Day 3.

I find myself with surprisingly little free time to type postpartum updates. Young Simon has proved to be a high-maintenance individual compared to his siblings, not without a taste for drama.

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Breastfeeding him has been a bumpy road so far, thanks to what one of my breastfeeding counselor friends (not ChristyP, the other one) tentatively diagnosed over Facebook chat as, technically speaking, "wee baby, ginormous boobie" syndrome. In size he isn't all that wee -- 7 lbs is fairly average -- but he is smaller than any baby I have ever nursed, and he is young for his age and (to my eyes) frail and fragile, though the midwives pronounced him healthy and strong considering that he came so early. I feel as though I could break him when I lift him under his arms: he is so light, like a bird.

Anyway, though I have triple-checked for frenulum and tongue placement issues, and can't see anything specifically wrong with his latch, it hurts. I don't think he can get his mouth quite wide enough. We are working on it, pretty intensively, and I have been told to prepare for the possibility that I will just have to manage pain and scrupulously monitor my nipple health until he gets a bit bigger and stronger.

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Also, he has been producing copious amounts of meconium at random intervals, necessitating many blanket changes. I will probably switch from blanket wrapping to diapers today, not my preferred choice so early (I like to be free to do lots of skin-to-skin and get an early start on teaching a cue sound for peeing), n but I just need to reduce the complexity of the system here.

The meconium has just now changed over to yellow, so: milk is on the way.

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In further news: postpartum sushi, delivered, gets five stars.

 

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Comments

[Jenny]

My biggest was 8lb 2oz and my smallest was 6lb 7oz with the others in between and I have always had significant pain nursing for the first two to three weeks. Sam's latch was a mess, but the others have been fine and still I blister up every time. I even had an LC look at us and say the latch was perfect, it shouldn't hurt and I shouldn't be blistered. Okay, but it did hurt and I was blistered. She had no further advice.

I have long thought that it was a size of mouth problem and when they get just a little bit bigger and a little more coordinated, it goes away. Hang in there. The lanolin does help some. Just use it all the time.

[Rebekka]

So 7 lbs is approximately 3150 g, my first was 3250 g and a little early, and I have (TMI) a G cup when not pregnant or nursing. The rugby hold, or whatever you want to call it when baby's legs are under your arm, was what saved us, so if you haven't tried it, I'd recommend it. Something about the angle made it easier for her to latch properly and still breathe.

[Barbara C.]

All my babies are small; I've only had one crack 7 pounds. I've dealt with small mouth/big breast issue and the soreness every time.

I second the lanolin and the "football hold" (as we call it in the States).

[Bearing]

ChristyP recommended that I try coconut oil instead of lanolin this time (bear in mind we don't have any food allergies or sensitivities in our family) and I must say, it seems to be working great and is a lot more pleasant than lanolin.

I did get some blistering which was kind of horrifying to me since I have not ever had that problem before, but I have some hope that we are over that hump. Still painful though.

[Jenny]

Nursing with blisters is like getting stabbed in the breast with a red hot poker. I hope you are past that point.

I'll have to try the coconut oil. Marian is cutting a tooth and she chewed on me in the night while I was sleeping a few days ago and I am pretty sore right now. I was thinking about breaking the lanolin back out, but I really don't like it. Coconut oil does sound more pleasant.

[RealMom4Life]

I was having quite a bit of pain and blistering with my last little one and was given something like this from the lactation consultant. They are very thing and soft and just stick on with no effort. If your pain doesn't subside soon, I recommend checking into them. CONGRATULATIONS!

http://www.amazon.com/Bebe-Dubon-Silicone-Nipple-Shields/dp/B003NVLW64/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1388637942&sr=8-11&keywords=soft+nursing+shield

[Bearing]

Nipple shields can introduce their own problems, though, which nursing mothers have to be aware of before resorting to them. I know that is a possible help, but I am pretty sure I am not yet far gone enough where that would be the wisest choice.

[Kyra]

I think I nearly drowned the baby girls when they started nursing- they were tiny and preemie (I think Miriam was less than 2200g, and Elizabeth was a pound bigger), and I have overactive letdown. I just had to try to guide them through choking and grit my teeth and wait for them to get bigger. I think they stopped inhaling milk every time they nursed at about six weeks. Teeny tiny babies.

[Bearing]

Twins, right, Kyla?

[Kyra]

Twins. Five weeks early, and very small. They weren't able to nurse until the second day, I think, because of breathing problems. I'm very grateful that they were number three and four, and that I'd really got a good handle on breastfeeding before I had them. It would have been so much worse if none of us knew what we were doing.