Hopefully I can get this post done before we leave for the pediatrician's (Dr. W) office. I am finding myself to be extremely short on time these days. It is amazing what you can acomplish in 2 hours while the baby is napping though!
I have started to pump. Just to see what I can get out of them, if I can tackle that beast of a machine (not really a beast, just very intimidating), and to practice when I'll have to use it for real. I've been looking at it for few weeks in the box. Dean kept asking me when I was going to bust it out. I was chomping at the bit to purchase it before Miles arrived "just in case" and then looking at the thing, I was scared as hell. Number 1 - I really didn't want to feel like a cow. SERIOUSLY! Not 3 weeks ago we were watching something on Discovery.Channel about dairy farms (Dean likes weird shows, what can I say?). They showed how everything is mechanical and the cow goes into this secluded area - reminded me of a lactation room - but with fences instead of walls so the cows could still be with their friends. WHAT? Anyway, this machine comes up, sucks their milk, analyzes it for hormones and what not. It was crazy what it could accomplish without human intervention....I digress. My machine is not so automated. And with righty being so much bigger than lefty, the double pump thing is killing me. I can't do that one armed hold thing the chick in the manual does. I have to actually hold each one because I have to hold the bottle/shield not only ON the boob, but to hold the boob UP. Yes, they are that big. And no it is not a blessing. I am sure I would have just as many milk duds (as someone so lovingly refers to them) in little boobies, than I would in these beasts. And could the noise be more awful? It might as well be going, "MOO, MOO, MOO, MOO!!!" I've only done it 3 times now but only got a max of 3 oz. That time was out of lefty after Miles ate from that one. (He didn't eat very much that time) but otherwise I have only got 3 oz total from both. Is this normal? How much should I be producing at this point? When he is needing those GIANT 8 oz bottles, how will I ever fill them? **Sorry this boob pumping paragraph was so long!**
Miles has officially "christened" Mommy and Daddy with a pee pee shower! Daddy was changing a diapee in the changing area and heard this (not sure how to spell it) CCCCHHHH. He said he had been thinking of turning on the sprinkers in the backyard and thought it was water spraying the window. Nope! It was Miles spraying the top side of the changing pad! It was arched completely over the top of his head hitting the plastic. The only pee that got on him was a couple drops when he was finished! Mommy got it a completely different way. I was giving him a bath on Saturday. Laying on a couple of towels on the kitchen counter (he's too small for the tub still) and I was concentrating on shampooing his hair since at the time he still had his cord and couldn't be scrubbly bubbly all over. Then I feel this wetness on my face and IN MY MOUTH! I didn't think I turned the kitchen sprayer on...then I looked down just in time to catch a mouthful!! I had left him uncovered and myself open for attack! It was mucho disgusting. But still funny. Daddy had a good laugh at it anyways...
We both read several baby books while pregnant. We have adopted a couple of theories/options/philosophies from each and they are working quite well. From Happiest.Baby.On.The.Block, we are doing the 5 S's - Swaddling, Side/Stomach, Shhh, Swinging, Sucking. Technically we only use the swaddle/shhh combo for nighttime sleep and the shhh/swing combo for naps. It is amazing. He will go from screaming to sleeping in minutes! We are also using the E.A.S.Y. method from Baby.Whisperer. Eat, Activity, Sleep, You. He eats, we play with him or by himself, bath or diapee change (keeping him awake is key), then sleep, then time for You/Mommy/Daddy. That method is driving our schedule. And speaking of schedule we are trying the PDF from On.Becoming.BabyWise. PDF - Parent Directed Feeding, versus letting the child determine when eating time is. This is working perfectly with the EASY method above. With PDF, the book says that you create the metabolism habits of your baby. This makes them wake at their scheduled feeding time. At first I thought - yeah right. But we were previously having to wake him up for his nighttime feedings and for the past 2 nights he has woken up on his own - at the exact times we would be waking him. It is awesome!
Finished just in time....I have 7 minutes to pee, get my shoes on, get Miles in his seat so we can go! Talk to you soon!
3 nice things to say...:
He is so gorgeous! Sounds like he is doing great.
The 3 oz sounds perfect for your breast milk production. I know I felt like a dairy cow too with the double breast pump. You can use a boppy pillow to help hold up your boobies. It does get easier as your body adjusts and you recover.
I am so glad the EASY and scheduling routines are working so well.
I always flew by the seat of my *big* pants and was always going crazy! I'm glad those books were helpful and ya'll are getting on a schedule. He is SO sweet!
*HUGS*
Kim - He is so adorable!
Yes, 3 oz is actually pretty good. I was slow to produce both times. But, just remember it works on supply and demand. You need to continue to pump even if nothing comes out. Try to pump for 20 minutes (if you are too sore, you might build up to 20 minutes). Your body will then start to produce more after several days. Then hopefully you can build your supply up for when you go back to work. Another trick my Pediatrician told me was to get a big glass of water and drink it while pumping. That way you are sure to get the accurate amount of water you need. Don't give up because it is so good for your little one. Let me know if you have any questions, I can help you out. I breast fed both of my little ones for 12 months.
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