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As I was saying...
Have you noticed the time stamp on my last few posts? They average around 1 am in the morning. My children have always been a little on the night owl side (usually going to sleep around 10pm and getting up around 9am) but Bitsy...she wins the night owl award!
She has helped me rediscover that cable television is no good after about 11pm (unless you are into buying some kind of device that hangs you by your feet for back pain or you are in the market for a kitchen device that allows you to practice your karate slap in order to chop your veggies)
She is also helping me get caught up on my blog reading (although I still need to work on the comment department, my bad!)
She also has me having a daily struggle to forgo the coffee that my sleep deprived body is really needing. Since I am exclusively breastfeeding (that sure sounds like a hoity-toity club and I hate that.) I would have to pump and dump all day to remove the amount of caffeine that I so desperately need. Thus eliminating being an exclusive breast feeder (dang...there is that club again)
Speaking of breast feeding...I think I still have two babies left inside me. No, I am not referring to the fact that I still look about 4-5 mos. pregnant (Thank you postpartum water weight...yeah, that's the weight crutch that I am going with) I refer to multiple children still in uteri because I have always heard that you produce the "perfect" amount of breast milk for your baby. If that is the case, there must be other children "waiting in the wings"
Although the Victoria Secret look is thrilling (also allows me to get whatever I want from The Man) the amount of milk production is a bit on the "Good heavens this is getting ridiculous" side. Bitsy eats (drinks, nurses, sups...whatever) like a bird and I have a turn out meant for a pterodactyl (Thank you spell check for catching the slaughtering of that prehistoric word) I feed her and watch as she goes into that milk induced coma and then have to go pump. I have already run out of the breast milk collection bags I had (more ordered from Amazon on the way) and have turned to using empty mason jars. (Since I am sleep deprived, you may want to watch me very carefully if I offer to make you some homemade mac & cheese)
I tried to abstain from pumping to allow my supply to compensate to her eating habits...but having to shove bags of frozen peas in my bra was much more uncomfortable and not a good look at all.
So for now, we just joke that I am "channeling my inner Elsie" and my loving family bears with me as I am forever connected to my Medela. She runs on batteries, but considering her overworked self and the expense of AA batteries, I have given her reprieve and just used that wall plug she came with.
So, my breast feeding friends, what can be done to "staunch the flow" a little?
Also...what are some methods on getting Bitsy's schedule turned a little so I am not forced to watch informercials? I know at a week old I am asking a lot...but until I can have some good stout coffee, we gotta do something!
On a totally seperate topic...all you wonderful gals who leave me comments (Helga, Jess, A Working Mommy, Kate, Mannmom, Mama M, Brianne, Bethany, Emily, Tyler, Knitter, Megan...just to name a few) I am working very hard to get better at leaving comments on your blogs. Seriously, I am. I read all of you daily and read all of my comments. I am just not so good on the follow up.
Well, I got a passed out milk coma baby in my lap, so toodles for now...
10 comments:
It will subside. You know it will... but the pumping, as you know, will slow it down. A lot. If you can't not pump, pump as little as possible.
Sorry to hear about the coffee struggle. I always just put my kids through it. I never gave up my coffee. I never pumped, let alone dumped. And you've seen my coffee (has it been a year already?!) It is very.strong.
I'm still just so tickled that she's finally here!! More pictures! We need more pictures!!!! (Would love pictures of Buzz and Belly with messy lollipops, too!)
I'm not sure if my comments over the weekend posted. I'm having computer problems. LOVE hearing about your new addition! Good luck withthe nursing situation; got no advice to give. Sorry.
I have no tips on the breastfeeding.. i was one of "those" moms who didnt breastfeed... live and learn I guess
But no worries with a one week old and two other cute girlies you totally get a comment pass for a while ;)
LOL!!! Not to worry dear mama!! I will support you - of the comment variety, not the Victoria Secret kind (especially with your most recent issue) - no matter what...as long as I'm not otherwise tied up - literally or not!! Hope all is well!
~WM
Okay...lemme just say you are excused from commenting at the current time! With burgeoning breasts, ready to explode, I'd for it to happen while you are at the computer...then I'd feel responsible for your destroyed computer. Milk + motherboards = not a match made in heaven.
Just sayin'.
Try the ice after she nurses...and try (as much as you can) to NOT pump...if you need to pump, just do a teeny tiny bit...until you are slightly more comfortable. Or...the better way, is to manually massage for comfort. Then ice. The ice will help constrict the ducts to tell your brain to slow production!!
Good luck!
Oh...do you feed her on just one side? If you don't, try that...just one side per feeding (it may take a bit for your other monstrous breast to get the hint...back to massage/pumping tiny bits if needed!).
Hope this helps, my friend!
I used to have the milk issue too for the first few weeks. I had to pump, or I was in horrible pain. Since I was going back to work & needed as much stash as I could get, I drained 'em which gave quite the relief. Eventually, after I went to work, they would level out.
As far as the caffeine, I understand. I would go cold turkey on caffeine when baby came along (during pregnancy, I didn't care since my body was processing, not wee little one). It hurt (quite literally). Unless you want to have a kid with a really screwed up schedule, only other choice is to formula feed.
I feel your pain. Well, not now, but I did right after Kaitlan was born. Everything should even out here before long, though.
I also have night owls. I guess that's why I only got about 3 hours of sleep last night. And she's almost 15 months. It's really my fault though. We all stayed up really late for the past 2 weeks during the holiday break (from school)and now she thinks it's party time at 2am. Once again, my fault!
Good luck on the milk, Dear. And the sleeping!
You've heard of the whole "Cabbage leaf" thing? Well, it really works! Put some cold cabbage leaves on your breasts!
And its okay to pump to relieve discomfort. But if you start pumping 11 ounces at each sitting, your body will continue to make this massive supply!
About schedules... not a big fan of them for newborns. However, try tanking her up in the day. Nurse her as often as she'll let you. Then see how long she can go at night sleeping without eating. My midwife has a theory that babies need "x" amount of calories in a 24 hour period. One way is to let them get those calories when their bellies and brains tell them they want them. Another way is to dole out those calories at 2-3 hour increments. And another way is to get the majority of those calories in during daylight hours so by night time, they won't need so many.
When my daughter was born, she nursed NON-STOP. I mean, like 45 minutes of EVERY single hour she was awake. But she was sleeping 6-8 hours at night, I couldn't complain about the daytime nursing then!
And I wouldn't give up coffee. Yes, caffeine is excreted in your breastmilk. In minute amounts. Just use moderation. Some babies are more effected by caffeine than others. A cup in the morning shouldn't hurt too badly :)
You are excused from commenting!!! I am amazed at how good you are about posting with a newborn. Life will go back to normal eventually...whatever that is :o)
In regards to the extra milk supply....I was like that with my oldest son and I had so much milk stored that I started donating it to a local NICU. I know they don't do that anymore but I know you can sell your milk.
I didn't know what to do to reduce the milk flow so I just made the best of it :o) Sorry I don't have anything better than that.
I work till 11:30 pm and don't get home till close to 12:30 am. My best blog reading time was (postpartum) and stil is at 1:00 am!
Been there done that with the schedule and milk production thing. Unfortunately I don't have a whole lot of advice as I'm not sure how I survived it either!
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