Okay, I've managed to read and catch up! The last couple days have been busy so I've been reading but not replying. I tried to get everyone.
Baby had her wellness growth check yesterday (10 days old, they did a check at 3 days when they did her last jaundice check). In the last week she's grown half an inch in height, and gained 9 oz (back to birth weight! woot! She had lost 9 oz from birth to day 3). Doctor says she made huge jumps, and so she's not quite worried about her anymore (I Didn't know she was worried to begin with!
) and that explains all the insane feeding she's been doing. Poor kid is expending a lot of energy growing!
She also told me not to stress about letting her sleep with us. I moved her into our bed the last few nights because at night she won't go more than 20-30 minutes sleeping alone (during the day she'll sleep a couple hours without waking, but not at night) and I was getting no sleep and was on the brink of hysteria. In my bed she sleeps 3-4 hours if I let her cuddle with me where she can touch me (actually, more like touch my boob. Literally she has to be able to rest her hand on my breast, or she likes to wiggle her head over to be against it. The kid's a little boob obsessed
). I know all the "don't let baby sleep with you" things and was feeling guilty, but my sanity was at stake (literally, I was starting to actually have waking dreams, remembering things that didn't happen - it was a little scary). My doctor was like "meh, just be safe and do what you got to do. If you aren't sleeping you're not help to baby. As long as you love baby, feed baby, and get sleep then you are doing okay". Did I mention I
My doctor?! I'm so glad that she's both my OB and our Pediatrician.
I love this baby though. I can't imagine anything more amazing, even with the sleep deprivation.
vrogers - I can relate to the formula thing. I was crying the other day because Melody was feeding for 30 minutes of every hour or something and I felt like I had basically been reduced to nothing more than a milk machine. DH said (trying to be helpful) that it was okay if we wanted to start using bottles and formula, so that he could take over half the feedings. I just started crying harder.
Sounds like your milk is coming in though, which is great! Now that your milk is in she should start to gain weight.
You do what you gotta do mama. Oh and coconut oil = magic! I love it.
I'm so glad the feedings are working now!! That's great! I love the "milk coma". My sister calls it 'milk drunk'.
Apple - congrats on baby! Thanks for sharing your story, sounds like it was a long process! But so glad that you and baby are doing well.
Regarding feeding: how is his latch? That's most likely a big part of the cause. Also do you have any lanolin or coconut oil that you can apply after feedings? I put on lanolin after each feeding for the first week to help with the nipple soreness and it really helped. I second the vote for a lactation consultant if you can see one. Even one session helps, especially to check latch. It made a huge difference to me seeing the LC while we were still in the hospital.
Ali - I'm in the same boat, co-sleeping because feeding laying down is just easier and baby gets into a good sleep better than if I'm holding her. Plus, I keep finding that if I sleep like that sometimes I'll wake up and she's just reattached herself and started to eat on her own without waking me if she wants a "snack"
Probably not the best scenario but it means dH and I get a little more sleep and so does she. I just keep telling myself that we do what we have to do to make things work.
Literati - I'm so sorry you're feeling awful. I was having trouble making sure I ate enough while pregnant too, are there snacks you can grab? Maybe something simple like carrots & celery or string cheese? I basically lived on stuff like that when I wasn't eating well. Then if you do have to feed dd too it's at least just a small snack?
Greats - I'm so glad that Genevieve is doing so well! I am hoping that Melody starts letting us put her in her own bed soon! I've been cosleeping just for the sake of my sanity but will be thrilled when I can move her to her own bed.
Ally - I second Lit's idea...try some youtube videos. The side-lying has been a saver for me the last couple nights so I can snooze off and on through feedings, especially the long ones!
Thorpedo: CONGRATS!!
DTD definitely sounds like OUCH to me too! We have tried a couple times in the last month or two and I just couldn't manage because it's all so swollen and sore at this point. Yuck. But good luck if you do decide to! Hopefully it would help! Do you have an appointment coming up? Are you turning down any membrane sweeps?
i'll let you know how i get on
