I am 1 in 4. 1 in 4 women who have experienced a miscarriage, infant loss, or stillbirth.
I have had lost a baby shortly after birth and experienced 5 confirmed miscarriages.My miscarriages are recent. They have all happened in the last 18months. Each one more disheartening than the next. After 3 pregnancies that safely passed the 1st trimester, I have had 5 early miscarriages. Most so early my HGC levels were already back to pre-pregnancy level by the time I was seen. The only proof that I was even pregnant being the half dozen positive pregnancy tests and lack of a period for a few days to a week after it was due. I have felt everything from denial that I was even pregnant to crazy to hopeless I would ever hold and nurse a brand new baby I had just birthed ever again. No matter how early the loss, or how short a time period I knew I was pregnant, I had made plans for that baby. It takes minutes to plan a future for a new baby when you see those double pink lines. You start thinking of names, guessing your due date, figuring out how old your other kids will be when the new baby is born, thinking of all the things you need to buy, planning to call the OB, waiting to see those first ultrasound images, and thinking about whether you are carrying a boy or girl. It runs through your head in seconds. You start planning a life with this new life. It is already a part of you and your family. Even if you never get to see an image, you grieve what could have been. You grieve what was promised. A promise that will never be fulfilled. You experience a hormone drop that leaves you even more vulnerable. You question whether you did something wrong and you wonder if you are broken; whether you can have another baby at all. You feel cursed. You feel hopeless to stop what your body is doing even though you want to stop it so so so so badly. You feel alone. Braeden AlexanderMy first pregnancy. My first baby. Braeden Alexander was born on February 26, 2006 at 3:35pm. He weighed 1lbs 2.2oz and was 12in long. He was born at 23w6d due to an incompetent cervix and preterm labor. His death certificate says that he lived for 1hr 40min and that his immediate cause of death was from respiratory distress syndrome with subsequent causes of extreme prematurity and extremely low birth weight. I suffer from PTSD from his birth and death. Just writing this blog post is causing me to hyperventilate and experience extreme nausea. He was perfect. He was healthy. I failed him. It was out of my control and there was nothing that anyone could have done. We tried everything. I knew that something was wrong days before he was born. I had extreme back spasms for days preceding his birth. I know now that those were back contractions. I went into labor and delivery multiple times and was assured that I was closed and that there was no contractions being picked up on the monitors. I was told that they were back spasms from the weight of my growing belly. I felt ridiculous the 4th time I went in. I just knew I would be sent home again, only I wasn't. They decided to check me one more time. The nurse went out and brought the OB back in. While the nurse was rushing to get me ready for transport the OB explained that I was 4cm with ballooning membranes. The only thing they could do was tilt me upside down on the bed and put me on a high dose magnesium drip and hope that it stopped the contractions and that the baby would move off of my cervix. I would not be going home until delivery and the neonatologist would come and talk to me about the baby's chance of survival as soon as I was admitted into a room. I was put upside down,the IV administered in triage, and as I was rushed back to a room. They decided to heavily sedate me as well. I was already experiencing extreme pain from the high dose magnesium as well as panicking. I don't remember much about that afternoon, evening, or night. I remember the neonatologist coming in and telling me that he had a better chance of survival if we could get to 24 weeks. That was only 3 days away. I remember getting steroid shots to help his lungs develope. The next day was the same. Mostly sedated, another steroid shot, and more panic. The next morning I felt better. They decided that I needed a break from the magnesium and they would see how I did without it for a few hours. I didn't need the sedation without it. My amazing nurses washed my hair and braided it, painted my nails, brought me gifts and prayed with me. I felt hope. Not long after I started to feel back contractions again. I let them know frantically. I knew it was too late when they told me to let them know if I had to push and they would get the doctor immediately. I felt the urge to push what seemed like just moments later. He was born after 2 small pushes in caul. His sack broke when they caught him. There were about 30 doctors and nurses in the room. It was standing room only. They rushed him to the warmer and worked on him for about 10 minutes. I couldn't see him but I could see the NICU team's faces. They looked heartbroken. I knew he wouldn't make it. They brought him to me and told me that he didn't respond to the surfactin that was supposed to help his lungs inflate. They told me I could hold him as long as I wanted to and that the nurse would come in and check his vitals until he was gone. I held him and loved him for 1hr and 40min. His body bruised every time his skin was touched. He was so light it was like holding an empty blanket. He was so fragile. He made one small noise. He tried to gasp for air a couple of times. He never opened his eyes. The nurse came in a few times and checked his heart rate. It got slower and slower until she couldn't find it anymore. They took pictures for me. They gave me his hats and blanket. I let them take him after a few hours. I didn't want to bruise him anymore. I didn't want to feel him cold. Sometimes I regret not keeping him with me all night but I don't think I could have handled feeling him cold and seeing him bruise more. I told them they could take him. I discharged myself. I regret doing that more. On the way out I went by the nursery and saw him one last time. I walked out of the hospital empty, in heart and hands. I made memorial service arrangements. I had to endure getting my milk in without a baby to nurse. I cried for my baby as I lay awake at night unable to sleep because it hurt too much to sleep. I leaked so much that I had to endure going to the store and buying breast pads. In his memorial box I have a death certificate, certificate of cremation for march 1st, and the memorial service program. All I have left of him are 2 tiny hats, a banket, hospital bracelets that were never worn, footprints and handprints the size of my thumb, and a few pictures. I cry for him almost every day. He would have been 10yrs old this year. Instead he is resting peacefully in a ceramic urn in the shape of a block with the word "BABY" on it. The pregnancy with my daughter and son were shadowed by Braeden's birth and death. I was in a deep depression for months. I don't even think I came out of it until I brought my baby daughter home from the NICU. One of the hardest days of my life after his birth was when my daughter was in the NICU exactly a year later. She was 6 days old and they were doing a medical history on me. They asked me about my previous pregnancies. I told them of about my 23 week delivery. She asked me when. I had to look at her while sitting next to my preemie daughter and tell her he had died exactly a year before. I suffered from prenatal anxiety while pregnant with my son. I didn't know it at the time. It took another friend experiencing prenatal anxiety as well as my doula training to realize the extent of the trauma his loss had caused me, even 10 years later. The recent miscarriages have just exacerbated these symptoms. I live for my kids and I am happy most days but the pain is still just as real some days as it was the day I held him as his heart beat for the last time. I still ask myself why. I still wonder if there was anything else I could have done. I still miss him. I wish I had more pictures, I wish I had his birth certificate yet the thought of going through the process to get it has me frozen in terror. I grieve just as much, if not more deeply for him than I do my mother's death. I only had 1hr and 40 min with him but he was mine and I loved him more deeply that I had loved anyone in my life before that. I am not alone. 1 out of every 4 women has experienced similar loss. A quarter of every single woman has experienced the loss of a pregnancy or newborn. My own mother confided in me after Braeden's death that she had lost a baby before they adopted my siblings and I. She had never talked about it until that day. I sometimes wonder how alone she felt in her loss.
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Most baby registries come with some recommended categories and items they think you should list or purchase for your new arrival. These lists are usually LONG and can be very overwhelming. I went in Babies R Us yesterday to check out their list and went through Amazon's list online today. It took me 2 hours to find 1 item from each of Amazon's suggested categories and I somehow ended up with 2 car seats and 2 strollers, 2 swings/rockers, and a lot of onsies that I personally never used on my own 2 babies. There is a better way . . . I promiseIf you are a first time mom, first thing that I want to tell you is, you will not use approximately 3/4 of the things that you think you HAVE to register for and purchase. Most items you will use once and realize that either your baby hates it, or it doesn't, if fact, make your life any easier. So don't stress the registry too much. Put some fun items on there that you think that your mother-in-law will get a kick out of buying and keep it simple. I do want to lay down some ground rules for registry making before we begin: 1. You won't need to register for the same item multiple times. What about pacifiers you ask? Well, yes, it is true that those bad boys like to run for the hills the moment you let them out of your sight, but there is a 90% chance your baby will not like the particular pacifier you registered for or will refuse to take a pacifier at all. 2. Don't expect people to only get you items from your registry. . . trust me, only 10% of your family and friends will purchase something off of your registry. They may or may not even read it . . . they may or may not even go to that store you are registered at. You WILL get diapers and wipes of varying brands. It is inevitable. 3. Keep it short and sweet. 6 page registries just stress you AND your family/friends out. It shouldn't list EVERYTHING that you plan on getting for baby. 4. Car seats should be purchased by you and only you. They are a safety device and while relatives can be well meaning, they may choose to purchase a used seat or floor model seat which are both unsafe with an unknown history. Keep the car seats off the registry so you don't even have to worry about it. So now what? What SHOULD go on the registry?There are some main things that babies need. 1.Food 2.Clothing 3.Safe Sleep 4.Comfort 5.Cleanliness With these things in mind, I will organize my recommended regitry list into these 5 categories. Breast, Bottle, or Both?Breastfeeding: *you should not need to register for a breastpump, under ObamaCare your insurance should provide you with a pump, covered 100% before or after you deliver* Breastpads Nursing Pillow Nursing Cover 1-2 Bottles Breastmilk Storage Bags or Bottles (I recommend the bags and 1 box is enough to get your started) Bottle Brush Sanitizing Bags or Steamer Breastfeeding and Pumping (going back to work or exclusively pumping) all of the above 3-6 Bottles Extra Pump Parts Hot/Cold Breast Pads Bottle Cooler Formula Feeding 3-6 Bottles (I don't suggest more than this because some babies do end up needed different types) Bottle Brush Bottle Sterilizer Bottle Warmer Formula ( 1 can is plenty, again some babies require a different kind ) Travel Formula Container Travel Bottle Warmer Bottle Cooler ClothingI am going to say it . . . Don't bother registering for clothes. Eeek, I know, I am sorry. It is pointless. Most of the clothes you register for will not be available or they'll be the wrong season by the time your baby comes earth side. You will get tons of clothes at the shower though, don't worry, they just won't bring anything from your registry! DO register for: Swaddle Blankets Swaddle Sacks Sleep Sacks Burp Bibs Burp Cloths NurseryDepending on your preference and the layout of your home you may or may not be doing a full nursery. If you ARE planning on doing a nursery and putting baby down in a crib then spend the extra $$ on a nice, firm, hypoallergenic, waterproof mattress. I would plan on purchasing the large nursery items yourself or go with a family member that wants to purchase them for you to make sure you are getting a new, safe, item. Do Register for: 2 Fitted Crib Sheets 2 Waterproof Mattress Pads Pack N Play Co-Sleeper Baby Monitor White Noise Machine Storage Baskets Dirty Landry Hamper and Clean Laundry Basket ComfortThis is a category where the bulk of baby items actually fall. We spend 90% of our time as parents trying to keep the baby happy. I am just including some basics that I think work well in this portion, this is NOT an all inclusive list. Do Register for: Pacifiers (1 pack, maybe 2 if different kinds) Baby Carrier ( Ringslings are my personal favorite ) Swing OR Bouncy Seat ( or a combo version) Rock N Play Sleeper Nose Frieda or Comfy Nose Thermometer Cool Mist Humidifier Keeping CleanBath Baby Bathtub 1-2 Packs of Washcloths 2-4 Towels Baby Wash/Shampoo Lotion Nail Clippers/Nail File Brush Diapering - This really just depends on whether you are going to be using cloth diapers or disposable. I am going to give the rundown for cloth diapers today because I feel like it. Changing Pad Diaper Bag 2 Changing Pad Covers 2 Large Wetbags or Pail Liners for at home storage Pail or small trashcan if using liners 2 Medium Wetbags for diaper bag storage ( I recommend having medium wetbags for dirty clothes even if you aren't using cloth) 24-36 Cloth Diaper Changes 2 snappis/boingos/pins Diaper Cream and/or Barrier Ointment 24-36 Wipes Wipes Warmer Travel Wipes Case Spray Bottle (optional to wet dry wipe as you go) Hand Sanitizer That's it! No, really! Keep it simple and to the point. The more fluff you add in the bigger the chance you won't get some of the things you really need and will really used. Put a keepsake item or two in there and don't panic when you receive 70% diapers and 30% baby wash. You'll use them eventually! If you would like personalized help creating your baby registry please contact me today to set up a Baby Registry Consult!
I have to say I am a HUGE fan of cesareans!! . . wait what? YES! I love cesareans!! The cesarean is a modern medical marvel. The ability to surgically deliver a baby safely when the alternative is certain infant death makes me feel safe and warm during my own pregnancies. Just the fact that they are available if something happens removes a lot of my fear during childbirth. I know that if things go poorly then there is the hail mary pass, that is the cesarean, available to me and it helps me sleep at night. I can easily see how they are overused.The World Health Organization calculates that a cesarean section rate between 10% and 15% is reasonable and that when rates are over 10%, there is no evidence that the mortality rate improves for mothers or newborns. Those are pretty surprising numbers when you consider that the average cesarean rate in the US is approximately 30%. When you consider the numbers, at least half of all cesareans in the US are done without improving mother/baby outcomes. So is it better safe than sorry? Well, that is obviously going to be a personal and medical call for each individual but there are definitely some reasons to avoid a cesarean if not medically necessary for baby's safety and/or mom's. Possible post-op complications:
Possible complications for future pregnancies:
Possible complications for newborns:
http://www.motherfriendly.org/resources/documents/therisksofcesareansectionfebruary2010.pdf
Below are the most recently reported primary cesarean rates for hospitals in the upper East Tennessee region. As you can see below, we have rates ranging from 14% to 48%. Current rates may be lower or higher. You can ask your hospital directly what their current rates are as they can change from year to year, as well as from month to month. Hiring a doula can also help you decrease the risk of having a cesarean by as much as 28% according to Evidence Based Birth.Just Doula is committed to providing you with unbiased, concierge support whether you have a cesarean or not. We can help you navigate the information out there and we can help you develop a "plan c" in case you do end up requiring a cesarean. We support birth in all forms and are happy to help you plan or avoid a cesarean for the birth of your new baby!
You just brought your brand new baby home. Maybe this is your first born, maybe it is your 3rd, maybe it is twins. You are trying to breastfeed or you are bottle feeding, you are learning about your new baby and trying to fall into a new routine. Your partner has to go back to work soon or maybe they are just as nervous as you are. Maybe you really just need an extra set of experienced hands. Postpartum doulas provide practical, educational, and emotional support for families and babies during the postpartum period.So what does a day with a postpartum doula look like? You hire a postpartum doula and she comes to your home. She walks in, sits down with you and asks you if you need anything while you feed your baby. Then she goes to the kitchen, makes you a pot of coffee and sits down to chat with you while you tell her what your life has been like for the last few days. She asks you what is causing you the most stress right now and you continue feeding your baby while your doula loads the dishwasher and grabs the dry baby clothes out of the laundry. She sits down with you again as you burp baby and chats while she starts folding. Baby is ready for a diaper change and your doula brings you all the supplies so that you don't have to get up. After the supplies are tucked away and the laundry is folded you decide you want to shower for the first time in 3 days. Instead of dragging a bouncy seat into the bathroom with you, your doula hold your baby so that you get 20 minutes of glorious alone time, all while knowing that your baby won't be crying while you are rinsing the conditioner out of your hair. You come back to your living room to discover your baby still content in the rock n play sleeper by your chair and a small snack and glass of water within arms reach of your "spot." Baby sleeps while you and your doula talk about some nursing concerns that you have. She answers your questions and eases your mind.You decide to go lay down for a little nap after your snack and your doula tells you that she will bring the baby to you in bed when he/she wakes up again. You nap for a little while and then your doula brings you your baby and teaches you how to nurse side lying so that you can both go back to sleep for a little longer. After another short nap with baby you come back out to the living room to discover the diaper trash cleaned up, the dishes done, and baby laundry put away. Your doula asks if you would like some lunch and heats up your leftovers from the night before, all while you snuggle your baby. Your doula changes baby's diaper while you eat and then you nurse while she cleans up lunch. She sits back down with you and asks how you are recovering. She answers your questions about postpartum recovery before she leaves for the day. A postpartum doula never tells you what to do or how to do it. She is there to help you do it your way and answer basic newborn and postpartum care questions.If you need some space or even a long nap she will hold and care for your baby for you. If you want to stay with baby she will bring everything you need to you. She can help you understand different parenting choices and help you figure out which ones work the best for you. She can help you breastfeed, pump, bottle feed, or formula feed. She can help you get more sleep or be an extra set of hands during those frequent pediatrician visits. She can stay overnight and hold a colicky baby so you can get some much needed sleep or watch your older kids play outside while you care for baby inside. Postpartum doulas are NOT nannies or baby nurses. We don't just care for baby. We care for families.Just Doula offers postpartum care in 4 and 8 hour daytime slots, and 8 hour overnight slots. You can book us hourly or you can purchase one of our packages. We are committed to providing concierge, professional services to all of our clients and look forward to helping you bring your new baby home!
It is like THE question. Even if you don't think you will want to use either, you will be asked multiple times during your pregnancy and labor and it may even be appropriate to consider occasionally. It is a good idea to know what you are being offered even if you are planning an unmedicated birth. It is important to know that these are very different options and each has a time and place. It is best to wait to get an epidural until you are in, well established, active labor. ACOG defines active labor as "accelerated cervical dilation generally beginning at 5 cm for multiparous and at 6 cm for nulliparous" while IV pain management can be administered at any point during early labor but should be avoided when you are almost completely dilated or in the 3rd stage (pushing stage) of labor, as baby may still be effected by the drug at birth if given too soon before delivery. When an epidural can help.We often hear about how epidurals can HURT your chances of a vaginal delivery but there are some circumstances in which an epidural can help you achieve a vaginal delivery. Now, this doesn't mean that you can't power through without one and still have a vaginal birth, what it means is that for some people, considering an epidural when labor is not going as expected, can help facilitate the vaginal delivery they desire. Some common examples of how an epidural can help are: 1. During a very long labor or induction, when you haven't been able to sleep and your body is shutting down, an epidural can provide the needed rest and muscle relaxation for your body to resume optimal functioning. 2. If your delivery is very high risk (such as mono/di twins) and you would like to avoid a cesarean delivery, having an epidural placed can be a great compromise to attempt a vaginal birth in non-ideal circumstances. When IV pain relief can help.Many people are afraid to use IV pain relief due to the possible risks to baby and instead opt for an epidural in early labor but IV pain relief in early labor has been shown to be a safe and effective pain relief option for most women (most of the side effects are very short term and the medicine itself has a very short half-life and metabolizes very quickly). It can be very helpful during early labor if you are already tired but not able to sleep through contractions. It is also temporary! Unlike an epidural which can take hours to wear off and can prevent you from getting out of bed and moving around, you can still walk, change position, sit upright, or use a birth ball while on IV pain relief and it is very short lasting. If you don't like the way it makes you feel, it starts wearing off within an hour or two from administration. It can be a great way to avoid using an epidural is you desire a natural delivery but need something to help you get through those long early stages of labor. Typically labor picks up after 7cm and most people have found their rhythm at that point so they no longer desire temporary pain relief. and wait for it . . . you can use BOTHDon't have any desire to have a natural birth but concerned about getting an epidural too soon and slowing your progress? You can choose to use both. IV pain medication in early labor and once you are in a good active labor pattern with cervical progression past 5-6 cm you can call the anesthesiologist in for your epidural. This is a common request for pitocin inductions as it can take a long time to get to 5-6cm, but the intensity of the contractions is consistent. or you don't have to use eitherYou don't NEED pain relief to have a vaginal delivery. There are natural lulls during labor that can make it seem like you have stalled. An epidural isn't a magic cure for these lulls and sometimes taking a rest while your contractions space is exactly what you need, physically, mentally, and emotionally . There are also many comfort techniques that can work just as well as IV pain medication. I recently had a client that said "Water worked better than the Fentanyl!" after spending over 2 hours in the shower with me using the hand held sprayer on her lower back. The choice is yours! No matter what type of pain relief you use, or don't use, we have your back and we will support your decision and work with you through that decision so that you can have the best experience possible!Johnson City OB/GYN started advising their patients, over the last couple of weeks, that they will no longer be delivering babies after March 31st of this year.I saw Dr Hinton and Dr Pickler at JC OB/GYN for my first 2 pregnancies and I was very sad to learn that they would no longer be delivering in this region anymore. It was a unique practice in this region. They worked well with local homebirth midwives, took a very hands-off and natural approach to pregnancy and childbirth, and were the only private practice left that served Washington and Carter Counties. The region will feel a deep loss with JC OB/GYN gone.Many expecting women are not sure where to turn. They liked the intimacy of only seeing 3 OBs for their prenatal care and getting to know all 3 well before they delivered. The remaining practices have a large on-call pool and it is hard to meet every single OB that might be on-call when you go into labor. As many of you know, I am also a Chapter Leader of Southern Appalachian BirthNetwork, a local chapter of 501-c non-profit BirthNetwork National. I recently spoke with WCYB about the loss of this practice and the resulting VERY limited choices it has left our region's expecting families. You can watch the broadcast here. If you are effected by this change with a current pregnancy you can join SA BirthNetwork's closed facebook group, Southern Appalachian BirthNetwork Support and Encouragement to talk with other families that are having to change practices mid pregnancy. We want you to know you are NOT alone and we will support you as you sort through your options, both good and bad. If you are looking for more personalized support during labor and delivery than what your current OB/GYN office can provide, please consider hiring a doula. Doulas are a friendly, comforting constant during birth when you don't know who will be on call or when your nurse's shift will end. We provide compassionate, continuous care throughout your entire labor.I recently had the pleasure of purchasing 2 Imagine brand cloth training pants from Be Free and Be Natural Boutique.I have been eyeing them for a while and Be Free and Be Natural Boutique held a couple of them for me. I got size large for my 2 1/2 yr, 28lbs toddler. It is a size up from the recommended size for his weight but I had heard that these ran just a little small. The size large is a smidge big on him but generally fit well around the waist and legs. Imagine trainers are supposed to fit more like regular underwear, snug all around, as apposed to a "bubble" fit like many other cloth trainers. This trainer offers a few features that I really like with a very reasonable price point ($12.95MSRP). It has a hidden layer of PUL so that it looks and feels like real underwear but has some added protection from small accidents. The inside is made of an outer layer of white cotton flannel and inner, a hidden layer of microfiber. I don't usually purchase diapers with microfiber but I took a chance on this diaper because it had so many other features I was looking for. The absorbency is NOT what you would find in a regular cloth diaper. It is just enough to prevent leaks all the way down to socks, shoes, and floor. It will not prevent leaking onto clothing for most accidents but it will work well to prevent clothing changes if your child is just having trouble getting to the bathroom in time and having very small accidents. One side unsnaps to make solid changes easier than most pull up style trainers. I would have preferred that both side have snaps but this was the only underwear style trainer with hidden PUL that I found with any snaps at this price point. The outside (yellow) is made of super soft cotton knit with the waist and leg bands made of knit ribbing with encased elastics. They are very soft and comfortable. If you have a particularly sensitive child then the waist snaps may be uncomfortable for them but my son didn't find them bothersome at all. I really like the fit of these trainers the most. I was not looking for something that was very bulky. This is a very trim fit, even with me upsizing. This is the first trainer that we have tried that my 2 1/2 year old didn't automatically call a diaper. He calls them his "underwear diaper" but does not automatically wet them like his would a diaper. He has been out of diapers for almost 6 months now but I wanted more protection when we were out of the house because he still has the occasional accident and can't hold it very long. I initially bought 2 but I am looking to purchase 4 more in the coming months. These are meeting our potty training needs perfectly.
When I first joined some national breastfeeding facebook pages I was immediately sucked in by the pictures of the "freezer stash". I was very proud because I had already had a freezer stash with my firstborn, a 31 weeker, whom I exclusively pumped for and as a result experienced oversupply and a deep freezer full of tiny 2 1/2 once medela storage bottles, provided graciously by my NICU. My preemie never did nurse full time, with only the occasional 30 second latch here and there, so I eventually stopped pumping and she continued to have breastmilk from my freezer stash, exclusively, for another 4-6 weeks. Having never experienced oversupply with a newborn that was nursing, I thought that having a freezer stash was a sign of breastfeeding success.I was wrong. Those pictures of perfectly flat bags of breastmilk, stacked in perfect rows, is a lie. That isn't always a sign of successful breastfeeding. In fact, more often than not, it can be the opposite. Most of those freezers are owned by families who are either exclusively pumping (like myself with my first born for medical reasons) or families experiencing oversupply issues. What is wrong with oversupply? Isn't it better to have extra milk? See, that is what I thought, too. I was very proud of my oversupply. I [shamefully] bragged about it even. Let's fast forward to my youngest's birth. He was full term and he latched on immediately. He had a perfect latch and breastfeeding came easy to both of us this time around. We nursed in the hospital, went home, and my milk came in on day 3, exactly like it was supposed to. I knew I had plenty of milk. I was proud again. I was leaking all over my house, my baby, my furniture, my bed, and myself. After about a week I realized that I probably had oversupply again. I didn't think the excessive leaking and forceful letdown could be problems until he starting choking at every feed and puking enough that my pediatrician sent us to be tested for piloric stenosis.On top of aspirating breastmilk and puking up ounces at a time I was also engorged ... a LOT. Engorgement lead to a plugged duct which led to mastitis when my son was around 6 weeks old. I was lucky because I had put in a great deal of reading on lactation before my son was born and I hadn't started pumping yet. When I did start pumping at 6 weeks (mostly due to the mastitis) I was very careful not to pump too much. I only pumped once a day (sometimes 2). I had saved myself from the endless oversupply pumping spiral . . . barely.The spiral downwards into pumping oblivion is a trend I have seen not only suck in strangers on the internet, but friends and clients as well. It is usually caused by a fear of not making enough milk, or a misconception of needing to have a freezer stash before going back to work, or even the belief that you need to pump to bring your milk in. The more you pump and nurse, the more milk you will produce.This is great if you are nursing your baby on demand. The more they nurse the more you'll make until they don't need to nurse as often. This is great if you have a diagnosed low supply because the more you pump and nurse the more milk you will make until you don't need to pump anymore. This is not great if you are pumping in excess of what your baby can take or if you already have oversupply and you are pumping between nursing sessions. That will only compound or create a problem you didn't necessarily have to deal with. The more you pump, the more you make, the more you make the more uncomfortable you become when you don't pump and the more you continue to have to pump. There are 2 main problems with oversupply and pumping on top of nursing1. For most families, it is unsustainable. Breastfeeding is time consuming enough. Pumping multiple times a day to maintain your comfort and to prevent clogged ducts and mastitis is exhausting. It may seem great in the beginning, but as your baby experiences more growth spurts, and as your family begins to resume their normal activities it can, and will, take its toll on you, physically and mentally. It will also mean that you either cannot leave your home for long periods of time, or that you will have to pump while you are out, which requires bringing your pump and finding a suitable place to pump. 2. It can cause health issues for you and baby. Oversupply frequently causes engorgement, plugged ducts, and mastitis for women and can cause problems as serious as low weight gain or failure to thrive for baby. Weight gain issues can happen when baby is not able to nurse long enough to get to the fatty hind milk that can only be reached at the end of a feeding, when the breast is almost empty. Consider this. If a woman with average supply pumps 3 ounces and puts the bottle in the refrigerator, there will be a fatty layer that settles to the top. That fatty layer is found in higher concentration in the hind milk, expressed in the latter part of the feed. If you are consistently producing 10 ounces of milk per breast and your baby can only take 3 ounces per feed, it is possible that baby will never reach the hind milk. Healthy breastfeeding is a baby that nurses on demand, frequently, and empties the breast[s] at each feed. It is a mother that is comfortable and doesn't feel persistent engorgement and only pumps when she is seperated from her baby or preparing to be seperated from her baby. There is no need to have a large freezer stash before you go back to work, or even "just because." If you are seperated from your baby you need to pump for every feed that your baby misses. You will be able to pump enough to replace those missed feedings for the next time you are away from baby. If you feel like your supply is inadequet, or oversupply, the best thing to do is to make an appointment with a lactation professional. They can determine if your baby is nursing effectively, if your supply is suffecient, or if you need to take measures to reduce your supply.
Not all oversupply is caused by excessive pumping. If you aren't pumping and you still feel like you have oversupply you should see a lactation professional to determine if there are undelying issues causing your oversupply before you try and reduce supply on your own. If you haven't heard of menstrual cups yet, you are missing out on the greatest thing that has happened to periods since the disposable pad. They are silicone cups that are used in lieu of tampons. You only need 1 cup and can use it for years. They only need emptying a couple of times a day and have no risk of TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome). A lot of people who use cups claim that their periods are shorter and lighter and that the cup is not noticable once in. Cups have all the benfits of tampons without the risks and you don't need to carry 50 in your purse at all times. I have been considering purchasing a cup for a while. I kept putting it off because I was pregnant, then I had a Mirena IUD (which stopped my periods completely) and then we started our trying to concieve journey and kept hoping I would get pregnant before I would need one. Well, here we are 7 months later experiencing secondary infertility and when I started my period this month I hopped on Amazon and ordered a lena cup for $24.99. I chose the lena cup because of a great reviews on YouTube.comThe lena cup is a brand new cup on the market. It was released July 1st of this year. It seemed to have everything that I was looking for in a cup. It was bell shaped, medical grade silicon, had a large size that didn't seem as wide as some others, and was reviewed as a firmer cup that would easily open. The lena cup came in a beautul high end feeling box. It had a silky texture and is made of 100% recycled materials with vegetable oil inks. The top of the box listed the size and color that I received. **The only color currently available is pink** The lena cup comes in small and large sizes. Small holds 25ml and large holds 30ml.
The silicone had a very smooth matte texture with very nice textured grips on the botton of the bell and on the stem.I did not see any type of imperfections in the silicone nor were there any rough spots. There are 4 tiny holes near the top so that you don't create a uncomfortable seal. I found it pretty easy to insert and it opened up easily and noticably. It was comfortable and fairly easy to remove once I figured out the best way to break the suction. I do not think I would have been comfortable with a wider cup so I am very happy with my purchase so for. You can find out more info on the lena cup at http://www.lenacup.com/ or youtube.com.
I plan on updating this blog once I have used the cup more. I was not paid to review this product. I purchased it for personal use myself. Stock photos were taken off of the lena website. The winter holidays are my FAVORITE time of year.I am a Thanksgiving baby myself so holiday births have always been particularly exciting to me but this is also the time of year there are a lot of blog posts about avoiding a convenience induction. I am not writing a blog warning you about your OB!Instead I wanted to talk to you about the logistic of planning a holiday birth. The holidays are very busy and it can be really hard for us to take care of ourselves while we are so busy shopping and hosting meals for out of town guests. So take time to rest, eat well, stay hydrated, get a prenatal message,and don't feel guilty about it! Staying hydrated will prevent you from having false alarm contractions and keep you feeling good enough to visit with all of your family. Pack your hospital bag earlier than usual. Having it ready by the door will help ease some of your anxiety as you get closer to your due date if you still haven't painted the nursery because you may not have as much time to nest as you had planned.Know the difference between early labor and active labor. It will save you the hassle of texting your family 5 times before the real deal AND keep you nice and cosy in your own bed at midnight, instead of in a labor and delivery triage strapped to a contraction monitor for 3 hours. You can learn the difference by taking a childbirth education class and hiring a doula!Doulas provide concierge support during the last few weeks of pregnancy as well as during labor and delivery. You can have your cake and eat it, too! Show your OB your birth plan. A birth plan is a piece of paper that lets your birth team know what your preferences are for a normal birth. They can help you and your OB get on the same page before labor so that you feel confident, prepared, and relaxed. There are infinite options that can be included in a birth plan and letting your OB know what your preferences are before labor will put your mind at ease.Having a holiday baby is fun! It doesn't have to be overwhelming with the right support. Call me if you would like to schedule a free interview and learn more about how a doula can help support you no matter when you are due. Just Doula includes 24/7 phone and e-mail support, visual birth plans, and on-call from contract signing in every package. Make that one less think you have to worry about this holiday season.
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Gratia CashDoula, Breastfeeding Advocate, and Mama to Braeden who grew wings, Jocelynn who beat all odds, and Corbin who helped me heal. Archives
October 2016
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