Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Just a quick update!
Well, during most of my pregnancy, I had so much to write. My journal saw entries daily, but for the last 6 weeks, it's been a little different! :) I had my son, he's 3 weeks old today. An absolutely gorgeous baby boy I've named Zander. He was 7 lbs 5 ounces and 19 inches. So my birth didn't go at all like I had planned, but I don't regret anything. I'll post his birth story one of these days.
I am so grateful to have a healthy lil guy that loves to be held. The first week was amazing, I got out a few times, slept plenty, took him shopping for NB sized clothes and was feeling great. It wasn't until about day 13 that things started to change... He cries a lot more and is harder to comfort. My only fail proof remedy is to let him feed and when the Ped told me he was overeating causing gas resulting in his fussiness, I was devastated. When he starts the ear piercing wails, nursing is the only thing seems calm him. It's been a rough 3 days of not letting him eat so much. I'd have to take him off before he fell asleep, then he just scream. Thank goodness for a great lactation consultant/Hypnobirthing instructor/doula whom I had an appointment with this morning. She told me to follow my instincts. YAY!!!! I can feed him as he needs and allow him to comfort nurse. He seems to need that in the middle of the night to get back to sleep and I am so grateful to have this tool back!
So he may get air/gas from comfort nursing, he would from the screaming as well right? I’ve concluded I should burp him more frequently (as I rarely do), and will try some massage techniques, and maybe the gas drops and see if they help. My LC also suggested a tea to help soothe his fussiness. It’s equal parts fennel seed, chamomile and catnip which I’ve read great reviews of and can’t wait to try! I’m rereading my Happiest Baby on the Block and while I do most of these instinctually (maybe not as vigorously though), it’s nice to know my instincts are right.
Breastfeeding wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped. I ended up having a hard time getting him to latch due to flat nipples, so have been using a nipple shield. It’s nice to not have cracked nipples, but difficult because I can’t just feed him anytime he needs it, like in the pediatrician’s waiting room. So today at my LC appointment, I got help to wean him from it, and we had our first successful feed at home without the shield ! Yippee!!
I don’t wear my Moby as much as I’d planned, but Z is still in arms for all but maybe 2 or 3 hours a day. He also usually falls asleep on my belly at night after feeding, though I will sometimes roll him off to sleep next to me. I’d like to use the Moby more, it’s just so long and I feel like I’m always changing diapers while attempting elimination communication. It’s just so cumbersome (the Moby, not EC).
Well, my milk has just let down, so I’m off to rouse this sleeping baby from my chest as it’s been nearly 3 hours. I sooooo look forward to his expressions while he eats and how when he pops off, he bobs his head around like a little turtle, looking for his breast again. It’s beyond amazing, priceless. I hope I can remember these moments forever.
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Definitely follow your own instincts! That was the best advice! And congratulations on nursing without the shield! It is great to see an update (finally). You should post a pic and the birth story soon, I love birth stories!
ReplyDeleteBig congrats on the birth of your son!! My first birth was very hard. It was a planned homebirth (and I had the Mongan hypnobirthing book and tapes) but we transferred after 3 hrs of pushing at home (you can read the story here www.entergently.homestead.com Xian's birth). I was thankful however to be able to avoid most all intervention at the hospital!! I was absolutely prepared (years of prior research) but you can never be prepared for everything and all we can do is the best we can, we learn through our experiences and grow from them. There were things I allowed during that birth that I didn't in my next births, and some things are just beyond our control regardless.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to hear that you had a wonderful support person who backed you up with listening to your instincts!! All 5 of my babies have been huge spitters, they have all had gas and I make WAY too much milk for them, in the beginning! (thankfully with the last 4 I had a toddler nursing as well) But you know, when baby wants the breast they want the breast, LOL!! Even if it means that they get overly full and immediately spit up all over me! I have found though that sometimes when I know they are full and that they just want to suck my little pinky finger is a life saver (allows them the sucking, the skin contact but they are not getting overly full from milk) and by the time they are a couple months old my supply has regulated, they are better able to handle the milk and they eventually don't need or want to suck on my finger anymore, has been the same for all 5 of them. They also all preferred upright positions too (and I am sure your little one does too with tummy issues) so wrapping tummy 2 tummy is great! They sometimes still fuss, but if they are full, and changed I can get moving, pop my hand under the wrap and they will sick my finger for a few minutes to go to sleep. Of course, when I just had 1, I mostly only wore him when out, because I could just hold him in arms all day (and shower with him, and nap with him . . . wonderful!!!). Such a precious time!! Congrats again!
I loved breastfeeding! It's hard to not always listen to your doctor's advice, I quit breastfeeding for an entire day on my peds. advice and I felt horrible! I'm so happy I decided to go against his advice and continue breastfeeding! It was definitely more difficult than I would have ever imagined!
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