Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Postpartum Crap

Just a couple of things that I want to throw out there. I am a little over 4 months out from having my baby and having surgery. There are some good things about where I am and some not so good things.

The Good:
  • I lost all my baby weight (and then gained some back, but that can't be blamed on anyone but myself; see previous post).
  • Since I am breast feeding my boobs haven't fallen down to my waist yet.
  • The baby is sleeping through the night so I am finally getting some decent sleep.
  • I am back at work and getting back into a routine.
  • Daycare is working out well and I am (so far) able to pump enough milk that she is staying exclusively breast fed.
  • Still no sign of the dreaded monthly visitor, although I am cranky as all hell so I keep thinking that it MUST be PMS. So far it isn't. I am just a bitch.
The Bad:
  • This happened with my son as well, but I am TOTALLY losing my hair. Like handfuls of it every single time I shower. And I have two bald(ing) spots on each side of my head near my temples. It isn't my greatest look. AND because of that I can't wear it up in a pony tail since it shows off the bald spots. Boo.
  • No matter how many sit ups I do, there is still that little ridge of pudge that sits right over my c-section scar. I don't think it will ever go away.
  • Even though my baby sleeps through the night, no one sent the memo to my boobs. So I either get up and pump, or wake up engorged and beg the baby to eat enough to bring me relief.
  • She never eats enough to bring me relief so I end up letting her eat on one side and then pumping the other.
  • Even though we have been successfully breast feeding thus far, I am petrified that my supply is going to go to crap at any moment and it will all go away.
  • My step sister is a lactation consultant and she swears that if I just let my boobs adjust to what the baby is doing (eating during the day like crazy and then sleeping for 9 hours at night) then they will be perfect and give her exactly what she needs. No more, no less.
  • I can't seem to believe her and therefore freakishly pump to make sure that it all doesn't go away.
  • Even though daycare is fabulous I am not sure they understand the whole "liquid gold" thing and I think they make her 4 ounce bottles throughout the day when she doesn't drink that much. I am pretty sure they are throwing away at least 3 ounces a day.
I think that is pretty much it. I am so thankful to be 4 months past having this baby as opposed to wear I was 4 months before having her. If you happen to be a new reader, don't think that I don't appreciate my child or being able to conceive her and give birth to a healthy baby. It's just that I really don't do pregnancy well. My body rebels against me. And while there are some yucky parts about postpartum things, it is WAY better than being pregnant.

If anyone out there has any info on the breast feeding thing and whether or not my sister is correct that I need to chill the F out, please let me know. I would love to chill out. But with the baby being in daycare 3 days a week I just want to make sure that my body continues to give her all that she needs. If that means I have to pump even during the times that she is home with me, so be it. But if my body really WILL adjust to a point where I only need to pump when she is physically at daycare that would be awesome. Any advice, or ass-vice, would be appreciated.

1 comment:

bleu said...

Hi, good to hear from you. Funny I used to be so much closer to you before we moved here from Sacramento.

The hair thing, I have two bald spots like male patter balding receding hair ling too. I shave my head and just had to cut it down with #1 blades because the bald spot things were making me nuts.

The milk thing, I have not read all your blog yet (am on dial up and no online much right now) did you bf your son?? You are sounding me like I was with my first. Your boobs will make what you need. Remember at 4 months they start getting interested in EVERYTHING and are not focused on eating the same so they distract like crazy. Mine is constantly moving when she feeds this past week. BTW your daughter was born on my due date, mine was born two weeks later.
Your breast milk is a supply and demand thing, you make what your baby needs, so if you are pumping more than she drinks you will likely engorge or leak more. Remember your baby can suck WAY more than you can pump in the same amount of time so do not rely on that to tell you. If she gains, pees and poops she is all good mama and getting all she needs.
Bliss woke up every two hours through the night to eat and ate every two hours or less during the day. Soul does not, she sleeps through the night without feeding some nights and others feeds once or maybe twice. She sleeps longer at night than Bliss did and eats way less as a whole. But she is gaining and poops and pees and all is well.
Your baby is a perfect healthy chunky monkey hun, don't stress if you can help it, she is great!!


Speaking of which I am off to feed mine she is stirring.