Happy Baby

Constipation?

Now, I know they say BF babies don't get constipated but I feel like Emma is not going as often she should. She was averaging one large stool a day for the last week to week and a half. The stools were yellow and seedy, but also a little thicker than I would like. She has been a little gassy the last few days, so I decided to help her out a little today with a slight suppository. I used the pediatric dosage and then cut it down to a 10th of that. She immediately went and then ate and then went again. Her tummy wasn't so rigid after that and she looked like she felt better. Now, all of it was yellow and soft - nothing hard. So, I'm not sure what the hold up on the poop is but hopefully she'll start going on her own now and not be so uncomfortable.

If you are reading this and have the same problem, call your pediatrician first. This is not medical advice by any means :)

A New Support Group

Today, I decided to try a new BF support group. It is located at the hospital, well across the street from it. I wasn't sure what to expect and I really just wanted to see if there was a difference between the two. Don't get me wrong, I have known Molly and Vicky for 4+ years and adore them both. However, I just needed to see if there was a different way of doing things.

I arrived early (about 20 minutes) and started to feed Emma. A little bit later, a LC walked in that I had not met before. I was glad that it wasn't Liz, cuz I really didn't care for her. I had been hoping for Angela but this woman seemed very nice. She got the scale out and when Emma took a break from the boobie, I weighed her. Unfortunately, I wouldn't know exactly how much she was getting because she had been feeding for 10 minutes on my strong side already. Hmm...oh well.

First, let me say that the room was more inviting than the other support group room. Next, the chairs were much more comfy. This new LC was much more attentive. There were about the same number of women there, however, the babies ranged from a few days old to 6 months old. This was nice to see where I had come from and where I was going. I found this to be most encouraging. Also, she was able to look at my nipple that is slightly excoriated and we talked about the possibility of thrush, Raynaud's, etc. We discussed pumping, as well as Emma's poop (odd, how I am obsessed with poopies lately).

It was a good day. I will be returning to this support group, most definitely. I felt supported, which is the purpose of a support group.

The Fourth Trimester

I have heard this a couple of times now during my post partum period. Granted, I am only 4 weeks into this. But, I think I finally got it tonight. My little one is so sweet. She woke up at 11:30p for a feeding, ate for 15 minutes and went back to sleep. Heard her cooing and making noises for a little bit and then got up, changed her diaper (there was poopie and it was more the consistency of what I think it should be - it has been thicker than I would have thought for a BF baby) and then we went to sit and eat. Now, it was time for her to eat on the right boobie, which in my opinion is the better boobie - but, I have noticed the let down to be stronger lately. So, she gulped and gasped and swallowed air and we burped a few times and then I gave her some gas drops toward the end of the feeding to ward off any painful tummy aches later (hopefully). And, then it hit me - like a light bulb going off over my head. As, she fell asleep nuzzled up against my breast and then again when I put her on my shoulder - this is the 4th trimester. She isn't ready to be separated from me and then I understood. For 36 weeks, she was a part of me and then she was thrust into the world and initially, I wasn't ready for her to be away from me (it killed me when they took her to the NICU and then I didn't let her out of my sight once they brought her back to me). Now, I like to occasionally go to the bathroom or do a load of laundry and she wants nothing to do with that (and rightly so - normally I wouldn't either) But, I am feeling better and I want to get up and move around - now, I need to find a balance. As, I write this she is swaddled next to me in the chair, looking at me but she can feel me and she can smell me.

That was something new tonight too. I put her in my bed while I folded up her laundry and put everything away. She maneuvered her little self down until she was smelling my jammie top that I had placed her on, not really even thinking about it. So, later when I put her down for the night in her bassinet, I put my jammie top over her and off to dreamland she went very sweetly. This might have been coincidental, but we shall see.

The Happiest Baby on the Block - Richard & Judy

The good with the bad

So, I figured I should post the bad with the good. Last night was a rough night. Miss Emma decided she wanted to be up and I wanted to go to sleep. She would eat, fall asleep and then when I put her down fuss...Ugh! I was so tired as I had not had my afternoon nap. She was irritable and so was I most of the late afternoon til about 8:30 pm. Today, she is a little better. We went to Target to get the Breastflow bottle...gonna try it out later and see if she has to work just as hard at it as she does the boob. I want her to have to work a little harder than she does when I give her an Avent bottle (mind you, I am a huge Avent fan) So, anyway we bought one and will see how they work. It is in the sterilizer now. I will pump again at lunch time and then give her a supplement. I usually do an extra bottle of EMB every 12 hours - just to help her have a longer sleep period at night and one in the afternoon so that we can get in a good nap together.

The kids being home on the weekend...kinda has killed our weekly routine - I need to work harder at keeping things as routine as possible. My DH and I talked about extending my time at home - going back to work before she is 2 months old just seems to much.

We shall see.

3 week update

Emma was 3 weeks old on Tuesday. I took her to weigh in and then do pre and post feeding weights. She gained a half a pound in less than a week and passed her birth weight. After doing pre and post feeding weights, I learned she is taking in 2 oz at a feeding : ). This was great news. Everything I have been doing apparently is working.

However, I will add that I have supplemented her with pumped breast milk at night because my nipples need a rest and I'm so tired. She is wanting to be held more often and spend less time in her own bed which is making my sleep time less and I have a hard time napping during the day because there are other things to do...like eat and sterilize breast pump parts...you know meaningless things like that. But, she is so sweet.

I am pumping 1.5 oz to 3 oz after feedings, depending on the time of day and how frequently she is feeding. I have been able to store quite a bit so far - I aim for 4 oz. a day and usually give her the rest. I have been engorged on my left side now for about 12 hours and only find relief after pumping.

Oh, and my nipples are itchy on the areola. Occasionally, I have pain that shoots from the back of my breast up to the nipple and after talking to Molly, the lactation consultant - she believes it to be nerve related.

All in all, I am pleased that my little punkin is gaining weight and doing it solely from my breast milk.