April Munchkins 2013- enjoying our wonderful babies!

[LittleSpy]

I think i read somewhere about someone bf'ing like that on the breastfeeding forum is that cluster feeding??

Maybe i should buy a sheild for my nipples and see if she takes the boob that way lol i tried early and she just cried out she suck for all of 2-3secs lol and pulled away she arches her back and pulling away but sometimes when its feed time or wakes fro a sleep she turns her head into the boob i never tried her on the boob at those points but maybe i should have :S. ill wait until she is awake and try again. ive pumped just over 5oz so far today im ready to go again lol but on manual as ryan is now home ill use electric one in bed later and try and wake between 1-4am as i heard well read this is when your at your peak lol

Have you tried bottle feeding her so that it's not instant gratification? She's frustrated at your boob because it doesn't start spewing milk as soon as she sucks like the bottle. Here's an article on "how to bottle feed a breastfed baby" -- https://www.lowmilksupply.org/bottlefeeding.pdf Dee Kassing (the author) is an IBCLC & is quite knowledgeable about low supply (she's kind enough to volunteer online consulting services to the facebook IGT/low milk supply group I linked a few days ago).

Bottle feeding this way plus using a nipple shield may very well work to end her nursing strike! So much easier to nurse than pump, I swear (for me at least)!
And you're totally right -- prolactin levels are usually higher at night, so milk production is a little higher!

 

[Cherrybump]

Thanks ladies, ill read that link just now. think i have like 2-3 pages open on breastfeeding lol even been on the breastfeeding page on here lol. Ill look into how much those sheils cost also.

Ive tired expressing some milk before putting her on aswell which makes her latch for the spilt second lol

Fingers crossed i can get it done lol


Good luck Kealz seen the post on facebook dunno if it was mention here lol that her waters went.. I think it was kealz lol xxxxx

 

[kirstabelle]

It's my due date! My little false alarm lasted until 6am. 3 hours and then nothing! Maybe I'm dilated to about 6 now.

I just want to thank kirstabelle for taking being "overdue" in stride right now. Everyone else seems to be popping a little early and I'm sure I'd be having a pity party for one if it weren't for you.

Thanks Little Spy That cheered me up, I am definitely trying to take it in stride! Although today it hasn't been working so well. I was just feeling pretty down after my MW appt and the scan. Scan is fine, she is perfectly happy where she is, plenty of fluid and everything... which I basically knew was going to be the case based on her enthusiasm for punching and poking my bladder and cervix non-stop for the last two days Discussed induction possibilities with MW and she is going to schedule it for Wednesday but I am already regretting agreeing to it and think I am going to call her back and make the appt to see an OB on Tuesday after my non-stress test. And then I'll decide for sure whether to do the induction or just keep chugging along. I just won't be bullied into it if everything is fine I am however sure that I am booking myself in for Sunday, Monday, Tuesday acupuncture as a last ditch "get out" strategy

 

[kirstabelle]

Steph sounds like you and Grayson are going to be champion BF'ers! The LC who taught the class I went to also recommended those gel pads Ready to Mum just posted so there must be something to those, I would def be sending your OH out for them! I'm sure your group tomorrow will have loads of advice for you and that will be really helpful. I am about halfway through The Womanly Art of Breast Feeding and a number of the things you asked about are answered in there. I had wondered whether getting that book was going to be worth it but it is written in a question and answer format and divided by baby's age so it seems like it will be a good "middle of the night what the hell am I doing" resource as you really don't have to read the whole thing and can just get relevant info out of it as needed. As I imagine you might not have a lot of reading time on your hands right now

 

[doggylover]

Hi ladies! Sorry I haven't had a chance to catch up but I hope all is well with each of you- and your babies whether they are here or not!

Thought I'd share a few details about Isabelle's birth with you- some good and some not so great!

Tuesday we went for induction and I was 1cm dilated and high and firm. I got my pessary and by about 7pm I was having regular 'tightenings' which were about 2mins apart and lasting 40secs. Had a bath and they eased off so I got a little sleep. Wednesday morning we were moved to delivery so I could be started on a drip. Check said I was less than 2cm and still high and firm so they started my drip, and after some discussion they also ruptured my waters at around 10am. By 12 I was having regular contractions that were bad enough that at 1pm I started on gas and air (flipping heck that stuff is strong!) it only helped a certain amount though and I was gagging for my next cervix check at 2.30pm- if I was 3cm I could have an epidural, if I was 4cm I could have remifentinal (which is like pethadine but wears off after 2mins) I was 4cm so opted for remi, and good god it was amazing!!!!! Just totally sent me to sleep during each contraction and then between each I was normal(ish!) checked again at 4pm as I started to feel the urge to push and in that 1.5hr I had gone the whole way to 10cm!! So I started some pushing but not much happened. I kept going but Izzy's heart rate started to drop so in a flash the room filled with drs, neonatal nurses and more midwives. Decision was taken that I needed episiotomy and she needed ventouse to get out. Most scary time of my life as Simon and I were just so confused about what was happening, and I was terrified as before that it had all gone so smoothly. Drs were excellent though and we got her out at 5.54pm. She had some oxygen and I literally collapsed. I was just lying on the bed totally out of it as I lost quite a bit of blood. Delivered placenta etc but was still totally out of it, and only starts ed to come round when she was eventually given to me after 45mins (Simon had her before that) I was stitched up and eventually felt much better.

Or so I thought! At about 8.30pm the midwife took me to the shower, where I promptly passed out in a pool of water mingled with my own blood then after 5 mins they managed to get me up, and I fainted again and came round in recovery position vomiting. Two more attempts to get me up failed and ended up with me passing out again until four midwives eventually basically threw me onto the bed.

Turns out my iron is so low I need a transfusion- which I've been having all day, and that's why. So i can't get out of bed myself- have to get help everytime I need to pee, can't get up to get Isabelle from her cot it get any of my things so its been tough going when Simon hasn't been able to be here.

Overall she is doing perfectly though and feeing like a champ! She's super greedy! But I'm happy with that as I have to start more antibiotics which may not be suitable for breast feeding so trying to get as much into her as possible now just in case we end up having to stop.

She is currently asleep on my chest as good as gold! Long may it last! Love to all!

 

[kirstabelle]

Awwww DoggyLover what a time you had! I'm sure on top of the iron issues you would have been so exhausted from your induction saga and what not, you poor thing. She really didn't want to come out!! The passing out sounds so frightening. So glad that you and Izzy are in safe hands and everyone is taking such good care of you both! Hope once you get your transfusion and antibiotics you have a super speedy recovery!! Thinking of you! And most importantly- good job Mama, your beautiful girl is here!!

....And PS told you eating all that cake made her a girl

 

[doggylover]

Haha kirstabelle her chubby cheeks do let everyone know how much cake and chocolate I have been eating

Now lets talk about how we are getting your lady out of there!!!

 

[ReadytoMum]

doggylover: Thanks for posting with a full update! I'm so sorry that you've had such a rough go getting Izzy out!! (I don't know if you plan to use that nickname or not... but when DH and I wanted to use Isobelle we were planning on Izzy...) Try and rest up as much as you can and hopefully your levels will stabilize quickly!! Your in good hands so that's reassuring at least. And most importantly, well done mama!! Your LO is here safe and sound and the cuddling fest can begin!

AFM, apparently the new boots I bought a few months ago to accomodate my swollen/enlarged feet apparently no longer fit. My feet are too fat for the fat boots. Thankfully I don't think the snow is going to stay around for too long as there's not much on the ground. Of course I could wake up tomorrow to a foot of it or something... so who knows!

I decided to try having a nice spicy curry for dinner tonight in hopes that it might start things moving along a bit. But I eat spicy food a lot, so other than being delicious, I'm not sure it'll do much. I have my Dr. appointment tomorrow morning, and I'm hoping that I've started dialating now... but I know that even if I have it could be weeks still!

 

[kirstabelle]

Haha kirstabelle her chubby cheeks do let everyone know how much cake and chocolate I have been eating

Now lets talk about how we are getting your lady out of there!!!

Awwwwww! Can't wait to see her little chipmunk cheeks. My LO had some crazy chipmunk cheeks on her 34 week scan, so I can only imagine what they are like now!

As for getting her out... I have decide to just take my midwife's advice and "stop thinking about it so much" So tonight when she was dishing me out a pelvic beating I decided to do the opposite of what I would normally do (see it as a sign of impending labor and bounce on the ball and do 40 pelvic tilts) and I went and had a bath instead.

 

[LittleSpy]

Haha, I've also been trying the conscious effort to not think about it approach (secretly hoping that will bring on labor, of course! ). Nope.

Now I'm hoping the low front coming through tonight brings low enough barometric pressure with it to break my water or start labor. Hopeless.

And I'll be eating something with jalapenos tonight, hopefully. Tomorrow I may have to splurge on a Thai green curry or something. I don't know if my nips can take much more pumping or stimulation. I don't want to have nipple trauma before the baby is even born. I'd LOVE to go tonight because my favorite OB is on call! Please, Violet! Her next on-call shift after this one is next Friday, I think, so I guess I'll schedule induction for then if she doesn't come before.

 

[kirstabelle]

I'd LOVE to go tonight because my favorite OB is on call! Please, Violet! Her next on-call shift after this one is next Friday, I think, so I guess I'll schedule induction for then if she doesn't come before.

I think at this point I'd accept just about anyone who was sober and owned a catchers mitt

 

[ReadytoMum]

Men!!

DH just farted in my chair, and then offered to get up and let me sit there. And it smells soooo bad, but it's so hard to get back up so I'm just sitting in the smelly chair sulking.

 

[LittleSpy]

LOL, Kirstabelle!

I definitely had that same thought with my first, though, and ended up scheduling my induction with my least favorite OB figuring it didn't really matter that much. Turned out I felt very much like punching her in the face several times during labor, especially when she straight up lied about breaking my water not putting me on a clock. I didn't want her to break it. She just cut me off and said, "No, that's a myth!" Um, BS! Luckily I didn't have to find out, but I know they would have used that as a reason for a c-section of my labor had been longer than they wanted. She did end up breaking my water even though it wasn't really what I wanted. And contractions sucked a whole lot more after that.

Give me a week, though (or actually, please don't!), and I won't care at all who's there. Luckily, in a week, it'll be my favorite OB on call again.

 

[ooSweetPea]

OMG ready I just laughed at the 'smelly chair' and startled LO while she's nursing - and got my nip chomped! Thank god she's all gums LOL!

 

[LittleSpy]

Readytomom!

 

[ukgirl23]

lol readytomum are our oh's related??
sweetpea I am nursing too and got extra suction for laughing! These babies are cruel masters of the boob!

 

[Steph82]

Omg ALL GUMS !
I totally felt for both of you on that. Rob always tries to get Grayson's attention when I'm nursing, and Grayson will jerk to look... Whilst my nipple is still in his mouth

Thank you ladies for all the advice. I actually have those gel pads here but was hesistant to use them, because you have to rise your nipple before feeding.. And well considering that Grayson is marathon feeding right now, it seems like so much work. I've just been dousing my nipples with the lanisol cream all day.

Kristabelle, don't let them talk you into anything you are not comfortable with!!!! I think your little lady is just waiting for the weekend. Hopefully the same is true for you LittleSpy

 

[dan-o]

Pmsl after reading this last page hilarious!!!

Steph, hang in there hun, it will get so much easier as he learns to latch better, I promise! I'm right there with you in blister territory right now, my horrible engorgement is making Vins latch a bit shallow at the mo, but I'm confident this will resolve once my footballs soften up a bit! At the moment they are still bigger than his head lol!!

 

[ukgirl23]

Im also having latching issues and this is my third! You would habe thought I would have it down by now haha.. Ben doesnt open his mouth enough. I found if I pinch the nipple as hes taking it in I can get more in his mouth and it doesn't hurt as bad... There is a bfing group up the road today I might pop in and see what occurs there..

 

[doggylover]

Oh ladies you have no idea how good it is to come on and see that you are having issues bf as well! My only issue is that Isabelle just wants to suck non stop and I am already so sore! It started off just hurting when she latched and then eased but because she's been on there non stop (and I mean nonstop! Every hour-hour and a half for at least 30 mins!) I'm just so sore! Have also been dousing myself in lanolin (top tip- also great for the lips! Super moisturise!) but ouch! Midwife said her latch is fine, but half the time she just lies there with the nipple in her mouth! She's a scallywag! But lots of poopy nappies so she is getting plenty!

Have to go home and reread my womanly art of bf to see what I can do to help!