We’re all doing well here. Honestly. Overall.
Breastfeeding is still not at all what I hoped for, but having consulted a lactation specialist, am still optimistic this EXCRUCIATING pain will be gone soon. It seems as if we have a good latch, and nothing else is really wrong; Cadrian just has a really strong suck, but also a poor suck where my ‘girls’ are concerned.
We’ve been having some wonderful friends bring out meals.
Kevin’s mom took this week off work with the intent of babysitting, so I think that will really help to have time off from the girls. They are a handful, and always want to kiss me and Cadrian and bump the chair and climb on us while we are trying to nurse. Nursing at this point requires my full concentration.
Friday was a full day with a trip to the library and a friend’s house, followed by a couple of visits from friends in the afternoon. My cousin was able to come over for dinner too and meet Cadrian.
Today my dad, who had been on RAGBRAI, and Connie, (Kevin’s sister) who had been in Wisconsin for work training both got to meet our precious bundle.
Yesterday out and about, we weren’t properly prepared for both Brielle and Cadrian to poo in their outfits, but it all worked out in the end. No pun intended.
And today within ten minutes of Connie being here I had to change both my tops and bottoms. Leakiness everywhere.
Post birth is messy! And painful!
But oh, look into those barely focused eyes, or feel him nuzzle up to your neck, or pick him up when he’s wailing pitifully in protest to a diaper change and have him immediately quiet and relax into your arms, and you’ll know why I go through it!
So glad you’re all hanging in there. The adjustment is always interesting, but soon it will be hard to imagine doing it any other way, you know!
Try a bag of frozen peas on the tatas. It helped me.
Awwww! B/Fing Abigail REALLY hurt, too, so I thought that meant we were doing it wrong. But we weren’t! Fair-skinned women tend to have a lot more sensitivity that can become more intense with each pregnancy. Yay!
Oh OUCH! I well remember that–having had the worst case of mastitis that my midwife and doctor had both ever seen.
Praying for things to stop hurting–quickly!
Joanne
I just found your blog a couple weeks ago…right before the baby came. Very exciting.
I just wanted to offer a word of engcouragement about the nursing thing…I had my third baby a year ago and expected it to be a piece of cake (I had nursed the older two for a year each).
It was a total disaster. I was bleeding almost every time she ate, so I backed off on feeding her a little, then she started losing weight so I had to feed her like every two hours. I would hide in my bedroom so the other two wouldn’t touch me, and cry throught the whole feeding.
But finally somewhere around 6-8 weeks it got better, and she also nursed for a full year. It was a rough start for sure, but definitely worth the persistence.
Don’t give up.:)
Great friends and family are the best! And yes, I remember the post birth being oh-so-lovely. I can only imagine having to deal with all the trials and tribulations of a newborn with 2 eager little girls who want to be involved and need your attention too! You’re doing great (and by the way, still my super hero for giving birth AT HOME, with NO MEDICALLY TRAINED STAFF, and no drugs – girl, you rock!)!
If it helps…for all three of my babes my nipples hurt really really bad for the first week or two. I found the Lanolin very very helpful.
It drove me nuts that the lactation specialist always said that it should not hurt if done properly. whatever.
hang in there.
BFing my girl hurt like crazy for 2 weeks and 1 day.
I have to stop BFing her in a few weeks for medical reasons and I can’t stop crying about it.
Nurse through the pain. You can do it.
It will get better. I promise:)
I agree—-the ickiness, the pain, the pull-in-twenty-different-directions….it’s all worth it.
Breastfeeding was always so painful for me for the first three weeks, and then it was easy after that.
Maddie just cut her first tooth (at 8 months!) and now BF’ing hurts again. I’m not sure if she is chewing on me or what!
Hang in there—it’ll get better soon!
Oh, I know about the bleeding, cracked, sore nipples (times 3). Eliza is an incredibly efficient nurser with a STRONG suck. It took about 6 weeks to get better. But, it did get better. I didn’t think I was going to live to see the day, though.
I hope the uppers feel better SOON!
Isn’t haven’t a son amazing?!
-Andrea