~~Postpartum check-in: 5/18-5/25~~

[Molck]

Wanted to check in, and I didn't see a thread for today yet...

Things are going well here. Babe is beautiful, and DH is amazing . All I have to think about is nursing, sleeping and going to the bathroom, and he takes care of the rest .

Birth went well, though I'm still processing it. About 8-9 hours from the start of active labor... For some reason, I keep beating myself up over 'giving up' during transition-- even though I know it's the norm...

Babe (still no name, but we're getting close) was born in the caul!!! This is how I always pictured my ideal birthing, and it was so cool. I'm so glad my MW didn't interfere.

And I'm quite impressed with how big and tall he is- 8lb8oz and almost 22in long-- given that just a week ago two separate people assumed I had two months left in my pregnancy.

Two small tears that got stitches. Milk seems to be starting to come in, and babe's nursing with only minimal frustration at the start of each session (though he'll only latch in the side-lying position; fine with me and I'm happy to sleep through the nursing).

I'm going to get back to resting now; I had no idea how wiped out I'd be by giving birth and parenting a newborn . Birth story to come eventually...

I can't wait to get back to the computer for real and see how you all are doing. I miss you!

-Maile

[MamaWolfe]

My son was also born in his bag, well it popped as it exited. It's been two weeks for me and I'm still exhausted. After my other two kids, I was up the next day as if nothing had happened. I don't know why it's so different this time. I also now have a kidney infection and I'm totally anti-antibiotic so I'm trying herbs and stuff but am getting nervous. I haven't had antibiotics in over 4 years! I go back to work tomorrow (I'm supposed to be preparing for class as we speak). I'm super depressed, crying all the time, but I think it's all cause I have to go back to work. With my last one, we lived in a little apartment (400 sq ft with us and two kids), drove a crappy car, and were on food stamps but I was home with my kids. This time we live in a nice house, have a decent car, and all that but I have to pump my milk, give dh a bottle to feed our baby, and worst of all, leave him for a few hours a day. We'll see how it goes tomorrow! I'm hoping it won't be as bad as it feels now. I'm also hoping he doesn't have a hard time going from boob to bottle.

[snazzy_mom]

Things are going ok, I don't have time to do anything.

I'm getting a little depressed though. Baby nurses all the time, latches great and feeds for at least 30 minutes at a time and he isn't gaining weight. He doesn't look as pudgy as he did when he was born. We go to the ped on Wednesday and if he tells me that he hasn't gained, I think I might have a breakdown. The exact same thing happened with ds#2. I just don't get it. I make the milk, I get engorged so I know it's there. It's like there isn't enough fat in my milk for him and I don't know what to do to fix it. I eat enough and drink plenty.

I'll post more after Wednesday, once I know for sure.

[Beeblebrox]

Seriously...my bum is on fire. I HATE roids!

[Shanana]

Molck, I think it is so awesome your son was born in the caul!! I can't help but laugh about you beating yourself up over transition. Girl, you just had your first baby, at home, completely naturally and with no interventions! How many people can say that!?!? You have the right to want to give up during transition .

s Cheryl. It must be hard to think about going back to work so soon .

SM, sorry to hear about the weight gain. Have you seen a LC? I've heard of people weighing before and after a feeding to figure out how much baby is getting. Does he have a strong suck?

We are doing okay. Still battling gas, and now she is showing some signs of reflux . Not all that often, but she had a few huge spit-ups in a row today and was crying in pain from them, and then I could hear her refluxing into her throat and she was crying from that too . I don't know why I have kids with so many digestive issues. I'm going to leave a message for the holistic ped and talk to her about eliminating dairy from my diet. I really don't want to eliminate any foods, but we can't go on like this. Considering her issues, though, she is still really sweet and mellow. She really doesn't cry that often, and when I get frustrated I have to remind myself that dd1 would scream for hours on end, so things really are a lot better!

I'm still not able to get into the bed due to back pain, though, and that has me discouraged. The improvement is just soooo slow .

Well, time to help dh with dinner.

[kalisage]

Things are going really well here. I just can't believe how fast it's all going! I want time to slow down completely (Marley's already 3 days old). I think it's partly because this probably is my last, and I just don't want to miss anything!

Everything is going back to the normal routines; DP had to go back to work today and is gone 14 hours, and then again tomorrow. All the older kids got home today, so we've all just been hanging out and getting ready for the week. But they have been so great, they all want to just hold their brother & take care of him.

I feel a little silly, but I just want to time to stop so I can savor every second.

I hope everyone else is doing ok!! I'm trying to catch up & see how everyone is. And Cheryl, huge s!!! I'm sorry you have to get back so soon.

[trinimommy]

Glad to see everyone is well.

We are good. My son wants to eat CONSTANTLY!!!! My boobies are soooooooooo sore! OMG!

Other than that we are doing ok. Cant believe he is 4 days old today. He just seems to be so much older.

Still a bit sore. Afterpains too...what a cruel joke by mother nature!!!!!

One handed typing limits your self expression...geeezzz...I'll be back later to check on everyone. Here I am feeding on one side..typing on the other and trying to get homeschool done before the pediatrician and midwife appointments.

[Killick]

Kara - I feel the same way. This is baby #3 and last for us. We definitely feel complete, but it is going way way too fast.

We are doing good here, overall. Some adjustments from the older kids are happening, and our son is having a hard time getting used to not having all of the attention especially from his papa (grandpa). Hopefully that will improve quickly.

I have healed, basically, I think. I have a tiny rrhoid left that I am doing herbal sitz baths to get rid of. My midwife friend sent them to me and they seem to be working.

[cj'smommy]

to all of you who are having some difficulties.

MamaWolfe - I hope the transition back to work goes well for all of you!

Snazzy_mom- I hope the appt goes well.

Shanana - My two had digestive issues as well, my first was just miserable. it's tough. I cut dairy for both boys for about a year, and I'm going to stop dairy in a few days for this little guy too. I don't understand why either.

[gabbyquilts]

We are doing good, Link is going to be 10 days old tomorrow! He still sleeps a lot and thats good.

Snazzy_mom - have you tried block feeding to make sure they get to the hind milk? its a little hard t explain, but kellymom.com has a lot of info on it.

gabby

[blizzard_babe]

Back at work today with baby. More baby getting tended to than work, but our principal said it's OK if I just put in extra hours after , etc. Still, I'm feeling like a total slacker. It has taken me over an hour to print up one form! Granted, my printer and my backup printer are both broken, so it'd be a bit of an issue normally, but it has just been such a PROCESS with him. Plus, he won't stay asleep on the nice "bed" i've made for him on my desk, so I'm tied to my chair and sending high school students to fetch stuff off of various printers. They're more than happy to oblige. I'm sure we'll find our pattern, but right now, it's a challenge.

[KingsDaughter76]

Madilynn is 3 weeks old now... doing superb! She is nearly 9.5 lb now- thats up from her birth weight of 7.14. She seems to be gaining a lb per week on my pure cream breastmilk..lol! She is also sleeping thru the night as I refer to it since all she does is wake up just enough to root around on my nursing gown till I feel her and get her latched on- then its back to sleep for us both! She is a super easy baby, hardly ever cries...but when she does cry- look out- its LOUD! haha! I went for my postpartum checkup today and all is great- I have lost 25lbs already and of course that made me feel awesome... I still need to loose another 20-25 to be where I want to be again. But for now I am happy to have lost half the pregnancy weight- gotta LOVE breastfeeding- it just melts off the weight!!

Overall Madilynn is growing up WAYYYYY too fast for us already- we are enjoying every single sweet baby smelling moment with her... we still plan to have one more baby in about 2 yrs- but for now our sweet baby Madilynn is it- so I am savvoring it all!!

AHHHHHHH - Baby Love..... :-)

[blizzard_babe]

Originally Posted by KingsDaughter76

I have lost 25lbs already and of course that made me feel awesome... I still need to loose another 20-25 to be where I want to be again. But for now I am happy to have lost half the pregnancy weight- gotta LOVE breastfeeding- it just melts off the weight!!

Ditto here. I've lost 30+ pounds in the past two weeks. I know a LOT of it was water weight (I was a puffy water beast towards the end there), but I've lost a few in the past few days. I have a bit more than you do before I get down to my ideal weight, but 25 more pounds would put me in a really happy, optimistic place, weight-wise.

*trying to be patient*

[thismama]

Doing good here. I keep doing too much and my bleeding turns red again, but I feel so inclined to be out and about, and active! Hard to take it easy.

Babe is good, seems to want to be nursing and/or in arms ALL the time. If I carry her til she is in a deep sleep I can put her down for a bit but really just long enough to grab the world's fastest shower. Thank the goddess for the sling!! Anybig breasted mamas have luck nursing in a stretchy wrap? I'm thinking of getting one but wondering if it's nurseable?

[joyfilledmomma]

Aubrie was 1 week old yesterday and we're doing great! She had a ped appointment today and is 9oz more than her birth weight, so I was thrilled, especially after all of the nursing troubles I had with dd#1. Dh and my mom keep asking me how much she's sleeping at night and I can honestly say I don't know. Dh is staying in dd's room for now since he's been there for the past 2 months when I was preggers, so I am comfortable sleeping with Aubrie right in bed. It's so awesome because I know she nurses a lot, but I barely wake up, so I feel really rested. Dd#1 slept right beside us in a bassinet, but I am getting so much more rest with Aubrie right in bed...ahhh cosleeping!

Other than that tandem nursing is interesting to say the least...my toddler is nursing as much or more than my newborn. I'm hoping that it will level out and dd will go back to her 2-3x a day once we're out and more active again. Yep, just enjoying our babymoon and feeling lucky that dh is off work for the rest of the week.

[LaffNowCryLater]

We are doing well. DS is 2 weeks today and is up to 9 lbs 4.9 ounces.

He is sleeping pretty good during the night. Last night he went to bed at about 10PM and slept until 5 AM. Then he woke up again at around 7:30AM

I think I'm going to start walking tomorrow to drop some of this weight.

[Tizzy]

Just enjoying my babymoon here!

Okay I don't know what's up with this but my milk came in yesterday afternoon and I'm not engorged! It was the one bit I really didn't like with DS1, my milk rushed in and I was dealing with engorgement for a few days plus I leaked like a sieve until he was 3 months old so I always had to wear a tank top or a bra and sleep on a towel etc.
This time it's just so different!

Everett is a very quiet baby too, likes to sleep a lot still, easy to comfort, but does *not* like poopy diapers. On Sunday, the day after he was born, he pooped 4 times! I don't know what was up with that!
He slept for a 4hr chunk last night then I pulled him into bed for the remainder of the night and he nursed on and off. I think I'm offering to let him nurse a lot more than he cares to but he was a little yellow last night so I'm happy to see that he's back to a normal colour this morning.

DS1 is slowly getting back to his routine, in the last 6 days he's protested going back to sleep when he wakes up prematurely from a nap or in the mornings so it's tough love to get him back down again now. He's a child that requires a LOT of sleep every day and if he doesn't get it, he just can't cope. So this morning was challenge #1 - get him to go back to sleep. It took 45 minutes! But I know it'll only take a day or two then he'll be back to normal.

DH is back to work today too so I think that will help. DS1 likes to be with him when he's home which doesn't help the napping issue.

I am trying SO hard to take it easy, PP flow is very light already and I'd like to keep it that way So on my to-do list today? 3 loads of laundry and make an easy supper. That's it I promise! lol

[Galatea]

Posted this on the old thread. Oops.

Quote:
Originally Posted by thismama View Post
dunno... is she sucking on the nipple itself, or the areola? i put my nipple in from the top if that makes sense, and make sure her mouth is open really wide so she takes a lot in when she latches. would that help maybe?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Killick View Post
Kate has white lips after she is done nursing. A friend of mine who is a LC said that is from slipping on and off the nipple. Kate has actually developed a little blister that is finally healing in the middle of her top lip. I hope the engorgement goes down!

Well, it still hurts a little when she latches on, but my breasts have begun to soften anyway. The left one is almost normal and the right one is still a little hard on the outside, but not bad. I knew it was getting better when my nipples could actually get erect again. It is weird when the last person i nursed was 2, and it was automatic and easy, and then a break, and then this tiny little mouth with giant boobs. I wanted to keep nursing both my boys during the next pregnancies, but my body had other ideas. I think that would have helped a lot.

Now her lips are still white, but there are red wrinkles around her mouth from her lips flaring out, so that is much better. I think b/c of the size of my breasts and my tiny flat nipples, this is just what I have to deal with every time I have a baby.

On another note... this is very depressing... I can barely hold my poop. Pee I can hold all night, no problem, no leaks when sneezing. Last night I refused to get out of bed all night b/c I had a migraine, so when I woke up I had to go #1 and #2 sooooo bad, and when I got there, the poop came flying out before the pee. This is freaking me out, like I might poop my pants. I've been doing my kegels. Anyone else have this?

[thismama]

i answered youon the other thread- nak

[thismama]

okay babe is passed out on my lap so i have handsfree - yay!!

she is 9lbs6.5oz today so she has gained more than an ounce a day the past six days... yay!! i'm so glad of that. she is only having one poopy diaper/day now, is that weird? it's HUGE and there are lots of wets during the day but it seems kinda early to do away with the dozen poops/day thing, no?

i'm having anxiety that is not rational, i know, but i can't seem to rid myself of it. i think it's interfering a bit with bonding too... anyone else dealing with anxiety? i get out every day and that helps, grounds me and i focus on other things and live in the world which is good. focusing on the anxiety is not that helpful, because even though i KNOW it makes no sense that doesn't make it go away. i hope my hormones even out and it fades coz it's no fun.