9/19 Newborn Check In

[lilyelayne]

Welcome! This check in is for moms of babes brand new through about a month old. Please come in!


How old is LO?

How's everything going?

Questions/concerns/cute stories to share?

What is something about your newborn(s) that surprised you?

GTKY: if you could give your partner (or a support person in your life for single moms) a superpower, what would it be?

[hurricanerek]

Hi there! I guess I check in here now.

How old is LO?
6 days

How's everything going?
It's going great! She is really sleepy right now but is good about waking every 3-4 hours to nurse with some more cluster feeding in the evening.

Questions/concerns/cute stories?
Milk drunk babies are just the cutest!

What is something about your newborn that surprised you?
We had a 3 day NICU stay due to jaundice. I never expected that from my 40 weeker.

Gtky:
I think I'd want him to be self-healing. He's a marathon runner and would be able to run and recover faster.

[cbrandt1]

How old: DS2 is 4 days old

How's it going? So far it's fantastic compared to DS1. No bleeding, open wounds on my nipples, or any damage at all for that matter.

Questions: DS seems to be an efficient nurser. He is done in about 10-15min, which is great. My problem is that he's not fully draining the breast, so 10 min later I seem to be engorged again. I don't want to end up with an oversupply by pumping a ton, but I also don't want blocked ducts or mastitis. I tried to hand express but that didn't work at all. Apparently I don't know how to do it.

What has surprised me: He's so similar, yet so VERY different from DS1.

GTKY: mind reading. That way he would know what the kids need and I wouldn't have to try and explain how I "just know" ha ha

[lilyelayne]

cbrandt1 congrats on LO! Engorgement is a self limiting problem, as you may already know. Warm showers or compresses, ibuprofen, and if necessary hand expression just until comfort can help with the pain. And of course offering to nurse anytime you need to take the edge off is a great strategy! Here's a link with video on hand expression:
med.stanford.edu/newborns/professional-education/breastfeeding/hand-expressing-milk.html

If you feel a lump or clog forming, massage that area while LO nurses. It's better if you can nurse with LO's chin pointed toward the clog if possible.

[jennybeans]

E seems to be a super lazy sucker when she is nursing. It's been a while since I nursed my son but I remember there being more of a tug when he nursed (not uncomfortable, just enough to be felt). With her, it just feels like she is licking my nipple. Anyone have advice on how to get her to suck harder?? I've let her suck on my finger and she will go to town but as soon as she's on the boob goes back to gentle caresses...

ETA: she is 3 weeks old today

[emmyg65]

cbrandt1, at this point, with your mlk just in, engorgement is crazy but normal (helloooo, porn star boobs!). I wouldn't worry too much about a blocked duct or mastitis. If you get a clog, just massage it while nursing. You should see the engorgement improve as your supply regulates over the next few weeks.

[danielle]

How old is LO? 9 days

How's everything going? Really great, actually. I struggled so much with supply with DS1 and this time I'm able to nurse with no issues plus get around 20 oz for my stash from 2 pumping sessions a day. It's such a huge relief.

Questions/concerns/cute stories to share? My 3yo is all about the pump and when it's time for me to pump in the morning, he runs around the room yelling, " It's pumper time!!"

What is something about your newborn(s) that surprised you? He sleeps so much more than his older brother did at this age and he lets me put him down. It's amazing.

GTKY: if you could give your partner (or a support person in your life for single moms) a superpower, what would it be? Does the ability to clean effectively count as a superpower?

[lilyelayne]

jennybeans is she having plenty of wet diapers? Have you had her latch evaluated by an IBCLC? Sorry if you answered these last week it's been a crazy one for me. Your nipple on the roof of her mouth helps her know to suckle so a shallow latch can lead to less vigorous suckling. Or is she just sleepy?

danielle glad things are going so well. May I ask why you're pumping? Do you have to return to work before 6 weeks or something? It's recommended not to pump until 4-6 weeks postpartum as to prevent oversupply & the resulting problems (mastitis for mom, struggles with flow and fat content for baby). These first weeks it's really best to just let LO nurse to establish a healthy, balanced supply.

[jennybeans]

lilyelayne, she's having plenty of wet diapers but slowish weight gain. The LC at the support group I go to hasn't identified anything crazy in our latch but the pediatrician did point out a slight tongue tie and lip tie today. My son had the same issue but was a ferocious sucker and we got past it with no intervention. I set up an appointment with a pediatric dentist here for a consult next week just in case..

[cbrandt1]

Can I change my SO's superpower? At 4am with little sleep, I just want him to lactate...

[jennybeans]

Sept 24, 2016 3:59:59 GMT -5 cbrandt1 said:

Can I change my SO's superpower? At 4am with little sleep, I just want him to lactate...

I told my husband to try yesterday if E got fussy.

[briannea]

How old is LO? 3 days

How's everything going? Pretty well. We got to nurse for well over an hour right after birth. He's much better at opening his mouth wide than my daughter. And I thought I'd forget how to nurse a newborn but it's actually easier than I remember.

Questions/concerns/cute stories to share? The first 30 seconds or so is a little painful but it subsides and my uterine cramping is much better than the first two days. But I'm already able you feel hard lumps that I massage before latching and during nursing. Hopefully that will keep me from getting a clogged duct. Also, I haven't felt my letdown yet and I certainly did almost all the time with my daughter. Occasionally I'll get a little tingle in the other breast but not much. Also, last time, I didn't think my milk "came in" until day 7 because I had some hard core painful engorgement. I hope that doesn't happen again and that I don't have to wait that long. I almost feel like it's already in.

What is something about your newborn(s) that surprised you? How much blonde hair he has and how much he looks like his sister.

GTKY: if you could give your partner (or a support person in your life for single moms) a superpower, what would it be? Telepathy so I can tell him to bring me things while I'm trapped under a baby.