So often I read that the healthcare profession is to blame for moms not being able to nurse. The nurses and doctors give out bad information. I've been very fortunate this time around to have some good health care professonionals around me, supporting me. But that wasn't always the case. With DD#1, I really struggled with supply issues and was told that some women "just can't nurse" and I was given free formula from my ob/gyn. I switched ob/gyns!!!
Here is some of the great help I've gotten this time around.
After DD#2 was born she was crying and had a strong suck reflex. The L&D nurse let me latch her on with 15 min. of being born.
It had been a long day. I woke up and had breakfast, went in for my normal mid-morning ob appt and my bp was high - it had been high for a few weeks and I'd been having contractions on and off. They checked me and I was dilated to 2 cm. My bp was 140/100 so my ob said to go the hospital and they'd break my water and get things moving. Well, I had the kids with me, so I had to go home, meet DH, all of us pile into one car, back to the hospital, meet my mom, get the kids taken care of, then to L&D, then the waiting room, then lab work, etc.....finally they broke my water and DD#2 was born at 10:00 p.m. Keep in mind all I'd had was breakfast.
They let me latch her on pretty quick, but not even my colostrum was in. I finally got moved to my post-partum room a little after 11:00 or so and DD was just crying. I was doing my best to keep her latched on, but she kept popping off. Finally I told the nurse that I was STARVING and she was probably starving as well. I asked for a bottle of formual and a syringe or tube. The nurse said, "NO!!!" She said you're going to nurse this baby! She said tomorrow night (24 hours) if your colostrum still isn't in then we'll finger-feed her, but wait 24 hours. I said I couldn't stand to hear her cry for 24 hours and the nurse said to just keep her latched on as much as possible.
The next day the LC's came and checked her latch, told me to expect frequent feedings and told me about cluster feedings (the other hospital where I had DD#1 was all about 3-hour scheduled feedings...no wonder nursing didn't work out).
When we got out of the hospital and she began to lose weight and the jaundice was getting worse, the peds waited until the absolute last straw to tell me to supplement. One ped. even said, "our biggest concern with supplementing this early is protecting the mother's milk supply." Another ped. told me to "wear the baby" and not leave her in her car seat/carrier.
When a LLL Leader told me to supplement I was at my lowest. I called my ob and asked for a script for PPD. They wanted me to come in. I told him I was co-sleeping, baby-wearing, nursing on demand, pumping, taking herbs, drinking MM tea...everything I could think of. He told me he had some great bf'ing research books and he'd read up and call me the next day. He next day he asked me to come in for blood work. He said I was doing everything right and there might be a bigger problem. This was them calling me! I went in and they did lab work and also an ultrasound to check for placenta fragments. Turns out I do have a hormone imbalance resulting in low prolactin levels. But even they said that nursing even a little is better than none and they offered a Reglan prescription.
The peds. strongly urge me to keep using the SNS because even the little bm she's getting is better than none.
I feel very fortunate to have this great support from them, because trying to get support from my family is like trying to draw blood from a turnip!
Oh...and MDC is great, too!
Here is some of the great help I've gotten this time around.
After DD#2 was born she was crying and had a strong suck reflex. The L&D nurse let me latch her on with 15 min. of being born.
It had been a long day. I woke up and had breakfast, went in for my normal mid-morning ob appt and my bp was high - it had been high for a few weeks and I'd been having contractions on and off. They checked me and I was dilated to 2 cm. My bp was 140/100 so my ob said to go the hospital and they'd break my water and get things moving. Well, I had the kids with me, so I had to go home, meet DH, all of us pile into one car, back to the hospital, meet my mom, get the kids taken care of, then to L&D, then the waiting room, then lab work, etc.....finally they broke my water and DD#2 was born at 10:00 p.m. Keep in mind all I'd had was breakfast.
They let me latch her on pretty quick, but not even my colostrum was in. I finally got moved to my post-partum room a little after 11:00 or so and DD was just crying. I was doing my best to keep her latched on, but she kept popping off. Finally I told the nurse that I was STARVING and she was probably starving as well. I asked for a bottle of formual and a syringe or tube. The nurse said, "NO!!!" She said you're going to nurse this baby! She said tomorrow night (24 hours) if your colostrum still isn't in then we'll finger-feed her, but wait 24 hours. I said I couldn't stand to hear her cry for 24 hours and the nurse said to just keep her latched on as much as possible.
The next day the LC's came and checked her latch, told me to expect frequent feedings and told me about cluster feedings (the other hospital where I had DD#1 was all about 3-hour scheduled feedings...no wonder nursing didn't work out).
When we got out of the hospital and she began to lose weight and the jaundice was getting worse, the peds waited until the absolute last straw to tell me to supplement. One ped. even said, "our biggest concern with supplementing this early is protecting the mother's milk supply." Another ped. told me to "wear the baby" and not leave her in her car seat/carrier.
When a LLL Leader told me to supplement I was at my lowest. I called my ob and asked for a script for PPD. They wanted me to come in. I told him I was co-sleeping, baby-wearing, nursing on demand, pumping, taking herbs, drinking MM tea...everything I could think of. He told me he had some great bf'ing research books and he'd read up and call me the next day. He next day he asked me to come in for blood work. He said I was doing everything right and there might be a bigger problem. This was them calling me! I went in and they did lab work and also an ultrasound to check for placenta fragments. Turns out I do have a hormone imbalance resulting in low prolactin levels. But even they said that nursing even a little is better than none and they offered a Reglan prescription.
The peds. strongly urge me to keep using the SNS because even the little bm she's getting is better than none.
I feel very fortunate to have this great support from them, because trying to get support from my family is like trying to draw blood from a turnip!
Oh...and MDC is great, too!
You have really been through a lot!! I am so happy that you've got so many knowledgable people supporting you.
