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Mangue
Aug 3, 2007

CravingSolace posted:

So, I wound up getting induced on the night of the 22nd. I went into the ER due to seeing flashing lights, something my mom had seen when she had toxemia. My urine came back fine, but my blood work showed elevated liver enzymes. It was possible that it could have been due to the meds that I take but with me being high-risk and 38 weeks, they decided they needed to deliver.


Congrats on your cutie! Was your BP high as well? This sounds very similar to what happened to me and why I was induced as well. If your BP was high too then just make sure you keep an eye on it. Even after delivery my BP shot up again 4 days later and my labs were all messed up again too. Ended up being put on a BP med for a week.

Just keep it in mind. These things can stick around for up to 6 weeks after delivery. It took about that long for my BP and labs to go back to normal.

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CravingSolace
Mar 3, 2012
I've run into a big problem with breast feeding.

Stephen latches really well, but it's incredibly painful for some reason. The nurses told me that if he latches correctly, it shouldn't hurt. I've looked at directions and videos online, and he's latching correctly.

My right breast is incredibly swollen, and the nipple is very cracked and inflamed. So much so, that I can't express anything from it. I'm really worried and will be calling my doctor tomorrow, but is there anything else I can do?

And as for my BP, it was borderline high, but never too bad.

Amelia Song
Jan 28, 2012

Can you find a La Leche League chapter in your area and/or work with a lactation consultant? My personal experience is that breastfeeding does hurt in the beginning, because your breasts aren't used to being used as often as a newborn nurses. BUT, cracked and inflamed could mean other issues, so I would say to work with someone who is an expert. In the meantime, try different positions, like if he usually nurses cradled against your body, try football, etc. Also let your nipples air dry after nursing and massage a little breastmilk into them. It can help with the healing process. And if you can pump on that side, at least, while you're trying to work things out, you'll at least hopefully maintain a supply on that side.

CravingSolace
Mar 3, 2012
I'll look into the le leche chapter. I know my hospital also has a breast feeding support group that meets every Monday, and I believe I have a number to a hotline that I can call. I have an electric pump, and have been breast feeding with my left breast (painful, but not unbearable and not nearly as cracked), and have been pumping the right (the one that's very swollen, hard and cracked).

Amelia Song
Jan 28, 2012

Also try taking a hot shower and trying to hand express in there. The heat should help.

CravingSolace
Mar 3, 2012
I'll try hand expressing in the shower now. I managed to pump enough today for a feeding, so my husband can look after him for a little bit. I'm going to find the number for the hotline, too.

CravingSolace
Mar 3, 2012
I was able to hand express in the shower a little, and pumped for 10 minutes when I got out. I was able to pump a bit, and applied vaseline after that. I'm letting my nipples air dry now, and also have shields that I'll wear to keep the shirts from rubbing against them. I also grabbed a bag of frozen peas to use as a cold compress for a few minutes. I'm hoping that'll help reduce some of the swelling.

Mnemosyne
Jun 11, 2002

There's no safe way to put a cat in a paper bag!!
Get some lanolin tomorrow for your nipples (made by either Lansinnoh or Medela). It's going to work much better than Vaseline. Also, if they're really cracked, then use Neosporin on them first, then lanolin after the Neosporin has dried. The chances of them getting infected aren't really high, but if they're really cracked then it can happen, and using Neosporin will help reduce the chances.

I keep seeing things that say that breastfeeding shouldn't hurt too, but everyone I've spoken to who has ever done it says that it will hurt for the first two weeks or so. I don't know who these people are who never had their nipples hurt at all while breastfeeding; their nipples must be made out of leather.

The first few weeks of breastfeeding can be really, really difficult, especially when you put the stress of figuring it out on top of the stress of caring for a newborn and the lack of sleep that comes with that. Just stick with it and do the best you can because it's really worth it in so many ways. My little dude has his first cold right now, and all he wants to do is be attached to my boob all day and all night. As tired as I am from not sleeping more than an hour at a time, I keep thinking how glad I am that I stuck with breastfeeding because it's the easiest and most effective form of comfort I can offer him right now.

Schweig und tanze
May 22, 2007

STUBBSSSSS INNNNNN SPACEEEE!

Lullabee posted:

We had our anatomy scan today, and was the first time we got to see our little one! It's a healthy baby boy, though he was stubborn and refused to move his hands from his face, so the tech was unable to get a clear portrait for the doctor.

Quick question: does measuring ahead this early (20 weeks, 1 day) mean much later on? Or do they even out by the 3rd trimester? I'm not measuring too far ahead - just 3 days, so I'm not stressing it, was just wondering.

My baby has measured a few days ahead throughout the pregnancy but he's not huge or anything. They should have given you a percentile - my guy is in the 49th percentile, so right in the middle despite being a few days bigger than expected. And oh yeah, here he is :)

skeetied
Mar 10, 2011
It might be difficult and expensive to get, but see if you can get a prescription for all-purpose nipple ointment. It's wonderful for sore and cracked nipples and actually helps the pain go away because it has an anti-inflammatory in it.

Ben Davis
Apr 17, 2003

I'm as clumsy as I am beautiful
I was just going to say the same thing. I had excruciating pain from 2 blebs and APNO was amazing. When you get the RX, you'll need to call it in to a compounding pharmacy, not a regular one--I had to wait an extra day because CVS said they could fill it when they couldn't. You can also try hot/cold packs. It's going to hurt till it heals. I'd call a lactation consultant right now, don't even wait--relief of pain will make everything better.

I think the "it doesn't hurt if they're latched on" thing is bs. Later on, it's very true, but in the first weeks, his little mouth was so small, and the nipple so big, that it was just uncomfortable. It gets better.

Awesome Kristin
May 9, 2008

yum yum yum
We got medication for Ben's reflux! I am so excited to have my happy, rested baby back.

Amelia Song
Jan 28, 2012

So good to hear! It is like a night and day difference here, too.

CravingSolace
Mar 3, 2012
I spoke with a lactation consultant today and will hopefully be attending a breast feeding support group on Monday to speak with one personally (I talked to one over the phone earlier). She suggested I pick up something called 'Soothies' which is a gel pack you can wear over your nipples. Putting it in the fridge first can offer extra relief.

My one breast is doing great. No more cracking and it's much more bearable. The other one is cracked and very tender and painful, but I think it's healing. I'm hand expressing when I take a shower and pump twice a day. That helps a lot with the swelling. The pain even fades a bit after he starts feeding. I really like being able to pump a bit, because my husband is able to take over night feedings and my breasts and I get a break.

I'm going to do my best to stick this out. I really enjoy the bonding and the benefits of breast feeding, and it doesn't hurt to save money that would be spent on formula.

hookerbot 5000
Dec 21, 2009
I'm 6 weeks pregnant and have had the most godawful backache all week. I didn't get backache til much later in other pregnancies, is it likely to last all through the pregnancy? It's between my waist and my bottom down the spine and tailbone and today my hips are hurting a bit too. Paracetamol (tylenol?) doesn't make any difference so I've been spending all day with a hot water bottle down my pants which helps a little bit.

Andrias Scheuchzeri
Mar 6, 2010

They're very good and intelligent, these tapa-boys...
Hookerbot--there's been a couple of us here who started having back/pelvic joint pain very early on, from the loosening ligaments. I don't know if that's exactly what you're experiencing. But for me, it's my second pregnancy and it started about 8 weeks in and has been coming and going the whole time. It started pretty dramatically with a 3-day spell where I could barely hobble along, but for the most part it's been livable. (And no, I haven't found anything to make it better, just things that make it worse.)

What you're feeling isn't a crampy, menstrual back-ache kind of pain, though, is it?

Lullabee
Oct 24, 2010

Rock a bye bay-bee
In the beehive
nah.

Lullabee fucked around with this message at 23:44 on Mar 21, 2017

hookerbot 5000
Dec 21, 2009

Andrias Scheuchzeri posted:

Hookerbot--there's been a couple of us here who started having back/pelvic joint pain very early on, from the loosening ligaments. I don't know if that's exactly what you're experiencing. But for me, it's my second pregnancy and it started about 8 weeks in and has been coming and going the whole time. It started pretty dramatically with a 3-day spell where I could barely hobble along, but for the most part it's been livable. (And no, I haven't found anything to make it better, just things that make it worse.)

What you're feeling isn't a crampy, menstrual back-ache kind of pain, though, is it?

Thanks, I've never really had back pain with periods so it could be something like that in a new place, I'm not sure. I did have pretty constant low level stomach cramps between weeks 3 and about a week ago, but they've stopped now. It hurts more when I bend over (kissing Connor when he's lying in his cot is really sore) which makes me think it's back related.

I wonder if it could be due to the pregnancies being closer together than before, Connor is 20 months so it's not a tiny gap or anything but this is the first time I've been pregnant whilst lugging a toddler about all day.

Andrias Scheuchzeri
Mar 6, 2010

They're very good and intelligent, these tapa-boys...

hookerbot 5000 posted:

...pregnant whilst lugging a toddler about all day.


It's rough. My sympathies. :(

I haven't found anything that helps much. Lying down on my side with a pillow between my knees helps a little. Being careful how I sit helps a little--no crossed legs. Not doing too much of any one thing helps a little--not too much sitting, not too much standing, not too much walking. Warm showers help a little. I didn't buy any kind of support belt, but on the recommendation of some folks here I tried using a stretchy-cloth sling (a Moby wrap or something similar) and it helped a little.

SassySally
Dec 11, 2010
So our baby did arrive on Wednesday. The 1 hour of 5 minute apart contractions turned to a quick half hour of 3 minutes apart while we were on our way to the hospital and by the time we got there, they were two minutes apart. They quickly admitted me and within 3 hours my water broke and I had given into iv pain relief because some of my contractions were lasting 3 minutes long with only 1 minute in between. I was dilating about a centimeter per 1/2 hour until I got to 5 and then it just stopped. My contractions pretty much did, too, after I'd already given into my second intervention of an epidural. They let me go like that for quite a while and then realized that he was "sunny-side up" and that I wouldn't be dilating any more. Within 10 minutes, they scheduled me for a c-section and within an hour, my son Benjamin Aaron was born.



I couldn't be happier to have him here, no matter how he arrived. :)

That makes 3 Benjamins now, doesn't it?

iwik
Oct 12, 2007
Late Tuesday afternoon I went in to get induced at the 41 week mark and got the first shot of gel.. which turned into an emergency c-section 6 hours later.

Soren Thomas was the result - a happy little dude so far so long as he has pants on. Remove the pants/nappy and it's the end of the world as he knows it.




I was in hospital for 3 days, in which every feed was monitored by a midwife trained to help with latch and hold advice. I was told that if it hurt the latch wasn't right, so you had to disconnect then reattach until they got it right - there's a bit of manipulation on my part. Essentially they said you have to squeeze behind your nipple until it is at a size they can easily get a good hold with a decent amount of areola (sort of flattening it a bit so they can get more above & below). Then not to let them have it until their mouth is open wide so they learn how to 'get a grip'.

It seems to be working for us so far, I've not got any pain or tenderness and I'm on day 5.

bamzilla
Jan 13, 2005

All butt since 2012.


SassySally posted:


That makes 3 Benjamins now, doesn't it?

I know of 4 so far

CravingSolace
Mar 3, 2012
I think my breast is finally healed. There's an initial pinch when he first latches on, but it's fairly painless after that, and my breasts don't feel uncomfortably engorged, except for first thing in the morning. But after the first feeding, they feel fine. I'm so glad it's getting better. I really didn't want to have to turn to formula unless I had to.

Aside from that, Stephen is doing well. Lots of feedings and dirty diapers to change, but he's starting to show more of his personality and it's getting easier to tell what he needs. I'm feeling pretty good, too. The only issue I have now is that occasionally I'll feel really weak. I don't know if that's just my body getting back to how it used to be or just feeling tired from lack of sleep.

He's a week old today, too. I can't believe it's been a week already.



The proud father and a week-old Stephen. :)

dreamcatcherkwe
Apr 14, 2005
Dreamcatcher

CravingSolace posted:

I think my breast is finally healed. There's an initial pinch when he first latches on, but it's fairly painless after that, and my breasts don't feel uncomfortably engorged, except for first thing in the morning. But after the first feeding, they feel fine. I'm so glad it's getting better. I really didn't want to have to turn to formula unless I had to.

That's so great! I'm glad you're healing well.

quote:



The proud father and a week-old Stephen. :)

Your baby is adorable!

I would recommend that you read about safe cosleeping practices because a couple things in that picture are a little scary.

http://cosleeping.nd.edu/safe-co-sleeping-guidelines/


and

http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/sleep-problems/sleep-safety/latest-research-co-sleeping-safety

Twatty Seahag
Dec 30, 2007
Please be really careful cosleeping. Having blankets really close to a tiny baby's face is really dangerous. I'm on my phone so I can't type much but we coslept and I used to work for a pediatrician, so I can give you some info about safe bedsharing if you're interested. :) Congrats on the cute babby!

Edit: Beaten! Those are really good links.

CravingSolace
Mar 3, 2012
That was a quick nap. We don't co-sleep. We keep a cradle in our bedroom. I'm overly paranoid about blankets smothering him, or squishing him and not knowing it.

Actually, out of curiosity, what are some safe ways to co-sleep?

CravingSolace fucked around with this message at 02:25 on Oct 1, 2012

Chickalicious
Apr 13, 2005

We are the ones we've been waiting for.
The links that dream included in her post are always what I reference when people ask. But quick nap or no, the co-sleeping guidelines should be followed always when baby is sleeping in the same space with a parent. It doesn't take very long for something to go wrong with such a tiny baby.

CravingSolace
Mar 3, 2012

dreamcatcherkwe posted:

That's so great! I'm glad you're healing well.


Your baby is adorable!

I would recommend that you read about safe cosleeping practices because a couple things in that picture are a little scary.

http://cosleeping.nd.edu/safe-co-sleeping-guidelines/


and

http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/sleep-problems/sleep-safety/latest-research-co-sleeping-safety

I just checked out the links, and they were really helpful. :)

I think I'm still going to stick with using the cradle, but I'll let my husband know that napping on the couch like that isn't okay. One of us is always up, so if he or I need a nap, one of us will be awake with the baby.

Twatty Seahag
Dec 30, 2007
At night we used a pack n play next to the bed because I was too nervous with us being so sleep-deprived. For naps I would lay her down on her back next to me at chest level and I used my arm as a pillow for myself. I covered my legs with a light quilt because it wasn't fluffy. I swaddled her in the cosleeper but never in bed. Once she could move around and roll I was way less nervous.

CravingSolace
Mar 3, 2012
I like to breast feed from the side-lying position, and if he falls asleep afterward, I'll let him nap next to me but I'm still awake and alert. I'm really nervous about rolling on top of him or yanking the covers up over him at night (I get cold easily and might do that in my sleep).

Chickalicious
Apr 13, 2005

We are the ones we've been waiting for.
It was shocking to me how attuned I was to his movements and breathing even when I was sleeping. I assume it's some evolutionary thing to prevent you from killing your kid. It gets much less scary as they learn to roll on their own. We did the pack n play at the end of the bed for night time sleep until he was about 6 months old. By then he was mobile enough that it wasn't so scary.

ghost story
Sep 10, 2005
Boo.
We started out trying just using the pack 'n play in our room but it just wasn't working for us the first few weeks so we picked up the Summer Infant By Your Side Sleeper - and we saw instant results. From waking up every hour, or less, to spells of 3-4, then 4-6, then sleeping through the night as the weeks have passed by. Occasionally she'll wake up once but its usually diaper related.

Chickalicious posted:

It was shocking to me how attuned I was to his movements and breathing even when I was sleeping. I assume it's some evolutionary thing to prevent you from killing your kid. It gets much less scary as they learn to roll on their own. We did the pack n play at the end of the bed for night time sleep until he was about 6 months old. By then he was mobile enough that it wasn't so scary.

I've unintentionally taken naps/fell asleep with her at night like this and when I woke up, my body felt so stiff it ached.

Mnemosyne
Jun 11, 2002

There's no safe way to put a cat in a paper bag!!
I found the "being super attuned to the baby" thing to be more of a problem than anything. I couldn't get any sleep at all because I was waking up every time he moved or sighed or made the slightest noise. I don't know how you guys do it.

On the other hand, my house is smaller than most, so I guess even when he's in his own room, it's only about 4 yards in a straight line from my bed to his crib. People kept asking me before he was born if I had bought a baby monitor yet, and I kept saying "What the hell do I need a baby monitor for?" because I tend to forget that other people live in houses that are larger than an apartment.

Awesome Kristin
May 9, 2008

yum yum yum
I have an update on Ben and his reflux!

He's been on meds for a few days, and he's been sleeping in the Rock and Play. So far he is able to have more sleep at night, and some non-fussy time during the day. I haven't heard him choke in his sleep since we got the new bed. He's been spitting up less, and isn't crying after eating anymore. Today was a huge accomplishment: I didn't have to change his outfit once. It has no milk or spitup on it.

Thanks for encouraging me to get him to the pediatrician. We're getting a lot more sleep and he is happier every day.

Ben Davis
Apr 17, 2003

I'm as clumsy as I am beautiful
That's awesome! :) It feels so good when you know they're feeling better.

Chicken McNobody
Aug 7, 2009

hookerbot 5000 posted:

I'm 6 weeks pregnant and have had the most godawful backache all week. I didn't get backache til much later in other pregnancies, is it likely to last all through the pregnancy? It's between my waist and my bottom down the spine and tailbone and today my hips are hurting a bit too. Paracetamol (tylenol?) doesn't make any difference so I've been spending all day with a hot water bottle down my pants which helps a little bit.

I have had this since about my 4th month of pregnancy. (I'm almost 9 months postpartum now :( I hope it clears up faster for you!)

The only thing that ever reliably helped me (and it sounds silly, but it feels SO GOOD) was to get into a hot shower with my husband and have him pretend my rear end and lower back were a speedbag. Rapid punching, at about medium force. I don't know how good it is for the baby (Arthur loves giving headbutts, maybe this is why?) but it feels awesome.

skullamity
Nov 9, 2004

I've been putting off posting this because I've been insanely busy (for obvious reasons). On August 14th I went in for induction at 8pm after my Doctor scheduled it for the 41 week mark. Apparently Cervidil did not agree with me--they observed me for three hours after they inserted it, and then told me that for a lot of first time pregnancies, it might do jack the first time around and I'd likely have to come in the next morning at 8am for them to give me another dose.

I ended up back in there about an hour after I went to bed for an emergency C-Section--scariest poo poo ever.



Briar Ellen Theresa Brown was born at 6:05am, weighing in at 9lbs, 10oz. I'm actually kinda glad I didn't have to push a baby that large out. The nurse asked us if we brought diapers and laughed at us when we presented her with newborn-sized diapers and onesies, and then managed to procure us some size ones. My husband had to make a trip home to grab some 0-3 month sized clothes for her. She was/is still a fat hambeast.

We just got her birth certificate in the mail today, and she's just under 7 weeks old. She's hitting milestones left and right and is really starting to develop quite the personality. This is a more recent picture where's she's not all puffy and asleep:

skullamity fucked around with this message at 05:18 on Oct 2, 2012

hookerbot 5000
Dec 21, 2009

Andrias Scheuchzeri posted:

It's rough. My sympathies. :(

I haven't found anything that helps much. Lying down on my side with a pillow between my knees helps a little. Being careful how I sit helps a little--no crossed legs. Not doing too much of any one thing helps a little--not too much sitting, not too much standing, not too much walking. Warm showers help a little. I didn't buy any kind of support belt, but on the recommendation of some folks here I tried using a stretchy-cloth sling (a Moby wrap or something similar) and it helped a little.


Chicken McNobody posted:

I have had this since about my 4th month of pregnancy. (I'm almost 9 months postpartum now :( I hope it clears up faster for you!)

The only thing that ever reliably helped me (and it sounds silly, but it feels SO GOOD) was to get into a hot shower with my husband and have him pretend my rear end and lower back were a speedbag. Rapid punching, at about medium force. I don't know how good it is for the baby (Arthur loves giving headbutts, maybe this is why?) but it feels awesome.


Thanks :)

I'm not really complaining about carrying toddlers (well maybe a bit but only because I like complaining), it's just the main difference between pregnancies and wondered if anyone else had noticed pain more with second pregnancies.

I noticed hot showers help, I've not tried getting my husband to pummel me but sure he would be happy to try it out. We have our booking in appointment tomorrow so I'll see what the midwives say as well. I'm looking forward to actually seeing if there's something there, I had a miscarriage last month and it's kind of stopped me from feeling like this pregnancy is real. My temperature is elevated, I've done loads of pregnancy tests, I feel sick, my back hurts and my areolas are the size of dinner plates but there's still a mental block. Hopefully seeing the scan will make it real.

rangergirl
Jun 3, 2004
A shark on whiskey is mighty risky, but a shark on beer is a beer engineer

raaaan posted:

Briar Ellen Theresa Brown was born at 6:05am, weighing in at 9lbs, 10oz. ...

Congrats! Same birthday as Toby, only my kid was smaller by 2 pounds (Thank God).

He is really starting to visually follow things more, he really loves this stuffed fox we have. I have noticed that his eyes don't quite match up though when he's following things, one eye will move all the way to the corner and the other won't make it all the way. It happens with both eyes so it's not really a crossed eye thing. I'm hoping he just grows out of it, I'm not sure if it's just a normal thing that happens while they're getting used to really using their eyes.

Here he is with his friend



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Mnemosyne
Jun 11, 2002

There's no safe way to put a cat in a paper bag!!

rangergirl posted:

He is really starting to visually follow things more, he really loves this stuffed fox we have. I have noticed that his eyes don't quite match up though when he's following things, one eye will move all the way to the corner and the other won't make it all the way. It happens with both eyes so it's not really a crossed eye thing. I'm hoping he just grows out of it, I'm not sure if it's just a normal thing that happens while they're getting used to really using their eyes.

My guy had both crossed-eye moments and lazy-eye moments during the first month or two, but he's completely grown out of it now, so I think it's probably normal.

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