January towanahongamamas thread Feb 14-20 - Page 4

[jessitron]

Dang it! lost my reply with a power outage.
Digest version:

stuffy noses - anything you can do except the bulb syringe? If not, do you suck pretty hard with it? I've used it to remove visible boogers, but these are deeper in there, it seems. She squeaks a lot while nursing.

Maya wrap sling is driving me nuts. Can't seem to get her positioned with neck support. Maybe after she holds her head up we'll be able to sling? Next week I'm on my own here and will really need it. Frustrating.

Evelyn seems to like her room. We change her and nurse her there. She likes to stare around, even if she can't see anything. Maybe she likes the brightness of it.

Bummer Lisa for being sick and missing the trip, and eek! about the medicines drying up the milk. Yipes!

Andy, yuck about the dentist. Sounds busy there. We took E to the ped and then a restaurant for lunch, and that was plenty of excitement for the week. She was very good, and slept most of the time. Lunch out with DH and baby was great; it made the babymoon seem like the honeymoon. I'm not sure which I've enjoyed more... probably the babymoon. Although the birth was so much more traumatic than the wedding. Hmm.

Speaking of which, the birth story is almost done in the diary version; I'm up to the insertion of the vacuum extractor (shudder). I'll condense it for the web and then post it in a few days. Then I'm going to call my prenatal yoga instructor, who also does pre- and post-natal counseling, and set up a little bit of therapy to be sure this tension doesn't stick around until the next pregnancy. I'll learn from your experience, Andy!

[3_opihi]

Jess- for the stuffy nose- it helps if you use a bit of saline drops to loosen the deep ones. You get it at the drugstore, I think its called little noses or something along those lines. The bulb syringe only works for mucousy snot - hence the drops, huh.

Maya wrap- for head support, pull the top of the sling (the part resting against baby's shoulders) a bit tighter through the rings. Does that make sense? I've also noticed for a newborn, it's easier to bunch them up tummy to tummy, putting their legs froggy style, into the maya. It feels more supportive than a cradle hold to me.

And good for you for getting the support you need to process your birth. I didn't for years and looking back on it, I think it DID affect my life in certain ways, until I got help processing it.

We had a great day yesterday. Zoo, mall, dinner and beach. Violet slept through the whole thing wonderfully. Kai said he liked the alligators best, because they are mean, lol!

Sounds like you've got a busy day Andy! Whew! Hang in there.
Lisa- I'm laughing about the old lady boobs. It seems my asthma medication did the opposite and overstimulated my milk. I've been leaking like a madwomen.

Kathy- Brynn is adorable. Love that smile!!! You probably get this all the time, but she looks just like her papa.

I just dug up Makai's birth story! You can read it here: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...64#post1134864

[Malama]

Hi Mamas,
Busy morning at your houses!
Luka is having a much better day than yesterday. He's a lot more content. We did end up going to town because dh was itching to go to the beach- so that's where we went. We were there in the late afternoon, the waves were huge and it was a little windy and cold so Luka didn't go in the water, but he loved being there. I don't think we've been spending enough time outside (where there's no rocking chair!). He seems so content to look at the plants and shadows and stuff.
But, the car was still traumatic and so before we left for home, we stopped at the store and bought a paci for the drives. He sucked his way home and all was good. The damn thing will stay in the car for my sanity- because if i was alone with him screaming like he has been, I'd never get anywhere!!!

ugh on the emergency dentist andy! I have my root canal next week :

Lisa- I know it's not REALLY funny, but I was LOL at your description of your porn/ granny breasts! So it sounds like sudafed is NOT the drug of choice for you. I can't blame you for wanting to feel better. Hang in there mama.... the milk and sexy breasts will return!
Our neighbor was here the other day- I walked outside and he said "wow, BREASTS" when he saw me..... glad he's so at ease with his comments, eh??? Didn't quite know where to go with that comment.... (obviously mine are really small not bf, so this is a a big change).

Jessica- I'm so glad you're going to work on your birth issues. Healing will happen!!! One day when I have a little more time I'll write out my 1st 2 birth stories and share... my experience was so much like Anns (though different parameters), so I know 1st hand that healing CAN and DOES happen!

Kathy- you captured a smile!!! did it take you a million pics to get?? Luka is starting to smile so much and I'm thinkong it's not as random as I thought. He seems genuinely happy and expressive. yay.

Ann- your zoo day sounds so much fun! I'm so impressed with how much you are doing with your days.... I am so NOT there. So since Violet is about 3 weeks older than Luka, will I be where you are in 3 weeks? I hope so!!! And thanks so much for sharing Makai's birth story!! It sounds like it was really healing for you and I could really really relate to the story.

well, my babe is sound asleep in the sling and I'm off to my sewing machine. woo hoo!!!

[LEAW]

Yay, my porn star boobs are back! I was really small before pregnancy, so this is a change. But it's good to feed babe and have her fall asleep from being full rather than exhaustion of sucking when there is nothing left to eat.

Being the bad bead mama that I am, I mailed my RTS beads today. Ann, Jessica, and uh oh, one other... Kathy maybe? Your beads are finally on the way to you! Managed to get out 1/2 of the thank you notes for gifts that have shown up since baby, and finally found the last 2 addresses I needed for shower gifts (ugh, bad bad me, that was Thanksgiving!)... so I'm doing well on the catching up bit.

I could really use a shower, and babe is sleeping on my lap, I wonder if I can get her to the bouncy chair w/o waking her. Or even better, get us both into the tub, that would be OH SO NICE, to soak away in the tub. Being yuck this week and staying on the couch/bed/rocker has done awful things to my lower back. Must follow up on those chiro refs from chiromom!

Lisa

[Azreial]

Jessi, I never bothered much with the stuffy nose. DS was noisey breather for awhile and dd is now. I tried the booger sucker with ds and unless the stuffy is really bad I wouldn;t bother. The stuffy is, i'm sure bothering you more than her.

We're about to attempt our first real outing. Wish me luck

[mamabeca]

Hey now mamas! Az - how did it go on your journey??? Lisa - sounds like you had a GREAT day at ketchup and getting things done (how bout that bath - did you get that done too?!). I never suctioned with dd, and with Ori's last nasty cold I just did the eucalyptus oil in the humidifier, which loosened him up and cleared the passageways better than I could have done manually. Works the same way as the saline drops, but somewhat less intense. Also just sitting in a steamy room works. I snuck dd into the steam room at the YMCA once, but only for about 3 min., because it was kinda hot (not as hot as the sauna, mind, but still pretty warm!). Shower works, though. My grandma (actually my great-grandma) used to boil up water and then make a 'tent' out of a folded up scarf (you know, the babushka kinds - she was Old Country, no English, just 11 eastern european languages!). You can add eucalyptus oil to the water itself, just a couple of drops (literally, like 2 drops) and just breathe the water with the scarf over your head and the bowl. It's pretty intense, but it works for about an hour for every 5 min. in the tent. The water cools pretty quickly. Easy to do, though, and gentle.

Everyone here is asleep (except the darned dog who is begging for a walk in this subzero temp. ), although it's early. Poor dh - couldn't get him into the dentist until 1:30, but did manage to get to the mw to have Ori weighed on 'his' scale. It was actually the SAME as the supermarket (9lbs 3oz), so he hasn't gained as much this week as last by almost 4oz. I guess he's just not going to do it the butterbaby way...I keep holding out hope, I suppose. Good news (other than for bank account) was the little children's boutique (WAY too expensive) in town here is going out of business and selling off everything at major discount, so I stashed away some cutie patootie stuff for Ori and found baby gifts for some friends. TOO cute!

Hey Lisa - Sorry and glad the boob thing hit you like a brick wall! It's good to be able to feed the babes, and sometimes it's important to get your feet back under you and feel human. I'm sorry that the cold has been so dredful! Ugh...

Jessi - GOOD FOR YOU!!! It sounds like you found a good person to work with on the birth issues...they are, really, so impactful and strong... feel good about working through them, being hurt, angry, disillusioned...most mamas get there at some point. It's so much better to know that you can and do feel this way and it's REAL - not just hyper sensitivity or hormonal or something... it's REAL hon! Lotsa hugs! I'm really glad Evey likes her room. SOunds like what Ori does - kind of stare at the lights and shadows. I think that's cool. I've seen (and done it myself!) a lot of people who get down on his level and try to see what it is he's seeing...but we just can't, I don't think. It's not new for us anymore...we are just jaded and they are just PURE!!! I'm glad you had a good outing. Our day, aside from busy, was a good one. Coffee with my pallies was fun, although I couldn't find my wallet (in diaper bag, doh!) so I just brought my good earth tea and had a bread and butter sandie before I left.

Ann - your birth story for Makai was amazing - I really related to it, although I wanted MORE on the first birth to understand more what your feelings were about - I always have such a hard time understanding nuance - am I a pod person??? I def. know what you were talking about re: abuse at the hands of the 'birth professionals'. SOB's. Anyway, thanks for the link and I think you're a great writer! I'm really glad you all managed to have a WONDERFUL birth-day with Makai!

Karen - almost did the car paci myself today. So much car time today, with a whole bunch of little stops that weren't at ALL fun for Ori, just shuttled around (beach would be SO much better! even coupled with errands). I fed him at almost every stop, but he still just wanted to be held/fed. I know that he eats a lot, and that he's gaining, but I do sort of feel GUILTY when he cries and I'm not (able) to feed him right at that moment. I know (as a not-baby) that he'll get food soon, but HE doesn't (as a baby) think it'll EVER happen...poor boy-o. sigh. I understand and commiserate but I also had to get the food, pay the bill, take dh to the dentist, etc... yuck.

Hey HI girls, what up with the Good Earth Tea??? Have you got it or seen it in the shops?

Oh yeah - gunky eyes - I do an eyebright compress, which feels ok if it's not too drippy. Just boil out the eyebright and then let it steep and cool for a while (I usually do 3-4 hrs.). Filter it however you can (I use cheesecloth). Then dip in the gauze pads or cotton balls or whatever you've got and hold it on the eye gently, wipe the eye with it (not inside) and use a bunch of fresh ones for each eye. Make sure you toss them as you go - don't put them on the counter/table because they will infect whatever they touch. I jsut set up paper bags all over the house and those are garbage bags and wherever I go I have one nearby. Then when it's all over I collect them all in a plastic bag and toss them. I hope it helps!

Well, I guess I'd better go walk the Zamboni before it gets even colder. Hope everyone has a good night! xxx andy Oooh - dh descended from up on high and took the dog for a walk! YEAH!!! What a guy. He said he's feeling zonked out from the pain killers (lucky guy!) but a bit better and the swelling is down. I think he's going to have the doc. pull the tooth (ugh!).

[mamabeca]

Oh - and forgot to add how WONDERFUL all these smiling babies are! Brynn is looking so jolly and big! Wowza! Still not too many smiles from O-man. It's ok, though, he melts my heart a thousand times a day in so many ways...and someday when he does smile I'll remind myself it took love and time to get there. Right now he's all tucked into the big bed, his little face looking out and both hands are clasped under his chin. Ohhhh, he is so beautiful!!! YEAH BABIES!!!!!

[3_opihi]

Andy, Karen - thanks for the compliments on the birth story. AS for the first birth, there isn't a whole lot to tell (or maybe there's TOO much to tell, I'm not sure) We transfered after 38 hours, I was stuck at 7 1/2 for about 4 hours after that, then started pit. Got stuck again at 9 1/2 with a lip. 3+ hours of pushing and a level 4 episiomtomy later (this is when they cut you through all the way to your bum, if anyone was wondering). Baby FINALLY came out, posterior/brow presentation -8 1/2 pounds exactly. But, of course, it wouldn't have been complete without a massive hemmorhage at the end - I think I lost like 8.5 cc or something, which is a pretty fair amount of bleeding. The total labor was like 52 hours or something, blech. (Actually, it was 52.5, but who's counting...)

I felt really guilty about the way it happened for a long time, mostly because I have a large group of homebirthing friends who sort of had the attitude of well...if you had just let go, it would have happened easier. Like I had some emotional block or something. Whatever, I'm just glad I didn't have a c-sec. People do have HARD labors sometimes, that's why the hospital is there, and no matter what situation I was in I most likely would have transfered for that birth. That being said - I was so angry with the way the hospital staff treated me. They told me nothing about what was happpening - they didn't even tell me I was hemorraging. I read that later, with my midwive in the hospital records. Blah. Then, they sent me home without a blood trans, when I most likely needed one. My iron level was at 24, when its supposed to be at 35. I felt sick, tired and wiped after I had Kobe. It was awful, but I was so happy to have him that it made it all worth it. And it made me even more of a believer that natural childbirth is the way to go!!!

So...sorry about the little novel there...Anyways, how do you get the bebes to take a pacifier? I've been trying to get V to take one in the car, but all she does is gag on it. Its quite frustrating. I hope I'm not too late to get her on one, she's really starting to dislike riding in the car.

And YES, of course we have Good Earth Tea! Yum. I used to live right down the street from the Good Earth restaurant when we were in CA. They served the best spiced iced tea!! Ohh, I so miss healthy food! Hilo is probably better than Oahu in this regard. Hawaiians are not big on the healthy eating (think SPAM).

Oh, and on the eye -- you can use a tea bag compress too. Green tea works the best. We use them when people step on a sea urchin to draw out the spine.

And finally....Lisa, I was so impressed with your correct usage of "opihi" in a sentence the other day! You rock mama! For anyone who's wondering, an opihi is a little barnacle type critter, but its also what we call the little velcro babies here in HI , lol!!!

[Proudmom]

I am very impressed with all you mamas that have ventured out with the babes (especially with more than one child). So far, I have only taken ds & dd to a friends house by myself (and that was yesterday!). Most of the time dh is with me or I only take one babe with me on an errand! I know I can do it, but oy, it seems tough to tackle the two kiddos.

Someone asked if the baby wakes my toddler. Not usually. DS sleeps through most of dd's noisy breathing and rustling. He did wake last night, but I am not sure if it was her or me that woke him up. Usually they don't wake each other - thank goodness!!

You ladies have such good advice. I love reading everyone's posts...

Lisa - I had to laugh about the porn star v. granny boobs. For the first few days after Aine's birth, I felt like an old porn star (read boobs that have lost their perk, but are huge!). I told dh and he just laughed. Now they are still a bit bigger, but not quite porn size (or I am used to them because I have been pregnant or nursing since 7/02).

PM

[Proudmom]

Ann - I agree with Andy. You are a wonderful writer. I enjoyed your birth stories.

I think it is very true that you have to process your births. My first was not traumatic, but it didn't happen how I wanted. I am part of the 10% of Bradley students who have drugs : It may be self-preservation, but I think the epidural was the only thing that kept me from a c-section. I think the circumstances of that birth really pushed me to have dd at home. It was such a difference...

Heather

[Malama]

I had a fussy baby most of today, except for his one big nap he seems to take daily (3+ hours!). The rest of the day was not happy though. I hate it when the baby is sad adn you can't figure out why.

Re:the car paci- well I was sitting back there with him and I kept having to "encourage" him to take it- i.e. push it in his mouth. Like you said Andy, for them, if you don't feed them asap, it feels like forever to them. It's terrible to have them cry and cry when you can't just explain that it's temporary.

Ann- thanks for sharing your 1st birth story with us too.... yk, your one comment from your friends "if you had just let go, it would have happened easier. " is soooo condescending. I hate to hear stuff like that (it's like telling people who are having trouble conceiving to just relax). I personally believe that my first birth/ transport was an emotional dystocia.... but that's for ME to decide... not someone else! And clearly, there was a physical issue with your birth- a malposition- pretty major one at that!

I love Good Earth Tea too- though I can only steep it really quickly because it's so sweet. yumm.... and you think we have such healthy food in Hilo? hmmmm.... we so have the highest concentration of Hawaiians, yk? Lotsa spam here, and we are the birthplace of the loco moco (for those of you not here.... one scoop white rice, one hamburger patty, one fried egg, all tooped with gravy). We do have healthy eats here too, but plenty of fried and other foods. And when spam and vienna sausages go on sale here the people go wild.

What IS it about sleeping babies. They are sooooo cute!

[Azreial]

Originally Posted by 3_opihi

Then, they sent me home without a blood trans, when I most likely needed one. My iron level was at 24, when its supposed to be at 35.

My level was at 24 also and my mw said I was borderline for transfusion. I think it depends on how you are handeling it. Personally I'm very glad I didn't have to have a transfusion.

Our outing went very well. WE had made trips to see mil across town and dh, babe and I went to the pet store quick another day but last night all 4 of us went out. DS is going to a b-day party tomorrow so we took him to pick out a gift and then we ate dinner at the mall. I wasn;'t too sure how it was going to go becuase the late evening tends to be her fussy time and then she and I usally lay down about 7:30. But everything went pretty well. She did scream almost the whole way home, but nobady was surprised.

The paci, ds never took one and we really tried some kids just seem to hate them. Elizabeth will take one sometimes. I really didn't have plans on using one especially this early but she kept insisting that she needed to sleep with my nipple in her mouth. Uhhh no. So to save my poor abused nipples (she took her frustration of my milk taking so long to come in on them) we broke down and tried it. Thankfully it worked. Anyway, the trick that I've found with using the paci with her is to wiggle it side to side a little when you put it in. Sometimes though she just won't take it at all. Trying differnt types I've heard can also work. We use a silicone avent

[jessitron]

Ann, thanks for digging up Makai's birth story! That is beautiful. I'll have high hopes for my second birth. And thanks for telling about your first, too. That's a little like mine, except worse in every way! My hospital staff were quite good. And I have you guys, such supportive natural-birthy friends - that's been a great help.

Az, how was the outing?

Andy, it's fine if Ori is a slow-but steady babe. He looks very healthy.

DH reports that the babes do not see binocular yet, so we have no hope of seeing what it is they're looking at. They do seem to like the contrast of light and dark.

Thanks for the advice on the stuffy nose. I won't worry about it too much. DH has either a cold or allergies, so we're hoping she doesn't have what he has.

Ann, on the pacifier: my best friend reports that her babe gags on one pacifier, but takes another just fine. Same model, different color. So try a different color.

Evelyn's cord stump fell off this morning I'm all excited about that. She has a bellybutton now. Do you put the goldenseal on it again after it falls off? It still looks a bit goopy in there.

[LEAW]

How do you pronounce Opihi?

Heather, I'm right with you - without the epidural (and I'm a Bradley girl too) I'm sure I would have had a c-section hours and hours before Lauren was born.

Ok, so someone explain the iron thing. You are all saying 24 and 35 for numbers, maybe I'm thinking of something else that's related to iron? What level do they check that should be 12-14 in women, 14-16 in men, I was 14 when they did my bloodwork before the epidural and 9.3 when I went home, and they said I was rather anemic and I should get extra iron to get back to at least 12. Ugh, I'm confused, and I come from a medical family!

Birth stories, am so loving reading birth stories. Must finish writing mine. I cried a lot the first week home about her birth, the grief I felt, but I think I've really come to terms with it. I was so set on a wonderful water birth that it made me sob and sob when they came to do the epi, but at the same time I'm 1000x more greatful to have a vag birth than a section.

Got to run, velcro child has latched on to dad's neck. He's worried he's going to get a hicky.

Lisa

[jessitron]

Lisa, ha ha about the hickey! My DH had the same experience, and it freaked him out a little.

[Malama]

I don't have time to write a lot, but those iron numbers.....
the ones in the 20s and 30s are the hematocrit and the 12s and 9s are the hemoglobin. They both reflect iron levels in a different way and it's not necessary to get into that. BUT, if your hct was 24 or your hgb was 9.3 as you all said, then you were anemic.
I'm not sure about the transfusions- when and all since we don't do that at home.

[3_opihi]

I agree, Az, about the transfusion. It totally depends on how you're handling it. I've seen alot of docs give one around a level of 26 (for things not birth related). and in the end I'm soooo glad I didn't have one, they can be a little scary. I just felt so crappy for about a month after ds was born. I think I was more upset that they never even informed that was why, or gave me the option, yk?

Anyways, it was bad, but thatnks for all the compliments.

Lisa - you pronounce it-- long o-pee-hee.

Jess, thats funny about the different colored paci, for some reason Violet will sometimes take this red one (makes her look like a clown) but gags on all the others. Hmmm..your friend might have something there!

Jess- it's

[mamabeca]

jess - hanging onto babe with right hand, so just a quick ans. - yes on the goldenseal bellybutton q. We did until it was nice and dry in there - keeps the cooties out! saw the heffalump movie with both kids today - quite cute, i thought. dd laughed lots and the mssg. was gentle and simple. ok, gotta go xxx andy

[Pam_and_Abigail]

hi, i made it finally (to the thread, that is)

can't believe it's 4 weeks already. not much to say, just wanted to chime in

[Killick]

Okay, so as I understand it, we are all moving to the the Living with A Babe forum tomorrow. I have to say that I am throughly bummed about this. Yet another milestone come and gone. Cool that we have all had our babes though.

Well, Will has caught some of what Emily had. He is all snotty again and we have had a couple of gagging sessions which resulted in spit-up of milk mixed with mucous. Not to bad, and not nearly as wheexy as Em. We are watching and hoping that all it is is a cold. No fevers or anything.

Emily is doing good. Her breathing has gotten better, so we are thinking that the peds must have been right. Now for a TMI moment. She is having serious problems with diarrhea. It is not black or red, so no problems there, but it is forest green, and it comes in copious amounts. Until today, it had only been once a day, but today it started coming more frequently. So opnions and advice please. Is it related to the Augmentin antibiotic, the decongestant or could it be a result of the cold. And what can we do to stop her up a bit without constipating her?

Hope everyone had a great Saturday! See you in the new forum.