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Thanks for the tips, guys. I feel like if my wife is going to breastfeed, I want to do everything I can to help where it's possible, since I know it's not going to be easy. I get up multiple times throughout the night as it is, so getting back to sleep isn't a big deal for me. I rarely sleep more than 2-3 hours at a time anyway (even though I'm usually back asleep in 5-10 mins). Amazon Prime, I'm finding out, is a great tool. In the month I've had it, it's paid for itself... even before the baby is here! Acrolos fucked around with this message at 22:04 on Mar 6, 2013 |
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Mar 6, 2013 06:26
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nah.
Lullabee fucked around with this message at 23:59 on Mar 21, 2017 |
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Mar 6, 2013 08:10
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Hdip posted:She'll need at least 1800 calories a day if she's breastfeeding. That's a lot of snacks in between meals. Actually, 1800 is probably less than the amount of calories an average woman will consume from her basic meals alone unless she's on a diet. Look up the caloric content of some of your typical meals and snacks, I'll bet you'll be surprised. (For instance, 4 pb&j-sandwiches = apx 1300 calories)
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Mar 6, 2013 09:00
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One thing I'm worried about is making sure our dogs are adequately taken care of during the chaos of new baby. They're generally really good, like being in their crates (they just hang out in them unprompted anyway) let us know when they need to go out, etc., but a new baby is a big change and I don't know how to work them into a new routine. We've done what we can the whole pregnancy to get them used to new baby furniture, not jumping up on us anymore, staying off of us when we're sitting down unless they're specifically invited up sort of things, but I'm curious what's worked for other new parents that are also pet owners. 38 weeks now. Getting real sick of being pregnant.
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Mar 6, 2013 12:44
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Dandy Shrew posted:One thing I'm worried about is making sure our dogs are adequately taken care of during the chaos of new baby. They're generally really good, like being in their crates (they just hang out in them unprompted anyway) let us know when they need to go out, etc., but a new baby is a big change and I don't know how to work them into a new routine. We've done what we can the whole pregnancy to get them used to new baby furniture, not jumping up on us anymore, staying off of us when we're sitting down unless they're specifically invited up sort of things, but I'm curious what's worked for other new parents that are also pet owners. We sort of treated it like we were introducing a new pet into the house. Thankfully we have a fully fenced in backyard so we were able to kick them outside when we first brought him home and we weren't in a room with the door closed. They could smell him under the doors and I let them smell some of his clothes to get use to his smell and slowly introduced them to the baby as they acted calm. One of our dogs is a super sweet but super spazzy/hyper lab, but he acts pretty calm around him which is surprising. He'll just lay on the floor and not run around like a maniac like he usually does. Unfortunately or other dog has behavioral issues and isn't allowed in the house anymore unless there's bad weather. We knew it was going to be like this ahead of time so we spent the pregnancy getting her acclimated to living outside and setting up a comfortable living area. She's pretty old as it is and probably doesn't have a lot of years left in her. She's still physically healthy and enjoys guarding our chickens and doesn't mind being outside so we don't want to put her down. She's just not allowed direct contact with the baby ever.
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Mar 6, 2013 12:54
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On the calorie intake, I am just as hungry now if not more so than when I was pregnant. I dropped to my pre-pregnancy weight within a month of Archer's birth & have kept it off without having to exercise or diet. Breastfeeding literally sucks everything out of you.
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Mar 6, 2013 14:53
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"Sleep while the baby sleeps" is great in theory but impossible in practice, at least for me. Bottles and pump parts need washing and sterilizing, I need to eat/pee/shower at some point, and I also need some down time that isn't spent solely sleeping. We are on week three now and while it should get easier since we got the all clear to feed on demand rather than every three hours, it's still really, really rough. As baby gets bigger and we get more acclimated to operating on little/no sleep it's less difficult but every week has new challenges and problems. Go easy on yourselves and new dads, please be understanding if mom needs to cry a bit. Hormone withdrawal is a bitch and it has been super hard for me, but it's actually kind of funny - every night at 8:30, as if on cue, I start sobbing over nothing. Anyway, yeah the first weeks are hard. Hang in there.
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Mar 6, 2013 15:00
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Acrolos posted:So here's a question for new parents...what are the first few weeks like? My wife and I both have 12 weeks off of work, and I keep hearing that we'll be exhausted and getting very little sleep. Is there anything that I should be prepared for that I may not be aware of? We put together a little basket that had food, a huge water bottle, lanolin, pain drugs/vitamins, simethicone, bibs, and extra burp cloths, and nipple pads, my husband's job was to make sure it followed me and that it was filled as needed. He also did (does!) every diaper change when he's home.
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Mar 6, 2013 15:15
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Acrolos posted:So here's a question for new parents...what are the first few weeks like? My wife and I both have 12 weeks off of work, and I keep hearing that we'll be exhausted and getting very little sleep. Is there anything that I should be prepared for that I may not be aware of? My husband pretty much did everything in the house, organising the older kids, shopping etc while I just concentrated on breatfeeding and trying to sleep when the baby did. It was bliss. GoreJess posted:On the calorie intake, I am just as hungry now if not more so than when I was pregnant. I dropped to my pre-pregnancy weight within a month of Archer's birth & have kept it off without having to exercise or diet. Breastfeeding literally sucks everything out of you. It's awesome, 9 months of breastfeeding and I was 2 stone lighter than my pre pregnancy weight.
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Mar 6, 2013 15:24
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I breastfed for 20 months and never lost weight, and in fact ended up gaining 10 lbs after she weaned. I am still 30 lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight. YMMV. I'm 165 lbs so it's not the end of the world, but still.
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Mar 6, 2013 19:02
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Same here, I've been breastfeeding 13 months and counting and keep fluctuating between 3 and 7 lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight (which itself was 15 lbs overweight). I felt really bad about it before hearing that the magical breastfeeding weight loss doesn't work for everyone. Really nice for the people it works for, though! That would be amazing!
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Mar 7, 2013 09:34
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So we are sitting at the hospital now. In the middle of the night, my wife started feeling a trickle and we believe it was her water breaking, as it continued most of the morning. She hasn't had any contractions at all, but they are making us think that we are ready to go, as apparently a small percentage of women's water break without contractions. We've been told that if that is the case, we are going to have the baby before we leave.. Has anyone experienced a similar situation? This should be fun...
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Mar 7, 2013 14:58
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Acrolos posted:So we are sitting at the hospital now. In the middle of the night, my wife started feeling a trickle and we believe it was her water breaking, as it continued most of the morning. My waters broke before contractions started twice. One time contractions started about an hour later, the other nothing happened for two days so I had to get induced. How many weeks along is your wife? Edit: They won't send you home if your wifes waters have broken because there's a risk of infection. As long as your wife is term (over 37 weeks) they'll induce labour, otherwise she might have to stay in until they think the baby is ready to get out. hookerbot 5000 fucked around with this message at 15:09 on Mar 7, 2013 |
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Mar 7, 2013 15:05
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hookerbot 5000 posted:My waters broke before contractions started twice. One time contractions started about an hour later, the other nothing happened for two days so I had to get induced. She is just under 39 weeks, with a due date of 3/17, so we are far enough along. We had a checkup yesterday and she wasn't dilated at all, so my guess is that we are headed toward inducing the labor if it was actually her water breaking. We've been waiting for the doctor for about an hour now, so hopefully we will find more out soon!
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Mar 7, 2013 15:12
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Acrolos posted:She is just under 39 weeks, with a due date of 3/17, so we are far enough along. We had a checkup yesterday and she wasn't dilated at all, so my guess is that we are headed toward inducing the labor if it was actually her water breaking. Good luck 
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Mar 7, 2013 16:14
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hookerbot 5000 posted:Good luck Thanks! Just found out that she is officially in labor... So looks like we are having a baby today (or tomorrow)
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Mar 7, 2013 17:06
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Acrolos posted:Thanks! Just found out that she is officially in labor... So looks like we are having a baby today (or tomorrow) Oh goodness! Best of luck and health! Very exciting stuff
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Mar 7, 2013 19:56
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Help! I need some advice! My baby is just about a month old and she's having problems that look a lot like reflux: spitting up, crying, arching, vomiting. She's definitely not a happy baby, and has trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep. She's exclusively breastfed, and I've cut out all dairy. She's also on zantac, but nothing seems to be helping. It's gotten to the point where she's vomiting two or three times a night - always after eating. Now her doctor wants her to go in for an endoscopy and wants me to stop breastfeeding her and switch her to a hyper allergenic formula. I'm really stressed about both of those options. However, she's been gaining weight really fast, maybe too fast (about a pound a week), and is pretty much filling a diaper every hour or so. I'm worried I might just be making too much milk for her. The symptoms of oversupply and reflux are pretty much identical. How can I tell the difference? And should we just let her (and us) be unhappy, since she's not really in danger? Aargh! I wish I knew what to do here!
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Mar 8, 2013 18:09
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newts posted:Help! I need some advice! Get yourself to a lactation consultant immediately. They can help you figure out if it could be an oversupply issue. Are you taking reflux precautions like keeping the baby upright after eating for a half hour? How long have you been on a dairy elimination diet? It can take weeks to get it out of your system and it's generally a good idea to eliminate soy at the same time. Does your baby have "normal" breastfed baby poop? A milk protein intolerance is usually indicated by green frothy poop. Weight gain of one pound per week for a newborn isn't actually that atypical for a breastfed baby; they tend to gain and gain until about four months and then slow down dramatically. It does mean that the Zantac dosage might need to be upped, though. There's a huge range of "okay" dosages so you may have flexibility there. If you're not getting the support you need from your newborn's pediatrician to keep breastfeeding (breast milk digests super quick so it's better for a reflux baby than formula!), don't hesitate to look elsewhere.
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Mar 8, 2013 18:28
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newts posted:Help! I need some advice! A good middle ground would be to pump and bottle feed her the breastmilk instead of switching to formula. Then you can have a better idea of how much she's actually consuming.
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Mar 8, 2013 20:12
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Pumping is not recommended if you have oversupply issues.
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Mar 8, 2013 20:17
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Try block feeding for a week or so. I know some people who have corrected oversupply by just doing one breast per feeding and some who have had to ramp it up to make one boob the day boob and one the night boob, switching off every twelve hours. More info here: http://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/fast-letdown/ and here: http://www.lalecheleague.org/nb/nbjanfeb07p26.html You definitely want to make sure the Zantac dosage is appropriate for her weight, and you may need to switch to Prevacid if that isn't working. More info here: http://refluxrebels.com/Acid_reflux/Acid_reflux_medication.html I'd also encourage you to get in contact with your local La Leche League. Many of them have Facebook groups where you can get advice ASAP and you can always call or email a leader for one on one help. You can find your local group here: http://www.llli.org/webus.html
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Mar 8, 2013 20:33
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Thanks for the advice! We just got back from the doctor. I'm going to try the hypoallergenic formula for five days or so and see what happens. At least, that's the idea - she really hates it and just roots for the boob the whole time. I caved and let her have it. I'll try to be stronger next time. But I just really want to keep breastfeeding. Even five days feels like a failure somehow, and I'm not sure how I'll feel if the formula 'fixes' her. I'll have to pump while she's on the formula just to keep up my supply even though I've been avoiding it in case it is an oversupply issue. She's actually never really needed both breasts at one feeding since they never seem to empty  But I've been trying to use just one side for feedings during a three hour period or so.
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Mar 8, 2013 21:44
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Well, I had a human being! I'll post more later when we get into the swing of things and I have two free arms, but needless to say, early Wed. morning I gave birth to an amazingly handsome boy. Labor and delivery was unique in that I never felt any contractions at all even though I waltzed into my weekly at 6 cm and 3-4 minutes a part, had no idea my water broke and didn't get the epidural until 8 cm. And that was because I was uncomfortable and wanted to think clearly. Delivered after only 30 minutes of pushing. I'll post some pictures soon!
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Mar 8, 2013 22:40
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newts posted:She's actually never really needed both breasts at one feeding since they never seem to empty At least, that's what I did with my guy. It was a long, long time until I had to feed him from both breasts.
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Mar 9, 2013 02:32
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Another goon baby here! We had Abigail Elise early this morning at 3:22, after about 20 hours. My wife was adamant about not getting an epidural, but eventually the pain got too tough to handle and she decided to get it done. Once that happened, it was smooth sailing and the actual labor was very easy, as she only had to push 4 times before our little girl was here. She was 10 days early, but ended up being 6 pounds, 7 ounces, and 100% healthy! When I get a chance in the next few days, ill post a picture or two. Thanks for all of the advice and reassurance in this thread over the past nine months. Now it's on to the Parenting Thread!
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Mar 9, 2013 03:28
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Just wanted to post some pictures of my new little squib  . His name is Asher Rockwell, and he's kind of cute. I'd say I'm partial to him. And his hospital picture..I can't stop laughing when I look at it. 
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Mar 10, 2013 22:03
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Hastings posted:Just wanted to post some pictures of my new little squib Oh my gosh, his little grumpy face Congratulations!I went in for a routine check on friday morning, but my bp was 158/100 so I was admitted. Pee and blood were clean, baby is fine, and I don't have any other symptoms, so after a 24 hour watch I was released with a rx for labetalol. I don't know what the gently caress that was all about.. my bp has been so normal the past couple months
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Mar 10, 2013 22:17
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Dandy Shrew posted:Oh my gosh, his little grumpy face Holy cow! At least you're healthy and everything worked out okay..pregnancy scares like that are concerning. Did you feel light headed or out of breath, or was it just one of those things where you show up and the nurse says, "oh, hey, your BP is hosed up!" and it takes you by surprise?
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Mar 10, 2013 22:42
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Hastings posted:
Hahahaha this looks like a mugshot. Grumpy baby photos are the best.
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Mar 11, 2013 02:31
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nah.
Lullabee fucked around with this message at 23:59 on Mar 21, 2017 |
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Mar 11, 2013 03:39
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Lullabee posted:Anyone have any experience with thrush? I believe both me an Collin have it. I'm just a bit curious - would his pediatrician writes prescription that would work for both of us, or do I need to call my OB tomorrow as well? They're rather close by so it wouldn't be anything if I did have to go to both, Im just curious. This is the right thread. When I had thrush I did DILUTED vinegar rinses on my nipples. Seriously if you dont dilute it, you will cry when you put it on. That was enough to make it go away for me and I didn't need medication. I also used gentian violet for my kid but that stained everything purple. I don't know if the pediatrician can give you a prescription or not - I'd assume not since you're not his patient. http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/child/thrush-resources/
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Mar 11, 2013 03:41
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dreamcatcherkwe posted:I don't know if the pediatrician can give you a prescription or not - I'd assume not since you're not his patient. A doctor can write a prescription for anyone whether you are their patient or not. I would make sure you feel comfortable with the pediatrician and their ability to anticipate any drug interactions or effects on any other health concerns you might have, though. My boy's pediatrician wrote me a prescription for a galactogogue when we were looking to boost my milk supply, since my milk supply does affect his health. We did make sure to ask her about any effects it might have on medication I was already taking as well as doing some research on my own before filling the prescription. It is possible, just be as well informed and cautious as you can -- just like any other medical decision. Good luck with beating that thrush Lullabee!
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Mar 11, 2013 04:22
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nah.
Lullabee fucked around with this message at 23:59 on Mar 21, 2017 |
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Mar 11, 2013 04:29
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So we have been home with our newborn for just two days now. Day one at home went well, with Abby eating every two hours or so and sleeping in between. Tonight however, she began crying around 9:30pm and is still going at 4:15am. My wife has attempted to breastfeed her almost non-stop throughout the night, but has struggled to get her to nurse, as she keeps flailing around and refusing to latch for the most part. She will eat occasionally, but for the most part, she just plays with the nipple or refuses to drink for more than a minute or two. Regardless, within five minutes of stopping, she is typically crying again. My wife is miserable and obviously frustrated. We are aware of the idea of cluster feeding, but this seems to be missing a lot of the "feeding" aspect, even though she's had no trouble latching prior to tonight. Anyone with experience have any idea on what we could do to try to help get Abby nursing at this point, or is this just one of those times that we're destined to be up all night with a screaming newborn?
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Mar 11, 2013 09:28
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Acrolos posted:So we have been home with our newborn for just two days now. Day one at home went well, with Abby eating every two hours or so and sleeping in between. My second child did this the first two days until my milk came in, then she calmed down. It's important to let her suck a lot to stimulate milk production. You could also hand express a bit and feed her from a little cup if that calms her down. If she has problems latching I would try to see a lactation consultant.
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Mar 11, 2013 09:32
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Hastings posted:Holy cow! At least you're healthy and everything worked out okay..pregnancy scares like that are concerning. Did you feel light headed or out of breath, or was it just one of those things where you show up and the nurse says, "oh, hey, your BP is hosed up!" and it takes you by surprise? I felt totally fine! I seriously thought I'd just be in and out in an hour like I usually am, so it was really weird when it read so high, even after rechecks. I feel worse now that I'm medicated for it, actually. Bodies are weird. I wish this little dude would get born so we can hang out and tackle new issues instead of all this blood pressure nonsense
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Mar 11, 2013 12:35
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Acrolos posted:So we have been home with our newborn for just two days now. Day one at home went well, with Abby eating every two hours or so and sleeping in between. If she can, your wife can express a little onto the nipple so that your daughter gets the idea that's where the good stuff is. But, this does sound like a normal newborn thing. My doula warned us that either the first or second night home would be a hormonal disaster and she was right.
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Mar 11, 2013 17:23
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Acrolos posted:So we have been home with our newborn for just two days now. Day one at home went well, with Abby eating every two hours or so and sleeping in between. This sounds normal, ours screamed like hell trying to latch for the first month or two (mostly due to oversupply/over-active letdown). Even now at almost 4 months, if he's over-tired or over-hungry and crying then we need to calm him down first before he'll start nursing. Make sure you're swaddling properly (check out Harvey Karp and the 5 S's), take advantage of any lactation services available to you, and don't give up or get too stressed because it's a learning process for everyone involved. Also make sure you rule out any medical issues for crying, like check for fever or changes in her poop (Google has plenty of images of different types of baby poop!)
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Mar 11, 2013 18:26
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skeetied posted:If she can, your wife can express a little onto the nipple so that your daughter gets the idea that's where the good stuff is. But, this does sound like a normal newborn thing. My doula warned us that either the first or second night home would be a hormonal disaster and she was right. Yeah, the first week home was really rough for us at night, even with my mom here to help. What I did to deal with baby screaming at my boob was to pump a little and feed him that before offering the boob, it took the edge off of his hunger and made him calmer so he was able to latch. I don't think pumping/bottle feeding at that point is recommended by lactation consultants but we were desperate and Simon hasn't had any issues with nipple confusion or anything. He's just as willing to nurse as to take a bottle, if not more so. And being able to give him a bottle of pumped milk here and there has saved my sanity and helped me persevere when I really, really was tempted to give up on nursing.
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Mar 11, 2013 18:52
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