to feel like a dairy cow
)
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@mrschickpea: I solved our green poop issue by watching you tube videos to make sure his latch was good so he could drain the breast properly. We really worked on that and then I feed from one side only (still do) and made sure it was for a decent time, about 15 mins. Also LO has been feeding quicker since I worked on his latch. I wouldn't think it is about how much you are producing and check your latch, especially if you are supplementing with formula. A bad latch can't drain the breast and can only get that foremilk.
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@pregnantbee: 4 hours already!! Go baby! We generally get one four hour stretch a night. J wakes around 12-1 and 4-5.
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@AprilFool: Thanks! Soooo, tips on how to fix a crappy shallow latch? She sucks voraciously but my nipples are in terrible pain. I know her latch isn't deep enough. I'm doing all the things I can think of like waiting for her mouth to open wider and pushing her on, aligning my breast with her mouth/nose, unlatching when she's not on well. Still blood and blisters. Ow ow ow ow!
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@pregnantbee: did they show you how to tease her to get her to open wide and how to "sandwich" your nipple?
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@pregnantbee: For me, the biggest change was on how to hold him. Are you doing cross cradle? Once I supported his head underneath with my hand it got a bit easier. I need to rest on the boppy otherwise he gets to heavy to support entirely by myself.
These are the websites I found really helpful
http://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=vid-reallygood -
@T.H.O.U.: Yup. I learned that last time.
@AprilFool: Thanks. Will look at these.
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Hi ladies. Hope you're doing well. Another post-partum issue just developed: crazy swollen feet - pitted edema. I thought I would avoid that this time since I didn't have an IV, but I guess not. If you've had this, how long did it last? Did you do anything to make it clear faster and/or be more comfortable? Thanks!
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@pregnantbee: No experience but I hope it doesn't last long!
Today has been tough! J has sticky eye and has been so unsettled by it. I have spent all day holding, feeding and letting him comfort nurse. My arms hurt!
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@AprilFool: Awww poor babe. Hope you can get some rest.
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@AprilFool: Is sticky eye like pink eye? If so, a little bit of breastmilk in the corner might help.
@pregnantbee: I have vague memories of huge swelling post birth last time (after escaping it all of pregnancy). I think just drink a lot of water and try to keep your feet up and it'll go away. Unfortunately, I think medication will affect your supply.
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@ShootingStar: Boo. Yeah I won't take meds for it, but I've been drinking water and will put my feet up when I can.
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@pregnantbee: *augh* That sucks! I had crazy swelling/pitted edema from about 24 weeks on with my first . . . and it lasted through/after delivery because of all the IV meds (and I had a massive hemorrhage post-delivery). I noticed a decent decrease in swelling about a week pp, and things looked much better 2 weeks pp. I hope yours doesn't last that long!
Eta: I don't remember doing anything to try to combat it (other than water/feet up) . . . but I remember being seriously depressed that I did not de-puff after delivery (because I was so over it at that point!).
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@pwnstar: Ugh. Can't imagine being this swollen for as long as you were. I thought I was going to avoid it this time because I had no IV....but I guess it's just a result of the new hormonal changes and losing all the water from pregnancy?? I think it lasted a good week to 10 days last time. So uncomfortable.
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@ShootingStar: Similar but caused by a blocked tear duck. Have been doing breastmilk and saline and it seemed a bit better last night, will see how it looks when he wakes this morning.
So we got a five hour stretch last night! And I have been awake since his first feed at 2am *sigh*
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@pregnantbee: I literally felt like the Stay-Puff Marshmallow (wo)Man! I have some swelling this go 'round, but nothing like last time. I'm curious to see how c/s fluids/meds will treat me this time. *fx*
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@AprilFool: my DD had blocked tear ducts- breastmilk and warm cloth over her eyes cleared it right up.
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@OldpuebloJenn: Thank you. His right eye is looking a lot better but now his left is gunky. I will try the warm cloth
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Hi all. Thought I'd try to join in over here. We're actually still in hospital, A has spent several days in special care for jaundice and some other issues so it's been hard not rooming with her. Hopefully headed home tomorrow afternoon if her tests come back clear. Recovery is much tougher than I first thought, I am seeing a specialist tomorrow because of severe pelvic floor and nerve damage from the delivery, unfortunately looking at surgery for that in coming months. I'm struggling a little to get over how everything went in the end, but trying hard to focus on A.
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@Umberto: Oh no. I'm sorry you're still at the hospital for A and that you're in pain. No fun at all. Hopefully she clears and then you all get to go home together. It's really hard when things don't go as desired. We're here to listen.
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@Umberto: Am so sorry you're struggling. It sounds really rough! I hope you and A get to go home soon
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Thanks to @AprilFool:'s great suggestions as a starting point, I think I found a video that really just helped me out. I was literally watching the video while trying it out -- almost like learning a new Pinterest skill or computer software. Ha!
While I nursed my first for 18 mo and thought I had the latch basics down, I definitely forgot a few things, and that has been making breastfeeding extremely painful. This video really shows technique and how to set yourself up correctly with a non-painful deep latch. The key is remembering where to position the nipple: more in line with baby's nose than center on the mouth. It's also a 2-part process where baby's jaw hits the breast first (to take in more breast tissue below the nipple) and THEN the nipple and a little tissue above the nipple.
Since more of us will be joining us here soon, thought I'd put this here. I can't wait to try this out on the more painful side and see if it really helps.
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@pregnantbee: I hope your swelling resolves soon. That sounds so uncomfortable!
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@Umberto: I am so sorry to hear about both you and baby. I can only imagine how hard it is not to room with her. Fingers crossed that you both get to head home tomorrow.
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@Umberto: I'm so sorry that your recovery has been so difficult. So many hugs to you.
Though I've heard that's pretty normal!
I'm not responding to the pump either. I've only been able to pump .5 oz altogether.
I had her feeding for over 40 minutes both times, I'm just not producing much. I fed her formula after and she took over 2.5 oz
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