It finally feels real. It only sunk in over the weekend. I happened to look at the clock on Saturday at 4.15pm and thinking we were in the middle of the drama only 2 weeks before...I made a conscious effort of reliving (willingly) all that happened repeating to myself all was well in the end. I think it helped a lot. I looked at Oliver staring back at me and realised he IS my son. Saying it (or writing it) still is a little strange, like when I started referring to Mike as my husband.
All is well with him, he's definitely very alert, feeds very well (on formula, I am still only able to use my expressed milk as a top up of the formula!) and his weight check today at 2w3d was 2.98kg! He put on 300gr in 5 days! That's my boy! My weight check, on the other hand, a week after birth was 66kg (6 gone, 9 to go!) and 2 weeks after birth it was 65 kg (7 gone 8 to go!), let's hope it'll be declining as steadily as I put it on!
Sleep is also quite good, he would feed around 1am or 2am and then again at 5am or 6am and we both go back to sleep afterwards. We also bathed him a few times already, he loves it!! What he doesn't like is coming out of the water in the cold (we wrap him immediately but still) or getting undressed to get into the water...ah well...hopefully that'll settle too.
Breastfeeding is still a total failure. Oliver doesn't latch on at all, he may make an effort if I wear those nipple shields but not sure if he takes much. Pumping is...going. I can't say it's going well, but it's going. I've started taking fenugreek which definitely helps and my yield has gone up a bit, I managed to get the amazing mount of 60mL (2oz) yesterday in the whole day! That's twice what I was getting a couple of days ago. At this pace, Oliver will be on solids by the time I'll be able to produce one full feed for him...But again, at least he's taking some.
I also wanted to share the advice that the paediatrician had give me which is much the opposite of what all lactation specialists/website would recommend. She said when milk supply never really came in, that it's a bit pointless to pump every couple of hours as I'm only ever going to get drops and may even hurt myself. She said to allow time at least at the beginning say do it twice a day and see how it goes. I have to say, the first time I did this I collected as much I had got in the whole day the previous day! What a satisfaction! Yesterday then I pumped twice with good yields both times. I'm planning to do the same and see how it goes. Then move up to three times. I feel better about this plan, I found it very very frustrating pumping so often for literally a few drops at the time...
I also got my appointment for post-natal check with my doctor and that will happen on the 9th of February. Nice. It feels like the first step back to normal life (I'll be able to drive after that wohooo!). My wound has healed perfectly, I do have a bit of a bump just above the scar, it may take a little while to get back to flat (will it go back to flat?).
On the list of things to do there is the registration of Oliver's birth next week and application for his passport so that we can fly home!!
16 comments:
Hi Fran, so glad to "have you back". You sound like yourself again! So proud of you for having found a way to try to keep pumping without hurting yourself. I love Oliver, both baby and name and will keep reading.
Lots of love and hugs from the little country,
VV
Hey Fran! So glad Oliver is growing so well!
As to pumping, I found a great supplement to take from MotherLove, called More Milk or More Milk Plus; both worked really well. I also spent a few days doing "power pumping", where I would pump 15min of every hour. It really upped my supply. Eventually, my milk dried up at 3 months but I was always happy that they got what they did.
You are doing great!!!
Great job Fran, I see you are settling into Mommyhood, quite well. I am so happy for you.
I am so happy you are feeling better, I am sure that after all you have been through it must feel good to breath a sigh of relief and accept that you FINALLY have a healthy and happy (and growing) son. Great news about the new pumping schedule, sounds like you have a lot of help around you and that you are doing all the right things to get that milk to start flowin'.
Wow - everything sounds real good! So glad little Oliver is gaining weight, and especially glad that you're feeling better. You're such a good momma!
Sounds like things are going well. Baby Oliver is growing! I can sense your happiness.
What a blessing!
Passport so you can fly home? I think I missed something major, as in., "Why weren't you home when you gave birth?" God I'm lost!!! :-) I think I left my brain back in 2010!
Sounds like things are going great. Sorry to say though no that bump above your scar will not go back to flat. I'm 10 months out and it's still there, I talked to my OB about it and she informed me it's scar tissue and muscle that was cut. So unfortuantely doesn't look like I will ever have a total flat tummy again.
Wow Fran you are doing awesome at your weight loss and Oliver is doing great in weight gain!
Mommy talk is so awesome and I just cant wait each time I read your post it gets me more and more excited...I will feel so much better once Baby Hakes is here safe and sound.
Hopefully the breastfeeding/pumping continues to slowly become less frustrating...I just got two books on it...One is about Milk Supply as I have several strikes against me already in this area and the other is just a general book so hopefully these will help
Yay for Baby Oliver - getting bigger by the day! You'll be surprised (and sad!) at how soon he will outgrow his newborn clothes.
Okay, my C-section scar and belly all around is flat. There was a little "shelf" for a while, but now it's back to being as flat as ever. Just a faint pink line of scar. And you will lose the weight, I'm sure. It could take a few months though, so be patient!
When I was pumping all the time, I found my best supply was in the morning. So maybe if you pump just twice a day, do one of them in the morning.
Your son is incrediby handsome, by the way!
I've only just caught up on your story and have to say Oliver is just gorgeous! Congrats Fran & Mike - you did it!!!
Much love to you all
xxx
Fran, I'm so glad Oliver is growing and I am guessing he is one very happy baby (as far as coming out of a bath into the cold, I don't much care for it myself either:)
Good luck with the breastfeeding. But know, at the end of the day that whatever happens: through your love you ARE giving him the best possible start in life.
Man! I hope mine comes off that fast! And I'm so glad to hear that reality is setting in :) It is so hard to imagine saying my son or my daughter...will that really be me? For the rest of my life? Wow....
Good luck with the continuation of pumping :)
My gynae said pump every 3 hours but I found that every 4 gave me more milk than every 3, you need some time for the milk supply to build up, well thats how I found it. I also started off at 20mls a session, then 50 then 100 etc etc, it does start to go up.
As for the bump from the c-sec, I have one too and I dont think it will ever go down. I plan on having a tummy tuck one day so hopeful then it will be sorted out.
So happy for you! I will continue to check in on you as I love, love, love your story and hope to join on the other side of fertility.
Pumping will improve. My daughter didn't latch well and I didn't produce much milk in the beginning. So we moved to pumping and a combination of formula and breast milk. At 14 weeks, we're still at it. I hate pumping, and although I don't have great production, I'm pumping considerably more than the 1.5 oz I was managing at her 3 week birthday. I think I might be pumping 10 oz a day. It'll slowly improve if you keep it up.
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