Congrats to Eileen's sister!! Welcome Kaya's cousin!!

[MarisaSF]

Eileen-
I'm so sorry that I forget your sister's name and screen name, but I just saw your updated signature!

Huge congrats to the whole family. Hope mama and baby are well!

[ribbit1019]

Congrats Auntie Eileen! Please send congrats to your sister and family as well!
Christy
Maddy born 06/09/04
http://lilypie.com/baby2/040609/3/4/0/-5/.png
Little Peanut due 03/02/06
http://bd.lilypie.com/K8fum4/.png

[mudder17]

Thanks, my sister's name is Melinda and I believe she's Maestra_Mommy.
Dora was born 3 days ago and they are both home and doing pretty well. My sister is having sore-nipple issues (I just sent her a tube of Lanolin) and having difficulty waking Dora up for feeding. I'll post a few Q's in feeding, but she's basically a determined sleeper (takes after her daddy). When she wakes up, she's fine, but it takes a lot of work to wake her up. But my sister's milk came in on Day 3, I think, so that's really good news.

Anyway, thanks for the congratulations! I'll send this link to my sister. :)

I get to see her next month--yay!!!

Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_4_Kaya+is.png
Kaya's a cousin! 10/1/05, 5lb13oz

[MarisaSF]

Dora! I love the name!
Congrats, Melinda, on the new addition to your family!

[mudder17]

I actually asked my younger sister about the name (she thought our BIL said, "Thora") and she said that at first they weren't sure about the name because of Dora in Finding Nemo--her name just kept bringing to mind the fish. :P But they really like Dora the Explorer (which has good connotations), so they finally went with it.


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_4_Kaya+is.png
Kaya's a cousin! 10/1/05, 5lb13oz

[maestramommy]

Hey, thanks everybody! Eileen told me abut this posting. I'm so touched! Yes, we're home, and negotiating the minefield of breastfeeding. My milk came in yesterday, and last night was a nightmare. I was QUITE engorged and it must have change the shape and feel of my nipple and areola. Dora really had a hard time, and got so frustrated. She kept latching on, then coming off, and started frantically worrying the nipple. Two consecutive feedings ended up being labeled aborted attempts. Meanwhile, milk is leaking all over. In desperation I even tried pumping out some excess, but that wasn't very effective. The hand pump I used, I have to work on it a bit. I was pretty low, and DH kept thinking, maybe she's not hungry? But she wasn't accepting our thumb sub either. Finally I had to play cheerleader and just kept trying to help her. She finally caught on, and had a couple of short feedings. Today is a little better. I am basically feeding her on demand, which has been about once an hour. She can only nurse on one side for about 10-15 minutes tops each time. It has been taking the edge off the engorgement. Meanwhile I'm waiting for it to go down. Sigh. Labor and Delivery was a walk in the park compared to this.

Otherwise, I'm feeling great! I'm so thankful that the labor wasn't long and drawn out. Except for needing a nap and feeling the stiches (#@$%&!), my body is recovering nicely.

Thanks again for all your well wishes. If anyone has suggestions on the engorgement I'd love to hear them. I'd love to post a pic, but haven't figured out how to do that yet. :-)

Love,
Melinda

[mommy_someday]

Yay! Congratulations on your new little girl, Melinda! Welcome to the world, Dora! Breastfeeding will get better. The first few weeks are really rough but I promise there is light at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there! :)

Congrats, Auntie Eileen!

[calebsmama03]

COngrats! BFing will get better, I swear! Meanwhile - SOOTHIES!!!!! Send DH out to find them! They are gel pads and work like a charm.
Lynne
Mommy to C 3/03
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif[/img][/url]
And Miss Purple, 5/05

[darby24]

Congratulations!! Welcome Dora! :-)

[billysmommy]

Welcome Dora :)

Can't wait to see pictures

[Wife_and_mommy]

Congrats to you and your family! Love the name. :)

I used Soothies(from the drugstore) and also cold cabbage leaves help you feel better and are much cheaper. You probably won't need them though since the (major)engorgement is temporary. You're doing great. Hang in there! It'll be so worth it in just a few weeks.


http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url]

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/dogdogcrd20040405_4_My+child+is.png

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev035pb___.png

[hez]

Congratulations, Melinda. Good luck on the BFing-- I know it's tricky to start. The engorgement gets better, I promise. I cheated and pumped a little ;)

[Lovingliv]

Yay...welcome to Dora. Congrats to the whole family. Breastfeeding is tough at first, but hopefully it will get better for you! Enjoy that baby!

[SweetTooth]

Congratulations to both of you & your family!! Dora is a very sweet name.

[maestramommy]

I have a question for all you bf mothers. When your milk first came in, did you also get lumps in your armpits? I got these lumps during my pregnancy, but since my milk came in, they've gotten huge!

I have tried expressing with a hand pump, but it's slow going (hurts too), and 2 minutes later I feel painfully engorged again. Interestingly enough, after Dora nurses, there's bit of relief, then both breasts feel like they fill up again, and there's a tingling pain radiating out, even if I've only nursed on one side. Has this happened to anyone?

Thanks for all your words of encouragement! I'm hanging on to your assurances that things will get better.

Melinda

[brittone2]

Congrats to all of you!!! BFing is tricky (I had a sleepy baby too!) but it will get better for sure!

Your milk ducts run all the way into your armpits so that may be what you are describing. When they are really full you may notice lumpiness in your armpit. I had a plugged duct with DS once and I could see it bulging into my armpit.

Congrats again and hang in there. You and your little one will get the hang of this soon!

[RwnMayfair]

Congratulations to you, Melinda! And welcome to the world, Dora! :)

I don't have any good tips for engorgement, but I hope the breastfeeding improves soon! I second (third?) the Soothies recommendation, too. :)

-Melissa

Taran, November 20, 2003
Elowen, August 20, 2005

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif - Eighteen months!
http://b2.lilypie.com/jn4Ym4/.png
http://b1.lilypie.com/slsgm4/.png

[Momof3Labs]

Congratulations on your new little girl, Melinda!!! Just keep telling yourself - this too shall pass, this too shall pass...

[mmaimp]

Congratulation on your new edition, Baby Dora!

With my first DS I was very engorged. The lactation consultant at our Peds office said I could nurse triplets with all the milk I was making.

She recommended cool cabbage leaves and they worked great. Keep a head of cabbage in the fridge and take a leaf and flatten it with a rolling pin. Then stuff your bra with the cool leaves. Something in the cabbage will help decrease your supply a little bit and the cool leaf feels great against your skin. You can also use them under your arms to help with the swelling there. Monitor your milk supply and stop using once the overproduction is in check.

This really worked well for me and I only had to use the cabbage leaves a few times over 3 days. The smell is not so great but I could live with it because it brought such fast relief.

HTH,

[Wife_and_mommy]

The "tinglies" are probably let down. The way things are now is temporary. It'll get so much easier. You just have to stick to it and be patient with your body as it goes wonky on you. :)

Hang in there!


http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif[/img][/url]

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/dogdogcrd20040405_4_My+child+is.png

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev035pb___.png

[maestramommy]

Hey thanks! I had read about cabbage leaves, but without the instructions, and didn't really understand what to do. I didn't know cabbage had such "magic" properties.

I did finally speak with a LC over the phone, and for the next couple of days I'm supposed to use ice packs every 2 hours, a warm shower, Ibuprofen. We're going grocery shopping soon, so I'll get on the cabbage also. Thanks again!

[mmaimp]

The ice will help too. I had a near and dear bag of frozen corn that served me well that first week.

Your body will adjust it just takes time. For future reference I had no engorgement with the second baby and BF has been a dream.

[kensjen]

Congrats Melinda, and Aunt Eileen! Enjoy the babymoon!! :)

[rrosen]

Congratulations! Welcome baby Dora!

[bluej]

Congratulations Melinda! Welcome to the world Dora! Hang in there with the breastfeeding, it does get better.

[tarahsolazy]

Congrats Melinda! Welcome little Dora! When I was engorged, I found that reverse pressure softening helped make the areola softer for DS to latch onto.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/rev_pressure_soft_cotterman.html

The above link has nice directions. You could also look for directions on hand expresssion at kellymom. You might get more milk out that way, to help you feel more comfy.