Thursday, September 27, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Pediatrician
We finally had an appointment with Dr. Hanson yesterday. Wee girl is up to 9lbs 12oz and the doctor said basically the same thing as our family doc. She's meeting milestones, looks completely healthy, is happy etc., and therefore she's not really concerned about the lack of weight gain. She ordered no further tests at this point and only instructed us to continue seeing our family doc for as long as they think it's necessary and also to follow-up with her in a month, just in case we have concerns.
So, I think we can relax a little. Our family doc, the lactation consultant and the pediatrician all agree that there's likely nothing wrong with our girl besides just being little. We've basically been told that as long as she continues to gain and doesn't start losing, we don't have anything to worry about.
We're off supplemented EBM since she was starting to spit them up, and starting to stretch feedings back out to a more "on demand" schedule again. My supply seems to be up (we'll see if that continues) but I'm staying on the medication and herbs for now.
Fingers crossed that this little issue is finally behind us.
So, I think we can relax a little. Our family doc, the lactation consultant and the pediatrician all agree that there's likely nothing wrong with our girl besides just being little. We've basically been told that as long as she continues to gain and doesn't start losing, we don't have anything to worry about.
We're off supplemented EBM since she was starting to spit them up, and starting to stretch feedings back out to a more "on demand" schedule again. My supply seems to be up (we'll see if that continues) but I'm staying on the medication and herbs for now.
Fingers crossed that this little issue is finally behind us.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Cloth Diapering 101 - as taught by me
I made the decision to cloth diaper long before Adelaide was a twinkle in my eye. Mostly, it was for the cost effectiveness; I knew that it was substantially cheaper than using disposables, and I knew that as long as I started buying them early, we'd be able to afford the initial investment and save thousands (yes... THOUSANDS) of dollars in the long run.
Now that I'm a Mom and constantly worrying, it's also nice to know that I'm doing what I can to protect the environment and cut down on waste.
Our Stash and Cost:
We started out with a Kushies Ultra AIO (all-in-one) style diaper. We bought 25 nb size, 25 infant size and 15 toddler size, for a total cost of less than $500 (not to shabby for diapers from birth to 44lbs). We thought they'd be great because we wouldn't require a rubber pant. The looked just as easy as a disposable, super cute, easily adjustable with Velcro closures. Unfortunately, they aren't meant for skinny little babies and we were having major leaks. They'd be great for average or chubbier babes. I got frustrated and couldn't figure out how to solve my problem, so I decided to sell my Kushies and then turned to Twitter and at the advice of some of my CDing Mama friends I decided to switch to a prefold with a cover.
We now have:
24 Bummis Organic Cotton Prefold Diapers (9-20lbs)
2 Kushies Rubber Pants (infant)
5 Bummis Super Brite Wraps (small)
1 Bummis Whisper Wrap (small)
Total Cost: $158!!!! - that's the equivalent of 5 boxes of diapers which would have lasted us about a month and a half at 10 diapers a day. My little cloth stash allows me to cloth diaper full-time, and will do me until she's approximately 20lbs. And since she still hasn't hit the 10lb mark, that's going to be a while. Of course, this doesn't account for the cost of laundry (which is minimal) and the cost of getting the next size up when the time comes (20-40 something lbs).
Honestly, cost wise, cloth diapering is a steal for those on a tight budget. We may add/change a cover here or there, and I may pick up a few different AIOs or pockets, but only because they're cute and once you start buying cloth diapers, it's hard to stop... not because I have to.
We LOVE the Bummis! They are easy to use, easy to care for, good for the environment, good for Adelaide's bum, super absorbent, adorable, and way more affordable than disposables. We especially love the Super Brite wrap. The leg gussets are perfect for our skinny girl. We rarely have leaks.
Use: the diapers are simply folded in 3rds and placed inside the liner. No crazy folds or fasteners required. Then, put on the baby like a disposable diaper. Easy peasy lemon sqeezy. I've been watching some tutorials and will be investing in a diaper clippy so I can try some of the more complicated folds, but honestly, even with EBF poop, with the leg gussets in the super brite covers, we've had 1 blow out in a month. That's less than we had with disposables.
Liners: We use Kushies flushable biodegradable liners (about $8 for a roll of 100). While they don't really make a difference for the wet diapers, they make poopy clean-up a little easier; especially with newborn breast milk poop.
As she becomes a heavier wetter I can add another layer insert if necessary.
Diaper Rash: Because we use the biodegradable liner, we can use whichever diaper rash cream we choose without worrying about the effect on the diapers. However, I'm told that one of the pros of cloth diapering most babies is that they lead to far less diaper rash. 1- because you have to change them a little more often and 2- because they baby isn't sitting in all those chemicals that make the sposies absorbent.
Care: We have a front load, high efficiency washing machine and an electric dryer, and I'm currently using Rockin' Green detergent (I'm probably going to make my own detergent when our current supply runs out).
24-30 diapers is the generally recommended amount to get through 2 days between washes. Honestly, you wouldn't want to go much longer than that anyway. With our covers and the number of diapers we have, I'm totally comfortable for 2 days.
Our diapers and covers go into a covered pail in the nursery. No pre-soaking, no rinsing yet (breast milk poops are super easy to clean), just fasten the Velcro down and toss in the pail.
When I'm ready to wash, I run a quick cold water rinse cycle with no soap to get any nasties out. Then I run a regular cold water wash with Rockin' Green, adding and extra rinse at the end. My machine is super easy to use and all of these options can be preselected, so I hit a few buttons and it's done. I definitely spend less time doing this than I would constantly going to the store to buy diapers. I was warned about washing cloth in a high efficiency washer, but I've had absolutely no problems so far.
All of our covers and diapers are dryer safe and when I can't hang them outside (which I like to do because a-it's cheaper and b-the sun acts as a stain remover) I toss them in the dryer for 45 minutes and wa-la! Clean, soft, fluffy diapers.
Travelling: We use disposables when we're going to be away from home overnight because who wants to pack dirty diapers, but for day-to-day running around we use our cloths like normal. I bought the most adorable wet bag that I simply toss the dirty diapers into until we get home. It contains any mess and smell and gets washed and dried with the diapers. We've never had a problem.
Cons: They're bulkier than disposables, especially prefolds, which is one of the reasons I may invest in some pockets or AIOs the fit a little trimmer for special occasions or outfits that they just don't work with. But honestly, this hasn't been a problem yet and I love her little cloth diaper bubble butt, especially when she's hanging out in just a diaper and one of her adorable covers.
Also, it's harder to keep a diaper bag stocked at all times. I may actually buy a few more and an extra cover or 2 to keep in the diaper bag. When we were using disposables (waiting for her to grow in to the Kushies... which she never did) I always had the bag at the door ready to go. That's a little harder to do when you're working with a limited amount of cloth, but buying a few extras and some plain wraps to keep in the bag would alleviate that problem.
In all, I'm really glad we made the decision to cloth diaper. It's been easier than I expected so far (we'll see how it goes when she starts solids) and it's become something of an addiction.
Now that I'm a Mom and constantly worrying, it's also nice to know that I'm doing what I can to protect the environment and cut down on waste.
Our Stash and Cost:
We started out with a Kushies Ultra AIO (all-in-one) style diaper. We bought 25 nb size, 25 infant size and 15 toddler size, for a total cost of less than $500 (not to shabby for diapers from birth to 44lbs). We thought they'd be great because we wouldn't require a rubber pant. The looked just as easy as a disposable, super cute, easily adjustable with Velcro closures. Unfortunately, they aren't meant for skinny little babies and we were having major leaks. They'd be great for average or chubbier babes. I got frustrated and couldn't figure out how to solve my problem, so I decided to sell my Kushies and then turned to Twitter and at the advice of some of my CDing Mama friends I decided to switch to a prefold with a cover.
We now have:
24 Bummis Organic Cotton Prefold Diapers (9-20lbs)
2 Kushies Rubber Pants (infant)
5 Bummis Super Brite Wraps (small)
1 Bummis Whisper Wrap (small)
Total Cost: $158!!!! - that's the equivalent of 5 boxes of diapers which would have lasted us about a month and a half at 10 diapers a day. My little cloth stash allows me to cloth diaper full-time, and will do me until she's approximately 20lbs. And since she still hasn't hit the 10lb mark, that's going to be a while. Of course, this doesn't account for the cost of laundry (which is minimal) and the cost of getting the next size up when the time comes (20-40 something lbs).
Honestly, cost wise, cloth diapering is a steal for those on a tight budget. We may add/change a cover here or there, and I may pick up a few different AIOs or pockets, but only because they're cute and once you start buying cloth diapers, it's hard to stop... not because I have to.
We LOVE the Bummis! They are easy to use, easy to care for, good for the environment, good for Adelaide's bum, super absorbent, adorable, and way more affordable than disposables. We especially love the Super Brite wrap. The leg gussets are perfect for our skinny girl. We rarely have leaks.
 |
| Please excuse the crappy cell phone picture. I just wanted to show the diaper itself, as well as the covers and liners. Simple, simple, simple. |
Liners: We use Kushies flushable biodegradable liners (about $8 for a roll of 100). While they don't really make a difference for the wet diapers, they make poopy clean-up a little easier; especially with newborn breast milk poop.
As she becomes a heavier wetter I can add another layer insert if necessary.
Diaper Rash: Because we use the biodegradable liner, we can use whichever diaper rash cream we choose without worrying about the effect on the diapers. However, I'm told that one of the pros of cloth diapering most babies is that they lead to far less diaper rash. 1- because you have to change them a little more often and 2- because they baby isn't sitting in all those chemicals that make the sposies absorbent.
Care: We have a front load, high efficiency washing machine and an electric dryer, and I'm currently using Rockin' Green detergent (I'm probably going to make my own detergent when our current supply runs out).
24-30 diapers is the generally recommended amount to get through 2 days between washes. Honestly, you wouldn't want to go much longer than that anyway. With our covers and the number of diapers we have, I'm totally comfortable for 2 days.
Our diapers and covers go into a covered pail in the nursery. No pre-soaking, no rinsing yet (breast milk poops are super easy to clean), just fasten the Velcro down and toss in the pail.
When I'm ready to wash, I run a quick cold water rinse cycle with no soap to get any nasties out. Then I run a regular cold water wash with Rockin' Green, adding and extra rinse at the end. My machine is super easy to use and all of these options can be preselected, so I hit a few buttons and it's done. I definitely spend less time doing this than I would constantly going to the store to buy diapers. I was warned about washing cloth in a high efficiency washer, but I've had absolutely no problems so far.
All of our covers and diapers are dryer safe and when I can't hang them outside (which I like to do because a-it's cheaper and b-the sun acts as a stain remover) I toss them in the dryer for 45 minutes and wa-la! Clean, soft, fluffy diapers.
Travelling: We use disposables when we're going to be away from home overnight because who wants to pack dirty diapers, but for day-to-day running around we use our cloths like normal. I bought the most adorable wet bag that I simply toss the dirty diapers into until we get home. It contains any mess and smell and gets washed and dried with the diapers. We've never had a problem.
Cons: They're bulkier than disposables, especially prefolds, which is one of the reasons I may invest in some pockets or AIOs the fit a little trimmer for special occasions or outfits that they just don't work with. But honestly, this hasn't been a problem yet and I love her little cloth diaper bubble butt, especially when she's hanging out in just a diaper and one of her adorable covers.
Also, it's harder to keep a diaper bag stocked at all times. I may actually buy a few more and an extra cover or 2 to keep in the diaper bag. When we were using disposables (waiting for her to grow in to the Kushies... which she never did) I always had the bag at the door ready to go. That's a little harder to do when you're working with a limited amount of cloth, but buying a few extras and some plain wraps to keep in the bag would alleviate that problem.
In all, I'm really glad we made the decision to cloth diaper. It's been easier than I expected so far (we'll see how it goes when she starts solids) and it's become something of an addiction.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Another Weight Related Update
Our appointment with the lactation consultant went really well. I left feeling reassured and encouraged that there was hope and that I was doing the best I could.
Adelaide's latch was great, she said I was doing all the right things to get my supply up (dom, fenugreek, power pumping, etc.) and Adelaide was taking in enough in a nursing session (weighed 5 minute feeding indicated 2.5oz taken in). She suggested I add blessed thistle to the regime, which I need to remember to do tomorrow and she instructed me to cut out the midnight pump. Apparently I need the sleep more than the milk. She also suggested switch nursing so that my lazy, sleepy eater got multiple let downs and a little wake-up call mid-feeding. In the end, she told me that she wasn't concerned and sent that information to my doc. She basically said she wasn't concerned and that the lack of weight gain wasn't anything breastfeeding related that she could see. It was nice to have someone telling me that I was doing OK. She was confident that we'd be able to cut out the constant pumping and eventually the supplements with a little work and the right cocktail of supply increasers.
Adelaide then went for a weight check on Wednesday and was up over 9lbs 9.5oz!! Granted, she had eaten not long before, but that was the case the two weeks previous, so this was promising news! The doctor finally gave us a reprieve and said she wasn't really concerned anymore. She still wanted to see us in two weeks (better than a week) and said since she had already sent a referral to a pediatrician, she wouldn't revoke it... but she was just acting on the side of caution. She really feels , because she checks out so well otherwise, that the babe is just small.
The switch nursing has made a huge difference in both my supply and keeping the babe actively interested in eating, and I actually notice Adelaide is not nearly as interested in the bottle supplements. We went from 2oz down to 1.5 because she was spitting some of it up, but now I'm starting to think that even that is too much. We're going to go down to 1oz and see what happens.
I've been able to pump enough to avoid formula so far, and I'm crossing my fingers and toes that, that continues. I even took a break from pumping at every feeding today. I was able to pump enough this morning (at 5am), combined with yesterdays leftovers, to have enough for the day and a little 3oz freezer stash. I'll still get up at 5am to pump for as long as she needs supplements, and will probably pump after every other feed tomorrow just to make sure my supply stays up, but it was a nice little break today. Nursing the baby is wonderful, but the power pumping is hard work.
In all, I'm happy with the way things are starting to go. Hopefully it continues and we will be able to successfully cut out the power pumping, and eventually the supplementing, and I'll be able to go back to EBF. I long for the days of being able to just sit and cuddle with my girl after she finishes eating. We're working our way back there.
Adelaide's latch was great, she said I was doing all the right things to get my supply up (dom, fenugreek, power pumping, etc.) and Adelaide was taking in enough in a nursing session (weighed 5 minute feeding indicated 2.5oz taken in). She suggested I add blessed thistle to the regime, which I need to remember to do tomorrow and she instructed me to cut out the midnight pump. Apparently I need the sleep more than the milk. She also suggested switch nursing so that my lazy, sleepy eater got multiple let downs and a little wake-up call mid-feeding. In the end, she told me that she wasn't concerned and sent that information to my doc. She basically said she wasn't concerned and that the lack of weight gain wasn't anything breastfeeding related that she could see. It was nice to have someone telling me that I was doing OK. She was confident that we'd be able to cut out the constant pumping and eventually the supplements with a little work and the right cocktail of supply increasers.
Adelaide then went for a weight check on Wednesday and was up over 9lbs 9.5oz!! Granted, she had eaten not long before, but that was the case the two weeks previous, so this was promising news! The doctor finally gave us a reprieve and said she wasn't really concerned anymore. She still wanted to see us in two weeks (better than a week) and said since she had already sent a referral to a pediatrician, she wouldn't revoke it... but she was just acting on the side of caution. She really feels , because she checks out so well otherwise, that the babe is just small.
The switch nursing has made a huge difference in both my supply and keeping the babe actively interested in eating, and I actually notice Adelaide is not nearly as interested in the bottle supplements. We went from 2oz down to 1.5 because she was spitting some of it up, but now I'm starting to think that even that is too much. We're going to go down to 1oz and see what happens.
I've been able to pump enough to avoid formula so far, and I'm crossing my fingers and toes that, that continues. I even took a break from pumping at every feeding today. I was able to pump enough this morning (at 5am), combined with yesterdays leftovers, to have enough for the day and a little 3oz freezer stash. I'll still get up at 5am to pump for as long as she needs supplements, and will probably pump after every other feed tomorrow just to make sure my supply stays up, but it was a nice little break today. Nursing the baby is wonderful, but the power pumping is hard work.
In all, I'm happy with the way things are starting to go. Hopefully it continues and we will be able to successfully cut out the power pumping, and eventually the supplementing, and I'll be able to go back to EBF. I long for the days of being able to just sit and cuddle with my girl after she finishes eating. We're working our way back there.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
My New Full-Time Job
After my last post, Adelaide had another weight check and had only gained 1oz in the 8 days between appointments. To add to my anxiety, my supply tanked again, and the doc told me it was time to start supplementing. Fortunately she encouraged supplementing with expressed breast milk as much as possible, only adding formula to fill in the gaps if necessary. She also doubled my dose of domperidone in hopes of getting my supply back up to an acceptable level for the amount of feeding and pumping I was about to start doing.
Immediately after the appointment I went home and started the work towards packing on some pounds and getting my supply back up. I was, and still am, determined to make this work. Feeding our wee girl has become my new full time job. Here's what our day looks like now (obviously, times vary based on her sleep/wake schedule for the day, and she may drop one of the mid-day feedings if she decides to nap):
5am - alarm goes off and I pump from 1 side
7am - Adelaide wakes- nurse from opposite side, pump (she doesn't need a bottle with this feed because I have a decent morning supply)
9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, 9pm- nurse, 2oz bottle, pump
Midnight- alarm goes off (if I've made it to bed yet) and I pump from both sides
In total, a nurse/bottle/pump feeding session takes about 45 minutes (plus the time it takes to clean and prepare my pump for the next time around) so I really only get just over an hour between the end of one feed and the beginning of another. It makes outings difficult, and it has obviously messed with our sleep schedules, but we're doing what's necessary to give her what she needs. It's not permanent.
I take 80mg domperidone and 6 tablets of fenugreek each day, along with milkmaid tea when necessary. When the fenugreek tabs are gone, I'll be switching to Mother's Milk which is a combination of herbs in drop form. I've also increased my food and liquid intake to help keep my body fueled for milk production. I'll focus on weight loss later.
I'm also meeting with a lactation consultant tomorrow to see if they can help at all. I have a feeling my low supply (and therefore low weight gain) is a lazy latch issue. I think Adelaide simply eats until she no longer feels hungry, and then drops off. It's often a fight to keep her awake and focused on what she's doing after about 5 minutes.
Through all of this, Adelaide is as happy and amazing as ever. She may be little, but she's developing so quickly I can hardly stand it. I'm so lucky to have been given such a sweet girl.
Immediately after the appointment I went home and started the work towards packing on some pounds and getting my supply back up. I was, and still am, determined to make this work. Feeding our wee girl has become my new full time job. Here's what our day looks like now (obviously, times vary based on her sleep/wake schedule for the day, and she may drop one of the mid-day feedings if she decides to nap):
5am - alarm goes off and I pump from 1 side
7am - Adelaide wakes- nurse from opposite side, pump (she doesn't need a bottle with this feed because I have a decent morning supply)
9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, 9pm- nurse, 2oz bottle, pump
Midnight- alarm goes off (if I've made it to bed yet) and I pump from both sides
In total, a nurse/bottle/pump feeding session takes about 45 minutes (plus the time it takes to clean and prepare my pump for the next time around) so I really only get just over an hour between the end of one feed and the beginning of another. It makes outings difficult, and it has obviously messed with our sleep schedules, but we're doing what's necessary to give her what she needs. It's not permanent.
I take 80mg domperidone and 6 tablets of fenugreek each day, along with milkmaid tea when necessary. When the fenugreek tabs are gone, I'll be switching to Mother's Milk which is a combination of herbs in drop form. I've also increased my food and liquid intake to help keep my body fueled for milk production. I'll focus on weight loss later.
I'm also meeting with a lactation consultant tomorrow to see if they can help at all. I have a feeling my low supply (and therefore low weight gain) is a lazy latch issue. I think Adelaide simply eats until she no longer feels hungry, and then drops off. It's often a fight to keep her awake and focused on what she's doing after about 5 minutes.
 |
| The last of my freezer stash |
So far, we haven't need any formula (I have some as a back-up just in case), but I used the last of my little freezer stash last night so that may change today. My supply is coming back up, but I'm still not sure I'll be able to express enough to meet 100% of her supplement needs (approx 12-14oz per day). I sure am going to try though, and, if it comes down to it, I am just going to have to be at peace with the fact that the formula is what we need to do to make sure she's growing properly. Through all of this, Adelaide is as happy and amazing as ever. She may be little, but she's developing so quickly I can hardly stand it. I'm so lucky to have been given such a sweet girl.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Breast is Best... Our adventures in breastfeeding
Adelaide and I were really lucky when it came to breastfeeding. My girl latched immediately after she was born during skin to skin... they hadn't even cleaned her off yet and there she was, happily latched and eating at my breast. In fact, the nurse had to break her latch to get me cleaned up to go to our hospital room. The only struggles we had after that were her overall sleepiness on day 1 (making her completely uninterested in eating) and my engorgement on day 4ish, which led to having to soak in hot water right before feeding her.
Adelaide latched, my supply came in great, and we were off to the races. No pain, no cracked nipples, no struggle. If anything, I had too much milk, which often led to my poor girl getting sprayed in the face. I remember waking up one morning to find dried milk all over her face from a 3am feeding, during which I had been too tired to get out of the bed, never mind turn on the light.
I thought we were in the clear. For 2.5 months, everything was going great and I was loving being Adelaide's sole source of nutrition. Then, just as we find out that she's not gaining enough weight, my supply starts to dip. Honestly there was a couple of days, just before her three month birthday, that I thought our nursing days were coming to an end. I immediately started drinking Milk Maid Tea (Earth Mama, Angel Baby), and when I didn't notice a huge difference, I added Fenugreek to the regime as well. I also started feeding her every two hours (which was both to pack on the pounds, and hopefully increase my supply) and I added an evening pumping session.
My supply definitely increased, but I was still feeling... empty. I know that I'm not supposed to feel full like I did in the beginning, but everything was different. Adelaide's swallows were very shallow and short. I wasn't hearing any of those satisfying, deep swallows, even at her morning feedings, which should have the best store of milk to work with. Feeding started to become painful. I felt this strong pulling pain, and my nipples were tender from Adelaide having to work so hard. I was getting frustrated, and really worried. I was supposed to be putting weight on Adelaide, and yet I wasn't producing enough milk.
When we went back to the doctor last week for her weight check (she was exactly 3 months old) I talked with the doc about it. She gave me a prescription for domperidone which apparently helps increase milk supply. While I'm not thrilled that I'm on any kind of drug while breastfeeding, the doctor wanted to make sure I have the supply that she needs to continue to grow. I started taking it right away. Originally I went off fenugreek, which was a mistake. My supply dipped dangerously low again, and after some frustrated tweets, I learned that it takes longer for the dom to kick in then I thought, so I went back on the fenugreek.
I'm happy to report that my supply is way up. My girl is giving me those satisfying, wet, swallows... and the pain and pulling sensations are gone. The only thing I'm concerned about is some headaches that I've been getting since I started the pills. I'll talk with the doctor on Wednesday (Adelaide's next weight check) and see what she says. For now though, we're back in business. I plan to invest in a better pump to see if I can improve my pumping efficiency. I'd like to avoid formula for as long as possible, including when I go back to work. The bigger my stash, the longer I can do that.
I'm hoping not to have to take the Dom for long. A friend of ours in an acupuncturist, and I've seen some good success with treatment of lactation issues in my research, so I may enlist his help and drop the dom... but we'll see how it goes.
One day at a time. I will say that the #bfcafe ladies on Twitter are a lifesaver for advice and just encouragment. I don't know what I'd do with out them.
Adelaide latched, my supply came in great, and we were off to the races. No pain, no cracked nipples, no struggle. If anything, I had too much milk, which often led to my poor girl getting sprayed in the face. I remember waking up one morning to find dried milk all over her face from a 3am feeding, during which I had been too tired to get out of the bed, never mind turn on the light.
I thought we were in the clear. For 2.5 months, everything was going great and I was loving being Adelaide's sole source of nutrition. Then, just as we find out that she's not gaining enough weight, my supply starts to dip. Honestly there was a couple of days, just before her three month birthday, that I thought our nursing days were coming to an end. I immediately started drinking Milk Maid Tea (Earth Mama, Angel Baby), and when I didn't notice a huge difference, I added Fenugreek to the regime as well. I also started feeding her every two hours (which was both to pack on the pounds, and hopefully increase my supply) and I added an evening pumping session.
My supply definitely increased, but I was still feeling... empty. I know that I'm not supposed to feel full like I did in the beginning, but everything was different. Adelaide's swallows were very shallow and short. I wasn't hearing any of those satisfying, deep swallows, even at her morning feedings, which should have the best store of milk to work with. Feeding started to become painful. I felt this strong pulling pain, and my nipples were tender from Adelaide having to work so hard. I was getting frustrated, and really worried. I was supposed to be putting weight on Adelaide, and yet I wasn't producing enough milk.
When we went back to the doctor last week for her weight check (she was exactly 3 months old) I talked with the doc about it. She gave me a prescription for domperidone which apparently helps increase milk supply. While I'm not thrilled that I'm on any kind of drug while breastfeeding, the doctor wanted to make sure I have the supply that she needs to continue to grow. I started taking it right away. Originally I went off fenugreek, which was a mistake. My supply dipped dangerously low again, and after some frustrated tweets, I learned that it takes longer for the dom to kick in then I thought, so I went back on the fenugreek.
I'm happy to report that my supply is way up. My girl is giving me those satisfying, wet, swallows... and the pain and pulling sensations are gone. The only thing I'm concerned about is some headaches that I've been getting since I started the pills. I'll talk with the doctor on Wednesday (Adelaide's next weight check) and see what she says. For now though, we're back in business. I plan to invest in a better pump to see if I can improve my pumping efficiency. I'd like to avoid formula for as long as possible, including when I go back to work. The bigger my stash, the longer I can do that.
I'm hoping not to have to take the Dom for long. A friend of ours in an acupuncturist, and I've seen some good success with treatment of lactation issues in my research, so I may enlist his help and drop the dom... but we'll see how it goes.
One day at a time. I will say that the #bfcafe ladies on Twitter are a lifesaver for advice and just encouragment. I don't know what I'd do with out them.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Three Months Old
Adelaide's Third Month in Pictures
Watching the Summer Olympics with Daddy
Finally big enough to pose in the outfit that Mommy wore home from the hospital
Warming up her teeny feet to draw blood
We finally made the switch to cloth diapers! Hooray!!!!
First bottle!! While she still EBF, I'm building a little freezer stash so Daddy can feed her every once in a while.
Dinner out as a family... Montana's in Collingwood (our first family getaway)
Tiny baby... big bed. (Cranberry Resort- Collingwood)
Having fun at Blue Mountain
Gave-up the soo soo for her fingers
My teeny girl
Firsts and Milestones
First real laugh: August 16, 2012 while playing with Mama
Rolled Over (front to back): Friday August 31, 2012 with Mommy and Poppa there to see!
Month three has had some ups and downs. Adelaide is still the happiest baby I've known! She's still happy in the morning, loves to splash in the tub (and we're getting better with the after-bath tears), and LOVE LOVE LOVES to be outside. Even during evening cranky time (which is getting better too) I can take that girl outside, and she immediately settles and looks around in awe. It's about the sweetest thing.
She "talks" up a storm now and always has a story for anyone who will listen. She's becoming so expressive and gets very excited when someone gives her their full attention. She talks with her hands... a lot. Just like her Daddy.
She's able to entertain herself better now. She's much more of a little person, with a personality all her own, and less a newborn now. She loves her play mat and spends a lot of time hanging out there and lounging on her boppy pillow with Daddy. Car seat meltdowns are few and far between. He favorite toy right now are her colored links, which are a lot of fun to hold and chew on.
She's rolling from front to back (we were so happy that Poppa was here to see that for the first time) and she's sleeping most of the way through the night. She still wakes up for the odd 5am feeding, but it's not unusual for her to sleep right through until about 7:30.
We finally made the switch to cloth diapers. I'll have to do a separate post on that, but we gave up waiting for her to fit into her AIOs and spent a little more money to get prefolds and covers (Bummis, we love you!) and we're LOVING them. It took some adjusting to see her with a bubble butt, but it's just adorable.
Breastfeeding and weight issues really got us down. I posted about her weight issues and will post separately about our breastfeeding issues, but it's getting better now and I think we're back on track. We have another weight check on Wednesday, but I think she's gaining and I think we'll be able to avoid formula supplementation.
I didn't think it was possible, but I really do love her more every day. My heart tightens every time she grins when she sees me.... she's just incredible. I can't believe how fast time is flying. While it's sad, I'm also excited to watch her little personality develop even more.
I love you to the moon and back my sweet wee girl. Happy 3 month birthday!!!
August 27, 2012 - 8lbs, 13.5oz
September 4, 2012 - 9lbs 3oz
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