Since we are all pretty much over the hump of feeling like total crap and starting to feel more like our normal (or new normal) self, I've made this a weekly thread. How is everyone feeling today? Healing from delivery? In the last few days of pregnancy? Sore nipples? Feel like you're a milking machine? Spill it here!!
Re: July 2nd- July 7th Weekly symptoms
I noticed that breastfeeding was starting to hurt again, I'm cramping and bloated. Guess what? I got my freaking PERIOD!!! Argghhhh. I thought this wouldn't happen for a while since I'm breastfeeding.
Good lawd! I kinda can't wait to go back to work. I need a break from all this. I feel like I need a life outside of motherhood right now.
And my back hurts from the constant attempts at nursing and pumping. Not feeling too hot today
It is 97 degrees and this country does not believe in AC. We are basically stuck at home, but it is probably 85 degrees inside this damn apartment anyway. We are all sweaty, stinky messes. I could go on and on with more complaints but will summarize this as: stabby.
I need to stop messing with my stitches but tomorrow is 4 weeks and I want them oooouuuuttttt!
last night i made a list of things that need to be done before LOs arrival so we can bring them home to a mostly clean appartment. left the list open in a very obvious spot, and idk if he just didnt see it or ignored it but DH decided that the sound system in his car was more important to work on. :-L
and im getting annoyed with him constantly asking "can you have the baby yet?" like with the way the apartment looks.. id really rather not..
and uncomfortable due to an uninvited/ membrane sweep that i was not warned about or told would be happening prior to it being done. its made my bump harder to manouver around and this morning i woke up in so much pain at the top of my bump that rolling over to get up and go pee was almost impossible.
stabby stab stab. -_-
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ive noticed that laying down causes discomfort in the bump as well. not a good feeling. im sure its a good sign though.
Anyone else have lightning pain in their breasts? Like a cramp? So weird.
also people are stupid. is that a symptom?
Hope you feel better soon!
My most pressing problem right now is that I have a big old blood blister on my right nipple that prevents me from nursing on that side. I tried and blood got in the nipple shield. My LO made a grimace of disgust, arching his back away, and who could blame him? Anyone know if small quantities of mother's blood is bad for babies?
So I have been pumping on the right and nursing on the left. He stays attached on the left soooo long I'm worried that side will get messed up too, but so far it's ok. Also worried about trace amounts of blood in the milk when I pump, but I don't see any, and the pump is gentler than my baby's super-powerful suction, so it doesn't seem to irritate my breast the same way.
My nipples are still severely inverted. They don't come out even with powerful baby suction, but the milk comes out anyway, and the skin surrounding the nipple gets drawn out instead, causing weird lopsided bumps. On the left this bump is painless and white, and on the right it has become painful and bloody.
I'm starting to get mad at the inverted nipple websites I read that all say overly optimistic things about how probably one side is not as inverted, probably they will come out with suction, try it without the nipple shield and it will probably work after a bit, etc. NONE of that is happening. Seriously if my nipples were everting at all, I wouldn't even be scouring the Internet for advice and life would be more rosy and full of joy! I need advice for people whose nipples do not evert AT ALL, but are still able to BF because the milk comes out anyway.
So last night I decided it was time to consult a LC, and I emailed the LLL representative in my area whom I had been in contact with before LO's birth. I know it's not normal to have bleeding nipples, and I must be doing something wrong. I hope she gets back to me soon with some helpful advice. My electric pump is supposed to come Tuesday. Cannot freaking wait...the manual pump is soooo slow. Like others have said, feels like all I do is pump and BF.
I was getting really depressed this morning about my breastfeeding problems. Talked to DH about it, and he helped take LO off my hands for awhile so I could take a break and pump. I had some coffee (first time using my espresso machine since before I knew I was pregnant!) and I'm feeling human again. Another thing that's helping me get through this is the validation of social media. It's shallow, but when I post cute photos of LO on FB and get a lot of comments and likes, it helps me feel better, like I'm doing the right things as a mother. Looking at his cute photos cheers me up too. An emotional roller coaster these days, basically.
it has now been 287 days.
i dont think this will ever end.
i vaccuumed the whole apartment last night, shouldnt i be in labour yet?
today will be moping and sorting through clothes. maybe a shower.
not sure what i can really do to move things along at this point, i was 3cm on thursday, ive been losing my plug for 3 days now. but it hasnt been enough to open the flood gates. its getting to the point wher i no longer wish to leave my apartment. nobody asks where the baby is when im not around anybody.
side note: as i was typing this it was the sad cat diary narrators voice.
But if you're having that much pain then definitely see a lactation consultant- because the longer you try and soldier on through the pain the worse it will get, and the longer it'll take to heal once you get the latch sorted. Look after yourself as well, it probably doesn't feel like it right now but you are doing great. Making sure your LO has a happy healthy mother is one of the best things you can do for him right now.
Good luck I know it's frustrating!!
Good to know I can continue to bf even with a little blood. It's not ideal but I'm sure I'm not the first one it's happened to! The human body is made this way after all. Though one must wonder why our nipples are so darn sensitive and delicate when they have to support such a heavy burden of use!!!
Wow that is a good sign that your nipples are coming out after pumping!!! Fingers crossed for you that your LO will be able to latch on! Sounds like the electric pump has worked out well for you. I used one in the hospital and it was really nice... I could tell when my breasts ran out of milk, and all I had to do was sit there until that happened. With manual pumping, I quit before I actually run out of milk because my hands get tired operating the pump. It takes so long, and it uses both hands so I can't do anything else, and breastfeeding/pumping makes me sleepy. So it is a challenge to stay awake long enough to get any decent amount!