June jewels 2018!!!!

[curiousowl]

I don’t think I ever posted her name! I was waiting to get on my computer to post a picture I think and then forgot. I will try to do that later. Her name is Fiona Joan.

We got sleep last night! We tried a rock n play and it was a miracle.

I have the total opposite problem in terms of breast feeding. This girl, like DD1, has a perfect latch but my milk “came in” last night. My boobs are slightly firmer and I can get a couple of drops. This matches my experience with DD1. For whatever reason, I just don’t make milk, no matter what I try. I am at peace with it though. We will do just formula and everything will be fine.

 

[curiousowl]

This is Fiona!

 

[PG5K]

Congratulations FX!
Aww fiona is gorgeous curious! I have to say that today I was making peace that I couldn't breastfeed this little guy. I don't have any issue with bottle or breast, I guess I'm just used to breast as its what I did first time round to so I've been nervous about learning bottle stuff.

Today I saw the lactation consultant and she has said he has tongue tie after everyone else who looked said he was fine and kept trying to get me to latch in a million different ways, all with the same painful consequences. My nipples are shredded now but she's referring him to have it cut and given me a pump and cup so I can still go back to feeding.
My other half was so upset to find me feeding him and crying earlier, I was in agony and didn't know what to do. Tonight he won't sleep anywhere but me.
I got to see my daughter today as she came to the hospital. I really wanted to go home as I feel like a prisoner in hospital. She's met her baby brother now

 

[PG5K]

Dylan and Alice

 

[PG5K]

Hopefully the picture uploads this time

 

[curiousowl]

Ahhh, so sweet PG. I really hope things improve for you with BFing. I totally get how upsetting it is to have issues.

 

[Squig34]

Aw gorgeous pictures curious & PG!

PG so ridiculous that no one picked up on Dylan's tongue tie even though he was actually checked (often the issue is that no one checks). Good luck to you getting it sorted & establishing whatever feeding method you want.

 

[PG5K]

I'm really unhappy about it but I think we're going to have to give up on breastfeeding exclusively. I've had to make a difficult decision but he's just not feeding well, he's exhausting himself trying to feed. I had 5 minutes (literally) between his feeding because he roots as soon as you take him off. Its not he's greedy, he just looks knackered.
I said in hospital that there seemed to be a hell of a lot of sucking but I could barely ever hear him swallow. I've been listening tonight and it's the same. The cup is making him choke on milk so the only thing to do is try and bottle feed, try and bf and express as much as possible so I can see if I can do it with expressing milk.
Ive never heard a baby have such a rumbly tum and it's killing me. I honestly thought it would be easy.

 

[topazicatzbet]

Hopefully once he gets his tongue tie sorted you can get him back on but if not try not to beat yourself up. Bf is so hard to establish and the main thing is that baby gets fed and has a happy mummy.

 

[Squig34]

PG I didn't expect bf to be so difficult either. But it was all downhill once I had to introduce bottles. My milk supply was still good for a few days because Susannah fed a bit, but once she started refusing to bf, my supply began to drop. I didn't have the time, energy or inclination to express 10-12 times a day to keep it going, so Susannah is now exclusively ff. I managed 2 weeks. But I had to feed my baby. You do whatever you need to that's best for you,Dylan & your family.

 

[Rach87]

Sorry havent updated too much here. Brains not working well. Lol Sawyer and his big sidter Delilah. Shes absolutely infatuated with “her baby”. Which is wonderful, but exhausting bc she constantly wants to touch him and hold him. She’s also been testing her limits since we’re a bit distracted and she’s already hyper and defiant so she’s actually been more of a struggle than Sawyer. He’s a pretty content little guy. Im having another horrendous bout with breastfeeding. Was so hopeful it would be better this time but nope. Mom15 just like you the pain is almost untolerable. I can only describe it as jagged glass cutting off my nipple. I have engorgement and overproduction which makes latching very difficult. Hes a champ of a feeder once we can get him on but its soo so painful. With last pregnancy I had one flat and one inverted nipple, this time its not as bad but they still take some tugging on for him to get them erect. Lactation consultant said I have fibrous nipple tissue which makes it difficult for them to come out. Yippee. So basically its partly my anatomy and theres no cure for my issues other than trying to slow down production which will help make my breasts a little easier for him to mouth. Ugh. Started using cabbage leaves to help with those issues. I was able to get through it(im stubborn lol) and nurse for a year with my dd so I’d like to give him the same if I can.

Today noticed his umbilical cord has a slight foul odor. So I used alchohol and q-tips to clean around it but wondering if I should call or just clean it with alchohol every couple hours? Any advice?

 

[PG5K]

You look amazing on that picture Rach and the family are just too cute!
I've tried to introduce some breastfeeding and again today and although it's super painful, he's definitely getting a lot of milk now. I completely understand that description!
I'm still going to have a bit of the bottle feed for him as well but I'm expressing for those feeds.

My DS umbilical cord looked vile this morning and green and sticky but I saw the Midwife and apparently it's perfectly normal but it's worth asking about.

This morning I had a bit of an emotional start but it's ended up being a really nice day.
I completely agree that whatever is needed to feed the baby is best Squidge and once I got over the 'this isn't going to plan' feeling everything has been so much better. Plus oh is loving being able to help with the feeds whilst my nipples rest.

 

[Allie84]

After really beating myself up about it, I am too coming to terms with not EBF Clara. I am pumping a very small amount - most days 5 ml, today was a whopping 10 ml, that's both breasts combined, and then I feed her that and let her nurse before each bottle. The consultant said it's non nutritive suckling but it's okay to do. It seems to make us both happy for a few minutes before Clara gets impatient and then I offer the bottle. I only pump twice a day for my sanity. The every 3 hours gave me mastitis and depression.

Formula is a pain in the butt, though. So many dishes and powder everywhere and we waste so much as it times out, etc. all new to me!!!!

OH MY GOSH the babies are beautiful!! Fiona, Dylan, Sawyer, their siblings......it just melts my heart.

 

[Squig34]

Gorgeous pics, Rach!

As PG said, the gunkiness is normal, means stump is about to fall off. A foul smell is not though, if it gets worse, or redness starts to spread out from the stump, call in. Otherwise, nature will take it's course & the ghastly things will be gone soon! I think Susannah's came off around day 10 though I'm all mixed up with the days now!

 

[Mom15]

Rach - we must have very similar boobies. Mine went into overdrive the first few days. Theo actually went through his meconium and was having the seedy breast milk poops before we left the hospital. The nurse said they don’t see that very often. And to all struggling, under production must be so much more difficult than overproducing, so I am not complaining. But Rach I can emphasize with the trouble latching when your boob is rock hard and you can’t get the nipple to protrude.
Mine have since settled down and seem to have adjusted so much faster than they did with DS1. I used to leak terribly every night and on the opposite boob that I was nursing on. It also may have been because for some reason with DS1 I was told to feed ever 1.5 -2h. Now they said 2-3h. Theo seems content so I’m sure he is eating enough.
My parents are arriving tomorrow from Germany so that’s exciting

 

[Squig34]

Mom my boobs leaked any time I was feeding - regardless of breast or bottle - or expressing. Sometimes I wondered if I should put a container under there to catch it 😂
Enjoy having your parents over!
How is everyone else doing? It definitely takes a while for life to settle down. Are the older siblings adjusting ok?

 

[Mom15]

Squig - they make something like that. I think it’s called milkies milk saver. I had one and let a friend borrow it. She claims she gave it back, but I positive she didn’t. Oh well. Since I’m not leaking as much this time I don’t really miss it.

DS1 is slowly adjusting? Maybe? He just doesn’t show much interest in baby. Maybe being a boy he doesn’t have that mothering side that girls tend to have. I still only leave them in the same room for a few seconds if he is distracted. If he does pay attention to baby it’s usually in a rough way. Shaking his pack and play, rough touch, throwing things towards baby. He doesn’t understand how fragile baby is.
On recovery, I don’t bleed all day until late afternoon/evening where I get 1 or 2 big gushes of blood while nursing. It’s both good and bad. While I appreciate not bleeding all day I still wear a big pad because I don’t trust the gush of blood just to come in the evening. I almost got a “diaper rash”. Lol. The pads are so plasticy and make me sweat. Anyone have any more eco friendly recommendations. Not so much for the environment but for my comfort. Using always brand right now.

 

[Rach87]

So developed a mild case of mastitis. On antibiotics. Going to exclusively pump for a couple days to give my poor shredded nips a break. Ugh. I think I might also have thrush as my nipples burn. OB just prescribed over the phone and never saw me in office but said the antibiotics they gave me should help with both. Hopefully. Thank goodness hes so far a really easy baby because I think Id have a hard time sticking with breastfeeding if he was as fussy and awful as my dd was.

Have been cleaning his cord with alchohol the last couple days and it definitely helped with the smell. Cant wait till it falls off so I can put him in cute onesies and not constantly worry about it catching on everything.

So far life with 2 babies isnt as horrific as I was expecting. Though my hubbies been home, he goes back to work saturday so that will be the real test lol.

Mom15 i noticed the plasticness of always too! Have been using stayfresh and its very soft and cottony.

Also a leaker over here. Cant wait till my supply gets its act together. I think it may be chilling out as long as I keep pumping every 3-3.5 hours. So far pumping 4 oz each session.

Question: for those that are bottle feeding, how much is baby eating at each feed and how often? Sawyer will eat anywhere from 2-4 oz every 3-4 hours.

 

[PG5K]

I've gone back to breastfeeding but I'm also giving a bottle each night to try and give my nipples a rest. They were bleeding earlier from the poor latch. Luckily I'm producing a lot of milk too so he doesn't have to work as hard.
I have mastitis starting too Rach, I haven't got a temperature yet but my boobs are painful and lumpy and I feel generally ill.

I'm glad you're feeling a bit better allie. I've been preparing myself incase I have to give up breastfeeding. I have even looked at which machine I would like to make bottles up for me. If I have to I think it will help with my sanity.

Squidge, I think my dd is doing OK adjusting so far though she goes to school all week and her dad's occasionally so to her it's just a little person who has moved in but playing minecraft is still way more exciting!

My oh has been struggling though. It's not that we have a baby, he's scared of something happening to me with the birth being a bit traumatic at the end. He's barely been eating and since he's skinny anyway he's lost a lot of weight. I think he has anxiety so he's going to go to the doctors, but he's loving being a dad.

 

[Squig34]

Rach, if you think you have thrush, baby will need treated too or he'll pass it back to you when you start bf again. Sorry to hear about the mastitis, get well soon! Susannah eats 2-3oz every 2-3 hours, on average. She tends to cluster feed at night before bed, & sometimes she'll take nearly 4oz at one feed (in general, not just at night,).

PG, hope your mastitis clears soon too & that your DH can get some help for his anxiety.

Mom, DD is very fond of Susannah & is more likely to squash her by lying next to her on the play mat so she can hold S's hand, than to be rough with her 😂