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Cassidy Faye arrives! and breastfeeding question ...

869 views 11 replies 10 participants last post by  FarmerCathy 
#1 ·
Hey mamas!

We had our little baby girl on Monday morning at 3 am! Crazy unusual labor... with days of early labor and then boom first time I was checked by my midwife I was almost 8cm! guess it was real labor afterall! But, then no change for about seven hours at home and contractions were between 8-15 minutes apart STILL. After a hard decision to go to the hospital in order to get an epidural to try to sleep (I had been up for almost 3 straight days with contractions every 10-20 minutes) , we headed out and thats when the "back labor" started (posterior babe). oh lord, that was craziness. I was all set on getting the epidural by the time I had endured that for an hour. But, then by a miracle, little one moved down with two crazy strong contractions! I felt her coming down, I wanted to push! The anasthethiologist (sp?) was already in the room and the papers were signed. I said, no forget it, the baby is coming out now! After about an hour and a half of pushing... out she came... ALL NATURAL. I can't express how happy I was that she decided to spin and start moving down. I really had NOT wanted the drugs... She's a perfect little one and we are so completely overjoyed by her! Even with how exhausted I was I stayed up until we left the hospital just staring at her. PURE LOVE!

This thread also contains a question.... as far as breastfeeding, she's two days old now. She has only nursed a few times today but for about 30-45 minutes each time. She just seems so tired. I figure the long exhausting labor affected us both, and Im trying not to worry. but, you know everyone says baby should be nursing every 3 hours or so. Has anyone else had this experience? Im wondering if she'll pick up when my milk comes in.... or hopefully by tomorrow she won't be so tired. She had four huge meconium poops, with the last one at 7 this morning... and no more poops all day. she has only peed twice so far. thoughts?

So happy to be part of the new mama crew!

Yay virgo babies :)
 
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#2 ·
Congratulations and welcome Cassidy!!!

Newborns can be very sleepy. I used to undress my babes down to their diaper, put a wet cloth on them, anything i could to keep them awake enough to nurse. When your milk comes in, it will help for sure, and as she gets a bit older. Keep an eye on her and make sure she's peeing and pooping, and she should be fine :)
 
#3 ·
First, congratulations mama!!! Job well done!
As for bf issues, and sorry if this is quick...i should already be asleep
smile.gif


1) spend as much tine skin to skin with baby, she needs to practice bf and needs unrestricted access to the breast!

2) forget that every 3 hours crap, feed her on cue, hunger signs include smacking lips, wiggling, sticking out her tongue, etc (crying is not a hunger sign it's a frustration sign), she should be eating AT LEAST 8 -12 times a day...but it is normal to eat much more than that!

3) you should see 4 poops on day 4, possibly 5 on day 5, and then maybe more maybe less...what we want to see is 7 wet diapers in 24 hours (tells us she's likely well hydrated)

4) newborns should not sleep more than one 5 hour stretch in 24 hours so of she starts to, do what robyn suggests to wake her up!

5) if she falls asleep at the breast pick up her arm, if out is loose and drops down she's probably done. If she tenses and pulls it back towards her body, wake her up and encourage get to keep eating!

Www.kellymom.com is a great website for bf help. Good luck!!
 
#4 ·
Congrats mama!!! I just read an article about not swaddling because it can harm your bfing relationship because it actually stresses the babe out instead of comforting them. Like others said, lots of skin to skin time. GL!!!
 
#5 ·
Congrats!

You've got some great advice already, but don't forget the LLL hotline. Some LLL leaders will even make house visits. (two of my kiddos were non-stop nurslings, but my middle child was a very "lazy" nursling for several days. I had to make sure to keep her awake and nursing, in part to help flush her out so the jaundice wouldn't be so bad. She is still the smallest of my kiddos and the pickiest eater so sometimes a kiddo really does show her personality in those first few days! lol)

Quote:
The breastfeeding community throughout the United States has access to a toll-free helpline service by calling 877 4 LA LECHE (1-877-452-5324). This helpline provides information, education, and support for women who want to breastfeed, to healthcare providers and others.
 
#9 ·
Still waiting for results of the CLC exam I took last month - but this is exactly what I would recommend.... and yes there should be 4 poops by day 4. One other question I would ask - how much change from her birth weight has she had? There's a rule of thumb they go by in determining in those first few days how bf is going (which my still pregnant brain would need to look up). PM me if you'd like.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mama2ChicknLil View Post

First, congratulations mama!!! Job well done!
As for bf issues, and sorry if this is quick...i should already be asleep
smile.gif


1) spend as much tine skin to skin with baby, she needs to practice bf and needs unrestricted access to the breast!

2) forget that every 3 hours crap, feed her on cue, hunger signs include smacking lips, wiggling, sticking out her tongue, etc (crying is not a hunger sign it's a frustration sign), she should be eating AT LEAST 8 -12 times a day...but it is normal to eat much more than that!

3) you should see 4 poops on day 4, possibly 5 on day 5, and then maybe more maybe less...what we want to see is 7 wet diapers in 24 hours (tells us she's likely well hydrated)

4) newborns should not sleep more than one 5 hour stretch in 24 hours so of she starts to, do what robyn suggests to wake her up!

5) if she falls asleep at the breast pick up her arm, if out is loose and drops down she's probably done. If she tenses and pulls it back towards her body, wake her up and encourage get to keep eating!

Www.kellymom.com is a great website for bf help. Good luck!!
 
#10 ·
Thanks everyone! Cassidy has now turned into a super nurser! Must have just been the exhausting labor that had her tired at first . She is now nursing for five hours in the evening pretty much straight as well as every 2 throughout the day. she sleeps about five hours straight at night. seems pretty good to me. I don't feel the need to wake her in the middle of the night when she nurses from 7pm to 1am. What do you all think?
 
#11 ·
I think it would be safe to un-latch her when she gets that "limp limb" arm drop. 5 hours seems to me to be using you as a pacifier to some degree, not to mention you may get really tired of it and want to roll over, say...get up and pee. :) Not to mention sore nipples, owie. I never woke my kids every two hours to nurse but they also never slept for 8 hours without waking up either. They are all different, but in my experience they seemed to nurse about every 2 during the day and would be up 2-3 times to nurse in the night and always had a major wet diaper so I never worried. I think you guys just need to find a happy medium somewhere and work on a schedule. Happy new beginnings! :)
 
#12 ·
Sounds like your doing great!! I would do anything for 5 hours of nursing at this point.
lol.gif
I think that's great she wanted to snuggle for so long. It def. would keep others from wanting to hold her while you bond.
 
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