* We had such an awesome time for our anniversary weekend. I will post about it another day. Tons of rest, relaxation, good food and time together.
* Cal slept through the night for the second night in a row! I honestly don't expect it to continue but it has been awfully nice.
* It feels like fall here in Oregon, which I LOVE. Fall is my favorite season. I love the cold, windy, rainy weather and everything that goes along with fall. Christmas shopping, comfort food, warm clothes, fuzzy socks, flannel sheets. Ahhhhhh. Love it.
* I am making quite a few Christmas gifts this year and I think I have bit off more than I can chew. None of them are particularly hard. They will just take time and you know I have so much time to spare.
* I am still going to my knitting class. I actually have one hat mostly done save for a couple of ear pieces (it's a mouse hat) and another hat started and about 75% done. I saw an awesome pattern for slipper socks at the knitting store. If it's easy, I might pick it up because clearly I don't have enough to do.
* I have cut back my pumping sessions to 4 times a day rather than 5. This has given me a break as well as lined me up to start weaning from the pump at some point. I have a great freezer stash and if I were to stop tomorrow, I would have enough milk to get Cal through 12 months. I am not sure how to break the news to my donor moms that I am cutting back and weaning though.
* I have to go to a client site on Thursday and am stressing about what to wear. I have black pants and plenty of tops but I am still stressed. I will find something but it's always fun to get new stuff. I don't need new stuff though. Dilemmas!
* I have been putting off making a couple of doctor's appointments but I finally bit the bullet. I am going to the eye doctor next week and the dermatologist in December. My eye visit is just a routine one. I need new contacts and I was running out so it was time. The dermatologist? I am dreading it. It's a necessary evil though. It's for a routine mole check. I have a couple of questionable looking ones and it's always important just to get your moles looked at. That sounds gross doesn't it? Moles. Ew.
Did I really just start most of these bullet points with "I"? I promise I am not this self-absorbed. Geez, there I go again.
Showing posts with label Breastfeeding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Breastfeeding. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Monday Miscellaneous
Wow what a weekend we had! It's been a pretty crazy week all around but we had a great weekend.
* The family attended my cousin's daughter's birthday party this weekend. Jack had a blast playing on the cool playground and eating the rainbow cake. I don't want to post any pictures yet because I don't want to steal my cousin's thunder (we have a couple of the same blog readers). I can't wait until she posts!
* I am doing a really good job of sticking to my plan of being less boring. I went to a party on Friday, the birthday on Saturday and start my knitting class this upcoming Saturday.
* Cal is miserable. I am ::thisclose:: to calling the pediatrician about his teething symptoms. He is almost 9 months old and no sign of a tooth. He drools, is in pain, has an eruption hematoma, hardly sleeps anymore and is generally cranky. The hematoma is what concerns me the most. I am starting to worry that something is wrong. Purple gums are not cool folks. And they hurt.
* Do you know how hard it is to find quality and cute Halloween costumes for kids? I was hoping to do a theme with the boys but didn't have much luck finding costumes that weren't cheap looking or matched. I thought Elmo and Cookie Monster, or Yo Gabba Gabba or animals. I would find one costume for Jack but than there wouldn't be a matching one for Cal. I finally gave up my search and just bought two costumes at Costco. They were very high quality and cheap! Cheaper than any place I have found. I am totally spoiling any surprise but here are their costumes:
How cute is he? Real reflective tape, real brass buckles and you can't see but there are adjustable suspenders on the pants.
Roly poly pumpkin for the roly poly baby. How cute are those leggings?
* Jason's parents mentioned that our anniversary is coming up and that we should get away for the weekend. I think I was too much in shock to react. Take our two kids for an entire weekend? So we can sleep? And relax? I just don't know what to think........I doubt we will take them up on an entire weekend but we might for overnight.
* I got a new cookbook that I have been eyeballing for a while. I love using my crockpot and this will hopefully give me some inspiration to try something new.
* I have posted before about donating milk. Well, twice now this person insists that she needs milk desperately and yet, she has failed to show up. She gets a third chance today and if she doesn't pick up, the milk is being donated to someone who is more in need. It's frustrating! If you don't have common courtesy to tell someone you can't make it, you don't really need this gift as much as you say you do.
* I want to try a new restaurant that opened up the street from me. I drive by it awesome and it's always packed. I was shocked because new restaurants in my area don't typically do well. I looked up this restaurant and it's apparently a place that went out of business years ago that has reopened. The menu looks awesome - who doesn't love burgers and milkshakes? I believe this might be our next date night trip.
* I am feeling a little bit of jealousy when it comes to other people's sibling groups. I hear all about how so-and-so just LOVES their younger brother or sister. Jack does not like Cal. He is constantly taking toys, pacifiers, trying to block his way by putting toys around him, and while he doesn't outwardly hit, he does push his hand and try to "gently" knock him over. He doesn't play with him. At all. Ever. I want my kids to like each other. Cal adores Jack but the feelings aren't mutual.
That's all the semi interesting stuff I have for today.
* The family attended my cousin's daughter's birthday party this weekend. Jack had a blast playing on the cool playground and eating the rainbow cake. I don't want to post any pictures yet because I don't want to steal my cousin's thunder (we have a couple of the same blog readers). I can't wait until she posts!
* I am doing a really good job of sticking to my plan of being less boring. I went to a party on Friday, the birthday on Saturday and start my knitting class this upcoming Saturday.
* Cal is miserable. I am ::thisclose:: to calling the pediatrician about his teething symptoms. He is almost 9 months old and no sign of a tooth. He drools, is in pain, has an eruption hematoma, hardly sleeps anymore and is generally cranky. The hematoma is what concerns me the most. I am starting to worry that something is wrong. Purple gums are not cool folks. And they hurt.
* Do you know how hard it is to find quality and cute Halloween costumes for kids? I was hoping to do a theme with the boys but didn't have much luck finding costumes that weren't cheap looking or matched. I thought Elmo and Cookie Monster, or Yo Gabba Gabba or animals. I would find one costume for Jack but than there wouldn't be a matching one for Cal. I finally gave up my search and just bought two costumes at Costco. They were very high quality and cheap! Cheaper than any place I have found. I am totally spoiling any surprise but here are their costumes:
How cute is he? Real reflective tape, real brass buckles and you can't see but there are adjustable suspenders on the pants.
Roly poly pumpkin for the roly poly baby. How cute are those leggings?
* Jason's parents mentioned that our anniversary is coming up and that we should get away for the weekend. I think I was too much in shock to react. Take our two kids for an entire weekend? So we can sleep? And relax? I just don't know what to think........I doubt we will take them up on an entire weekend but we might for overnight.
* I got a new cookbook that I have been eyeballing for a while. I love using my crockpot and this will hopefully give me some inspiration to try something new.
* I have posted before about donating milk. Well, twice now this person insists that she needs milk desperately and yet, she has failed to show up. She gets a third chance today and if she doesn't pick up, the milk is being donated to someone who is more in need. It's frustrating! If you don't have common courtesy to tell someone you can't make it, you don't really need this gift as much as you say you do.
* I want to try a new restaurant that opened up the street from me. I drive by it awesome and it's always packed. I was shocked because new restaurants in my area don't typically do well. I looked up this restaurant and it's apparently a place that went out of business years ago that has reopened. The menu looks awesome - who doesn't love burgers and milkshakes? I believe this might be our next date night trip.
* I am feeling a little bit of jealousy when it comes to other people's sibling groups. I hear all about how so-and-so just LOVES their younger brother or sister. Jack does not like Cal. He is constantly taking toys, pacifiers, trying to block his way by putting toys around him, and while he doesn't outwardly hit, he does push his hand and try to "gently" knock him over. He doesn't play with him. At all. Ever. I want my kids to like each other. Cal adores Jack but the feelings aren't mutual.
That's all the semi interesting stuff I have for today.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Monday Miscellaneous
These days, I am not feeling very inspired by anything and as a result, my blog posts have suffered.
At any rate, here is what is on my mind.
* I have donated over 900 ounces of milk. I am amazed by this and so glad I am able to help out. One lady was so grateful that she made Cal the cutest dinosaur blanket and gave us a set of pumping bottles. Another lady gave us a jar of homemade apple butter. It's awesome meeting their sweet babies too!
* I made the best roast chicken dinner last night. It was enjoyed by all! Well, except Jack. He is so darn picky. Cal enjoyed it though. He had exactly what we had and ate almost all of it! His favorite were the roasted carrots I diced up.
* I stimulated the economy yesterday. I had to hit up Babies R Us for a new carseat for Cal since he's almost outgrown his infant seat. Also, now with two boys eating solids, a second highchair was in order. Let's not talk about the extra items that somehow ended up in my cart. After all was said and done, I spent $230. Ouch.
* We went to a family reunion on Saturday and it was potluck style. All that yummy food makes me salivate thinking about it! My contribution was a cookie salad. Trust me when I say it was delicious. We had a good time but had to leave after about 2 hours because it was Jack's nap time and he was starting to act out.
* Cal is teething. I think I have whined about that several times the last few weeks. He is miserable. Most days he is fine, but other days, like yesterday, he just fusses all day. No amount of teething tablets, pacifiers, ice cubes, cold teethers, frozen washcloths, Ibuprofen or rubbing his gums is helpful. He just stays miserable.
* Jack has quite the bit of attitude lately. I blame the "Terrible Twos". He says "NO!" a lot when we ask him to do something. He doesn't want to share toys, even if those toys are meant for Cal. He throws on average, one good tantrum a day. It's frustrating but manageable for now.
* Sleep is going fairly well in our house. Cal still cries a bit when going to sleep initially but usually less than 5 minutes. It's mostly fussing, not crying, which makes me feel better, but it still sucks to hear him cry. He is down to about three night wakings. For a few days, he was only waking twice. I can handle three but would love for him to get back to two. When he goes back down in his crib after a night feeding, he doesn't even fuss anymore. He did for the first couple of days but that stopped. He quickly learned that his crib is a nice place to sleep.
* While Cal is sleeping better, I am not. You would think that less night wakings would be good right? Well in theory, yes. However, I now wake up and just stare at the monitor. Or I wake up because Jason is snoring, or because I am too hot. Most nights, I wake up and it takes me an hour to go back to sleep. Amazingly enough I am not tired though. My body must be used to sleep deprivation.
* I can't believe I am going to admit this but while working, I generally have the tv on. I turn on NBC in the morning and due to my laziness, don't change the channel. This had led me to get sucked into Days of Our Lives. I swear I am now invested in these characters. I haven't watched soaps since I was a teenager during summer break. I am such a loser.
* I am getting ready for Denver. I have my plane tickets booked, my hotel booked and am already making a mental note where I want to eat dinner each night. I still have to order a cooler for all the breastmilk that I am going to be toting back. I have researched the TSA website to make sure I can carry a large amount (I can in case you were wondering) of frozen breastmilk. Packing and carry-on items are going to be interesting. If you have ever traveled with 200 ounces of frozen breastmilk as a carry-on, let me know how that went.
* Cal is down to two pacifiers. Meaning, we only have two left of the ones he likes. The only ones he will use are of course, discontinued. We have tried getting him to use others with no luck. After trips to four Fred Meyers, WalMart and Target, my paci search has turned up zero. I finally went online and paid an arm and a leg for what I believe are the right ones. Let's hope they are because if he loses his pacis, we are in a world of hurt.
That's about it for the week. Maybe something inspirational will come to me in the next couple of days and I will post something interesting.
At any rate, here is what is on my mind.
* I have donated over 900 ounces of milk. I am amazed by this and so glad I am able to help out. One lady was so grateful that she made Cal the cutest dinosaur blanket and gave us a set of pumping bottles. Another lady gave us a jar of homemade apple butter. It's awesome meeting their sweet babies too!
* I made the best roast chicken dinner last night. It was enjoyed by all! Well, except Jack. He is so darn picky. Cal enjoyed it though. He had exactly what we had and ate almost all of it! His favorite were the roasted carrots I diced up.
* I stimulated the economy yesterday. I had to hit up Babies R Us for a new carseat for Cal since he's almost outgrown his infant seat. Also, now with two boys eating solids, a second highchair was in order. Let's not talk about the extra items that somehow ended up in my cart. After all was said and done, I spent $230. Ouch.
* We went to a family reunion on Saturday and it was potluck style. All that yummy food makes me salivate thinking about it! My contribution was a cookie salad. Trust me when I say it was delicious. We had a good time but had to leave after about 2 hours because it was Jack's nap time and he was starting to act out.
* Cal is teething. I think I have whined about that several times the last few weeks. He is miserable. Most days he is fine, but other days, like yesterday, he just fusses all day. No amount of teething tablets, pacifiers, ice cubes, cold teethers, frozen washcloths, Ibuprofen or rubbing his gums is helpful. He just stays miserable.
* Jack has quite the bit of attitude lately. I blame the "Terrible Twos". He says "NO!" a lot when we ask him to do something. He doesn't want to share toys, even if those toys are meant for Cal. He throws on average, one good tantrum a day. It's frustrating but manageable for now.
* Sleep is going fairly well in our house. Cal still cries a bit when going to sleep initially but usually less than 5 minutes. It's mostly fussing, not crying, which makes me feel better, but it still sucks to hear him cry. He is down to about three night wakings. For a few days, he was only waking twice. I can handle three but would love for him to get back to two. When he goes back down in his crib after a night feeding, he doesn't even fuss anymore. He did for the first couple of days but that stopped. He quickly learned that his crib is a nice place to sleep.
* While Cal is sleeping better, I am not. You would think that less night wakings would be good right? Well in theory, yes. However, I now wake up and just stare at the monitor. Or I wake up because Jason is snoring, or because I am too hot. Most nights, I wake up and it takes me an hour to go back to sleep. Amazingly enough I am not tired though. My body must be used to sleep deprivation.
* I can't believe I am going to admit this but while working, I generally have the tv on. I turn on NBC in the morning and due to my laziness, don't change the channel. This had led me to get sucked into Days of Our Lives. I swear I am now invested in these characters. I haven't watched soaps since I was a teenager during summer break. I am such a loser.
* I am getting ready for Denver. I have my plane tickets booked, my hotel booked and am already making a mental note where I want to eat dinner each night. I still have to order a cooler for all the breastmilk that I am going to be toting back. I have researched the TSA website to make sure I can carry a large amount (I can in case you were wondering) of frozen breastmilk. Packing and carry-on items are going to be interesting. If you have ever traveled with 200 ounces of frozen breastmilk as a carry-on, let me know how that went.
* Cal is down to two pacifiers. Meaning, we only have two left of the ones he likes. The only ones he will use are of course, discontinued. We have tried getting him to use others with no luck. After trips to four Fred Meyers, WalMart and Target, my paci search has turned up zero. I finally went online and paid an arm and a leg for what I believe are the right ones. Let's hope they are because if he loses his pacis, we are in a world of hurt.
That's about it for the week. Maybe something inspirational will come to me in the next couple of days and I will post something interesting.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Monday Miscellaneous
* I never posted about our boat weekend. It was a lot of fun but we definitely learned some lessons. I will try and get a separate post up about that.
* I am going to Denver for work at the end of August. I probably shouldn't tell Jason that I actually requested this trip right? Mostly for training for work but also, I will admit, it will be awesome to have a whole bed to myself, sleep without interruptions and be able to eat out and have some adult time.
* Speaking of Denver and sleep, we are really going to start sleep training Cal. We started but then he got sick with a cold and then his double ear infection. We are ready now. Friday night is the start and we already have a plan. The crib is set up, the mobile has fresh batteries, I ordered a sleep sack and Jack is spending the night over at Nana's. I am scared to death. Getting him to sleep isn't the issue. It's getting him to STAY asleep. I don't look forward to listening to him cry when he wakes up in the middle of the night. I am not expecting miracles but I would like to decrease his night wakings down to one or two rather than six or seven (yes, he really wakes up that much). This plan is in the hopes that when I go to Denver, Jason won't have to wake up so many times during the night. He doesn't handle disruptions to his sleep very well.
* Here is something weird. I weighed myself yesterday and I was at about 215 fully clothed in the afternoon. Hmmmm, that means I have lost weight somehow, without even trying. Go figure.
* I am on the hunt for yellow, non-slutty shoes. I have a feeling I won't be able to find them. They have to be the right color (not mustard) and can't have a huge heel or be real sandaley looking. I found an awesome pair of Cole Haan's, but I can't justify spending $100 on a pair of shoes that I am only going to wear a few times. But aren't they gorgeous?
* I scored on the clearance racks yesterday at Fred Meyer. I didn't buy anything for myself but instead for the boys. Cal doesn't have any shorts that fit him since he's such a chunky monkey. He wears most of Jack's hand me downs but all the shorts we have are 6 month size and Cal needs 9 months. I got a ton of cute summer clothes for him and some jammies for Jack all under $40. Score!
* Have I mentioned that I am still pumping? I am really proud of myself because at this point with Jack, I was wrapping up because my supply was crap. I am really proud that I have kept up this long. My ultimate goal is to have enough milk to stop at 12 months. My mini goal was 6 months and I made it that long! We are getting a chest freezer for our shed so I can store a lot more milk in that. If I plan it right, I can pump, store my milk and then have enough to stop at around 10 months and just use up the frozen. That would mean I would need about 1900 ounces of frozen milk banked up. Yikes! I am not sure if that's going to happen but it's a good goal to aim for.
* Cal is moving, moving, moving. He is up on all fours and rocking back and forth. He often takes a half crawl forward too. You can't leave him on the floor and expect him to be in the same spot five minutes later. We are making sure to pick up Jack's small toys so he doesn't put them in his mouth and choke. Since he's not only mobile but awfully grabby with things too.
* Jack can count to three! I know this isn't a huge deal for people. Most kids his age can probably count higher but I consider this a success. He also can identify all colors and most shapes. Jason was shocked last night when they were reading a board book and Jack kept pointing at the shapes and reciting them "Circle, triangle, diamond, moon, rectangle". He can also identify some letters too, especially E. He amazes me.
* I need to make an appointment to get my hair cut and highlighted. It's been ages since it was cut (since well before Cal was born) and years since I got it highlighted. When it's highlighted, it makes me look a lot more refreshed and awake. Better get on the phone with my stylist, Chai.
* This is going to sound awful but I am just not into the Olympics this year. I did watch some of the opening ceremonies because I love seeing the parade of nations. I haven't watched all weekend. It's on today while I work but I am not paying attention to it. My favorite event is gymnastics, followed by diving so maybe when those are on I will pay more attention.
I could go on and on but I will leave my post now. I will do a boat trip update soon. Maybe tomorrow? I am trying to blog more but sometimes, it's hard to find interesting topics. I am not an interesting person and don't craft or have good fashion sense so those two topics are out. Oh well.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Randoms
It's a randomness type of day.
* The tickers on my blog are off. Cal is much older than 1 month!
* I am still trying to post about our trip to Great Wolf Lodge. I am slacking on the blog posts lately, sorry.
* I weighed in yesterday even though I didn't want to. I was up a tiny bit from my last weigh in. Which is okay considering I haven't tracked in like three weeks. I am back on track with tracking (ha!) and hope to see a loss last week.
* Cal has thrush again. I originally thought it was Hand Foot and Mouth because he had some blisters on his lower leg and when I checked in his mouth, he had white patches. I ruled out thrush because it wasn't on his tongue. But it is thrush according to his pediatrician and she knows best. So now he has an awesome purple mouth due to the Gentian violet.
* I hurt my neck and have been having headaches a lot more lately so I have been seeing a chiropractor for a couple of visits. Boy, she is good! She fixes me up after just one visit and I am not scoffing at the 30 minute neck and shoulder massage either!
* I am in the process of reading Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems by Richard Ferber in preparation of getting Cal sleep "trained". I hate calling it that but really it is the steps to get your child to learn how to fall asleep and go back to sleep. Needless to say, I am tired, which is why we are going to start this when Cal is so young.
* Cal has been loving food lately! He gets a grain serving and a fruit or veggie serving daily. We just started giving him actual pieces of food too. I gave him a hunk of banana and he went to town on it. He had a hard time picking it up and getting it into his mouth but I helped. After he gummed it to death I mashed it up and fed it to him. HE LOVED IT! He couldn't eat it fast enough. I tried the same with avocado yesterday but he didn't love the avocado. I plan on giving him a hunk of sweet potato soon too. This boy definitely loves to eat. He is still drinking about the same amount of milk too. Growing boy!
* I can't remember if I posted about this or not, but our freezer door in the shed came open a few weeks ago. This resulted in me having to throw out 500 ounces of thawed breastmilk. I could have wept as I was throwing it away. I am happy to say that I am almost back to 500 ounces. I have about 50 ounces to go. I actually would have more but I donated 100 ounces last week.
That's about it for now. I swear I will get the GWL post out soon.
* The tickers on my blog are off. Cal is much older than 1 month!
* I am still trying to post about our trip to Great Wolf Lodge. I am slacking on the blog posts lately, sorry.
* I weighed in yesterday even though I didn't want to. I was up a tiny bit from my last weigh in. Which is okay considering I haven't tracked in like three weeks. I am back on track with tracking (ha!) and hope to see a loss last week.
* Cal has thrush again. I originally thought it was Hand Foot and Mouth because he had some blisters on his lower leg and when I checked in his mouth, he had white patches. I ruled out thrush because it wasn't on his tongue. But it is thrush according to his pediatrician and she knows best. So now he has an awesome purple mouth due to the Gentian violet.
* I hurt my neck and have been having headaches a lot more lately so I have been seeing a chiropractor for a couple of visits. Boy, she is good! She fixes me up after just one visit and I am not scoffing at the 30 minute neck and shoulder massage either!
* I am in the process of reading Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems by Richard Ferber in preparation of getting Cal sleep "trained". I hate calling it that but really it is the steps to get your child to learn how to fall asleep and go back to sleep. Needless to say, I am tired, which is why we are going to start this when Cal is so young.
* Cal has been loving food lately! He gets a grain serving and a fruit or veggie serving daily. We just started giving him actual pieces of food too. I gave him a hunk of banana and he went to town on it. He had a hard time picking it up and getting it into his mouth but I helped. After he gummed it to death I mashed it up and fed it to him. HE LOVED IT! He couldn't eat it fast enough. I tried the same with avocado yesterday but he didn't love the avocado. I plan on giving him a hunk of sweet potato soon too. This boy definitely loves to eat. He is still drinking about the same amount of milk too. Growing boy!
* I can't remember if I posted about this or not, but our freezer door in the shed came open a few weeks ago. This resulted in me having to throw out 500 ounces of thawed breastmilk. I could have wept as I was throwing it away. I am happy to say that I am almost back to 500 ounces. I have about 50 ounces to go. I actually would have more but I donated 100 ounces last week.
That's about it for now. I swear I will get the GWL post out soon.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Randoms
Happy Tuesday!
* I am very tired today. More than normal. I am not sure if it's the weather or the fact that Cal hasn't been sleeping all that great.
* Speaking of Cal and sleep, Jason and I made an agreement that if he isn't sleeping better by 6 months, we are going to start sleep training. I was so against doing this with Jack but after we finally did it, I wish we had done it sooner. We need to do something with Cal because him waking up every 2 hours at night still isn't healthy for him. He needs better sleep. I have a program in mind, I just need to read the book. The dreaded Ferber method, dun dun dunnnnnn!
* Want to hear something completely tragic? I went out to our freezer in our shed the other day to put a bag of frozen breastmilk in. Guess what? The door had come open and all my frozen milk had thawed. I had to throw out 500 ounces of frozen breastmilk. Trust me when I say I wanted to cry.
* I ordered Cal a Baltic Amber teething necklace. Bunk? Maybe, but if it helps him, great. He's been miserable and drooly. A lady at my Weight Watchers meeting had her little boy there and he was wearing one. After talking to her about it, I was convinced. We shall see.
* I am back on the tracking wagon for Weight Watchers. After my weigh-in I realized that I need to be more diligent and track and not allow myself any "cheats". Meaning, I can't take a Saturday off and eat what I want without tracking because I overeat. Duh, this is why I am fat!
* I am on call this week for work. Which means I can't do anything this weekend because if I get paged, I need to respond and fix the issue. I can leave the house but I would have to take my work laptop with me and what fun is that?
* I am getting excited for summer and all the farmer's markets we have in the area. I took Jack to one last year and it was amazing! Heirloom tomatoes, fresh blueberries, flowers and homemade breads. I want to stock up on tomatoes since they are my favorite food and I can honestly make a whole meal out of them.
That's about it for now. I am working on a snack and a Week's Worth of Dinner post for the week. I am going out of my comfort zone in terms of snacks so check that out when I post it!
Friday, April 13, 2012
Milk Donation
This is what 450 ounces of breastmilk looks like:
This is not my entire stash either. Due to a lack of freezer space (this freezer is on top of Jason's kegerator in the shop), I also have over 150 ounces at my in-laws house and then another 200 in the freezer inside our house. Add that up? That's 800 ounces of breastmilk.
I am slowly running out of space to store it and I don't want to drop a pumping session yet. Based on that, I started looking into the option of donating some milk.
After some research, I found that in order to donate to the national organization, you can't be on any medication. I am on Celexa but still didn't want milk to go to waste. I called around in the city and talked to a couple of lactation clinics and they were going to spread the word to their Mom groups to see if anyone would be interested. I stressed the fact that I was on anti-depressants and please make sure they were aware.
I also posted on HM4HB's (Human Milk for Human Babies) Facebook page for any people in the Portland area who may be interested.
Not a day later I received a call from someone who has two babies in need. Today, I will be delivering 200 ounces of frozen breastmilk to the parents of the babies. I can't tell you how happy this makes me to be able to help other babies in need.
I really want to keep up the donation process if my supply continues to behave. But for now, I am thrilled to be able to share what I have.
I am slowly running out of space to store it and I don't want to drop a pumping session yet. Based on that, I started looking into the option of donating some milk.
After some research, I found that in order to donate to the national organization, you can't be on any medication. I am on Celexa but still didn't want milk to go to waste. I called around in the city and talked to a couple of lactation clinics and they were going to spread the word to their Mom groups to see if anyone would be interested. I stressed the fact that I was on anti-depressants and please make sure they were aware.
I also posted on HM4HB's (Human Milk for Human Babies) Facebook page for any people in the Portland area who may be interested.
Not a day later I received a call from someone who has two babies in need. Today, I will be delivering 200 ounces of frozen breastmilk to the parents of the babies. I can't tell you how happy this makes me to be able to help other babies in need.
I really want to keep up the donation process if my supply continues to behave. But for now, I am thrilled to be able to share what I have.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Save the Tatas
I am going to sandwich this post between Cal's 1 month post so it doesn't get lost in the fray.
On Monday, I noticed that my left breast was very tender and swollen. Not engorged swollen but pain swollen. It was so painful that I wasn't even able to pick up Cal and burp him without wincing in pain. And pumping? Pure hell. The pain continued through the day but I chalked it up to being tired and maybe a clogged duct even though I couldn't feel one.
On Wednesday, the pain was still there but it would switch sides which makes absolutely no sense. Again, I thought it was clogged ducts. However, when I discovered that Cal had a yeast rash on his bottom, I started to wonder. Hmmmm. I treated the yeast with Monistat and had to switch him to disposable diapers because I suspected that the cloth were holding the moisture in causing the yeast.
Wednesday night, his mouth was very very white. Moreso than normal. He typically has a thin white milk layer on his tongue but this was thick and cheese-like. A lightbulb went off in my head and I went to the interwebs to look up the symptoms of thrush.
He had all the symptoms and I had the symptoms as well. Awesome!
Yesterday was spent calling doctors, getting prescriptions refilled and general craziness. Cal is being treated with the Monistat still and something called Gentian Violet which is literally a violet antifungal that you paint in his mouth. If it wasn't so pathetic, my technicolor baby would be comical. When Jason and I applied it last night (while he was swaddled and PISSED mind you) he gagged and made the most sad face. Poor little guy. And because it was literally hurting him to eat, he also got a dose of infant Tylenol.
I got an Rx for Diflucan and some fancy-schmancy nipple cream that my insurance won't cover.
Last night, I started feeling bad. Headaches, fatigue and general malaise. I thought it was from the stress of the day and shopping with my mother-in-law for a baby shower gift (not a fun task I tell ya) so I went to bed. I woke up with Cal to feed and was sweating. This is normal for me. I threw the blanket off and went back to sleep after he was settled.
4:30 came around and I was FREEZING. Teeth chattering freezing even though I had flannel sheets, a comforter and a down blanket over me. And the house is kept at 68 degrees.
When I woke up this morning, I felt run over by a train. Flu like symptoms. Very painful and hot breasts, headache, dizzy, stiff neck, general fog and body aches, and a temperature of 101.
Guess what folks? Did you know that you can get thrush and mastitis at the same time? Yeppers. That is what I have. After a trip to the doctor where he showed me the streaky red spots on my breasts, I came home and literally have not moved off the couch except to pee and eat. I am now on ANOTHER prescription.
So, besides the beastie yeasties, I have a bacterial infection in my boobs. Awesome, I tell you.
Course of action: Meds, lots of sleep (haha, that's impossible with a 2 year old and a 1 month old), lots of water, hot packs on the tatas, and pump pump pump. Get the milk moving to get the infection out. Fun times I tell you.
Signed,
I feel like crap and want to take another nap
On Monday, I noticed that my left breast was very tender and swollen. Not engorged swollen but pain swollen. It was so painful that I wasn't even able to pick up Cal and burp him without wincing in pain. And pumping? Pure hell. The pain continued through the day but I chalked it up to being tired and maybe a clogged duct even though I couldn't feel one.
On Wednesday, the pain was still there but it would switch sides which makes absolutely no sense. Again, I thought it was clogged ducts. However, when I discovered that Cal had a yeast rash on his bottom, I started to wonder. Hmmmm. I treated the yeast with Monistat and had to switch him to disposable diapers because I suspected that the cloth were holding the moisture in causing the yeast.
Wednesday night, his mouth was very very white. Moreso than normal. He typically has a thin white milk layer on his tongue but this was thick and cheese-like. A lightbulb went off in my head and I went to the interwebs to look up the symptoms of thrush.
He had all the symptoms and I had the symptoms as well. Awesome!
Yesterday was spent calling doctors, getting prescriptions refilled and general craziness. Cal is being treated with the Monistat still and something called Gentian Violet which is literally a violet antifungal that you paint in his mouth. If it wasn't so pathetic, my technicolor baby would be comical. When Jason and I applied it last night (while he was swaddled and PISSED mind you) he gagged and made the most sad face. Poor little guy. And because it was literally hurting him to eat, he also got a dose of infant Tylenol.
I got an Rx for Diflucan and some fancy-schmancy nipple cream that my insurance won't cover.
Last night, I started feeling bad. Headaches, fatigue and general malaise. I thought it was from the stress of the day and shopping with my mother-in-law for a baby shower gift (not a fun task I tell ya) so I went to bed. I woke up with Cal to feed and was sweating. This is normal for me. I threw the blanket off and went back to sleep after he was settled.
4:30 came around and I was FREEZING. Teeth chattering freezing even though I had flannel sheets, a comforter and a down blanket over me. And the house is kept at 68 degrees.
When I woke up this morning, I felt run over by a train. Flu like symptoms. Very painful and hot breasts, headache, dizzy, stiff neck, general fog and body aches, and a temperature of 101.
Guess what folks? Did you know that you can get thrush and mastitis at the same time? Yeppers. That is what I have. After a trip to the doctor where he showed me the streaky red spots on my breasts, I came home and literally have not moved off the couch except to pee and eat. I am now on ANOTHER prescription.
So, besides the beastie yeasties, I have a bacterial infection in my boobs. Awesome, I tell you.
Course of action: Meds, lots of sleep (haha, that's impossible with a 2 year old and a 1 month old), lots of water, hot packs on the tatas, and pump pump pump. Get the milk moving to get the infection out. Fun times I tell you.
Signed,
I feel like crap and want to take another nap
Monday, January 30, 2012
Mish Mash
Wow, where has the time gone? Oh yeah, I know. Taking care of two under two. It's no joke people. It is hard work. I have the utmost respect for stay-at-home moms and people who do this alone. Thank goodness I have Jason to help otherwise I would be crazy.
* Cal is officially off the boob. He got worse and worse with eating/latching so I threw in the towel and am exclusively pumping. And you know what? I am perfectly okay with it. I never thought I would be so calm about the whole process but if this is what works for us, so be it. I hope to continue pumping for as long as I can.
* Cal had his 2 week appointment and he is now officially nicknamed "Chunky Monkey". He left the hospital at 7 pounds 7 ounces, gained 4 ounces by the next day and by two weeks, had surpassed his birthweight of 8 pounds 4 ounces. As of his 2 week appointment, he weighed 8 pounds 9.5 ounces. So my boob juice is doing its job.
* This child LOVES to eat. Unlike his brother. Jack would take 1/2 an ounce every 30 minutes (due to his reflux). We were constantly fighting with feeding him and battling spit up. This guy? He eats 2 ounce bottles every 2 hours like clockwork. He still seems hungry at certain times though so we are bumping him up to 2.25 ounces.
* I put a cloth diaper on him for the first time yesterday just to see how the fit was. I figure that he was close to 9 pounds and the diapers say 7-35 pounds so why not try? I had read on a lot of forums that newborns won't even come close to fitting one sized diapers until 12 pounds so not to bother. Welp, in our case, that was wrong. I put a Charlie Banana diaper with a small insert on him (fit to the smallest setting - XS) and it fit fine! We had no issues with leaks or anything. Now I am really looking forward to using up the disposables we got as gifts so I can exclusively put him in cloth.
* Um folks, as of Thursday, I will have a 2 YEAR OLD! Holy crap. Where on earth did my baby go? He is doing so many adult things these days that it boggles my mind. A couple of Fridays ago (Cal was a little over a week old) we took Jack to OMSI for a special day. Nana watched Cal so we could have one on one time with Jack. I watched as my baby sat in a booster seat and ate a sandwich at the table for lunch. Good grief. He just looked so.........adult. I took plenty of pictures with my phone.
* Speaking of phones. I got a new cell phone as my birthday gift from Jason. Welcome to the world of Smart phones! I am having a blast browsing the internet while doing mundane tasks. Now I don't have to haul out my laptop unless I want to post on my blog. I can read others' but just can't type fast enough to post on my own.
* I am using the Moby wrap a lot with this baby. I had one with Jack but since I was dumb about tying it correctly I hated it. I now am officially hooked. I use it to calm my fussy man that doesn't seem to want to sleep anywhere other than Mommy's chest. I wear him while he naps and do chores around the house. I have vaccuumed, done dishes, given Jack a bath, cooked dinner, and even gone to the bathroom wearing this thing. I heart it. I am even wearing it right now. It's just so much easier.
* Our little parrot (Jack) is saying so many things. The child is speaking in full on sentences. Albeit, only two or three words but still! Sentences! He loves to name colors. His favorite thing is to say "Daddy car black. Momma car brown. Papa car red. Nana car blue". As you can see, he is learning colors and already he has mastered blue, red, yellow and green. He can most of the time get black, grey, white and brown. Grey comes out "gay" and hopefully random strangers don't side eye us for that.
* We are doing a very low-key party for Jack on Saturday. We are having it over at my in-laws house and it's just going to be us and them. We were going to have pizza but since my in-laws might be going out to dinner we decided just cake and ice cream and presents. I didn't even buy very much for him since Christmas was so plentiful.
* Does anyone else find it hard to take pictures of their kids once a new one comes into the picture? Seriously, I find it so hard to remember to pick up my camera (I got a very fancy new one for Christmas) when I am busy chasing toddlers, picking up toys so they don't become death traps and changing poopy diapers. I really need to get better about that.
* I have survived being at home alone a couple of times. Jason has gone out with the boys a couple of times since Cal was born and guess what? I didn't melt! I survived. Now, if I had to do it for hours and hours on end, I might have permanently grey hair.
* I have been cooking a lot lately. Due to our new budget with me at 60% of my pay (I am on short term disability for my maternity leave) and Jason bringing in no money, I have been cooking almost every night. The nights I don't cook are leftover nights. Last night was barbeque beef in the crockpot and tonight is spaghetti pie. I am finding quick, easy, and cheap meals to make and so far, it's working out. Secretly, it gives me some time away from dealing with temper tantrums every three seconds.
That is about it on the homefront. And since I suck at updating my blog, here are some pictures of my little men.
* Cal is officially off the boob. He got worse and worse with eating/latching so I threw in the towel and am exclusively pumping. And you know what? I am perfectly okay with it. I never thought I would be so calm about the whole process but if this is what works for us, so be it. I hope to continue pumping for as long as I can.
* Cal had his 2 week appointment and he is now officially nicknamed "Chunky Monkey". He left the hospital at 7 pounds 7 ounces, gained 4 ounces by the next day and by two weeks, had surpassed his birthweight of 8 pounds 4 ounces. As of his 2 week appointment, he weighed 8 pounds 9.5 ounces. So my boob juice is doing its job.
* This child LOVES to eat. Unlike his brother. Jack would take 1/2 an ounce every 30 minutes (due to his reflux). We were constantly fighting with feeding him and battling spit up. This guy? He eats 2 ounce bottles every 2 hours like clockwork. He still seems hungry at certain times though so we are bumping him up to 2.25 ounces.
* I put a cloth diaper on him for the first time yesterday just to see how the fit was. I figure that he was close to 9 pounds and the diapers say 7-35 pounds so why not try? I had read on a lot of forums that newborns won't even come close to fitting one sized diapers until 12 pounds so not to bother. Welp, in our case, that was wrong. I put a Charlie Banana diaper with a small insert on him (fit to the smallest setting - XS) and it fit fine! We had no issues with leaks or anything. Now I am really looking forward to using up the disposables we got as gifts so I can exclusively put him in cloth.
* Um folks, as of Thursday, I will have a 2 YEAR OLD! Holy crap. Where on earth did my baby go? He is doing so many adult things these days that it boggles my mind. A couple of Fridays ago (Cal was a little over a week old) we took Jack to OMSI for a special day. Nana watched Cal so we could have one on one time with Jack. I watched as my baby sat in a booster seat and ate a sandwich at the table for lunch. Good grief. He just looked so.........adult. I took plenty of pictures with my phone.
* Speaking of phones. I got a new cell phone as my birthday gift from Jason. Welcome to the world of Smart phones! I am having a blast browsing the internet while doing mundane tasks. Now I don't have to haul out my laptop unless I want to post on my blog. I can read others' but just can't type fast enough to post on my own.
* I am using the Moby wrap a lot with this baby. I had one with Jack but since I was dumb about tying it correctly I hated it. I now am officially hooked. I use it to calm my fussy man that doesn't seem to want to sleep anywhere other than Mommy's chest. I wear him while he naps and do chores around the house. I have vaccuumed, done dishes, given Jack a bath, cooked dinner, and even gone to the bathroom wearing this thing. I heart it. I am even wearing it right now. It's just so much easier.
* Our little parrot (Jack) is saying so many things. The child is speaking in full on sentences. Albeit, only two or three words but still! Sentences! He loves to name colors. His favorite thing is to say "Daddy car black. Momma car brown. Papa car red. Nana car blue". As you can see, he is learning colors and already he has mastered blue, red, yellow and green. He can most of the time get black, grey, white and brown. Grey comes out "gay" and hopefully random strangers don't side eye us for that.
* We are doing a very low-key party for Jack on Saturday. We are having it over at my in-laws house and it's just going to be us and them. We were going to have pizza but since my in-laws might be going out to dinner we decided just cake and ice cream and presents. I didn't even buy very much for him since Christmas was so plentiful.
* Does anyone else find it hard to take pictures of their kids once a new one comes into the picture? Seriously, I find it so hard to remember to pick up my camera (I got a very fancy new one for Christmas) when I am busy chasing toddlers, picking up toys so they don't become death traps and changing poopy diapers. I really need to get better about that.
* I have survived being at home alone a couple of times. Jason has gone out with the boys a couple of times since Cal was born and guess what? I didn't melt! I survived. Now, if I had to do it for hours and hours on end, I might have permanently grey hair.
* I have been cooking a lot lately. Due to our new budget with me at 60% of my pay (I am on short term disability for my maternity leave) and Jason bringing in no money, I have been cooking almost every night. The nights I don't cook are leftover nights. Last night was barbeque beef in the crockpot and tonight is spaghetti pie. I am finding quick, easy, and cheap meals to make and so far, it's working out. Secretly, it gives me some time away from dealing with temper tantrums every three seconds.
That is about it on the homefront. And since I suck at updating my blog, here are some pictures of my little men.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Hello Again Boobs
You knew there would be a breastfeeding post coming soon didn't you? I endlessly blogged about boobs and breastfeeding and all of Jack's issues so why not keep up the theme?
Don't get me wrong, Cal is doing a good job. It's just that he could be doing better.
In the hospital, he was nursing great! Every 2 to 3 hours and 45 minutes or so at a time. Then on Thursday evening when my milk came in, he went on strike. My nipples (sorry folks) changed shaped and he didn't recognize them. He would latch on for a second and then off. Eventually he would get it, but that was after bribes of a drop of sugar water or some drops of breastmilk.
I had a lactatation consultant visit me (per my request) and she confirmed that Jack was nursing great. In the course of about 20 minutes, he ate 2 ounces. However, they wanted me to pump just in case he wouldn't latch. That way he could have a top off of breastmilk. God, I hate pumping. I was soooo hoping to avoid it this time around. Oh well, you do what you have to do. Just as an FYI, I have super boobs. My milk started coming in on day 3 postpartum and I pumped 2 ounces. The nurses kept ooohing and aaahing at me.
On Friday before we were discharged, because he wasn't latching great, the LC suggested we start topping him with a finger feed. If you don't know what that is, it's a syringe hooked to a tiny tube that gets taped to your index finger. You place the index finger in babe's mouth and it teaches them how to suck. So we started doing that on Friday when we got home from the hospital.
By the time we went home, Cal was down about 10% of his birthweight. This also happened with Jack and I freaked. This time? I knew my baby wasn't starving and that he would be fed and I wasn't worried.
Friday we tried latching him which was pretty unsuccessful most of the time. So we had to resort to finger feeding most of the day. Which by the way is a pain in the ass. Our main goal, per the LC's, was to fatten him back up.
Saturday at the pediatrician's office he was up 3 ounces from the day before. Score! I knew we were doing something right. The pediatrician did suggest that since my stupid nipples had changed shape and that I was engorged maybe a nipple shield was in order. I hate using a nipple shield, but again, whatever will get the boy to eat.
The rest of the weekend I would latch the babe with the shield for a few and then we would top him off with the finger feed. We eventually started moving to bottles rather than the dumb syringe because as previously mentioned, it's a pain. I would also pump and then the process would repeat itself.
Yesterday, at the lactation clinic, Jack had gained another 4 ounces! So now that he is gaining weight and not so sleepy, we are back to latching with the shield most of the time. He is doing a pretty good job at that. It's not the easiest thing for him since the boy wants his food NOW! With breastfeeding, he needs to work at it and he doesn't particularly care to do so.
The whole point of this post? To state that again, I am having slight issues. Nothing that can't be worked around. This time around, I am going to ENJOY feeding my baby and not freak out. I am going to NOT stress and worry everytime a feed doesn't go the way I had hoped.
It IS easier this time around. I am less worried. I think it's that first time mom thing. You have no idea what you are doing. Second time? Piece of cake. Well, respectively speaking. It's not exactly easy to feed a kiddo when you are chasing another kiddo around the house trying to wipe his face.
Hello again boobs. Let's make sure to work this time k? Thanks.
Don't get me wrong, Cal is doing a good job. It's just that he could be doing better.
In the hospital, he was nursing great! Every 2 to 3 hours and 45 minutes or so at a time. Then on Thursday evening when my milk came in, he went on strike. My nipples (sorry folks) changed shaped and he didn't recognize them. He would latch on for a second and then off. Eventually he would get it, but that was after bribes of a drop of sugar water or some drops of breastmilk.
I had a lactatation consultant visit me (per my request) and she confirmed that Jack was nursing great. In the course of about 20 minutes, he ate 2 ounces. However, they wanted me to pump just in case he wouldn't latch. That way he could have a top off of breastmilk. God, I hate pumping. I was soooo hoping to avoid it this time around. Oh well, you do what you have to do. Just as an FYI, I have super boobs. My milk started coming in on day 3 postpartum and I pumped 2 ounces. The nurses kept ooohing and aaahing at me.
On Friday before we were discharged, because he wasn't latching great, the LC suggested we start topping him with a finger feed. If you don't know what that is, it's a syringe hooked to a tiny tube that gets taped to your index finger. You place the index finger in babe's mouth and it teaches them how to suck. So we started doing that on Friday when we got home from the hospital.
By the time we went home, Cal was down about 10% of his birthweight. This also happened with Jack and I freaked. This time? I knew my baby wasn't starving and that he would be fed and I wasn't worried.
Friday we tried latching him which was pretty unsuccessful most of the time. So we had to resort to finger feeding most of the day. Which by the way is a pain in the ass. Our main goal, per the LC's, was to fatten him back up.
Saturday at the pediatrician's office he was up 3 ounces from the day before. Score! I knew we were doing something right. The pediatrician did suggest that since my stupid nipples had changed shape and that I was engorged maybe a nipple shield was in order. I hate using a nipple shield, but again, whatever will get the boy to eat.
The rest of the weekend I would latch the babe with the shield for a few and then we would top him off with the finger feed. We eventually started moving to bottles rather than the dumb syringe because as previously mentioned, it's a pain. I would also pump and then the process would repeat itself.
Yesterday, at the lactation clinic, Jack had gained another 4 ounces! So now that he is gaining weight and not so sleepy, we are back to latching with the shield most of the time. He is doing a pretty good job at that. It's not the easiest thing for him since the boy wants his food NOW! With breastfeeding, he needs to work at it and he doesn't particularly care to do so.
The whole point of this post? To state that again, I am having slight issues. Nothing that can't be worked around. This time around, I am going to ENJOY feeding my baby and not freak out. I am going to NOT stress and worry everytime a feed doesn't go the way I had hoped.
It IS easier this time around. I am less worried. I think it's that first time mom thing. You have no idea what you are doing. Second time? Piece of cake. Well, respectively speaking. It's not exactly easy to feed a kiddo when you are chasing another kiddo around the house trying to wipe his face.
Hello again boobs. Let's make sure to work this time k? Thanks.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Nursing in Public Debate
I swear, The Bump is a source of good debate material! Yesterday there was quite the heated argument about nursing in public on one of the boards. I was surprised to see that while most women support nursing, about 50 percent supported nursing in public without a cover. I saw post after post stating that women who are nursing should use a cover or a blanket.
This is such an interesting argument to me. I wholeheartedly support breastfeeding. I really hope that I am successful this time around as I was not with my son. He had reflux issues, had to be "taught" how to eat and I suffered from constant supply issues. I pumped almost exclusively for 6 months and then had to start introducing formula.
I only successfully nursed in public once. I remember feeling so scared that someone would comment but in retrospect, Portland is so liberal that it is doubtful anyone would have spoken up. I used a cover and tried to be discreet. Afterwards I felt so confident in myself! The opportunites to nurse in public were very far and few between for me but when they did present themselves, I always tried to keep other people in mind. I used a cover, or left the room if I thought I would make anyone uncomfortable. This was due to my own body image issues, not because I thought people would be offended by nursing.
I wish more people would be accepting of breastfeeding in general. If more people would accept it, nursing in public wouldn't be such a huge issue. I plan on trying again and if I am able to nurse successfully, I will have no issue nursing with or without a cover depending on how my baby tolerates it. I just have to get over some of my body issues first ; )
This is such an interesting argument to me. I wholeheartedly support breastfeeding. I really hope that I am successful this time around as I was not with my son. He had reflux issues, had to be "taught" how to eat and I suffered from constant supply issues. I pumped almost exclusively for 6 months and then had to start introducing formula.
I only successfully nursed in public once. I remember feeling so scared that someone would comment but in retrospect, Portland is so liberal that it is doubtful anyone would have spoken up. I used a cover and tried to be discreet. Afterwards I felt so confident in myself! The opportunites to nurse in public were very far and few between for me but when they did present themselves, I always tried to keep other people in mind. I used a cover, or left the room if I thought I would make anyone uncomfortable. This was due to my own body image issues, not because I thought people would be offended by nursing.
I wish more people would be accepting of breastfeeding in general. If more people would accept it, nursing in public wouldn't be such a huge issue. I plan on trying again and if I am able to nurse successfully, I will have no issue nursing with or without a cover depending on how my baby tolerates it. I just have to get over some of my body issues first ; )
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Differences - This Time
Now that I am expecting baby number two, I have already told myself that I am going to do things a lot differently this time. Of course, we learned a lot with Jack and I plan to use those experiences this time around.
* We use disposables with Jack. The thought of cloth diapering when I was pregnant skeeved me out. After all, I didn't want to have to touch poop or clean diapers. Ew! After about a week, that issue was no longer an issue. Poop no longer bothered me. This time, we are going to try cloth diapers. I say try because I might find it too cumbersome or time consuming with a toddler and a newborn. BUT, we will try. I have already purchased two covers and am on the lookout for the inserts I want (hey, Rebecca, get on that new Etsy project for me ; ) ).
* I plan on breastfeeding this time around. I did with Jack as well, but it was so stressful with his reflux and not knowing how to suck. I spent many days crying and stressing out. My supply suffered, I suffered, my husband suffered, and I feel that might be the root cause of my PPD. I refuse to let others dictate how I should feed my baby. Again, I will try, but I am not going to go through that heartache again. I know many people that formula fed right off the bat and their babies are perfectly fine!
* I WILL RELAX. This is a big one for me. I was so unable to relax and enjoy Jack's newborn stage and as a result, I have forgotten so much. This time, I will not freak out over every little thing. After all, I have been through most of it before so I know what to expect. I was unable to sleep or eat because I would freak out if my child made any little sound. I was afraid to take a shower in case Jack would wake up and cry for a millisecond. I know now that if this one cries, it's okay. I can finish my shower (as long as it's quick) or finish my sandwich without having heart palpitations.
* We will start this one on a sleep routine right away. Not RIGHT away, but within three of four months. I will try and not rock this baby to sleep every night. Yes, rocking is okay, but after a year of struggles with nap and sleeping at night, I realize that not allowing Jack to go to sleep drowsy on his own really had an effect. At 17 months he still does not sleep through the night. I will be brushing up on The No Cry Sleep Solution and reading what to do for small babies. I won't resort to cry it out, don't worry. He/she will be way too young for that. We will be putting he/she down drowsy and allow them to figure out what night night time means.
* I will let people help. This was hard for me. I am such a control freak that I didn't allow myself any time to just sit back and hold my baby. If someone was over to visit or help, I would take the opportunity to do laundry or fix them a drink. This time, the tables will be turned folks. If you come over to visit, yes, you can hold the baby, but be expected to help me out too. After all, I just had a baby. And if someone asks, YES, I can use some help. Bring over a meal, come watch the baby so I can take a nap. I wish I had taken advantage of this last time when people offered.
* I refuse to obsess over my pregnancy weight. When I was pregnant the last time, I would get upset at the doctors office on the scale. I would get upset if I gained too much. I am overweight to begin with and shouldn't be gaining all that much weight. But you know what? Jack was healthy and I lost all that weight almost immediately. I am standing backwards on the scale so I can't see my weight and I will eat what I want when I want it. Granted, this is not an excuse to go crazy, but I won't kick myself if I eat a damn cookie. Since I don't feel well most of the time anyways, this won't be too hard. I am lucky if I get three meals in during the day since I feel like I could throw up at any time. Plus, most foods don't sound good, so my caloric intake is pretty limited to what sounds good at the time. Last night, it was root beer. Seriously. I could have just drank a glass of root beer for dinner. Healthy right?
I know that it is likely that I will think of more things, and I also might change my mind on some of these tactics. After all, I am a pregnant woman who has a hard time making up her mind in the first place.
* We use disposables with Jack. The thought of cloth diapering when I was pregnant skeeved me out. After all, I didn't want to have to touch poop or clean diapers. Ew! After about a week, that issue was no longer an issue. Poop no longer bothered me. This time, we are going to try cloth diapers. I say try because I might find it too cumbersome or time consuming with a toddler and a newborn. BUT, we will try. I have already purchased two covers and am on the lookout for the inserts I want (hey, Rebecca, get on that new Etsy project for me ; ) ).
* I plan on breastfeeding this time around. I did with Jack as well, but it was so stressful with his reflux and not knowing how to suck. I spent many days crying and stressing out. My supply suffered, I suffered, my husband suffered, and I feel that might be the root cause of my PPD. I refuse to let others dictate how I should feed my baby. Again, I will try, but I am not going to go through that heartache again. I know many people that formula fed right off the bat and their babies are perfectly fine!
* I WILL RELAX. This is a big one for me. I was so unable to relax and enjoy Jack's newborn stage and as a result, I have forgotten so much. This time, I will not freak out over every little thing. After all, I have been through most of it before so I know what to expect. I was unable to sleep or eat because I would freak out if my child made any little sound. I was afraid to take a shower in case Jack would wake up and cry for a millisecond. I know now that if this one cries, it's okay. I can finish my shower (as long as it's quick) or finish my sandwich without having heart palpitations.
* We will start this one on a sleep routine right away. Not RIGHT away, but within three of four months. I will try and not rock this baby to sleep every night. Yes, rocking is okay, but after a year of struggles with nap and sleeping at night, I realize that not allowing Jack to go to sleep drowsy on his own really had an effect. At 17 months he still does not sleep through the night. I will be brushing up on The No Cry Sleep Solution and reading what to do for small babies. I won't resort to cry it out, don't worry. He/she will be way too young for that. We will be putting he/she down drowsy and allow them to figure out what night night time means.
* I will let people help. This was hard for me. I am such a control freak that I didn't allow myself any time to just sit back and hold my baby. If someone was over to visit or help, I would take the opportunity to do laundry or fix them a drink. This time, the tables will be turned folks. If you come over to visit, yes, you can hold the baby, but be expected to help me out too. After all, I just had a baby. And if someone asks, YES, I can use some help. Bring over a meal, come watch the baby so I can take a nap. I wish I had taken advantage of this last time when people offered.
* I refuse to obsess over my pregnancy weight. When I was pregnant the last time, I would get upset at the doctors office on the scale. I would get upset if I gained too much. I am overweight to begin with and shouldn't be gaining all that much weight. But you know what? Jack was healthy and I lost all that weight almost immediately. I am standing backwards on the scale so I can't see my weight and I will eat what I want when I want it. Granted, this is not an excuse to go crazy, but I won't kick myself if I eat a damn cookie. Since I don't feel well most of the time anyways, this won't be too hard. I am lucky if I get three meals in during the day since I feel like I could throw up at any time. Plus, most foods don't sound good, so my caloric intake is pretty limited to what sounds good at the time. Last night, it was root beer. Seriously. I could have just drank a glass of root beer for dinner. Healthy right?
I know that it is likely that I will think of more things, and I also might change my mind on some of these tactics. After all, I am a pregnant woman who has a hard time making up her mind in the first place.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
All Dried Up
Well, it's official. I have stopped pumping. It became necessary for two reasons: I was not able to put Jack down at all this weekend because he was so fussy. Second, I am not able to maintain a supply anymore. Between medication messing up my supply and my body just not being able to, I was not making enough milk. Jack was being supplemented more and more with formula, so it was not worth pumping 5 times a day only to get 8 ounces of milk (if I was lucky).
Sunday at 6:30 I pumped for the last time. It hasn't been too hard to make the transition. It's actually nice not to have to lug my pump back and forth to work. It's nice not to have to worry about storing milk or having enough bottles or washing my pump parts.
What isn't nice? The pain, engorgement and tenderness. Even though I wasn't producing, my body is still revolting. I went cold turkey which I wouldn't recommend. But again, I couldn't put Jack down on Sunday so I didn't have a chance to pump.
I am wearing a sports bra day and night so hopefully my issues will resolve themselves soon. I refuse to put cabbage leaves in my bra, which I heard helps. I don't want to smell like coleslaw people.
So, it's the end of an era. I am a little sad, but I know I couldn't keep forcing something that wasn't meant to be. Some women are just not made for breastfeeding and I am one of those women.
Sunday at 6:30 I pumped for the last time. It hasn't been too hard to make the transition. It's actually nice not to have to lug my pump back and forth to work. It's nice not to have to worry about storing milk or having enough bottles or washing my pump parts.
What isn't nice? The pain, engorgement and tenderness. Even though I wasn't producing, my body is still revolting. I went cold turkey which I wouldn't recommend. But again, I couldn't put Jack down on Sunday so I didn't have a chance to pump.
I am wearing a sports bra day and night so hopefully my issues will resolve themselves soon. I refuse to put cabbage leaves in my bra, which I heard helps. I don't want to smell like coleslaw people.
So, it's the end of an era. I am a little sad, but I know I couldn't keep forcing something that wasn't meant to be. Some women are just not made for breastfeeding and I am one of those women.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
All About Food
Jack has started solids and he seems very uninterested. At first, he seemed to really like carrots and peaches, but now, eating is just too much of a chore for him.
He usually takes a couple of bites but then starts to fuss. I refuse to feed him if he's fussing because I don't want to get into a bad habit of force-feeding him. Everything I have read says that if you do that, you set them up for disliking meal time among other problems.
Maybe it's his highchair? Maybe he is just slower to like foods then other babies? Whatever it is, I am trying not to be frustrated. I don't let on that I am getting overwhelmed. He gets his pill mixed in during meal time so I need to get him to at least take a couple of bites. If he doesn't get his pill, he's pretty miserable.
One night, he ate the peaches with gusto, but yet the next, he threw up as soon as the peaches touched his lips. I thought every baby liked bananas, but yet Jack gags if he gets them. He doesn't like rice cereal and only eats oatmeal if something else is mixed in with it (usually peaches). I have even tried giving him finger food of fruit and he is not interested.
I really want him to enjoy mealtimes. God knows both his dad and I love to eat.
Now about the other food: Breastmilk. You may have read my previous posts about quitting pumping and going to formula. By last Sunday, I was down to four pumps a day (from five). I noticed right away that my supply took a huge dip so I thought, "Oh good, my body is realizing it's time to stop".
Come Monday, I started having huge anxiety about pumping. HUGE! I realized that I don't want to quit. I like knowing that I am taking care of my baby's nutritional needs. I am cheap. I don't want to buy formula. I will still have to supplement because my supply isn't great. Jack still needs about 8 ounces of formula a day.
Here I am whining and complaining about pumping and lugging bottles to work and lugging my pump and all the dishes. I guess feeding my baby is more important than my inconvenience.
Stupid right? But I am happy with my decision (again). I am going to continue pumping as long as I can. My supply is very low, probably because my body wasn't used to the 4 pumps a day. I am back up to 5 now and might eventually go back up to 6 if I can swing a 5:30 pump like I used to.
I wish I wasn't so wishy-washy about making major decisions like this. I was all set to quit, and now I am not. Next week when I want to change my mind again, will someone kindly slap some sense into me? Thank you kindly.
He usually takes a couple of bites but then starts to fuss. I refuse to feed him if he's fussing because I don't want to get into a bad habit of force-feeding him. Everything I have read says that if you do that, you set them up for disliking meal time among other problems.
Maybe it's his highchair? Maybe he is just slower to like foods then other babies? Whatever it is, I am trying not to be frustrated. I don't let on that I am getting overwhelmed. He gets his pill mixed in during meal time so I need to get him to at least take a couple of bites. If he doesn't get his pill, he's pretty miserable.
One night, he ate the peaches with gusto, but yet the next, he threw up as soon as the peaches touched his lips. I thought every baby liked bananas, but yet Jack gags if he gets them. He doesn't like rice cereal and only eats oatmeal if something else is mixed in with it (usually peaches). I have even tried giving him finger food of fruit and he is not interested.
I really want him to enjoy mealtimes. God knows both his dad and I love to eat.
Now about the other food: Breastmilk. You may have read my previous posts about quitting pumping and going to formula. By last Sunday, I was down to four pumps a day (from five). I noticed right away that my supply took a huge dip so I thought, "Oh good, my body is realizing it's time to stop".
Come Monday, I started having huge anxiety about pumping. HUGE! I realized that I don't want to quit. I like knowing that I am taking care of my baby's nutritional needs. I am cheap. I don't want to buy formula. I will still have to supplement because my supply isn't great. Jack still needs about 8 ounces of formula a day.
Here I am whining and complaining about pumping and lugging bottles to work and lugging my pump and all the dishes. I guess feeding my baby is more important than my inconvenience.
Stupid right? But I am happy with my decision (again). I am going to continue pumping as long as I can. My supply is very low, probably because my body wasn't used to the 4 pumps a day. I am back up to 5 now and might eventually go back up to 6 if I can swing a 5:30 pump like I used to.
I wish I wasn't so wishy-washy about making major decisions like this. I was all set to quit, and now I am not. Next week when I want to change my mind again, will someone kindly slap some sense into me? Thank you kindly.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Donuts and Breastfeeding
Sadly this post isn't about the health benefits of donuts or how they help breastfeeding moms. No, this post is about something that I assume is cultural. Explanation to come.
I was getting donuts very early this morning with Jack. As I was being helped by the very nice lady, she asked me if Jack was a boy or a girl. He was in a unisex sleeper so it wasn't obvious he was a boy. I told her and then she asked "Do you breastfeed or give him formula?". I was slightly surprised by her question but this is not the first time someone has asked me.
I am wondering if this is a cultural thing? She was Vietnamese. The other time this question was asked of me, it was from an African man filling my gas tank. I knew he was African because he barely spoke any English and he had an accent.
In this country, are we much more private and less open about how we feed our babies? I don't mind answering people when they ask me (for the record, I still say I am breastfeeding even though I pump and give Jack a tiny bit of formula) but I don't recall ever being asked this by anyone that was born in the United States. Friends and family don't count because I consider them privvy to my personal information.
Although the gas station attendant situation was weird (it was a man asking me and he asked in strange way), I proudly told him yes, I was breastfeeding. He then went on to ask for how long I was planning to?
I think this must be cultural. I haven't done much research, but I assume in other countries, it is very acceptable for women to breastfeed and be open about it. It is extremely rare that I have encountered women out and about with their children where they breastfeed in public. I did it once at the zoo and I didn't see anyone else that day doing it. Maybe this isn't the case in other parts of the world. Maybe women are much more open and not only breastfeed in public, but talk about it as well.
So, donuts and breastfeeding. That was my morning so far. If you have any insight to this, please let me know! I would love to hear your experiences with this type of situation.
I was getting donuts very early this morning with Jack. As I was being helped by the very nice lady, she asked me if Jack was a boy or a girl. He was in a unisex sleeper so it wasn't obvious he was a boy. I told her and then she asked "Do you breastfeed or give him formula?". I was slightly surprised by her question but this is not the first time someone has asked me.
I am wondering if this is a cultural thing? She was Vietnamese. The other time this question was asked of me, it was from an African man filling my gas tank. I knew he was African because he barely spoke any English and he had an accent.
In this country, are we much more private and less open about how we feed our babies? I don't mind answering people when they ask me (for the record, I still say I am breastfeeding even though I pump and give Jack a tiny bit of formula) but I don't recall ever being asked this by anyone that was born in the United States. Friends and family don't count because I consider them privvy to my personal information.
Although the gas station attendant situation was weird (it was a man asking me and he asked in strange way), I proudly told him yes, I was breastfeeding. He then went on to ask for how long I was planning to?
I think this must be cultural. I haven't done much research, but I assume in other countries, it is very acceptable for women to breastfeed and be open about it. It is extremely rare that I have encountered women out and about with their children where they breastfeed in public. I did it once at the zoo and I didn't see anyone else that day doing it. Maybe this isn't the case in other parts of the world. Maybe women are much more open and not only breastfeed in public, but talk about it as well.
So, donuts and breastfeeding. That was my morning so far. If you have any insight to this, please let me know! I would love to hear your experiences with this type of situation.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
A Boob Post
This is not what you expect, but a boob post nonetheless.
I have always had an issue with the girls standing at attention. In high school, some of the guy's nickname for me was Nipples. Not a flattering nickname. Ever since then, I have worn super duper padded bras so the weather centers wouldn't predict cold. Working at Victoria's Secret for a period of time was awesome because I could be picky about the bras I wore making sure the nips weren't exposed.
Since I have been pumping exclusively, the girls have been.....how should I say this? Erect. No matter how much padding is in my bra, they are extremely noticeable. Even with my nursing pads, the girls are blinding.
Now here is where I am going to vent. Why must everyone STARE? It's so incredibly annoying. Men, women, dogs, everyone just stares at my boobs. I know they are distracting people. I know that I appear cold. I can't help it. I just want to scream at them "STOP IT!". Even at work, people's eyes automatically gravitate to my chest. I cannot wear bulky sweaters since it's now June. I can't fathom adding more padding to my bras. They are already padded enough.
What is a girl to do? I want my girls to be un-noticeable. The attention that my boobs are getting is not the attention I would prefer to get.
If anyone has any solutions, I would love to hear it. I may have to resort to wearing three sports bras at once if this doesn't resolve itself soon.
I have always had an issue with the girls standing at attention. In high school, some of the guy's nickname for me was Nipples. Not a flattering nickname. Ever since then, I have worn super duper padded bras so the weather centers wouldn't predict cold. Working at Victoria's Secret for a period of time was awesome because I could be picky about the bras I wore making sure the nips weren't exposed.
Since I have been pumping exclusively, the girls have been.....how should I say this? Erect. No matter how much padding is in my bra, they are extremely noticeable. Even with my nursing pads, the girls are blinding.
Now here is where I am going to vent. Why must everyone STARE? It's so incredibly annoying. Men, women, dogs, everyone just stares at my boobs. I know they are distracting people. I know that I appear cold. I can't help it. I just want to scream at them "STOP IT!". Even at work, people's eyes automatically gravitate to my chest. I cannot wear bulky sweaters since it's now June. I can't fathom adding more padding to my bras. They are already padded enough.
What is a girl to do? I want my girls to be un-noticeable. The attention that my boobs are getting is not the attention I would prefer to get.
If anyone has any solutions, I would love to hear it. I may have to resort to wearing three sports bras at once if this doesn't resolve itself soon.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Exclusive Pumper
That's me! I have been EP'ing now for over a month. Jack was still struggling with breastfeeding and I was getting very uptight and anxious. It's so much easier for us this way. And you know what? I am sooooo much happier.
Here is why I like pumping and giving Jack bottles:
* I stress less about him latching correctly
* I stress less about that the position that might upset his reflux
* With bottles, I can see EXACTLY how much he is eating during the day
* No more crying during feedings
* I know if my supply is low or just right by what I am pumping out
I still occasionally try and nurse him but it usually only lasts a few minutes before he starts crying and arching.
I have gotten a lot of grief from my mom about not nursing him. During my recent visit to New Hampshire, she gave me a hard time. I explained that I struggled for three months and that I am still giving him breast milk. I nicely told her to shove it also.
Even with the alleviated stress, I still envy women who have little to no problems with breastfeeding. I wish it had worked out for us, but you know what? I am feeding my baby and that is what is important. I am proud to say that we have never had to give Jack formula. I pump often enough and my supply is leveling out (thanks to my Domperidone) that I can keep up. There is nothing wrong with formula, but my goal was to make it to four months without ever having to give him any. I am going to make that goal!
With our next baby, I plan on trying again with breastfeeding. Did I say next baby? Gulp.
Here is why I like pumping and giving Jack bottles:
* I stress less about him latching correctly
* I stress less about that the position that might upset his reflux
* With bottles, I can see EXACTLY how much he is eating during the day
* No more crying during feedings
* I know if my supply is low or just right by what I am pumping out
I still occasionally try and nurse him but it usually only lasts a few minutes before he starts crying and arching.
I have gotten a lot of grief from my mom about not nursing him. During my recent visit to New Hampshire, she gave me a hard time. I explained that I struggled for three months and that I am still giving him breast milk. I nicely told her to shove it also.
Even with the alleviated stress, I still envy women who have little to no problems with breastfeeding. I wish it had worked out for us, but you know what? I am feeding my baby and that is what is important. I am proud to say that we have never had to give Jack formula. I pump often enough and my supply is leveling out (thanks to my Domperidone) that I can keep up. There is nothing wrong with formula, but my goal was to make it to four months without ever having to give him any. I am going to make that goal!
With our next baby, I plan on trying again with breastfeeding. Did I say next baby? Gulp.
Friday, May 28, 2010
I Survived
Today was my first day back to work. Why did I return to work on a Friday you may ask? Because I wanted to get paid for the Memorial Day holiday. I have been on an unpaid status for the past month so receiving a paycheck would be a good thing.
It was hard to return to work and get back into the swing of things after being off for four months. I had 1729 emails. Thank goodness I didn't need to respond to all of them.
I survived the day with no problem. I think that is because my mother-in-law watches Jack on Fridays. The rest of the week, Karen, our daycare provider will watch him. Ask me on Tuesday how I am feeling and I will let you know.
Jack did great today! He played with Nana all day and napped really well. When he came home, that was entirely another story. He was cranky and ate a ton and didn't sleep well.
Mama did great too. Here is my schedule for today:
5:00 (a.m.) : Up to pump and then immediately shower
6:00: Out of the shower and then take care of Jack before we leave. Change a diaper, top him off in the eating department and give him his Prevacid.
6:45: Meet Nana at Starbucks to drop Jack off. Get a cup of coffee
6:50: Park in the park-and-ride garage to catch the train into downtown.
7:00: On the train
7:40: Arrive at work
8:15: Pump
11:15: Pump
2:15: Pump
3:00: Leave work
4:00: Pick up Jack
Oh yeah, there was some work and eating in there too.
Pumping at work is not terrible at all. There is a designated room for nursing mom's and it's private. You can't even get into the room unless you have security access. The chairs are comfy, there are curtains, a private bathroom and a fridge to store your milk. Going down there three times today wasn't awful. It was actually a nice break.
Next week is going to be a little more tough. Karen will watch Jack Tuesday through Thursday and then Nana will take over again on Friday. I worry that Karen won't like watching Jack because of his feeding and napping issues. I worry that I am going to be a wreck. I worry that I am going to start regretting spending so much time away from him every day.
Ugh, can't I please win the lottery? Please?
It was hard to return to work and get back into the swing of things after being off for four months. I had 1729 emails. Thank goodness I didn't need to respond to all of them.
I survived the day with no problem. I think that is because my mother-in-law watches Jack on Fridays. The rest of the week, Karen, our daycare provider will watch him. Ask me on Tuesday how I am feeling and I will let you know.
Jack did great today! He played with Nana all day and napped really well. When he came home, that was entirely another story. He was cranky and ate a ton and didn't sleep well.
Mama did great too. Here is my schedule for today:
5:00 (a.m.) : Up to pump and then immediately shower
6:00: Out of the shower and then take care of Jack before we leave. Change a diaper, top him off in the eating department and give him his Prevacid.
6:45: Meet Nana at Starbucks to drop Jack off. Get a cup of coffee
6:50: Park in the park-and-ride garage to catch the train into downtown.
7:00: On the train
7:40: Arrive at work
8:15: Pump
11:15: Pump
2:15: Pump
3:00: Leave work
4:00: Pick up Jack
Oh yeah, there was some work and eating in there too.
Pumping at work is not terrible at all. There is a designated room for nursing mom's and it's private. You can't even get into the room unless you have security access. The chairs are comfy, there are curtains, a private bathroom and a fridge to store your milk. Going down there three times today wasn't awful. It was actually a nice break.
Next week is going to be a little more tough. Karen will watch Jack Tuesday through Thursday and then Nana will take over again on Friday. I worry that Karen won't like watching Jack because of his feeding and napping issues. I worry that I am going to be a wreck. I worry that I am going to start regretting spending so much time away from him every day.
Ugh, can't I please win the lottery? Please?
Monday, April 19, 2010
Finally!
Some answers! Last Friday, in a last ditch effort, I saw my fourth lactation consultant. I was referred by my pediatrician surprisingly, after the pedi listened to my issues about Jack and his gas. I thought maybe he was so gassy because of his latch. I went to the lactation consultant to either confirm or deny.
At the visit, Jack nursed beautifully (for him). He nursed for 8 minutes with a little prodding. This is twice as long as he usually goes before he starts to cry. On cue, at 8 minutes, he started arching and crying, so I burped him. The lactation consultant said his latch was great and that he wasn't sucking air. She suspected that Jack has reflux. My homework for the weekend was to keep trying with breastfeeding and not to pump so that he could get all the milk and no bottles. Well, that is easier said then done.
I tried nursing him a few times this weekend, but that was an epic disaster. He cried and screamed and clawed at my chest most times I tried. That makes me feel so terrible so I usually just give him bottles of pumped milk. It is less heartbreaking for the both of us this way.
Today, we went to the pediatrician to be evaluated for reflux. Jack doesn't spit up and doesn't have a slow weight gain, but he does have lots of other symptoms. For example:
* Gas and hiccups all day and uncontrollably
* Arching and crying during or after feeding
* Eating often and small amounts (Jack typically eats every hour)
* Making a face like he has a bad taste in his mouth
* Poor sleep habits (he hardly naps)
I was extremely impressed with both my pediatrician and the LC. The LC actually called my pedi after my appointment on Friday and told her that she is concerned and that she wanted Dr. D to see us for a possible issue with reflux. Can you believe that? I am impressed with Dr. D because she listens to me. I have been saying something is wrong with the wee one since he was born. Whether it be gas, a milk allergy, or reflux, something is wrong. Nobody seems to want to listen. She did. She is so kind and does not make you feel stupid at all. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this.
She confirmed that since we have ruled out everything else and that we have seen several different LC's and chatted about this before, she is comfortable giving Jack the reflux diagnosis. She also told me that she is not quick to give babies medication unless the situation warrants it. Jack's situation does.
Tonight, I gave my poor baby his first does of baby Zantac. I pray that it works and that he starts to feel better. The poor little guy was hurting tonight. I had to almost force feed him. He hadn't eaten very much tonight so I swaddled him, gave him some bottle and then made sure he was well burped before he went to bed.
Please work medicine, please! I want my poor little guy to regain some of the 2.5 months he has lived in pain. I also hope that this will help him go longer between feedings and maybe he will want to nurse more.
Finally some answers!
At the visit, Jack nursed beautifully (for him). He nursed for 8 minutes with a little prodding. This is twice as long as he usually goes before he starts to cry. On cue, at 8 minutes, he started arching and crying, so I burped him. The lactation consultant said his latch was great and that he wasn't sucking air. She suspected that Jack has reflux. My homework for the weekend was to keep trying with breastfeeding and not to pump so that he could get all the milk and no bottles. Well, that is easier said then done.
I tried nursing him a few times this weekend, but that was an epic disaster. He cried and screamed and clawed at my chest most times I tried. That makes me feel so terrible so I usually just give him bottles of pumped milk. It is less heartbreaking for the both of us this way.
Today, we went to the pediatrician to be evaluated for reflux. Jack doesn't spit up and doesn't have a slow weight gain, but he does have lots of other symptoms. For example:
* Gas and hiccups all day and uncontrollably
* Arching and crying during or after feeding
* Eating often and small amounts (Jack typically eats every hour)
* Making a face like he has a bad taste in his mouth
* Poor sleep habits (he hardly naps)
I was extremely impressed with both my pediatrician and the LC. The LC actually called my pedi after my appointment on Friday and told her that she is concerned and that she wanted Dr. D to see us for a possible issue with reflux. Can you believe that? I am impressed with Dr. D because she listens to me. I have been saying something is wrong with the wee one since he was born. Whether it be gas, a milk allergy, or reflux, something is wrong. Nobody seems to want to listen. She did. She is so kind and does not make you feel stupid at all. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this.
She confirmed that since we have ruled out everything else and that we have seen several different LC's and chatted about this before, she is comfortable giving Jack the reflux diagnosis. She also told me that she is not quick to give babies medication unless the situation warrants it. Jack's situation does.
Tonight, I gave my poor baby his first does of baby Zantac. I pray that it works and that he starts to feel better. The poor little guy was hurting tonight. I had to almost force feed him. He hadn't eaten very much tonight so I swaddled him, gave him some bottle and then made sure he was well burped before he went to bed.
Please work medicine, please! I want my poor little guy to regain some of the 2.5 months he has lived in pain. I also hope that this will help him go longer between feedings and maybe he will want to nurse more.
Finally some answers!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Wishy Washy
That's me! Of course, this is yet another post about breastfeeding. Clearly, the horse isn't dead yet.
Late last week I decided that I was going to exclusively pump and give Jack breastmilk bottles. I got to the end of my rope and with all the issues we have had, I thought it was for the best. Yeah, I changed my mind. See what I mean about wishy washy?
On Friday, I am going back to the lactation clinic. I am bound and determined to make breastfeeding work. Jack sucks so much air while he eats, which makes feeding difficult. He eats anywhere from every hour to hour and a half. But the thing is, he only eats for about 5 minutes. Usually, it is closer to three. He gets so incredibly gassy that he thinks he's full. I talked to his pediatrician about the gassiness issue yesterday and she thinks it could be an issue with his feeding (DUH!).
Maybe it's just a bad latch? Maybe it's the position I am holding him? At any rate, I am going to conquer this mountain. I want breastfeeding to work. For many reasons, some of them selfish. I want that closeness that you get while nursing. It's convenient, cheap, and let's face it, I can eat whatever I want (within reason). Nursing burns so many calories and for someone that LOVES to eat, this is important. Plus, I am not a failure and I will be damned if I fail at this. It's almost like a competition at this point. Me versus breastfeeding. I WILL WIN!
I successfully nursed Jack twice yesterday and once today. Granted, it was only for a few minutes each time, but I still did it. I am still dealing with supply issues, but if I am only nursing for a couple of minutes, this shouldn't be a huge deal. I have a prescription for Domperidone, so hopefully that helps my supply.
Friday, here I come! This will work. It has to. But if for some reason it doesn't, I will not die. I can always pump. And if pumping doesn't work, I will go the formula route. I am okay with that. Really, I am. I have been so close to giving up numerous times that I have gotten used to the idea.
If you are the praying type, I could use all the prayers you have got. Thank you!
Late last week I decided that I was going to exclusively pump and give Jack breastmilk bottles. I got to the end of my rope and with all the issues we have had, I thought it was for the best. Yeah, I changed my mind. See what I mean about wishy washy?
On Friday, I am going back to the lactation clinic. I am bound and determined to make breastfeeding work. Jack sucks so much air while he eats, which makes feeding difficult. He eats anywhere from every hour to hour and a half. But the thing is, he only eats for about 5 minutes. Usually, it is closer to three. He gets so incredibly gassy that he thinks he's full. I talked to his pediatrician about the gassiness issue yesterday and she thinks it could be an issue with his feeding (DUH!).
Maybe it's just a bad latch? Maybe it's the position I am holding him? At any rate, I am going to conquer this mountain. I want breastfeeding to work. For many reasons, some of them selfish. I want that closeness that you get while nursing. It's convenient, cheap, and let's face it, I can eat whatever I want (within reason). Nursing burns so many calories and for someone that LOVES to eat, this is important. Plus, I am not a failure and I will be damned if I fail at this. It's almost like a competition at this point. Me versus breastfeeding. I WILL WIN!
I successfully nursed Jack twice yesterday and once today. Granted, it was only for a few minutes each time, but I still did it. I am still dealing with supply issues, but if I am only nursing for a couple of minutes, this shouldn't be a huge deal. I have a prescription for Domperidone, so hopefully that helps my supply.
Friday, here I come! This will work. It has to. But if for some reason it doesn't, I will not die. I can always pump. And if pumping doesn't work, I will go the formula route. I am okay with that. Really, I am. I have been so close to giving up numerous times that I have gotten used to the idea.
If you are the praying type, I could use all the prayers you have got. Thank you!
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