10/24 Newborn Check In

[lilyelayne]

Welcome! Please join us!


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 had $100 to spend on yourself, what would you do with it?

[hikingmama222]

How old is LO? 2.5 weeks

How's everything going? Great! He's feeding longer and not falling asleep every time he eats. Still monitoring his tongue tie (we have an appointment tomorrow) but I think I'm just going to leave it. Doesn't seem to be affecting his feeding or transfer as he's gaining really well.

Questions/concerns/cute stories to share? His bili levels came down 10% at 1 week so he's no longer being monitored but he's still looking a little jaundiced. How long can I expect it to last? They said another week but we're past that.

What is something about your newborn(s) that surprised you? How noisy they are. And their facial expressions are just so cute!

GTKY: if you had $100 to spend on yourself, what would you do with it? Right now get my hair cut and colored. I'm so cheap when it comes to my hair. Haven't had it touched in a year 😯

[melody330]

hikingmama222 jaundice can linger for quite a while. My LO had the yellow eyes/cheeks until almost 7 weeks.

Get out in the sun for a short time if you can. That helps a lot. And don't be surprised if LOs poop turns green every now and then. As long as nothing else is amiss it's just the bilirubin leaving the body!

[lilyelayne]

WittyLittle replying in this week's thread. Is LO on any reflux meds (Zantac, Prevacid are the brands here in the USA)?

[WittyLittle]

Oct 24, 2016 21:59:37 GMT -5 lilyelayne said:

WittyLittle replying in this week's thread. Is LO on any reflux meds (Zantac, Prevacid are the brands here in the USA)?

Lol there's a more recent thread? My brain's stopped working hehehe! They just want me to try this thickening powder for a couple of weeks veggie they try meds, but the next step would be zantac. Maybe she'll be better with taking that? :/

[saraml13]

How old is LO? 2 weeks tomorrow

How's everything going?
Pretty good. The 10 second sizzle is down to about 5 seconds. Although my nipples are sore, I'm not getting any major damage like I did with DS1.

Questions/concerns/cute stories to share?
I'm a little worried about my supply, but I know I'm overthinking it. This time when my milk came in, I felt fuller, but I didn't go through the period of being super engorged and leaking everywhere and using cabbage leaves like I did with DS1. DS2 is also such a snacker. He'll often nurse for five minutes and then go back to sleep. I'm not sure if he's really that efficient and is draining the breast well, or if he is just relying on my let down for the easy milk. He does nurse frequently and diaper counts are good, so the intellectual side of me says not to worry. But the worrier side of me gets a little concerned.

What is something about your newborn(s) that surprised you?
How they sleep so much, but rarely when you want them to.

GTKY: if you had $100 to spend on yourself, what would you do with it?
I'd get a massage.

[saraml13]

@hazeldublin when your right breast gets engorged does the nipple get short/flatish? I had a similar issue with my left breast with DS1. The nipple was shorter than the right side, and when I got engorged it was hard for DS1 to get a good latch. I ended up with a lot of nipple damage.

If that's the issue, I'd recommend trying reverse pressure softening (Google for better explanation than I could describe) or using a manual pump briefly just before nursing to elongate the nipple for a better latch.

[lilyelayne]

Oct 25, 2016 0:03:37 GMT -5 WittyLittle said:

Oct 24, 2016 21:59:37 GMT -5 lilyelayne said:

WittyLittle replying in this week's thread. Is LO on any reflux meds (Zantac, Prevacid are the brands here in the USA)?

Lol there's a more recent thread? My brain's stopped working hehehe! They just want me to try this thickening powder for a couple of weeks veggie they try meds, but the next step would be zantac. Maybe she'll be better with taking that? :/

I posted this thread this morning, so you posted appropriately, I just didn't get around to answering til today ;-)

I remember you EP'd with your son; aren't you nursing your daughter? Just doesn't make sense to recommend pumping & bottle feeding just to add cereal to your milk when meds are available. But I'm not a medical professional; your pedi is!

You can try laid back nursing to see if that helps. And keeping her fully upright for 20-30 minutes after a feed, maybe in a baby carrier would be easier? Breastmilk digests so quickly that the worst refluxing tends to happen fairly soon after a feed, but depending on the severity of the GERD that isn't always the case.

Smaller more frequent feeds are recommended but that tends to be the norm already for breastfed newborns :-)

kellymom.com/hot-topics/reflux/

[lilyelayne]

@hazeldublin the pain & white nipple sounds like vasospasms. Keeping your breast/nipple warm and protected can help. I liked the lansinoh soothies heated in the microwave for after feeds. IIRC, my vasospams got better within the first couple months but yes they were very very painful.

kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/nipple-blanching/

saraml13 trust the diaper count :-) you can do a weighted feed at a Breastfeeding support group or likely your pedi's office if that would make you feel better, but some kids are just snackers.

[sanibel21]

How old is LO? 1 week

How's everything going? Pretty good I think

Questions/concerns/cute stories to share?
My milk overnight is like a flood gate and LO has been choking and gagging. I've pumped off an ounce or so a couple of times which seemed to help, but it's kind of a pain to do. I need to read how to use the manual pump because I want to see if that would be easier than the electric in the MOTN. I tried it and had no idea what I was doing haha. She practically vomited one of her whole feedings last night.
Also I'm letting her go one long stretch at night even though they say to wake every 2-3 hours until back at birth weight. Really bad?

What is something about your newborn(s) that surprised you?
The refusal to sleep flat. DD1 was refluxy too, but she just spit and slept through it. This LO will not sleep flat at all. So we got a RNP which has made a huge difference.


GTKY: if you had $100 to spend on yourself, what would you do with it?
Right now I'd buy some new fall clothes!

[emmyg65]

How long is the long stretch? You really do need to stick to 3 hours max at night till they regain the weight. That way, you can probably just nurse instead of pumping, which should help your supply regulate better. Pumping at this point isn't recommended (it can trigger oversupply).

[lilyelayne]

Oct 26, 2016 18:11:52 GMT -5 emmyg65 said:

How long is the long stretch? You really do need to stick to 3 hours max at night till they regain the weight. That way, you can probably just nurse instead of pumping, which should help your supply regulate better. Pumping at this point isn't recommended (it can trigger oversupply).

sanibel21 all of this^

You can try nursing football or laid back so gravity is working against your milk flow. Or nursing until let down, unlatching baby, letting the excess flow into a burp rag, towel, or cup, then latching baby again with the flow slows.

[sanibel21]

lilyelayne and emmyg65 I missed these responses I apologize!! The longest she's gone is a 4 hour stretch overnight. I can see why sticking to max 3 hours would help with the letdown/extreme flow issue. I only pump off about an ounce to reducer engorged entry. Is that still too much?
I think I need to maybe only offer one side too. I think the second side just does her in. I dunno. She's so spitty and chokey.

[penguin129]

How old is LO? She was born the date of this check-in. She's days old

How's everything going? Things are very stressful. HL, DD2, was taken to the NICU after my C-section for breathing issues. Those resolved between 12 & 24 hours later. She had issues with throwing up and would throw up after getting a bottle (they wanted to be able to watch her intake and I was only getting drops of colostrum from pumping). They with-held food from her for about 24 hours before gradually stepping her up to more cc's of formula. I've been pumping the whole time, doing skin to skin, and started nursing her Wednesday night, I think, the days are all running together. I'm not getting as much pumping in as I should be because things are very chaotic. We just found out today that AG, DD1, has Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease. The three of us checked into the Ronald McDonald house last night, but after her diagnosis H and AG had to leave to go stay at home an hour away. The staff her at the house is currently doing their best to disinfect all the common areas and my room while I wait for my clothes to dry so I can take a shower, pump, and try to get to the hospital by 5 pm. I'm not sure I'll make it.

Questions/concerns/cute stories to share? I am currently using two pumps. The one in the NICU in the hospital and one I have on loan from WIC. Do I have to wash the pump parts after each use or is rinsing really well and then washing once a day with soap and water really well ok? I do have the Medala steam bags but haven't gotten around to using it yet.

What is something about your newborn(s) that surprised you? That she was admitted into the NICU as a result of my C/S at 39 weeks and 8 lbs 10 oz. I certainly never saw that coming. Also the small amount of hair that she has given the large amount of heart burn and acid reflux I had.

GTKY: if you had $100 to spend on yourself, what would you do with it? I would get a makeover: hair, mani, pedi and whatever else you could get done for that amount. Hmmm... or maybe a really good massage.

[emmyg65]

penguin129, so she's 4 days old? It wouldn't be unusual for your milk to not be in yet. Keep trying to pump or nurse at least 10x/day and do lots of skin to skin. No need to wash or even rinse pump parts in between sessions--just stick them in the fridge. Hang in there.

[penguin129]

Oct 28, 2016 19:17:11 GMT -5 emmyg65 said:

penguin129 , so she's 4 days old? It wouldn't be unusual for your milk to not be in yet. Keep trying to pump or nurse at least 10x/day and do lots of skin to skin. No need to wash or even rinse pump parts in between sessions--just stick them in the fridge. Hang in there.

Yes, she's 4 days old I don't have a personal fridge to put them in since I am always bopping between the Ronald McDonald House and the NICU. I'll remember this for once we go home if I still need to pump. I actually think the parts will fit both pumps. I need to explore later. I have enough milk to store in bottles now vs the 3 ml syringes they gave me in the beginning of the week. So that's a plus!