PP mamas, how are you?

[DandeCobb]

Maggie is 2 weeks old today! we did a check up and she weighed 9# 8 oz, up one ounce from her birth weight. doc heard a heart murmur so we are following up on that in a month or so. no big deal hopefully. DS is adjusting pretty well, 95% of the time he is glad to watch the baby and laugh when she sneezes and flails her arms. he is concerned that she doesn't have any teeth and checks for them every morning which i think is so cute! , granted my mom has been here the whole time, she leaves tomorrow, so we will see how me doing it alone works! My c-section recovery has also been suprisingly easy, i'm driving and picking up DS now.

how is everyone else doing?

[JunebugsMom]

Gwen will be 3 weeks old on Friday. Today is my first day home alone with her and DS (3). It started out really rough, but got better. My PPD has started to kick in so my dr increased my prozac. I hope it helps! Physically I feel ok, other than the sleep deprivation.

[veganf]

11 days old here. Maia has a fluid/blood filled caput on her head (probably due to a burst blood vessel during birth) that the midwife said will likely take many months to reabsorb. We have our first ped appointment on friday just to get her in the system and get weighed and measured, otherwise no other reason to go.
I'm doing pretty well, just a little kooky trying to keep up with our new larger family's needs. Been on a few family outings (haircuts, sushi restaurant, CSA pickup) that all went smoothly, so so far so good!

[logies-mom]

Lelah is also two weeks old today! I can't believe how fast time is flying by!!! My husband is going back to work on Monday, and I'm going to start babysitting kids again on Wednesday... I have one last week to myself and my two babies. (I still think my son, 3, is my baby too. ) I was having a hard time with the idea of having to watch the two other kids that I have had a vacation from since having Lelah, but I've come to a good place. I figure that I'm extremely lucky that I'm not having to go back to a real job where I actually have to leave my babies, so I need to just stay thankful for how lucky I truly am. I was stressing a little about my husband going back to work, but I had my first outing without him and with the kids, and it went well. No meltdowns, no forgetting anyone where we went... only a leaky diaper. I can totally handle that! I'm glad to hear everyone else seems to be adjusting well also!

[yamilee21]

My daughter is 10 days old, and I think I need to get a weight check - she is huge! Yesterday we measured her length, and it seemed she was already up to 23 inches! Is it even possible to grow an inch in only one week? Thanks to the one-week growth spurt, I now have oversupply. She ate so much on Saturday and Sunday, but has basically been sleeping since early Tuesday - I have been sleep-feeding her, and hand expressing, but I am still terribly engorged.

We're still enjoying a steady stream of visitors; we have a lot of relatives nearby. My son was six weeks old before I ever got to spend a day completely alone with him, and I am guessing it will be a while before I am alone with him and my daughter all day.

[DawnaRose]

day 5.

We are doing really good. I have had such an easy recovery, its almost *too* easy. My midwife requests that all her mamas spend the first week in bed bonding and nursing with baby, and she even said herself that since I had no repairs and am feeling no pain down there, that its going to be "hard to keep you down" but I am behaving and listening, have been laying in bed just gazing at his sweet face.

Nursing is going ok, have some cracked nipple issues we are working through, my latch seems to be ok I just have super sensitive nips so that very first latch on is painful but after that it seems to be fine.

our local AP message board has really been taking care of us with food : and my DH has not had to cook anything, which he really likes, lol. Have had some visitors but nothing thats tiring me out yet. Not really looking forward to DH going back to work on Monday...

Older kids are doing wonderful, they are just in love with him and keep coming into the bedroom to just stare at him with me, and Ellie is really enjoying having her daddy home, they have gone to the park and library and rec center and are having lots of fun together

Hope everyone else is doing well! Much love to all

[sunnymw]

13 days old here... I feel pretty back to normal, only bleeding just a wee bit in the mornings and after I shower w/ super hot water I felt pretty crappy and like my yoni was about to fall OUT until about day 10, and then suddenly everything felt great again! Weird... Then again I've been lugging around my 21mo too.

Nursing is going well, it's finally stopped hurting like hell. Tandem nursing is going okay... amazingly enough DS hasn't asked to nurse 500x a day, but GMIL is staying here and he just LOVES LOVES LOVES her to pieces so he's pretty distraced. He just nurses about 2-3x every 24hrs.

[finnegansmom]

Day 2 here. I am terribly swollen down there, no tears or anything, just super puffy and stretched beyond recognition. Still bleeding lots, clots too but getting better each day.

I still can't believe it's over! 41 weeks, now looking back seem to go by so fast!
We are nursing well, and my milk seems to be just coming in. He had a good latch and things with DS1 are good. He is fascinated by the baby and likes to kiss and point out his fingers and ears and mouth.

DH had to go back to work today. A whole 2 days off. Since he couldn't use up vacation time, that's all we could afford unpaid. The inlaws are stll here though, helping which is great. I'm only sleeping around 3-4 hours a day, with no sleep Sunday night, so I'm starting to get exhausted....

[Mom2Lex&Cay]

8 days here and I have to keep reminding myself I just gave birth. Feeling wonderful! I had a few really hormonal days, but even that seems to have passed.

I'm thrilled to say nursing is going super as well now. I, too, am pretty sensitive and had some issues with sore, cracked nipples. Things are better now and my supply is good. I'm so pleased that this has been the easiest nursing experience so far.

Avalon is also a great sleeper, she's been my most quiet newborn by far. At this point I keep wondering when the nightmare will begin since things are just going so smoothly. After one with terrible reflux and another with "colic" I guess I'm just not used to this.

DH is back to work and adjusting to 3 has gone pretty well. Still haven't done an outing alone yet. I was so stressed and overwhelmed going from 1 to 2, but 2 to 3 hasn't been too bad. Big sisters are both a HUGE help and my 2 year old I swear just grew up overnight after Avalon was born.

I also survived my in-laws visit!

Lastly, our birth has become the family gossip. (Thanks to DH who just couldn't hold it in ) Most are very happy for us, but of course there are some who feel what we did was terrible.

[Gypsy.Momma]

Hudson is also 2 weeks old today and doing great! I got him weighed yesterday and he is now 9lbs 13oz so he has gained 1lb 1 oz since birth!!! His reflux is pretty bad but he is still gaining so thats good.
I am starting to feel like myself again. My pregnancy weight is coming off very quickly thankfully and I am slowly my energy back. I am still on hemoplex to help rebuild my blood supply after my huge blood loss after delivery. Nursing is going well I feel like that is all I do but I love just snuggling with him. My girls have adjusted really well to there new brother and have been really helpful.
My Husband has been away for a week now so its just been me and the kids. He is going to be home at the end of the week for a week and I can't wait! I am soooo going to have a nap and a shower without a baby in the bathroom with me. Its going to be awesome lol

[JennaW]

Baby Tulip is one week old today. Is the time going to go by this fast all the time?! I just want her to stay little forever!

I am feeling really good. It doesn't hurt to go pee anymore. I feel a bit stretched out but its not bad. Still bleeding a little but nothing serious. I can get by with one or two pads a day.

Caroline is just loving nursing and sleeping. She has about 1 or 2 active periods during the day where she just likes to hang out and look around but they are short lived, she has decided boobing and sleeping are better ways to spend her time. She is so beautiful. I can't believe how much I love her!

She is truly a very easy baby, the only thing I could ever complain about is that she has kind of a fussy period sometime between 4-8 every day. It seems like she wants to nurse but then she latches on for a short while and then gets upset. So its just a whirlwind of nurse, burp, change diaper, bounce her, skin to skin, nurse, burb, nurse, bounce, change diaper...It's really not that bad at all and honestly I would rather do it in the evening time then at night. Our nights are so mellow! We just sleep together, nurse and get up for the occasional diaper change/mommy bathroom break. In the morning I nurse her and then I get up and get a shower and sitz bath in while DH just cuddles her in bed .

My DH has been awesome! I am going to miss him when he goes back to work on Monday but I feel like I will have everything under control, I'll just miss hanging with him and our sweet baby!

My Mom is coming over on Friday and her, myself and DH are going to clean the house top to bottom, including washing curtains. That way I will be able to maintain things very easily and by the time it needs a deep cleaning again Caroline will be older and I can do it myself.

So thats the poop! Oh yeah, speaking of poop, I love cloth diapers and so does DH! I don't ever want to use sposies. I have a full package of pampers from the hospital that I brought home just because and the only thing I used them for was to make mommy ice packs the first few days after birth

[Snugglebugsmom]

Zoe is 3 weeks old now. I've been on my own with all 4 kids ever since she was 5 days old, since dh only took 3 days off work after her birth.
I'm still mourning the loss of my homebirth. I'm also upset that I get so little support from dh. He does try and he's being very sweet, but he is just also very committed to his work.
Tears well up easily for no apparent reason. I don't know, maybe I'm feeling a tad more lonely than I expected to. We've been brought some meals from people I know through LLL, and I've so appreciated those. We've even gotten a few baby gifts, and a couple of cards congratulating us on Zoe's birth. All that means a lot, since we don't know a lot of people.
Although I do leave the house for short trips on a regular basis, I just feel sort of lost at home. I'm not really sure what I should be doing when Zoe is asleep, because it seems like there's way too much to do, and I just don't know how to prioritize.
The kids are being very helpful for the most part, but also squabble among each other, and that is upsetting to me. So, I'm trying to be consistent with discipline even when I'm stuck on the couch nursing my newborn.
I'm absolutely thrilled with my baby, and so happy that she's as perfect as she is after worrying about her for nine months. Being postpartum like this is never easy for me, although physically I'm recovering very nicely. I miss being pregnant, I'm upset that I had to deliver her in a hospital, etc.
Baby crying. Must go.

[Linzie2]

Originally Posted by Snugglebugsmom

I don't know, maybe I'm feeling a tad more lonely than I expected to. We've been brought some meals from people I know through LLL, and I've so appreciated those. We've even gotten a few baby gifts, and a couple of cards congratulating us on Zoe's birth.

I know how you feel. We had very, very few visitors after DS's birth and it made me feel bad! Doesn't anyone else want to celebrate our DS's arrival? I'm not talking about gifts or anything, just seeing him and being excited with us? DH was feeling badly about it, too. About a week after DS was born, DH says, so when are people going to come see us?

John is 3 weeks old today! He had a check-up and he's up to 9lbs! He was 7lbs 10 oz at birth and at one week! I couldn't be prouder! He is an awesome nurser and that is going great....much better than last time. DD took a month to regain her birthweight!

DH is home for the summer (teacher) and I've got 9 weeks left...I feel the time dwindling and going fast, though! I think I'll handle it better this time than with DD....but I do need to get childcare lined up! Eek! What am I thinking to wait so long!

Bleeding has been pretty much gone since week 2, except on Monday when we spent all day at a museum of play. It really wasn't a stressful or active trip, but reminded me that I did just have a baby!

We had friends over for dinner tonight(pretty mainstream), and they were asking honest questions about HBing. I think they found the logic in most of it, but still admitted it wouldn't be for them. I was so proud, however, when DH started spouting statistics that he read in the last Mothering mag about the safety of birth in America I can't tell you how proud I was!

Well, babe is sleeping in my lap. I really should go lay down with him and get me some rest!

[kamesennin]

It's great to hear how everyone is doing! E-chan is 3 weeks old now, and we are doing great. She is gigantic and has probably gained a few pounds already. I'm doing fine--my mom just left after a 2 week visit and it's been ok with 2 kids . We've been out and about since the little one was born, and I survived Costco by myself yesterday! I don't have ppd this time around (at least not yet) and I now realize how hard bfing was last time. It was 8 weeks before we actually got the hang of it with my first dd, this time it is so easy. Baby slept for 7 hours last night and I got some great sleep--it was soooo nice. I'm not expecting a repeat of that, though! We started EC around 1 week and it is going great. Today at the park she peed in the potty 3x and I didn't have to change a diaper. I wish I was back home so we could have more visitors (I don't know many people here yet) because it's kind of lonely when no one comes over to coo over your newborn.

[firespiritmelody]

Meridith will be 2 weeks old tomorrow. Things are going really well over all. She is such a sweet sweet baby. It's amazing to me that she was in my tummy such a short time ago. Amazing.

Nursing is going good. Add me to the cracked/blistered/super sensitive nipple club. I'm super fair skinned (red head) and the first few weeks nursing are always awful for me. But it's going much better now. Mainly just feeling pain with the first few seconds at latch on and then its better.

She's a really good sleeper - sleeps for about 3.5 - 4 hours at a strech at night and is nursing in bed well so we're all getting a fair amount of sleep.

Unfortunetly owning our own business means I only got a few days completly *off* and have still had to go to work. I'm horribly behind, and not really getting caught up at all... hopefully that will happen soon.

I feel really good over all. Bleeding comes and goes. My muscles seem to be recovering too. Only the damn hemrhoid is bothering me. Sure hoping that clears up soon!!

Glad to hear everyone is feeling pretty good so far. I am morning the end of the pregnancy a little bit. Already feeling sad that we'll probably only have one more baby after this. Wish it didn't go by so fast!

[JunebugsMom]

wow, I am jealous of the moms with easy babies. or babies that sleep anyway! Gwen rarely sleeps unless she's being held. Can you say sleep deprivation?

[Linzie2]

Originally Posted by firespiritmelody

Already feeling sad that we'll probably only have one more baby after this. Wish it didn't go by so fast!

I hear you on that! I know we'll only have one more, too, and it makes me sad! Well, DH says if we miraculously become rich we can have any number of kids, but I won't hold my breath.

Originally Posted by pbandj

I now realize how hard bfing was last time. It was 8 weeks before we actually got the hang of it with my first dd, this time it is so easy.

This has been my experience, too. It was really tough for the first 3 months...thrush and just generally painful. This time has been a breeze and I couldn't be more pleasantly surprised!


I also wanted to add that I couldn't believe how my muscles felt for the first week or so PP!!! I leaned over something for every contraction, so there must have been a lot of back muscle involvement. I couldn't even stand up straight for 2 days! It continued to be some pretty sore muscles for a week where I couldn't stand long without pain! Totally took me by surprise!

[newfiemomma]

Originally Posted by JennaW

She is truly a very easy baby, the only thing I could ever complain about is that she has kind of a fussy period sometime between 4-8 every day. It seems like she wants to nurse but then she latches on for a short while and then gets upset.

I had Juli to the PHN yesterday and she had the answer to this. The baby is not hungry at this point, she is digesting. Nursing her will not work because it adds gas to the gas already in her belly. The best thing to do is put a clean finger in her mouth and let her suck. The sucking will promote digestion without adding to it. Pacifers won't help because they are not shaped enough like a nipple. The baby will automatically put your finger where your nipple would be; right on the roof of her mouth. Shortly after, she will poop and/or pass gas and feel so much better! This is my 3ed baby and I never knew this, and it works!! HTH!!

Juli is 5 days old and a happy and content baby. She nurses well and poops like a champ. I feel awesome. I had no tears, so I have to remind myself to take it easy. DH starts holidays on Sunday for 2 weeks and I can't wait. I have been on my own with 3 kids since I came home from the hospital, so a little help will be lovely!! Juli is now 8lbs 3oz, she was 8'6 at birth and 8'1 when we left the hospital, so all is well.

[DandeCobb]

Today is my first whole day on my own with both of the kids! just got DS down for a nap and am now NAK. the morning was kind of hectic, I had to have everyone dressed and fed (including myself) by 9 for DS' speach therapy. then we walked downtown (8 blocks) to the farmers market. it took forever to get loaded up in the stroller and out the door. that went well but i decided not to let DS out of the stroller, he was not too happy about that. Anyways, so far, so good, It's just funny how adding in one baby makes it not twice as busy but about four times as busy!

[finnegansmom]

Samuel is 4 days old today. I can't believe it. The whole labor went by so quickly. It's starting to sink in that I'm not pregnant any more. 41 weeks, which is almost half of DS#1's life. I'm not sure we'll have anymore kids after this, I'll be 37 this fall and having 2 under 2 for us, with not so great finances, is a stretch. I would love to have one more, in a few years though. I can't think of never being pregnant again without getting really sad.

I start work again on Monday but it looks slow for the week anyway, which is good and bad - we need the $ but I need the rest.

How is everyone doing with weight? I weighed myself today and was kind of disappointed that even after having an almost 10 pound baby, I didn't even lose 20#.... which isn't so cute when you gained 50#... oppsie.