Post Partum Momma's check in - Page 6

[ShwarmaQueen]

Yes I shaved just a week or so after delivery- and what a task that was!

We are doing very well. Baby is eating well, so I'm not engorged hardly ever but still leaking a lot (so annoying). He spits up a lot, but I think this is due to oversupply, which should get better sooner rather than later. I don't think it's food intolerances at this point because there's no pain or other symptoms associated with it...just eats, spits up, eats, spits up, etc- doesn't seem to bother him at all. He's sleeping 2-3 hours at night (DD never went more than 30min - 1 hr at this point!) and naps in hour increments (longer if I hold him) so I'm able to do some light housework at random times...but I'm still trying to avoid that as much as possible.

Cloth diapering is going very well, I'm so glad I took the plunge! We are doing mainly prefolds with a Snappi and wool covers (love my imse vimse and aristocrats!) but also some KL0s and cheapy fitteds. I made my own laundry soap and so far it's working great!

I'm totally in love with DH again too. He's been my rock and I've never felt closer to him. We're tempted to DTD but there are some issues there- my stiches are still there from my 3 tears. How long do the self-dissolving ones take to dissolve? It's been 3 1/2 weeks, shouldn't they be gone by now? That, and I'm still bleeding slightly (light pink) and oh yah, between DD and DS WE NEVER HAVE A MOMENT ALONE!

So I'm thinking about birth control....I think the IUD is the best option for me but am definitely not going with the Mirena again...anyone have any experience with the Paraguard? Off to check in Family Planning re that...

[elisheva]

Originally Posted by KaliShanti

Well now I went from being really engorged to hoping my baby is getting milk because my breasts seem so flat and saggy. Weird. But she is such a SLEEPY baby (anyone else have one of these?); I have to wake her up to nurse during the day and in the middle of the feeding to ensure she nurses more than 5 minutes... literally!

My girlie is 3.5 weeks and is only just really "waking up" - spending more than 5 min at a time awake. She slept 9 hrs one night her second week - I FREAKED out!!!

My boobs are saggy now, too, but I feel a pretty strong let-down and she's gained one lb and 3.5 ounces since her birth so I know she's getting enough. It's SOOOO hard not to worry (and sometimes worry is totally justified!). s

[elisheva]

TMI...I had EWCM on my tp today I got my period back at 4 weeks pp with ds1 and 8 weeks pp with ds2...I was SOOOO hoping that I would finally get a pass with this babe. Guess not (see babe's 9 hour sleeping jag mentioned in my previous post above).

Not yet back to DTD here - waiting for my stitches to dissolve before I even contemplate it but it does beg the birth control question as I'm determined to NOT have 4 babes in 4 years... Anyone else thinking about bc yet?

[Krystal323]

ohh yes, we are thinking about both dtd and birth control here ...not that dtd will happen anytime soonish yet tho--i am still bleeding a bit and i am paranoid about giving myself enough time to heal--i never had stitches before, and i'm afraid i'll mess things up down there i want to look into a paraguard as well--i avoid hormonal bc, but yeah...we need something! DH wants to get the V, but he has no insurance, so it looks like i'm the one that will be getting something, either a paraguard or ?

KEGELS!! thanks for the reminder--i need to keep on that

i am itching to start exercising again--yoga or walking outside (tho the weather's been too nasty)...something. i could still lose 10-20lbs, but really it's more about reshaping what I've got, yaknow??

Nik is the least spit-up-y baby i've ever had--it's so nice! He is a good nurser, and we're over the hump with the "getting started" phase, I think.

I still have not mastered leaving the house with 4 kids tho! It's been canceled appointments, failed errand runs, and lost objects left and right. The nasty weather outside doens't help either.

[ExuberantDaffodil]

I don't know how you moms of more than two do it. Holy moly, I am so freaking tired. I've got a pretty calm baby, especially compared to how my son was, but even still. I was up last night from 4-6 with a totally awake (and wanting to nurse) baby and then my son woke up with a wet bed and needed mommy's comfort. By six, I was about beside myself because at that point I had gotten three hours of sleep, total. My hubby thankfully got up and took care of the baby while I put my son in the bed with me, and I got another hour and a half of sleep before having to get up and get my son ready for school (home schooling was rather a tempting idea, let me tell you), drive him to school, and then nurse the baby. I wanna go back to bed.


I'm going to have to start back my little jobs come next week. And I don't know how I'm going to stay sane.


Krystal -- I can't wait to start exercising, too. I desperately want to tone up my belly and lose at least 10-15 lbs. I still have a teeny bit of lochia, not much but enough to tell me it isn't time to start a work out routine just yet.

[Mom2M]

Well, we are at 17 days postpartum and I feel so good physically that I can't believe it!
Still bleeding here and I think it's because I feel so good that I start doing too much. We've been out walking quite a lot and then I get the wanting to start running feeling, go too far and crash later in the day.

It was wonderful to feel like my body was my own again! I lost 20 pounds just in the hospital for 2 days and so far another 10. 10 more to go! I love wearing my old clothes!

But you know what? I'm kind of sad not to be pregnant anymore...weird, huh? And one time, I was sitting around and said OMG, she's not moving! lol, I guess I forgot she was in my arms not in my belly anymore.

Breastfeeding is so much better this time than with older DD!!! Maia stays awake and is a very strong sucker, Madeleine was very sleepy and I had to wake her up to nurse for weeks so that she would gain weight.
I think it has to do with their birthweights. Madeleine was only 6 pounds and really lost weight. Maia was 9 pounds 6 oz and came out ready to nurse immediately and did for 45 min!
Much less pain this time. With Madeleine it was teeth clenching agony for about 7 weeks till it got better. This time only a bit of pain at first latch and the rest is just engorgement pain when it's time to feed her again and she's not quite ready.

Hugs to all who are experiencing difficulties breastfeeding...I hope it gets better soon. I was never successful with DS and it was terrible.

So, is anyone experiencing some really awful kind of depressed feelings? Physically, I feel so great that it makes me feel even worse emotionally because I cry so much and am getting so impatient with older DD. I feel terrible about it and really try to hide it from her but I'm sure she is getting some of it.

It's hard for Madeleine because she has had undivided attention for 4 years and now has to share. She climbs on top of me while we are nursing and wants lots of extra hugs. Most of the time I totally understand it and feel bad for her that she's having a hard time but sometimes I get so impatient when she starts acting babyish in ways that she hasn't for years!
She is so sweet with little DD and helps out a lot too.
ugh. I don't know.

[C-Momma]

Tomorrow will be 2 weeks and I'm feeling better every day. I'm NO where near my pre pregnancy size (which was unfortunately quite big for me) but I'm not stressing about it...yet.

My tummy is slowly shrinking but I'm concerned about this skin. It doesn't appear to be "shrinking" as much as deflating and hanging. Meh. It's all worth it. My son is amazing. I know this could all be a grace period, but so far he's sleeping about 4 hours at night and then wakes up to nurse (or my throbbing boobs wake me up and I nurse him) and during the day he sleeps about 2 hours at a time. He has two wakeful periods (in the morning and at night) where he nurses a lot and takes a while to settle back down. This is in HUGE contrast to ds1 who still doesn't sleep (at age 3).

As for dtd...I've certainly thought about it, but I am no where near ready. I have a bad tear that I want to be COMPLETELY sure is healed. I also can't imagine finding the time, but when we are able and ready I'm sure we'll improvise. We used the "pull out" method (and NFP, charting, etc.) after ds1 and that always worked well for us. AF didn't show up until 17 months postpartum with ds1 so I'm hoping for the same kind of break...

Is anyone else thinking about ttc again? I know it seems insane, but aside from the mildly traumatic birth and weeks of prodromal labor, I enjoyed much of this pregnancy and I know we aren't done. There is a 3 yr and 3 month age gap between ds1 and ds2 and I'd like to conceive the next one a bit sooner, but I worry about pregnancy affecting nursing with a child younger than 2. This is all pretty silly for me to even consider as dh is now wanting to go back to school and we are in serious financial crisis. Conceiving baby #3 will have to wait on that to change.

For those feeling a bit depressed, I sympathize. Almost immediately after ds1's birth I slipped into depression that lasted more than 12 months. This time I'm trying to watch for it. I've been showering daily and as silly as that sounds, it's makes a difference. Dh has also made sure I nap or sleep in when he can help out. The only thing I'm longing for is fresh air and a change of scenery. We only have one neighbor (and elderly couple) who I know would be ALL over both the boys if and when I venture outside. I really want to avoid that so I'm staying inside and we're watching a TON of movies and tv.

[Krystal323]

had my 2w followup with my mws today Nik is 10lbs 1oz--a full two pounds up from birthweight! i've already taken the NB clothes out of rotation, as the sleepers were too short and the onesies couldn't button My girls were very petite, so this is new!

My iron is still good (yay--no bleeding issues!), and my stitches/tear seem to have healed properly.

emotionally i am mostly good, but i have moments (like when i'm really tired and he won't nurse OR sleep) where i'm feeling pretty angry and cynical. thankfully that's not often tho. i finally got DH to go get me some more multivitamins (i sooo wasn't dragging 4 kids to the tiny health food store 30 miles away for one item!), so that might help too.

i wish i had my treadmill it's in a friend's garage cause we don't have room for it here. it'd sure be nice to be able to walk indoors...!


ETA: siblings--yes, 4 is a difficult age to get a new brother or sister, i think! Ian was 3 when his sis was born, and omg we had issues. he went from sweet mild-mannered boy to hateful-angry child overnight! Then he was 8 and Lili was 5 when Claire was born. I think Lili was old enough that she dealt better--and it helped that she already had a sib. So far we've been lucky with Claire. she's exactly 2.5 right now, and she's had some cranky/unreasonable moments, but nothing huge (knock on wood). it's hard to dance along that fine line of letting them "get away" with too much and getting overly upset about it....sigh..

[billikengirl]

Originally Posted by Mom2M

So, is anyone experiencing some really awful kind of depressed feelings? Physically, I feel so great that it makes me feel even worse emotionally because I cry so much and am getting so impatient with older DD. I feel terrible about it and really try to hide it from her but I'm sure she is getting some of it.

Yeah, I am. 18 days out. The baby stops crying occasionally, but I don't. :: insert feeble laugh here :: My midwife helped me get in contact with some local PPD/PTSD resources and I am making an appointment with a therapist. I have never dealt with mental health issues before, so I hadn't really considered meds before, but I'm considering them now. I love my son so much but my near constant crying and anxiety can't be normal and I hate how that's interfering with enjoying my babymoon.

[belltree]

Oh, I would love to exercise again. But I am hesitant, even at 5.5weeks postpartum. Everytime I go for a longer walk, I feel my uterus is going to fall out. Plus, when would there be time?

With me being back at work half time this week and next week full time, plus breastfeeding, house hold, upcoming Xmas preparations, there is just not enough time in the day to exercise? I hope it'll get better. But I totally understand now, the mom's who take 12 weeks off after delivery. And this is only my first child!

[deny_zoo29]

Hi All,
I'm right about 5 weeks pp and am overall feeling really good! BF is going well and I have about 90 oz in the freezer right now, which I am quite happy about. Though by the end of the day my nips are in need of a nights rest.
Dekaylee is growing well and we are starting to box up her newborn outfits as they no longer fit.
I'm also anxious to get back to exercising (though sit-ups after a c/s are not happy thoughts!). I have gone to the TaeKwonDo school a few times with Kate and Dekaylee just to watch, though I did teach class for two nights two weeks ago due to a family emergency for the master instructor. I was exhausted after a night of standing and teaching and I realized how long it had been since I had stood for 3 hours straight! I have lost all my preg weight and now on to losing that extra weight I had before pregnancy.

PPD: For those dealing with depression, if you are considering meds you may want to look into Zoloft. That is what I am on and my OB has said it is safe to take while pregnant and breastfeeding. I was diagnosed with mild depression just over a year ago and the small dose I take every day has made a HUGE difference! I feel like myself again and I have been able to avoid PPD, partly I think b/c of already being on anti-depressents. Good Luck to you all!

[Rose-Roget]

Had my 2 week pp chek-up with mw. I guess my diastasis recti is not recovering very well on its own. She could still fit 2 fingers between the muscles, and she mentioned the possibilities of hernia or prolapse! I have some exercises to do (200 reps a day!) and she'll recheck at my 6 week pp appt, If not better, then I'll go to physical therapy. Ugh. Darn big babies.

Edit: Oh yeah, I forgot to tell about the baby. She's great - healthy and happy, so far! She has gained 13 oz since coming home from the hospital, which her ped. was thrilled with. She's also been easily consolable when she cries - I hope that holds. She has also been sleeping about 4-5 hour stretches at night (last night 6!).

[Youngfrankenstein]

This thread has been great for me to read today. I am 5 days pp and physically things are fantastic. After many nights of 45 mins of sleep at a time, I got a few 2 hour stints last night.

NAPPING SUCKS! This may be a strange statement from a person but the two times I've tried I wake up feeling horrible and down and it ruins several hours of the day for me. I am taking it easy but I like to shower and dress and bathe the baby. I took a nap while my mom was here today and it's several hours later and I am still feeling sluggish.

Nursing is a bit painful but I have no complaints. I'm just trying to stay ahead of the engorgement game.

My baby is beautiful and perfect.

My heart goes out to all of you who are having more troubles than I. This is my fourth and so far, my smoothest recovery. It brings back memories to hear about things that I'm not going through this time.

BTW, how do you keep your energy levels up without naps or caffiene?

[BeckyBird]

Hi new moms! I am 11 days pp, and still getting the hang of juggling a newborn and life.

Strangely, things are so different than they were 7 years ago, with my son. I am almost afraid to admit this out loud, for fear things might change! But here goes....

My little girl is so laid back, and she does not cry. She grunts. She sleeps a lot. She nurses fine. And I am terrified things might change! I actually get to sleep this time around, unlike my son, who did not sleep for the first 6 months of life! He cried all the time, mostly at night when the rest of the house was asleep. I was in a complete daze with him, and I had to hold him every waking hour. Hmmm, maybe that's why I had PPD back then?

Also, I've been making placenta smoothies to help with PPD. So far, I've only had mild mood swings. Also, I told myself I would not hold her every second of the day like I did with my son. I can put her in her bassinet while I make food or get dressed--what a concept lol!

[ShwarmaQueen]

Originally Posted by Youngfrankenstein

BTW, how do you keep your energy levels up without naps or caffiene?

Are we not supposed to have caffeine?

[ExuberantDaffodil]

Originally Posted by ShwarmaQueen

Are we not supposed to have caffeine?

BeckyBird -- I know how you feel! My son was a screamer and a non-sleeper. My girl is very laid back, sleeps well, barely cries unless we take too long getting food to her. Heh. If I wasn't experiencing low supply issues, this recovery and adapting really would be a breeze.

[Cellist]

Um, I'm drinking plllenty of caffeine in the mornings, but learned not to do it in the afternoon or evening, lest the babe be grouchy and awake until all hours...but otherwise, I have been told it is not harmful to have caffeine...

[C-Momma]

Does anyone have experience with colic?

Ds2 is so laid back for most of the day and through out the night...but he has a nightly bout of crying that lasts for at least an hour where it's almost impossible to console him. He acts like he wants the breast but latches and then screams and then goes back to rooting...it seems like he just wants to be comforted but nothing works. I've resorted to gas drops and gripe water but they only seem to help a little.

Other than this nightly activity, he is so content. He sleeps well, nurses well and rarely cries during the day.

Does this sound like colic?

Has anyone else thought about supplementing with Vit D? I didn't with ds1 because he was born in the summer and we spent a lot of time outside...however, I feel sure I have a deficiency and inadequate stores. I am thinking about this http://www.evitamins.com/product.asp?pid=14069

Maybe it's silly, but the lack of vit D makes me nervous with the gobs of sick floating around.

[belltree]

C-Momma,

Our little one has times where he just needs to be held uptright, we keep him in a carrier and walk/dance withhim through the house. No sitting, no bouncing on a yogaball, we have to actually walk through the house. At least the household gets done that way.

And, he loves the spice girls (wannabe), this song is constantly running in the evenings... No idea where he picked that one up.

And yes, I do take Vitamin D3 and our little one gets it through the milk.


I can't believe I already put in about 30hrs of work this week! Yeah to working from home.

[crunchy_mama]

I take fermented clo for vit D among other things.

My lil' one sleeps like a dream, it still amazes me. I think she woke up about once last night for about 5-10 min maybe. I am loving this sleeping baby. My body is taking longer to bounce back unfortunately my energy level is still not very great even though I am sleeeping great.