PP Chat Thread - June 1-7 - Page 4

[ReadingRenee]

I dont' really have any advice but I just wanted to say that it made me feel better to read your events because they are very similar over here and knowing Im not the only person going through this makes me feel better. Im sorry you are going through it though.

I did read something interesting on Kellymom about fussy nursing but it mainly applied at night. It was still really helpful though.

http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/fussy-evening.html

IM practically living at Kellymom these days. I swear nursing was easier with DD1 than this one and I really didn't expect that.

[CookAMH]

Pedi called, the culture from his rash came back no yeast, yet lotrimin made a huge difference. Does that make sense to anyone? There are some raised bumps today. I guess it could be fungus then. ETA: I called the nurse back and she said nothing showed up...but yeast is different than fungus right?

It's back on at the bottom of the other page but any other help from my complaint post on his fussiness would be helpful

[lil_miss_understood]

Still struggling with learning to latch here. Exhausted. Can't keep up here.
I have no bra. All of my nursing bras from DS2 are too small, and not just from weight gain. My breasts are HUGE. : DH said to me the other day "If I was a boob man, I'd be in heaven." His best friend came over yesterday and, although he's usually rather reserved, actually felt it necessary to comment on how... endowed I am. His SO is taking me to the city on Monday to get a bra since no place in town sells nursing bras.

[RasJane]

Alicia--Hugs, I don't know what it could be. If it is coming and going despite the diapers and food, I reallky don't know. If it is food, it could be something that takes awhile. Remember, it takes at least 2 weeks for something to completely leave your system. Good luck.

Bras, yeah. I need some! I keep hoping I'll just stop leaking soon so I can dispense with the whole bra thing altogether. I normally don't wear them. But I forgot to put a nursing pad back in the other day and completely soaked myself. Currently I have 1 that fits and I like. I had another one that has been around since ds1, so probably about 8 years. Wouldn't you know it, the week before baby M was born, i put it in the wash, like I've always done, and the hook got mangled somehow. Grrrr! that was my favorite bra.

I'm still waiting for real smiles too. I think dd wants to, but can't figure it out just yet. Renee, thank you soooo much for that link. I've spent a ton of time on Kellymom in the past on her adoptive breastfeeding pages. But I appreciated that info too. M screamed and cried from about 8-11 last night. She's done it a few other times too. I think it is related to not carrying her around enough. If she does it again tonight, I'd love to be able to take a bath with her. I do think it is food related in her case though. I cut out dairy and then had some mac and cheese yesterday. 4 hours later she was fussy and crying. Not proof, to be sure, and she's happier today. I need to try again I guess.
Now if I could just get her face cleared up!

[Auraji]

I need bras too. Im not really leaking, it's only happened 2 times at night and Im ok not wearing a bra, but with some clothes I feel like I need one.

Sophia has been kinda fussy while nursing the whole afternoon. She's never done this before. She wants to eat and is hungry, but starts crying while she keeps eating. I dont know what's up with her. And the cat ate the only two pacis she had.

I'm also super hungry while nursing. Even more so than when I was pregnant. Also I havent been super healthy about it. I seem to crave sweets more than ever, I told DP the other day that I think they were my replacement for sex haha

[Punchy Kaby]

Alicia-DD has a fussy period too, although usually at night from 7-9. She does the same thing you explained. I manage to keep her minimally content by carrying her around in the Ella Roo and she likes it when I walk around, not when I sit or am still. So no answers or anything too helpful, I think it is normal. There are other things you can do to treat yeast in your system other than diet (although I do recommend cutting out sweets.) Candex, a between meal enzyme, can be taken 3x a day. Biotin (always take with magnesium) fights yeast, YOu can do something to kill yeast , like GSE, but you have to replace the good bacteria with a ton of probiotics. I take s. boulardii, and I am trying some new ones: I got the intensive therapy ones for a month and neonate powder for DD.
http://www.rockwellnutrition.com/HLC...tics_c_53.html

How is everyone keeping up with the house/chores? I am not! I do a few things at night after both kiddos are in bed, but stuff is piling up! I manage to keep up with the cooking, kitchen and the laundry and that's about it. Right now DD is so attached to me, I carry her in a wrap, but with DS around I cannot manage to get anything done during the day.

DD had her 2 week appt today, though she is 3.5 weeks. She has gained 3 lbs! Little piggy! We also found a pediatrician we like , which in the military system is pretty hard. The ped. didn't say anything when we told her we were delaying vaccinations (although we will probably never have her get them.)

[CookAMH]

Originally Posted by Nolansmum

Alicia-DD has a fussy period too, although usually at night from 7-9. She does the same thing you explained. I manage to keep her minimally content by carrying her around in the Ella Roo and she likes it when I walk around, not when I sit or am still. So no answers or anything too helpful, I think it is normal. There are other things you can do to treat yeast in your system other than diet (although I do recommend cutting out sweets.) Candex, a between meal enzyme, can be taken 3x a day. Biotin (always take with magnesium) fights yeast, YOu can do something to kill yeast , like GSE, but you have to replace the good bacteria with a ton of probiotics. I take s. boulardii, and I am trying some new ones: I got the intensive therapy ones for a month and neonate powder for DD.
http://www.rockwellnutrition.com/HLC...tics_c_53.html

How is everyone keeping up with the house/chores? I am not! I do a few things at night after both kiddos are in bed, but stuff is piling up! I manage to keep up with the cooking, kitchen and the laundry and that's about it. Right now DD is so attached to me, I carry her in a wrap, but with DS around I cannot manage to get anything done during the day.

DD had her 2 week appt today, though she is 3.5 weeks. She has gained 3 lbs! Little piggy! We also found a pediatrician we like , which in the military system is pretty hard. The ped. didn't say anything when we told her we were delaying vaccinations (although we will probably never have her get them.)

Thanks for the tips, I'll look into those items.

Wow three pounds!! Wowee. .

Chores would be majorly falling by the wayside were DH not around all the time since he graduated from seminary. If it were just me with ONE child, I'd be like you.

[jenneology]

Hello everyone! I'm joining the postpartum thread...wow! Baby-belle is 5 days old now and doing perfectly! Nursing is going so smoothly, she's sleeping well, and the plumbing works. Her weird quirk is that she overheats so easily, that it makes it difficult for my husband to cuddle her. They are both heat factories.

I'm amazed at how good I feel. I even feel up for sex because my crotch feels almost completely normal. The bleeding is so annoying because right now its itchy. I've been using massage oil with comfrey to soothe that. I think its just the annoyingness of fabric rubbing. But its better than the all out chaffing I experience with disposable pads. I've been surprised with how light the bleeding is already, so I'm hoping that it will only be a 2 week thing. Instead of 6 weeks + like with the Chunk.

Anyone just beginning to be able to process the birth?

I'm the talk of my neighborhood because they know it was unassisted. What they don't know is that it was planned that way. But telling the story and hearing the ooh's and aah's, and actually processing the implications of the birth are two different things to me. Part of me is wondering--was that my birth story? how has it/will it change me?

Anyone else using cloth for the lochia?

I've found that the gerber prefolds (while awful for cloth diapers) are excellent for the initial lochia. Folded birds-eye dipes are great too. I got a package of them with the Chunk and never used them, then found a use for them! Also found out that I didn't need to buy the indian prefolds that I got. But they were also great for the heavy lochia.

I read through the thread and someone mentioned goldenseal powder for the cord stump. I used it and the stump is gone and off and her umbilicus looks almost totally healed. I bought it from http://inhishands.com birth supply. I also gave her a couple of baths in the Afterbirth Herb bath from In His Hands and I think that made a difference too.

I too will join the weight loss accountability thread. Last night I lost all the pregnancy weight and then 30 additional pounds from nursing, babywearing and taking long walks. I'm hoping I can lose the pregnancy weight the same way again but this time chasing a toddler too! I'm down 12 pounds so far. Enjoying being back in regular clothes. But I don't so much like the muffin-top.

[major_mama11]

Originally Posted by Nolansmum

How is everyone keeping up with the house/chores? I am not! I do a few things at night after both kiddos are in bed, but stuff is piling up! I manage to keep up with the cooking, kitchen and the laundry and that's about it. Right now DD is so attached to me, I carry her in a wrap, but with DS around I cannot manage to get anything done during the day.

Nak

Not keeping up w/ anything but laundry round here. And when I say keeping up, I mean clean, not folded or put away . DH is good about dishes and cooking, but generally doesn't notice other kinds of messes at all, so the house is a lot messier than I like it to be. I keep the toys picked up and the kitchen clean-ish since those are the rooms I'm in all day, but the rest of the house is quite messy.

Eli def tends to have that fussy period in the evenings, most evenings anyway. I usually end up walking him in the sling, bouncing him, shushing him, and giving a paci all at once. If I stop any of the above before he conks out, he'll start crying again. He's def a more complicated child than DD was! She was happy being nursed and rocked to sleep, whereas this little guy gets mad if I sit down w/ him unless he's reaaaally sleepy already.

Sometimes he'll get fussy in the wee hours despite being fed and changed, and I've found that if I bring him out to the living room, he'll go right back to sleep. It's like he's tired of lying down. I've been watchng Hulu movies on my laptop on those cranky nights- keeps me more mellow about getting up w/ him.

I'm glad someone mentioned cluster feeding. For some reason I totally forgot about that, especially since he tends to get very gassy so I try not to overfeed him. Anyway last night after reading that, I nursed him for over an hour nonstop, and then he conked out for 3 hours and skipped his usual fussy time! Yay! I feel like a jerk for not realizing he just wanted to be nursed more often!

Older sibling behaviors ( sorry can't remember who posted what)- my DD 3.5 yo was at her worst probably in the 2ns and 3rd wks- pooped on floor a few times, major tantrums, telling me over and over "I don't like you" , then improved a *lot* since then. This wk she's been an angel, almost. She still wants to touch him and "accidentally" wake him up, but she has finally stopped pulling on his head when she kisses him. She has even been starting the music on his bouncy and finding his paci if he fusses while I'm out of the room. Can't leave room for long though, bc I've caught her trying to pick him up - ie drag by his armpits- even though he's nearly half her wt! Eeps.

[ScootchsMom]

Umbilical cord - DS still hasn't lost his, he's 2 weeks old. DD's took a REALLY long time to come off as well. I think I might try that Goldenseal stuff, can I get it at the health food store or is it something I need to order online?

Evening fussiness - So far DS has been pretty "good" but DD used to scream from 7pm to 9 pm every night for a few weeks. No matter what we did she didn't stop until she eventually just out grew it.

Cook - sounds to me like he is not really hungry, just looking to suck but the presence of milk is confusing him. Which would explain why when your DH gave him the paci he settled easier since he doesn't associate DH = milk, KWIM?

My stupid bleeding started again : I had a gush on Monday, than nothing, than yesterday I got home from Walmart, got out of the car and felt a huge gush again. Same thing when I woke up this AM, rolled over in bed and Gush! Its not fresh blood though, sorry TMI, its brown not bright red, so I guess my body is just finishing up cleaning its self out. Saw the OB that did my section yesterday too, everything looks good incision wise and they took off all the stupid tape that was making me crazy with itching.

DP is asking me when we can have "relations" again, I put him off for a few more weeks. I actually WANT to, I'm just scared its going to hurt my incision or something, also I'm absolutely TERRIFIED of getting pg again, since we're not nursing full time this time, and I got AF 6 weeks after having DD despite nursing exclusively.



For those not looking to get pg again anytime soon, what are you all going to do about birth control? I don't want anything hormonal like the pill or the patch, we would rather not use condoms, and I''m allergic to spermicide, so all I'm left with seems to be the copper IUD or charting. So what are you all doing?

[CookAMH]

Originally Posted by ScootchsMom

Cook - sounds to me like he is not really hungry, just looking to suck but the presence of milk is confusing him. Which would explain why when your DH gave him the paci he settled easier since he doesn't associate DH = milk, KWIM?

You may be right. Just now, he fed fine on the first side, I changed him (which took a while to air out rashy bum, and he let out a lot of gas) and when I went to feed him again (he didn't feed as long as he normally does on first side) he screamed and screamed at the breast. He'd latch on, such a couple times, then cry. He'd even cry upright at my shoulder and bob his head with an open mouth. I think I'm having a hard time figuring out when he's not as hungry, even if it's been three hours or so since he last ate. We try to burp him but how do we know we got the burps? DH warmed a bottle to try that and he gagged, so we just let him chill with DH and eventually burped. He's sitting there calmly with DH but won't with me, maybe he's sensing my frustration. He also roots around...do babies root who just want to suck? I always though rooting = hunger.

Our evenings are bad..our mornings are terrible lately! Maybe he's just a light eater, a cat napper and wanting to be held and moved all morning. From 5-11, that's kinda tough to swallow but I'm open to it.

[jeliphish]

Originally Posted by CookAMH

You may be right. Just now, he fed fine on the first side, I changed him (which took a while to air out rashy bum, and he let out a lot of gas) and when I went to feed him again (he didn't feed as long as he normally does on first side) he screamed and screamed at the breast. He'd latch on, such a couple times, then cry. He'd even cry upright at my shoulder and bob his head with an open mouth. I think I'm having a hard time figuring out when he's not as hungry, even if it's been three hours or so since he last ate. We try to burp him but how do we know we got the burps? DH warmed a bottle to try that and he gagged, so we just let him chill with DH and eventually burped. He's sitting there calmly with DH but won't with me, maybe he's sensing my frustration. He also roots around...do babies root who just want to suck? I always though rooting = hunger.

Our evenings are bad..our mornings are terrible lately! Maybe he's just a light eater, a cat napper and wanting to be held and moved all morning. From 5-11, that's kinda tough to swallow but I'm open to it.

Sounds like either a) your let down it too strong at first for him, or b) he doesn't like his position. Maggie does this at times- and will scream even if she is hungry and nursing if the milk is coming out too fast...sure enough I will pop her off and milk is spraying out pretty fast and strong. It helps to either pump a bit first to get past the first strong let down...OR the longer approach would be to let him continue to work through it which takes longer.
Positioning can make them scream too and I think it's because of gassiness. Maggie cannot lay down flat to nurse when she has gas or needs to burp and I can only equate that to how I felt after I had my gallbladder out and had to deal with the pressure of after surgery gas pains....laying flat was KILLER!!!

[jeliphish]

Alicia- does ezra have thrush in his mouth? A lot of times a yeast rash won't clear up until the mouth thrush is completely gone.

[CookAMH]

Originally Posted by jeliphish

Alicia- does ezra have thrush in his mouth? A lot of times a yeast rash won't clear up until the mouth thrush is completely gone.

Nope, I've been checking his mouth. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Regarding his fussiness, I think i will do much better if I just view 7am as getting up for the day. It's time to get on that wake up time as a mother anyway as I know that is pretty typical, and my attitude and patience will be better with Ezra if I don't view it as him depriving me of sleep when he wakes up then (after being up at 5) and is fussy. He's down for a nap now after being fussy this morning. Maybe I'll feed him at 7 when he wakes each morning and then go on a walk for exercise and to put him to sleep.

Has anyone found that babies eat a lot less a couple feedings in a row during parts of the day? He fed at 12:30 then was up at 5 which surprised us at the length (I as a result slept from 1:45 till 5:15). So this morning, he basically did one side at 7, one side at 10 and that was it and screamed when offered more. It's now noon and he's been sleeping about a half hour but is fussing. I'm *beginning* to try to understand him and have a ways to go (and of course when I do understand him, he'll change lol). This has all been a jolt to my thinking b/c he was so easy up till now. Granted, he's not difficult now by any means, I'm more the problem and am adjusting, he's quite normal, I think).

[j_p_i]

I'm just now beginning to follow this thread, Olivia is 5 days old today. Since I was one of the later births, I feel like a lot of what you mamas are talking about are things I should be preparing myself for! So far, my baby is incredibly low key and super low maintenance. I'm beginning to figure out what her schedule might be like, and how I'm going to adjust to being a mom. I am doing alright with breastfeeding. Sore nipples, of course, but I'm getting better at it. She seems to do fine so far.

I put her in the sling for the first time today, it's amazing! I'm able to get things done (I'm home by myself today for the first time) and she's happy.

She is wicked peely though, her poor skin looks awful. Her face looks fine, just peeling a little bit, but her body is peeling quite a bit. They told me this would happen before I left the hospital because she was so late. Also, her fingernails are super long, and I am scared to cut them. I wish I'd thought to do it before my mom left.

[~Katie~]

Originally Posted by CookAMH

Nope, I've been checking his mouth. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Regarding his fussiness, I think i will do much better if I just view 7am as getting up for the day. It's time to get on that wake up time as a mother anyway as I know that is pretty typical, and my attitude and patience will be better with Ezra if I don't view it as him depriving me of sleep when he wakes up then (after being up at 5) and is fussy. He's down for a nap now after being fussy this morning. Maybe I'll feed him at 7 when he wakes each morning and then go on a walk for exercise and to put him to sleep.

Has anyone found that babies eat a lot less a couple feedings in a row during parts of the day? He fed at 12:30 then was up at 5 which surprised us at the length (I as a result slept from 1:45 till 5:15). So this morning, he basically did one side at 7, one side at 10 and that was it and screamed when offered more. It's now noon and he's been sleeping about a half hour but is fussing. I'm *beginning* to try to understand him and have a ways to go (and of course when I do understand him, he'll change lol). This has all been a jolt to my thinking b/c he was so easy up till now. Granted, he's not difficult now by any means, I'm more the problem and am adjusting, he's quite normal, I think).

Its always difficult trying to figure everything out with your first, I remember being there Don't watch the clock with his feedings, seriously. You will drive yourself insane. The recommendation may be every 3 to 4 hours but rarely will you find a baby who does that at every feeding, some may nurse every hour and then go five hours for the next.

Babies naturally reach a period of fussiness at a certain age, there really is no explaination for it other than maybe just adjustment to life outside the womb. Babies also have a natural desire to suck but don't always want milk, which would explain why he cries at the breast. He may just want to suck on a pacifier and be snuggled to sleep. Some babies will also have a period of crying before settling down to sleep, this really isn't something you have to fix as long as you're holding them and comforting them.

Extra gasiness like you describe really makes me suspect something in your diet. That was the first indication to me that DS has a problem with dairy and soy, combined with excessive crying of course. I know the idea of an elimination diet doesn't sound so great but it may help, JMO.

[~Katie~]

Originally Posted by j_p_i

I'm just now beginning to follow this thread, Olivia is 5 days old today. Since I was one of the later births, I feel like a lot of what you mamas are talking about are things I should be preparing myself for! So far, my baby is incredibly low key and super low maintenance. I'm beginning to figure out what her schedule might be like, and how I'm going to adjust to being a mom. I am doing alright with breastfeeding. Sore nipples, of course, but I'm getting better at it. She seems to do fine so far.

I put her in the sling for the first time today, it's amazing! I'm able to get things done (I'm home by myself today for the first time) and she's happy.

She is wicked peely though, her poor skin looks awful. Her face looks fine, just peeling a little bit, but her body is peeling quite a bit. They told me this would happen before I left the hospital because she was so late. Also, her fingernails are super long, and I am scared to cut them. I wish I'd thought to do it before my mom left.

I'm glad you are doing well and adjusting okay, I've been thinking about you!

We had really peely skin too, it started to get better around 2 weeks. I used burt's bees apricot oil on her and it seemed to make it better. If you don't want to cut her fingernails you can always bite them, I still resort to this with DS's fingernails because he'll sit still for it. Sounds gross, but it is one of the many gross things you'll end up having to deal with as a mom

[Auraji]

Sophia has continued today with the fuzzy nursing. It's so weird, she's never done this before. She starts rooting, latches on and cries as she keeps eating. I put her down, she cried, I held her, she cried, I feed her, she cried.

Yesterday I got my KangarooKorner pouch. This is my first time babywearing. Well yesterday as she was acting all fuzzy, even though they recommend to try it for the first time when they're calm, I couldnt wait. Right after I put her in she fell asleep. Today it was the same thing, I couldnt figure out what more to do, so I thought let's give this a try again, after a minute, she fell asleep. She's still in there. I must say Im loving this babywearing business

[Auraji]

Originally Posted by j_p_i

She is wicked peely though, her poor skin looks awful. Her face looks fine, just peeling a little bit, but her body is peeling quite a bit. They told me this would happen before I left the hospital because she was so late. Also, her fingernails are super long, and I am scared to cut them. I wish I'd thought to do it before my mom left.

I was scared to cut Sophia's fingernails too, REALLY scared, but to my surprise it was super easy. She was awake while I did it and she just sat there and let me do it. So maybe give it a try and it wont be so bad? Or you could always do it while she's sleeping.

[Auraji]

Originally Posted by KatieJD

Its always difficult trying to figure everything out with your first, I remember being there Don't watch the clock with his feedings, seriously. You will drive yourself insane. The recommendation may be every 3 to 4 hours but rarely will you find a baby who does that at every feeding, some may nurse every hour and then go five hours for the next.

I agree with this. It sometimes makes me feel irresponsible that I only have a vague idea of when Sophia ate and for how long, because I dont really time it, same with the naps or anything. I just think of it this way, I dont follow a routine, I dont eat or sleep at a specific time, why should a baby that has no concept of what time is be different?