November Sparklers 2012

[Cridge]

Our babies are here - let's talk about them!

 

[gaiagirl]

Thanks Cridge!

 

[daddiesgift]

Yay!

How long do your lo's sleep? I'm not complaining at all just concerned. My oldest slept a lot first couple days but Anthony is 9 days old and ill say he is up all together two hours in 24 hours. Is that normal?? I'm grateful for a great sleeper but he eats then goes right back to sleep. Kind of worries me.

 

[Cridge]

daddies - mine is the same. #1 hardly slept at all, so this has been worrying me, but I think it's normal. Some days he'll be awake maybe 5 hours total the entire day, but other days it's more like 2. When we first brought him home, he was wide awake during the night, but I think we've got that figured out for the most part, and now he's just asleep all the time. The last couple of days he's had more awake time, and was awake for a couple hours already this morning. He tends to be awake in the evening until 9 or 9:30.... which is bugging me as I'd like him to have an earlier bedtime. But we're slowly making progress with it.

 

[lilbeanhoping]

Great idea creating this thread!

My lil one sleeps a ton too.
He wakes up to eat every 3-4hrs then back to sleep. Told its normal though. Apparently as a baby I used to sleep practically 23hrs a day for first few months!

 

[gaiagirl]

Mr F slept a lot the first week but since last week he is usually out for 2-3 hours then awake for 1-2 hours. He has definitely been spending more time alert this week, and I think he has hit the 3 week growth spurt because he is hungry and fussy the entire time he is awake! Kinda wishing for the first week sleepiness, lol.

 

[daddiesgift]

Good to know its not just my squishy sleeping a lot! Go figure after I posted this he woke up to eat and has been up ever since! Just staring off tho

 

[Cridge]

gaia - mine is doing the same thing - fussy while awake, even while eating. What happened to my serene baby?!

 

[gaiagirl]

Haha the honeymoon is over!

I'm chalking it up to the 3 week growth spurt and hoping it ends soon

 

[gaiagirl]

Ok so a sleep question: Mr F has now been asleep for just over 3 hours. From 2:30pm until almost 6! I'm undecided on waking him up versus letting him sleep?

Weight gain and eating is not an issue, he is doing amazing...but I'm worried his long stretches will be during the day not at night! Then again...I've heard sleep begets sleep and that a well rested baby sleeps longer at night!?

Ugh decisions decisions! Any thoughts on waking up baby during the day?

 

[lilbeanhoping]

So ladies as you probably already know lil man was a wee bit early and as a result we've been struggling with breastfeeding because he just hasn't been strong enough to suck-have a strong suckle-breathe while continuing to suck-and keep sucking.
In the last week he has gotten a lot stronger and we've gotten to the point of really being able to try breastfeeding (until a week ago hadn't pushed the subject). Until then I'd been exclusively pumping, which I continue to do.

But I've been dealing with recurrent mastitis infections, clogged ducts, milk blisters and now currently yeast/thrush on my nipples.
As a result my milk supply has gone wayyyyyy down I barely make enough for each feed. I have nothing extra and I'm lucky if I even get enough for each feed as he's started to have more. Ive been using my freezer stash (that I accumulated while he was in the NICU) but now it's almost gone, after tomorrow it probably will be.

I'm in constant pain, the thrush has been excruciating especially while pumping. I can't get these ducts unclogged no matter what I do. I've been super sick. Until today I pretty much hadnt even left my bed in a week. The constant fever is kicking my ass.

I'm just getting so frustrated that I'm trying everything possible and doing everything anyone tells me to try and nothing is working

And now we've had to pick up formula just in case and I'm totally gutted I may have to feed that to lo
I'm also super scared because when I was a baby I was ff and I was allergic to all of them and I puked and puked and lost a ton of weight because of it. I don't want that to happen to lo especially him being a premie and starting off with breathing and feeding issues, he can't afford to have that happen.
I know it doesn't mean it will but just a fear.

I don't want to stop pumping but I don't know how much longer I can take all this never ending pain and sickness.

I feel like I've totally failed and it sucks makes me so upset.

I know a lot of that is irrational thinking but I can't help it.

Anyone dealt with anything like this? Did it get better at all?

Sorry ive made such a long post, I just don't know where to turn for any support

*ps- I don't judge those who ff at all......for me it's just not something I wanted to do.

 

[gaiagirl]

Lilbean I'm so so sorry you're having such a hard time. That really sounds like a huge load of challenges. I wish I could offer more, but I have totally lucked out and am not dealing with these issues...I do have many friends who did and they ALL would tell you it does get better.

Have you tried taking anything to increase supply? Fenugreek? Oatmeal?

Also I know that nursing in different positions helps to drain ducts that can be missed, like doing the cross cradle and then doing football hold next time?

Also I am using coconut oil and grapefruit seed extract mixed together on my nipples to prevent mastitis/thrush and so far it's been great...

Hugs xoxo

 

[lilbeanhoping]

Thanks gai.....
Unfortunately even though my supply sucks, I don't want to try to increase it any other way than extra pumping because I still have clogged ducts, so if I had more milk I'd be realllly engorged and in more pain.

I'd like to try different breastfeeding holds but right now he won't breastfeed at all

Tomorrow I'm going to buy some breast shields! I'm hoping maybe that will work! It's like the last thing to try at this point unless I can get these clogged ducts fixed!

I'm going to deff try the coconut etc though! Thank you!

 

[daddiesgift]

Lilbean- I know the feeling all to well. I had those same problems with my son on top of him having reflux and a protein allergy. I decided for us formula was better and boy was it! He was no longer colicky and I was no longer living in the emergency room. With Dominic my right breast dried up because of continuous infections/plugged ducts. So I feel your pain you can try fenugreek pills and mothers nursing tea .this time I'd hope was different but getting mastitis 8 days in and doctor threatening to cut knots open to get infection out sold me on formula once again! Plus they think he also has an allergy so he was also colicky. Bah. With my oldest I felt guilty about a month for using formula but that was mostly from other moms making me feel bad. When you are healthy and your kid is better on formula you start to see that its not poision like everyone says. My son is 15 months old and a very smart happy boy. He's not a "smelly,fat,unhealthy" child. This ear infection is the first time he's ever had a fever or been sick besides a few sniffles. He reached every milestone way above average times. I guess seeing him played a part in not worrying about Anthony going on formula. If it keeps us both happy and pain free we are doing it! Happy mommy equals happy baby.. Happy family! I know you don't want to use formula but if it ever comes down to that just know that you tried your best and your a great mother!

 

[Cridge]

gaia - I know exactly what you mean about waking baby up during the day - I've debated the same thing many days! But, I just let the guy sleep and hope for the best at night. That being said, he's had 4 hour stretches during the day sometimes and I'd really rather him do that at night, so when he starts to go beyond 3.5 hours, I'll hold him and maybe start to try to bf and he'll usually wake up enough to do it. It's so hard to know at this age when they sleep so much!!

Lilbean - yikes! You're a trooper! First of all, I don't think you should feel guilty one little bit if you end up deciding to take the formula route! However, I know the intense longing to bf and if that's what you want to do, I would keep up the good (hard!) work and hope that it gets better for you. Are you on antibiotics for the mastitis? I hope so!! I've never had it, but I know you HAVE to get on antibiotics, so I'm sure you are. I did have clogged ducts with #1 and I would change his nursing position and he'd suck it right out (chin should point towards clogged duct). But since your little guy isn't nursing, maybe try to rotate the pump flange in different directions to try to get a better suck where the clogged duct is. Have you talked to a lactation consultant? They might have some tips on how to help that when you're exclusively pumping. I would just make sure you're drinking a TON of water. Also, there is a cream called "Triple Nipple Ointment" that you can try to help with the thrush and nipple pain. I know you can make your own (google it and you'll find recipes), but you can also get a prescription for it. My lactation consultant is working up the Rx for me, but you might find a doctor/ob that knows about it that will do it for you.

I tried the breast shields for a bit and I felt like it was too big for my little guy to latch properly, but I've heard great things about them to help with latching as well as pain.

Good luck! You're battling a lot of nasty things right now as well as taking care of a newborn - talk about stressful!! I hope things get better for you very soon!!

 

[morri]

mines mostly sleeping about 2 h at once or less sometimes more dring the day. rest of the ay she feeds. .

 

[daddiesgift]

Hope you ladies are well!

I may have spoke too soon, Anthony is now waking more lol. Think its a growth spurt as he's eating much much more than ever before. I'm glad daddy and I have been taking turns with him at night. Other than that he is well and good! He's doing great on formula and looking much better jaundice wise.

My mother returned back to Arkansas yesterday so we are on our own! I'm feeling better mastitis wise, hormones are still crazy as hot flashes are out of control. Thanks to Benadryl I'm pretty sure my milks dried up as I didn't bind myself up last night and I woke up dry and breasts are back to a normal looking size. The scabs are even coming off!

 

[Cridge]

wow daddies - that didn't take long to dry yourself up! i'm glad you don't need to deal with all that pain on top of the mastitis!

morri- i half chuckled at your post - in a very sympathetic "i get it" way! i feel like i've been in survival mode the last month feeding and changing poopy diapers and that's IT!

my little guy seems to be making steps in the right direction though. he's been going 2-3 hours between feeds during the day, will cluster feed between about 6-10pm and then he's been going 3.5-4 hours at night. my first didn't go longer than 3 hours at night until he was almost 6 months old.

 

[babyfeva]

Hi ladies, just wanted to drop by and say hi. Baby Eddie arrived on Nov 28 at 8:11 pm after 31.5 hours of labor. He weighed 9lbs 5 oz and was 21.5 inches long. I will update you all with a birth story as soon as I can. Congrats to all of you and hope all is well.

 

[daddiesgift]

Congrats babyfeva! Must be quite a birth story with such a long labor and big baby!