Weekly thread, July 18-25 - Page 2

[sew_crafty_girl]

Still have plugged ducts. Trying to nurse lots on that side and massage. Burning nipples are accompanying it so I'm treating with GV in desperation. Did notice a white parch at the end of my nipple this morning that doesnt look like the typical blanching i have. Still having raynauds symptoms occasionally so debating if I want to do the 2nd 2 week course of nifedipene. I just hate the heart racing and flushing side effects.

Mommy coffee this morning than an infant CPR course this afternoon at the health unit. We have our 3 month f/u with the ped on thurs for anna's hip. It still clicks. I'm going to ask about the choking episodes she still has too.

[Carita]

Originally Posted by ivymae

Aimee, I am So impressed with how committed you've been to get C through these early months with breastmilk. What happens next will never take away what you've given her. She's a very lucky little girl.

kids are gone to the library w/DH. I am so spoiled this summer that he is off. I don't think he'll have any other summers like this now that he is back to school in the fall. anyway - i am supposed to be using this precious hr to take a shower and get dressed, so I better go do that!

dani is a hand/finger/lovey sucker. Gabe wasn't like this at all! does it mean she'll teeth sooner? she isn't really a comfort nurser though. i am have tempted to try a paci with her just to give her something to chew on.

oh an forgot to mention doc dated my time of conception at my son's 2nd bday LOL so I will always know the anniversary of Dani's conception! coming up on Sunday!

[Carita]

sewcg - did you try also jus the standard lotramin/benadryl combo - like the dr. newman's nipple cream? i had some terrible plugged ducts and it was very painful to nurse - it had pregressed into a bleb. not fun ((hugs)). anyway, the lotramin/benadryl cream combo helped a lot. i also have to wash bras at least 1x/day, no reusing. so yes, for me, my plugged ducts seem to be yeast related.

[sew_crafty_girl]

Ooh, thanks for the advice carita! I'll see if the drugstore here carries that cream. I haven't tried anything but GV yet. Should I put vinegar in the wash?

[GreenTeaGinger61]

Originally Posted by sew_crafty_girl

Ooh, thanks for the advice carita! I'll see if the drugstore here carries that cream. I haven't tried anything but GV yet. Should I put vinegar in the wash?

Do put vinegar in the wash with anything that has touched your nipple.

I have used generic lotramin for my yeast by the way. I didn't notice that it helped though We're having a rough time with it over here as well. It simply won't go away and I'm really at a lost as to what to do. Meds haven't worked. GV didn't work. None of the natural treatments. It's very frustrating!

Rhi: That looks really cool. If I though R would sleep in it I'd be tempted:P right now she sleeps great at night but will only sleep in my arms during the day. Not getting much done is putting it mildly.

LNF: Your day off sounds heavenly.

Amiee: (((Hugs))) and what everyone else said. Your dedication is admirable. I had to supplement with formula when Camille was in daycare and while it was heartbreaking to me, I knew that she was still getting milk from me and that I was doing the best I could.

Thanks for the all wishes for dh and the interview. He's left for it so here's hoping. I HATE the hours because it's going to make getting to my job complicated but oh well, we'll make it work.

Right now I'm freaking out because R isn't doing so well with me leaving. Yesterday she lost it while I was at WW and dh had to call me to come home. She refuses to take a bottle from him. Sometimes he can calm her down by walking her outside but he has to time it just right or she loses it. I am so worried as I start my job in about a month. Yesterday was really bad and she threw up three times before I made it home. She was drooling a lot which makes her gag. Plus I stupidly ate a cookie Saturday night and she seems to have an allergic reaction to eggs so duh on me.

She is now doing this adorable thing when we nurse. While she's nursing, I make kissy sounds at her and she'll grunt in response with a little smile. Love the milk smiles.

[laughingfox]

triony, thanks for the link. I've been trying to get her to lean back a bit and eat, like in the first pic, but it's very hit-or-miss. She isn't very fond of the cradle hold, which is a bummer, because that would probably be the easiest way to do it.

Cecilia's Mama I hope something works out, be it donations or DPD.
You are doing an amazing job. I've been rooting for you, and will continue to do so.
and yay for fluffymail!

Speaking of diapers, we're getting close to growing out of XS Thirsties (even though we're well past the 12 pounds that's supposed to be their maximum), and I just can't decide what to do.
If money was no option, I'd love some organic BG, too (I agree that the microfleece is just .. odd.) but I can't decide if we should get something that has a disposable option (like Flip) in case we ever get to travel.
I've also been considering some ebay pocket diapers, made with bamboo. Of course, I'd probably just try one before I spent a lot of money on them, since I don't know anyone who uses these.

Maybe I'll find some secondhand Thirsties for $3 a pop again? I'll probably have a look once DH gets paid again.

I can't decide whether to replace or hold onto the covers DD2 is outgrowing. We don't plan on having any more kids before DD2 is 5 (so it might be a while), and our plan is to adopt our next kid (so that kid probably won't be a newborn when he/she comes home with us anyway), but I still feel like we need them for some reason.

With DD1, I donated her diapers the second she was out of them, since I always happened to stumble across someone who needed them. It's really a great feeling, donating diapers. You know you're helping a mama out in a long-lasting way with the most basic of needs. I had an awesome warm fuzzy feeling for months.

[Peace+Hope]

oh, cecelia'smamma, i know a lot of us have already responded to you, but i hope you feel fantastic about how hard you've worked to give C everything you can.

gtg, for your husband's job interview and not having to move! i know it will be a really tough year with you both teaching, but i'm so glad you wouldn't be so destitute! do you guys prefer this job and staying in charlotte to moving for the other job and your not having one lined up?

sewcrafty, wow, sounds painful and frustrating. i hope you can beat the yeast (if it is that) soon. during pregnancy, i read that yeast makes you crave sugar, which should actually be avoided as it feeds the yeast .

sme, yay for feeling so good!

afm, charlie is NOT sleeping today.... keep not being able to finish my post, so i'll just post what i have. thinking of you all, especially moms working or preparing to work soon.

[Pepper44]

My midwife told me to help reduce plugged ducts to take lecithin, I think?

How are everyone's babies doing with hand coordination? I know we have all different ages here, so that makes a difference.

Ada has started to use her hands to hold things better and pull them to her mouth to chew on. (I really think she's teething, she has white spots on her bottom gums front and center now!) She also sucks on her hands constantly and drools. She's noticed her feet too and uses them to kick stuff on purpose. The other day she almost pulled her foot up to her mouth to suck on it but leg go of it at the last second and screamed.

Elimination communication is going ok. I'm trying to be relaxed about it. I made the mistake of laughing when she peed on my accidentally several times and now I swear she's doing it on purpose. I take her off the potty and a minute later she pees on me and then cracks up laughing! Oh no! It would be cute if I wasn't getting peed on...

[jenfl]

Sprout and I are kind of miserably sick today. I've got a sore throat, so he probably does, too -- and his refusal to nurse confirms that. I can get him to nurse when he wakes up from a nap and is still groggy, but the rest of the time he acts hungry but barely takes in any before refusing (a lot like when he gets refluxy). He's also got the sniffles, and has a hard time breathing sometimes.

Any suggestions for ways to help? We've been giving him Tylenol to hopefully help with his throat.

[jsh7809]

Originally Posted by ivymae

Aimee, I am So impressed with how committed you've been to get C through these early months with breastmilk. What happens next will never take away what you've given her. She's a very lucky little girl.

Ditto! You have already given her an amazing start. My cousin (the one I mentioned earlier, who almost died of a breast infection gone septic!) just had to switch to formula and is struggling with accepting it, too. But you and she both have literally done everything you can to breastfeed for as long as possible, and that is an amazing amazing commitment!

[rhiOrion]

L is doing pretty well on hand coordination. She can get her paci back in her mouth as long as it doesn't fall all the way out. But I can't figure out if it's on purpose, or if it's a result of trying to put her hands in her mouth.

She can reliably put her hands in her mouth, and even just fingers.

She can reach for toys somewhat, but doesn't do it too often.

Earlier I was kissing the bottom of her feet and she kept stretching them back out to put them on my mouth so I'd kiss them some more. It was adorable!

[jenfl]

Oh, yeah, hand coordination. Sprout's been reaching for toys for a while, and is at the point where he can grab the dangling toys in his bouncy seat and tear them down. He can put his hands directly into his mouth, and sometimes can bring a toy along with them. He's been a lot more interested in toys than Nugget was.

[Knitting Mama]

Cecilia's getting there with hand-eye coordination too! She pulls toys into her mouth with either or both hands, and reliably sucks on either hand whenever she wants something in her mouth. She also has suddenly acquired a habit of, while laying on the Boppy and smiling up at me, suddenly rolling, lunging and latching in one motion. It's pretty surprising!

[snoopy5386]

Aimee- you've done such a wonderful job so far working so hard to give C as much breastmilk as possible and that is wonderful, you've got to just keep doing the best you can and accept the rest.
SewCrafty - ouch! I'm wondering about thrush over here too. Kelsey has always had a white patch on her tongue, since like day 1. At first I thought it was thrush but it never spread or got worse and I have no symptoms so I figured it was milk. But today I was noticing the patch seems really thick, almost like a white carpet on her tongue....just weird. I tried wiping it off and it didn't come off, but it is still nowhere else in her mouth. I have no idea....I'll be watching it the next few days.
Rhi - that picture is sooo cute! The nap nanny is just such a cute little invention, I want one even though we don't need one!
GTG - fingers crossed and waiting for an update. Kelsey seems to have given up on the bottle too. She won't take it from DH but up until last week I could get her to take one and now she won't take it from me either. I'm trying 3 different nipples and nothing. I'm going to try every day for the next 2 weeks and if we get nowhere then I guess I'll give up? She also goes from fine to complete freakout in like 30 seconds. Luckily I don't have to work but it is still nice to get out sometimes without her. I have to stay within a 10 mile radius so I can get home super quick.
Jen - warm shower and a booger sucker? Breastmilk up the nose to loosen boogers too. Feel better soon!
Hand coordination - she gets her hands in there and will immediately grab any cloth she can reach to suck on, she always sucks on the sleeves to her jammies and I am putting them on - too cute. She hasn't found her feet yet, since we are always on the go she doesn't get much floor time to experiment.
Today I woke her up from a nap at 6:30 so she'd go to bed at a reasonable hour tonight. I unswaddled her and she just stretched and stretched and stretched for a good 10 minutes - it was absolutely adorable!!

My question of the day is about tummy time - we basically never do it - either I forget or she's just eaten and I don't want her to spit up everywhere or I put her on her belly and she screams and screams and screams. So she can't really hold her head up yet and certainly can't push her chest up or anything like that. She basically eats the carpet or gets her hand in her mouth and just sucks on it. How are the other babies doing with tummy time?

[Pepper44]

Ada loves to eat cloth too. She's always pulling the bottom of her shirts and dresses up to her mouth. Her belly gets cold when she sleeps because she is clutching her clothes constantly (we don't do snapping bottoms because of EC) so I gave her a Grandma knitted baby blanket to hold instead. Now every time she gets ready to nurse to sleep she will grin when I put it in between her hands and she likes to fall asleep with the blanket draped up over the side of her face, just like DH. I love looking down and seeing one fat fist clutching my shirt, the other clutching her blanket, and her pudgy sleeping face smooshed into my chest.

Tummy time...we don't do it. I don't think there's much point if it's torture for your baby. A baby's spine is straight when they are born and as they gain muscle strength the spine gradually goes into an S shape so that they can sit and walk. I read that being upright in a carrier has the same function as tummy time. I recently read this amazingly informational article about it...it was linked on FB. Do you all know what I'm talking about? I wish I'd saved it.

[Pepper44]

Oh, LNF, I forgot to update about my horrible lecherous duck! I had to lock up my chickens and now the stupid duck can't rape them anymore. My hens' feathers are totally destroyed, poor things, and they are now pecking each other so their feathers can't grow back. It's a disaster. I think I'm going to have to coat them in pine tar to keep them from pecking each others duck wounds. Isn't that pathetic?

One of my baby chicks escaped out of their chicken tractor tonight some how and the duck mauled it and broke a little wing. I cried when I scooped up its wet broken little body off of the ground. I hope the chick will be alright, I put it back under one of the mamas and it was peeping loudly.

The duck also got in my garden and trampled all of my corn...

So...anyone want one horny giant white duck?

[loveneverfails]

Dang, Pepper! YOU ARE SO MEAN! ALL THAT POOR LECHEROUS DUCK WANTS IS TO BE LOVED, AND YOU HIDE HIM AWAY!!!!

Seriously, that is awful! Could the duck be given a more useful purpose? Like, dinner?

[Pepper44]

It's just that duck is so greasy and ew, and Benny is adorably cute...*sigh*

I've been leaving my ducks out at night, since I can no longer coop them with the chickens. I know I'll cry if something attacks them in the dark, but then I wouldn't have an annoying horny duck anymore.

We can't even eat at our picnic table in the back yard now. The pair of ducks come up and nibble at us and try to grab our food. Why do I love those things so much? My DH was so angry when June, Benny's duck wife, took a big bite out of his butt when he was sitting on the picnic table bench.

[Knitting Mama]

I love you women, seriously. I don't know what I would do without my internet support!

In other news, bubbamummy saved the day today and delivered me some milk. Thank you Sophie! I have at least 2 donors lined up who will ship to me, we just have to rebuild the budget a bit to afford the shipping, but it's totally worth it. Besides, formula would cost money too, and I'd much rather pay for overnight shipping of boob juice than buy formula!

[smeisnotapirate]

Aimee - you are doing so amazingly! I remember whining that I wanted to quit nursing with DS when we were using a nipple shield. I think you're amazing for giving C what you've given her. And please, if I can pump for you, let me know. I know I'm pretty far away, but I've been collecting a stash.

That being said, I hate hate hate manual pumping. Seriously. I want an electric so badly, but I can't spend the $. Grr...

Nomi is amazing. I work Mondays from 5-8pm where I can't be with her. I leave around 4:30 and don't see her until 8:30. For DS, I pumped and left bottles and he was perfectly happy. DD has decided that she would just rather not eat. She starts fussing, DH warms up water to warm the bottle, and she's either asleep by the time he gets the bottle warm or the bottle touches her lips, she chews on it once or twice, and then sleeps. Amazing kid.