Late April Early May 2013 babies. :)

[TTCBean]

I've seen two LC and my midwife and they all say his latch is perfect and no tongue tie or anything! I have severe nipple trauma that's gradually getting better, I think that's why it hurts so much. I was diagnosed with thrush too which doesn't make this any easier. I woke up this morning with a clogged duct and feeling pretty flu like, so my DH took my temperature and it was 104 F!!!! We went to urgent care. I was so out of it. It was pretty scary. The doctor said I have mastitis and I am on 14 days of antibiotics. I have a fever of 102 right now, so it's slowly coming down. I can't wait until I feel better. This has been a crazy journey.

 

[MightyMom]

Hann: Ugh! That has to be so frustrating! My mom came for a visit but she would hand DS over immediately if he started to fuss for milk. So aggravating when people insist they are "helping" and they really aren't. Had a friend's wife insist on helping me wrap the birthday cake yesterday and I had to insist on taking over as she wasn't listening to how I wanted it done and she was driving me crazy with what she was doing! I could tell I insulted her a bit but really if you're not going to listen, how is that helping??

TTCBean: Big Thrush and mastitis?? Yikes. When you get rid of those you are going to find BFing a breeze!

Hann: DH and I are dual-coasting, which means he lives and works on the West Coast and I live and work on the East Coast. I'll be moving back to the West Coast next year, but until then we'll only see him on holiday weekends. It's hard on all of us, but I'm in the military and have been stationed here, and he is in a very limited career field and we couldn't pass up the job offer even though it was on the West Coast. He put DD to bed last night then had a cry in our room. I know it's hard leaving all of us here and he is out there alone. No way around it though, so we are all just doing best we can until we're back together.

 

[Sass827]

I feel like I could have written your pp foxy. This baby is driving us crazy. Great sleep, then no sleep at all. What's the secret?! Seriously...
Our LC thought I was going to get mastitis with how lumpy I was, but DH helped me massage them out after wearing heating pads on my chest and lts of pumping. I also got a plugged duct and my ob said the best way to get it out is to have the baby latch on it - OUCH! But I kept nursing ear it and its gone.
Mm I'm so sorry to hear about your bi-coastal situation. Sounds super tough!

 

[kezziek]

Ouch lp and ttcbean I really feel for you, mastitis is horrible I was prone to blocked ducts last time and ended up with it three times. I always felt so much better in myself (apart from v.sore boob) after just a day or two on the antibiotics so I really hope you feel some relief soon. I think the nursing bras I sleep in aren't very helpful either so I'm going to shop around for some lovely soft unrestrictive ones to see if that helps xxx

Mightymom that is such a tough situation makes me wanna cry thinking of you all saying goodbye to each other xxx

Hann how annoying you had to run round after everyone with a newborn. I don't think people get it sometimes. We have been lucky with a few kind friends actually offering to bring meals to us. I am doing beans on toast for my friend tommorow and thats about as far as my hospitality is stretching right now but she understands lol

Happy Mondays everyone xxx we are off to hopefully register our lovely girls' birth. We were off to the doctor with our two year old as he has been waking up more in the night than our baby with a sore ear but he slept through the night last night so I'm hoping he has fought it off himself.
'

 

[CupcakeBaby]

Hi ladies.

Sorry for all of you girls having a rough time. I think I might have a blocked duct under my left nipple. There's a little lump there.

I try and rub it as I had it last week and I rubbed it and it sort of popped and went. So in trying to do that to this one too.

How it clears soon!! I'm scared of mastitis!!

I really worry about sleeping on my side or with a baby on my chest but they are my only two sleeping options so will just have to keep my fingers crossed.

I am quite proud of myself today. We got up and washed and dressed once DH left for work and I got us both to the clinic on time and got Baby Bee weighed.

She's gained another lb in the last 2 weeks so is now 9lb so Im a happy mummy. Makes all the boob drama worth it.

She's jumped up loads of percentiles too from like 30th to 60th.

I'm being naughty and have left her sleeping in her car seat (not in the car - she's here with me) while I eat my lunch as I know as soon as I move her she'll be wide awake and ready for food.

Ooop - she's stirring now! Must've known I was typing that!

 

[VmrsbabcockV]

Sorry you ladies are having so much trouble with bfing
Our problem is my milk comes out so fast my poor little guy chokes at first cuz he is too determined/hungry to let go and let it drain a bit. Poor guy lol

Would I know if I have a blocked duct? I mean therr r a few tender spots mostly just by my armpits and under my boobs..only notice it when I touch there tho.

Can't believe little man is almost 2 weeks old. Where does the time go

 

[Sass827]

Oh you'd know Babcock. It's like a rock solid little pellet that is crazy tender and really hurts when you touch it. MIne was right on the edge of my nipple. Not sure if that's where they all are or not.
It's DH's first day back to work. He had to sleep in the basement so he could get some sleep. We stayed up til 10 watching game of thrones then Dylan slept til 12 up til 1:15. Slept til 3, up til 4:15. Then she pretty much slept til 9! Ruined the bed though. Spilled 2 oz while pumping and Dylan had 2 diaper blow outs. I have to strip the bed. Not looking forward to it.
Who said they love the hound? Jary? I'm agreeing with you now.

 

[Sass827]

Ok, I need opinions.

I went to the pediatrician today for baby's 2 week check up. She's gained 11 oz this week, but that's only been with tons of on demand feeding followed by bottles of expressed milk. She usually eats 2-4 oz, even after an hour or so of feeding. She also only sleeps 1-1.5 hours after bf, but will sleep 4 hours after drinking a 4 oz bottle, so I mostly bottle feed at night. Well the dr wants me to stop pumping all together. She also wants me to feed on a schedule of every 2-3 hours and only 20 mins per boob. I'm scared Dylan will lose weight again. What do you all think?

 

[jtink28]

i don't know, sass. from my experience, doctors don't know a ton about breastfeeding and lactation. and why, if your supply is good, and baby is gaining and healthy, does she want you to stop pumping?
do you know any lactation consultants?

 

[Hann12]

Arghh I have mastitis now! On antibiotics and feeding through it. Painful though!

Sass - not sure, I'm a believer in just feeding direct from the breast no bottle. My theory and I'm guessing this is what the dr thinks, is that by feeding a bottle after its making her lazy feeding from you directly as she knows she'll get a bottle which is much easier for her to feed from so she uses you for a bit of milk but mainly for comfort and the bottle for main nutrition even though you give the breast first. It may well mean she turns away from you soon in favour of an easier feed from the bottle. Personally because I'm a big believer in BF I would risk a couple of days of her possibly losing weight while she reeducates herself to drink from you only but that's because to me BF is really important. If you don't mind giving it via the bottle whether its expressed or formula then carry on doing as you are, but you could risk her turning away from direct breast feeding.
Just my opinion though

 

[VmrsbabcockV]

I bf from the boob unless I have to go somewherr and can't take him like going to take finals..or if I've JUST pumped and he randomly wakes up but I'm empty which rarely happens bcuz I try and schedule pumping around his usual sleep schedule. He doesn't seem to like the bottle better he likes whatever has the milk lol

 

[Foxycleopatra]

I can't help on the BF as I have to FF due to circumstances beyond my control but I am a firm believer in doing what works for you and bubs. As long as they are healthy and putting on weight why mess with it!

Question: how are your hubby/ partners going with everything? How helpful are they especially at night? My hubby is good during the day when he is not at work but at night he is useless! For the last week Ziva has gone from being settled and sleeping through to being clingy and waking to feed every 4/5 hours. I typically do last feed at midnight and have her down by 130am then she wakes between 4-5 and takes a lot of effort to settle her after that (up to 2hrs lately) then up again around 8am. I am getting maybe 4 hours broken sleep a night if I'm lucky. As I said above we FF so there is no excuse for hubby not to help out through the night. I've said to him if he takes the midnight feed (so I can go to bed earlier and get some actual sleep) I'd be happy to do the 4am one which is the harder one as she won't settle after most mornings or vice versus or even if he takes her at 8am so I can sleep in a little but I swear it all falls on deaf ears. I don't think he does it on purpose but somedays I feel like I'm doing this all alone. Even my 11 year old daughter has offered to get up at 4am to feed her so I can sleep, not that I would ever actually do that. Hubby just can't see what he is doing wrong and then wonders why I get so cranky!! Sometimes I wonder if I would be better just doing this on my own like I did first time around with my daughter!

On a happy note Ziva is 4 weeks old today!!! That's insane xx

 

[MightyMom]

That's odd that your doctor wants you to stop pumping...I'm pumping when I can to try to get a solid milk stash in the freezer for later. But like MrsB I only bottle feed if he wakes right after I've pumped down both breasts AND I've already tried him on both to see if there is any left. He doesn't care for the bottle though.
I know a lot of people are concerned with weight gain and such but I really don't find it that useful of a tool for gaging how baby is doing. A baby shouldn't LOSE weight, but as long as they are gaining, I don't see the harm in trying to EBF and wean from the bottle. Maybe clarify with the doctor why they want to do that? Lots of women EBF from pumped bottles and their babies do fine.

Foxy: All I can say is that DH was the same with my DD. I was BFing though, but he was useless at night even when I'd kick him and tell him to wake up and change her so I could get some sleep (as I was BFing all night!). I think that you need to just talk to him and tell him he needs to take the midnight feeding. Set the alarm clock and tell him he needs to wake with the alarm and feed the baby and that you will wake for the 4am feeding. There really is no reason he can't do it. But I don't think men understand how exhausting it is to do all the changing, feeding, rocking, holding, etc. at night. It's not like you've been comfortably sleeping for several months now!

 

[Sass827]

I think Hanns thinking is in line with the doctor. I think she is lazy and just using me for comfort. Last night was wicked rough. She was nearly inconsolable - I think she was just so tired. I caved only once with a bottle and by that point, she was so worked up she didn't even take it. I wound up giving it to her later just so it didn't get wasted and because I just couldnt sit up to feed her- too tired. She was up every 2 hours.
My DH went back to work and school yesterday, so he is no longer helping at night at all. He's actually sleeping in our basement to avoid the noise. I'm ok with it. It just sucks doing this alone. ESP for the first go around, where I feel so clueless.

 

[CupcakeBaby]

Feel for you ladies.

I had a big of a breakdown last night.

She slept well (on me) 11-1am and then fed and went back down in her cot 2am-5:15.

But then at 5 I fed her and she was just so angry. Pulling at my boobs and shouting and wriggling and just wouldn't settle.

By 6:45 I was a broken woman and just put her in her cot and cried myself for a bit.

I finally got her settled on my chest again and we slept until 9 and then I managed to sleep again 10:30-12 but I really dislike not getting up and washed and dressed at a decent time.

Then from 12-3 she was wide awake and crying lots if I tried to feed her even though she was rooting.

So I have given in and given her some infacol last feed. Am going to try it for the next couple of days as I think she's struggling with gas.

 

[BellaRosa8302]

Sass - my lactation consultant has been supportive of what I've been doing - I pump and bottle fees and I breast feed. Lately I've been pumping and bottle feeding more than breast feeding due to very sore cracked nasty nipples. Sometimes I just can't take the pain. LO is learning how to latch better but sometimes she's stubborn that all she wants is the tip of my nipple in her mouth and it kills me. I just can't let her do that anymore so it's good latch or no latch! She is able to go back and forth between pacifier, bottle, and me without a problem tho - she makes it clear that she'd rather drink from me than a bottle but she will take a bottle. Hope that helps...

 

[VmrsbabcockV]

Foxy-oh has been pretty good help I'm bfing tho so not much he can rly do but if little man is rly fussy and I can't get him back down he will wake up and help...but so far he's only had two nights where it was rly hard to get him back down after a feed. He also works 6am-5 or 6pm so I try to manage nights on my own so he can sleep for work. I usually get a morning nap from 8-11 which is awesome and enough to recharge me if hr slept poorly that night. During the day oh is rly great help sometimes lack of sleep we get snippy and sometimes I snap at him when he moans about helping (which is rare) but for the most part we r doing well. His mom is also around a ton which is awesome cuz she mediates if we r snapping at eachother and she is just a calming person in general for everyone including little man if he is fussy

I think he may be going through a growth spurt his schedule the past 2-3 days has been funky. He's sleeping wayy more, is waking up more at night to feed every 2 hrs instead of every 3-4. And then is fussyafter some of his feeds..
But idk sometimes if its s growth spurt or gas cuz he's had two episodes of projectile spitup and spits up at least some after probably 75% of his feeds.

 

[Lady H]

Hi all hope you are all having some success even little ones are worth celebrating. I'm still expressing then bottle feeding which is a pita but at least she's getting breast milk. I'm having same problems with not going down at night and fussing. It is our wedding anniversary today and we are also going to register Hannah so she will be official.

 

[CupcakeBaby]

We registered Baby Bee today Lady H. Lovely to do.

Last night went AMAZING! We started her on infacol yesterday as its so hard to get burps out of her, but she's definitely burping easier. And also last night I got brave and swaddled her.

I've tried in the past but was too gentle about it and she'd wriggle out in about 20 seconds.

So last night I was firmer and wrapped her arms in tight (left her legs loose as she wriggles them to poo and fart) and she slept 12-4 and then 4:30-8:15! All in her own bed!!!

Can't believe it.

I don't know if it was the infacol or swaddle or luck. But I'm happy!

 

[MightyMom]

Ooh Cupcake, just keep doing what you're doing! Whatever gets the baby to sleep so long, my goodness it's worth it!

Woke up so engorged this morning, DS didn't wake but every 4 hours to feed and my boobs have been used to feedings every 2 hours. Leaked through my pads completely, soaked the bed. Had to pump to get comfortable this morning, but just adding to my milk stash. It's starting to really grow!