Postpartum Mama Weekly Check-In (March 1-March 7) - Page 2

[aramat]

Happileigh, how scary! But sounds like you've got it under control now. Eat, baby, eat!

Sooo, I spoke with my midwife/LC about my low milk supply today, and the verdict is...[drumroll]...no, not retained membranes...no, not low iron...no, baby does not have a weak suck...it really looks like my low supply is just due to not being able to nurse her for her first few days of life. My body was given some mixed signals, and I didn't take the pumping seriously enough. We think. So, ramping up the galactogogues, trying to fit in some pumping here and there (although, really, the girl is nursing so non-stop, she never leaves with time OR milk to pump), and going to TRY breastfeeding with tube supplementation instead of supplementing with bottles, so that she doesn't end up rejecting the breast. Right now, we're doing pretty well, because both she and the doctor said 200mL of formula a day "isn't THAT much", and because Julianna at this point still prefers the breast. Although she got really ticked-off when I tried supplementing with the tube today...hopefully we'll get the hang of it tomorrow. If everything goes quite well, maybe in a month (at the earliest), my supply will catch up and we'll no longer need the supplements.

In terms of the PPD, I'm going to see the OB that assisted in Juju's birth and see what she can do for me.

Yesterday was such a horrible, hormonal day for me. Today was hard, too, but seeing my midwife again really lifted my spirits. I love her and wish she lived closer to us!

[jul511riv]

Originally Posted by HappiLeigh

Love and hugs to the mamas dealing with the blues.

And love those cute baby pictures!!

Nicole, I loved you NIP story.

We're doing okay as of tonight. Been a rough few days. We were discharged from the hospital on the day I was wanting to go, although late in the day. But home has been a bit rough. In-laws are here constantly, and although I love them, they can be a bit much in such an intense time. Then we took baby for mandatory weight-check (because he was still losing weight when we left the hospital) and he was waaaaaay down, more then a pound from his birth weight and he looked parched. The nurse/LC at my ped is very understanding, and agrees it is because he wasn't allowed to nurse for 24 hours (they tube-fed him) and my milk was taking its time coming in, and because he wasn't getting enough calories he was really, really sleepy. Plus she thinks (and I agree) that he's trying to sleep off the trauma after his birth, when they took him away from me for a whole day and had him taped and wired up and in a layette in their special care unit. So he was basically parched, dehydrated, losing weight rapidly, and even when he was waking and rooting, he'd get so horrifyingly gassy that he'd cry himself back to sleep without eating. (The gas has gone way down now--I'm sure it was related to whatever they've done to f-up his gut in the hospital by the tube feeding and the antibiotics.) So I spent 24 hours basically tied to the bed with the baby, doing whatever we could to get food down him. We cuddled shirtless, my milk finally started to come in, and my SIL brought me a bottle of her pumped breastmilk, which I mixed with some of my pumped colostrum and after he'd finish at the breast, I'd top him off with the bottle until he refused to eat any more. The good news is, it worked!! We went in for weight check today, and they'd hoped he'd gain maybe an ounce--he'd gained THREE! He seems to be perking up now. His parched little mouth is juicing up, and he's spending more time awake but quiet, and today he's nursing really well, so we're not supplementing any more. I'm so relieved. It all just felt so sad--I know he really did need some special care there in the beginning (he totally didn't "pink up," he basically "purpled down") but after they flushed him out and worked on his lungs for a while, he was breathing well on his own and should have been returned to me much earlier. But anyway, things are looking better this evening.

(((hugs)))

[hapersmion]

We're here! A week and a half old now, and I'm feeling pretty good. I can actually sit here at the computer for more than a few minutes, which is nice. I'm feeling really lucky - it looks like we've somehow gotten TWO easy babies. This new one is maybe even calmer than his big brother, which I didn't think was possible. He almost only cries when we're doing horrible things to him like changing his diaper.

I am having just a tiny bit of trouble with nursing - now that my milk is really coming in, I feel like I'm drowning him every time he tries to nurse. He coughs and gasps and spits up a lot... I've heard you can express a little milk to get the first gush over with before nursing, but I'm afraid that I'll start making even more milk if I do. *shrug* It's a good problem to have, I guess, so no real complaints.

[OlyR]

checking in really quick. Jack is doing great, he was up over 1 lb since his discharge and first appointment (at 5 days old). I am going to try out the breast pump in the next week or so, for some reason I'm kind of scared/intimidated by it.

My in-laws are still here and I'm managing ok. But DH just had to leave town for 3 nights for a trial so I'm left here with HIS family - that should be interesting. My mom took my in-laws shopping out of town today so I could have some alone time with Jack and DH before he had to leave, that was a wonderful plan. Now that DH has left I'm enjoying me and baby time (he's snuggled in the moby right now) and I'm looking forward to alone time again having my house back once ILs leave.

Jack's birth announcements came and I love them, I have been working on addressing the envelopes while he's sleeping because I'm so excited to send them out.

[flavorfull1]

just a couple of min to catch up but went to see my mw for a f/u appt. I have 8.5 lbs to go to pre pg wt and malachi is now at 11lbs 5.5oz! He will be 7wks on mon. I am so proud, grow baby grow still bleeding but lighter, makes a huge difference to drink rrl tea. mw checked everything and after the internal she said "it's almost as if you never had a baby" ehem ha! i know what she was saying but for real? so, anyone dtd yet? i am curious and a little scared to. the internal didnt hurt at all so that is encouraging. i am gng to wait until bleeding is done but i am starting to think abt it again...anyone else?

[Ficus]

Originally Posted by flavorfull1

just a couple of min to catch up but went to see my mw for a f/u appt. I have 8.5 lbs to go to pre pg wt and malachi is now at 11lbs 5.5oz! He will be 7wks on mon. I am so proud, grow baby grow still bleeding but lighter, makes a huge difference to drink rrl tea. mw checked everything and after the internal she said "it's almost as if you never had a baby" ehem ha! i know what she was saying but for real? so, anyone dtd yet? i am curious and a little scared to. the internal didnt hurt at all so that is encouraging. i am gng to wait until bleeding is done but i am starting to think abt it again...anyone else?

I was surprised at my 6 week f/u the doctor said, "you still have quite a bit of healing to do." He also said, "Good thing you have small babies. If you decide to have another baby, and you go full term, we may have to talk about alternative birth options." It was kind of in jest, but basically, I think my pelvis and whatever he saw down south makes him think it would be a little challenging to deliver a big baby.

I only had a first degree tear, but I guess I wasn't healing well. He suggested I wait a little bit to DTD, but I didn't listen. And you know what? It wasn't bad at all! It was actually worse with the first one. I asked DH if itlooked bad, and he said "just uneven." I just recommend some good lube, slow approach and minimal expectations.

[folkgirl]

We did it yesterday, three weeks postpartum. It was really fine. I haven't felt sore from my tear since the first week. Any lingering soreness I have is a (rare) dull ache.

[jul511riv]

nak.
/raising hand. yep. we dtd. use lube (we used coconut oil), go slow...stop if you need to. just be gentle.

I'm all excited cause i was able to go to the mikvah 1 month and 3 days post birth! (that means spotting/bleeding was over 7 days b4 that) and yea, i credit rrl tincture 4 that.

[Snapdragon]

Do all you postpartum moms want to come over to the new weekly chat thread? I feel lonely over there! As I am the only or one of the only non post partum folks left, I don't need a thread all to myself, so maybe we could just have one weekly chat thread again which is postpartum plus the stray pregnant lady?
what do you think?!

[NicoleS]

Poor Katie, are you really the only one left? I think one weekly chat would be fine.

[Ficus]

Yeah, let's just do one weekly chat thread, now! I keep waiting to hear updates from you, Katie!!!

[jul511riv]

awww, Katie. lol. we r still rootin 4 ya!

[AustinKate]

Katie I hope things are continuing to move along for you! It sounds like labor is starting up...sending ELV's your way.

Alex and I are doing pretty well...he's now three weeks old, and it seems like he's grown so much in that space of time! At his two week appointment he'd gained 9 oz. from his birth weight. He also has this huge head of hair that I think makes him look older than his age. BTW, this is a stupid question, but can anyone tell me how to post photos? Do I have to paste a link from photos posted on the web, or can I put photos from my computer into a message? I'm computer challenged

I'm curious about DTD too...we haven't yet, but I feel like I could and would want to. Right after the birth I remember thinking "it's going to be a loooong time before I want to DTD again!" But I'm feeling much more human now...I had a little tearing, but it feels like that's pretty much healed. Glad to know others are trying it out with success!