Lactation Consultant appointment

We met with Pauline yesterday.  She's the LC we had seen in the hospital and one week after Daughter was born.  She told me that it's perfectly OK to use the nipple shield for as long as I'd like and as often as I'd like.  She had me nurse with the shield and without it.  She told me that it will be easier for Daughter to get milk from a less-than-full breast without the shield, and from the nursing at the visit, that seemed apparent. 

I nursed on both sides with and without the shield.  She took over two ounces from one side with the shield (the fuller side) but then only 2 ML from the other.  We then tried without the shield and she took a whole ounce.  Pauline said that she latches on pretty well both with and without the shield.  Apparently it's hurting me because I have a fair complexion.  Who knew? 

So, since the appointment I've nursed about 75% with the shield and 25% without.  That's manageable.  Plus, that way I don't have to worry about attaching a shield if I ever nurse in public using my nursing covers.

After the appointment we ran some errands.  Then we went to my parents place in Fargo to nurse again and she got a "milk coma" (aka milk drunk)

Nursing is hard!

Daughter has been exclusively breast fed since day one.  I've pumped some so that she could have bottles of breast milk, but no formula.  We have some formula because we heard that some women who have C Sections have difficulty with milk supply.  With how she's growing and the amount of diapers she's going through, this is not an issue!  Thank God!

But her latch is an issue.  She is no good at the wide latch.  I'm in pain.  I developed a blister on my right nipple last week... so I exclusively pumped from that breast and fed her from the left (followed by her heart breaking cries when I set her in her swing and I pumped to give her more milk) for a solid day and the blister went away.  So I started nursing normally again, but her latch was the same.  Ouch!

So, tomorrow I have an appointment with the lactation specialists up in Fargo.  It's over an hour away, so my mom is going to come with me so that Daughter won't have to ride in the back by herself.  Thanks, mom!  Hopefully they'll fix things... right now, I can only nurse using a nipple shield (which I'm very thankful were invented!) but hopefully they'll be able to show me how to get Daughter to latch properly and nurse successfully :)

Honestly, this has been very hard on me.  Knowing that I can make enough milk to feed her, but not do so in a way that isn't excruciating for me, is tough.  Both physically and emotionally.  But Mat's wonderful (again!) and he's calmed me down and dried my tears when we have to resort to a bottle (our store is slowly depleting faster than I can replenish it) rather than nursing our baby girl.  Hopefully, we can figure it out tomorrow and the nipple shield holds out till then!

Two week appointment and past her birth weight!

We had Daughter's first doctor appointment!  She has surpassed her birth weight (woo hoo!) and everything is looking good.

6 pounds 14 ounces

Dr checking Daughter over

She's supposed to start tummy time now that her umbilical cord has fallen off.  

Daddy Daughter tummy time

 She's doing better at night now...  sleeping more but still not enough for mommy or daddy.  Mat is exhausted at work!  I'm getting a few naps here and there when she's sleeping but she keeps me pretty busy.  Shes always eating!  And then she falls asleep on me and I don't want to move her :)

We've learned that Huggies diapers are no good.. at least until her legs get a bit thicker... but we've tried two of them and had two tremendous leaks.  

Mookie is jealous, but he's being good.  Taking full advantage of my attention whenever Daughter doesn't have it for a moment.  Like now...

Mookie getting his lap time with mama

Daughter is saved!

Daughter was baptized on Sunday.  God is great!  With the children who we had lost before birth (and therefore before they could be baptized) we wanted to do the baptism ASAP!  I wasn't up to going to church last week, so we set the baptism for 8/11.

Mat, Daughter, me, and the Godparents (Sister and her hubby, brother in law)

sign of the cross

Baptized!

Hymn 725 is Daughter's hymn.  They sang it for her :)

There was a pretty good turn out!  I didn't think that many people would be able to make it because it was so last minute.  We couldn't schedule the baptism until we knew when she would be born!  But Pastor was very helpful and agreed with us about Baptizing right away, so he (and his wife) made it pretty easy.  As Lutherans, we believe in Baptizing infants, and we didn't want to wait long!

And I'll leave you with an adorable picture of daughter practicing her karate moves.

68 Milliliters!

We had our lactation appointment on Monday and Daughter was weighed before and after nursing.  She took 68 Ml (2.3 ounces)!  The lactation nurse (Pauline, who we had seen at the hospital) said it was quite good.  Most one week olds only take 40-45 Ml.  I really think I would have given up if not for her and Jaime, the other lactation nurse. 

I'm getting better at nursing... but I'm also getting more sore.  She's doing a lot of cluster feeding now, so I hardly get a break before she's hungry again.  She'll be back to her birth weight in no time!

Here's our little angel sleeping on mommy after nursing :)

I'm so blessed :)

40 weeks!

40 weeks!  Baby wearing

We went on a walk today and decided to take a picture first.  I'm healing OK... still in some pain and trying not to use those muscles that were cut through.  I'm swelling a lot... we called the on call doctor on Friday and he said it was normal.  Apparently people with handicaps (I have right side hemi-paresis) often get horrible edema after C sections in the affected limbs (my right arm and leg). 

Daughter is doing really well.  She hasn't quite got the hang of the day/night thing... but that will come.  Nursing is going pretty well... I've started pumping during the day so that we can take turns giving her bottles at night which is much faster and requires less waking up.  The early morning bottle is Mat's, then I do the 5 or 6:00 bottle and I pump afterward.  My parents are lending us their Ipad so that I can watch Netflix while I pump.  Yay Merlin!

We're still doing disposable diapers.  Until we get a bit more rest and I'm a bit more healed I think we'll stick with disposables.  I still have to make the wet bags anyway...

I had a sip of Mat's beer today for the first time in 10 months!  That was pretty great.  I can have a beer occasionally while breast feeding so I think, once the swelling goes down, I'll really enjoy one :)

I'll leave you with a few pics :)

trying to wake her for a feeding

all dressed up!

handy elephant!

Daughter was born Monday!

Our daughter was born on Monday via somewhat emergent C Section.  The Version was unsuccessful (and very painful!) and even though I was on some meds (terbutaline) to slow my uterine contractions, they still sped up and were 6 to 7 minutes apart by the time we were done.  Our options at that point were to have a C section that day, or very early Tuesday morning.  They warned us that if we waited until morning, I might go into labor on my own and the cord would probably be pushed out first.  That would put Daughter at risk, so the decision was easy but heart breaking.

Mat has been absolutely amazing.  With the unplanned C Section, baby blues hit me pretty hard yesterday.  He's my rock.  

We got home yesterday.  We're all sleep deprived.  My milk has come in very well and Daughter is breast feeding OK... she should be doing better but she keeps slipping now that I'm producing so much.  So It's been a few feedings since a good latch.  Also, Mat has to help each time so we're "Team Family" working at getting Daughter enough to eat.  We've got a pump and we're seriously considering pumping and giving her a bottle just so that she gets all the milk... we're meeting with lactation today and hopefully Monday.  Hopefully we can get this figured out!

Here are some pics :)

Not sure where the dark hair comes from... both genetic parents had blonde listed as their natural color.  I'm thinking that one of them must use bleach ;)

She's beautiful and perfect, though!