I'm breastfeeding at the moment and wondering what I'm going to do when I go back to work. On the whole I"m enjoying breastfeeding even though it has meant changing my diet.
The questions I'm asking myself are
* Will I try and express
* I'm trying to find out as much information about expressing as possible.
* Not sure if I should if i should buy an electric pump or just stick to my manual pump.
* How will I feel if expressing doesn't work
Monday, 2 June 2008
Sunday, 25 May 2008
Baby discussions
This blog has been running around in my head for the last few days. Until I fell pregnant I was doing my gardening blog. The garden has been in standby mode now for nearly 12 months, I will get back to it, and the blog but for now I need to start writing about learning to be mum.
I find myself going to mothers group and generally talking to other mums and when I walk away I find I'm questioning what I'm doing with my beautiful daughter. I have always found writing a good way to sort my thoughts and if I blog then someone else might also gain a benefit. So for the moment this blog is going to have a baby focus as that is what is going on in my head.
I find myself going to mothers group and generally talking to other mums and when I walk away I find I'm questioning what I'm doing with my beautiful daughter. I have always found writing a good way to sort my thoughts and if I blog then someone else might also gain a benefit. So for the moment this blog is going to have a baby focus as that is what is going on in my head.
Monday, 5 May 2008
I'm feeling lost
We had our 6-8 week check today, it was actually 9 weeks. I have had trouble getting Saana to sleep during the day if she has one short sleep usually between 10 mins and an hour in the day I"m happy. We have tried so many different things to try and get her to sleep and I really wanted some new ideas. The things we have tried are
* ergo
* holding her on our outdoor swing
* fit ball
* feeding to sleep, this works in the evening eventually
* bouncer
* baby swing
When I asked the nurse about this she suggested the following
* Not feeding again until 2 hours from the start of the last feed
* Putting DD into her cot while she is still awake (Both DH and I heartily disagree with this, it might work for some, but it just doesn't work for us. )
I don't really understand what the benefits might be of waiting 2 hours between feeds and it seems like such an arbitrary number.
I'm going to try it until Friday when I can go back, for one reason only. I think Saana might have reflux and the nurse indicated that babies become upset about 20 mins after a feed if they have reflux and if I actually record the time she stops feeding and wait I should be able to check if this is happening.
Mostly she is happy being held, but doesn't sleep and then get crankier & crankier over the day as she gets over tried, if she drifts off, she seems to wake as something hurts, sorry to off load here, but I'm feeling very hopeless & overwhelmed tonight.
I went for help and came away feeling worse.
Sally
OH and I think most of this advice stems from her wanting to stop me feeding her to sleep. I really don't think this is the problem I just want her to go to sleep in general.
This post feels really garbled, but I'm going to stop now before I start crying again.
* ergo
* holding her on our outdoor swing
* fit ball
* feeding to sleep, this works in the evening eventually
* bouncer
* baby swing
When I asked the nurse about this she suggested the following
* Not feeding again until 2 hours from the start of the last feed
* Putting DD into her cot while she is still awake (Both DH and I heartily disagree with this, it might work for some, but it just doesn't work for us. )
I don't really understand what the benefits might be of waiting 2 hours between feeds and it seems like such an arbitrary number.
I'm going to try it until Friday when I can go back, for one reason only. I think Saana might have reflux and the nurse indicated that babies become upset about 20 mins after a feed if they have reflux and if I actually record the time she stops feeding and wait I should be able to check if this is happening.
Mostly she is happy being held, but doesn't sleep and then get crankier & crankier over the day as she gets over tried, if she drifts off, she seems to wake as something hurts, sorry to off load here, but I'm feeling very hopeless & overwhelmed tonight.
I went for help and came away feeling worse.
Sally
OH and I think most of this advice stems from her wanting to stop me feeding her to sleep. I really don't think this is the problem I just want her to go to sleep in general.
This post feels really garbled, but I'm going to stop now before I start crying again.
Thursday, 17 April 2008
Sick baby
Things have been a bit crazy here. 3 to 4 weeks ago Saana started to get cranky and crying lots. At first we thought it was just 3 week crying as we had been told by lots of people that babies change at 3 weeks. Then we thought it was colic, tried all the treatments suggested, even went to an osteopath.
It was the osteopath who insisted that we go to the doctors, he even rang my GP and got us an emergency appointment.
The GP thought everything was OK, but did a urine test as a precautionary method. The test came back sort of positive so we did 2nd test. That came back positive and last friday Saana ended up in hospital to have antibiotics through an IV. She was in hospital until Sunday afternoon and she is now home on oral antibiotics.
She now has to have an ultrasound to see if there is anything wrong with her kidneys.
I got to stay in hospital with her which meant I could keep breastfeeding.
While she is now on the mend I would not wish our experience on anybody. We sat in emergency for most of friday and I had to hold her down so they could take blood and put in the IV while she screamed the house down. I'm hoping the worst is over and the ultrasound doesn't show any problems with her kidneys. Because if they do, she will have to have a test done with a catheter.
She is on the mend now, the only time she cries now is when the antibiotics give her a tummy ache.
It was the osteopath who insisted that we go to the doctors, he even rang my GP and got us an emergency appointment.
The GP thought everything was OK, but did a urine test as a precautionary method. The test came back sort of positive so we did 2nd test. That came back positive and last friday Saana ended up in hospital to have antibiotics through an IV. She was in hospital until Sunday afternoon and she is now home on oral antibiotics.
She now has to have an ultrasound to see if there is anything wrong with her kidneys.
I got to stay in hospital with her which meant I could keep breastfeeding.
While she is now on the mend I would not wish our experience on anybody. We sat in emergency for most of friday and I had to hold her down so they could take blood and put in the IV while she screamed the house down. I'm hoping the worst is over and the ultrasound doesn't show any problems with her kidneys. Because if they do, she will have to have a test done with a catheter.
She is on the mend now, the only time she cries now is when the antibiotics give her a tummy ache.
Thursday, 27 March 2008
Birth of DD
Saana was born on the 4/3/08 by Caesarian because she was breech. Below is the account I wrote of her birth about week after she was born.
Mum dropped us off at the hospital at 11am and we went up to day surgery. We were quickly taken into the main section where we had to change into hospital clothes and scrubs. I got to wear paper undies, hospital gown and hospital dressing gown. Plus those special booties and hat. Miki had to put on the blue scrubs over his clothes and shoes etc. I wanted a photo, but he wouldn’t let me.
The doctor then sat and went through all our details and put the bands etc on my wrist.
We then had to wait in another waiting room until it was time for the surgery. I ended up sitting there until 1:45 in paper underwear.
At 1:45 they took us through to the “holding area� where I got put on a bed and they checked my paper work again. Miki had to stay there while they took me around to the theatre. I remember thinking he would never find me as we seemed to wind through about 100 corridors.
The anesthetist came and explained what would happen and I was then left in the theatre waiting room, while they finished the girl ahead of me and cleaned up the theatre. Finally I was wheeled into the theatre, I had to sit on the edge of the bed, curled over while an orderly or ward clerk (or someone similar, Sascha probably knows) held my shoulders so I couldn’t squirm or move. The anaesthetist then put in a local and then the spinal block. I was surprise how little it all hurt and I had no problem staying still for the spinal block ( I think it took two goes to get it in straight).
They then helped me line down and started to put in the other drips on left hand and the monitors on the right hand.
IT was then that they let Miki come into the theatre. And I must say I was really glad to see him, and he said the same. He said it was really hard waiting in the holding area not knowing what was happening.
They sat him down on a chair next to my head and he was allowed to hold my hand. They then started cutting, but I didn’t know that. I then started to feel sick, I founded out later that my blood pressure dropped and that combine with the pressure on my spine from the baby made me feel sick. I ended up throwing up (quite scary when you are flat on your back), but then I felt much better.
It was at about that point they were trying to get her out, but she kept pulling away and pushing her head up high into my chest. I could actually feel that and the dr told us what was happening.
The next thing miki said “She’s blue.� As he saw her feet as she was pulled out. But it turned out only her feet and hands were blue. They showed her to us over the curtain and then took her to be checked etc. Miki went with her and the midwife, but they stayed in the theatre.
While they stitched me up, they put Saana next to my head. I was too scared to move at first but the nurses helped me move both hands so I could touch her and almost hold her next to me. Then they gave her to Miki to hold for a while.
Once they were nearly finished stitching the midwife took Miki and Saana back to post-natal so they could weigh and measure her. They wheeled me to recovery and started setting up the next lot of drips and attaching a personal pain control thingy.
One of the nurses asked where my baby was and I said I hoped with my husband and she teased me about losing my baby already.
Then the midwife and Miki came back to recovery with Saana and she was put on my chest and I was encouraged to try and feed her. I don't remember if she actually feed, but it was a wonderful experience just lying there with my new daughter on my chest.
They then wheeled me to post-natal (Saana stayed on my chest the whole time). Once we got to post-natal she was put in the crib while they checked me and changed the sheets because I had bled all over the sheets. Miki went to make phone calls to family and send text messages.
My mum and Miki's parents came in that night to see us and have a hold of our precious daughter. I started to feel sick after everyone had left and before I knew it, I had thrown up in the bed and the nurses had to change the sheets again. I kept throwing up for the first half of the night and I know Miki was very torn between helping me and looking after Saana who kept crying every time I threw up. I had to feed Saana several times while I was sick and poor Miki was on standby to grab her when I needed to throw up. I finally started to feel better about midnight and we then settled down to have our first night together as a family. The room had a sofa bed for miki to sleep on, but I don't think it was very comfortable and he didn't have a pillow.
By the next morning I was feeling better and was allowed up to have a shower and get dressed in real clothes. After that I felt we really started our time as a family.
Mum dropped us off at the hospital at 11am and we went up to day surgery. We were quickly taken into the main section where we had to change into hospital clothes and scrubs. I got to wear paper undies, hospital gown and hospital dressing gown. Plus those special booties and hat. Miki had to put on the blue scrubs over his clothes and shoes etc. I wanted a photo, but he wouldn’t let me.
The doctor then sat and went through all our details and put the bands etc on my wrist.
We then had to wait in another waiting room until it was time for the surgery. I ended up sitting there until 1:45 in paper underwear.
At 1:45 they took us through to the “holding area� where I got put on a bed and they checked my paper work again. Miki had to stay there while they took me around to the theatre. I remember thinking he would never find me as we seemed to wind through about 100 corridors.
The anesthetist came and explained what would happen and I was then left in the theatre waiting room, while they finished the girl ahead of me and cleaned up the theatre. Finally I was wheeled into the theatre, I had to sit on the edge of the bed, curled over while an orderly or ward clerk (or someone similar, Sascha probably knows) held my shoulders so I couldn’t squirm or move. The anaesthetist then put in a local and then the spinal block. I was surprise how little it all hurt and I had no problem staying still for the spinal block ( I think it took two goes to get it in straight).
They then helped me line down and started to put in the other drips on left hand and the monitors on the right hand.
IT was then that they let Miki come into the theatre. And I must say I was really glad to see him, and he said the same. He said it was really hard waiting in the holding area not knowing what was happening.
They sat him down on a chair next to my head and he was allowed to hold my hand. They then started cutting, but I didn’t know that. I then started to feel sick, I founded out later that my blood pressure dropped and that combine with the pressure on my spine from the baby made me feel sick. I ended up throwing up (quite scary when you are flat on your back), but then I felt much better.
It was at about that point they were trying to get her out, but she kept pulling away and pushing her head up high into my chest. I could actually feel that and the dr told us what was happening.
The next thing miki said “She’s blue.� As he saw her feet as she was pulled out. But it turned out only her feet and hands were blue. They showed her to us over the curtain and then took her to be checked etc. Miki went with her and the midwife, but they stayed in the theatre.
While they stitched me up, they put Saana next to my head. I was too scared to move at first but the nurses helped me move both hands so I could touch her and almost hold her next to me. Then they gave her to Miki to hold for a while.
Once they were nearly finished stitching the midwife took Miki and Saana back to post-natal so they could weigh and measure her. They wheeled me to recovery and started setting up the next lot of drips and attaching a personal pain control thingy.
One of the nurses asked where my baby was and I said I hoped with my husband and she teased me about losing my baby already.
Then the midwife and Miki came back to recovery with Saana and she was put on my chest and I was encouraged to try and feed her. I don't remember if she actually feed, but it was a wonderful experience just lying there with my new daughter on my chest.
They then wheeled me to post-natal (Saana stayed on my chest the whole time). Once we got to post-natal she was put in the crib while they checked me and changed the sheets because I had bled all over the sheets. Miki went to make phone calls to family and send text messages.
My mum and Miki's parents came in that night to see us and have a hold of our precious daughter. I started to feel sick after everyone had left and before I knew it, I had thrown up in the bed and the nurses had to change the sheets again. I kept throwing up for the first half of the night and I know Miki was very torn between helping me and looking after Saana who kept crying every time I threw up. I had to feed Saana several times while I was sick and poor Miki was on standby to grab her when I needed to throw up. I finally started to feel better about midnight and we then settled down to have our first night together as a family. The room had a sofa bed for miki to sleep on, but I don't think it was very comfortable and he didn't have a pillow.
By the next morning I was feeling better and was allowed up to have a shower and get dressed in real clothes. After that I felt we really started our time as a family.
Saturday, 3 November 2007
Maybe I'm back
Well am I back or not? The answer remains to be seen. I have finally finished uni and am finding I have slightly more time to garden, read etc. All those things that normal people do. It is spring and I have very little time left to get my summer vegetable garden going. Have to get DH to help me drag the baths so I can refill them and give them a solid drink.
I have now turned half my back lawn into a flower bed. Well it was going to be a flower bed, I threw heaps of seeds on the no-dig garden I had made and waited for them to come up. Many have grown but out of the compost which I used in the no-dig I seem to have things such as pumpkins, zucchini, tomatoes and maybe beans. I used pea-straw for the straw in the no-dig garden and I have lots and lots of little pea plants growing, which I am happy because I know they actually get pretty flowers. I don't have photos at the moment, but I will pop out and take some soon. I have been really lucky that after I made that garden we have been have regular, if light rain which has helped.
Oh in the new flower garden I have also planted rhubarb and globe artichokes and I'm planning to put herbs as well when I get organised.
That will do for now, but fingers crossed everybody that I start posting more regularly again.
I have now turned half my back lawn into a flower bed. Well it was going to be a flower bed, I threw heaps of seeds on the no-dig garden I had made and waited for them to come up. Many have grown but out of the compost which I used in the no-dig I seem to have things such as pumpkins, zucchini, tomatoes and maybe beans. I used pea-straw for the straw in the no-dig garden and I have lots and lots of little pea plants growing, which I am happy because I know they actually get pretty flowers. I don't have photos at the moment, but I will pop out and take some soon. I have been really lucky that after I made that garden we have been have regular, if light rain which has helped.
Oh in the new flower garden I have also planted rhubarb and globe artichokes and I'm planning to put herbs as well when I get organised.
That will do for now, but fingers crossed everybody that I start posting more regularly again.
Thursday, 7 June 2007
General thoughts
Time is getting away from me, I have lots of blogs in draft form, which I'm not ready to post yet, but I don't ever seem to have time to sit down and write them properly and add in the photos etc. Too busy writing assignments and stuff I suppose. Not much is happening in the garden at the moment, I've got some cyclamens going in my bedroom now and I will post more about them soon. Two weekends ago I replanted some plants, my first real attempt at this, and I feel like I"m starting to get my head around it. What was particularly special was replanting my Nana's African violets, that will be a post soon too.
Tonight was special, I'm about to make omelettes for tea and I went to the garden and pick a leek, silver beet and parsley for my omelettes. The leek was the first I've picked, my mum told me to cut it off at ground level and it will grow again. So that is what I did, I hope it grows. If the leeks do go well, I will plant more next year as I love them and have a lovely leek and chickpea soup I would love to make with my own leeks. The silver beet is a dream, it grows with very little love and attention and every time I get a craving for green veges I go and pick some and steam it, to have with my dinner. No more rotting veges in the fridge.
Early autumn I got very excited and planted broccoli, Brussel sprouts and mini cabbage. They all got eaten by caterpillars and with my busy schedule I gave up on them and decided to do it next year. But some have come back, but now I have no idea what they are. Hopefully they will grow and I will find out.
Better go and cook those leeks and DH is starting to look hungry.
Tonight was special, I'm about to make omelettes for tea and I went to the garden and pick a leek, silver beet and parsley for my omelettes. The leek was the first I've picked, my mum told me to cut it off at ground level and it will grow again. So that is what I did, I hope it grows. If the leeks do go well, I will plant more next year as I love them and have a lovely leek and chickpea soup I would love to make with my own leeks. The silver beet is a dream, it grows with very little love and attention and every time I get a craving for green veges I go and pick some and steam it, to have with my dinner. No more rotting veges in the fridge.
Early autumn I got very excited and planted broccoli, Brussel sprouts and mini cabbage. They all got eaten by caterpillars and with my busy schedule I gave up on them and decided to do it next year. But some have come back, but now I have no idea what they are. Hopefully they will grow and I will find out.
Better go and cook those leeks and DH is starting to look hungry.
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