1 day DPO and in need of buddies :)

[BeachChica]

Happy Birthday Lindsay!!! What a great year its going to be for you!! ... and great bump pic! Did you really pump every 2 hours for 48 hours straight? Even over night? Wow! I might have to try that! Its hard to even pump during the day, I feel like some of the pumps I would be leaving her screaming. I probably do pump for about 20 minutes when I do, I have a double electric pump so I just put it on when I'm checking emails etc, but I will try to pay more attention to the time. Does the strength of the pump setting make a difference? I think I was given bad advice from the beginning... told not to pump, alternate sides on feeding so I may have been able to increase it earlier. I don't know.

Alyssa - your chart is looking great! Wow you are BDing a lot. Have you thought about BDing every other day? That's what some of the TTC plans recommend to be sure DH has time to build up sperm. I can't remember the name of the plan, maybe one of the other girls do but its every other day leading up to O, the day of and then the day after. you should still continue after O just to be sure. Good luck, you will get your rainbow!!!

Rach - You look great preggo!!! I had no idea what to get either as a FTM and still working that out but I can help if you have questions. Also I found that Babies R Us is really good about returns, you have a year, so if you get something and its not on your registry.... go in and add it, that way if LO doesn't like it or you find that you don't need it you can return it and get a store credit.

 

[BeachChica]

So I have a question on what kinds of things I should be doing with Isabela during the day... she's so little and sleeps quite a bit but it seems to be getting less and less. When she's awake a happy, or during a feeding I talk and read to her which she likes but sometimes she's just fussy and wants me to hold her all the time. Which I try to do but then I don't get anything done around the house and before I know it, its 1pm and I'm still in my PJ's. Just wondering what you girls did with your little ones when you were home -- types of activities etc.

 

[korink26]

I was told the same thing about not pumping at first and just alternating sides. and to be honest, nursing/pumping was very stressful for me. I would always try and pump after nursing her, and it seems like as soon as I'd get all hooked up (I also had a double electric pump) she'd start screaming! I had problems with let down too, more so when pumping, and I think it's just because of how stressed I let myself get about it. I do look foward to trying again....yet dread it too! ha
Alyssa the plan Jessie I think is talking about is SMEP. We were also told everyother day, but we were concerned about my husbands sperm quality because we thought he had a varicoele (sp) vein. If you know he has great sperm (I think he did have a test and is fine, right?) then I think it's ok to do it every day. You go girl, I get sore just looking at your bd'ing schedule!
Ok, what the H does FTM mean---I was thinking Full time mom---but not sure that makes sense with the sentence? wwaaiiitttt, FIRST TIME MOM!?!?!? That's gotta be it! Right?

 

[korink26]

Jessie I stressed about that too (actually, to be honest, what didn't/don't I stress about). But I always thought I should be entertaining her or doing more with her. She also wanted to be held all the time, and I worried I would be making her too dependant on being held. But, Dr said no, at that age, go ahead and hold them. I loved my pj days, and used it as my excuse. I honestly didn't get a lot of housework done, and I was ok with it. REally, being at home with babies is no walk in the park! Especially when you're nursing---it's more than a FT job.

 

[BeachChica]

Jessie I stressed about that too (actually, to be honest, what didn't/don't I stress about). But I always thought I should be entertaining her or doing more with her. She also wanted to be held all the time, and I worried I would be making her too dependant on being held. But, Dr said no, at that age, go ahead and hold them. I loved my pj days, and used it as my excuse. I honestly didn't get a lot of housework done, and I was ok with it. REally, being at home with babies is no walk in the park! Especially when you're nursing---it's more than a FT job.

Yes FTM = first time mom, I was thinking full time mom at first too.

So did you do anything else Khloe during the day? I just feel like I should be doing more but maybe not at this stage...?

LOL I laughed at your sentence about getting all hooked up on the pump and hearing her screaming, that is so true for me. If I want to actually pump, I do need to let her scream a bit otherwise I would never be able to.

Oh - someone mentioned power pumping to me too... basically at night when you are watching TV every time a commercial comes on you pump during the commercial. So basically you pump for 5 minutes or so about several times during that hour TV program. I tried that and it didn't really work for me but I may try some more. I am guessing I should still be able to increase my supply at this point.

 

[confusedprego]

Jess - don't worry about getting stuff done around the house. She's still really little so just holding her all day is fine! She's still a bit young but the playmat I got Oakley worked really well! It had the little mobile in the middle with toys that dangled down but I'm pretty sure that wasn't interesting to him until around 3 months, but I'm not sure I even tried it before 3 months. That let me get a LOT done!! I showered by putting our "nap nanny" - big foam block thing for him to lay in - in the bathroom and the sounds of the water calmed him while I got a shower.
I don't know about strength of the pump - I was told to go as high as I could without discomfort. I only pumped so often because I wasn't breastfeeding directly and I heard that your supply would not be good if you just pumped and you'd have to pump a LOT to get enough milk but my body responded just fine to the pump! I think the only reason the pump worked so well for me is because I just assumed my milk would come out and that relieved the stress and it just happened. I didn't realize the problem with my let-down was coming from me being so worked up about it. I also struggled with how to handle Oakley and pumping and I had a double pump but if I was worried Oakley would get up or need me in the middle, I would just do one at a time so I could still hold him - I ended up knocking it off and spilling milk everywhere a couple times but you get pretty good at it after a while lol.

 

[BeachChica]

Lindsay - I didn't realize you pumped with Oakley, did you bottle feed him for all of his feedings or did you do some directly? I wish I would have gotten better advice from the BFing class I went to but I think I was on the wrong path from the beginning.

 

[pinksmarties]

I wrote a huge post a few days ago and its not on here? So mad as I have been at my dads for a few days and he has limited internet and it took me ages to do. Grr

alyssa - I second everything the girls said about you being in the right place and am glad you are staying with us so we get to see your bfp.Not had much chance to stalk your chart till now as dads internet is sooooo bad. Yay for CH!! i was always on awe of you bd shedule, keeping it all crossed!!

Jess - why do you think your supply is poor? TBH thats one thing I never understood how people knew. I pumped too (medala) and got very little, max 1-2 oz in total wit the rare exception 3 oz. I know they say you can't rely on pumping out puts as a guide to how much you are producing as baby is way more efficient than pumps. I eventually stopped pumping as I was getting disheartened and not using what I had stashed anyway. I looked into herbal stuff but never used.

As for things to do I used to stress about how much and what to do with B and looking back now I wish I had relaxed more and just held him rather than worried about cleaning and cooking. I know it needs to be done but I put so much pressure on myself at the time and I just had to learn to let go of some things. Anyway I used to vary his environment and taking him tours of the house(!), siit him in the bouncer to watch me sort out the washing etc, I read and sang to him, put him under the play gym, or just out for a walk/shops

Linds - happy birthday and loving the bump pic!!

Rach - just wait till your sister hits her 40's!! I stopped all FB communication for 2 weeks so most people esp work colleages didn't know my age!! I hope the Dr gives you lighter duties as it does get harder later on. As a nurse I am on my feet nearly all day and by 34 weeks it was really hard and although I am still working till 36 weeks again this time I am taking an extra day of a week after next week and slightly shorter hours.

Kels- everything is sounding great symptom wise. It is hard not to compare but every pg is different as linds and mine suggest and Rach has had hardly any and all is going great.

afm - back home after a few days away although B is still with my dad for 2 days and they are bringing him up on Friday. We are trying to get the spare room, which will be his new room eventually, all done before they get back. This is the first time I have spent the night away from him and I am missing him loads (although the long lie in in the morning is nice!!) I am getting lots of pics and i phone him twice a day but he seems to be having a ball with his grandma and granddad so that is good. I am having big worries about the vbac birth and am going to have to step back abit from all the vbac stuff I have been reading. I went to a birthing class that helps with breathing and relaxation techniques for birth and that has helped but just hope I get to use them this time.

 

[BeachChica]

Sam - they told me that Isabela was not getting enough milk when she started losing weight and wanted me to supplement to get hr weight up. They told me to pump to see what I was getting even though I agree with you, the pump is not as efficient. I have tried to increase it but not quite to the level of pumping every 2 hours for 48 hours!!! LOL (I may seriously need to try that or close to it. She does still seem hungry and cries after I BF her so I give her formula and she seems content. I am not sure I could let her scream it out. At night though if she starts falling asleep towards the end of the BFing I just put her right to bed and don't give her formula. When you pumped and got 1-2 ounces, was that on each side or total? and how long did you go between pumps? I am not sure I could make enough to stash because when I do pump I just feed it to her at the next feeding instead of the supplemental formula.
Thanks for the info on the activities, that sounds like about what I am doing. We do go out on a lot of shopping trips and walks in the evenings around my neighborhood. We do tours of the house too when she wants to be held
Glad you had a nice time with the family. I bet it is hard to be away from them for the night but also nice to have the break. Are you all ready for baby #2?

By the way, when you girls mentioned losing posts... when I am typing a long one, I type it in word first and then paste it in to BNB. I hate losing a post when I've typed a lot and then I can't remember all I've said.

 

[pinksmarties]

I do do that sometimes but forget and its usually then I lose the post. Last time though I was sure it came up on here when I checked.

B lost 13% of his birth weight and at the beginning I fed from one side and pumped he other (Getting up and pumping prior to his feeding) and gave him that straight after the boob feed via a cup. I did this every 3 hours for the first 2 weeks then stopped the pumping and exclusively bf after that. It was later I pumped with the medala to get a little stash and it was 1-2 in total, not from each boob. I don't remember him crying after feeds so maybe he was getting enough but lots of things back then are a bit of a haze still.

 

[CallMeAL1982]

Well, I guess I know where to go when/if I ever need BF advice!

Jess- I'm familiar with the SMEP... It doesn't work for us since I never know when I'm going to O and OPKs aren't accurate for me... I also don't produce a whole lot of EWCM on this medication so it's hard for me to tell. Rob had a sperm analysis done and he has very high counts and good motility so when we talked to the doc, he said that every day was fine (which goes along with you, Kels).

I know I should be optimistic about our chances this cycle, but I'm having a hard time with the PMA. I'm trying to play it off to myself as "well, at least if we don't get preg on this cycle we know the medication works" (and yes, I will be talking to the doc about referral to the FS, I will probably need what they call 'ovulation management'), but I'm sort of pessimistic. I think it's made worse by the knowledge that we won't have another chance until August (because of my summer job). I guess there's nothing to do now but TWW...

 

[pinksmarties]

alyssa. have you tried EPO for ewcm? I used to take it till ov to help and I am sure it made a difference. I know you ov isn't as predicable but maybe it is something that might help? I also used preseed (ther are others like conceive plus) to help the swimmers on their way. Will you get more blood done to confirm ov?

 

[korink26]

See Jess, you're doing more than I did with Khloe! Since it was an awful winter, we never got out and were stuck in the house for so long! And I think it was 3ish months that she had interest in the lights and sounds on her play mat.
Next time I don't plan to be so hard on myself with bfing. My milk didn't come in until the Sunday after Khloe was born (she was born on Wed) and Friday was our first night home and she SCREAMED from 11-5ish. I had an anxiety attack and didn't want to even get out of bed the next day. I called the nurse and she stressed I not give her any formula which I totally should have. Khloe also went too low in birth weight and we were just going to supplement and my milk came in.
Sam that's amazing that with your job you stay until 36 weeks! Couldn't you stop way before that if u wanted to?

 

[pinksmarties]

yes I could finish earlier but that would cut into my maternity (i.e start maternity early) and want to spend as much time off afterwards as possible.

B did the same the first night we got home and in the end we did give a bottle of formula but got 'told off' the next day for it by the midwife and he never had any more after that but thats when I had to started pumping and giving him tops up with my milk but even then, like you, it didn't come in properly till 5-6 days after he was born.

 

[confusedprego]

Alyssa - your temps are looking good! one more week before testing? ! Or you'll let the doc do it?

I'll respond to everyone else later - sam I just have a question - are you feeling more movement now? I have bursts every couple days that I feel this one a lot and then days I dont feel anything. Waiting for more consistent kicks, although I guess I'm not as far along as I think sometimes! I thought Oakley was more active by now!

 

[BeachChica]

Hi girls - had a question about baby age... was looking at my ticker... would Isabela be 2 months at 8 weeks or on the 21st (since she was born on the 21st). I wasn't sure how you girls counted the months.

 

[korink26]

I counted the months by the day she was born---then it coincided with her actual birthday.
Alyssa when is your Dr. appt? Your temps are looking good! What is your summer job that it prevents you from TTC? Will you be gone or something?
Happy 19 weeks Lindsay!! And ALMOST 31 weeks Sam!! And ALMOST 23 weeks Rach!

 

[babydust818]

Alyssa - i am rooting for you!

Jessie - i count my wedding anniversary from Friday to Friday (since Isabela was born on same day! ) So yup, 8 weeks on Friday!!

Kelsey - Happy..... 5 weeks? or are you 6 yet?

Lindsay - i started feeling my every day kicks in the 20th week. I feel him a little every day. Some days it's more than others.

Sam - glad to see you're doing okay. that's great you get a little break from B and able to get the rooms done. I can only imagine how much you miss him! what kind of vbac stories are you hearing that make it terrifying? Now you got me scared lol. Since i just had that surgery that was basically a C-section it's like i'll be doing a vbac. Yikes.

 

[korink26]

what is vbac? Like c-section?
I was 5 weeks on Monday, so 5W3D?

 

[babydust818]

VBAC stands for vaginal birth after c-section