~~Postpartum check-in: 5/18-5/25~~ - Page 2

[sadiesmom]

Hi everyone,

Just a quick check in. Z was born at 3:17 am Friday morning. He was 8 lb 10 oz, 21" long. Just trying to get back in the swing of things around here, but dh had to go back to work today, so I don't have a whole lot of time! I did manage to get a few pictures online...

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...localeid=en_US

I'm sure I'll get around to the birth story, um, at some point. Am still trying to catch up with everyone's posts for the last few days.

[gabbyquilts]

Originally Posted by thismama

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.

I am dealing with this too, I remember the same thing with my last. I think daily that I am going to die and not see my boys grow up. I a store I had a panic attack too, but luckily DH was with me and I could kinda run away without leaving all of my stuff. I am going to talk to my mw about it today when she comes for my 1 week appt.

[blizzard_babe]

WOW.

Isaac slept from 9:30 last night until 2:30 this morning. I am in crazy-amount-of-sleep heaven right now.

I know it won't last, but boy was it nice for a night.

[sweetcheeks]

Today marks a week since our sweet boy joined us! Things are going fabulously -- we had some latch issues the past couple days but we seem to have come over them. Thank goodness b/c my nipples were KILLING me.

My older 2 just adore the baby. DD (almost 3) has absolutely surprised us w/everything -- she has adjusted very well so far. *knock on wood* She loves helping me out w/the baby and giving her baby brother love. Our neighbor got her a "big sister" shirt and she has wanted to wear it everyday. She's very proud of her new status. My ODS has been acting out a bit. And sometimes we're too hard on him and I have to keep reminding myself he's only 5 and this is a HUGE adjustment for him also. I've been making a point everyday to spend some one on one time with him and it seems to be helping.

My mom left on Sunday. Fortunately, yesterday was a holiday for DH so he was off work and he took today and tomorrow off. My sister and her boy come up Thursday AM and they'll be here until next Tuesday to help out w/the big kids and stuff around the house. Then DH will take another week off and after that, I should hopefully be good to go w/the three of them on my own. I feel a bit overwhelmed at times mostly b/c baby boy is a pokey eater -- each nursing session is at least 30 minutes -- and the bigger 2 are usually wanting to do something active during that time. Oh well, it should hopefully get easier soon.

[Shanana]

Sophie will be 3 weeks on Thursday. I can hardly believe it!

The poor thing has developed reflux -- think projectile vomiting through mouth and nose accompanied by much screaming . Made an emergency trip to the homeopath today and got a tincture of slippery elm. Perhaps it's too early to make such an assessment, but she really does seem like she's much better already *crossing fingers*. My homeopath thinks her digestive system was just slow starting (thus the gas) and has now overshot things (too much stomach acid, thus the reflux) and will settle down into an equilibrium soon *crossing fingers again*. I sure hope she's right, because this has been hard on all of us. But she did have a long alert and happy period this afternoon, and I haven't seen her awake and happy at the same time in many days. So I take that to be a good sign. She was also nursing normally instead of seeming as frantic as she has lately (I think she had been nursing in an attempt to soothe the pain).

On a more fun note, there are so many cute things I've forgotten about babies ! Like all the little grunts, groans, sighs and snuffles. And omg I love the way she'll move her mouth back and forth on my nipple before latching, and finally she's like, "Yep, that's a nipple!" and literally pounces on it! It cracks me up! And I still cannot get over her head control. A woman at the grocery store yesterday guessed she was 8 weeks old by the way she was holding her head up and looking around while I had her in the wrap.

Oh, and speaking of wearing her, I took a picture of me wearing her in an upright hold in my Maya ring sling. I know that had been discussed a few months back and some mamas were wondering how it was done. I will try to get that up later in case anyone is interested in seeing it. When it comes to babywearing, I'm using my Maya and wrap right now. Tried the Baby K'Tan but she sat too low and it hurt my back. I'm not sure if I got the wrong size or not.

Thismama, Sophie is mostly a once-a-day pooper, but I feel like that's due to her digestive issues and is not a good thing (I am not in agreement with the "breastfed babies can go a zillion days without pooping" camp ... at least it does not seem to apply with my children, as there is much obvious discomfort). I am hoping she starts pooping more soon.

Nursing is going well; she seems to be handling my letdown better now. I was initially pleased because I wasn't having random letdowns like I did with dd1 and they also weren't hurting. But all of that changed about a week after my milk came in . Now I'm having letdowns whenever, and they hurt once again (they practically stop me in my tracks and I clutch my chest and say, "ow, ow, ow, ow" much to the consternation of whoever is around me ). My letdown feels like a really powerful ache ... like my boob is going to explode because it's so full of milk. I made the mistake of lying down on my stomach right as I had one of those random letdowns. OUCH!!!! But at least I'm not leaking that much, and can go all night without anything to soak up milk. Sophie does a good job of draining the tap .

And it looks like I'm tandem nursing after all. DD1 has no patience to wait for a letdown (even though they come after only a few seconds), but if the timing is right or she nurses after Sophie so there's milk, she is all over it. She nursed for several minutes this morning (that's an eternity for her, even in the days before she weaned back in the first tri), and was gulping like gangbusters. Apparently even my letdowns are hard for a toddler to handle .

And to those of you whose babies are sleeping for more than 2 or 3 hours at a time, I am extremely envious and will keep my foul-mouthed thoughts to myself.

[APmom2Libby]

Wow, it's so nice to read all the updates....

I wanted to post on last weeks thread, but it has been super crazy getting use to having 2.

June will be 3 weeks old on Saturday and started having fussy spells at night right around 1 week old. Of course, this hits at bedtime for dd1, so things get a little crazy around here at night trying to manage to keep things calm and quiet for dd1.

Her fussiness started creeping into the day, so, I decided it would be best to have my LC take a look at her suck and latch. Thank goodness I did, turns out she has a bubble palate and a VERY early gag reflex.

We're working on that with positioning..and I am doing some research on the whole bubble palate thing. We also started the L Reuteri Probiotics to help with gassiness and they seem to help a bit.

DD1 is doing great. She LOVES being a big sister and tells anyone who will listen!

[blizzard_babe]

I think Isaac is growth-spurting. He's been sleeping since noon, after having slept a fair deal last night. He woke up, chowed down on some boobie, and passed out again.

He's an all-the-time kind of pooper. We need more diaper covers. We have to do laundry LONG before we run out of diapers because we run out of clean covers.

Last night, he had a serious fussy period, but we discovered that putting him on top of the laundry machine on spin cycle (with a blanket folded under his head) causes him to totally space out for the duration of the spin. Gave us a nice break from the holding-nursing-swaying routine, even if DH and I did have to hang out in the bathroom the whole time.

[APmom2Libby]

Originally Posted by blizzard_babe

Last night, he had a serious fussy period, but we discovered that putting him on top of the laundry machine on spin cycle (with a blanket folded under his head) causes him to totally space out for the duration of the spin. Gave us a nice break from the holding-nursing-swaying routine, even if DH and I did have to hang out in the bathroom the whole time.

LOL---awesome! DD2 LOVES being in the bathroom while I fill the tub or run the shower....so nice to have a much needed break in fussy time.

[Shanana]

It would appear the slippery elm is WORKING!!! Sophie has returned to her happy, mellow status. I got my baby back! Now to get rid of the gas ...

[kalisage]

I had some anxiety after #3, around 2 months PP. I still am not sure if it was hormonal or environment induced (went thru a divorce) but I did find that Rescue remedy was a life-saver during those times my mind wouldn't just STFU.

Quick update; Mar is just awesome, very chill little dude I'm super emotional over the past 24 hours, not sad just happy teary about everything! He pooped, I'm teary. DD kisses my cheek, I'm balling. : Our doc is coming today to do the well-baby & PKU. Kinda nervous about it.

[blizzard_babe]

I think it's official... I have a "high needs" baby. He's just SO HARD to comfort. What works one second just pisses him off more the next. He doesn't take well to being worn unless I'm walking at full speed without stopping, so I can take him for a walk, but can't do things like take the dog swimming or dishes with him on me, even if I bounce sway, or walk slowly back and forth. I have to be in full stride, or he just screams at me.

Having him at school has been a huge challenge. Sure, I don't have students this week, but trying to keep him socially acceptable for a school (even our school, which is a LOT more relaxed than schools elsewhere in the US) has been more stressful than I could have possibly imagined. Plus, the high school has class in here three periods a day, and I'm not comfortable nursing in front of them (it's a teacher-student thing), so I have to go nurse in the laundry room, which is literally the only unoccupied room in the building (hence high schoolers having class in my room, which is filled with tiny little first grade chairs).

I'm SO not looking forward to the rest of today. It's only 8:30 and I'm already burned out.

[kalisage]

Wow, I forgot how quickly these little ones can pack on the weight but Marley is 9lbs 7ozs! (the fishscale initially was over 10lbs when I remember we had to take off for the weight of the sling haha) - anyway, everything is great! Did the PKU, and he nursed right thru it.

ok, waking up now.

[lovingmommyhood]

When DD was born at 6lbs 1/2 oz. the staff at the hospital was SOOOO worried about her since she was a "37 weeker" and "they can seem like they're doing well nursing but really they're not" @@ Big Eyeroll... Anyway, they said she needs to be at her birth weight at 2 weeks or else I need to supplement (wasn't going to but whatever).

One week ago exactly she was 5 lbs 11 oz. and today she is 6 lbs 14oz!! I knew she was a piglet but sheesh. My ped was like "So, she only gets breastmilk?! My goodness that must be going well" I am so proud... So, in your face nurses & two LCs.

[Shanana]

Originally Posted by blizzard_babe

I think it's official... I have a "high needs" baby.

I have some thoughts on this ... why it might be so (at least partially), and what you might do to help him, but I know my ideas on babies, and how they feel and think, are a bit "out there" for some people . So I won't say anything unless you give me the go ahead .

[Galatea]

Originally Posted by blizzard_babe

He's an all-the-time kind of pooper. We need more diaper covers. We have to do laundry LONG before we run out of diapers because we run out of clean covers.

Why don't you handwash the covers? That's what I do, and they last longer. Takes like 2 seconds in the sink, then roll them in a towel and then hang up.

[blizzard_babe]

Originally Posted by Shanana

I have some thoughts on this ... why it might be so (at least partially), and what you might do to help him, but I know my ideas on babies, and how they feel and think, are a bit "out there" for some people . So I won't say anything unless you give me the go ahead .

Go right ahead... I'm always up for new ideas.

[thismama]

yeah i'd like to hear your ideas too shanana! i don't have a high needs babe, well maybe another high attachment needs as mine always has to be nursing and/or in arms, preferably being slung and walked. but not crying high needs. but i'm interested!

[Shanana]

ok ladies. nakking right now and I'll need both hands for this one! more later .

[Shanana]

Is there a 3 week growth spurt?!?! Sophie has wanted to nurse all.day.long!

[Shanana]

Okay, babe sleeping in sling, so let's give this a go.

First, I want to preface this by saying everything I'm about to write is pretty much based on my own personal experience. Secondly, yeah, yeah, I know I just will not shut up about craniosacral therapy! It's just that it has been such a tremendous help to both me and dd1. I don't think it's a panacea ... just one of many modalities that can help. It just happens to be the one we stumbled upon. I think anything you do that respects the body-mind connection will be useful.

So, to give a little background to help you understand why I think the things I do:

Read this post I wrote about a CST session where I revisited my own birth. This was the thing that really made me realize that babies are indeed affected by their birth experience (or what happens directly after, a week after, whatever). It made me understand that babies are sentient, emotional beings, even though they can't communicate the way we can, and maybe don't even remember things the way we as adults do. They are still affected by stuff (hence, the reason not to do things like CIO, etc.). I have actually revisited my own birth on a number of occasions during CST sessions, and find it to be powerfully healing work.

And I got started down this line of thinking because of the trauma dd1 suffered after her birth (deep suctioning for mec staining). It caused all sorts of nursing nightmares, although it took me a while to truly believe it was due to her being emotionally traumatized by what she had been through. Wrote more about that here.

So that will give you some understanding of how I've gotten to where I am today, which is that I believe babies tend to be profoundly affected by their birth experience or any sort of trauma (even something that we might not think of as trauma). My own personal theory is that high needs / colicky babies are frequently babies that have been through some sort of trauma, and are trying to process it and heal (barring any physical explanation like reflux, etc.). And there are things that can be done to help with that.

Okay, so specific to Blizzard Babe's situation ...

My first thought when you said ds was high needs was "induction". I know it was medically indicated and what I'm saying is in no way meant to be a criticism of your choices. But I think when babies are induced it can traumatize them because they simply weren't ready to come out (or else they would have already!). They aren't physically ready. Emotionally ready. Just not ready. So I happen to believe that being forcibly evicted MIGHT cause emotional trauma that manifests itself as high needs / colicky behavior. Doesn't mean it shouldn't have been done, but it might mean you have some work ahead of you to help him heal from the experience.

Or it could be something else that happened, or something else in addition to the induction. The induction is just the most obvious thing.

So what do you do? Well, my first recommendation is CST . I know you live in the boonies, but there is a CS therapist qualified to work on babies in Anchorage (http://www.iahp.com/JamesLarsen/). Not sure if he's practicing, but if not he might be able to point you to someone who is. (If you want to search yourself, go here, and look for someone who has CSI, CSII, SERI and CSP at a bare minimum - CSP being the pediatrics class that is necessary in order to work on babies/children). And not all therapists are created equal either, unfortunately. It would be good to find someone who has experience doing this sort of work. Upledger isn't the only certifying school either, just one of the best known. Thismama, I think you're in Canada, right? The listing has therapists in other countries too, so you can look for someone near you if you're interested.

Another thing you can do is crying in arms. This is hard, hard work, as I mention in the post about dd1's trauma. It was emotionally very difficult for me, because I worried maybe she was crying about something else, and it was also incredibly painful for me to see the rage and anger she was experiencing. I felt like I was being accused, and often felt defensive. But it can be a very healing practice, especially if you don't have other options available to you. It has been discussed at length here on MDC -- here are two threads I know of.

The thing I like about CST is that the cranial rhythm stops when an emotionally significant event is occurring (I've taken the CSI training and have felt this firsthand ... it is an unmistakable sensation). So that takes away the worries of, "is my baby crying because s/he is releasing emotion, or because s/he is gassy, wet, hungry, etc.?" I really felt confident with my CS therapist, and never worried that dd1 was crying unnecessarily.

Okay, dd1 is up from her nap, so I'm going to wrap this up. In short, my first thought when I hear high needs or colic is, "Did this baby experience some kind of trauma?" (With a very broad definition of "trauma" -- including things like baby's position during labor / birth, which might cause discomfort / pain -- since it's impossible for us to know what a baby's experience is.) And if so, then it's time to start looking for ways to help the baby process and release that trauma.

If you are interested in better understanding CST, at least how it works with adults (obviously different with babies, because they can't talk!), you can read some more posts I wrote about my sessions here, here and here.

Okay, crying baby, toddler in need of diaper change. Gotta run!!!