Postpartum Mama's! Weekly chat?! - Page 4

[mellybelly]

I am so glad this thread is here! We're 6 days pp and have been having ups and downs. DS#2 is a great nurser, which makes life SOSOSOSO much easier than it was after DS#1, but nights have been not so great - DS#2 doesn't really like going back to sleep, so we're awake for about 2 hours at a go. I guess the good thing is that we get in two feedings during that time and then get a solid 3+ hours of sleep after that. This, combined with raging hormones, is leaving me with this lingering bit of dread. I don't even exactly know what I'm dreading, but something I'm definitely looking forward to that ending...

[somegirl99]

DH made me dinner last night, very sweet of him, but the 2 types of hot sauce plus sesame chili oil he put in it have not been sitting well with DS.

And my MIL arrives next Wednesday (day before my due date), so instead of us having someone to help us out right now, DH is running around trying to get ready for her visit. He is trying hard not to leave me alone with DS and the dogs for too long, but it's a bit challenging right now. I'm sure it will be easier when I start babywearing. Unfortunately the adjustable pouch sling was too big for me. I will probably try the mei tai next but I want him here to help me. I think the ring sling will also work but it needs washing, I bought it slightly used and the perfumed detergent it was washed in before makes me sneeze.

Other than that, things are going well with DS. We are also swaddling to nurse which helps a lot, and I found that if I start things flowing with hand-expression first, he latches on much better. Yesterday I started having leaking from the other side while nursing, feels odd, will take a while to get used to all the changes. Nipples are getting pretty sore now.

J. Jones, finally feel up to doing some transverse ab work to try to work on my diastasis as well. Got out for a walk with the dogs yesterday which was nice. It's been hard feeling so immobile. I wish I could say I felt like getting on my bike but I am so sore I have no idea when I will actually want to.

Proto, things have actually been moving better for me since I stopped taking the stool softener. I'm eating lots of fiber too which helps.

[terra-pip]

Having some nursing issues of my own now. Nearly 3 weeks PP and I know this could be related to growth spurts...but dd wants to nurse all.the.time.

And then she's spitting up a lot and getting gassy...I've tried everything to get her to be calm and to hold out so she doesn't just burp and spit up a ton. But she still hates any kind of carrier...I've tried wrapping her upright in the Moby and she will settle down that way but not for long...she tolerates it so little that it doesn't justify the time I take wrapping it!

I gulp down any food or snack or drink...take quick showers while hsb walks her around. I've given up the nursing bra...the flaps are down all day anyway. sigh...not that I'm ever getting those pre baby boobs from my 20s back anyway. I have a friend whose bfing baby is on meds for reflux and I'm terrified of that now even though I feel this is a phase.

I only get relief from this constant nursing/spitup/poop/pass gas/fuss and root/cry/nurse/spitup/.....routine at night when she will sleep for 4-5 hours.

I'm trying to block feed because her poo is green and I have a lot of milk...but maybe not so much of an oversupply like last week...but I'm dizzy by this cluster feeding. Then I get these crazy thoughts that maybe I'm losing my milk and thats why she's going nuts on me. sigh

For the mommas with sore nipples...Lansinoh is great...I use it religiously a couple times a day sore or not. I got sore the very next day this time and it helped. And the Lansinoh nursing pads are the softest things ever! I've used Gerber with my 2nd and they felt rough and would make the sores worse and I've tried cloth with my 1st but I think they contributed to my thrush.


Fitness plans: I have plans to make fitness plans!

[MJB]

Originally Posted by majazama

just an fyi, pumping can increase your milk production, MJB.

Yeah, but having had mastitis 9 times already, I'd rather deal with the oversupply for longer than wake up with a 105º fever. If I don't pump I will definitely, without a doubt have mastitis in no time. I've been keeping it to 5 minutes every 5-6 hours but I might increase it because I feel like I'm getting sick. And the pain if I don't pump or push it too long is literally unbearable.

[majazama]

Originally Posted by MJB

Yeah, but having had mastitis 9 times already, I'd rather deal with the oversupply for longer than wake up with a 105º fever. If I don't pump I will definitely, without a doubt have mastitis in no time. I've been keeping it to 5 minutes every 5-6 hours but I might increase it because I feel like I'm getting sick. And the pain if I don't pump or push it too long is literally unbearable.

have you tried putting cabbage leaves on your breasts? Or sip sage tea? Wear a tight fitting bra?

[somegirl99]

Tried out the Mei Tai this afternoon and took the dogs for a very short walk. It worked out really well except that DS started to overheat a bit in it and got upset so we turned around and went back home.

terra-pip, thanks for the nipple tips. Today I started using a nipple butter that a friend sent, it definitely is helping. I haven't dared put a bra on yet, mostly hanging out topless or with a cardigan on.

[Surfacing]

This weekly thread has now been open for a month! I started a new thread, hope nobody minds:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...1#post15661771

[MJB]

Originally Posted by majazama

have you tried putting cabbage leaves on your breasts? Or sip sage tea? Wear a tight fitting bra?

Haven't tried sage tea this time but I'm pretty sure I have in the past.
I feel my supply starting to regulate now (now like within the past 12 hours it's been better) and think in a few days I'll be out of the mastitis danger zone. Edie's getting better at handling the flood, too, and emptying the breast better (although neither have been truly empty since my milk came in 36 hours after birth).
Last time around I refused to pump and ended up unconscious on the floor with a 105º fever and on IV antibiotics in the hospital. That was a different situation because my son was tongue-tied, but still, I vowed to just deal with pumping if I had to. With a mastitis-prone oversupply mom I don't think there's any alternative to pumping some (and I'm not even doing it "to comfort" only to "less painful").

[majazama]

Originally Posted by MJB

Haven't tried sage tea this time but I'm pretty sure I have in the past.
I feel my supply starting to regulate now (now like within the past 12 hours it's been better) and think in a few days I'll be out of the mastitis danger zone. Edie's getting better at handling the flood, too, and emptying the breast better (although neither have been truly empty since my milk came in 36 hours after birth).
Last time around I refused to pump and ended up unconscious on the floor with a 105º fever and on IV antibiotics in the hospital. That was a different situation because my son was tongue-tied, but still, I vowed to just deal with pumping if I had to. With a mastitis-prone oversupply mom I don't think there's any alternative to pumping some (and I'm not even doing it "to comfort" only to "less painful").

I was just trying to help. There are ways to decrease engorgement.

I found that the one time I pumped 2 oz. from my right breast that it got a whole lot more engorged a couple hours later. My MW told me that it would increase my supply, and she was right. I put on a tight fitting bra, and the engorgement decreased significantly.

[terra-pip]

Other moms may have different results...but I agree. I've always read or heard that pumping while engorged or having oversupply just might make it all worse. Bras feel horrible to me too. What has always helped me was hand expression with warmth, either in the shower or a warm cloth.

My milk supply is slowly starting to slow down to be in sync with my little demander. She still gets drowned at times and gets gassy...I can hear the lactose dumping in her gut when she nurses. It doesn't help that she wants to nurse all the time the last few days. Block feeding is working and I'm finally getting more comfortable at night. Still pretty leaky though. Think I'm going to have to be careful with even a tiny bit of dairy. She's been a real spitter the last few days too.

Feel a bit crazy about it...wish we would get into some sort of predictable feeding routine soon.