PAIF graduates - New Mommies - September

tiffanyw1783 · September 2017

@latershrader I completely understand!! When my husband went back to work, it was like he just couldn't help at night b/c he had to work! The deal was that I was going to get up when the twins did at midnight and then he would would get up at 3am b/c that's what time he gets up to go to work. But now I'm pretty much the only one getting up with them b/c they got a little off that schedule! It's aggravating to hear him snoring while I'm up. But he does help as much as he can.

persnickity · September 2017

When did you guys get your periods again? I'm 6 weeks postpartum and starting to see some of my usual ovulation signs. I'm breastfeeding, so I'm a bit surprised. I didn't think you ovulated or had your periods when breastfeeding.

tvh1982 · September 2017

I was exactly 28 days after she was born. With having PCOS that was surprising.
Breastfeeding never worked for me, so can't answer you there.

latershrader · September 2017

Thanks for all the advice. DH and I talked and he apologized. The problem is that he is a super heavy sleeper. So he doesn't hear the baby cry. But he said if I nudge him he will wake up. Eh, can't win them all!
@persnickity I was wondering the same. I never had regular cycles before so I am wondering when things will happen. I'm also wondering if I should start birth control at my 6 week postpartum appt. I haven't been on anything in 5+ years. Do I really need it? Thoughts?

tvh1982 · September 2017

Depends @latershrader ... I got adviced to start birthcontrol as my pregnancy made me possible fertile eventhough I have PCOS, probably not permanent though.

I didn't take anything as after all the hormones from IVF and being pregnant I decided my body needed a break.
But I do believe I could get pregnant without trying...

TMI follows:
my periods are heavy, I feel when I'm ovulating, I have way 'better' muscus
TMI over.

Not sure what pregnancy has done for your body.
I'm a single mum by choice, so not getting pregnant hasn't been that difficult.
I have decided to start birth control now that my LO is 10 months as I need to be regular again.

persnickity · September 2017

@latershrader Glad you guys were able to talk through it. Hopefully you have a solution that works for you both. If waking up YH and going back to sleep works for you, sounds like a win win.

Since it was unexplained infertility for us, I'm not willing to take any chances and will be going on the mini pill, but wasn't sure if I should start it now or wait. Not ready to have a second child.

Drove2u · September 2017

I only breast fed or pumped for about two months. I got my period at 3 months. I've always been regular though. I do think it depends on each person. Also what was weird was even though I got my period at 3 months, if I squeezed my nipple milk would still come out. This continued through month 5.

ale9687 · September 2017

@persnickity I didn’t have a period prior to my 6week check either and I had stopped bfing around 4 weeks. One of my friends tried for years to have a baby, has a son after IVF and just found out she’s pregnant. He son is 16 months old so I guess her fertile boost from being pregnant stayed with her.

Drove2u · September 2017

Viktoria turned 9 months today. I can't believe it. She's been such a joy in our lives these last nine months.

tvh1982 · October 2017

11 months over here!
Only one month left and she's one year old!! I'm not ready for that.
Here are some pictures of my monthly photo's

And a little video:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ymhmanMlBh3cHae12

Drove2u · October 2017

@tvh1982 Pia is sooo cute!! One year almost! Crazy!!

persnickity · October 2017

@tvh1982 Pia is adorable!! And almost a year old already, crazy how fast time flies.

@Drove2u love Viktoria's smile!!

tvh1982 · October 2017

Thank you. Completely objective seen, she is the cutest

Tulips29 · October 2017

@tvh1982 @Drove2u your babies are so cute! I can't believe Pia is almost a year. A is turning 9 months this week and it still seems so surreal.

@tvh1982 with PCOS, were your periods regular before getting pregnant?

I haven't gotten my period yet, but I don't know if it's due to breastfeeding still or due to PCOS. I've been on birth control for years to get my period as it was always irregular before that. I've heard people do regulate after having a baby, so curious what will happen once I stop breastfeeding.

Drove2u · October 2017

@tvh1982 Pia is sooo cute!! One year almost! Crazy!!

tvh1982 · October 2017

Before I used the pill, once I started trying they were every 1st of the month like clockwork @tulips29
My ER was actually surprised that I had done 3 IUI before meeting him. He asked how I knew when to travel to Denmark as I could impossible ovulate.
Apperantly my levels rise and a test shows I'm ovulating although my eggs are never ripe.
Ive been clockwork again after Pia was born until 2-3 months ago. Now I'm late so start the pill next period.

Colleen0516 · October 2017

I was curious about the whole period thing too. Like @Drove2u I breastfed/pumped til about 2 months, maybe a little longer, and now at 3 months I am showing signs of getting my period. It's been over a week of cramping but no AF yet. Curious how long I'll cramp before she decides to show up. I was hoping she would never come back (well not until I was ready to try again lol) but that's not the case, oh well! Haha

persnickity · October 2017

I'm really hoping to delay getting my period too. It's always such a hassle. Hopefully I want actually ovulating, but I guess I'll find out next week. I'm still breastfeeding, so we'll see.

Drove2u · October 2017

The first two times I got my period I was totally unprepared. Like I forgot that this happens. Lol. I would track it on my app too and would forget to check. After not having it for 9 months it's like you have to get used to it all over again.

janejane-2 · October 2017

I've been breastfeeding/pumping for over 5 months and no period. At about 3 months I thought I was going to get it because I started having signs (bloating, ache, etc) but nope. Don't know how long I'll BF/pump but I am sorta happy to not have to deal w/ AF.

tiffanyw1783 · October 2017

Question for all the breastfeeding/pumping moms: did any of you experience clogged/plugged milk ducts? If so, what did you do to relieve it? I’m assuming that’s what I have. I have some small knots in my left breast that are super tender and the left side is usually my over productive size and the supply has decreased. I exclusively pump. I usually put a hot compress on a couple times a Day regardless. Any advice is appreciated. This hurts and I do not want it to turn into mastitis!

persnickity · October 2017

@tiffanyw1783 I had some tender hard spots as my milk was coming in. The LC said to massage them as she was nursing to help the milk flow better from those areas. I also massaged them in a hot shower. Luckily they not got too painful and went away within a day or two.

@janejane-2 I'm really hoping that's what happens for me. Love to not have a period! What are you doing for birth control? Anything that might impact having a period or not?

tvh1982 · October 2017

Massaging is definitely the way to go @tiffanyw1783.
Either while pumping or feeding...towards the nipple or while taking a warm shower!

I only managed to breastfeed for 2 weeks (or so I thought, I didn’t produce enough) but that was the tip I got

Tulips29 · October 2017

@tiffanyw1783 aside from hot compress/showers/massaging while you pump I swear by sunflower lecithin. I've been taking it for months and haven't had a clog or mastitis *knock on wood*. It just makes the milk less sticky inside the ducts so it comes out easier. I find that I don't have to massage as hard while pumping as well. I get this one from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Sunflower-Lecithin-1200-Softgels/dp/B003BHZ71G/ref=sr_ph_1_s_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1507295501&sr=sr-1&keywords=sunflower+lecithin

persnickity · October 2017

@Tulips29 does the sunflower lecithin help you get more volume out in a shorter amount of time if it's making the milk less sticky?

Tulips29 · October 2017

@persnickity sometimes it does, but i'm probably not a good indicator as it always took me a while to pump. I do have random short pumping stints where I get more milk out quicker but that's not the typical for me. I just think it helps empty out easier. Before, I used to abuse my poor girls by squeezing them super hard to get the milk going. Now it comes out easier so I don't have to work so hard. I also used to wake up with super hard lumps before and now I'm totally fine.

latershrader · October 2017

When did you guys first leave your child with someone? DH feels we need to go out and be alone for a few hours. I know he is feeling distant from me lately. His sister has agreed to babysit & is so excited to watch our son for us. But is 5 weeks old too soon?? I'm so torn between my DH's needs and my Mama instincts.

tvh1982 · October 2017

I dropped my wee girl for the night at grandma’s when she was 6 weeks.
I’m a single mum and my girl has cowsmilk allergy, which by then we didn’t know. So 24/7 crying was killing me.
I wasn’t ready and I felt guilty, but it was very much needed.
She’s now almost 11,5 months and after my USA trip she slept two nights at my mums and one at my sisters. She had a bad case of jetlag and I needed to stay saint. The guilt and missing her is still the same as when she was 6 weeks. But again so much needed.
She sleepsover once every other month at my mums.

Its not not easy to do, even just a few hours, but it’ll be good for both you and your DH.
Ask your SIL to send you regular updates. So you can ‘see’ he is doing alright and tell your DH that you’d like to go, but find it scary and need those updates. That in time it’ll be easier, but you got to learn and are taking babysteps.

omarismyhomeboy · October 2017

@latershrader maybe this is super early but we left June at home with my parents at 3 weeks, actually. And then again at 4. We were only gone for about an hour and a half each time, but it was amazing connecting with my husband again, honestly. Then of course I missed her so much and was happy to head home after the meal.

Drove2u · October 2017

I left my daughter for two hours with my mom when she was two weeks old to go to a party a mile away. I missed her so much and it was hard but we were so close and she basically slept the entire time.
Shes now 9 months and we've only gone out to dinner alone three times and had my MIL watch her. And then when she was 7 months we went to a wedding overnight about an hour away. I called once after her bedtime to make sure all was good and it was.
Now we're going to an event 45 minutes away in a couple of weeks and having a friend's nanny watch her at their house. She's never watched my daughter before but I do trust her. Everyone is telling me to just pull the bandaid off. It's just so so hard. But we either don't go out at night together as a couple or we just take her.

persnickity · October 2017

We're still working on her taking a bottle. Right now, it's hit or miss, so we haven't left her with anyone. We do have time that we set aside each night for us to spend as a couple. Right now, that enough for both of us.

latershrader · October 2017

Sounds like I made the right choice. DH and I went out for about 2 hours on Saturday night. SIL watched our 5 week old little man and all was well. It was nice to reconnect (and have a cocktail, a bonus of never being able to breastfeed). We decided to make it a point to try to get away 1x a month, even if just for a few hours. We are lucky to have family so close by to watch him.

tvh1982 · October 2017

Are you in the room when trying the bottle @persnickity? Because she can smell you and will be like ‘hell no, I smell mummy who has the real food!’
Might try when you are in another room. Not saying it guarantees a success, but definitely worth a try!

persnickity · October 2017

@tvh1982 We've tried me being out of the room and even being on a different floor of the house. She starts to take it and then gets frustrated and stops. We've tried having the bottle at different temperatures and just yesterday tried a different stage nipple with a higher flow rate. She took the whole bottle yesterday, but drank 2 oz in like 5 minutes. Going to try a bottle a day to see if that helps.

Tulips29 · October 2017

@persnickity which bottles are you using? If you're nursing, maybe she doesn't like the bottles if they don't "resemble" the breast in their shape and feel?

persnickity · October 2017

@Tulips29 we're using lifefactory bottles and nipples. Right now it seems hit or miss on her taking them. Once we got the milk warm enough (DH wanted to try it straight from the fridge at first, hahaha), she takes it, but only drinks 0.5 oz or so (tries to drink for about 5 minutes) before getting frustrated and crying. We tried a faster flow yesterday and she emptied the bottle. We're going to try that again tonight and see if it was a fluke.

JWatt5 · October 2017

@persnickity - like I had said before, I'd like to move from the Nuk Simple Natural bottles/nipples to my Life Factory but I like the more natural nipple still for his age of the Nuk. Does anyone know if a different shaped nipple that's compatible with the Life Factory??

JWatt5 · October 2017

Actually @persnickity - my brain just kicked in and the Medela Calma nipple fits them. And before I didn't like them because the flow was too fast for Parker and the nipple was too long but that's when I still had hopes for direct breastfeeding. But now...I think I'm going to try it again. It has great reviews for mimicking the natural way a nipple flows. She may like it.

persnickity · October 2017

@JWatt5 I think there's a Dr Brown nipple that fits them as well. We're going to try this a few more times and then try a different nipple.

tvh1982 · October 2017

Have you considered using playtex nurser baby bottle with liners?
Or any brand with liners?
I used vaccuum less, but it’s a Dutch brand. It mimics breastfeeding and the nipples look very much like breast nipples. They have to suck the same as with breastfeeding.

Finding the right nipple is tricky too. I have tons only used ones or twice at home, same as for pacifiers. Those little ones are sure as hell picky and demanding for only being around for such a short time!
Crossing my fingers it works with the faster flow. You could always give her a few breaks by taking it out.
And if that nipple also comes with a 1-2-3 nipple you might want to use that. Start with a fast flow and once she’s drinking slowly turning it to a slower flow.

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PAIF graduates - New Mommies - September

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