Thursday, April 12, 2012
My big boy!
Baby G's one month well baby appointment was yesterday. If I needed some encouragement to keep breastfeeding, that was it. Baby boy is growing like a weed! Here are his stats:
Birth: 6 pounds, 4 oz, 19 inches
Left hospital 5 pounds, 11 oz
One month: 8 pounds, 11 oz, 21.5 inches!
So he's gained three pounds and grown 2.5 inches in a month! Holy moly!
He's now 25th percentile for his weight and head circumference and 50th percentile for his height.
I never asked for his percentages when he was born because I didn't really want to know. I was discouraged that he was so small, and that it was my body who made him that way. It really upset me that, in my mind anyway, my body didn't nourish him and help him grow. Never mind the fact that I was 6 pounds, 7 oz and 19 inches at birth, and that Jason was 6 pounds, 13 oz and 20 inches.... Mommy brain doesn't take rationalizations into account.
And now the men in my life can stop reading right here. Seriously, Dad, you don't want to read the next sentence.
At least I don't think you care to read about my nipples..
See? I warned you.
Now that G is growing so well, I can feel proud that my body is doing real work for him. Good job, boobies!
Also, I figured out what was going on with me and why I was in so much pain after feeding.
Turns out that the whole world isn't lying, and that some women really don't have pain and really do enjoy breastfeeding. I thought it was a malicious lie to make me feel worse about myself.
Actually, I have a circulation problem called Reynaud's disorder, which typically occurs in fingers and toes, but can occur in breastfeeding women. (Who knew?) The blood flow kind of stops, causing my nipples to constrict. They actually turn colors, to white and blue, and hurt like the dickens. Cold air makes it about a million times worse, and our bedroom is air conditioned at night. Simply getting out of bed, and walking over to G's bassinet almost makes me want to cry. And walking through the freezer aisle at the grocery store?? Torture. Especially since I don't have a human heater husband to cuddle up on in the freezer aisle.
So now that I have that figured out, I know how to fix it. I can take Evening Primrose Oil to treat it, drink less caffeine, and, the simplest approach, I can get a handwarmer or heating pad to keep in bed with me. If those things don't work, there is a prescription I can get from my doctor. With that in mind, I can keep on. Simply knowing that I can fix it, and that it isn't just always going to be there makes it easier.
Birth: 6 pounds, 4 oz, 19 inches
Left hospital 5 pounds, 11 oz
One month: 8 pounds, 11 oz, 21.5 inches!
So he's gained three pounds and grown 2.5 inches in a month! Holy moly!
He's now 25th percentile for his weight and head circumference and 50th percentile for his height.
I never asked for his percentages when he was born because I didn't really want to know. I was discouraged that he was so small, and that it was my body who made him that way. It really upset me that, in my mind anyway, my body didn't nourish him and help him grow. Never mind the fact that I was 6 pounds, 7 oz and 19 inches at birth, and that Jason was 6 pounds, 13 oz and 20 inches.... Mommy brain doesn't take rationalizations into account.
And now the men in my life can stop reading right here. Seriously, Dad, you don't want to read the next sentence.
At least I don't think you care to read about my nipples..
See? I warned you.
Now that G is growing so well, I can feel proud that my body is doing real work for him. Good job, boobies!
Also, I figured out what was going on with me and why I was in so much pain after feeding.
Turns out that the whole world isn't lying, and that some women really don't have pain and really do enjoy breastfeeding. I thought it was a malicious lie to make me feel worse about myself.
Actually, I have a circulation problem called Reynaud's disorder, which typically occurs in fingers and toes, but can occur in breastfeeding women. (Who knew?) The blood flow kind of stops, causing my nipples to constrict. They actually turn colors, to white and blue, and hurt like the dickens. Cold air makes it about a million times worse, and our bedroom is air conditioned at night. Simply getting out of bed, and walking over to G's bassinet almost makes me want to cry. And walking through the freezer aisle at the grocery store?? Torture. Especially since I don't have a human heater husband to cuddle up on in the freezer aisle.
So now that I have that figured out, I know how to fix it. I can take Evening Primrose Oil to treat it, drink less caffeine, and, the simplest approach, I can get a handwarmer or heating pad to keep in bed with me. If those things don't work, there is a prescription I can get from my doctor. With that in mind, I can keep on. Simply knowing that I can fix it, and that it isn't just always going to be there makes it easier.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Blessed Is She Who Breastfeeds
If the title wasn't indicator enough, this post is going to be for the ladies. For the mommies, the mommies to be, and the ladies who just want a reason to fear becoming a mother.
Yes, fear.
Ok, not really fear. More like, dread.
Ok, not dread.. More like.. I don't know. Something between dread and fear and happiness. What's in between there?
I'm exaggerating of course. And before I even begin, let me say that breastfeeding Baby G has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I feel so blessed that I can do this for my little boy, even though it's quite literally sucking the life[-giving nourishment.. hehe] out of me.
Somebody once told me that breastfeeding her children was the laziest thing she ever did. It was just so incredibly easy to pop a boob in a baby's mouth! She didn't have to get off the couch to fix a bottle, she didn't have to clean anything afterwards, et cetera, et cetera, blah, blah, blah. And while those things are definitely true, I would absolutely not call breastfeeding lazy! On the other hand, this is most certainly WORK!
When KB was born so early and never latched, I exclusively pumped for her to still get breastmilk. I did that craziness for three months, and then I couldn't do it anymore for a bunch of reasons. She became a formula baby, and I felt a little bit guilty, but it was ok. Now that I've breastfed G for a full month, I can honestly say that I don't blame women who choose to formula feed ONE BIT.
In fact, here's a little illustration for how much work this is. There's a tiny little scene in "Legally Blonde" (random enough for you?) where someone says "You never know how awful something is until you experience it yourself." Then Elle's older friend, you know, the one who played Stiffler's Mom, says "Yeah, like breastfeeding." I never noticed that line until after G was born!
Now I know how hard it is... How much it hurts, how stressful it can be when you're not sure things are working the way they should, how tired I am because Honey can't feed G at 3 am and give me a little break.
Sigh. I'm not giving up or anything.. I will continue to breastfeed as long as I can, which I assume will be months. I know it's the best thing I can do for Baby G, so I'm doing it. I just wish I had known that there was a much more realistic, less butterflies and unicorns version of breastfeeding from the get-go. I wasn't prepared!
So, yes, blessed is she who breastfeeds. Because she's tired. And sore. And emotional.
Friday, April 6, 2012
MilSpouse Friday Fill-In #70
1. What’s one thing in the past month you would have changed?
Honey's work schedule. I know that nobody can help it.. it's what Shipyard does to a crew, but it's sucked something fierce.
2. What was your favorite thing that happened in March?
 |
| Obviously. |
3. Check your phone... who was the last person you called and what is your favorite thing about them?
Well, the person I called was Honey, and there isn't enough space to write my favorite things about him. The number I called was the Wardroom, and I simply don't have a favorite thing about it. I have a lot of not favorite things about it, though ;)
4. If you were a crayon, what color would you be and why?
That depends on the day. Today I would have been lavender. I'm happy and pleasant, but not as bright and fun as I'd like to be. On those days I'm a bright turquoise.
5. What are you looking forward to in April?
Getting my body back! Or, rather, getting a nice body to begin with.. Since I'm officially forever done with having babies, I'm really going to get to work. I start Boot Camp on April 30, and I'm looking forward to having my butt kicked around a bit.
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