**April Bunnies 2015**

[Christina86]

I can't say much to the other conversation as I am strictly formula feeding.

My numbers have been awesome this weekend! I am so excited because I found foods that work for me pretty quickly. My only issue is forgetting to snack so I've been going decently long periods of time without eating which isn't good but I am getting better. =)

I am 28 weeks today, which is exciting. Baby had about 2 decently quiet days this weekend. I've seen my stomach move and felt really strong kicks but not as often as it usually is. Actually, the last hour has been really active so I am thinking the quietness is over (or the baby is a New England Patriot fan and was kicking b/c they won the super bowl) LOL. I am taking a guess baby is going through a growth spurt. It's been about 3-4 weeks since baby had 2 days in a row of being really quiet. I also think baby went back to laying very low. He or she seems to like being really low.

 

[Perplexed]

Northern: I didn't buy any bottles for DD beforehand. Only got some later which she refused- until 4 months of age where I believe my supply just ran out due to our many issues...

ssjad: Good luck It's great having a date to look forward to rather than the unknown!

Bean: Sorry that you're still not feeling well

Dini: Ouch! That sounds painful, sorry about your carpal tunnel!

Christina: I'm glad you found which foods work for you! Happy 28 weeks!

DD was up for hours last night...but she wasn't crying. She was just playing and babbling and singing. So I just...left her alone in her cot...lol.

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I have bf both my daughters - DD1 with some issues, DD2 exclusively.

I have a steriliser (partially for my breast pump) and I'll have one bottle at home and some cartons of formula in case of dire emergency.

Northern - has your doctor talked about antenatal expressing for baby to help her sugars at birth?

I'll be doing it again - I took 14ml of frozen colostrum into hospital for DD2 and it prevented her needing formula or an IV drip.

In the UK they monitor GD babies blood sugar until it is deemed stable - my girls always dipped a little probably like any newborn would but I found the constant stabbing of their little feet absolutely awful

As I've always been diet controlled I've had good sugars in labour and never needed an insulin line in - I *may* refuse baby having her sugars tested this time if she latches well, I will agree to 2 hourly feeding and I have a stash of colostrum.

Also, for some women and definitely not all, the GD and being on insulin prior to baby arriving can delay your milk coming in. Mine always arrives day 3-5 but very gradually. No one warned me of that,

 

[northern_me]

She hasn't but I'm going to mention it to her.

We are getting THREE huge winter storms this week(each 35+cm of snow in a 24hr period). I guess this is going to be the most boring week of life. Not going out in that! My ultrasound is tomorrow and I may have to cancel.

 

[Beanonorder]

Amelie do you hand express the colostrum or use a pump?
I'm wondering about that option if my baby is going to end up in the NICU. With dd I wasn't even asked if I wanted to pump or anything. They just took her away and gave her formula - on a four hour schedule! I was so angry.

 

[northern_me]

You can use a pump for colostrum. I've been trying to see if I can get any out by hand right now and nothing happens.

 

[Perplexed]

I accidentally expressed colostrum a few weeks ago :facepalm: I don't really know how to hand express and don't know if I'll need to.

 

[Eidson23]

Hi ladies! For everyone who's completely against bottle feeding, I'm just curious how your OH feels about not being able to feed the baby? I know for me I'd be devastated if my wife strictly breastfed and I couldn't get that experience. We've since actually decided that I'm going to induce lactation and im going to try and breastfeed also. It's probably much different for men I'm sure they have their own ways of bonding. I was just curious! Hope everyone is doing okay! My wife has popped so much this week, she was carrying pretty low most of the pregnancy and all of a sudden he was so high the past few days! Definitely head down because I can feel him kicking his little feet under her breast line

 

[northern_me]

Eidson, that's great that you're going to induce lactation. Good for you!

I don't think OH minds. I don't mind a bottle either once we have fully established a good latch. It's not the bottle in my mind that is the issue, it's just that artificial nipples are a great way to ruin breastfeeding efforts. OH will be on bath duty and I plan on feeding baby and then letting him rock her to sleep. I am going to school in September so I don't want her to be totally dependant on me for sleep. We'll be expressing for day time feedings during his parental leave, so he will have lots of feeding time eventually

 

[northern_me]

Also, anyone who might be able to get McCain products by them, I hear from a very experienced breastfeeding mama that their chocolate cake is great for milk supply ;-)

 

[Christina86]

Decided this morning to listen to some disney songs while working. Anyway, Baby really enjoys the song Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride. I put my phone on my bump and just saw my phone moving back and forth in wave forms.

I need to go to my car and get the work I have in there to do. The school is on a 2hr delay due to the roads from the storm this weekend. HOWEVER since the roads were barely traveled and we had rain before they are complete ice. The plows and sand trucks JUST started to come down my block and we are an emergency route road!!! I can't even imagine what other roads look like. I may attempt to head to the school later on, but I'm not going to risk it, even my supervisor is working from home today. I have to go out later anyway for a home health visit tonight from 5-8pm but at least the roads will be a bit less icy b/c of the cars driving on them during the day. Is winter over yet???

 

[AmeliePoulain]

In my experience colostrum is wayyyyyyy to sticky and small amount for a pump, you lose a lot in the workings.

I've always hand expressed (which can take practice) direct into a 1ml syringe.

I couldn't get any colostrum out last time til 35 or 36 weeks x

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I am fine with baby having bottles of EBM but not probably until 6 weeks +. My husband never really enjoyed giving DD1 bottles - she had a TT that meant she hated the bottle, and there was a lot of puking and winding...it wasn't exactly a beautiful serene experience

I think he got his bonding easily from cuddles, changing, bathing, playing. We coslept too both times so he was plenty bonded with both girls.

 

[Dini]

Eidson, I think that's wonderful you are going to induce lactation!

I've also been wondering if exclusively bfig would ruin DH's bonding but I am going to try to just bf until probably 5-6 weeks and the introduce the bottle since I have to return to work so soon. I think having him do more bathing is a good idea!

Christina, I second the "is winter over yet" question. We were supposed to get hit with a foot of snow and ended up just getting rain which turned to ice. I am over it! But glad we didn't get the snow.

Northern I hope you don't have to cancel your ultrasound.

I'm thinking of asking about a scan myself sometime soon. Since I'm a bigger girl and seem to be hiding this little guy very well they haven't done a fundal height measurement and I just wonder how they can be sure he's growing okay. I think he is, his movements are strong and sometimes pretty high up but I wouldnstill love to see him again.

Perplexed, that's cute that dd just played in her cot, but I'm sure you could have used the sleep!

 

[Perplexed]

nice to hear from from you edison. I think it's awesome that you're planning to induce lactation.

I don't mind my lo getting a bottle here and there as long as we're sure there won't be any nipple confusion. I just don't know what will happen.

As for the other parent bonding, I feel dh and dd got on well during the period dd was ebf. it was hard in the first 6-8 weeks but got better. I don't feel like dh and dd missed out on any bonding opportunities at all.

 

[counting]

I'm not against bottles , but I won't be using them for my son (or other artificial nipples). It's just not the right choice for my family. I do "ecological breastfeeding". I hope to be able to use it (effectively)for longer this time as I don't return to work until 1 year pp.

DH was able to bond very well without feeding. He loved to wear our son, take naps with him on his chest, would take baths with him. Baby wearing was a BIG one though for him. It was interesting to see his different methods of soothing baby boy. My go to was always the breast, but Joey would nap for DH without(never for me!). And he really understood the special breastfeeding relationship and valued and defended it. Secretly, I think he enjoyed the fact I did essentially all nighttime parenting as well

Expressing colostrum- It depends on what type of colostrum you get. I produced a thin, clear colostrum last time- and lots! I may have been able to pump some, but I'd be afraid it would all coat the workings and I'd loose most. This time I have orange, THICK(talking white glue consistency), sticky colostrum, and less of it I think. I'd never be able to pump it and save any. Hand expressing into small syringes- a few drops at a time then freezing, is what i'd do. Hand expression always worked well for me, but I found I needed to express from a lower point on my breast than you see recommended. Very close to the nipple in the early days.

 

[stripeycat5]

I agree with counting on the bf. I exclusively bf - we had a pump and a couple of times DH did a feed DS around 11pm so I could sleep but it was such a faff and so much easier to put DS to the breast tbh. DH bonded through bath time which they still enjoy and cuddles, playing etc. I agree with the nighttime parenting thing too! It was pointless DH getting up as he knew all DS wanted was boob so just slept through it lucky bugger 😉. Obviously it will be slightly different this time as I will have DS to deal with at the same time as bf so don't know whether I will end up expressing more often so I can get more sleep or quite how it will work. I think I will just go with the flow - it would be awesome to get along as well as I did last time with the bf as it was so easy and natural 😊

 

[northern_me]

Getting ready for my ultrasound! I'm excited to start getting them weekly now. At 28 weeks she was sucking her hands and was anywhere between 3lbs 3oz to 3lbs 11oz so I'm excited to see if she has petered out or has continued growing at such a fast rate! My weekly app updates are only now catching up to her weight from a month ago.

I'm dreading the drive up there. We did indeed get our ridiculous snowstorm (counting I'm assuming you got hit too) and now we are under a flash freeze warning for this afternoon so I'm sure that will make for nice, safe driving conditions with all of our hills.

 

[Christina86]

Getting ready for my ultrasound! I'm excited to start getting them weekly now. At 28 weeks she was sucking her hands and was anywhere between 3lbs 3oz to 3lbs 11oz so I'm excited to see if she has petered out or has continued growing at such a fast rate! My weekly app updates are only now catching up to her weight from a month ago.

I'm dreading the drive up there. We did indeed get our ridiculous snowstorm (counting I'm assuming you got hit too) and now we are under a flash freeze warning for this afternoon so I'm sure that will make for nice, safe driving conditions with all of our hills.

Good luck with your ultrasound!

I kind of hope my doctor tells me she is going to order another one just so I know baby is growing okay. Dr. never said my measurements were off but the nurse last time asked what position the baby was in (like I know- and the tech for my 3d never said) so I am assuming it is a bit off (unless they asked the tech and all was good but they never told me anything )

Drive safe! We had ice under our snow from this weekend and I guess there still weren't too many drivers on the road yesterday and whatever might have "melted" re-froze last night. It made for a wonderful slip and slide while trying to get to the school this morning. I slid twice- both on hills. GRRRRRR!

 

[northern_me]

You should get one at 32 weeks if you have GD. I'm only getting them weekly now because I'm insulin dependant.