Postpartum Thread 10/4-10/10

[CrunchyChristianMama]

We sure are a quiet bunch! I'm guessing everyone is as busy as I am caring for their baby and keeping the other kids happy as well.

Poor little Annabelle has a bad cold. She up in the night unable to breath or nurse. I'm trying some essential oils in a steamer in her room to see if that will help her. It seems to at the beginning of the night, but once they wear off, she goes downhill again. I've tried putting breastmilk in her nose to break up the congestion as well and that seems to help for a while too. I'm going to try the onion trick tonight as well (puttling a sliced up onion in the crib with her) as that seemed to help Evelyn some when she was a baby and was stuffy. She's been battling this for almost a week now and I just want her to get better! Add to that the fact that I seem to have caught it now too, so I'm really not up for being up all night with a sick baby.

[somegirl99]

Sorry to hear about the cold. We all had one a couple of weeks ago. What helped us was keeping DS as upright as possible, so lots of naps in the wrap and elevating the head (or lowering the feet) of the cosleeper.

[DreamsInDigital]

Ayla caught her first cold too. Poor little thing, but it's to be expected with 4 kids in public school. She seems to be getting better quickly, thank goodness.

[aromamama]

is anyone still bleeding?? I am 8 weeks pp and last weeks the bleeding picked up like crazy, btw it has never stopped since the birth. It slowed over the weekend a bit, and now i am back to heavy period like bleeding...

my midwives had me do mass doses of angelica a few weeks ago to see if maybe there was a clot or left over placenta in there. it did not change anything.

i even tried shepperds purse tincture a few times and it does nothing.....

any other thoughts???

thanks

[amyrobynne]

Tim's got a snuffly nose too. I had a brief cold last week and my husband has it now, so I'm just surprised that my two kids in school didn't get it first.

We had his 2 month check today (at 10 weeks) -- 12 lbs 3 oz, 15.75" head, 23" (up from 6 lbs 14 oz, 13.5", 19.5"). Decided to give him the DTaP and Rotavirus vaxes. I didn't start (delayed, selective) vaxing with my older boys until 6-8 months, but they were born in March and I feel better doing these before winter. Plus I keep hearing about pertussis going around.

We're getting lots of cooing and smiling around here

[miss_nikki]

Sorry to hear about those with sick infants. I don't have any advice on the bleeding, but I hope it lets up for you soon.

Thankfully my little guy is doing really well. He was spitting up and had some silent reflux. I went to visit a friend over the weekend and though neither of us are big on the pacifier she noticed that I seemed to be nursing all the time. So she suggested trying one out. He nursed less and didn't spit up. Still wetting plenty of diapers though. She told me that it could've been that he was nursing and getting a tummy ache from my excessive let down so then he wanted to nurse more for comfort but was just getting more milk. He seems to be doing much better now, though.

He is smiling a lot more lately and has really started cooing at us. I LOVE it! He's still a good sleeper. I wish his brother was sleeping better. His brother has been acting more like a newborn than he has, waking a lot at night and wanting to nurse. His brother had a stomach bug just recently, though, and I think that's been his problem.

Today I'm hoping to go apple picking. Also have our 6 week appt with the midwife. I've been concerned about a possible prolapse and am going to have her check it today.

[MyFillingQuiver]

miss_nikki,

I hope you don't have a prolapse. At 3.5 weeks pp, I felt kind of "saggy" at the end of a long day, and looked w/a mirror....HORRIFIC! I found a biggish bulge inside my vagina...called my MW nearly in tears. I've since gone to an OB to be "diagnosed". I have a moderate cystocele. Fun! The OB said the expect most of the healing to be by 12 weeks pp. He said my kegal tone is good, and to keep doing them. I'm also doing homeopathic sepia. I'm praying for full or really far recovery! I don't have bladder symptoms, so that's a good sign...anyway, thanks for letting me vent. It's still fresh! I was feeling so good otherwise!

AFM, baby Oliver is 1 month today! Here are some pictures of him. He's over 13 lbs, and "waking up" to the world a bit more....how fun!

[lunarlady]

Well, my baby moon is almost over. I go back to work next week, which just makes me sad but must be done. I'm hoping I will be able to find a good place to pump, but a little nervous about it. Baby is doing great and has started smiling. So cute! We did just the DTaP shot at her 6 week appointment, and she tolerated that really well. My bleeding has stopped, and my 6 week checkup showed me well healed. So I guess we are as ready as we'll ever be to get back to the grind. At least we have an AWESOME nanny lined up, so that helps some.

[LZP]

Hi Everyone! I've been reading, but not managing to find the time to post in a long while. Sorry for being MIA. It feels a little strange to be reading about 6 week check ups.... Anna (photos!) will be 12 weeks tomorrow, and 6 weeks ago feels like an eternity to this new mama!

The pics everyone has shared are adorable (including on other threads that i've been stalking!) This DDC sure did produce one beautiful bunch of babies!

aromamama- regarding the bleeding, I'd call the MW again if I were in the situation. Sounds suspicious to still be going that heavily, IMO.

lunarlady, you're going back to work too- and your attitude about it is so lovely. I was, and am much more bitter about it! I really really hope you can find a pumping space. that was a fiasco for me the first few days. Now that it's worked out, it really helps me to relax and have good supply.

MFQ- Oliver is so cute. and sooo sorry to hear about cystocele!! I really hope the dr is right and it clears up completely, and soon!

Evie's Mama, thanks for starting the thread- and I'm sorry you;re not feeling well, and feeling overwhelmed. I cant comment about having 2, obviously, but I can imagine it's a balancing act. Though I do know that it will get fun, and hopefully sooner than later. regarding the stuffy nose, (3rd hand info- not medical advice!) my sister lays her daughter down, and puts a few drops of saline nasal spray into each nostril, then sits her up and lets her sneeze it out. seems to really help her.

I came back to work when Anna was 10 weeks (last week was my first back). I'm working a 4 day week until the end of the year. Then, we'll see what happens. even 4 days away is just heart-wrenching.
Anyone else back at work yet? How are you coping? I feel like I spend my whole evening preparing for the next morning, and cleaning up the aftermath of the previous morning! getting us out the door would NOT happen if I didnt do most of the prep the night before.
Anna is sleeping well finally! she had days and nights mixed up for a while. She doesnt nap as much as I'd like while with the babysitter, which makes for a cranky girl in the evening. not easy to soothe her and cuddle when i'm making dinner, lunches for next day, cleaning pump parts, etc...
she is smiling, just started coo-ing a lot, and is really discovering her voice during the past few days! it's adorable. She's starting to catch up to the milestones for her age, since she was early and a little slower in the beginning. at her 9 wk appt she was 11 lbs, and 22.5 inches long, i'm certain she's bigger than that now; she's bursting out of her 0-3 month footie PJs now!
She is definitely going to be our little explorer, she is so curious, and doesnt want to miss a thing anywhere. Her little personality is developing and she is quite particular about how she likes things!

We're still working on babywearing, she loved the moby wrap when she was tiny, but hates it in any carry now. The ergo is quickly becoming hated too- she doesnt want to be confined, but isnt strong enough yet to sit up for long in it.

CDing is still happening on some evenings and weekends- being back at work makes it hard to keep up on all of our household laundry as it is! DH is traveling for at least 1/2 of every week from now until the end of the year, so most everything falls on my shoulders and I'm not great at letting him help when he is home. Have to work on that!

OK, thats my novel talking about myself. .

I hope everyone is doing well here, now to stalk a few more threads before getting back to work!

[miss_nikki]

Originally Posted by MyFillingQuiver

miss_nikki,

I hope you don't have a prolapse. At 3.5 weeks pp, I felt kind of "saggy" at the end of a long day, and looked w/a mirror....HORRIFIC! I found a biggish bulge inside my vagina...called my MW nearly in tears. I've since gone to an OB to be "diagnosed". I have a moderate cystocele. Fun! The OB said the expect most of the healing to be by 12 weeks pp. He said my kegal tone is good, and to keep doing them. I'm also doing homeopathic sepia. I'm praying for full or really far recovery! I don't have bladder symptoms, so that's a good sign...anyway, thanks for letting me vent. It's still fresh! I was feeling so good otherwise!

AFM, baby Oliver is 1 month today! Here are some pictures of him. He's over 13 lbs, and "waking up" to the world a bit more....how fun!

My mw checked me out the other day and said it is a mild cystocele and will more than likely self correct. She told me to do kegels while squatting and showed me an abdominal massage that might help. It's not bugging me as much as it was a week or so ago, so that is good. I also don't have any bladder signs. Thanks for sharing what your experiencing.

[bendmom]

We're having a bit of an issue here. Jardin hasn't had a bowel movement for going on 3 days now. Has anyone else dealt with this?

[CrunchyChristianMama]

Originally Posted by bendmom

We're having a bit of an issue here. Jardin hasn't had a bowel movement for going on 3 days now. Has anyone else dealt with this?

I he EBF? If so, don't worry about it. It seems weird, but my 1st DD once went 4 or 5 days and I was told it was normal to go up to 10 days without one. It worried me too for a bit, but unless he's in pain or something, it's not a big deal. You could try bicycling his legs and putting his knees up to his tummy to encourage some movement though.