Of Cabbage Leaves and Projectiles

Apologies to everyone who keeps checking in for pictures or the birth story, or both. I just haven’t had the time or energy or coherency to write much. But I promise to have pictures soon, and maybe the birth story as well. Meanwhile, here are some blabbering I wrote throughout the last couple of weeks.

Having cared for our son for the last 2 years, you’d think that I would know a thing or two about taking care of babies. Well, you can chuck that theory out the window right now.

You see, every baby is different. They have their own personalities right from the get go. There are no manuals, no one-size-fits-all instruction/procedure to caring for a baby. Methods that worked before, might not work so well the next time around. Things that you thought you knew, could very well be proven otherwise.

My milk came in the very next morning after Fiona was born. It took about 24 hours or so. I was pleased, as it took more than twice the time when our son was born and he had major latching difficulties on top of it. Fiona is a good latcher which is a definite plus. However, she has this thing where if I switch her to the other boob during a session, she totally refuses to latch again until the next feeding. So I have to let her drain one boob and suffer the engorgement on the other boob in the meantime. I vaguely remember what engorgement felt like, and I do not like it one bit. I don’t want to pump, because that will only increase the supply even more. Pumping provides very temporary relief. After a few days of feeling like my boobs will explode every couple of hours, I called a local LLL member. She mentioned that (extreme) engorgement is normal, however, it shouldn’t last more than a couple of days. So I’m not normal - what else is new. She suggested that I try nursing Fiona more often (no go, as she refuses to latch on again after she feeds on one side). OR, pump a little bit to relieve the engorgement pain and not an ounce more. OR, try cabbage leaves, in your bra, she says. So I set out what to be one of the first trips post-delivery to the grocery store to pick up a cabbage. Immediately. If you had doubts whether it works or not, doubt no more. It certainly does work. Although I must say it’s not very appealing, and you wouldn’t want to go out with vegetables stuffed in your bra (especially if you will be nursing while you’re out). But it does makes the pain much more tolerable without reducing the swelling.

If you’re ever in need of using it, don’t forget to cut a little hole in the middle so the nipples can have some room to breathe.

We still have to resolve the issue of draining one boob at a time thing. I suppose as she grows she will want to eat more, and it will resolve itself with time. Maybe. Hopefully.

So onto the other thing. While I was changing Fiona’s diaper on our bed one night — room is too small to put another flat surface thing for a changing mat — she poops, precisely at the very moment when I lift up her rump to slide the new diaper underneath. Got the image? My left hand holding her rump, my right hand almost underneath her butt holding a new diaper. OK. Newborn who are breastfed have poops that are watery, yellow, seedy. And in many cases, mucousy as well because they swallowed a lot of gunk while in-utero. So she poops out this newborn stuff, with her rump in midair, making a very dangerous and almost lethal projectile. This was a first-time experience for me as our son never attempted the poop projectile. She must have been so proud of the reaction she received, because she did it again - with a pee performance. Luckily my face escaped both incidences, but I can’t say the same for the rest of my body. Yes, very lovely indeed.

Another issue that has came up a week or so ago. She spits / vomits a whole feeding’s worth of milk at least once a day. She seems to be gaining weight - what with all the poop and pee - and she doesn’t appear to be sick. She burps fine and eats well the rest of the day. She sleeps fairly well also. It puzzles and worries me greatly, not to mention the amount of laundry I must deal with. My sister-in-law said their baby girl also did the same thing, while their boy did not (just like our two kids). She offers some suggestions as to why, but no advice on how to fix it. My niece outgrew it once she got older. Should I be alarmed that something might be wrong? Should I call the peds ASAP?!

Each time it’s a new learning experience. Each time I feel like an overwhelmed new mom. Each time I feel my heart expands a little bigger and my love multiplies exponentially. And my ribcage and tummy expand right along each time, requiring possibly an entire new wardrobe.