Friday, January 30, 2009

Trying everything

I think Seb.astian is better off, weight-wise, than So.ren was at this point.   He's gaining weight, though not quite at the pace he's supposed to.  Today, he was 7 lbs, 14 oz.  That's up 3 oz in four days.  It should really be 4 oz.  The pediatrician said he's not worried, that we should just see if his weight plateaus next week or the week after, and then we could think about supplementing if needed.  Regardless of whether we supplement, I plan to keep up my schedule of feeding/pumping for another couple of weeks because your supply is apparently more or less decided in the first three weeks.

To recap, here's what I'm doing to increase supply:
-- nursing 10 times a day
-- pumping 8-9 times a day after feedings
-- feeding Se.bastian the pumped milk
-- taking dom.peridone
-- taking fenu.greek
-- taking More M.ilk Pl.us
-- taking goat's rue
-- taking lecit.thin (for plugged ducts)
-- taking acido.philus (to avoid thrush)
-- doing a series of acupuncture appointments designed to build supply
-- taking calcium and fish oil (for general health)

I am also supposed to be taking some gross Chinese herbs (per the acupuncturist), but I haven't tried them yet.  I think my liver might explode from all of the above-referenced supplements.

Aside from the feeding, however, I think child #2 is easier than child #1.  I'm not sure if the child himself is easier, but we just feel much less stressed out about the whole thing.  I will revise this opinion if he turns out colicky.  In all seriousness, I am enjoying this little baby honeymoon -- we hang out in our sunny bedroom most of the time, watching the DVD of the first season of "30 Ro.ck" and reality TV.  The weather here in SF has been spectacular and springlike, so we take a little walk once a day.  My c-section recovery has been great.

And -- get this -- our newborn specialist (whom we used for a couple of weeks the last time) arrives on Tuesday for six weeks.  How's that for a bull-market decision?  We totally need that money now, but we already paid for her, so there you have it.  I will have to start my job search in earnest while she's here, though, since I hear it'll take at least six months.

3 comments:

Jess said...

Enjoy your Newborn specialist! I had to google it to find out what it was!! :) Round here we'd probably get an amish teenager to do that! hahahah

No really.

No, now you want to move to OHIO don't you? hahahaha

Anyway, gl with the BF too!! Hope it works out, and hey, whatever he gets is a pat for your back!!

Me said...

I'm just thinking, if pumping is to increase the stimulation and encourage your body to make more milk, and you're feeding that pumped milk, wouldn't it be less trouble to just have him on the breast that extra time? Or am I missing something?

TLB said...

Oh, man, I'm tired just reading this. But I can totally see the baby honeymoon. It isn't often that moms get permission to lie around and watch TV and hold the baby, so enjoy it while you can get it.

The specialist will be amazing once again, I'm sure, and it will be a relief to have so much help with another little one in the house. If we were there, I'd taken So*ren to the park so you could nap.

Hope we get to see S#2 soon.