~~*October mama's*~~ - Page 9

[gottaknit]

Meli, I'm so sorry. You really are doing the best thing you can for you and Willow. But I know it must be excruciating for you. I don't know what else to say other than I'm sorry and I'm thinking about you and wishing you peace.

Katie, I did the castor oil, too. And the cohoshes. And nipple stimulation (with a pump - ouch!) I was still feeling the effects of the castor oil 36 hours after I took it (during labor). Guess I just have a sensitive gut. But it totally sucked. (How's that for a major understatement!) DH was great when we got back from the hospital. He had already done some of the major cleanup before I came home, like hiding the pool in the garage. When we walked in the door I ran straight for the computer in the back room and he put our house back to normal so there would be no reminders for me to look at. We were both in tears, though.

It sounds like our labors were very similar, except yours was even longer. Mine started out with a bang and then petered out 8-10 hours later. Then it would pick up speed again, and repeat the pattern (of no pattern). Three times we thought I was ready to push, and when I was checked I was only at 4cm, and later at 6cm. It was so frustrating. It was such a relief to finally go to the hospital and get the epidural and sleep. I never in a million years thought I would see myself type/hear myself say those words.

Thanks again everyone for your support. I'm doing much better today. I'm so happy to have my little guy here at last. He's such a snugglebug. I posted some pictures on the yahoo site. He looks just like a tiny version of DH.

[momadance]

Christine, I used the IUD (copper) It made my super light periods very heavy and painful. Also, I use a keeper, and worried about that. I guess I'm no help for suggestions. I'll be doing FAM...Which will be tough until my cycle returns. Dh will have PO till then

[blessed2bamommie]

There are both hormonal and non IUDs apparently. BC stinks! I don't want hormonal either and spermicide and other chems. No IUD for me either....we used condoms before I had surgery last year and we had to tta. Not so great either. It was sooooooo nice when we were ttc again and we could go comando. :P I'm not sure about bfing and FAM, especially being busy with a nb too....so I guess Komodo Condoms it is. They aren't treated with spermicide, natural latex and they are apparently thin.

[Piglet68]

Melly, sounds like the drug was definitely getting into the milk. You are doing what you HAVE to do. But also give yourself permission to grieve. I can't imagine how you must be torn apart inside, wanting to nurse and yet knowing what life without meds is like. My heart goes out to you....

Birth control: yeah, I hate condoms too. We just sort of did a loose "avoid ovulation time" method which seemed to work but I can't rely on that now b/c I really don't want any more kids. And of course I would just die if I got PG early enough that Sasha would have to wean (i.e. before he is dependent on solids for most of his nutrition). Soooo...DH has agreed to get snipped. We have a few months yet as I'm counting on lactational amenorrhea (my period didn't return until DD was 14 months) for the first few months, but he'll be getting it done then. Kind of sad, but I know in my heart my family is complete, and that I simply don't have it in me to go through another pregnancy. Nor do I have any idea how I'd handle 3 kids!

[stanleymama]

Carrie, no I didn't have a c/sec but I did tear just a tad and needed stitches. They had to cauterized two spots today as the stitches were trying to poke through.

[blessed2bamommie]

[QUOTE=stanleymama They had to cauterized two spots today...[/QUOTE]

holdin just nursed babe

whats that?

[mirthfulmum]

Cauterized !?! Please tell me it's not as painful as it sounds.

[gottaknit]

Re: birth control - We used the Protectaid Sponge for five years until ttc. It worked great, no hormones, no fuss. We only used it around ovulation time (I have very regular cycles.) Not available in the USA, but we bought it online from Canada at birthcontrol.com

[bluehalo]

Nancy, I thought I remembered someone mentioning the sponge. Anyone know *why* it's not marketed in the US anymore?

ETA: ay, it says the effectiveness is 90% ... 10% failure is kind of scary to me. I would guess w/ exclusive BFing it probably would be a non-issue anyway. I just really don't want fear of pregnancy in the back of my mind everytime we DTD, yk?

[3bees~1flower]

well...since i had a c-section, i had a tubal. actually i *watched* it get done..very interesting, i must say. we are just really excited about being able to be totally spontanous...really excited!!

Kimberly...i get it now...why did they cauterize...was it bleeding?

[Ekatherina]

I read the whole thread...uffffffffff ....
Melli, i am so sorry to hear about ur problems...i know what you mean ...i can't imagine myself not bf..i have some suggestion, forgive me if not very relevant...i read in this book (i am sure everyone knows) DR sears...there are supplementak nutrition system (SNS) and syringe feeding but both are to be used to supplement for not adequate bf...i was thinking maybe you can use it somehow by putting something to close your nipple and just let ur baby suck your breast and get the formula from the syringe or SNS...maybe sounds awful...but you will be able as if to bf her...maybe she stops crying like that....because sometimes ds sucks my breast i really think not for food supply...he just loves to suck it and falls asleep right away.....i hope i helped a little...
Nancy and Katie and Christine ...i know what you are talking about....same happened to me....but i was lucky enough and medical stuff accepted to wait and trusted my body and didn't perform c-section right away ....that saved me from depression you are going through now....but first part of the labor (terrible 24 hours of pain) still haunts my mind...but i keep telling myself...it just happened this way....hard delivery was my bad luck....and if i would have ended with the c-section it certainly would not be my fault....and noone's fault...it's just luck....and everytime it is different i am sure...much much to you all....
Piglet, sorry it's my fault i should have introduced myself from the beginning...:....i was born in russia and lived there cause my mom is russian....and then we moved to lebanon (which is an arabic country) because my father is lebanese and lived there for another 12 years.....so yes kind of multinational... in lebanon i met dh who is also lebanese and then got scholarship in Japan for my phD (because i wanted to learn japanese) ..after that dh came here too and we married and i got pregnant.... that's making the long story short...
a little about us....ousama is nursing very well...actually too welll....:LOL he is kind of calm and seriuos baby... ill place pictures on yahoo....he sleeps almost through the night and it;s my job to bf him and change in the night so that dh sleeps....because in the daytime dh cooks, cleans.......so that i rest and take care of the baby....it's all pretty smooth now thank GOd...ds sleeps straight after nursing and side bf while asleep is perfect....no problems so far....had sore nipples but the problem is solved now....but i am sure more problems are coming so now just resting so that can be strong later on...can;t compain of any lack of sleep either actually i guess i am sleeping more and better than last weeks of pregnancy...waking up with ds in my arms feels like heaven...

[ameliabedelia]

Meli, I am sorry about your loss of breastfeeding. You are doing the right thing for youself and your babe. It is okay to feel sad, but you are still a great mom and the BEST mom for Willow!

s to Nancy and Katie and Ektharina and Letia and Christine and Melly and everyone else who had a difficult labor.

Regarding the newborn sniffles, my babe seems sniffly too, but I don't think it is a cold. I know Dr. Sears says that newborns have small nasal passages and are nosiy breathers and right around a few weeks of age start to make lots of saliva which pools in their passages making them sound congested, but it isn't a true cold due to an infection. So, I am thinking that is what the sniffles are and not a true cold. Although both DD1 and I are getting over colds so I really hope DD2 doesn't get it.

Regarding birth control, we just use breastfeeding suppressing fertility (13 months with DD1, so I expect another long strectch) along with NFP to avoid. We aren't done having children by any means and would love to have more, so I would be love to get pregnant again in another 18 months to 2 years or so. However, it would break my heard to have to wean Greta or not be able to nurse her completely or supplament with formula due to pregnancy. But, I think that is unlikely to happen for me, since I didn't get fertility back with DD1 until she was eating solids well and over a year. But we will abstain during fertile times until she is 18 months old or eating solids well.

[chantald]

morning

Good Morning
I guess I'll jump right in..

Mel: sending you hugs!!

Cauterizing is, I think, where they use heat or lasers to burn the blood vessles so that they close and stop bleeding. I had nearly 40 minutes worth of that when I had my second C section due to bleeders... I don't think they do it without some type of pain numbing.. at least I hope they don't..

Regarding fertility.. I wasn't so lucky with DS.. my periods returned when he was just 2 1/2 months old.. and I was exclusivly bfing too.. He never nursed for long and I think that had a lot to do with why my period returned.. I went on to nurse him for 2 1/2 years.. and didn't suppliment. He was a big boy too.. 9 lbs at birth. But I was very worried that my hormones would limit my milk. I didn't notice a change though.. I am not sure how typical that is though.. So we relied on FAM and barriers to prevent pregnancy.

This time, I am hoping, that I can enjoy some of the benefits of nursing from the no period standpoint. I'd like to up my odds against cancer etc.. DD is a much better nurse, she nurses more often and for longer periods of time.. Who knows??


How does everyone handle a preschooler and a newborn? I find myself loosing my temper more than I would like

Hope everyone has a great day.

Chantal

[3bees~1flower]

how much EPO do those that take it, take? just wondering if one pill a day is enough to make a difference...thanks!

[stanleymama]

What my dr. did was take silver nitrate, I believe, and dab a little on the two spots where the stitches were poking through. One spot was quite sore and bleeding a bit. I didn't need anything to numb the area. All was quick, though it did sting a bit. Hopefully they will continue to dissolve without any more problems.

Hope I didn't freak anyone out. My dr. called it cauterizing so I just quoted him.

Question: What does the green bf poo mean again. Quinn has had a few that were green with yellow mixed in, not just green flecks. Is it him getting too much foremilk? Someone please explain.

[Thia]

So, EPO is safe while bf? How much do you take? I seriously think I could use some. Yesterday was not so good. I kind of had a meltdown. Everything seemed so overwhelming, I didn't feel like a good mamma, or wife, or even person. When dh came home from work, we talked, he made me take E out for a walk...We slept pretty good last night, so I am human again today.
Gave E her first full bath today. Used the old fashioned blue baby tub and I didn't like it. Next time I think I will lay a towel on the bottom of our big tub and try that. She seemed okay with the bath at first, then she became unhappy. It went better than I expected though. Hopefully it won't be long before she'll really enjoy her baths!
Melly, just want to send you some more hugs. Being a mamma is so hard, but you are a good one!
Have no clue about bc...abstinance??? LOL
Iknow there was more I wanted to say, but I can't remember.

[ashleep]

nak
Hey there long-lost-mama-friends! i just scanned thru the thread since i'm sooo behind, so please forgive me if i miss you!

meli, this has got to be so tough mama! i don't have any wise words for you but please remember you always have a (virtual) shoulder to lean on here when you need it.

from amelia: to Nancy and Katie and Ektharina and Letia and Christine and Melly and everyone else who had a difficult labor.
make that a big double hug from me too!

Ekatherina, so glad you got the little boy you hoped for!

carrie, i have an ella too!

i saw this thread when it was new but every time i was gonna post i realized i had already spent WAY too much time on all the other boards just reading, and thought 'oh, i'll just post later'. then i'd get distracted reading again. and then momadance reminded me to come over here... anyway, here i am. i sure have missed you ladies!

wow, being a mom is so fun! tiring but fun! mamas of 2 or more, to you!
(i've been waiting for a chance to use that smilie...i know, i'm a dork... )

dtd: nope. i have thought about trying, but i'm never just 'in the mood'. plus steve and i have had tension between us lately. he switched jobs 2 weeks ago and that has him stressed (and he doesn't handle stress real well, he retreats into his 'cave'), and i'm a little sleep deprived and more than a little clingy. not a good combo for good communication. we talked the other night though and it's getting better.

i'm still debating birth control. i've only known 2 people to have an iud and 1 had to have surgery to have it removed due to complications (?), and the other had severe pain. I don't know details, but i'm still considering trying it since the people i've read about that like them REALLY like them. we hate condoms too. actually that's the reason we have our precious ella .

how does your baby's poop smell? ella's wasn't bad at first, but for the past week it has been stinky! and she went from like 4 a day to 1 every other day. AND the seedy consistency has changed to just smooth and runnier. i did a search and found that some babies experience this but not until ~4 months. any ideas?

ok, i've got more to talk about but this post is long enough for now. sorry for the babbling

[mandalamama]

hi mamas ... this sudden weaning thing is like having a new baby and starting all over. i mean, she used to BF and then fall into a relaxed state (most of the time). with bottle feeding she stays alert the whole time, finishes the bottle and then chews her hands, sometimes starts crying. the paci or pinkie is a poor substitute for the breast. someone with Hodgkins who had to go on chemo and wean overnight is advising me. basically she has to "start over" so i can figure another 3 weeks until things stabilize. we're getting to know each other again in a different way now. i've been singing Beatles songs to her til my voice is gone, at least she has good musical taste she needs to be swaddled nearly constantly, whereas before she hated it. her sleeping patterns are different. i thought formula was "more filling" so the kids slept longer but no such thing with Willow. she's hungry every half hour, i'm still trying to figure out how often to feed and how much is just her wanting to suckle the breast.

we went on our first trip just the two of us today!! to Wal-Mart to buy diapers. i had an appt. and had to drop my husband at work, so i have the car. it was scary but we did it, she was quiet which is rare and just looked around at everything the most fun part of the day was the dr's appt., with my endocrinologist i was seeing for PCOS, i'm one of his "success stories" so the whole office went nuts wanting to see Willow a LOT of very happy people

[3bees~1flower]

Ashlee...how fun! Ella was my Geat Grandma's name.

Thia...that's how i do Ella's bath...just a hand towel onthe botom of the tub and a little water...not so much that her ears are submerged. she's not too impressed with her baths so they are short and sweet....and not very often...

[chantald]

Hello
I used EPO to try to ripen my cervix before birth.. are there post birth uses??

Green/yellow poops.. Sophia has those some times. I thought they were a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance.. and our Ped also said that if they poop soon after they eat.. the poop will be green or green/yellow because the bile didn't have time to absorb..???


Nearly every day is a day I don't feel like a good mommy to DS or a good wife.. I hope things look up soon.. sigh..
Chantal