Chartering another breastfeeding journey...

Prior to the birth of #2, i told hubby "if baby cannot latch, I am not going to pump!". The nightmare of pumping 3hourly, the routine of being strapped to a pump, wash pump accessories, sterilise pump accessories, warm up milk for #1, feed her, wash and sterlise her bottles were fresh on my mind. Without help after my confinement lady left, I was totally exhausted and sleeping when #1 slept, skipping my breakfast and lunch...

The journey towards latching was not easy either. This time I made it a point not to pump unless absolutely necessary. Being a first timer at latching babies, I was put through the physical tests of sore, cracked and bleeding nipples and mental tests of waking every hour to 2hrly for milk feeds.

Day 1 to 3: Started bf-ing in hospital. Managed to latch and baby did suckle on the breast. There was a transparent honey textured discharge. Was quite worried as baby seem to have a sunken spot in the middle on top of the forehead. Asked nurses if she was dehydrated and they didn't answer me.

Day 3: Back home with baby. I continued to latch baby on when baby crys. Was quite worried about her hydration so sent hubby off to buy a tin of FM for baby. CL fed her 30ml using a spoon and I was super thankful for that gesture.

Transition milk came in. Unsure if baby had latched and drank, I pumped after the feed and manage to get 30ml. It was also during this pump, my aerola skin "tore". *pain* Unable to continue without knowing if I was latching right since my nipples hurt and the aerola skin tore, i sms-ed Betty Lee, a Lactation Consultant (LC) whom I met at the Avent BF-ing seminar for a 1 to 1 consultation...

Day 4: Continued to latch baby on despite the sore nipples and the pain fr the torn aerola skin. Jinny visited and passed me 2 tubes of her Medela Lanolin nipple creams. She told me that it was a lifesaver for sore and cracked nipples. Sure enough i needed them! She even bought a magazine n essense of chicken for me. ;)

During the entire day of latches, I was looking forward and waiting for my teacher (LC). During the session, she thought me the cross cradle and the football hold latch. She assured me that i was latching baby correctly and taught me how to massage the lumps while baby latched. It was such a "feel good" session, I felt encouraged to continue! Before leaving, she told my CL to cook papya fish soup to up my BM supply. :p

Day 5: As the day progressed, the engorgement got worst. It felt that two stones on my chest... Warm towels did soften the breast but there was no relief as my mum said they would. I could barely sleep and baby was not able to latch properly as she struggled on my breast. It was also during this period that my nipples became super sore and started to crack and bleed.

Day 6: Used warm towels again and did some massage. Suprsingly, it got comfortable. Baby's PD visit was my 1st venture out without formula milk/expressed breastmilk. TMC was great as there was a BF-ing room that I could use and the PD had a room where mummies can BF (wo privacy). Managed to latch the baby and survived! Was totally over the moon!

Day 7: Engorgement persists. I refused to use cold cabbage leaf but used cold compress instead just before the feed. Latch was definetely better and the engorgement finally backed off. *phew*

Day 8 to 9: The days where I routinely latch (yes it was so painful! I would tremble for the first few seconds of the latch), apply EBM, air dry and apply lanolin. The bleeding and cracked nipples began to heal... *double phew*

Day 10: Baby begins to have irregular latch time. From 2 hrly, she would wake up wanting milk hourly. Her latches were also shorter at 10 mins. This drove me insane because I was waking up every hour after midnight.

Day 12-14: Baby and I have learnt proper latch. She would spit out if she only got my nipple. I hope this means an eternal goodbye to sore/cracked /bleeding nipples. As the latching continues, I am faced with what fellow mothers say is a happy problem- fast flow. My LC, my cousin in law and internet recommends that the mother lies back or pump out some BM before the feed. Lying back did not really help much but pumping out does... so in the meantime, this is a problem that baby and I have to struggle with other than her milk intervals.

As the saying goes "no pain no gain". Several times along this 14 days, I was so tempted to put up a white flag and say "ok enough is enough". Crazy as it may sound, I feel encouraged enough to press on whenever baby wets her diapers, dirties them with mustard coloured poo and my CL tells me "有吃到". Thankfully, Hubby would also show his support by taking care of #1 and give me shoulder massage when I need it... ;p

The breastfeeding journey is tough and there would be challenges ahead. It is with hope that someday in the near future, I would model the image of a smiling mother looking lovingly at her baby latch.

Before I end this post, I would like to thank:
- Fellow mummies, Jinny, Sylvia and Jophia for being my breastfeeding hotlines, without you guys, I would have given up. ;)
- My LC Betty Lee who assured me that I could latch and breastfeed my baby. Without her, I would still be battling my inner demons of whether I was latching right.
- My CL for spoon feeding the baby so that she would not love teats over me.
- And of course, my supportive hubby! ;)

The 2nd birth story...

The lack of updated post here could only mean one thing - Yes! I have delivered my precious #2!

On week 39 day 3, hubby and I together with little gal went to see my gynae at TMC. The appointment was at 10.25am. At the clinic and the day prior, I was experiencing mild discomfort at the abdomen area. I already suspected that it would be that Saturday or Sunday... 4 years have passed since my #1, I can barely remember how contractions felt like not to mention how to time them.

In brief, my 2nd labor seemed longer as contractions began to become irregular and my dilation got "stuck". I would attribute this to the fact that my waterbag did not break until Dr Tseng broke it before delivery.

Here is the timeline (notice everything is approximate since I was not staring at any clocks):

1025hrs : appointment with Dr Tseng. Baby head has gone down hence cannot see baby's face in the ultrasound.

~1100hrs: Hubby dropped me at the hawker centre to buy my brunch and my helper's lunch.

~1130hrs: Pain gradually increasing, told hb that labour was impending and I wanted to pack the hospital bag into the car, just in case... 

~1200hrs: Eventually, decided to send little gal to MIL's place just in case I needed to go to the hospital. Contractions were bad enough that I just stayed in the car to rest.

~1215hrs: Dropped by AMK to buy my Pigeon disposable breastpad (last thing on my to buy list). Enroute to shop, a sharp contraction pain came and I just froze on the spot to wait for the pain to go.

~1230hrs: Told hubby he should get lunch before we headed to TMC to check out my contractions.

~1400hrs: Reached TMC. Nurses did a VE. I was 5cm dilated and effaced. Contractions were regular but not strong. Since I was 5cm, there was no way they were sending me home.

~1600hrs: Another VE was conducted. I was quite dissappointed as I was still 5-6cm dilated! :( Nurses also noted that my contractions seem to be slowing down...

~1730hrs: Dr Tseng came in to see me and asked if I wanted to stay in the delivery suite or go up to a ward to rest. I opted for the latter since I didn't want to be strapped to the bed by a CTG monitor and I didn't want to use a bed pan to pee!

~1800hrs: Walk about at level 3 ward to see if walking could speed up the contractions and help with the dilation.

~1900hrs: Hubby spotted his colleague's twins in the nursery and we went to her room to congratulate her.

~2030hrs: Contractions seem to be coming back and the pain was pretty intense. Headed back to room to lie down on my side. After 5 sets of quite painful contractions, decided to call for nurse to bring me down to the labor ward.

~2100hrs: Contractions got really bad. VE was conducted and I was 8cm dilated. I was asked if I needed epidural and I said no.

~2200hrs: Used laughing gas but it didn't help. The pain was so intense as it travelled to my inner thighs. The pethedine was adminstered and it did not really help. Hubby stood by helplessly as I super 没形象, groaning in pain with each contraction. Eventually told hubby to squeeze my inner thighs as the contractions came.

~2230hrs: The nurse did another VE, I was 9cm dilated but the baby was still very high as the waterbag was still intact. She asked if I had the urge to push and all that I could muster was PAIN! V PAIN!!

~2300hrs: Finally, Dr Tseng arrived to break the waterbag. He left the room to see another fellow mummy as the nurse told me to try pushing. I made a half hearted push as it was just too painful for me. Dr Tseng came in and said that baby's head was crowning. After 4 pushes under Dr Tseng's guidance and the nurses' encouragement, baby emerged! ;)

Here are photos of baby and us. :)

The same red lips as big sister! :)

 

Tired after labour but still must take a picture with baby!