Summer Sensations! (due May/June 2013)

[raelynn]

We've been having fussy nights here too. Last night Haylee woke for her normal 3am feeding then wouldn't settle back down. I hate watching the sun come up while I'm still trying to get her back to sleep. It was definitely a rough night. I'm going to try sticking to a schedule for bedtime to see if that helps her settle down.

We also have periods during the day where I'll feed her several times in an hour and then could go for 3-4 hours before the next. I guess it depends on her being awake and sleeping. I'm definitely noticing some more awake time lately than before. She's very alert and has been checking everything out during those times. I also talk to her and she just sits and watches me - so cute!

I've been using my pump once a day on most days to start building a freezer supply for when I go back to work. I have the Ameda Purely Yours electric pump. It also comes with a manual adapter so I can either use the electric or manual option.

I need to order some larger nursing bras too. I'm larger than what they have in stock in Walmart and Target now. For now I'm just stretching the life out of the Walmart nursing bra I picked up when I was still pregnant. Unfortunately, good nursing bras are super expensive!

Also, TMI but is anyone else constipated now? I heard it can happen with the pain meds from the c section and also from breast feeding. I'm probably not getting enough water. I have to go but just can't today and straining hurts my insides (from c section). Its super annoying not being able to do normal bodily functions on top of trying to take care of a newborn.

 

[Christie2011]

Did they not put you on colace while you were recovering I'm the hospital? I think they gave me one or two a day to counter act the meds from cesarean. I bought some for when I got home too since I didn't have a movement score I was discharged. I've only used it in e at home and gave t felt constipated yet, but I do seem more gassy then usual. And it's pAinful gas.

 

[TwoRdue]

I have a manual pump, my left breast is not producing as much milk and Jasper keep losing weight so they want me to express in between to top him up.. I just tried to express my right and had no problem but find it hard to get get much from the left.
Will try doing it near him and see if it helps.

Hope you manage to get the extra two weeks.. will be nice for you and lo.

First day back for work for oh so it's been just Jasper and me all day.. o have been luck that all he is doing is sleeping till I wake him every three hours for a feed then he is back out to it.

 

[TwoRdue]

My pregnancy constipation was worse than what it is now, I'm find everything is slowly getting back to normal but I do take lactilose twice a day to keep things moving.

 

[MissAnnabelle]

Allie has been awake since 8pm and its 2am. I'm so tired. It's so hard to deal with her crying when you're this tired. Dh is sleeping and that makes me mad too. How can a newborn stay up for 6 hours???

 

[GettingBroody]

MissA - Hang in there! It will get better. In the meantime, wake dh and hand her over so you can at least get an hours sleep. I was up for hours with Fia one night and like you I was not happy that dh stayed asleep and didn't offer to take her - next morning he said he thought she was bf'ing the whole time (which he couldn't exactly do!!) and to make sure to wake him next time to hand her over. I'm sure your dh would be delighted to help - sometimes we just have to ask!

Two - if dh will lend a pair of hands you could try expressing while Jasper is feeding from the other side. That might help stimulate the milk...

Christie - when do you go back to work?

Rae - all my bm's were really painful for the first few weeks after the birth. I stopped taking my iron supplements and that helped a bit. Mostly it just improved with time though. Good luck!

Almost - yay for getting your catheter out but boo to the uti Hope you feel better soon.

Afm, another 6 hours straight sleep last night! To build up a store of milk for the night she seems to feed constantly after dinner. She takes breaks of about 10/15 mins and then she's off again. So that's exhausting but worth it for the long stretch of sleep!

 

[No Doubt]

Almost hope you feel better from the uti hun.

Two I got colace too and they said to take it for a couple weeks to help with things. I didn't go for maybe 6 days after my section which they said is normal, bit after that I haven't had any problems.

MissA so sorry you're still up. I agree let dh take her for a bit and try to sleep a little hun.

Virtue seems to have gotten back to his 4 hour schedule and dh took the midnight feeding so I got a nice stretch of sleep. Though Virtue is wide awake now. He always wants to be up around 4/5 in the morning. Which I guess is ok cause when I go back to work that's when I get up anyway.

 

[TwoRdue]

Ahhhh my lo has been cluster feeding for 6hours now.. he is hanging off me now, hasn't even given a break to try and express not that I will be able to now!!!!! *yawn* need sleep now

 

[GettingBroody]

I hear you Two!! Cluster feeding is exhausting!! Fx'd you'll get a good long sleep at the end of it though!

 

[TwoRdue]

I wish I could.. due to his weight loss I have been told to feed every 3hours so I have to set my alarm and wake him, still waiting for this feed to stop as been 8 hours.

 

[GettingBroody]

Yikes!!

 

[raelynn]

I agree! Cluster feeding is exhausting. I'm always wondering how can she still be hungry after she just ate! At least during the day it's better because you're not losing sleep. Since we've built up a little store of breast milk now, hubby said I can wake him if it gets bad. I think we're going through a growth spurt. They're supposed to have one around 2 weeks and both hubby and I have noticed she's bigger. Maybe that is why we're all seeing more feeding happening lately.

I ended up taking colace yesterday and that has helped get things moving today. They had me on it in the hospital and I had been fine since then. I guess it was probably just me not getting enough water.

Have any of you been using a pacifier with your little ones? Haylee loves to suck and freaks out sometimes if she can't have either the boob or her fingers so I've been giving her a pacifier. She's obsessed with it and it hasn't had any negative effect on breastfeeding. Basically if it fits in her mouth she'll suck on it. It helped us get through a fussy period early this morning when I wasn't quite ready to wake up yet. I just had to roll over and stick it back in her mouth when she spit it out. She's starting to get the idea of holding it in her mouth with one hand too.

 

[almosthere]

two-my son was cluster feeding and my drs and pediatricians and lactation consultants i have seen have told me only 15 minutes on each side is enough as you can only produce so much milk. After that they are sucking as a pacifier (although it looks like my lo is still drinking) but either way, ever since I stopped the hours of feeding in a row and just feed every 2 hours in the day and once in the middle of the night and once early in the am we have been on the best schedule! I am almost getting 8 hours of sleep with a nap and just by sleeping for a 4 hour stretch at night-it is amazing!

and Rae - colace is my friend-I am on stool softner and a mild laxative once daily since I gave birth due to my tear and stiches-I wonder if that is what is helping me lose so much weight along with breastfeeding-I can;t beleive how fast it is falling off----i just wish my many stretchmarks would fall off too haha

 

[No Doubt]

We're not using a pacifier, but the doc did say the sucking is a soothing mechanism for them. She said they will suck anything so sometimes I'll stick my finger in his mouth and he'll suck away for a few seconds then push it away and suck his fingers.

I agree a four hour stretch is nice. Last night was good. He went down after deeding at 8 then hubbs took the 4 o'clock feeding so I got a almost a full 8 hours myself. I was up with him at 4 for a couple hours, he was just awake hanging out, then I got another hour or so. So today ik feeling refreshed. Another appt today and then that's it before 2 months.

 

[Christie2011]

Im so jealous of all of you getting four hour stretches. Leo wont give me more than two.

I have been using a pacifier when he seems restless.

Is anyone else's lo doing a lot of moaning and groaning? I feel like he has a bellyache but i cant get him to burp and he is pooping just fine. Im trying to figure out if thats just his over tired noise or if something is wrong.

I also feel that his startle reflex is overactive. He seems to startle in his sleep a lot even when it is quiet.

 

[No Doubt]

No moaning and groaning...more like cooing. Sometimes when he's stirring awake he'll make noises like when he's trying to go poo.

Virtues startle reflex happens often too. I asked the nurse about in the hospital, so I don't think you have anything to worry about there.

I thought about you Christie and the fact that you taking care of Leo yourself and was wondering how your sleep was going. The swing the ladies recommended really helps if you haven't tried that yet. Do you do a warm bottle? I think that helps put that warm feeling in Virtues tummy which helps with the sleep. Also Virtue is up a good bit of the day now just hanging out so I think that helps too. Is Leo awake during the day?

 

[TwoRdue]

I would love 4hours to... I understnad with the weight thing though so I hopehe has a weight gain today. He just woke 2.5hours between his marathon so I hope its a short one.

No doubt if I dont fed he will just scream and scream till he has boob, even my oh cant settle him and he hates the dummy so I have know idea how to break the cluster fed. My lactation lady did say that he may do it to try and increase his supply and as im a slow producer it must be what he was doing

 

[Christie2011]

The one good thing about Leo is that he doesn't fuss once he has eaten, he will either chill and hang out, or he will go to sleep. He just doesn't stay asleep. I forgot I had one of those heartbeat bears for my older son, which he doesn't use anymore, so I'm going to try that to see if it'll relax Leo more into a deeper sleep.

I do have a swing, but my parents took it with them to NY as my older son loves to swing while he watches his Little Einstein dvd before bed.

Leo has only had a few bottles. He doesn't do well with them. It's a chore to get him to finish 2 oz with a bottle. Yesterday he only drank an oz via the bottle and wouldn't take anymore. I could try a different style bottle to see if he likes it better.

I was able to extend my leave. I'll go back to work July 8th. It'll both be hard for me to be at home for that long, but I'll feel better about leaving Leo in daycare when he's a bit older and hopefully I can get him on some kind of feeding schedule by then.

 

[No Doubt]

Back from our appt and everything went great. I asked about him going out in public and he said that was fine, just no one touching him without hand washing, coughing, smoking around him...the stuff you know. He also said that I was actually doing well with the amount of breast milk I was producing which made me feel better, but instead of pumping when he eats to pump every two to three hours and that should help. Next appt is in a couple months.

 

[MissAnnabelle]

We went to the pediatrician today. She said that its just taking Allie a little longer to adjust and there isn't anything wrong with her. She's 8 lbs 2 oz that's up 2 oz from Friday. I think it's just hard because I don't have and help really and it's hard when they are cranky and you're exhausted. Maybe another week and well be all sorted out. Back to the pediatrician in 2 weeks. The visiting nurse is coming tomorrow again maybe she has some more advice. Oh yeah she was fussing in the drs office so the dr had me nurse her there too for like 20 mins. I feel like a cow. Always nursing. Anyone else not have time to eat?
Went for another walk with her today. She seems to like that