Today is the day that Siena would have been considered full term so we're celebrating her Day 0. We've been told that all developmental milestones and guidelines on what to expect should be based on her due date and not her actual birth date. The past 3 weeks have beenNow that she's here I don't know how we could have waited another 3 weeks for her to show up. She's already changing so much, her cheeks are getting fuller, her range of sounds are increasing and her expressions - well let me just say if you haven't come to visit you need to do so ASAP - they are hysterical
Not to say any of it has been easy. I think i mentioned last week that I was having some issues with engorgement. Well that turned into what felt like clogged ducts - hard umps under the surface. Thursday I started having flu like symptoms, chills, aches, pains and later that day I developed a fever of 100.2. As per the breastfeeding book it looked like I also had mastitis in my left breast (large red patches were a tell tale sign) - a breast infection caused by a common staph bacteria that's found on our skin that enters in through a crack or break in skin usually around the nipple.
Friday AM we went into the midwives' office and they confirmed by suspicion. They put me on a 10 day antibiotic course. The meds really only helped the infection and flu-like symptoms I still had to deal with the engorgement and plugged ducts. This was dealt with lots of feedings (yes, it was a bit uncomfortable but the best way to empty out was to keep on feeding) and cold cabbage leaves. Excuse me? Yes, cold cabbage leaves - something about the sulfates in them that help reduce fluid or something along those lines. So after every feeding mom, N, or I would take off a leaf of cabbage, flatten and release the enzymes with a rolling pin and place it inside my bra.
By Sunday the engorgement had gone down and I no longer felt any hard bumps. This was just in time for us to have a very fussy Siena on our hands. Sunday and Monday were filled with lots of crying, extra feedings which i didn't think i had enough milk for and what seemed to be a growth spurt for Siena. By late Monday night into Tuesday morning I was a mess - thought maybe i wasn't making enough milk because she kept wanting to feed or that the flow was too slow for her and her little mouth. I can't begin to describe what it feels like when something so little and so vulnerable is crying so hard she's shaking and you can't figure out how to make her feel better. It will break your heart. every time. So we started thinking about maybe giving her a little formula. I had samples from 2 of the major formula companies that had come in the mail as well as the kit the hospital gave us. I really didn't want to introduce formula to her let alone a bottle. But her wants superseded mine and we were desperate. N opened up the kit and inside was a ready to serve bottle of 2 oz of newborn formula. She sucked that thing down in 5 seconds flat and passed out
I decided that in the morning that I would call the lactation consultant, and N would go and rent a breast pump. I was not going to let my baby starve.
Of course the next morning, babygirl woke up and fed properly. I spoke to Jo our birthing class instructor as I waited to hear back from the lactation consultant. She helped calm me down, telling me it was highly unlikely that I was not making enough milk. That it takes a while for us to adjust to what the baby needs and even then they'll up and have a growth spurt or change up their eating habits or just have an off day. And that as long as she was having a good number of dirty diapers she was in fact eating enough. I spoke with the consultant and she said the same and that maybe we should wait 24 hours now that she seemed to be better and then decide to come in.
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