September 27th, 2009

On the fence

I hate feeling like I am starving my baby. I really want to breastfeed and I am limiting the supplementing, but I feel like he is always hungry, especially in the evening. I am going back to the group tomorrow and will get a weight check and then decide whether I need to go back to pumping some to supplement instead of using formula. Pumping is just so awkward. I know I am supposed to pump after a feeding, but my baby likes to be held and I don’t know what to do with him. Do I let him cry so I can pump? I am not sure if that is worth it. Do I only pump the times I can get him down to sleep? That might work better, but would be pretty erratic. I guess I will see how his weight is doing tomorrow. If he is gaining then the current method is going ok and I only need to pump 2-3 ounces a day to supplement.

September 24th, 2009

Supply Issues

I’ve stopped taking the reglan now for over 24 hours and I am feeling much improved. Before that I had 2 days of only taking it before bedtime. I haven’t cried in 3 days. While that could also be because my husband is home on vacation, I still think a lot of it may have been the medication for I cried the first 3 days he was home. I can tell already that my supply is going down after stopping the medication, it is back to oatmeal, tea, fenugreek and lots of water for me. I am hoping to not have to pump all the time to try and increase supply, but that is a better option than medication, for now. It was just so time consuming when I was trying to breastfeed, supplement with a bottle and pump all together. Also, if the baby doesn’t want to be put down after a feeding, it can be difficult to get a pumping session in. I guess that is a good question for group.

I am going to go back and try the breastfeeding group again next week, but I am not holding my breath. There is also a breastfeeding group associated with the clinic I go to that meets monthly. I will try that as well.

We went and toured our first daycare center yesterday. It was like baby jail with all of the stripped, white cribs lined up against the wall. It seemed clean enough, but very institutional. I also have to wonder why, if they were having a big open house event, none of the infant instructors were there. I am willing to go see the other options, but I think in home care might be the best option until he is 1 at least.

September 24th, 2009

Ouch

A sprained ankle, a newborn and a two-story house are not things that go well together.

September 22nd, 2009

Time Management

I am trying to practice better time management this week– trying to figure out what can be done when baby is sleeping without feeling hurried or frantic to get it done before he wakes up. Now that he is big enough for the baby swing, that is helping a lot. It keeps him busy long enough to fix a meal or put some clothes in the washing machine.