~~Sept already?!?! weekly thread 9/1-9/7~~

[wombatclay]

Heyla all!

Some mamas are still waiting, some mamas are newly "babed", some are sitting by their little one's hospital cradles, some are feeling like old hands with babes of a month or more! Diapers, breastfeeding, pumping, sleep deprivation, baby smiles, sibling snuggles, a future with pants that have zippers instead of elastic...

How is everyone holding up?

Any favorite "what to do at 3am while nursing" ideas? A favorite way to get a too large prefold onto a squirming newborn? A super simple yummy snack for older siblings that can be made with one hand (since the other is holding the babe and your brain is half asleep anyway)? NIP adventures?

[Pernillep]

I am actually doing really well. I am surprised how quickly am recovering really. I was expecting it to be worse I guess.
Today I went to get the staples removed which was kind of a horrifying experience. I went with DH this morning to drop off DS1 at daycare then we had our co-op working morning before going to the doctors office. Because it was a unexpected section it was a doctors office I had never been to and at a hospital I would never go to. It was just weird and uncomfortable. I was also really surprised that they kept pushing birth control. Are you serious.... I was cut open a week ago and you think I will be having sex anytime soon. Also, the doctor who saw me first (and was the most pushy) said "well your period will be coming back in a few weeks" Not sure what planet she lives on. It took a year and a half with DS1. Breastfeeding is a great b-control for me . But now the staples are out and I am released to pretty much do whatever as long as I don't lift anything. I think we might go to the store later today. I feel so out of touch and not sure what we have in the house to eat. We have been eating out way too much so it will be nice to get back into the habit of cooking.

Jonas is doing great. Beginning to look more like a baby and less like a mix between an old man and a bird I can say that because I am the mom

He is such a strong baby. When I hold him he keeps pulling his head up to look around. He he super curious and want to look at everything. Nursing is going ok. I have some sore nipples but they are getting better as he is practicing his latch. He is doing well at night and I have been getting one stretch of 3-4 hours of sleep which is pretty surprising. I was not expecting that. I am just so happy that this whole ordeal does not seem to have affected him at all.

[GenomicsGirl]

Hello ladies!!!

Griffin is 5 weeks old today and he's doing fabulously. He weighs 9 lb 6 oz (up 2.5 lbs in the last 3 weeks), he's sleeping well & nursing well. I don't need anything to do during the 3am feeding as he and I both pretty much sleep through it! I barely wake up and he hardly stirs. He's so laid back!

I think back on my first-born who was a "high-needs" baby with Reflux and I think of all the crying and vomiting he did and all the walking and bouncing that I did! What a change!

[dislocator3972]

I'm so glad to hear that both your babies are doing well! Congrats on getting the stitches out, P!

Things are starting to look up here. Nursing is still super hard but a public health nurse came by today to help me out. I thought that hard, swollen, red breasts were a normal part of nursing. Turns out that the swelling was actually keeping her from getting any part of the areola (or the milk) so my breast just kept producing fluid that could never get anywhere.

So we have a new schedule that involves a lot of ice, a lot of nursing (as much as I can get her to do) and a lot of pumping. It takes well over an hour so I've let the spacing stretch out to about every 2.5 hours. So far, I'm completely exhausted, but at least we don't start every feeding with both of us crying anymore.

We have our one week exam tomorrow, so I'm hoping for a good weight gain for her and some good healing for me. I lost some blood at the birth and still feel pretty woozy after I go up stairs or walk too far (like, across the parking lot).

I just fed, pumped, fed, pumped, and fed for a little over 2 hours straight. I'm exhausted, blistered, and still swollen, but I think the babe is finally asleep. Sometimes all our nursing is for nothing because she gets almost nothing and I'm hurting too much for it to qualify as bonding. Oh well, this will all be worth it in a few weeks!

[GenomicsGirl]

Originally Posted by dislocator3972

Nursing is still super hard but a public health nurse came by today to help me out. I thought that hard, swollen, red breasts were a normal part of nursing. Turns out that the swelling was actually keeping her from getting any part of the areola (or the milk) so my breast just kept producing fluid that could never get anywhere.

Oh, honey, I know where you are - I've been there. Hugs. Hard, swollen painful breasts are the worst Your boobs will get the hang of it soon enough! Keep up with all the pumping, massaging, nursing, and cooling - you don't want clogged ducts or worse, mastitis! You're a trooper, mama!

[dislocator3972]

Originally Posted by GenomicsGirl

Oh, honey, I know where you are - I've been there. Hugs. Hard, swollen painful breasts are the worst Your boobs will get the hang of it soon enough! Keep up with all the pumping, massaging, nursing, and cooling - you don't want clogged ducts or worse, mastitis! You're a trooper, mama!

If by 'worst' you really mean the bottom and that things are GOING to get better from here, then I'll cling to that promise.



For the mamas who co-sleep, do you still make sure the LO is on his or her back? Addie really likes to sleep facing me when I'm either on my back or side, but take her head away from my chest and she gets really upset, or at least doesn't sleep very well. Plus, I've been able to completely surround her with warmth and love and protection for every single beat of her heart or firing of a neuron, I don't like having her an inch farther away than she needs to be. After nine months inside me, anything else just seems so far away! How do you do it?

[GenomicsGirl]

Originally Posted by dislocator3972

If by 'worst' you really mean the bottom and that things are GOING to get better from here, then I'll cling to that promise.



For the mamas who co-sleep, do you still make sure the LO is on his or her back? Addie really likes to sleep facing me when I'm either on my back or side, but take her head away from my chest and she gets really upset, or at least doesn't sleep very well. Plus, I've been able to completely surround her with warmth and love and protection for every single beat of her heart or firing of a neuron, I don't like having her an inch farther away than she needs to be. After nine months inside me, anything else just seems so far away! How do you do it?

Yes, cling to that! It will get better! And if it's any consolation, your boobs will do much better with the next child The first one is truly the toughest and most painful.

I cosleep (And have done so with all 4 kids), and I sleep with Griffin on his side, squished up in my armpit, with his head on my boob (his pillow). The works for us in our bed with my boob size & body size. When he is sleeping away from me (when I roll away after nursing him to sleep), I leave him on his back because our bed is very plush.

Good luck, girl! Ask any questions you want - many of us have nursed multiple children and would be happy to help out as much as possible

[wombatclay]

I've coslept with each kiddo and they always end up on their side for at least part of the night. We do a loose swaddle (legs/chest swaddled, arms free) and I generally sleep on my side snuggled around the babe ... they sleep on their side facing me, often with my "bottom" arm looped above their head (they've all liked having the sensation of something on the top of their heads).

Right now though we're going through oversupply land (I have chronic oversupply, each kiddo has to figure out how to cope) so I can't side nurse. We have to sit up for each nursing session (ugh) but soon enough we'll be able to side nurse again and then Tor will basically sleep with his head against the breast all night long.

And ditto pp... hang on to the promise that breastfeeding WILL get easier. Your breasts will soften and it wont hurt and your babe will get big and chubby! It took a month for me to get "ok" with dd1 but once we figured it out, it rocked!

[BlueMonday]

Sarah, you're taking me back to how I felt about DD...that first child connection is priceless, hold onto it for as long as you can! I call DS my poor red-headed stepchild, but I do feel guilty because he spends so much more time self-soothing than my first babe.

To answer your question, we cosleep and I've always let my immobile babies sleep on their backs or on their sides, pillowed on a breast. For DD's first two months I slept with her head on the crook of my arm as I was a little nervous about overlying. Knowing now that I'll wake to every little cough and grunt, I'm fine with rolling away from DS. Poor little guy.

[Jilian]

I also coslept with all 3 babies and slept them on their backs of sides or sometimes I'd fall asleep with them laying belly down on my chest. DS2 wanted to sleep on his belly from the beginning but we waited until he perfected his rolling and then started letting him cosleep on his belly next to us. He slept so much better from then on. 2 yrs later he still only sleeps on his belly.

Breastfeeding DOES get easier. I dealt with painful engorgement each time too but it goes away and things get much easier. Cabbage leaves are a lifesaver if you have an oversupply, they offer so much relief when you chill them and put them in your bra. Just be careful not to use them too much because they are really effective at diminishing supply - many experts suggest using them for weaning.

[Talula Fairie]

NIP! Don't even say it to me. It's a nightmare with nipple shields, let me tell you. There is just no discreet way to do it. Although the other day I had the baby in the Moby wrap while we were at the DMV (apparently you cannot get a birth certificate for your baby if your license is expired), and I took her out and used the still tied-on wrap to cover up while putting on the shield and nursing, ect. Still not super discreet but better than usual.

I like to watch Grey's Anatomy episodes while nursing at 3am. And then I fall asleep watching them and it's always an adventure trying to figure out where I was

Yummy snacks....hmm. We've been eating a lot of energy bars over here. I am teh lazy. Hubby gets them a lot of their food as well.

I won't use too large prefolds. Infant size at least. I fold the front down (inward) and then do the bikini twist fold. I'm an expert at it by now.

Baby is 2 weeks now and throwing/spitting up a lot. Also is pretty fussy at times, though that could be unrelated. I thought it was dairy (as was the issue with my other two) and I have almost completely removed it from my diet, and she's still vomiting. I did see some poop with a tinge of green too. I hope it's not an allergy to...soy. That would be horrifying indeed. I'm pretty sure it's dairy though. I guess I will just have to bite the bullet and cut it out entirely. *sigh*

I'm so....tired. But baby Emma is beautiful and snuggly.

[Talula Fairie]

Anyone with preschoolers having problems with potty training regression? I know it's normal after a new baby comes but damn does it suck. I guess I will have to make up some potty charts. AGAIN.

[wombatclay]

Talula- any chance it's a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance instead of a food sensitivity? Tor is almost two weeks old and my oversupply has taken off... he's figuring it out but it does make him fussier/gassier/urpier and his dipes show he's got a bit of an imbalance going on.

Actually, I'm in a bit of extra pain with breastfeeding... dd1 and dd2 both "solved" the firehose letdown problem by pulling off during letdown until they were big enough to gulp it all down. Which meant I'd spray everywhere (including the ceiling and the far side of the room) and I never nursed without a handy cloth dipe to slap over the exposed nipple to hopefully prevent a full force milk bath. But Tor has discovered he can control the flow by clamping down on the nipple during let down! OUCH!!! He only does it during letdown so about 7-10 "sucks" but it's a serious youch and I'm not sure what to do. Hopefully he grows out of it soon.

[Talula Fairie]

Possible but unlikely. My supply has regulated pretty quickly this time around, so oversupply has not been a big issue. I feed only one breast at a time and she seems to empty the breast just fine. I really don't think it's a hindmilk/foremilk imbalance considering all the factors, such as my first two having a sensitivity to dairy, fussiness, and vomiting.

My first had a massive rash, green frothy poop, and was super fussy. Stopped dairy at the suggestion of the LC and she was a new baby within a week. Second was fussy, vomited and spit up a lot, had ear infections. LC suggested again stopping dairy and all the problems went away. I guess it's possible this one doesn't have a food sensitivity (oh how I hope that is the case) but I kinda doubt it. Meh.

[Spring Sun]

Good to hear how everyone is doing! I agree, hang in there-breastfeeding gets so much easier if you can just hang in there a couple months.

Things are going really well here. I felt better the day after having my baby that I did for the last few months pregnant. No tearing, no swelling, my nipples hurt for like 2 hours and then got used to the baby. I have been making myself rest, though. I really am getting my energy back but feel like I need to take it slow still. I am 9 days pp, is it okay to start going up/down the stairs a few times a day and cleaning the house? My friend seems to think no, but I feel okay....

Overall, I am in disbelief because Amelia is so easy. She sleeps through the night, sleeps much of the day, but has several hour periods where she is very alert and looking around peacefully. I even took her to the dr yestrday bc I could not believe how easy she is! We thought ds was easy, but he could never make himself burp so he got fussy until he could pass gas. Plus, he liked to nurse while he slept and he nursed all the time. This baby nurses while awake and can burp easily by herself lying down.

Dh, on the other hand, has been having a hard time adjusting. He is doing a little better now that he is back to work half time, but he was getting really childish about having to take care of me. :

I think some guys just can't get used to that kind of care giving role, you know? So who cares that our house is disgusting, at least I don't have to go down to the kitchen very often But still, I had to deal with having to emotionally take care of dh the first few days when I wanted to be the one being taken care of. I am letting it go for now, and will return to it down the line, maybe in couples therapy. But it is ridiculous that there are three grown adults in this house (my mom is still here), one on bedrest, one working half time, and one other, and the house is still this bad. Seriously.

Here are some recent photos of my sweet Amelia if anyone wants to see.

[wombatclay]

Talula- ah well... sorry about the dairy! DD1 has sensitivities and I was so thrilled when dd2 didn't seem to need any dietary adjustments on my part. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that ds is ok with "generic" breastmilk too.

Spring- awwwwwww. Too cute!

[Talula Fairie]

Spring Sun, can you pass a little of that to my baby, plz? She keeps me up all night.

[Mamatoabunch]

Finnian is 3 weeks today. We are doing really well. I am not crying everyday anymore, no PP hormones must be evening out. I had no tearing, but I have pelvic area pain, like in my groin which is much better now. Dh is off until middle of Novemeber and is getting into a groove, but it had some kinks. Day 4 was not a good day, LOL. He usually works so much he had no idea our routine and the big kids place in it all. Eiley is doing well w/ the adjustment and getting love from so many in the house she is just as content and happy as before. Innish needs to be potty trained. That is dh's job while off so we might start that in a couple of weeks. We are off school until October 5th, so I am just eating , sleeping, and nursing. Finnian sleeps very well, waking once in the night.

[wombatclay]

We had our first bath this morning! Here and here. He loved it, but as it was his first time in the tub (and the first time I'd used a tub like this so I over filled it, ooops) it was short.

[Spring Sun]

Originally Posted by wombatclay

We had our first bath this morning! Here and here. He loved it, but as it was his first time in the tub (and the first time I'd used a tub like this so I over filled it, ooops) it was short.

Oh, he is so cute!!!