Breast feeding and supply

Well breast feeding is going great now. He feeds well. It is still sore when I latch him and let down but the rest of the feeding is pretty pleasant. I love looking at him while he is nursing and play with his toes and hands. It is such a wonderful feeling to nourish him with just myself. It feels rewarding that my body is doing one thing correctly. But with PCOS it is a real threat to my supply, and I have had yeast issues.

So here is my new daily regiment I am on to support the supply!!!

250mg Grapefruit seed extract 3x a day ( anti infection to keep away yeast infections)

1 prenatal

Metformin ( regulates my sugars and hopefully will keep PCOS from affecting my supply and help with weight loss)

1200mg Lecithin 4x a day ( keeps away clogged ducts and mastitis)

1 acidophilus and biddifus (pro biotic to keep away yeast infections)

100mg b6

2ml More milk special blend 3x a day ( supply booster)

Yes it is a lot and it means remembering multiple pills 4x a day. But it is worth it I have only been doing it 3 days and already have seen a huge difference. My son only gets one bottle a day of breast milk and his poly vitamins ( for preemies) and I BF every feeding otherwise. I also was pumping twice in the morning and as needed in the afternoon... not at all at night and getting possibly 3-4oz all day I pumped once this morning and got 5oz. I just pumped again and got another 2... I feel more full and like I am filling quicker after he feeds. I have less breast pains now too.

I am so lucky to have a good supply since the beginning and the support to stick with it when it got rough.

** Last night was rough he was awake and fussy from 930-130 and I was awake with him. Every time I would get him to sleep and put him down he would wake back up and cry and fuss. I don't know if his tummy was bothering him or what. Today also NOT SO coincidentally

is the first day having my daycare kids back. I am exhausted thank goodness it was only my school aged kid today so I could nap for a bit mid day. NOT. He wouldn't allow that :)

1-23-12 Jack's Due Date

How crazy is it that it is my son's due date today. The son I birthed on
12-01-11. He is almost 9 weeks old and he should just be entering the world. I have noticed recently (bringing him around other babies his age) that he is acting just like a real newborn still. He doesn't hold his head up barely has started tracking voices and faces. Doesn't smile or laugh yet. Still sleeps away 22 hours of the day. Still eats every 2-3 hours. He is over 8lbs now I am sure. He is gorgeous as ever.






He is totally attached to me and only cries when he is hungry being changed or wants me to hold him. He sleeps better in my arms than anywhere else. He produces boogers like its his job, and hates the boogie suck, yes that's what I call it.

He is starting to enjoy baths and tummy time.

I reflected a lot today on how lucky we are to have him here healthy. I hate that I also felt sad because he is delayed 2 months and pray he has no other lasting effects from his very premature birth. I also was sad today for the loss of his twin. I hold him and imagine what he or she would look like. Would they look the same or would they favor their fathers looks? I miss my two babies in heaven. I wish I would be able to hold them even once...just to know them and have them feel my love for them. For them to experience the comfort Jack gets from sleeping on my chest. Lots of emotions today.

Update 6wk postpartum

So I had my 6wk follow up appointment today and I had a long list of questions I wanted answered.
At the top of my list was what was the mass they took from my uterus after delivery. This was a frustrating answer. They don't know... why don't they know? Because is isn't in any reports and they never sent it to pathology with my placenta. I COULD SCREAM. So I have to accept not ever knowing although my Dr suspects it was probably either his twin or a placental calcification.

Moving on to the good things. Breast feeding is getting better and more comfortable everyday. His latch is still painful but his preemie tiny mouth and my large nipples make it impossible to not have that right now. In a few months it should get better. The yeast is gone so they hope. I am staying on the GFS extract for the remainder of breast feeding to keep it away. YAY for no more purple faced baby!!

The other important advice I needed was about what to do about BC and regulation of my weight and PCOS symptoms now. The plan we came up with is to get back on metformin which will help me lose weight and also help keep my supply up. To go forward without any hormone BC and stick with condoms/ barrier method. And see in 4-6 months starting exercise slowly and staying close to my gestational diet ( low carb- high protein) .

I am looking forward to hopefully seeing my body change and go back to before treatment and PCOS days body wise.

Jack is 7lb 6oz this past Wednesday! He is eating well sleeping well. He still eats every three hours. I cannot wait to see a 5-6 hour stretch for my sleep lol.

He is perfect and I am so in love :)

6 week f/u

I have a lot of questions and hopefully some answers. I will update later.

Growing so fast

Jack is 6lb 14oz now!!! He would be 38 weeks tommorow, he is now 5 and a half weeks old. CRAZY

He enjoyed his swing for the first time today because he is just now big enough for it.
He is doing well nursing and that is the only time my yeast infection shows me pain now. He is latching well it's just that my nipples are so sensative bc of the yeast still. The gentian violet made him look like he is wearing purple lipstick.

I am starting a bookclub!!! So I can see friends and get into reading again. I am so pumped.

Results

Okay so yesterday it felt like I had shards of glass in my left breast and my nipples were so tender. I fed through it OWWW... and started Gentian Violet last night and Grapefruit seed extract capsuled with citricidal 250mg 3 times daily. Last night was rough. We were also having some feeding troubles. I was still using a contact shield and he would be so frustrated trying to latch hit the shield off and then I would have to put him down and get the shield back on. He would finally latch and suck a few times and fall asleep then i would finally say OK he must be done and pump off the rest and he would start rooting again and I would have to bottle feed him because I just emptied. It was frustrating to say the least with the pain of feeding him being excruciating and having him be hungry still with nothing left.

I finally got an hour of sleep. This morning I went to the Dr and it was feeling a bit better. She said no Mastitis... Yeast infection in both staying on Gentian Violet for 6 more days, and the GFS extract for the entire length of breastfeeding. I am really hoping this clears it up. Now that it is night time again I am getting more sore and tired and hope I can keep up the energy for positive relaxed feedings sans shield tonight. It is always more difficult on no sleep.

Besides all that I am loving finally being a mommy. Jack is so amazing. I don't know what I ever did without him. I am going to go cuddle him now.

Waiting on call back

I am in so much pain in my left breast. I can't help but cry...nursing is like knives... has anyone ever had mastitis? I have a call into my OB but I am wondering if thats what this is? Advice?

(still using contact sheild to nurse... was trying to wean...have done a few a day without)