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Wahoo! Joining the postpartum thread! I'll have to catch up on some things, but I'm just so excited to be here!
K is *almost* 2 days old, and she's perfect. The road to recovery will be a tough one (well over 25 stitches, plus nipples that are sensitive at the best of times), but things are going well so far! She's breastfeeding like a champ (so far) and is hitting her period of cluster-feeding...she's been attached to my boob for the majority of the afternoon. Thank goodness for nipple cream and a hubby who will feed me icecream while I'm feeding her.
How's everyone else doing? Got any first-days advice for me?
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@redsmarties: sleep when she sleeps!! No advice has been as good as that!!
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@redsmarties: welcome! Just finished reading your birth story. Ow on the stitches, but I'm glad to hear bf'ing is going well! Like MRSB2012 said, I've been expressing some colostrum/milk right after she feeds, rubbing it on my nips and letting them air dry, and *knock wood* I haven't had any cracking or bleeding yet. We're only 9 days into it though. Yay for DH's who feed us :).
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Well, we are hopefully officially home now, so I am thinking I should join you ladies over here. We originally went home Last Monday, but I was readmitted Wednesday for a uterine infection and we just got released again yesterday. This whole thing has done a number on our breastfeeding because he was having trouble latching/staying latched before and then trying to do it for a week in the hospital didn't really help. And the infection didn't help my supply so I will be taking More Milk Plus and doing "power pumping" to try to build it up. My lactation consultant is also going to give me an SNS feeding system to try to teach him to eat at the breast.
I'm glad to hear some of you ladies are having good breast feeding success. It gives me hope that we'll get there. Right now I'm pumping and feeding him the pumped milk with some formula.
Sadly my DH had to go back to work today. I'm kinda bummed that our week of him being home was spent in the hospital as opposed to at home settling into life as a family of three. I guess I still have a lot of regret as to how everything played out with Sawyer's birth and my recovery went. I need to write up his birth story to try to come to terms with it.
@redsmarties: LOL at your hubby feeding you ice cream. Mine was feeding me a banana the other day while I was feeding DS.
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Yay, for husbands that are willing to feed us while our hands are tied up. When she was taking almost two hours to feed, I was in tears about being conflicted about whether to use that 40 minutes between needing to eat again for me to eat or sleep, and DH just sat down beside me on the couch and shoveled pasta into my mouth while she ate so I could proceed directly to bed when she was done. Such a good helper, and I'm glad this scenario isn't totally uncommon.
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@redsmarties: i hear ya on sensitive nipples. Ouch mine kill. I will have to try putting on some milk. So far I just use lanolin. But mine have already chapped and bled. Bummer. The hospital wouldn't tell me ow many stitches I got. They just said second degree tear.
I honestly can't figure out what's going wrong. It looks like a god latch but it must not be.
@JamieLee: glad you can join! Sorry to hear about the uterine infection. I hope your BF goes well.
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@JamieLee: Omgosh, I hope you're feeling much better now, so sorry to hear that.
@Delight: I'm having the same problem, so sore but it looks like her latch is right. I think it's just due to cluster feeding, I'm sort of terrified to try the pump..
I knew that having 3 was going to be a challenge, but holy smokes!! My husband has been home for 1 day and it was the day we had her dr appt, he missed it! I feel like a single Mom to 3 kiddos, last night he got home at 7 (after being gone since Friday night) and he got called out at 8am! He won't be home until Wednesday. On one hand I wish they wouldn't have laid so many guys off, but on the other I am so thankful he's working enough to make up for my lost month of wages.
Charlie is doing great t night, sleeping 3-4 hours at a whack, but she's cluster feeding during the day and so hard to put down. When I think she's asleep she pops her little eye open and starts rooting around. Oh boy...
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@delight: ouch, that sounds bad! I hope I don't have that coming for me. Both my midwife and doula have said that the latch looks great- but both have said they will write me a script for All Purpose Nipple Ointment. as far as the tear- they didn't tell me how many either- but they ended up calling in a surgeon to stitch me up because of how deep and 'complicated' it was. I guess my sister overheard the chat. Needless to say, it took the surgeon 40 minutes just to do the stitches. Yowch!
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@StbHisMrs: oh the cluster feeding! How long has she been doing that for? K started yesterday morning in 4 hour stretches, but my milk came in today and I was kind of hoping it meant she might stop soon. So nice that she's getting some good night time sleep for you!
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@redsmarties: She started in the hospital, it's been on and off for a week...
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@Delight: My nipples were super sensitive the first few days. Like I couldn't even put a shirt over them because I found it irritating, but it didn't hurt per say...
@.twist.: Lukas is one strong boy! Grow baby grow!! Also, what size diapers is Lukas in right now, and what's his current weight? I'm running low on newborn size and am debating if I should move up to Size 1 or reorder another package of Newborns...
@MrsB2012: DS likes to sleep on his side too even if I lay him down on his back.
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Will respond to everyone later, but just got home from emerg- my pain shot through the roof this morning and it turns out my stitches are infected. Now I know why even my prescription painkillers weren't touching it! Hopefully it clears up soon!
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@redsmarties: Ow! Dittos to hoping it clears up soon!
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Question for you ladies since I will finally be able to join this side of the boards tomorrow. Did any of you get cold feet right before LO was born? I am suddenly having a really bad case and it is killing me! I am excited but so freaking nervous at the same time.
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@Mrs Hedgehog: I was so focused on L&D that there wasn't much room in my head for worry on what comes after. Your problem (if you want to call it that ;)) is that you have a finite deadline tomorrow morning, so you have something very specific to focus on. For me I was more living in the moment because I didn't know quite what would come next and if this 'was it'.
Everybody's story is different, but your story will be the right one for you. You will be an awesome mom, the best your LO could ever have, because you're made for each other! I have no idea what the heck I'm doing most days. Luckily she doesn't either ;).
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@redsmarties: oh no. Hope it doesn't take long to start to heal up for you
@Mrs Hedgehog: I didn't have time to get cold feet. It happened so quick.. though I do remember getting ready to push and thinking " there's no way I can do this, they're going to have to give me a c-section." I'm sure that's totally normal. What worked best for me was just reminding myself to stay in control of my emotions. It sounds silly, but I just thought, it's just pain, but when I let pain take control it's going to be that much harder to get through. I dunno, it helped me. You'll be a rock star! Just think of the baby snuggles. There's nothing better then a babe cuddled up on your chest.
I'm so excited. I put my wedding rings back on for the first time since I was like 32 weeks. I thought I would never fit them again
I also cannot believe that Brooklyn is going to be a MONTH old this coming Saturday. Seriously how fast does it go by. I can't believe it. We're going to take her swimming on Saturday. She loves her bath so much so we thought she might like to swim. I'm excited to do a family outing like that. I refuse to buy a new bathing suit so I'll be rocking a bikini 1 month PP.. scary haha -
@Alivoo01: he's still in new born. I just recently switched him from preemie. He's a small boy. The sizing on the diapers are so deceiving. He was 7lbs two weeks ago. So I think he might be 8 lbs. and I think newborn diapers are good until 10 lbs!? I hate figuring out which size he needs. It's hard! LOL how much does Collin weigh?
@redsmarties: yikes! Get better ASAP!!
@Mrs Hedgehog: well, I didn't really have time to psych myself out about it. But while it was all happening I started to panic that I wasn't ready and I still had 4 weeks to get all my stuff done and I wasn't ready to pop a baby out. Lots of things went though my head.
@MrsB2012: rock it mama!!! Good for you. L is making his way to 2 months. What what!
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@Redsmarties: i hope they gave you something to help you feel better.
@Mrs Hedgehog: I did, I kind of had it all along but only because I knew how hard it was going to be with the rest of the kids.
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@Mrs Hedgehog: I really hope everything is going well for you- thinking of you! Come on baby Hedgehog- we can't wait to meet you!
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@.twist.: Just yesterday, a friend of mine (who just had her third kid in March) said to ignore sizing on diapers. When the poo starts crawling out of the diaper (gross), go up a size. She said her kids have never followed the weight sizing on diapers.
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@redsmarties: OMG!! Bless your heart. Hope the new meds will kick in fast for you!!
@MrsB2012: You go mama!!! Rock it girl!!
@.twist.: DS was 4lbs 13oz at birth, and at his 1 month apt yesterday, he's at 7lbs 5oz.
@Mrs Hedgehog: I was induced at the "spur of the moment" so I was still freaking out about being induced that I didn't even think about anything else!
@Grace: I guess that's one way to benchmark when we need to go up a diaper size, but like you said, what a gross way to measure. haha!
AFM, I still can't fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans and none of my shirts fit because of my larger boobs. I've always had small boobs so the fact my boobs are the issue right now fascinates me. haha! The jeans though - I'm super sad about not fitting them still. Sigh.
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@MrsB2012: Time is flying by here too! It makes me so sad, but at the same time I'm excited for DS to get a little older and more interactive. I know I'm going to miss him being this teeny though.
@Alivoo01: I haven't even tried on my pre-pregnancy jeans. Still living in yoga pants.They're super comfy so I'm not complaining lol. I still have about 15 lbs to lose. Can't wait to start exercising again. I feel like such a slug.
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@MrsB2012: way to go on wedding ring! I tried mine today and quickly put it back in its box. I'm happy with how I'm doing so far. I've lost 15 lbs in a week and am almost back below DH's weight. Haha. Amazing that you're gonna wear a bikini!!
@redsmarties: ouchy. That happened to my best friend last month and she said it was worse than labour. Sorry you have to go through it. Hrs cleared up quickly after they realized there was an infection. Hope you're feeling better!
My boobs are a little less sore. I got a prescription for great ointment and that has helped. Our city has well baby clinics where you can go talk to a nurse, get baby weighed, have nurse check your Bf..... And we went yesterday. Apparently I am doing everything right with the BF, but my nips are sore and cracked and blistered. Nurse said it should get better with time. Here's hoping!
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@redsmarties: oh man! Infections are absolutely no fun. I hope you start feeling better soon. I'm sure they gave you some good antibiotics.
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@delight: glad you got some good ointment- my MW recommended a prescription one that was supposed to be magical. Hope it clears things up for you! And while not *worse* than labour, the pain is probably a 7 on my 1-10 labour scale. Antibiotics are just starting to kick in- hopefully feeling better soon!
AFM- my boobs are massive. Honestly, I was a DD or bigger before now...and now that my milk is all in, these things are ridiculous. DH is thrilled. Hilarious!
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@redsmarties: Same on boob size. I feel like these things are bigger than her whole body! One of the LCs or nurses (I forget who) put the fear in me that I'd smother her, but then another one said it was fine, she'd pop off if she couldn't breathe (which is indeed what happens, though rarely).
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@redsmarties: I think I got the magical ointment you'd midwife recommends. It is a prescription. It's supposed to be the best thing out there! You should ask her if its the Jack Newman all purpose ointment she recommends! Hope you feel better soon! My boobs seem massive too now that milk is in! But my band size is so much smaller so I feel I need a smaller nursing bra. So confusing!!
@strawberrybee: I don't know which position you are nursing in but my nurse showed me that if I do cross cradle, tummy to tummy, and I push her bum into me with my elbow then it brings her head back so her nose isn't so squished. I was worried about her suffocating too. So I kept putting my finger in between to open a space. But bringing her bum nice and tight into me and making sure she is tummy right against my tummy helps.
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@delight: that's the one! Hope it works for you! My doula showed me te same cross-hold to make sure her nose pops out. Haha I was totally worried about smothering her!
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@delight: I use the football hold
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@StrawberryBee: Does the football hold work well? She latches good that way? I don't want to change things up yet, but I'm interested in learning!
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@redsmarties: the football hold was too hard for me to master. I don't know why, but I just couldn't get it to work. However, we have gotten pretty good at nursing while laying down!
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@.twist.: oh man I totally want to figure out nursing lying down! I thought that maybe Liv is too little for that. Have you just started nursing lying down with Lukas? Maybe I should just keep trying. Lying down would be amazing. I was doing the football hold at the hospital but it wasn't comfy enough.
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@redsmarties: for some reason football hold works best for us. One of the lc's at the hospital recommended it and demonstrated it to me. The only down side is that if you use a boppy you have to switch which side it's on when you switch boobs. For me it allows me to angle her chin up better. FWIW I haven't had any cracking or bleeding yet (lo is two weeks old). But that may just be my luck.
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@delight: yea, I tried when he was a bit smaller and it was a little harder. But after he was one month I found it quite easy. And super relaxing. Our morning feed is always lying down, it helps me wake up! I find that if he's swaddled it works best, I just turn him on his side and hold his back. It helps that I also don't have to guide my boob into his mouth quite as much as I used to since he's kind of learned how to get the boob and a proper latch.
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@.twist.: I have tried nursing while laying down and it was not working for us. I haven't tried it with him swaddled up though. I'm with you on him being able to latch by himself. It's amazing that just a month ago I thought it would never be possible for him to do it alone. How big is Lukas now?
@delight: I didn't find the football hold comfortable either. We rock the cross cradle at all feedings.
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@JennyG: it definitely took me a couple go's before we got it down. Lukas is a whopping 8lbs as of yesterday!! Although he's a shorty, 20in. How about Jackson?
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@.twist.: wow! Sawyer was over 8 lbs at birth! He lost 10 ozs before we left the hospital but he's back up to 8 even as of Monday. Lukas must be such a cute little peanut!
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@.twist.: Jackson is up to 7 lbs. 7 ozs as of Monday. He's gaining like a champ. The doctor was impressed that he will probably be off the premie growth charts before long. He's 20 inches long too.
@JamieLee: Glad to hear Sawyer gained his weight back!
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Hey ladies do any of your babies have or did have super dry skin at beginning? Liv is so scaly and it's really hard for me not to pick at it. The nurse said not to bath her too much but I wonder if I should put something on her? I don't think I'm supposed to use lotion yet.
@JennyG: Jackson sounds like his doing great with his growth!
@.twist.: wow 8 pounds! Way to go Lukas! Are you just getting into the 0-3 month clothes then? I wonder when I can start putting Liv in cute 0-3month dresses. I feel she'll be in NB size a little while longer. I'm getting her weighed tomorrow and think she will be back at her 7,1 birth weight.
Also I look forward to the day I don't have to guide my boob into her mouth and the latch is more automatic! Then I'll rock the nursing lying down!
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@JamieLee: yea he's tiny! He's actually kind of a chubster, but he's a shorty so maybe that's why?
@JennyG: awesome! He's gaining like a champ!
@delight: he's actually still in newborn clothing which surprises me. I guess he's just a teeny dude. I have so many cute 0 - 3 clothes though!
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