***December Snowflakes 2012 Parenting***

[ImSoTired]

My bleeding is back and forth and very spotty. Not many clots anymore it's tolerable. Hoping it stops completely soon. I think it's normal to bleed for a while as long as it isn't too heavy.

Caitlyn is growing like a weed! She is eating more and more everyday and we've been giving more formula (which i am unhappy about) to try and keep up with her. She has also been sleeping well at night from about 12/1 to 4 or 5. Still sleeping plenty during the day but waking frequently to eat eat eat! I'm trying to breastfeed and pump as much as possible but if I breastfed everytime she was hungry I'd never get anything done and I'd LIVE on the couch. It's so hard to keep up! Also, as someone else said before, breastmilk not only makes her sleepy but it doesn't satisfy her hunger as formula does. I feel reallly guilty but at the same time I feel better knowing she isn't hungry. I can't wait for the day we have a more comfortable sleeping and eating schedule though. I know it will take time.

Overall I'm feeling ok but I'm totally not myself anymore. I'm not sure what it is. It doesn't feel like depression as I've had depression before, but it isn't normal either. Maybe it's just the sleep deprivation or maybe it's just motherhood. I'm not sure. I still worry about EVERYTHING though. Is she healthy, is she ok, is she eating too much, too little, etc. So nervous.

Bean so glad baby is ok and hope you'll be going home soon!
Ocean congrats he is gorgeous!

Hope you're all wellxxx

 

[Bay]

fifi - thats amazing how alike your two babies look ... if you hadn't said so i wouldn't have suspected they were different people. my two boys look so different, ds1 is my mini-me and ds2 is daddy's dopplegenger.

munch - thanks for the gardening tip ... infections are nasty lol

afm regarding bleeding, i've had stop and starts. at about 3wks pp, after 3 days of light flow i passed a clot the size of a golf ball followed by bright red spotting. and now nothing for about 4 days. i'm hoping this is it. with my first, i didn't have my period until he was 14 months old ... that was awesome.

 

[2016]

tooth...we went up to size 2 at about 3 weeks old and am already eyeing up the size 3s. My usual rule of thumb is to put them into the next size up as soon as they reach the lower weight range printed on the box.

LillyLee...I found pumping really dwindled my supply so I had to take Domperidone which is an indigestion remedy that also causes your body to produce more prolactin and therefore more milk! You can get it on prescription though some GPs aren't licensed to give it for BF as its only licensed for indigestion. You can also get it OTC under the brand name Motillium.

Imsotired...yes I feel that constant anxiety too and no it doesn't feel normal. Ive also had depression before but it's not that. For me I reckon it's a combination of SAD, sleep deprivation and being a type A personality wanting everything to be right. It's exhausting to constantly worry though

Sorry for the sporadic catch up. My daughter is trying to kill me one night at a time, I'm poorly myself and just need a break I won't get until 2014!

 

[LillyLee]

Thanks 2016. I've been reading all about exclusive pumping and I still feel slightly guilty for doing it for more personal reasons and not medically neccessarily ones like some ppl. To be completely honest I hated the feeling of her at my breast. I feel like an awful person just saying that but I know that not everyone is cut out for breastfeeding. I've been learning ways to up milk supply and continue pumping so we will see how it goes.

I'msotired that's exactly how I felt. Chained to the couch. LO would latch, suck for a few minutes, fall asleep, get stripped naked to help rouse and the cycle was constant. I cried to my midwife that if I was doing that I would never have time in between feeding her to shower or eat. And how was I supposed to sleep when she was sleeping at breast?!? She basically said suck it up, you don't get to be your own person anymore. Your life is now this baby and if it takes being chained to the couch to feed her then that's what needs to happen.

I agree that I will never get to be the same person I was. And I'm not trying to say that I don't need to care for something 24/7 now. But not being able to go pee without her screeching bloody murder while I'm in the bathroom is unacceptable. I have to go back to work at 6 weeks anyway so she will need a bottle and I will have to pump at some point.

 

[2016]

Awwww don't feel guilty hun. You tried and it's not for you end of story. I don't think it would be healthy to keep doing something you hate the feeling of. It would affect your relationship with her. I know because when LO still had her tongue tie every feed was agony and I would cry when she would ask for food because I didn't want to feel that way anymore. I would have switched to formula but discovered she couldn't take a bottle either so had to stick it out.

Unfortunately with BF there are times where you can't move for needing to feed, especially in the first 2 weeks it can seem constant! It's exhausting when you can't pee or wash or eat without being on call. For others on here starting out just know it isn't forever....at 6 weeks my little miss is a lot more predictable and spaced out with feeding.

 

[Fifipots]

Off on holiday for new year celebrations, Teddie is a week old today and off on her first holiday!!

So much stuff we had to join the roof box club, no room anywhere!!

 

[LillyLee]

Wow, I reread my posts and responses after I'm not delirious from writing them and I sound so hateful and negative. I'm honestly upset mostly as the callous attitude of my midwives and the lack of support I've received from them. Also the constant pressure to breastfeed from them.

I definitely get a lot more support from all you ladies on this board. It's wonderful knowing I can post how I feel and someone will actually respond that they understand. Makes the middle of the nights a lot less difficult.

 

[GenYsuperlady]

Breast is best...except when it's not. And it's not best if it is making you too miserable to enjoy LO!!! And I consider exclusively pumping to be worthy of sainthood!

For boosting supply, Fenugreek was super effective for me.

For those of you in the early weeks...it gets better!!!! I was a miserable, depressed, super anxious hag for 4 weeks before I started to feel better and adjust to my new life. Do what you can do to keep yourself and the baby alive each day...this is survival mode! Focus on the basics and don't expect much from yourself or LO!

 

[samj732]

Lilly, I exclusively pump and it works wonders in our household. Like you I have to go back to work at 6 weeks so I didn't really worry too much when we couldn't get the hang of bf. plus with pumping I am able to store up extra milk for when I go back to work or when baby goes with her dad.

Sam have you joined any exclusive pumping groups? This is working best for us after trying at breastfeeding for another day or two and it just wasnt working. Anything so far that you've been able to pick up on that makes a difference in supply etc?

I haven't joined a group but maybe I should. It just works for us so I guess I don't think twice about it. Don't feel guilty about not enjoying breast feeding, because I didn't really like it either.

The biggest thing for supply with me is to keeeeep pumping. There are times when I go too long between sessions and my supply goes down, then I have to try to pump every 2 hours to kick it back into gear. Also staying hydrated is a huge thing for me. I drink more now the I did when I was pregnant, can't believe that's even possible!

 

[juless]

I really understand feeling guilty when exclusive breastfeeding doesn't work out. With DD, I started supplimenting in the hospital due to her screaming with hunger! I couldn't handle her trying to eat from me and then screaming until she fell asleep. I knew she was hungry and wanted to help her. The lactation consultant made me feel terrible for using formula, but in the end it all worked out. I had one nurse who came and sat with me on the bed as I was nearly in tears with guilt and she said "Your baby is hungry so you feed her, that's what matters." She made me feel so much better! I ended up mainly breastfeeding but supplimenting a few times a day with formula. DD was a large girl and so hungry! She would never have left my breast if I hadn't done that! In the beginning I almost gave up breastfeeding many times, as I was in a tremendous amount of pain, but I stuck with it and after a little while the pain was less and less until I didn't feel anything. I'm glad I kept going with it. This time I had the pain, but it's now fine and doesn't hurt at all anymore. Only issue is it sometimes comes out a bit too fast for LO! She's been spitting up a lot in the night the last few nights, poor thing. This time in hospital, the same consultant came to see us and I was in tears after, from all the bad memories and feelings it brought back. (Didn't help that she commented on the bottle of formula I had sitting out, since the nurse and I were give Tessa a bit since she lost so much weight)...

As for DD2, she seems to be getting bigger, though she's not gaining super fast I don't think. A few days ago I used my stepdad's digital scale and she was a bit over 9lbs. I can't believe that DD1 was still that size in my belly, and even bigger! I hold Tessa and can't believe I carried Rosie in my belly like that! How did I even move?!? LOL I am exclusively breastfeeding, but she gets a bit of formula once in a while, like if she is with a babysitter or with OH and I'm not there. Sometimes I take a bottle when we are at a store or something, not very often at all. It's because I have a hard time pumping more than a few ounces of milk at a time, not enough to fill her up.

 

[LillyLee]

Lilly, I exclusively pump and it works wonders in our household. Like you I have to go back to work at 6 weeks so I didn't really worry too much when we couldn't get the hang of bf. plus with pumping I am able to store up extra milk for when I go back to work or when baby goes with her dad.

Sam have you joined any exclusive pumping groups? This is working best for us after trying at breastfeeding for another day or two and it just wasnt working. Anything so far that you've been able to pick up on that makes a difference in supply etc?

I haven't joined a group but maybe I should. It just works for us so I guess I don't think twice about it. Don't feel guilty about not enjoying breast feeding, because I didn't really like it either.

The biggest thing for supply with me is to keeeeep pumping. There are times when I go too long between sessions and my supply goes down, then I have to try to pump every 2 hours to kick it back into gear. Also staying hydrated is a huge thing for me. I drink more now the I did when I was pregnant, can't believe that's even possible!

I joined a Facebook group called exclusively expressing/pumping. It's been nice reading the storied and comments of how long moms have been able to feed their babies and definitely encouraging.

We're also unintentionally co sleeping too. Oh the things I said I would never do at all and now I won't think twice about it if it means having a contended baby.

 

[samj732]

Haha, exactly! Good thing there's no rules for being a good mom.

 

[expatttc]

Lolly, so happy to come and join the thread! Thanks so much for starting it up.
SO much to catch up on, and I can't wait!
Please add me on -- our little one is Rosa Mary, born on December 25th!!

 

[Chloe597]

Welcome expat so nice to see the 3 spotters with healthy babies!

Does anyone have a forceful let down that chokes your LO? My right breast tends to get engorged and when DD nurses she often chokes. I am worried I am giving her gas as she is also crazy grunty. The grunting was so bad last night I actually put a pillow over my head to drown the sound! I'm not sure what to do, as pumping will probably just make it worse. When is my milk supply supposed to even out??

 

[bbygurl719]

Hey all. I'm finally popping over to join u all Angelyca Grace was born on Dec 22nd. She is my lil peanut she was only 4lbs 8 ozs.

 

[daydream]

Chloe - I had that issue when my milk came in, LO was biting down on my nipples trying to block the flow. I went to the LC and they gave me a nipple shield to use bc my nipples were cracked and needed to heal. Tips they gave include laying back so gravity can help stop it from spraying so hard. La leche league has great tips on forceful letdown here: https://www.llli.org/faq/oversupply.html
And on kellymom here: https://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/fast-letdown/

 

[Bay]

welcome to all the new mummies.

i've been trying to get my little man sleeping on his own all day and he's not buying what i'm selling lol. he used to be so content and easy going! but today he wants to be glued to either my boobies or sleeping on my chest. hope we have a good night ... sleep is so precious righg now.

hope everyone else is doing well and happy new year ... soon

 

[LillyLee]

Lilliana had a pretty clingy day yesterday as well Bay. She wanted to be held comstantly and we had the first visitors since she was born so by bedtime the only thing she wanted was skin to skin with me or DH. Finally for her down in her crib though.

 

[2016]

Chloe...we have definitely had that issue from time to time. I did block feeding to reduce my supply slightly - here's what I read on Kellymom:

Mothers who are working to remedy oversupply usually need to decrease supply without decreasing overall nursing frequency or weaning baby. One way to accomplish this is by “block nursing” – mom nurses baby as frequently as usual but restricts baby to one breast for a set period of time (often 3-4 hours but sometimes longer) before switching sides. In this way, more milk accumulates in the breast before mom switches sides (thus slowing milk production) but baby’s nursing frequency is not limited.

Although Ive noticed LO is still choking sometimes even if drink from a relatively empty boob. I think this is thanks to her reflux again I found the biological nurturing position really helpful for forceful letdown top.

Bay...sounds like it could be the first wonder week 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 weeks.


AFM...Flicka was up screaming for 5 hours last night! 5 HOURS! My poor darling we were both exhausted. I tried the 5 Ss, putting her in the sling, cuddles, everything and nothing and still she screamed. I think at 10lbs 10oz now she's outgrown the dose of her reflux meds again as it's calculated on weight and I think she needs Ranatidine as well as Domperidone. Plus she and I have a nasty cough/cold and she's been bringing up phlegm and can't breath through her nose.

Happy new year in advance everyone. X

 

[LillyLee]

2016