Postpartum Daily Thread 08/06

[~Megan~]

How are the mamas? The babies?

[~Megan~]

I've been trying to wait till she's settled and not nursing to post but I don't think that's going to happen.

I'm feeling ok. Really tired though. I woke up all night to check on her breathing in between the times she woke me from pooping or needing to nurse.
Vulva wise I feel pretty good. Not looking forward to my first poop though! It always scares me for some reason. I guess I'm worried I'll push things out of place.
I'm hoping for a really good nap or two today. The afterpains are really hard to deal with.

Ivy is doing great. She really likes nursing and has taken to it well. I bet my milk will be in quickly. My nipples are actually getting a little sore not from a bad latch just from the constant stimulation!
She's pooping often and peeing a lot too. No real pop yet though, just meconium.
She has definite opinions about things though. She hates being burped but needs it. Yesterday was fun because she was so alert. I imagine today will be a sleepy day which is okay with me so I can nap too.

The biggest issue is my almost 3 yr old. He is loud and rough and not sure how to handle the baby. He came into our room several times last night and there isn't room for him to sleep safely with us.
I've asked dh to give him special daddy time today to help combat this issue.

[ChristSavesAll]

I'm obviously not pp.. yet, but I just wanted to add to make sure that you 3 year old get some special mommy time as well. I know its hard but you could read him a few stories before bed so he doesnt feel like baby is taking over mommy completely.


That's what I'll be doing with my 4 yo at least.

[AKA_PI]

I'm doing ok. Just a little tired from waking up with him all night. It seems he may or does have jaundice and they have started phototherapy. I'm praying everything will be ok by tomorrow so that we can both go home. Doctor wants to keep me because I ran some pretty high BP numbers during labor and kept a fever that finally went away this morning.

Baby boy is doing great. Healing well from the circumcision and nursing very slowly. My colostrum hasn't even come down but he's slowly but surely learning to latch on properly. I'm trying not to stress about it but he'll get it. Apparently rolls his tongue so I have to tickle the roof of his mouth to get it to lie down. He can suck really well, he just hasn't mastered swallowing yet. Right now we try the breast and then switch to formula to help.

I feel fine except for the staples from the c-sec and the gas I have. I'm going to order some lunch to get the gas moving so we'll see how it goes. My lochia is very light and almost gone. Since I delivered via csec, they don't predict it will last very long. Other than that, I feel fine.

[~Megan~]

Monique, I had a c-section with my first. It was a lot to navigate being my first child too.

Have you gotten in contact with a post partum doula? Perhaps see if one of the parents would like to hire one for you. You get help from someone specially trained to deal with these postpartum issues.

[AKA_PI]

The staff here has been awesome so I'll keep working with them for hte time being. Thanks for the doula suggestion though. I'll keep that in mind and ask my midwife about one she could suggest.

[bettie cracker]

Originally Posted by AKA_PI

I feel fine except for the staples from the c-sec and the gas I have. I'm going to order some lunch to get the gas moving so we'll see how it goes. My lochia is very light and almost gone. Since I delivered via csec, they don't predict it will last very long. Other than that, I feel fine.

OMG! The gas pains after my c-section were so terrible!!! And don't be alarmed if your feet and legs swell up worse than any pregnancy swelling. Apparently its totally normal.

Crossing my fingers that I don't need another one...

[~Megan~]

Originally Posted by AKA_PI

The staff here has been awesome so I'll keep working with them for hte time being. Thanks for the doula suggestion though. I'll keep that in mind and ask my midwife about one she could suggest.

I know you have a lot of family support which is great for most things but they don't know different nursing positions to avoid pressure on your scar or ways to help with swelling, etc, etc

I think its a great idea for all first time moms.

[19spitfire]

I recommend looking into a doula (or at least some steady daily help around the house), too. I wish I had one after my c-section. It really is major abdominal surgery so try not to push yourself too much.

Baby N is almost 2 weeks old now!:! We had our first real tough morning today. He fussed for a long time and dh was working so it was a bit hard. I break into tears so much faster postpartum than I do in normal life. Hormones . On a good note, ds is seeing quite a bit farther than he was before and looks around for certain people when he hears their voice. And both ds1 and dd are adjusting to the change in attention and their new brother really well. Sometimes I just can't believe he's actually here.

[~Megan~]

Motherwort tincture is great for hormone balancing. I take it when pregnant and not when I'm having an emotionally hard time.

[AKA_PI]

Thanks all. Such great advice. I'm learning to take it slow though.

[robertandenith]

We are doing great over here! Just a lot of crampiness when breastfeeding. My milk came in today with full force and baby is eating even more now, so it feels like I am still in labor My mw told me the more kids we have the more cramps we get due to the uterus having to work harder, go figure!

My parts are doing great (no tears thank goodness!) and I am surprised that my hemorrhoids are still in place, I been using just plain water, witch hazel and plain olive oil to clean it up after peeing. I'm with you Megan, I am scared to go #2 - eating lots of fiber to help get soft stools. I went potty 5 times before giving birth so I haven't gone yet, I guess my body cleaned up pretty good by itself... I wonder how much I weight now

Last night I ate 5 bits of my placenta (raw) with sea salt and lemon juice, it tasted like ceviche then I dehydrated the rest and was able to come up with 81 capsules! : Just took 3 of them, to help with all the PP discomfort

[Laniemama]

We are doing good here! 4 days pp and I'm starting to feel more like myself. My ds is killing my nipples, but I finally figured out that he was latching just on the nipple. (You think I would know a bad latch after doing this twice before!!). Sleep is getting a *little* better, but I don't get much of it with 2 lo's and a newborn! I'm feeling pretty good though over-all and I'm glad I'm feeling a little more like myself!

[~Megan~]

baby wants to nurse constantly! My nipples are quite sore. I hope my milk comes in tonight!

[jumpincholla]

Can't believe it but Nat is 3 weeks old today. He has gained about 2 pounds and is an incredible eater. I am still trying to balance the endless breastfeeding, burping, changing and holding with everything else. I am feeling tired and sad that my parents will be leaving soon. Oh...there's the baby now...here I go again!

[bettie cracker]

Oh, and in case anyone is wondering - its not toxic for your 80 lb dog to eat an entire tube of Lansinoh. You might just want to keep him outside for the afternoon. ;-) Apparently its tasty!

[BoBoBo]

Bella is 3 weeks old today and is doing great! She hasn't really woken up yet at all which s great because the other kids are pretty demanding! She is nursing better but I am still having to pump and feed her in addition to nursing. That is super time consuming and I can't wait until it is over. I have been pumping more than she eats, however, and I already have a huge stash of breastmilk in the freeze. That is fun. Bella has put on a little weight and is starting to look more healthy and average sized (she was IUGR and about 4.5 pounds at birth)

I am doing well - just fat. I gained about 35-40 pounds with this pregnancy (after I had just finally gotten to a decent weight for the first time in 5 years!) and I have only lost 12 pounds since delivery. But I am eating so much crap it is crazy. DH hasn't wanted me to take Bella out of the house since she was little and early so I have been home all day and apparently when I am home all of the time, I eat a ton. It is horrible! I am starting fitness bootcamp on Monday to get rid of it all (I am in my bro's wedding in early Oct and do not want to be totally gynormous)