Elizabeth Grace is here

[ellie_may12]

Elizabeth Grace was born on Fri, 3/24 at 7:49am via c-section.

She weighed 7lbs 2oz and was 18.5 inches long.

We are still in the hospital, because she is jaundice and has to stay under the u/v lights. I hate those lights, because I am only allowed to pick her up to BF. The blanket lamp is broken, so we are just depending on the lights to work their magic. Hopefully we will be able to go home tomorrow morning.

She has also lost more than 10% of her birth weight and they are pushing us to supplement.

My breasts are very sore, but I guess that is all part of it.

DH brought his laptop up today and found out that they have free wireless internet, so I am able to get online for a few minutes.

Photoshttp://spaces.msn.com/ateachersview/.../?_c02_owner=1

[Daisie125]

I'm just gonna C&P my reply from the other board

Congrats, Lori!!! She is BEAUTIFUL!!! I've been all sorts of worried!

I hope your recovery is going well

Hopefully you will be able to get out of there tomorrow, I know how hard it is to have to put up with the push to supplement! Try and get ahold of an LC, to check your latch if you are sore!

Hope to get another update (and more pics!) soon

[honeybee]

Congratulations!

I hope you'll be taking your sweet baby home tomorrow! I second the idea of talking to a LC to make sure the latch is right. That makes a huge difference in how efficient baby is at getting milk, and also for your comfort, too! How long has your milk been in? My milk did not come in until day 5 with ds1, and he lost over 10% of his body weight. I did not supplement, but just kept nursing frequently and after my milk came in, he regained all he had lost very quickly.

Also, try to make sure your baby is getting plenty of hindmilk. Nurse on one side for a long period of time (until you are completely empty or until baby seems unsatisfied), then switch breasts. Do breast compressions as your baby nurses. Keeping baby skin-to-skin (once you get her home!) and feeding as often as she likes (waking every 2 hours to feed if she is sleepy) can also help stimulate that supply. I had to do this with Kian for a couple days, because he was really sleepy and wasn't pooping. He has since more than made up for those first several poop free days!

You can also ask for advice re supplementing, jaundice, etc. at La Leche league's Mother-to-Mother forums. You may also want to try contacting a local LLL leader for some free help.

http://www.lalecheleague.org/vbulletin/

Here's wishing you a wonderful babymoon once you bring her home!

[HappiLeigh]

Congrats Lori Ann! She's beautiful.
I can't help noticing that in the photos where her family is holding her, she's quiet and peaceful, but in the ones where she's in the box, she's screaming her head off! She knows where she belongs.

[Metasequoia]

Congrats Lori Ann!! Elizabeth Grace is BEAUTIFUL!! Welcome baby!

[AppleCrisp]

She is really beautiful. Thanks for letting us know that she has arrived!

Hang in there!! Your breasts may be sore because you need to see an LC and work on a few things, but it also may be that you're adjusting to breast feeding. I had a good latch from the start but still a little sore at three weeks. Just keep on with the Lansinoh, and know that it will get better and you can do it!

Best wishes for a speedy recovery - hope you can get home as soon as possible with your beautiful girl.

[CaliMomof5]

Congratulations - she's beautiful!!

[etoilech]

So sweet! Congratulations!

[RedOakMomma]

Re: 10% weight loss

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS!

About the 10% weight loss....again, go with your gut on this one. When my twins were born, it took an extra day for my milk to come in and the boys dipped below the 10% line....the dr.s were VERY hardcore about getting me to supplement or cup-feed. Something in my heart said I shouldn't...that breastfeeding would come along just fine. We went home (with formula that got pitched in the dumpster on our way up to our apartment ), and sure enough--my milk came in and the boys bounced back to a perfectly fine weight in a matter of a day or two.

So, if your babe is *just* below the weight line, don't sweat it. Babies can lose more than 10% if their moms' milk comes in a little late, and that's okay. As long as you're nursing her on demand (and letting her nurse as long as she wants), things should be okay. Don't let the pediatricians scare you as a first-time mom.

I noticed her birth weight by the way.....what a perfectly normal baby weight!!

[ellie_may12]

nak

Thanks ladies! We came home yesterday. My milk came in. I did suppl. in the hospital with an sns. I told them no way to the bottle and their LC agreed with me. I had seen an LC in the recovery room, but she talked too fast and I was overwhelmed with everything that just happened, so I asked to see another one on Monday. /this lc was wonderful! She took a look at my nipples and said they were fine. My latch is good. The pain she said is normal just my body getting used to being sucked on.

They told us to continue to suppl. once we got home, but after 48 hours of firmula my baby's gassy and irritable. So, I told DH...no more! He wants me to pump and suppl. with my BM, but I think I will just let her suck as long and as often as she wants. Last night was really rough! I was tired and she was gassy and miserable. But she did end up getting one 4 hour period of sleep in there.

Ellie loves to be held! She hates to be put down anywhere. At the hospital she wasn't so fussy about being put down until they made her lay under the billi lites. DH didn't want to co-sleep because he was afraid that she would get hurt, so we planned on her sleeping in the cradle beside the bed, but everytime we layed her down in the cradle, she screamed. So around 1 am, DH said to stick her in between us. I did and she was quite content. Hmmm DH is getting cruncier by the day.

The baby is still very yellow looking. We have a pedi appt tomorrow and I'm hoping that she will say her billirubin levels are acceptable. I have been laying her in the sun as much as possible and she is wetting diapers with every feeding. Still not pooping much, she had one last night. She did have like 9 dirty diapers in the first 24 hours...poor DH had to change all of those nasty merconium stools. Then she has had one or two every 24 hours since. I keep thinking that if formula constipates then supplementing is only making her bowel movements worse not better.

Any suggestions on getting her billiruben levels lower? I'm feeding her as often as possible and putting her in the sun.

[AppleCrisp]

Originally Posted by ellie_may12

DH didn't want to co-sleep because he was afraid that she would get hurt, so we planned on her sleeping in the cradle beside the bed, but everytime we layed her down in the cradle, she screamed. So around 1 am, DH said to stick her in between us. I did and she was quite content. Hmmm DH is getting cruncier by the day.

My DH feels the same way. He sleeps like a dead person and would really have no idea if he rolled over on the baby. But the baby really prefers to sleep near us. I just keep him in the crook of my arm, or lay on my back and lay him on my chest to protect him from the big lug on the other side of the bed. If you're comfortable with it I think its worth it. BTW my SnuggleNest has been invaluable for co-sleeping, one of the best presents I receieved.