Weekly Chat March 13th - March 19th - Page 2

[Nillarilla]

with both my babies nursing hurt at the newborn stage. They are like barracudas when they are only getting the colostrum and first milk. My finger got sore from her sucking on it so I don't see how my nipples wouldn't. I think even with a good latch there can be pain for the first few minutes. JMO though.

[DreamsInDigital]

Nursing always hurts a little for me in the first few weeks. Now at 6 weeks it's pain-free but I distinctly remember having quite a bit of soreness at first with each of my previous babies as well.

[cagnew]

Hi!

There is a thread in the breastfeeding forum about the "myth" that bf'ing shouldn't hurt if the latch is good. Most of the women seem to agree that it can hurt even when you are doing fine.

It's been a rough go here. I got celluitis in my stomach, dd got an ear infection, the baby got diarrhea from my antibiotics, I got the flu, and now the baby has a very bad cold. Ugh!

For some reason, I am really struggling. Maybe it's the lack of sleep (he is up almost every hour to hour and a half), I don't know. I'm struggling to feel a bond with the baby. Yesterday I felt like I didn't want anything to do with him and like he was just a big burden. Today has been better because I am making a huge conscious effort, but I am somewhat concerned that I might be developing ppd. I mean, how can you not like your newborn son? I might go see a holistic doctor I heard about. Maybe he could give me some natural supplements to help or something. I really would like to avoid the need for real meds.

Bfing is going okay. I don't enjoy it, but I know it's worth it and I do believe that it will get better. It's frustrating because he just wants to snack all day and I don't want to sit there and feed him. Plus, my breasts are huge and my nipples are small, so getting a consistently good latch is hard.

Geez... I sound like a horrible mom! I'm really not... I think I'm just tired. I know it will get better.

Haven't dtd yet, but would like to soon. I'm not too worried about it hurting.

Haven't exercised yet either. I honestly can't feel my ab muscles still and my stomach is all hang-y and pouch-y and gross. I don't even know where to start! The c-section area still hurts when I do too much, so I am waiting until after 6 weeks pp to start thinking about exercise.

[Larissa]

Every baby that I have had . . . 4 now . . . has had perfect latches. With my first baby it hurt to nurse for about 3 weeks, even though he had a perfect latch. It hurt for about 2 weeks with my 2nd baby. It didn't hurt at all, not for one second with my 3rd baby . . . but I had been nursing my 2nd baby while pregnant with him. And it hurt for about 2 weeks with my 4th baby. I think there might be some women out there that never have any pain while nursing (at the beginning), however, in general when someone sucks on your for up to 12 hours or more a day, it stands to reason that you might get sore.

[LionTigerBear]

Corrie-- it's the lack of sleep. Really, you'll feel better when you get more sleep.

I have a thread in the breastfeeding section, DD has a weird suction-thing going on when she nurses. She's still pretty gassy, although the probiotics and diet changes helped a lot-- made a big difference-- but she is still gulping so much air that she just always has some gas. Every little nursing session is followed by a 30+ minute fussy-gassy period in which she must be initially bounced and help upright until she finally falls asleep. No nursing this one to sleep! Poor little girl. It's exhausting, too, though, especially at night.

I am just starting to feel like things are getting back to normal-- but it's been really hectic and I've been so out of it. I missed my two week postnatal midwife appointment and didn't even realize it until it was half an hour past when I was supposed to be there. I'm just so tired most of the time.

I too am trying to get back into the groove of exercising again (3 weeks postpartum), but it's hard when I am always so tired. I simply don't have the energy most days. I have stopped bleeding though! (I think-- hope it doesn't come back!)

[Mal85]

Last night we had a screaming session (those are very few and far between) when it came to nursing. She hates the left side. I got on kellymom and tried some suggestions from there, but nothing seems to help. She just does not like to nurse on that side. We've changed positions. I've tried getting her started on the other side and moving her over. I think that side lets down like aggressively. When she lets go and screams it goes all over the place, and when she's on she's having to gulp like crazy and gets choked up a couple of times. She always eventually gets it and seems satisfied, but it's so frustrating getting to that point. The rest of the night she did just fine with that side... I was afraid we'd go through that all night long, but it was just that one time.

This morning she woke up at 5 to eat, a lazy session for her that took 45 min. As soon as I laid her down, she started spitting up, then got the hiccups... that didn't go away for 25 min. She wasn't unhappy, but she was wide awake and wanting to be held, and I was exhausted. When DH's alarm went off at 7, I handed her to him and said he had to take her I couldn't take it anymore I needed some sleep. He brought her back to me when he left for work an hour later and she was still wide awake! She nursed on one side, then we got 3 more hours of sleep. Luckily, I was able to sleep during that time today, but I just keep thinking about when I go back to school and how I am supposed to function when she's awake like that so early in the morning. I'm really dreading the whole going back to school thing. Can't they just give me my degree now and be done with it?

[Vegan Princess]

I can sympathize Mal. DH fed DD at around 2 (I was up pumping) and put her down and half hour later she was up crying. I was up from 2:45 until 4 with her...swaddled her and tried nursing her a few times until she finally fell asleep and stayed asleep when I put her down. And then she was up again at 6 something for good. Thankfully she is falling alseep in her swing right now so I get some quiet time but I'm not going to climb back in bed. I'm screwed when I have to go back to work. I have to be at work at 5 or 5:30am! 7 seems sooo early to me now after being up during the night. I am just hoping she is a better sleeper 2.5 months from now. Now counting on it though.

Cindy

[DreamsInDigital]

Um. Lucius slept through the night last night. Holy cow.

[heinz28]

Mal & Vegan: You both described my daily routine. I'm constantly amazed at how little she sleeps! It's so frustrating at times. My husband has a cold so that doesn't help me at all since he has less patience than ever.

I tried the Moby wrap and that didn't work either -- she screamed despite several attempts by me.

She eats, spits up, cries to eat more, gets hiccups, fusses, etc.

Sleep? Feels like never.

[Nillarilla]

I can't wait until she sleeps through. My ds would go right back to sleep after nursing not this one. She fusses and grunts for like .5-1hr after nursing. She usually wakes at either 12am or 2am depending on bedtime and then either 4am or 6am. We go back to sleep until 8 though. At least she likes the sling though. We don't have a swing as the one we got used has battery damage and does not work. Can't afford a new one yet.

We got our new washer and dryer. Dh had to fix the venting again for the dryer but it finally works. It used to take 3 hrs to dry a load and now it takes less than 1 for most. I'm so excited. I got 3 loads of laundry done in one evening. It was taking 4 hrs for one load before. You know you are a mom when laundry appliances thrill and excite you lol.

I can't believe how fast dd is growing. Her little thighs are chunking out. We are going to be out of the newborn dipes in a week or two I think. I think I'm going to get some Berry Plush for smalls and mediums. These are my favorite dipes. We will still use mostly prefolds and wool but a few pretty berry plush will be a nice supplement.

[AKislandgirl]

I have my 6 week pp check up today. I have lots of questions about medications for my Dr due to my upcoming dental surgery. I also want to talk to her about clomid and breast feeding. I don't want to get pregnant soon but I'd like to be prepared for what we have a head of us. I don't want to wean Fiona too early just so I can get pregnant again but I don't want to wait too long and not be able to get pregnant again at all.

We have had some really fussy evenings around here. She sometimes fights sleeping in the afternoons and then is sooooo tired in the evening. The other night she cried so hard. She didn't want to nurse so I swaddled her and walked laps around the house. I was crying too. Yesterday I took a long nap with her in the late afternoon and we had a really peaceful evening. I'm going to buy a moby style wrap and see if she likes that better then the ring sling we have. As nice as it is to nap with her I can't do it everyday. I'm hoping she'll be able to sleep while I wear her.

[LionTigerBear]

Nevermind about the bleeding thing, I thought I had stopped but I just started again. : Oh well!

[Unconventional1]

NAK

LTB we have the same thing going on here too

Originally Posted by LionTigerBear

I have a thread in the breastfeeding section, DD has a weird suction-thing going on when she nurses. She's still pretty gassy, although the probiotics and diet changes helped a lot-- made a big difference-- but she is still gulping so much air that she just always has some gas. Every little nursing session is followed by a 30+ minute fussy-gassy period in which she must be initially bounced and help upright until she finally falls asleep. No nursing this one to sleep! Poor little girl. It's exhausting, too, though, especially at night.

We also have some food sensitivities as well- chocolate (DS didn't mind it), onions, bananas? (I will try them again later to verify), cow and sheep dairy, peppers- both sweet and hot.

It is going better here as she gets bigger and has a bigger stomach. One thing that works for me to some extent is maker her let go after about 10-15 suck/swallows and burping her. She got really mad at first, but now it is routine and she feels better, so she doesn't mind.

If she has a prolonged fussy spell and she is worked up, we take a warm bath together- I hold her on my lap so she is partially submerged, and she relaxes and feels better most of the time as well.

I hope it gets better for you guys soon!

[Unconventional1]

Originally Posted by Mal85

I think that side lets down like aggressively. When she lets go and screams it goes all over the place, and when she's on she's having to gulp like crazy and gets choked up a couple of times.

Have you tried expressing some before getting her latched on to help reduce your flow a bit? It helps with DD sometimes (we have a left breast problem too).

[Queen of my Castle]

Surely all the bouncing, rocking, swaying and dancing I've been doing counts as exercise? And I go for walks with Ramsey in the wrap, so I'm counting that too.

Yes, we've named the boy! Ramsey Chad Wilder Greavette. Chad is my husband's name, since he was the only one there for the birth! We finally named him when he was 2 weeks old.

Mal- it sounds like you have overactive letdown- and it's the first side that's giving the strongest letdown so that's why she's fussing. Try taking her off when you let down and letting it spray into a blanket, and put her back on after a minute. I have a couple friends who dealt with that for a long time. Nuring lying down helps too, and nursing only on one side at a time. Or switching back and forth. It can be frusterating!

Ramsey has been fussy on and off. A good week he was fussy both day and evening, with a solid period of crying. The last 3 days have been better, but last night was rough, we were up until 4. He's started being very squirmy in bed at night- this makes cosleeping quite difficult, but he doesn't want to go back to his bassinet after I've brought him into bed. Anyone have advice?

[Thursday Girl]

wow I can't even explain how much i just learned about breastfeeding reading this thread. Juniper has been having a lot of these problems with nursing. my others didn't and it has thrown me off. The dr. thinks she has reflux, and after reading your replies I have a few new tricks.

[dooney]

Originally Posted by Queen of my Castle

Yes, we've named the boy! Ramsey Chad Wilder Greavette. Chad is my husband's name, since he was the only one there for the birth! We finally named him when he was 2 weeks old.

What a great name!

I had a forceful letdown problem with my first son, and it seems to be back this time although not so bad (nursing a toddler helps). One thing that helped my fire-hose force letdown was laying on my back and bending my son over my tummy. Gravity helped cut down on the screaming and gas afterward. I second the expressing before feeding also.

Coen is doing well. I weigh him occasionally with our Wii Fit. Last time he was 11 pounds already! I went out with my cousins and aunts last night and had a Malibu and pineapple juice. I'm not a big drinker, but oh how I missed alcohol during pregnancy probably only because I couldn't have it. We put my 11-pound 6-week-old next to my cousin's 6-pound 3-week-old and he looks like a moose! But he's still so tiny to me!

[starling&diesel]

nak

What I would give for an overactive letdown problem!
We've been dealing with severe low supply issues over here, and I won't bore anyone with the details because I've posted all over the breastfeeding challenges board.

DD is six weeks and a couple of days and is sleeping pretty well at night ... she stirs two or three times and feeds while still half asleep. My supply is way better at night, so she benefits from that.

As far as slings, etc ... DD hates the moby-style one AND the ring sling. I think I might be doing something wrong with the ring sling. She loves, loves, loves the Ergo. We go for a long walk to town to collect the mail everyday and she snoozes or looks blissfully at the sky.

We decided not to move, so we took the house off the market and have left our fate up to the universe. I hope she provides. I'm on Employment Insurance right now for the year maternity leave (I'm Canadian) and when DP's restaurant closes, she'll be on EI as well, until she finds works. We have faith, thank God for that.

I admire all you mamas who can get online here every once and a while. Whenever I'm on I'm researching BF stuff. And in real life our days are filled with nursing, pumping and supplementing ... and making our way down to the city to LC's or midwives. I'm exhausted. Good thing DD is a happy, content baby (which confounds me, because you'd think she'd be crabby if she wasn't getting enough nourishment ... argh!) and she is a joy to have around.

Our favourite time is bathtime. DD and I get in together, and DD loves it. I fill it high enough so she floats and bobs with my support. The dogs come in to keep an eye on DD, and the cat sits on the edge of the tub, and DP hangs out so that she can take DD and I can heat up the tub and have a real bath when DD gets out. It's a party!

[LionTigerBear]

I am feeling depressed. I have no motivation to keep trying. I've been trying to lose weight, trying to keep the apartment as neat as possible, trying to eat healthy, trying to take my supplements, trying to remember to brush my teeth all the time so I don't freakin' lose them (I got so much dental damage this pregnancy ), trying to remember to maintain proper posture, trying to look forward and prepare for a day when I have life together enough that I could actually take all of the kids somewhere during the day by myself.

Well right now I'm just not seeing that happening. I can't even get us all dressed and fed before noon. I am dragging all day, so tired. The apartment always looks like crap and I hate that. I didn't lose any weight this week and I am just so fed up with everything. What I would give for some SLEEP. We are planning to call a cleaner to come in but I haven't worked up the motivation to call anyone. I am so tired I sound like such an airhead on the phone right now.

Waaaahhhh. Thank you for listening. Oh, by the way I haven't been taking all my supplements for the last two days, the ones that usually keep me hanging on. It shows. I guess I need to take them again. I just want the apartment to look clean again, and I want to sleep.

[heinz28]

S&D: I hear you on the low supply issues. I'm also trolling the BF boards. That is, between pumping, feeding, eating oatmeal, taking fenugreek, and wondering why I'm still not producing more milk! Part of me reads about other people's problems with forceful letdowns and feels jealous. And don't get me started about engorgement.

LTB: Big hug to you. I only have one baby and can't get things done around here so take it easy on yourself.

I've just decided to change to decaf because I'm wondering why my babe is awake so often. Coffee? Such a catch-22 because I rely on the coffee in the morning to get up after a poor night of sleep due to her fussing.