Weekly Postpartum Chit Chat and Support 11/8-11/14

[audsma]

Hey, mamas! It's time for a new thread. Sorry to navigate away from the first one, but today is a new week. May it be a wonderful week of babymooning for you all!

[mamanurse]

Originally Posted by heidirk

Tara- where did you order a 36 G?

anyone else wearing nursing tops? I'm really long, and I have huge boobs, so I rea;ly NEED the coverage. I need some ideas/reveiws. . .

I think Tara actually said 32 G, but I wear a 36G (bigger cup, but can't find it). I have a supportive and uber comfy bra from Bella Materna. I have 2 sporty bras from Medela in the medium ++ size. The BM bra is very spendy and that's why I only have one.

I really like Expressiva and Motherwear for nursing tops. My only complaint with both companies is their empire openings. Only the XL fits over the hooters and that size is huge on me everywhere else.

[Amber Lion]

Good morning ladies! Happy Saturday!! My baby is 2 weeks old today!!! : I can't believe how time is flying; it's still so surreal that I even have a baby, let alone one whose been here for 2 whole weeks. We're settling into a bit more of a routine with diapering and bfing and such so it's not so overwhelming anymore at least.

I'm going to have to figure out something to wear at night as I've just started leaking. I had bought two nursing tanks during pg, but they are WAY too small and hurt my nips to wear. We're broke too, so I can't go buy new ones, but I'm getting cold waking up to soaking wet shirts. At least the bed isn't getting wet b/c we've got a wool pad down for Addie. I think I'd like new tanks anyways b/c it's cold here and exposing my tummy to nurse isn't fun either! I wish I'd thought more about a postpartum wardrobe before baby got here.

My sister is flying in today! It will be the first time she gets to see Adelh so I'm excited. She'll be staying at the same cottage my Mom is in, so I'll have another pair of hands to help and snuggle Addie for the next 4 days. Then I'm on my own as both her and my Mom will be gone and Dh is back to work already. I'm actually looking forward to it - just me and Addie figuring out our days together. Although I'm a little sad too - she hasn't been put down to sleep alone ever and I'll have to put her in the cradle to get anything done.

[Orionbelt]

I can't believe we are into the second week of November already! Time flies when you are in a Zombie state I guess!

Charlotte had her first u/s sound yesterday to look for the mass that they found at the 18 week u/s. The mass is still there but it has shrunk from 1 cm to 1/2 cm. All of her organs are perfect and the mass no longer has it's own blood supply. They still are not 100 percent sure what it is but they ruled out a lot of other serious issues. They say that the mass has all the qualities of being benign.

We than had a phone call from the pediatric surgeon who said that he doesn't feel it necessary to do surgery nor an MRI at this point. Basically, we go for another u/s at 3 months and if it has stayed the same or has shrunk even more we won't have to do anything else...or as the surgeon said he will say 'see you later and have a nice life'. He also told us not to even think about it any more.

While this is all good news and I am so happy, I was really hoping for a different outcome. I was so hoping that they wouldn't find the mass so that we could completely shut the door on this issue and not worry about it anymore. I guess I just wanted some closure on the issue and not have a wait and see situation.

Despite that, I do feel a sense of relief because I remember for over half of my pregnancy it was an issue of when our baby would have surgery and now to know that she won't have to is huge!

Life with three under three is proving to be very busy but not as bad as a lot of people told me it would be. My two toddlers love being older siblings and are huge helps with Charlotte. They help to change her and feed her (which is a bit odd since I'm BF...they like to hold my boob while I feed Charlotte!) and hug and kiss her. Plus, Charlotte is such an easy baby. While I do feed/sleep on demand, she seems to enjoy her own little schedule. She seems to like 8:30 pm as a bed time with a nursing session at 12:30 ish and another at 3:30 ish and up for the day with her brother and sister at about 7:30 is. This is so unlike my other two who where up every hour and a half to two hours for the first three months and than every three hours until about 7 months. Even though she only gets up twice a night I do end getting up a bit more than that with my other two due to nightmares and just wanting to be tucked in. Thank goodness this isn't an every night ordeal.

DH is on duty today (in the Navy) and won't be home until tomorrow morning so wish me luck doing supper and bed time all by myself tonight. Yikes!

[carolina~mom2be]

Originally Posted by Orionbelt

I They help to change her and feed her (which is a bit odd since I'm BF...they like to hold my boob while I feed Charlotte!) and hug and kiss her.

This made me giggle b/c Carolina does the same thing! It's sooo cute :

Wishing you all of the best tonight without DH's helping hands and many good vibes and prayers about the shrinking mass!!! I'm sure that everything will be A-ok!

I'm floored that it's been 2 weeks already! I think I might actually pack up the two and go for a walk today! I really want to start some sort of exercise routine and today seems like a good day to begin! Anyone else doing anything yet?

[heidirk]

Orionbelt- I wish you luck! My Dh hasn't been homemuch and was getting irritatedby every little thing ds1 did. I told him I diodn't think he realised howmuch he'd been gone lately! It can make the day very long for the three of us!


ironically, everyone seems to think that having two is this monumental undertaking- whe adjusting to ds1, who was so high need- was the real challenge. I find myself thinking, 'howdid I ever think one was hard?'


Milo is 9 lbs 14.5 ozs as of yesterday, and his head circumferencehas increased by 2 inches! :

amberlion- with ds1 I just wore a really soft bra that crossed infront. www.motherwear.com has them. now I just tuck a flannel receiving blanket around the boob Milo's not attatched to!

Argh- I have a bellamaterna bra that is comfy, but not at all supportive. : I hate bras!

I just went on Anita.com and they only make up to a H cup. bleh.

nak

[Faerieshadow]

Lee Ann, come join the fitness thread!

Here

Just subbing for now, hands full today. Going through all ds's toys to see what can be given to others, what can be relegated to dd's room unti lshe's old enough, basically do some organizing/making room for al the Christmas toys the grandparents will be loading us up with. Somehow I've got to fit a test and some other schoolwork in today, leave it to me to procrastinate until the day it's due. Just bathed the little one and we're nursing in nothing but her little robe, think I'll go cover her bum before my only pair of jeans that fit ends up soaked.

[PassionateWriter]

im sorry. i responded to the other thread. i always seem to be behind on these threads. lol the ONE day i thought i had ti togehter. lol!

[Baby_Cakes]

Originally Posted by Amber Lion

I'm going to have to figure out something to wear at night as I've just started leaking. I had bought two nursing tanks during pg, but they are WAY too small and hurt my nips to wear. We're broke too, so I can't go buy new ones, but I'm getting cold waking up to soaking wet shirts. At least the bed isn't getting wet b/c we've got a wool pad down for Addie. I think I'd like new tanks anyways b/c it's cold here and exposing my tummy to nurse isn't fun either! I wish I'd thought more about a postpartum wardrobe before baby got here.

I'm having similar issues. If you figure something out, let me know. I hate sleeping in a bra and it's the only way I seem to be able to control the flow (by keeping breast pads in them). If I start leaking b/c she's nursing on the other side, I shove a burp cloth b/w us or a receiving blanket so she doesn't get soaked.

I am so tired of being so heavy!!! Darn this friggin' mastitis! I so wanted to go to the gym but I know I need to take it easy for a few more days at least. I've been doing my crunches and taking a few walks here and there. But I really just want to get on the elliptical!

Nora screamed until 3:30 last night. We really don't know what to do. We're trying to keep her more awake during the day today to see if it makes a difference, but we are just really losing our minds.

[Bella Catalina]

Just subbing for now, a certain little person is hungry...

(and yay for the PP fitness thread!)

[Marcimama]

I got a bella materna bra too! It is my second, I love them! I really like that it pulls to the side, I hate clips.
However, I just got a hotmama nursing tank and really hate it! It has this plastic stuff around the inner part that is on your chest and it is so irratating and itchy! I spent nearly $40 on it and can't stand to wear it! Ugh!

BTW I am loving being a mommy to a new born again! It is amazing!:

[mamanurse]

Originally Posted by Orionbelt

Charlotte had her first u/s sound yesterday to look for the mass that they found at the 18 week u/s. The mass is still there but it has shrunk from 1 cm to 1/2 cm. All of her organs are perfect and the mass no longer has it's own blood supply. They still are not 100 percent sure what it is but they ruled out a lot of other serious issues. They say that the mass has all the qualities of being benign.!

Sounds like good news. I'll be keeping my : for even better news in the future.

Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes

Nora screamed until 3:30 last night. We really don't know what to do. We're trying to keep her more awake during the day today to see if it makes a difference, but we are just really losing our minds.

LMK how it goes.... Our experience with our first was the more she slept, the more she slept. If we tried to keep her up during the day we would have an even more wakeful night. And she'd be super fussy because she was overtired. We're wondering if we should give it another try with Hazel.

[Mamja]

Orionbelt, I'm sorry you're going through all this. to you and your family. I'll cross my fingers that the mass is gone at the next u/s.

[janasmama]

Annie slept great this morning so I was able to get some boxes packed and laundry going....

She has the same sneezy, cold/cough that I have and I have to suction her nose for boogers.

I can't believe we are moving so soon...it wasn't really planned. I'm bummed that we have to do such a long car ride (900 miles total over a 2 day stretch) with Annie being so little. We've had car rides with all of our newborns and I was hoping to stay home with her.

[heidirk]

Milo is super snuffly too, but all I've done is put some saline in his nose, and it seems to help.

I can't eat onions or garlic!!!! It gives Milo super bad gas! It makes him cry and cry when all he wants to do is sleep!

Onions and garlic are my favorite foods! :

[janasmama]

breastmilk works amazing also. Saline works well too but I think the BM is a more comfortable application.

[Amber Lion]

Needing to rant...

Seriously, WHEN do the nips stop being sore?!? Her latch looks fine, it feels ok 90% of her feedings, but the nips are just so sore all the time even though there is no damage and they look perfectly fine. And then there will be the 10% where she refuses to open her mouth wide enough - and that's usually in the middle of the night - and the latch is less than perfect and she ends up screaming b/c I won't let her on. (or I do let her on and it's slightly painful, but not enough to make this sleepy Momma want to make her try anymore) Or she'll nurse for a few minutes and then do *something* that makes the latch wrong when it was right to begin with. If I pop her off to try and correct it though, she just lays there and won't go back on. It's so frustrating. She pretty much eats every 1 to 3 hours round the clock too and b/c I have to use all these pillows and need a light I'm getting out of bed and going into another room and waking up completely. I love the fact that my boobies are nourishing my little girl, but sometimes I can totally see why people choose formula and I don't even think I'm having that hard a time bfing. Nursing was something I really looked forward to doing, I just need my nips to not hurt all the time! It's making me really edgy and Dh keeps forgetting and grabbing my boobs! :

Ok, end rant. Thanks for listening.

[Changed]

It took a few weeks for me. Soon I bet. I used the motherlove nipple salve and it helped.

[mamanurse]

Originally Posted by janasmama

I can't believe we are moving so soon...it wasn't really planned. I'm bummed that we have to do such a long car ride (900 miles total over a 2 day stretch) with Annie being so little. We've had car rides with all of our newborns and I was hoping to stay home with her.

Sorry you have to move. Big fat bummer

Originally Posted by Amber Lion

Needing to rant...

Seriously, WHEN do the nips stop being sore?!? Her latch looks fine, it feels ok 90% of her feedings, but the nips are just so sore all the time even though there is no damage and they look perfectly fine. And then there will be the 10% where she refuses to open her mouth wide enough - and that's usually in the middle of the night - and the latch is less than perfect and she ends up screaming b/c I won't let her on. (or I do let her on and it's slightly painful, but not enough to make this sleepy Momma want to make her try anymore) Or she'll nurse for a few minutes and then do *something* that makes the latch wrong when it was right to begin with. If I pop her off to try and correct it though, she just lays there and won't go back on. It's so frustrating. She pretty much eats every 1 to 3 hours round the clock too and b/c I have to use all these pillows and need a light I'm getting out of bed and going into another room and waking up completely. I love the fact that my boobies are nourishing my little girl, but sometimes I can totally see why people choose formula and I don't even think I'm having that hard a time bfing. Nursing was something I really looked forward to doing, I just need my nips to not hurt all the time! It's making me really edgy and Dh keeps forgetting and grabbing my boobs! :

Ok, end rant. Thanks for listening.

I don't know when they stop being sore for you. Mine haven't hurt for about 4 days and my babe is one day older than your's. I saw an IBCLC who gave me some pointers on latch and I used the gel pads. I kept one set in the fridge and the other set on me. After they cracked and started to bleed at 5 days postpartum, I had my OB call in a prescription for all purpose nipple ointment.

I hope your nips feel better soon.

[Baby_Cakes]

Em, so sorry you're hurting so much! I have so been there! By the end of the 3rd week for me it was much better. Now it doesn't feel like anything - it's equivalent to her sucking on a finger. It doesn't hurt to shower anymore, it doesn't hurt to wear a bra/shirt. And after she's eaten and they're not so full, DH can grab the boobs! He's happy, I'm happy, baby is happy. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

So, keeping Nora awake during the day did nothing. Right on schedule at 12 am, she started her screaming. I had just finished feeding her at 11 and she was acting sleepy but never made it to sleep. So she was up screaming. No swing, no floor, no bouncy seat, no lying flat on DH's chest, no nothing. Just screaming. What IS this? Is she just being fussy? We tried mylicon again, but she doesn't seem to be in any pain, just MAD. We tried gripe water the other day but that didn't do anything either. And I just don't feel like it's gas. Why would she only be in pain at night? She ended up eating again at 1 and then wanted more at 2, and FINALLY fell asleep on my chest after eating then. And she slept from 2-6, then slept again till 9.

We're ready to leave her on top of the mountain!!!