Week of 12/11

[estrellita]

pooh8402 *hugs* thinking of you, I hope so much this works out for you!

[estrellita]

We had pictures done this morning and I LOVE the previews! Then we did some Christmas shopping and randomly decided to see Santa too while we were at the mall. We've been gone all day! I'm surprised at how good I've felt and was happy to get out. I just wish this persistent headache would go away but it's probably just the lack of sleep!

[HoneySpider]

Sending prayers your way pooh8402!

[MrsMB]

bk1 hope your DD feels better soon!!!

[ewall]

estrellita have you checked your BP or talked to your doctor about the headache?

bk1 Hope G is better!

[estrellita]

ewall No, I probably should I really do think it's the lack of sleep and my neck has been sore too (lots of looking down, either at A, my phone, etc, lol). I wonder if the grocery store here in town has one of those BP things, or do they still have those anywhere? A has an appointment on Fri, wonder if they could check my BP quick then too. I get a lot of headaches in general so it's hard for me to remember that it's something I should be watching out for!

[ewall]

estrellita I think most drugstores do or have someone either in the pharmacy staff or minute clinic staff that could. Grocery store might have the machine as well. When I was concerned, I ended up just going to urgent care because I didn't want be hunting down a machine.

[awick14]

The last few days I have been reading the posts but the app is not working for me and I find responding on the mobile site harder, so I haven't been replying.

Not much is going on around here. Just starting to prepare for next weekend (23rd-26th) as we are going back to our home town to have Christmas with the family. This is the last Christmas I'll probably have off in a while, and I'm glad it's this one.

[awick14]

((pooh8402))

[amaranth]

pooh8402 So many prayers heading your way <3

[pooh8402]

We froze 2 embryos today, one hatching and one full blast. Both were poor quality. I don't have a lot of hope that they'll survive thawing.

[luv2rn4fun]

Praying for you pooh8402. Sorry you didn’t get the results you were hoping for but I really really hope you get a healthy baby from one of these two embryos. Will you thaw both at the same time? Would you transfer both of they both survived thawing? So many ((Hugs)) and prayers. We are all rooting for you and here for you.

[estrellita]

*hugs* pooh8402, I'm sorry it wasn't better news! Sending all the positive energy I can your way!

[estrellita]

I really really want to go see the new Star Wars movie but don't want to leave A for that long right now. How frowned upon would it be to bring a 2 week old to a movie? Lol. I wouldn't. But I'm tempted because I don't want it spoiled! I will NOT be happy if people start posting things anytime soon!

[pooh8402]

luv2rn4fun, if it was just me, I would thaw both and transfer both. However, DH is adamant against the possibility of twins, so we would only transfer one.

[amaranth]

Dec 14, 2017 18:26:44 GMT -5 estrellita said:

I really really want to go see the new Star Wars movie but don't want to leave A for that long right now. How frowned upon would it be to bring a 2 week old to a movie? Lol. I wouldn't. But I'm tempted because I don't want it spoiled! I will NOT be happy if people start posting things anytime soon!

I've often seen people with newborns in theatres. I never go to movies so I didn't do this, but as long as the baby isn't crying at all I don't think it's bad. 

I do wonder about their ears. It seems really loud for a baby.

[estrellita]

Dec 14, 2017 20:03:01 GMT -5 amaranth said:

Dec 14, 2017 18:26:44 GMT -5 estrellita said:

I really really want to go see the new Star Wars movie but don't want to leave A for that long right now. How frowned upon would it be to bring a 2 week old to a movie? Lol. I wouldn't. But I'm tempted because I don't want it spoiled! I will NOT be happy if people start posting things anytime soon!

I've often seen people with newborns in theatres. I never go to movies so I didn't do this, but as long as the baby isn't crying at all I don't think it's bad. 

I do wonder about their ears. It seems really loud for a baby.

Yeah that's true, especially a movie like this one! And I'm sure she'll cry so I definitely wouldn't. Maybe we'd get lucky and she'd be content but my luck we'd end up needing to leave with a screaming baby and just piss everyone else off, lol.

[MrsMB]

pooh8402 praying for you and these babies right now...

[katespade]

It’s payday so I just ordered our new kitchen sink, faucet, and range hood. My wallet is crying. lol.

Kitchen demo starts next week!

[luv2rn4fun]

Dec 15, 2017 13:19:00 GMT -5 katespade said:

It’s payday so I just ordered our new kitchen sink, faucet, and range hood. My wallet is crying. lol.

Kitchen demo starts next week!

How exciting!! Can’t wait to see it all done!

[katespade]

Dec 15, 2017 13:20:23 GMT -5 luv2rn4fun said:

Dec 15, 2017 13:19:00 GMT -5 katespade said:

It’s payday so I just ordered our new kitchen sink, faucet, and range hood. My wallet is crying. lol.

Kitchen demo starts next week!

How exciting!! Can’t wait to see it all done!

I’m supposed to get a phone call today to schedule a time for cabinets to get delivered on Monday!

Countertops are tentatively scheduled for 1/2, assuming we can get the floor and cabinets installed by then.

I’m so excited! 😁

[estrellita]

@ related vent

We had A's 2 week checkup today. I thought things were going pretty well until they put her on the scale. She lost 8 ounces in the last week, 10 since birth. Awesome. I of course got upset, feeling like a failure. Doctor wants us to stop nursing and just bottle feed all weekend. I commented about needing to find time to pump then on Sunday since we're supposed to go to our friend's son's birthday party. Doctor didn't seem to care and basically just said to give her formula. Wtf. Obviously I'm not against formula considering E was almost 100% FF but really? I posted in a BFing group about it and they're all pretty much telling me to ignore the doctor and keep nursing. On the one hand, she's a doctor and theoretically knows better than I do. On the other hand, why is she SO against me nursing? Why isn't she trying to figure out how to fix the problem while also still nursing? I'm just super frustrated and confused. Ugh.

[pooh8402]

First of all, huge hugs to you. You are such an amazing mom and you are doing everything right.

Playing devil's advocate, I think that doctor just wants to make sure the baby is fed. Some doctors aren't necessarily anti-breastfeeding, so much as making sure kids aren't FTT in the search for that EBF goal (which is just too much pressure on new moms imo and I think is one of the worst policies I've ever seen from the AAP and WHO).

I can't read your pedi's mind, but as someone who has provided care for newborns for a long time, including kids readmitted at a week or two old, that's what I would be thinking if a 2 week old has lost weight, instead of being at or almost at birthweight.

Also, pedis get very little breastfeeding education. Like one lecture in med school. It's likely she doesn't know HOW to help you breastfeed.

I don't trust most FB breastfeeding groups. They're filled with lactivists who I believe do more harm than good. Take their advice with a grain of salt.

What about nursing, then supplementing with 2-3 oz formula after every feeding? You'll still get the breast stimulation and the nursing practice, and your baby will get the necessary calories. I did this for a long time while waiting for my supply to increase.

[estrellita]

Thank you pooh8402. I definitely see where she's coming from with wanting to make sure A is being fed enough. I've been concerned about that too but thought things were ok with the diaper output. I also totally agree that there's so much pressure on only BFing and there are definitely people out there that starve their babies in order to avoid formula. I don't want to do that either. I'm fine with supplementing if needed, but I don't want to just stop nursing altogether. I'm just super emotional about this, especially after the issues with E. I was so happy she was nursing and now it feels like someone just punched me in the stomach

[bk1]

Big hugs estrellita. You are doing awesome. Pooh gives great advice. Be easy on yourself - breastfeeding is HARD. It is so demanding and so frustrating when your body isn't doing what you want it to. I supplemented with C for the first month or so because I was afraid she wasn't getting enough. My supply eventually built up enough that we were able to switch to EBF and she is still nursing at 13 months. I think supplimenting with a bit of formula would be good all the way around.  

[awick14]

Urg ((pooh8402))

((estrellita)) I agree with pooh8402 about breast feeding then formula feeding.

Maybe you could breast feed and then have your H feed her formula and you can pump while he feeds her. That might help you have time to pump and up your supply a little.

[estrellita]

Dec 16, 2017 10:54:00 GMT -5 awick14 said:

Urg ((pooh8402))

((estrellita)) I agree with pooh8402 about breast feeding then formula feeding.

Maybe you could breast feed and then have your H feed her formula and you can pump while he feeds her. That might help you have time to pump and up your supply a little.

Right now he's mostly doing all the bottle feedings but he goes back to work Monday so I'll be doing all of this alone most of the time. I've been trying to nurse her a little after her bottle and she nursed for like a half hour last time. I don't know how I'm supposed to do ANYTHING else if I'm trying to nurse, then bottle feed, then pump every 2-3 hours. And it doesn't help that the doctor made me feel like I was crazy for not just throwing in the towel and giving her formula. I just want to know what the problem is and fix it so we can keep nursing. With Christmas coming up too I really wanted to be mostly nursing so I didn't have to lug around the stupid pump and need to find a place and time to pump in the middle of everything. I want to go see an LC but idk if anyone will see me this week. I'm starting to feel like I did with E.. stressed, super emotional, etc. I wanted so badly to avoid that this time. It's just killing me that no matter what I do, it's never enough

[melsamoony]

estrellita I definitely recommend lactation. I had a similar experience eith my DS. I think for your sanity you need to either breast feed and supplement eith formula or pump and supplement. Doing all 3 is a full time job and super overwhelming especially when caring for 2 kids.

If A seems to be feeding effectively breast feed and top off with the bottle. Talk to lactation about dietary supplements to increase your supply (lactation cookies, vitamins, ect) and maybe pump once or twice a day when your H is home to help increase supply.

You are doing a great job. Call lactation next week or look at online resources. I have heard there are consultants who do online visits with facetime/skype and some do home visits. Be kind to yourself and try to stay where you are right now. (Hugs) friend.

[estrellita]

Thank you melsamoony. I think the problem is that I really want to supplement with my milk and use as little formula as possible. Not because I'm against it, but because of the cost. So far we've been good on samples but the ready to feed is almost gone so we'll be cracking into the containers soon. I'm just not making enough though (last pump I only got 20ml which is not even close to enough). I'm also already taking a supplement. I'm going to send H to the store to get some smoothie ingredients but I'm not sure if that'll be enough. It's so damn frustrating when you think something is going well, and want it to so badly, and it just won't!

[awick14]

estrellita- I'm not sure how the lactation consultants work in your area but our local health authority that the hospital is part of has LC that work 7 days a week from 8-4 and they came to my house on Dec 28 and 31st when I needed help. Hopefully there is something similar to that where you are.

Breast feeding is so hard. Please be kind to yourself.