Ups and downs

[moominmolly]

My milk production seems to have slowly increased, just like the books said it would and just like I was totally convinced it wouldn't anyway, just to spite me. Yesterday was a zero-formula day. Hurrah! We still had to supplement with a bottle in the early-early morning. On the other hand, it was a bottle of breastmilk, and it was only given after she'd fed at both breasts. Slowly, we advance.

This morning, we went to see a lactation consultant. She was helpful -- she watched N latch on a few times and proclaimed the basic latch good. She did give me tips to minimize the pain of latch-on. For example, one time, N curled her bottom lip under, and indeed, that was the most painful latch. She suggested pulling Natalie's lip out when the latch was unusually painful, to see if that helped. Also, she encouraged pulling N off the breast whenever she starts chomping down rather than sucking. This is a bit of a problem, for me, since the sensation of being sucked overly hard, the sensation of a bad latch, and the sensation of being fiercely gummed by a bored newborn are all very similar: "Ow, fuck! My nipple hurts!" But at any rate, I can insert a finger in to her mouth if the pain increases suddenly and see if she is biting my finger (and if so, pull her off).

Overall, though, since we've gotten to a point where the bulk of the feeding itself is usually painless, the lactation consultant said that my sore nipples were basically just tough noogies. She prescribed me a soothing ointment that I can apply after difficult feedings. It contains, among other things, lidocaine. Ahhh, sweet sweet lidocaine. But she said that for many new mothers, sore nipples are really just part of the game for the first few weeks, and that as long as it's toe-curling pain and not screaming-to-wake-the-neighbors pain, stick with it and it'll go away in a month. Well, okay then.

Note to world: I do not like having my nipples chewed on. Thanks!

We've been having tumultuous sleep problems this week, too. Tuesday and Wednesday nights were particularly stressful; nothing we could do seemed to quiet her fussing, and when she's up for two hours straight being inconsolable, and it's 4 AM, the whole world seems difficult to bear. (As I'm certain it is, if you're a newborn.) Our sleep schedule seems to have us waking up at or after noon, most days this week, no matter when we try to "go to bed". But Wednesday night was better than Tuesday, and last night was better than Wednesday -- even though, in the moment, it seems like nothing will ever work, I suppose we just have to stick out each night and learn what DOES work. Over time, we'll all adapt.

Things that seem to work to cure baby angst:
* jogging up and down the stairs in D's arms
* being swooshed around
* being wrapped up tightly so she can't wiggle
* being unwrapped entirely so she can wiggle
* being held to my chest as I lie on my back (breasts make good pillows -- this often puts her to sleep when nothing else will)

Things that don't work:
* Being put in the pouch-sling carrier (sigh)

She's still the cutest damn thing. I mean, I'm totally sold on her intent stare and tender adorableness, and yet I'm also simultaneously convinced that she basically looks like all other tiny babies. Not that I mind. She's different to me because she's my tiny little baby, and therefore subject to my goofy staring camera-lens. She's healthy and gaining weight, I'm healthy and losing weight (every day! this is freaky!), and all three of us are learning how this whole baby/parents thing works.

And with that, it's time for a nap.

Comments

[regyt.livejournal.com]

Note to world: I do not like having my nipples chewed on. Thanks!

I do! Wow, this is the only thing about parenting that I've ever heard of that I would actually be decent at. Not quite enough to make me reconsider not wanting to breed, but still neat.

[gingicat]

Sounds completely normal. And generally good.

Do you have a rocking chair? I don't think I'd have survived this long without mine.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

It's weird because she doesn't look just like all other newborn babies.

I mean, I thought they did! I thought they all looked like wrinkly little Martians and wondered what bizarre crack people were smoking when they said "oh, she looks just like her great-aunt Leda" when, hello, Martian.

But now in quick succession seeing N and Jacob and Tovar (whom you don't know)...the thing is, they all look different. Yeah, they all look like newborns, and I can't go saying they have a particular individual's nose (except for Jacob who really does have his mom's highly distinctive nose)...but they also look like their families in some very definite way. If you put pictures of all of them in front of me and I hadn't known which went with which of you, just knowing what my three choices were, I'm sure I would have lined them all up right.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

Also, P.S., I will try not to chew on your nipples.

[dancingwolfgrrl.livejournal.com]

I said this in D's journal, but I will say it here too: I've always admired your fortitude, but peeking in on your world via LJ during the whole pregnancy/baby thing has only increased my admiration!

[dbang.livejournal.com]

Wow, sounds like things are right on schedule. :-)

Glad to hear the latch is good. I actually have a disagreement with the LC; I think when the latch is bad (such as the turned in lip) you need to start over, rather than try to pull out the lip. On the other hand, I remember distictly hearing this advice from my LC and thinking "No fucking way. Once the kid is latched and getting milk, no way I am voluntarily going to go through the whole screaming-painful latch again because of a tucked in lip."

(On the other hand, with the third baby/second birth, I followed all the advice I didn't follow the first time round and...wouldn't you know it...the sore nips were over in half the time. Go figure.)

Good luck.

PS

[dbang.livejournal.com]

Still waiting on that birth story. :-)

[arachne8x.livejournal.com]

I wish all of you some well deserved rest. Thanks for the update.

[the-xtina.livejournal.com]

I don't comment that often, but reading you and dilletante write about M. Natalie is just one of the more fascinating things ever.  Serioux.

That was a typo, but I stick by it.

[jasra]

I'm glad you left this post so I could read it. She sounds like a wonderful child and I hope her sleep schedule starts to settle down.

Congrats to the three of you. :)

[oonh.livejournal.com]

D'you need any housework or small need-to-be done things done that could help out? (I'm looking for some reason to come over and see you guys and be helpful simultaneously)

[greeniezona.livejournal.com]

kangaroo care is the bestest. :) (skin to skin baby sleeping on her belly on your chest.) a few times those first few weeks when j was fussing at night, andrew would pull him out of his crib and lay him on his chest and they would both fall asleep pretty much instantly.

so glad to hear her latch is good already! your nipples will get tougher, I promise! :/

have you yet discovered the wonder of your baby having something to suck on? j spent much of his first few weeks sucking on our fingers when he was upset. it works so incredibly well we (I) finally gave in and started giving him the pacifier they gave us at the hospital.

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

Have I mentioned that sore nipples is one of the things I would be most nervous about? Especially because redheads have wicked sensitive skin.

[shudder]

But your info is really helpful; I'm taking mental notes for if it's ever appropriate.

[amber-phoenix.livejournal.com]

ya know, i read these posts and i look at the wonderful pictures and my main reaction is "baby! baby! baby!" and then i notice you have 38 bijillion responses, so i don't respond 'cause "baby! baby! baby!" is not really all that original. but i thought i'd finally respond anyway, and say i think you're doing excellently and thanks for sharing some of the experience and that you (both, or perhaps all three) are an inspiration and, um...

baby! baby! baby!

[catya.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

practicalness - do you guys have a treadmill? Dave had good luck with really jouncy treadmill walking/jogging :)

re: sling, is it a tightenable one? i only had sling luck when he was little if it was very close to my body - Dave and Scott had better luck with the Bjorn when he was little.

[moonshadow.livejournal.com]

It sounds like you guys are well on your way to be baby-soothing experts!

Have you tried loud white noise at all? A lot of infants are very into that...

[gretchens.livejournal.com]

I've also had friends have great success with fitness/yoga/birth balls for bouncing purposes... also, I'd love to read your birth story, if you decide to share it, of course. :)

[mmmelt.livejournal.com]

You popped! Congrats babe.


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