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I am a believer in God, a mom, a wife and a lover of winter!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Things they never tell you about having a baby

Here is a post from my facebook that i wanted to post to my blog.  Keep in mind that this was written 5 months ago.

I thought that I would share some pearls of wisdom about some of the things that I have learned over the past several months that nobody ever told me about.  So, please enjoy.

1. Breasfeeding is so......FRUSTRATING!!!! GRRRRRR!!!

When I was pregnant and had decided that I was going to breastfeed my child I talked to alot of people and did a lot of research.  I thought i had it down pat.  I knew all the different holds and how to take care of the utters (I will call them that for the sake of modesty) and about how often they should eat and how long and pretty much anything else you can read about.  I imagined wonderful times of feeding while I held my child while I read a good book and going through boxes of utter pads to keep me from soaking my shirt in public when I heard other babies cry.  Boy was I in for a rude awakening.  Things started off good.  Even though I had a C-section i was able to nurse him within the first hour he was born and i had alot of help from the nursing staff and the lactation consultant (who also worked as a nurse in the maternity ward so she was readily available.)  But it didn't take long for things to go south. I won't go into all the details but here are the main points.  I had a baby who was not an efficent eater (and still isn't) so he liked to eat for a full hour for the first 2 months and he ate every two hours.  I had a bout with thrush which was horribly painful and made me cry almost everytime he latched on and the only hold that worked for me (and still does) doesn't allow me to have a free hand while feeding him.  I also deal with a low milk supply.  No leaking for me, but that also meant that I also had problems having enough milk to feed him with sometimes.  All my dreams about having a wonderful time feeding did nothing but mock me at this point.  I spent alot of time crying, as did he, and just down right hating breastfeeding.  It wasn't wonderful, it wasn't beautiful. It hurt, it was frustrating, and nothing at this point could help me but to just struggle on with it.  I finally figured out that no amount of research can tell you what is best for you and your baby.  Your baby is different from every other baby that has ever been and ever will be born.  We finally now (after 5 months) have a okay feeding time.  I still struggle every now and then but I just remind myself to keep calm, say a quick prayer and keep going.  But don't get me wrong...I wouldn't have changed my decision.  Breastfeeding is and always will be the best way to feed your baby.  The good moments...though they are few and far between are totally worth it all.

2. Where's the poop???

While reading a book that my husband had given me before the birth, I discovered that breastfed babies not only had less smelly poop but also typically poop only once every 2-3 days! I was thinking "awesome!"  Less poop for me to wipe up! But what the book didn't tell me was that some breastfed babies can go up to 7 days with out pooping!!! The first time he went that long it had been about 5 days and I had to call the doctor to ask what to do.  That is when she told me that some can go that long.  As long as he wasn't uncomfortable then he is fine! Sounds good to me!  The only down side is that when he finally does poop, he fills the diaper to maximum capacity!

3. Plan???? Who needs a plan??

One of the things that the birthing class teaches is that it is important to have a plan when you go into the hospital.  What kind of pain meds you want, if any, who is going to be in the birthing room, what items you will need during labor such as movies, massager, extra undies, or maybe a book.  I spent so much time worrying about how everything was gonna go and making sure the bag was packed and that I had the diaper bag packed and ready to go.  Well here is some advice....Don't plan so much!! Because chances are, as soon as you know your having a baby all those plans go out the window! It happened so suddenly for me that all my planning went to waste.  I laughed about it later.  I didn't even go through labor...I have no idea what labor pains feel like or what it's like trying to think about something else other then the pain going on downstairs.  I went in for my 37 week appointment and found out that my BP was high and they admitted me and then had a C-section the next day!  We hadn't put the bag in the car yet, the car seat was still at home.  I had nothing but my work clothes that I came to my appointment in!  So again...don't over plan....you'll just be laughing about it later.

4. Mountain Dew, baby!!!

I had read plenty of times about women you had complications after having a spinal tap for the birth.  I had read and heard that women could get what was called a spinal headache.  That it was extremely painful and just awful to endure.  I had also read that only about 10% of women get this headache.  So I wasn't worried when I had my spinal tap for the C-section.  But, you guessed it.  I got one.  And it was awful!! It was painful to sit up and nurse, or eat, or just to go to the bathroom.  They tired several things to help. Pain meds, sinus pills and one nurse suggested trying caffine.  I tried all of them but none worked.  They finally gave me a blood patch which helped instantly.  I was finally able to go home.  But then, a couple of days later...it came back.  I called the doctor and then finally went in because it hurt so bad.  You know what the nurse told me?? Drink caffine.  I told her I had tried some in the hospital but it hadn't worked.  She then proceeded to tell me that it wasn't enough.  She said that I needed to chug down as much caffine as I could stand! So, the doctor bascially gave me the okay to drown myself in mountain dew! It was wonderful to hear that after nine months of no caffine at all.  So my mom bought a bunch at the store and i spent the next four days buzzed on moutain dew.  So now I know for the next spinal tap....forget the blood patch...give me some mountain dew!!!

5. OOOooowwww!!

Nursing and sunburns don't mix.  Try nursing a baby who loves to rake his fingernails across your sunburnt chest.  Enough said.

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