The "Newest" Moms Hangout...

[DannysMom]

Are you home from the hospital already??

I hope you feel better soon, I know what you mean about the c-section. It was so frustrating to feel so crappy and useless. I overdid it and made myself worse, so trust me and take it easy...

Glad to hear they're doing well, thanks for keeping us updated! Can't wait until they are home with you and we're hearing about all the crazy things they do.

We've got two sets of twins on our thread!!

Not home. Just alone in the hospital on a holiday weekend. And it seems like everybody else has better things to be doing this weekend than hang out online & chat with me.... According to the docs I can go home either tomorrow or Monday, my choice really. I'm sort of afraid of my bed at home, it doesn't help me sit up like a hospital bed.... And we needed a new mattress anyway, I'm afraid I'll never make it out of the hole in the bed at home on my own. DH may need to stop at Sleepy's or somewhere & get us a new mattress ASAP.

I think my milk is starting to come in, so I'll need to get into the swing of pumping. Which may be easier at home, as long as DH goes & gets me a hospital grade rental pump. Cleaning pump parts in the hospital is hard. And I'll need a bunch of spare pump parts. Since I was last here they switched from Medela stuff to Ameda -- so none of the spare pumping parts I have in storage at home are going to be useful. But I don't anticipate any real issue building a sufficient milk supply, as long as I pump often enough. With my son 6 years ago, I had plenty of milk, enough for twins while he was hospitalized, so I'm pretty sure that I can do this. It's just a question of how long or hard I want to work at this.

After I saw the twins yesterday, all I could think was that, they're going to start feeds soon, I better get on that, so thet will have something to eat when they are ready. And once the kids start feeds, and are tolerating them well, it's only a matter of time to feed & grow to get home.

 

[ShootingStarMom2]

I had the twins yesterday, 7/2 by emergency c-section just before 8AM, at 30 weeks, 5 days gestation.

Congratulations and welcome to the other thread. I hope that you are recovering and the twins keep getting stronger. Thanks for sharing the photo, they are both beautiful! Sorry about being there alone over the weekend. Hopefully chatting with your DIS friends will pass the time quickly.

 

[Laura]

Well, I was hoping to hold off longer, but true to form, once my body had had enough there was no stopping things. I had the twins yesterday, 7/2 by emergency c-section just before 8AM, at 30 weeks, 5 days gestation. Both Dylan Michael & Kathleen Marie (Katie) each weighed 3 lbs 8 oz. They are preemies, but are doing well in the NICU -- I expect them to stay there around 6 weeks or so, best case.

Since I had a c-section I'll be here in the hospital through the holiday weekend. I'm OK, mainly sore from the surgery. Here is a flickr link with a birth day pic of each,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtor1138/sets/72157620740723641/

--Valerie

Congratulations! I hope all goes well for you and your adorable babies.

 

[Piecey]

Not home. Just alone in the hospital on a holiday weekend. And it seems like everybody else has better things to be doing this weekend than hang out online & chat with me.... According to the docs I can go home either tomorrow or Monday, my choice really. I'm sort of afraid of my bed at home, it doesn't help me sit up like a hospital bed.... And we needed a new mattress anyway, I'm afraid I'll never make it out of the hole in the bed at home on my own. DH may need to stop at Sleepy's or somewhere & get us a new mattress ASAP.

I couldn't get out of our bed, it was too squishy and tall. Kinda like you said, the hardest part was getting to a sitting up position by myself... I slept in the guest room... flat, hard mattress ( we don't want guests to be too comfortable.. j/k!) and used the bars on the headboard to pull myself up. I found it helpful to put a pillow on my stomach and hold it tight when I was getting up.. the soft pressure on the incision seemed to help with the pain a lot.
Hope you figure out something that works for you, too. Sorry you were alone on the holiday, it wasn't much fun here... too cold!

 

[MinnieFan4ever]

Well, I was hoping to hold off longer, but true to form, once my body had had enough there was no stopping things. I had the twins yesterday, 7/2 by emergency c-section just before 8AM, at 30 weeks, 5 days gestation. Both Dylan Michael & Kathleen Marie (Katie) each weighed 3 lbs 8 oz. They are preemies, but are doing well in the NICU -- I expect them to stay there around 6 weeks or so, best case.

Since I had a c-section I'll be here in the hospital through the holiday weekend. I'm OK, mainly sore from the surgery. Here is a flickr link with a birth day pic of each,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtor1138/sets/72157620740723641/

--Valerie

So glad to hear you and the babies are holding your own. They are beautiful.

Be sure to take it easy for the next 2 weeks. I know it will be hard with taking care of your other child, but it is real important not to over due it. Hopefully, your babies will be home in 6 weeks!!!!

 

[DannysMom]

I'm still hanging here in the hospital one more night. Reason being.... I need to see the lactation consultant to rent a hospital grade pump & hopefully get some larger size "horns" to use with it. So tomorrow morning, I should be able to get that all squared away.

It's a d@mn good thing I already know *all* about pumping. If I had never done this before, and gave birth the way I did on a holiday weekend, I'd have been totally screwed. If I didn't already know what *I* need to do to induce lactation, man I can't even imagine.

I know that that for me, the standard instructions that they give to new moms, don't really work well enough. Usual instruction, to induce lactation for a baby unable to nurse, is to pump every 3 hrs around the clock but not for more than about 10-15 minutes at a time. For me, I do not "empty" that quickly, & I need to pump for at least 20-30 minutes at a time. I also know from experience that I have a greater "storage capacity" than many other women. I can go 6 hrs or so between pumpings & be fine. Good thing too, as I am getting sore from using horns that do not fit well, if I thought I had to pump every 3 hrs, man I'd be asking for the percosets to offset the pain in my nips.....

Anyways...... the one bad thing about going home.... I know it'll probably be a few days before I get back here to see them again. I can call & get updates from the nurses, but that's not the same as being able to see them. I did get to hold Katie for a bit yesterday. DH put up a few more pics from yesterady same link that I posted before. So far, Dylan seems to be lagging behind his sister about a day or so. But both are doing well, nothing terribly worrisome or out of line with their gestational age so far. Both are tolerating feeds, getting 5 ccs of breastmilk every 3 hrs -- which is like an eyedropper full. Compared to how much I get at 1 pumping.... well let's see, last time I got 5.5 oz -- or about 160-170 ccs. Yeah. But as they tolerate feeds, they will be gradually increased, very very slowly.

 

[Piecey]

Are they storing the milk for you? You can freeze breastmilk right? I didn't do any research on all of that so I'm out of the loop.

I hope they save what you're pumping for you, with two I'm sure you can use it all!!

 

[ADAMANDLISA]

Congratulations Valerie! I'm glad to hear that the twins are doing well!

 

[DannysMom]

Are they storing the milk for you? You can freeze breastmilk right? I didn't do any research on all of that so I'm out of the loop.

I hope they save what you're pumping for you, with two I'm sure you can use it all!!

Oh yeah, the extra is getting stored in the freezer for now. But while I'm inpatient, I just keep bringing down what I've pumped & it's kind of comical. I show up bringing 5 little 2oz bottles full & it's just from 1 day's worth of pumping.

If they do not manage to get directly to breastfeeding, I really don't think I'm going to keep up the full time pumping long term. I just don't see it, not with 2 babies & 1st grader to take care of. I guess things could happen to change my mind, but so far.... I pumped as long as I did for my son, because he was so sick and small for so long, plus he had feeding issues, it just seemed like he *needed* it. This time I don't get that same sense, not right now anyway.

 

[ShootingStarMom2]

I'm still hanging here in the hospital one more night.

How does it work when the babies stay in the hospital? Do you have a certain amount of time you can "board" there before they make you leave?

 

[DannysMom]

How does it work when the babies stay in the hospital? Do you have a certain amount of time you can "board" there before they make you leave?

No, this is just the way they count 3 days from a c-section. I delivered Thursday AM, so that counted as Day 0. 3 day stay for a c/s, so Friday, Saturday, Sunday -- check out Monday AM. I could have left today if I wanted, since I'm healing well & up and moving. But since it was a holiday weekend, I couldn't really set up a pump rental. Basically I'm just hanging out to use their pump a few times, it is a little silly.

The babies will be here for weeks. I have no idea if they'd set up a "boarding" situation if it only looked to be a few days that the babies needed to stay or not.

If I wanted, I could try to set up residence at the Ronald McDonald house, if they have room. But that's really not required, it's only about 40 minutes or so to/from my house. It's only really an issue the first 2 weeks when I really shouldn't be driving myself.

 

[Piecey]

How does it work when the babies stay in the hospital? Do you have a certain amount of time you can "board" there before they make you leave?

They were going to keep Lucas and offered to let me keep my room (with no charge) unless they needed it.
Luckily they discharged him and we got to come home together but I was grateful when they told me I could stay if he didn't get discharged.

DannysMom- I delivered at 10pm and they counted it as Day 1 for me. Bizarre how different things are. It doesn't matter because my insurance pays 96 hours for a c-section and doesn't include date of discharge (I was there W-T-F-discharged Sat), but very bizarre that those 2 hours count as one whole day. My "labor" time was billed separately. Anything for that extra dime...

 

[TiggerStac]

How does it work when the babies stay in the hospital? Do you have a certain amount of time you can "board" there before they make you leave?

I must depend on the hospital. I was a boarder w/my son for a week after I was discharged. As long as there was a bed available it was mine. I got to stay in same room and if I decided to go home for a night, the room was still there, they let you use it for rest during the day too, if you are not staying.

I stayed the whole time with him. I hated being away from my other children, but I live about an hour away from the hospital where I had CJ.

 

[ShootingStarMom2]

Thanks for the insight. So many hospitals, so many policies. We get a total of 2 days care for a standard delivery. So we were there for Tue, Wed, and then you have to be out by 2pm on the discharge day, Thurs. Which was fine with me because it was like a whole day including breakfast and lunch. I ordered a huge lunch on the last day and DS, DH, and I ate before we left.

Did everyone have a good holiday? We did the parade (which DH lives for since he gets to be in it), 2 parties, and fireworks. I was surprised the baby slept through the sirens and firetrucks completely.

The baby also started sleeping more through the night, thank goodness. Last night he fed at 1130 and slept until 5 then went back down at 530 until 730. I was so surprised to wake up to the birds singing and seeing DS at the foot of the bed still fast asleep.

 

[harleyquinn]

Looks like I'm going to be induced between the 22-24. My Dr is on vacation or something my 40th week, so she said we can either induce one of those days or I can try to wait and go natural and have the chance she won't be there...and if I don't go before she gets back, she'll want to induce me as soon as she comes back. So I have an appointment Monday of that week to make sure I've progressed and conditions are favorable--if not she won't induce me. I haven't really had any progression so far, but I have had a little BH this week, which she said is a good sign.

I've been with this Dr for 16 years and she's going to deliver my baby-dang it!

(And I'm still under 200 pounds! Though, I'm really close...lol)

So I will soon officially belong over here with you ladies!

 

[Laura]

Looks like I'm going to be induced between the 22-24. My Dr is on vacation or something my 40th week, so she said we can either induce one of those days or I can try to wait and go natural and have the chance she won't be there...and if I don't go before she gets back, she'll want to induce me as soon as she comes back. So I have an appointment Monday of that week to make sure I've progressed and conditions are favorable--if not she won't induce me. I haven't really had any progression so far, but I have had a little BH this week, which she said is a good sign.

I've been with this Dr for 16 years and she's going to deliver my baby-dang it!

(And I'm still under 200 pounds! Though, I'm really close...lol)

So I will soon officially belong over here with you ladies!

You're almost done! Hang in there.

I had to be induced because of mild pre-eclampsia, and my doc was headed out of town that night. I was bummed she didn't deliver me. Like you, I have been a long-time patient.

 

[Piecey]

Yay Sarah!!!

....I swear that Lucas is going to eat us out of house and home. I just can't satisfy the kid... some days 4oz every 4-5 hours is enough and the last two days 4oz won't even stop his crying! Gee Whiz... they really can't make a book on parenting, nothing is consistent!

 

[TiggerStac]

oh no Patsy...nothing is consistent!!

I love that daycare asked for a typical day of cj. My response, wake up, eat, sleep for 2-3 hours, eat, sleep, eat sleep...throw a poop or 2 in there and maybe a little tummy time. Asked how much he ate...depends, can be ok w/4 oz, sometimes it's 6, 8, 12!! yes, he's taken 3 4 oz bottles right after each other!

so I found something new w/my 2 year old. He had mini oreos yesterday, 2 packs, there really aren't a lot in there..so maybe 15 mini ones. well..the inside filling, if you don't eat it (chew it that is) comes out the same way it went in...kinda like corn. And the texture of the poop was like oreo crumbs! This is completely new to me as he has had normal oreos before...maybe I just didn't change him after!

I'm sending my requests over to IPO to make my reservations for me...just realizing my 90 +10 is next week! OOPS, forgot about the plus 10 part. debating on the pirate experience for my oldest. then just about everything else is figured out. And as of now we're driving...unless I find a cheap flight. I kinda prefer having my own car, anyways and I don't mind driving down, hubby does all the driving. we have a nav system built into car and we've driven twice before in the last 5 -6 years.

 

[Piecey]

Lucas has been waking up, looking at me and screaming [he does this little squeal/scream that at first scared the crap out of me] and then going right back to sleep. What the heck!?
We were going to go out today but I called DH and told him he can watch our weird little Piglet tonight while I go out... I'm not taking him screaming like that into a store! I might give some little old lady a heart attack!!

That is kinda gross about the poop. Poop is about the only thing consistent in Lucas' life... not in when it comes, but in what it looks like.

And oh my-- we're really that close?! Crap. We're doing counter service dining plan and we're going to pay OOP for Ohana one night but I don't know which night! I need park hours, dangit!
I can taste the Dole Whip.. so close!
We're flying, so I'm sure that will be an experience. I got nonstop flights out of the airport an hour from here (tiny little airport) for $350 RT for all of us. We couldn't have driven for that!


..and you would think daycare would know there is not typical day. They are completely different and unique in their own way...

 

[rparmfamily]

Yay Sarah!!!

....I swear that Lucas is going to eat us out of house and home. I just can't satisfy the kid... some days 4oz every 4-5 hours is enough and the last two days 4oz won't even stop his crying! Gee Whiz... they really can't make a book on parenting, nothing is consistent!

Amelia is a little younger (or same age?) as Lucas and she was fussy all day yesterday and nursed on and off all day and all night. She was born June1, are they due for another growth spurt?