Post Partum Momma's check in - Page 5

[ExuberantDaffodil]

I have a voracious appetite, too. I've already lost 20lbs since the birth, and need to lose another 10 before I am at my pre-pregnancy weight. My belly doesn't look so floppy and stretchy -- I just look a bit thick around the middle. At first, I was just THRILLED to be un-pregnant, but now I am frustrated with my figure because only two pairs of pants fit, and I feel frumpy in both them. It's too cool outside for skirts, and I can't nurse in any of my dresses. So I officially have absolutely nothing to wear.

But I have an extremely cute baby.

And speaking of my extremely cute baby. She has the skinniest chicken legs of all times. I didn't get any newborn cloth diapers - just size smalls, and one ONE of her diapers fit her, and it is a contour that requires a cover and none of the covers fit in the slightest. The diapers that looked tiny before she got here now look gargantuan. My in-laws picked up some sposies for us, and my husband is getting spoiled on them and we are already running out. Bah.

[MamieCole]

Originally Posted by ExuberantDaffodil

And speaking of my extremely cute baby. She has the skinniest chicken legs of all times. I didn't get any newborn cloth diapers - just size smalls, and one ONE of her diapers fit her, and it is a contour that requires a cover and none of the covers fit in the slightest. The diapers that looked tiny before she got here now look gargantuan. My in-laws picked up some sposies for us, and my husband is getting spoiled on them and we are already running out. Bah.

I have the opposite problem. I was so sure that "I don't have big babies" that I only bought orange edge prefolds and size 0 Kissaluvs fitteds. Enter my 9lb 10oz newborn who has been gaining weight like crazy. The prefolds barely still fit him and I'm already having to use the outer snaps on the KLs. He was in size 1 sposies in the hospital...the NB size was too small. So probably in a week ot two, max, his cloth dipes won't fit anymore. And I'm pretty sure he is still way too small for the medium fuzzi bunz I have. Guess I need to order the next size up in prefolds asap.

[Cellist]

Mamie, don't prefolds kind of work no matter what, as long as they are long enough? Are you saying yours are not long enough to cover his butt and penis? Or?? Don't you just need covers that fit? Best to you! We're soon going to be out of newborn covers, but the prefolds look like they will work for some time still...

I just learned over the last couple days what engorgement feels like. UGH!! So full and rock hard. Seems to make it hard for the baby to nurse. I guess I'm going to have to seek out some information on that now! Also, he doesn't eat off of both breasts in one sitting anymore, since there is so much milk there, so one breast or the other sits aching for a couple more hours until he is hungry again. Yowsa.

Still 8 lbs over pre-pregnancy weight, but I am impressed with that, just over 2 weeks PP. My tummy is not looking as smooth as it did pre-pregnancy, but I'm wondering if it ever will again anyway. No matter; it will be "good enough" in time.

[Rose-Roget]

Took me a while to check in. Things are going pretty well. I'm hoping Sylvie isn't going to be colicky/refluxy like her big brother, but I'm starting to wonder. Poor baby. She's incredibly sweet when she doesn't have a tummy ache, though. She will go 4-5 hours between feedings overnight. I've been letting her, but I usually wake her up at 5 hours if she doesn't - mostly because my boobs feel like they'll explode!

I had some adjustment issues the first week, full of mama guilt over older ds, but I'm sure it was compounded by the hormone shifts, too. I'm feeling better and we're finding our groove, I think.

Can't wait for the stitches to be completely healed. Ugh - I am always accutely aware that they are there! I've also been reminding myself to do my kegals. My mw suggested that every time I nurse, to do kegals. I think I freaked myself out with the idea of developing a prolapse, so I'm really trying!

Once her cord fell off, we moved to cloth (for daytime - haven't braved the night yet!). So far so good. Even my mom is kind of on-board. That's weird.

Mamie, have you tried folding the prefold in and placing into the cover, instead of wrapping it around and fastening it before putting the cover on? Some covers are designed to do that, and I was overjoyed to find that technique!

[belltree]

We have a tall and slim baby as well. I actually like the litewraps as cover, I am really glad for having bought a variety of covers as a start.

Originally Posted by Cellist

I just learned over the last couple days what engorgement feels like. UGH!! So full and rock hard. Seems to make it hard for the baby to nurse.

My advice would be to watch the following Jack Newman video:
http://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=...lips&Itemid=13

It has really helped me at times.

Also, he doesn't eat off of both breasts in one sitting anymore, since there is so much milk there, so one breast or the other sits aching for a couple more hours until he is hungry again.

Do you have a pump, or can you hand express? Don't do it fully, but just a bit to relieve the pressure.

[ExuberantDaffodil]

Cellist -- I would definitely try to hand express a bit to relieve engorgement. I find that putting a warm cloth over the breast helps encourage let-down, and from there, it'll practically drip itself to relief, with me just massaging the areola a bit.

Even though my babe snacks a few times in the night, I always wake up painfully engorged in the morning. And sopping wet. Breast pads totally gross me out, by the way.

As far as diapers are concerned, I know that prefolds are supposed to be customizable to a certain extent, but I cannot see how the standard size infant ones could be folded to fit my babe. She's just a couple inches bigger than they are, total! And of course, I don't have any covers that fit at the moment, but I thought perhaps if I could just get one huge, bulky prefold around her, I could just go coverless (since we are at home) and change her when she's wet, but I seriously can't figure out to get them on her without every corner gaping open.

[Krystal323]

We are doing a random combination of sposies and cloth here. DH bought a pack of sposies b/c the cloth dipes were keeping his cord wet--but it's long since fallen off and healed, and the sposies are still around

I have enough kissaluv 0s to use fitteds only right now, which is nice! The infant size prefolds would be way too bulky right now. I also have some litewrap covers, they work great. My fave cover is a Bumpy wool wrap, but they are too pricey to have a lot of

Nik's gained over a pound already, at 10 days old, according to our high-tech digital fish scale!

Re: nursing: It's really hard to remember to drink enough--I can barely keep my Pur pitcher filled up! I'm not engorged so much, but I am having issues with bras/shirts fitting It's hilarious--with my first, I had SO MUCH milk, but couldn't find nursing bras small enough. With each baby, I've gone up a cup size while leaking less, and now I've got a bunch of C-D cup stuff that is too tight at the moment (I think it'll fit better as my supply regulates)! On the upside, I barely need nursing pads anymore

[EmilyVorpe]

exhaustion...and other stuff

We are almost almost 5 weeks pp...and we're so tired! Nursing is going decent....he prefers one side, has a hellofatime latching and staying on one side, but we're working at it. I stopped losing weight after 2 weeks pp so I still have 10-11 pounds to work at. I'm finally getting rid of some nasty hormones that were making me crazy, so that's a big plus. Baby is 2.5 pounds bigger than birth weight and cute as a button!
That's my update...
oooooh......anyone thinking of........................dtd yet?

[ExuberantDaffodil]

re: dtd -- I am definitely healing much faster this time around than I did with my son. I distinctly remember feeling pain down there for months after he was born. I was single at the time, and didn't even have to pretend to think about doing any deed, let alone the deed. I'm actually mostly pain-free at this point, and my lochia seems to have dwindled to barely anything at all. But I think I still have fear. This is coming from someone who was deeply afraid to birth the placenta (you know, the soft, squishy thing without bones...) after pushing out her baby.

[Juliacat]

I'm in less pain overall than I've been, both physical and emotional. So that's lucky. I'm still in my pajamas, haven't tried to put clothes on or weigh myself--will have to update with that information next week. I don't have much of an appetite. If dh puts food in front of me, I eat it, but I haven't been seeking it out.

We have orange edged prefolds and Kissaluvs 0's, and I also ordered some size small Sposoeasies and BG AIO's for nighttime since I am really, really stupid in the middle of the night and will put a fitted on inside out and forget the cover. My baby was average-sized, is now 11 days old and everything fits her fine. Prefolds that are too small can be trifolded in a cover, and prefolds that are too big can be folded down to fit (I folded them down in the back), but I understand being frustrated by the inability to put it around the baby's waist and Snappi--I had that problem with DD1 and am happy not to have it with DD2 so far. Snappied prefolds and BSWW are my favorite daytime system.

I want to give the birth ball back to the people we borrowed it from so DD1 will quit standing on it, but it's GREAT to sit on without putting pressure on my stitches. Maybe just a little while longer....

I had a 3rd-plus degree tear with DD1, so dh and I went 3 months after her birth without having sex, and it still hurt the first time. I have barely a 2nd degree tear this time so I don't think it will take as long, but I'm certainly not thinking about it yet!

Exuberant Daffodil, I was rather afraid to birth the placenta myself!

[Cellist]

belltree, thank you for the suggestions. I do have a pump and I have done some reading about engorgement today. Seems there are some things I could try that I haven't!

ED, I didn't realize that some people tried wrapping the prefolds around the baby. I just fold them in thirds and place them inside the wraps and make sure the wraps are nice and tight on the baby. Working well so far. I also LOVE the kissaluvs. LOVE them. So nice.

Julia, I haven't really had a great appetite, either. Not like I did during pregnancy. I read somewhere that sometimes you can even feel a little nauseous when nursing and that has happened, too. Weird. I guess drinking a lot of water and snacking helps with that (seems to, anyway) if that is an issue at all!

[KaliShanti]

Hello, new postpartum mama here!

My Zion will be a week old tomorrow.

I am doing well; I get blue for a few hours daily, but I'm taking my placenta capsules and hope that this will wear off in another week or so. I am a bit nervous about Monday, as my hubby goes back to work leaving me with TWO kids every day!

My baby is wonderful. She was sleepy the first few days and caused me some anxiety with her very quick nursing habits, but I think she just might be a fast nurser because she has wet and poopy diapers at every feeding.

How long did it takes your breasts to catch up to your baby's nursing habits? Mine still feel pretty engorged, probably because Zi is a fast nurser and rarely wants to eat sooner than every two hours, going up to 4 hours at night (her brother was the opposite, ate for 45 minutes-an hour at a time and wanted to eat ALL DAY).

[Shell_Ell]

Originally Posted by EmilyVorpe

oooooh......anyone thinking of........................dtd yet?

I felt like it again within a few days. We've been talking about it a lot but haven't found the time. If we had we may have by now. I'm about 2 1/2 weeks PP. I had no tearing and not much soreness at all. I think we DTD about 3-4 weeks after our last son was born- no tearing with him either. My last two births have made me really, really adore my husband. Has anyone else had this experience? First birth, we waited over two months... most of that due to having such a traumatic birth experience and having fears about getting pregnant again. That definitely comes into my thought process this time too, as we are DONE. I think DH is going to talk to a Dr sometime this week about the big V.

I have a lot I could say. Breastfeeding is really difficult here-- latch issues and my milk supply is crap once again. He was a few ounces under his birth weight at my 2 week check in with the midwife. Her apprentice/my friend is coming by with dinner and a scale on Monday. I seriously detest breastfeeding... I've done it a total of like 47 months now, and it's never been an easy experience for me.

Baby had a low grade temp and my oldest was puking on Thanksgiving. He's had a really hard time adapting to life with this noisy little thing- has not come near him at all since he was born. It's pretty stressful on top of everything else to have my four year old run away and cry every single time the baby cries. Sigh.

Speaking of... time is up.

[ExuberantDaffodil]

Originally Posted by Shell_Ell

My last two births have made me really, really adore my husband. Has anyone else had this experience?

After spending many months of my pregnancy frustrated with my husband, seeing him soften completely over our daughter really made my heart go pitter patter. And he's been fabulous, not only with the baby but also with my son and with taking care of me as much as he can. So I can definitely relate.

I'm not exactly thrilled with breastfeeding. My babe has a lazy latch which causes pain issues, and she sleeps at the breast so often that she wakes up cranky and famished. All wake-up attempts are not met with much success. We'll have a couple of good days followed by a couple of rotten days that leave my nipples feeling horrible. I'm just so glad that babe is gaining weight now and my milk supply seems better, though I'm popping fennugreek like candy, drinking my weight in barley tea, and having a nightly beer to keep up with my piggy baby.

[First-Time-Mommy]

2.6 weeks postpartum now, still bleeding. i know it can last up to 6 weeks, sometimes 8? but still! - i read about some women who quit their pp bleeding fairly quick and proceed to dtd within a couple weeks! i wish this were me but it isn't

on a more positive note, i can see 'down there' again and can shave effectively.

[Juliacat]

Originally Posted by Shell_Ell

My last two births have made me really, really adore my husband. Has anyone else had this experience?

YES! I just want to squeeze him all the time!

[belltree]

I slept 4hrs without interruption last night! I thought it would never happen

Dtd is not yet on my list of things, I adore my dh, he is just awesome with our little guy and is there for the two of us at all times. My tear still burns and once in a while bleeds a bit. My 6 week checkup is in a week, I will ask then about it, but it makes me afraid of ripping again while dtd.

I have been doing Kegels every time I breastfeed. But, if I go for longer walks I feel like my uterus is falling out, it just feels like my pelvic floor cannot handle the exercise. Has anyone else experienced this? Any suggestions what I could do?

[ExuberantDaffodil]

Originally Posted by First-Time-Mommy

on a more positive note, i can see 'down there' again and can shave effectively.

isn't it thrilling?! I didn't realize just how happy I would be see see my hoohah again.



belltree -- I feel a lot of "pressure" down there. I don't know how else to explain it. I'm hoping it is normal? it almost feels like it is engorged or something. Definitely better than the first couple weeks after the birth, but if I am up and about too much, my whole crotchal area is a little achy with pressure.

[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!

[Rose-Roget]

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!

I don't have to wake her up to nurse, usually, but it's really hard to keep her awake while nursing! Kind of like I have triptophan in my milk or something.