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May 2016 Postpartum Thread

  1. gingerbebe

    cantaloupe / 6131 posts

    @My Only Sunshine: ugh day 2 here was nonstop cluster feeding and wanting to be held - I could barely put him down to pee! Plus the PP hormonal letdown is happening so I just had a weepy call with DH on the phone (he's at home with our toddler). And my nipples are killing me!

  2. My Only Sunshine

    persimmon / 1129 posts

    @gingerbebe: The hormones are no joke!!!

    We had a stressful evening until we were saved by an awesome nurse. Luke would not latch on to eat. He was in a fairly good mood but as soon as I put him in position to nurse he rooted around and screamed but wouldn't eat. Until then he'd been a total champ. Our nurse and a lactation consultant said he needed to burp and was overstimulated. We turned off the TV, turned the lights low, and burped him forever with no change. Finally a new nurse came on at shift change and right away said it seemed like he might be in pain from his circumcision yesterday. Sure enough, after some Tylenol he ate!! Such a relief.

  3. csross217

    kiwi / 554 posts

    @gingerbebe: I'm sorry you had a hard day! DD cluster fed for 2 straight days at the hospital... i just kept telling myself that she was bringing my milk in...

    @My Only Sunshine: Awww I'm glad they figured out what was going on!

  4. csross217

    kiwi / 554 posts

    Things are going pretty well here right now, DD has been going through the 3 week growth spurt and cluster feeding/fussy but it seems to be getting better. I think she has been overtired during the day too so yesterday we swaddled her for naps and it was so much better!

    She has been breaking out in awful baby acne I know it doesn't hurt her or anything but her face is so angry and red and bumpy!

  5. gingerbebe

    cantaloupe / 6131 posts

    @My Only Sunshine: they just wheeled Cal back for his circ so I'm expecting a pissed off baby in a bit!

    I gave him a paci this morning after he was on my boobs for 90 minutes at dawn. My last kid could never keep them in but this one is actually holding it to his face! Mama needs to pee and eat so take the paci!

  6. rockinghorse

    cherry / 215 posts

    @csross217: We must be also going through a 3 week growth spurt. Cluster feeding, not always seeming satisfied after eating, fussiness.... The last 2 nights have been every 1.5-2 hour feeds. I am a zombie! We have also been trying to have more restful naps with swaddling and all, but to no avail. I just keep saying to myself "this too shall pass".

    A woman I used to work with, who is a success in every way in life, just posted on fb that her 7 week old slept through the night (10 hours). I just have this feeling I will not be that lucky.

  7. gingerbebe

    cantaloupe / 6131 posts

    We got discharged yesterday and got home after lunch. DS was tired and unwilling to eat after his circ so he went a long stretch without eating yesterday afternoon and was mostly quiet and sleeping. We went to CFA for lunch after discharge and he didn't make a peep the entire meal or on the drive home. He finally nursed sometime in the early evening and took a full feeding at 1030pm. We went to bed around 1130pm and he actually slept until 2am so I was like sweet, maybe he will eat once more and get through the night. WRONG. He clustered for 2 hours and then refused to be put down for the rest of the night/early morning. We tried changing his diaper and burping and feeding again but that had mixed results. I basically just had to hold him against me to get 20-30 minutes of sleep here and there. We said good morning to DS and once he left for daycare we nursed again and as if 1030am he's finally asleep.

    My colostrum is transitioning to milk so I wonder if that is part of his fussiness? I don't know. Mama is tired esp with the C-section incision!

  8. Autumnmama79

    pear / 1703 posts

    @My Only Sunshine: so glad you got it figured out. Aren't nurses amazing people?!

    @csross217: yay for getting thru the 3 week fussies! DS has the baby acne too - much earlier than DD did, hoping it passes quickly! I remember that putting some breast milk on it is supposed to help. Old wives, but why not? Lol

    @rockinghorse: I hear ya on the every 2 hour feeds at night. Luckily he goes right back to sleep so I've been feeling pretty good. I do the side lying nurse at night so I don't have to get up and can keep sleeping aside from the latch and first sucks.

    The lady at your work sounds annoying

    @gingerbebe: I would say the transition to milk is likely causing the fussing. And could it be the circ too? I'm wondering how bad is the circ? Feeling worried about it, DS has appt for Friday. Is it really painful for baby?

    We are doing well. Aside from the fact that we are moving today!! We've been out of our house for 3.5 months while a total reno was being done. I can't wait to be home

    But still having trouble with DS peeing out of his diaper. I'm pointing the fire hose down and doing it up as tight as I can - what gives? I'm changing his outfit 3+ times a day!

  9. Baby Boy Mom

    pomegranate / 3983 posts

    Hi ladies, I was taking a little break from the boards but think I'm ready to jump in here. After my crazy birth I had a hospital experience that was worse than I could ever imagine. I would describe it as purgatory. No wonder they say sleep deprivation is a form of torture.
    Since we got home, it's been generally much better. Baby A is nursing well (although she butchered my nipple that first day, so I'm still healing from that). Sleep is as expected I suppose- up every 2 hours, sometimes I get a stretch of 3. Overall this has been my hardest postpartum experience and I'm definitely still weepy and overwhelmed but I'm trying to be really proactive about it and talk through it with DH. I can't wait to get into the groove with a new normal (3 kids!) but I'm trying to be gentle with myself because I know it will take a while. Anyway, I hope that's not too debbie downer. I'm going to go back in a bit and read about all our May babies.

  10. rockinghorse

    cherry / 215 posts

    @Autumnmama79: I'm curious about side-lying nursing and co-sleeping and have a dumb question. We have this co-sleeping bassinet that goes between our pillows, but it would be so much easier to have her just sleep in that spot without it. Is that what you do with your LO? Have him sleep between your pillows? Or what is the layout Letting her just nurse while I doze would be AMAZING!

    Also, what do you guys do with your LO during their awake time? I am an only child who never babysat, so this baby thing is a big learning experience I feel like I just stare at her in her little rocker or hold her, and I am very unstimulating

    I'm going back to work after 6 weeks and I was trying to start pumping today, but I think with this cluster feeding it will be impossible. If I can't get a stash going before I go to work, is it possible to do formula while I'm at work and then breast feed her when I am home? I will obviously pump at work as well, so I will have some BM but not a ton. Trying to be zen about this!!

  11. Autumnmama79

    pear / 1703 posts

    @rockinghorse: not a dumb question! Yes, baby is just in that spot between us. There are no pillows or blankets near baby and we make sure to only pull the covers up to our waists. The most important thing is that there is nothing anywhere near baby's mouth or nose that could obstruct breathing. The side lying nursing really is a game changer. I use the light of my phone to get him latched and then turn it off while he nurses and I doze.

    During awake time I read to DS, talk to him about who I am and who's in our family. I talk about what's going on that day. I take him out to the balcony and talk about the sounds we're hearing and the things we see (in a major city so there's lots to see and hear!) Mostly I guess it's just about talking and engaging, I want to encourage that language development from the get go - the teacher in me lol.

  12. fitfigure87

    grape / 79 posts

    So many posts already! I'm caught up and it would take me ALL day to respond to everyone's posts! I can relate to all of you in one way or another though!

    I'm 9 days PP and we are transitioning well. My three older boys absolutely adore Kameron, but I think they thought he would be more fun😂 I don't know if this is TMI but I had a mild tear on the outside of my "vagina flap" thing. I have 5 stitches and they are still throbbing and painful! Anyone had that?? I didn't tear anywhere else otherwise. I went to the gym yesterday for the first time and walked...and found out I have zero control over my bladder muscles LOL! Wow childbirth is so not fun🙈 feedings are going ok...besides the fact he takes FOREVER to eat...like an hour is normal. I don't know if that's normal or not? Been too long since I've had a baby!

  13. YogiRunner

    clementine / 849 posts

    @Autumnmama79: ahhh my guy constantly pees out of his diaper too! I didn't even think of aiming the hose down, ha. But I swear it misses the diaper completely and comes right out the top right through his clothes. No idea what to do!

    @fitfigure87: an hour to nurse is typical for us (20-30 min per boob with a rest and a burp in between). In the beginning he nursed for 45 min a side!

    Today we got to go out and about for shopping and lunch. Felt good to get out of the house and little guy did great, even though he acts starving every 2 hours on the dot!

  14. Autumnmama79

    pear / 1703 posts

    @Baby Boy Mom: sorry to hear about your hospital stay, that's the last thing a new mum needs! What happened? Good for you to talk with DH. I can't imagine 3 kids right now, two is challenging enough at times. I hope you continue to recover well.

    @fitfigure87: glad to hear your transitioning well. I can't believe you've already been to the gym, you're inspiring! I'm waiting a bit longer my c section incision is still pretty tender.

  15. fitfigure87

    grape / 79 posts

    @YogiRunner: That just doesn't seem right!? Lol! I pump at night and my hubby will feed him my milk through a bottle bc it takes WAY less time. I'm not sure which lady on her said she lays with baby on her side and dozes...maybe I will try that.

    @autumnmama79: I totally feel your pain😥 I had a c section 8 years ago with my twins and I had such a difficult recovery (and I was only 21 so can't imagine now). I think I finally went back to the gym at 6 weeks. Longest wait ever!

  16. rockinghorse

    cherry / 215 posts

    I think DH thinks I just sit around watching TV all day since I'm on mat leave. He has no idea what it is like alone all day with a fussy baby, cluster feeding all day, trying to start pumping since I'm going back to work in 2.5 weeks. I just want to wring his neck.

  17. fitfigure87

    grape / 79 posts

    @rockinghorse: I'm sorry you are feeling frustrated with your DH😔 Could just be your hormones...I've cried twice in the past week for no reason really. Tonight I realized I scheduled two important appts too close together for tomorrow now I need to figure out which one to reschedule. Yes, I cried. So done with today!

  18. csross217

    kiwi / 554 posts

    @Baby Boy Mom: I'm so sorry to hear that you had a hard time in the hospital! I'm glad you're able to talk with your DH about it, and I hope everything settles down for you soon!

    @rockinghorse: We're not cosleeping, but I've been nursing in the side lying position at night and it's great! I'm able to relax while nursing and it really helps calm DD down after we change her diaper.

    I had a mini meltdown this morning... DD was pretty fussy overnight and feeding her has been really hard since yesterday evening. She'll fuss and root around and when I latch her on she'll nurse for a few minutes and then pop off and scream! She'll do that at least 3-4 times each nursing session. Then, when we're finished, she immediately starts rooting again and the whole process starts over! I know I have an overactive letdown/oversupply but she'd been doing really well for the last few days... I thought things were getting better but it feels like we're back to square one again and it's so frustrating

  19. fitfigure87

    grape / 79 posts

    @csross217: have you tried just pumping into a bottle?

  20. csross217

    kiwi / 554 posts

    @fitfigure87: I've done it a few times and I'm trying to build up a stash for when I return to work but I'm always afraid pumping too much will make my oversupply worse...

  21. gingerbebe

    cantaloupe / 6131 posts

    Sigh we had our 2 day visit today and DS2 has jaundice and weight loss that they want rechecked tomorrow. My inlaws are coming so getting DS readmitted would suck. I'm hoping his labs from today are moderate enough where we can just use a bili blanket at home. We gave him some formula this morning because he clustered from 2-6am and was fussy afterwards and then nursed for an hour at 830am and was still rooting on DH. I guess we will bump up the formula until my milk is in better and we flush out the bilirubin. Ugh, we went through this with DS1 and I was hoping we dodged a bullet this time!

  22. rockinghorse

    cherry / 215 posts

    @gingerbebe: good luck! we were lucky enough to just need the home bili blanket, so I'll pray you guys are too! It is stressful enough having a newborn without all that added crap!

    @csross217: I also avoided pumping in the beginning because of over supply, but now I'm worried I will have nothing when I go back. But if I need to supplement with formula a bit when I'm working so be it...

  23. gingerbebe

    cantaloupe / 6131 posts

    Vent: DS went in for his check up yesterday and the ped found that he had lost 9% of his birthweight (they don't want it get to 10%) and that he had jaundice. So we waited for lab results yesterday afternoon that confirmed he had an elevated level, but not high enough where he had to be readmitted. So they order a bili blanket to be delivered to our house last night. After MANY screw ups, the blanket shows up at our house at 1:30am!!!

    Anyways, after the appointment yesterday, I hit pause on the BF routine we'd been on (nursing every 3 hours, DS is a slow nurser so it takes an hour each feeding, then he's been cluster feeding from 2-6am every night). Because I'm just now transitioning from to colostrum to milk, I'm not getting a lot of volume, plus its exerting DS to nurse that long. And the key to jaundice is to push fluids and push all that bilirubin out. So we gave him pumped milk and formula every 2-2.5 hours yesterday and I did manage to breastfeed him 3-4 times, I can't remember. But because I'd gone like 2 days without hardly any sleep at this point and because I needed to push the fluids, I gave DS formula or pumped milk after midnight, didn't nurse or pump overnight because I was holding him on the bili blanket with sunglasses on in the recliner from 2-730am, and then gave myself a long pumping session this morning while DH took the baby to get his weight re-checked and his blood drawn again for jaundice.

    I finally have a chance to sit down with a cup of coffee when the lactation nurse at the ped's office calls and asks me what my feeding schedule had been like "because the doctor wanted to know." Well, I'd just seen the doctor yesterday and had talked to her on the phone as late as 1:30am the night before, so she was perfectly aware of what my feeding schedules had looked like and had been on board with them. When I told the nurse what we'd been doing pre- and post- jaundice diagnosis, she jumped down my throat saying I couldn't just miss feedings like that and I had to put the baby to breast and that I was pumping way too much and for way too long and that I was jeopardizing my breastfeeding relationship. Excuse me?

    I pushed back and told her I had prioritized the jaundice situation over BFing for a day and that I was doing the best I could, that I was a second time mother and that MY body needed at LEAST 30 minutes of pumping to produce anything and that we were needing to aggressively feed to flush out the bilirubin and that just meant formula right now. She got defensive back at me and said "WELL I'M JUST TRYING TO HELP YOU BECAUSE YOUR SON HADN'T GAINED AT ALL SINCE YESTERDAY - HE HAS MADE NO CHANGE AND THAT'S WHY THE DOCTOR WANTED ME TO CALL YOU. BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE AN EXPERIENCED MOTHER AND YOU DON'T NEED ME TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO."

    I went right back at her and said it wasn't helpful to a new mother who was trying to avoid hospitalization with her baby to lecture her after she'd been up all night holding a baby on a bili blanket that she should have been nursing so she doesn't "ruin" her BFing relationship. I told her I had this exact problem with my first son, where the lactation nurses and NICU nurses were giving me conflicting health information and my son ended up in NICU with severe jaundice and dehydration because I was trying to do everything right. I told her I had no issues with combo feeding and with formula so she needed to back off.

    She got super huffy and hung up on me and I called DH ugly crying for 20 minutes because WHAT THE FRESH HELL? I have gone 2 days with barely any sleep and compared to last time, I have been REALLY proud of how well I have been self-advocating with medical staff, managing my post-partum hormones, and staying active and upbeat for my toddler. DH was livid because he was like that nurse acted like everything was just fine when I was there and said she'd just call you to follow up with some questions.

    I emailed the pediatrician and told her about the situation. The pediatrician is well aware of my experience in the past and she'd been telling me everything I'd been doing up to this point was great, so I'm really puzzled as to WTF happened. I told her to put a note in my file that I do not want LCs calling me out of the blue and that if I have a problem, I will call them. ARGH.

    The super frustrating part is that DS has been a pooping/peeing MACHINE since we bumped his feedings yesterday and I can tell that we're making progress flushing the bilirubin out (they have a specific kind of poop), so I feel like if he maintained his weight after pooping like 10 times since noon yesterday, we're actually doing great. SO EFF OFF.

    Rant over.

  24. TrailRunner

    kiwi / 585 posts

    @csross217: I am exclusively pumping and at first my supply was INSANE! (Like I have close to 125-150 oz already in my chest freezer.) My supply is regulating now and I only have a few extra oz leftover each day now that I am past the coulee weeks of establishing my supply and he is eating more per session. Not sure if that helps, but just thought I would throw that out there.

    @gingerbebe: I'm sorry you are going through this. We had SO much trouble getting my lazy son to latch and I remember wanting to punch the LC in the face. We ended up just pumping exclusively bc the whole experience with them was so damn stressful. Ugh.

    I'm 3 weeks pp today and I just peed my pants. No warning or urge I had to go...just bam peed my pants. 😂 Does this get better? Also, does anyone know how long bleeding usually lasts?

  25. rockinghorse

    cherry / 215 posts

    @TrailRunner: OMG I feel you on the pee thing. Mine is more like random leaking that I don't find out about until I go to the bathroom to change my pad. I really hope this stops!

    As far as bleeding goes, I am 4 weeks tomorrow and I am down to just a panty liner, small amounts of blood sometimes, just discharge other times.

    Boy, when they say that having a baby tests a relationship, they do not lie. It has been quite the transition for DH and I. One thing that has helped is now that I have started pumping (I have 3 oz so far in the freezer ) DH has been able to feed her sometimes when she gets fussy, and I will just pump. I think it makes him feel more in control. Also, we are going to try to alternate feedings at night. Not sure how that will work with pumping, I guess I am still going to have to wake up, just hopefully not as long (It has been taking me about 15 min per side).

    So ladies, tell me, how old is your LO and how much sleep are you getting? At night I get 1.5 to 3 hour stretches (3 is rare and exciting). What do you find helps? I keep reminding myself "this too shall pass".

  26. csross217

    kiwi / 554 posts

    @TrailRunner: I can't believe that the LC would give you such an attitude like that! You're doing the best you can and it's working, she had no right to criticize you! So frustrating!

    @TrailRunner: I'm 4 weeks pp and the bleeding has pretty much stopped for me in the last week or so. I'm down to just needing a panty liner now, woohoo! lol

    @rockinghorse: I feel you on the relationship stuff! I've been having regular breakdowns because DH is just so much better than me at soothing the baby than me and I'm so worried he's going to resent me for handing her to him when she fusses.... she's in ANOTHER growth spurt and every time I hold her she wants to nurse/comfort nurse and freaks out if I don't put her on the boob immediately. Then, when she's done, she wants nothing to do with me!

    DD is 4 weeks 1 day today and we've been getting about 2.5-3.5 hours at a time at night. Last night she fussed from 9:30-11:30 but then slept 4.5 hours straight! I think she was just really overtired.

  27. rockinghorse

    cherry / 215 posts

    @csross217: 4.5 sounds amazing!!! The cluster feeding is so hard. That is another benefit to having some breastmilk on hand, but even that is not always helpful...

    Pretty sure we are starting some thrush, I see a couple white spots inside her mouth, and my nipples are quite sore again. I had attributed it to the cluster feeding, but with the addition of the white spots I'm no longer so sure. I got some grapefruit seed extract capsules that I started today along with a probiotic, and I am washing my nips with a vinegar solution after feeds. Also, I was reading that lanolin can be a great breeding ground for yeast so I switched over to plain old coconut oil, as well as sterilizing her pacifiers and bottle nipples. I think I will sterilize every night.

    Hopefully I am overreacting and by Monday all will be well, but I really don't want to go there with thrush!!!

  28. tinyperson

    pomegranate / 3858 posts

    Oh night #2...we didn't forget, but we were hoping our memories were remembering thing s worse than they were! Audrey cluster fed all early evening, then slept from 6-8 (only being held), then has cluster fed from 8-4am...still snoozing now at 4:30, but in my arms. Thankfully were supplementing because of some low sugars she had last night (I had GD, so she had to have regular tests). DH and I are spelling each other off and he's handling all formula feeds once I've breastfed. Good thing she's cute! Recovery's going well - the most pain I have are the cramps coming when I breastfeed - they're really intense!

  29. csross217

    kiwi / 554 posts

    @rockinghorse: Ugh I hope it's not thrush!! Is it any better today?

    @tinyperson: I'm glad recovery is going well! Cluster feeding is so rough. Are you able to nap at all during the day?

  30. tinyperson

    pomegranate / 3858 posts

    @csross217: we'll see! Going home at 11. Might be tricky to nap with the 3.5yo at home 😊

  31. My Only Sunshine

    persimmon / 1129 posts

    @rockinghorse: At nine days old we're getting three hour stretches at night if we swaddle him. I will take it! He eats like every hour to hour and a half during the day though, so he's definitely loaded up on calories which I think that helps too.

    @tinyperson: Night 2 was insane for us with both babes. My breastfeeding contractions were so intense with this baby for the first like 3 days. By one week old they were completely gone. My nurses told me they get worse with each baby. Weird!

    DS is still a nursing machine. I'm trying to make his feeds longer but it doesn't really seem to be stretching the time between feeds. He's gaining weight well and sleeping well and generally happy, so I think I just have a kid who loves to eat! We've been joking our grocery bill will be through the roof when he's a teenager.

  32. tinyperson

    pomegranate / 3858 posts

    @My Only Sunshine: my nurse said the same thing! They were a little better last night.

  33. gingerbebe

    cantaloupe / 6131 posts

    DS2's bili levels went down a lot over the weekend so we no longer have to use the blanket! He was sooooo pissed about it and no one was sleeping well so I'm so happy!

    DS has also gained 2 ounces since Friday! We still have to get him to gain 9 more ounces to hit birth weight by his 2 week check up next Wednesday, so we will probably still keep some supplementation on the table until then, but again I have no issues with combo feeding.

    My torn and bleeding nips have healed finally and DS seems to be nursing a little more efficiently - i.e. not an hour anymore. He's still cluster feeding for 4 hours at night and giving him a bottle of pumped milk doesn't help at all. But at least he moved from clustering from 2-6am to more like 10-2am. I'd prefer if he could move it even earlier in the evening so I can get some sleep!

    During the day we seem to be on a 2-3 hour schedule with an average of 2.5 hours between feeds. At night the longest stretch he's given me was just shy of 3 hours. Last night he gave me 2.5 hours. I keep trying to remind myself he's only a week old. I'll sleep someday!

  34. csross217

    kiwi / 554 posts

    @gingerbebe: Glad to hear that DS's bilirubin levels are down and he's gaining weight! DD is 4.5 weeks old and we're on about the same 2.5 hour schedule. She does give us 3-3.5 hours at night, but that's still not enough for this mama who used to only be able to function on 8+ hours

  35. csross217

    kiwi / 554 posts

    Guys, I'm trying so hard to love breastfeeding, but I just don't I have an overactive letdown and oversupply, and DD is going through another growth spurt. She'll eat for 30 seconds, pop off and scream, then latch back on... this goes on for the entire nursing session until finally I've had enough and have to hand her to DH to soothe her. She usually roots again immediately, and the whole process starts over. She gets so upset that she'll open her mouth and wave it around over my nipple screaming and refusing to latch.

    I've talked to the LC and pediatrician, both say just keep at it. She has a good latch, gaining weight like a champ, normal wet/dirty diapers, no signs of reflux.... it just breaks my heart to have her SO miserable when I'm feeding her. She acts the same way when we give her a bottle of pumped milk (which is really hard on DH when he's trying to feed her).

    I don't want to give up yet because breastfeeding is really important to me, but I just get so frustrated with myself and with DD and I feel like it's keeping us from really bonding... Does it get easier??

  36. gingerbebe

    cantaloupe / 6131 posts

    @csross217: can you use a nipple shield? It helps slow the flow for the overactive letdown I hear? And maybe pumping off a little bit before hand? She might be fussy because she has more foremilk than hind milk and the pumping might extend your nips and soften your enforcement?

    I hate breastfeeding and I have low supply so I hear ya tho!

  37. Autumnmama79

    pear / 1703 posts

    @csross217: it does get easier! It's a big learning curve for both mum and baby in the first few weeks. I don't have any other advice but I'm surprised your ped or LC didn't have any better advice. The hard part in the beginning really does pay off, in no time at all you'll be able to do it one handed while walking around the house - promise!

  38. Autumnmama79

    pear / 1703 posts

    Having a tough day myself. A nice lady just stopped me while out walking with baby and said among other things, "don't worry, you'll lose the weight soon."

  39. tinyperson

    pomegranate / 3858 posts

    @Autumnmama79: how kind of her 😞 ...some people.

  40. sslm

    cantaloupe / 6397 posts

    @Autumnmama79: what a peach. My mom says that to me all the time. Not sure which is worse lol.

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