16 days have gone by since Maxim entered our life and it seems both like he's been around for ever and that we have just begun and have no idea what we are doing.
After dealing with getting a flu (throwing up after major abdominal surgery is no picnic), and being forced to bed rest because of exhaustion, I am now tackling the next issue. These big milk bags don't work!
Yes, even though I have been blessed (or cursed, depends who you are) with rather sizable breasts, they don't seem to have much function. You'd think, ooooh, easy breast feeding. Should be enough to feed an entire play group. Well, size doesn't matter in this case.
We discovered that I wasn't making enough milk when Maxim dropped way too much weight and the midwives were concerned. We had to supplement, and I had to try pumping more. Even with pumping, not a whole lot was coming. Next step, lactation consultant. She was very supportive and helped with better latching (which is part of the problem) and suggested we rent a hospital grade mega pump (who can hear old Bessy moo?). So now the routine is I nurse for 10-15 minutes on each breast, feed him 2 ounces of supplement (formula or pumped milk) and then pump for 15 minutes. The whole process takes about an hour and I need to do it every two hours. Can you say sore nipples?
After all of this, I still don't seem to be producing a whole lot, though I have only been on the crazy schedule for 2 days. We had our appointment with Tanya today, and she suggested dark beer. Seems to work for a lot of people. See the smile on Julie's face? I love dark beer, and to be given the OK, no, encouraged, by my health care provider to have one a day to increase milk production, well no need to tell me twice. Good thing there were several LCBO's on the way home. And now tonight we are going to the doctor for the final step, drugs. There is a drug out there that is supposed to help. Last resort. If all fails, then I have to accept the fact that I can't produce milk. That is going to be the hardest part. So far every time I think about it I cry. But as I write this, there is only a little bit of welling up. Maybe I am starting to accept it. Stay tuned.
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2 comments:
You're doing everything right, Julie! Whether or not it works (and I'm so hoping it does), Maxim will thank you one day for being such a great mom and going through all this just for him.
Way to go! You are definitely doing everything you can....enjoy the beer. :) It took me a month to sort out the whole breast feeding thing with my first...but it did get sorted. And you are halfway there by just keeping trying....Kudos!
Maxim is such a cutie...Congrats. (oh..you don't know me, but I worked with Marty last summer at Cumberland....lol...)
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