My official SAIF intro

whispergrrl · August 2011

Hi, ladies! I know several of you from the IF and PAIF boards (and I've stalked this board for quite some time, so I kinda feel like I know some of you already!), and now I finally get to join you!

I had my beautiful baby girl on August 15th - one week exactly before her due date. My water broke at home, and my labor and delivery didn't go exactly as I had hoped (I had wanted to avoid Pitocin, but ended up having it...didn't want an epi, but ended up asking for one...wanted to avoid being hooked up to all the IVs and monitors so I could labor walking around and such, but didn't get to do that either. DH had wanted to cut the cord, and I wanted the cord to pulse for a couple minutes, and neither of those ended up happening.) However, despite things going differently than I had hoped, I actually had a pretty great labor and delivery. I only had to push for 45 minutes (which shocked me....I thought it would be hours!), and my little girl was born.

I am breastfeeding her, and it started off rough. The first lactation consultant I met with said she had a "disorganized suck reflex" and that I needed to do finger exercises with her - have her suck on my finger and push her tongue down so she would learn not to push things out of her mouth with her tongue when she sucks. The first 36 hours of her life, she wasn't getting anything from me, and I totally felt like I was starving my baby. I met with another lactation consultant, and she showed me the proper way to hold her, and get her to latch correctly. From then on, we had no problems! I don't know what the first LC was talking about...

My little girl, Ellie, was born weighing 6lbs8oz (they had estimated all through my pregnancy that she would be big, estimating her birth weight to be at least 8.5 pounds.Needless to say, they were off a bit! At her first pediatrician appointment at 4 days old, she was down to 5lbs14oz. I was told I should supplement with formula at least once a day until my milk came in to help her get more calories. My milk came in the next day, but we still supplemented a couple times. We had her 2 week appointment yesterday, and she was up to 6lbs4.5oz. So, she gained, but isn't back up to birth weight yet. My doctor was happy with everything about her, except the slow weight gain. She said she has great skin, excellent reflexes, wonderful muscle tone, etc. She looked over my feeding chart, and agreed that she is eating plenty of times, with good time on each breast, and is having plenty of wet and dirty diapers. She thinks Ellie has a fast metabolism and is just not able to gain the weight she needs off breastmilk alone right now. So, we are back to supplementing with formula once a day.

So, for now, we are just trying to fatten my little Ellie-bean up a bit. She is a joy to be around - really an easy baby (should I knock on wood now?). She sleeps around 6 hours straight at night. I've tried waking her up to eat during that time, and she has no interest until later in the morning (when she's done sleeping). I mentioned it to my doctor, and she is fine with it because she is eating great all day long!

Well, I will wrap up my rambling post now. Just thought I should intro over her, since I guess I can consider myself "successful after IF" now that Ellie is here!

KYRN · August 2011

Congrats momma! Cute siggy.

schmoodle · August 2011

Welcome and congrats! I recognize your screen name.

We have a LO just a couple months older than yours - with the same birthweight - and also dealt with weight gain issues and feeding issues early on (and we are now dealing with NEW feeding issues, but altogether unrelated). Anyways, I know it can be frustrating but sounds like you are doing a great job and doing what you have to do to get that little girl gaining.

Hope to see you around here more!

dundasgirl · August 2011

Congratulations! It sounds like things are going really well. I hope your recovery is going well too!

Welcome.

newsbaby · August 2011

Hello there! Glad to see you around here. Congrats!!!!!! Your DD is gorgeous!

Carrie25 · August 2011

Welcome! I hope things continue to go smoothly.

JenCW · August 2011

Hey there, Whisper. Congrats again!!!

So glad to have you over here, and happy to hear you guys are doing well and that Ellie is catching up with her weight. We're having feeding issues over here too, so I know what you're going through. You're doing a great job, mama!

krissyh21 · August 2011

Welcome to the board! Sounds like you are doing a wonderful job. And A's with your labor, you will find parenting never goes exactly as planned too, but you adjust and do the best you can!

lmc5004 · August 2011

WELCOME! :::waves hi:::

LVBlvd · August 2011

Welcome and congratulations!!

MyShellyBelly · August 2011

Hello!

gymnst1013 · August 2011

Congrats! Glad everything is going well

amberleeb · August 2011

Congratulations so glad to see you over here! I total remember you, we were cycle buddies in the Jan-Feb of 09!

armywife76 · August 2011

Congrats and welcome!! She is beautiful!

nikinikinine · August 2011

congrats mama!

supplement if you feel like you need to, but if her diapers are good and she's gaining (even if it's a little slow) don't feel pressured! It's so hard at first to feel confident that your LO is getting enough from you. Focus on the diapers and her cues. You're doing great!!