When Miss F was born, she weighed 9 lbs 6 oz. When she left the hospital two days later, she weighed 8 lbs 13 oz. Because she was so dehydrated, she weighed only 8 lbs 6 oz at her first check up when she was for days old. But we persevered, and by her second check up at 11 days old, she was 9 lbs 1 oz.
We had her pediatrician appointment yesterday, and at 18 days old, she hadn't gotten back to birth weight. She was 9 lbs 5 oz. She had also spent the previous night and that morning screaming uncontrollably. She nursed every hour, but wasn't comforted.
At the pediatrician, we tried everything to get that one ounce to get back to birth weight. I nursed her, but she had been cluster feeding so there wasn't much there. Despite having nursed so much, my supply seemed low. The pediatrician had us give her some formula and she immediately stored screaming, but then she wet a diaper, so the weight gain was negated.
Starting last night, at our pediatrician's recommendation, I've been taking fenugreek pills and drinking mother's milk tea. I have to get in contact with a lactation consultant today.
I really don't want to give Miss F formula, but I'd rather do that than starve her. I'm hopeful that the herbs well help to get me where she needs me to be and that our weight check on Friday will be positive.
Since Miss F's birth, I've lost 31 of the 33 lbs I gained. While I'm very happy that my weight loss from last year is not all lost, I'm definitely in different shape than I was last September. It seems I'll have to learn to exercise, feed, and dress this new body all over again.
I'm not currently dieting because of the effect it could have on my supply, but I am trying to eat healthy foods. It's been difficult this week because my best friend is in town, and we tend to east poorly when she's here. But she leaves Thursday, and it's back to real food at that point. I'm looking forward to getting healthy again and even picking up running if I can manage it.
We had her pediatrician appointment yesterday, and at 18 days old, she hadn't gotten back to birth weight. She was 9 lbs 5 oz. She had also spent the previous night and that morning screaming uncontrollably. She nursed every hour, but wasn't comforted.
At the pediatrician, we tried everything to get that one ounce to get back to birth weight. I nursed her, but she had been cluster feeding so there wasn't much there. Despite having nursed so much, my supply seemed low. The pediatrician had us give her some formula and she immediately stored screaming, but then she wet a diaper, so the weight gain was negated.
Starting last night, at our pediatrician's recommendation, I've been taking fenugreek pills and drinking mother's milk tea. I have to get in contact with a lactation consultant today.
I really don't want to give Miss F formula, but I'd rather do that than starve her. I'm hopeful that the herbs well help to get me where she needs me to be and that our weight check on Friday will be positive.
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I'm not currently dieting because of the effect it could have on my supply, but I am trying to eat healthy foods. It's been difficult this week because my best friend is in town, and we tend to east poorly when she's here. But she leaves Thursday, and it's back to real food at that point. I'm looking forward to getting healthy again and even picking up running if I can manage it.
Nursing is always such a wild ride! Tiger Lily was born hungry (she was a big girl at 9-14), but I didn't get my milk in for a few days. We supplemented with formula those first few days, and I'm so glad we did. We would nurse first, then offer the formula. I know it doesn't work for everyone, but it worked well for us.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you've lost so much weight! I still have plenty of my baby weight left from Tiger Lily. :( Seeing that she's three years old now, I guess I have no excuses.
Do keep an eye on yourself, though. If you keep losing beyond the pre-birth weight, have your thyroid checked. I had this happen to me after Red Chief, so now it's my little soapbox. :)
I gave her formula after she nursed, too. The LC said I don't have to do it anymore. I just have to feed her every two hours and pump four times a day along with the pills to get my supply back up.
ReplyDeleteAs for the weight, Miss F was almost 1/3 of it, and 1/3 of it was water weight. Thanks for the warning about the thyroid. On a nurse's advice, I'm having a full physical by my GP after my six week appointment. She said after having a baby, hormones change so much that it was a good idea to make sure everything is going well. I'll make sure that I have them check the thyroid levels.