May Chat Thread - Page 3

[JoyAnne]

seren- thanks! i will try that today!

i just came back to say i went and read all of the new birth stories and i was so relieved and happy and felt so blessed for having read them, for matthew's birth, for everyone's babes, for being part of this silly website where other people's birth stories make me cry. well, everthing makes me cry, i already said that. oh well.

thank you all so much for sharing.

[Mizelenius]

Big sigh. I talked to a LLL leader today, someone who's BF 8 kids. Even she didn't sound too hopeful about our situation.

[Boof]

Originally Posted by speedknitter

Boof,which Medela pump do you have? Yesterday I bought the Medela Pump in Style Advanced

I have the Medela Double Select. Last night nursing was really painful thanks to pumping too much I think. I tried again today, had a good go of it for a while- had to hold my breast at a certain angle. Of course in the most uncomfortable position possible! Got an ounce out in about 15 minutes. It's a small improvement. I feel like the opening isn't large enough to get far enough back on my breast to express properly. I'm a 36 J and have to go farther back on the areola than the pump goes when I hand express. If I could shoot it consistently and not dribble half the time, I'd just sit here and hand express.

Mr Man is waking up, gotta go!


xoxoxoxo

Beth

[Mizelenius]

Originally Posted by Boof

I feel like the opening isn't large enough to get far enough back on my breast to express properly.

You should get some bigger "horns"-- your nipple should fit comfortably! Like nursing, pumping shouldn't be painful.

[ctdoula]

Boof, I second what Elena is saying. They have different sizes for different nipples. I have found that most pumps are uncomfortable, only becuse they rely on suction at the nipple, not compression. My absolute favorite is the Avent Isis. I got 3.5 ounces is under 10min this morning. I really don't like pumping (i'm too impatient) but i want to have a few bottles put away in the freezer.

Elena, I'm SO SO SO sorry you're going through this nursing hell. It's just not fair for mamas who what to nurse to have such struggles!!!

Dana, I hope you have a great time for your anniversary.

Susan, the Medela Advance is like the Symphony rental-style pump. It was developed by the man i saw speaking a few weeks ago. It's supposed to be really effecient, so I hope it works for you!

We're doing really well. I hate to even admit it, : I feel guilty that others are struggling & I also feel like I'm jinxing myself & it will come back & bite me, LOL. Cole is a total sweetie, so mellow. He also sleeps really well at night. He sleeps at least 10-12 hours a night, waking every few hours to eat. My trick is the swaddle. I'm a swaddle fanatic. I'm also trying to see if there is a different pacifier he'll like. He really won't take the Nuk one we got at the hosptial (I asked for it as we were leaving, just in case, LOL). My dd never took one, but I remember at 5 months trying to get her to take one, LOL. Cole is probably 12 pounds by now & I put away all his 0-3month clothing today. He's busting out of all of them. He also has baby acne, started this week. I can't wait until it clears.

[Mizelenius]

Originally Posted by ctdoula

We're doing really well.

Amy! Cole is ADORABLE, BTW!!!!

[JoyAnne]

best wishes Miz- i am so sorry you are having such trouble.

just pumped for the first time- i have a medela in the shoulder bag- (hand me down from sil) but i can't find the button to select single or double pump so i had my finger over the second spot! did it wear off or something? she used it through three kids!

[seren]

Madalyn's umbilical stump stinks. Like something might be wrong with it stink. But it isn't red. My midwife was telling me about one of her clients who's ds had a really stinky, red stump and she didn't see them that weekend (they live 2 hours away) so she told her to use breastmilk and then come in on Monday. And that when she got there, it looked perfectly fine. So I'm trying that. It worked so well with the clogged tear duct, so I'm hoping for the same results. My cousin was holding her tonight and she asked what the smell was, knowing i had just changed her. It smells like old blood. It's so gross. My poor baby. I do hope the breastmilk works. Who knew the number of wonderful uses there are for it.

[aprildawn]

Originally Posted by seren

Madalyn's umbilical stump stinks. Like something might be wrong with it stink. But it isn't red.

lydia's was sooooooooooo stinky. and it didn't fall off until day 16. i thought there was something wrong with it. even called our fp. turns out that's normal. i just didn't know it because dd1's stump fell off in 3 days or something crazy like that. i told my mom about it and how i called the doctor, she said, "yeah, it stinks. it's rotting flesh. that's normal."

[natashaccat]

Yup my dd had a stinky belly button for a few days too, her stump fell off really early but I don't think her belly button was totally healed, it was a bit bloody for about two weeks. I dripped some breast milk in it and gently swabbed it with a cotton ball a few times a day for a few days and that seems to have helped.

Anyone know anything about bladder prolapse? I can feel a big bulge in the front interior of my nethers and I don't rember this happening with dd#1. Is this normal for 3 wks pp or should I be concerned?

[seren]

Originally Posted by aprildawn

lydia's was sooooooooooo stinky. and it didn't fall off until day 16. i thought there was something wrong with it. even called our fp. turns out that's normal. i just didn't know it because dd1's stump fell off in 3 days or something crazy like that. i told my mom about it and how i called the doctor, she said, "yeah, it stinks. it's rotting flesh. that's normal."

I didn't know it was supposed to be stinky. Dh changed Maddy at 5 something this morning and said it had fallen off. She's 9 days old. It still looks open. It's raw and kinda gooey. I've put breastmilk on it twice and it doesn't stink anymore. It quit stinking after the first round, before it fell off. I'm glad it's not abnormal.

[ctdoula]

Originally Posted by natashaccat

Anyone know anything about bladder prolapse? I can feel a big bulge in the front interior of my nethers and I don't rember this happening with dd#1. Is this normal for 3 wks pp or should I be concerned?

I was convinced i had a bladder prolapse at about 3w pp. I also felt 'something' in my vagina, like a bulge right behind my pubic bone. I went to the midwife & she took a look. She said it was just muscle weakness & would get better. I've been kegaling (spelling?) like a nut & it's gotten much better. Try kegals like crazy & if that doesn't help, get it checked.

[seren]

Gosh, do we ever stop worrying? Madalyn has thrown up 3 times today, very soon after eating. My mom, midwives, and dh joke about what a hypocondriac I am. But even my mom is telling me I need to watch carefully. Long story short, we do have a reason to be concerned. My nephew was born in September. A few days after he was born he started throwing up. It took a few days to find out what was wrong (stupid er said nothing was wrong). His intestines were upside down and he had to have surgery at 7 days old. The only sypmtom of this is the throwing up. It started out normal color, but soon changed to a bright yellow/ bright green. This is a life threatening situation. It isn't generally, but CAN be hereditary. So, trying not to worry. Just watching her closely. Hopefully it's just a bug or something.

[aprildawn]

oh seren. i'm so sorry to hear about your madalyn. i'll be praying for her. that sounds serious.

well, tomorrow i'll have my first "day" away from both girls. i've got a meeting from 9:00-2:30 i'm attending. my sweet dh is taking the day off so i can go. i'm on staff at our church, and taking the summer off, but this is a special meeting i'd really hate to miss out on. plus, dd2 has only taken a bottle once, and she's almost 8 weeks old. i'm not planning to leave her a lot for long periods of time, but it would be nice to leave her with grandparents or dh from time to time and get out sans kids! so having her have to take a bottle tomorrow morning is a good thing imo.

i've pumped 9oz of milk total over the past few days...don't want to increase my supply by too much since i'm already struggling with an oversupply, so i'm only pumping 2oz each day. and dh is going to bring dd2 to me around lunchtime so she can nurse and keep me from having to pump mid-day.

does anyone know how much she'll be likely to want to eat between 9:30 and 12:30? dh is taking me to the meeting, so i'll nurse her when i get there before dh takes the girls on their big "Daddy Day Adventure!" i think they're going to storytime and to the park for a picnic.

i hate it that some of us have too much milk and some don't have enough. it's not fair! i wish i could make some of my oversupply magically increase the supply of those of you who are having to pump like crazy and supplement.

[Qerratsmom]

Natashaccat - I also worried about a bladder prolapse, had the same feeling you described and even some blood in my urine. It took a few weeks, but now everything is back to normal. I've been kegaling a lot too.

I want to start pumping so I have a mild stock in case I need it but my supply is only enough for Eileen and I can't get any extra. I'm going to drink some mother's milk tea and try pumping later.

We also had cord issues with Eileen (stinky and then gooey when it fell off). My fp wasn't concerned about it and now its fine although I think it did slighlty herniate but now is normal. I was freaking out a long time about it though.

I'm still battling a diaper rash with E. She's had it now about 3 weeks. Its not super bad or anything, but its definetly there. I've only been putting weleda calandula baby cream on it. I probably should just keep her diaper off for a day or two.

Good luck to everyone with all your sleep deprivation (I've been really feeling this one lately), nursing issues and other worries.

Oh I weighed E yesterday. 7.5 weeks old and 13 pounds, this is huge for me, compared to my skinny, minny ds. He was only 19 pounds at 12 months. I'm going through clothes and diapers like crazy!
I wish I could get a pic of E up on the boards but I'm just not computer savvy enough right now. I'll describe her atleast. Thick brown hair, bright blue, slighlty almond shaped eyes and a chubby, square face

[seren]

A quick update. Maddy has eaten 3 or 4 times since I posted and she hasn't thrown up at all. I'm hoping she just had a bug.

[speedknitter]

Originally Posted by ctdoula

He also has baby acne, started this week. I can't wait until it clears.

Julie has it too, started a few days ago. How long does it normally last?

[natashaccat]

Originally Posted by Qerratsmom

Natashaccat - I also worried about a bladder prolapse, had the same feeling you described and even some blood in my urine. It took a few weeks, but now everything is back to normal. I've been kegaling a lot too.

I want to start pumping so I have a mild stock in case I need it but my supply is only enough for Eileen and I can't get any extra. I'm going to drink some mother's milk tea and try pumping later.

I'm still battling a diaper rash with E. She's had it now about 3 weeks. Its not super bad or anything, but its definetly there. I've only been putting weleda calandula baby cream on it. I probably should just keep her diaper off for a day or two.

I hate fighting diaper rash, how frustrating...Have you tried Burts Bees diaper ointment? It works better than the wedula stuff for me. Are you using wool covers (if cloth diapering)?


i gotta start pumping soon too, I don't mind pumping but washing all that pump stuff w/o running h2o is a total PITA.


Thanks all for the bladder info, I totally overdid it w/heavy lifting-stairs and feel really stupid now because of this. Really though, how can one avoid lifting and stairs w/a huge baby and a 30 lb toddler?!

[JoyAnne]

sppedknitter-

matthew's baby acne went away in about a week- but he had two rounds of it! his smelly, wet umbilical cord site healed right up (like in two days) with breast milk and a band aid.

trying to pump again- my dh is anxious to give it a go.

saw my mw today for f/u- small skin flap on my butt, she says i can get it snipped off if it doesn't go away- anybody had this? it doesn't hurt but it is in the way!

[liawbh]

Well, it's taken a while, but I thin,k the stickies are updated now. If you don't see your announcement or prediction, let me know. Also, if you see any errors.