Friday, February 10, 2012

Postpartum Week 5

Sorry that this is a day late... I slept most of yesterday. Drake was very cranky Wednesday and it ran me a little ragged. Brian looked after the baby all day, thank goodness.

I took a little "me time"  yesterday and took Max for a walk around the apartment complex (believe me, that was enough for me!) It was a brisk 20 minute walk. Brisk as in "kinda effin cold out" and also the pace.

Drake has been kicking me a lot when he lays on my stomach and it is irritating my incision. It's not red or anything, it just gets a little sore. I just take a Motrin and all is well. I try not to let him lay directly on it, but as I am shrinking (yay) and he is getting bigger (yay) his legs tend to stretch out and flail about.

I'm in the process of trying to re-lactate. Reading up on the literature of it, it is possible, but it will take even more effort. I am pumping 10 minutes per side for every waking hour. It is... exciting. I am up to making a quarter of an ounce (hahaha) per hour.

I also read that fenugreek herb is proven to increase lactation. It is an herb that stimulates the sweat glands. Considering that the milk glands are actually modified sweat glands, this is probably why it works. It's been proven to increase milk production up to 900% in most women, and is safe if you keep to the recommended dosage. I think I'll have Brian pick me up some today before he goes to work. From what I've read about it, it seems as though once the herb has helped increase supply, you can stop taking it. It starts to work in 1-3 days. Exciting.

I've gotten my yarn ball winder from Amazon. It works pretty well. The only trouble is, I have a LOT of yarn to wind into pull balls, and it only does them in 4 ounce increments. It's taken a bit of figuring out too. They recommend using a yarn swift to help speed up the process but I don't have one of those. They are expensive, so I have been using the spinning bottle drying rack ;) I feel so god damn clever sometimes it hurts!

Now that Drake and I are settling into a routine (when he doesn't have cranky days that is) I think I can start doing other things instead of sleeping while he is sleeping. I desperately want to get back in the groove of crocheting and I have been saving lots of patterns I want to tackle. I want to finish the baby blanket I didn't get around to finishing. Part of that though, is winding all the yarn. I think I'll shut up now so I can go do though.

:) Have an awesome Friday all

2 comments:

  1. Good for you for relactating!! It willl happen, just be persistent. It takes 6 weeks to esttablish your supply. I was told when I had to supplement, to give baby breastmilk first then formula. It coats their stomach and protects it from some stuff i formula (extra proteins I think). Also eat oatmeal - not instant but the one you have to cook. Its supposed to help as well. Good luck and I hear ya about the cold weather! I'm 3 hours or so away from you so we have similar weather. Did our walk yesterday and it was definitely different than the weather we've been having!

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  2. Best wishes! I hope you can-I admire you for not giving up. I used mother's milk tea & it has fenugreek. All I can say is eat well-get in your 3 squares & nutrition up. My milk was best when I was being good to my body.

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