Breast feeding my 4th Baby

Breastfeeding little 12 day old Will is going amazing! With my 3 other babies I had to use the nipple shield for a time. My first son I used it for 6 weeks. Second son for 2 weeks, third son 3-4 days, and in thrilled that I didn't need it at all with this one! 

I totally attribute it to the natural birth. He came out so strong and alert and latched on perfect right away.  I got a little sore but nothing compared to what I normally am. Yesterday I returned the nipple shield  I bought :) yay! 

He was getting good colostrum from the get go, and my milk came in on day 2. I also think that's because it's my 4th baby in 6 years :) 

Will eats A LOT. He wants to nurse all the time.  I don't have a very sleepy baby (except at night...which is a blessing!).  But I do get tired during the day. 

Yesterday at an appointment he weighed 8 lbs 13 oz! That's 4 oz over his birth weight. 

Today has been rough over all...house became a disaster while I was trying to do Will's newborn photos...which are super difficult by myself w the boys present.  Reece was into everything, and Will wanted to nurse all day. He's nursing right now actually!! 

I am really looking forward to feeling myself again and getting on a routine (I keep saying that but it's true!!) 

Also some BIG things are coming up for our family (maybe)...and it scares me. More on that later. 

Xo 

Weight Loss Journal

I have been desperately trying to distract myself from the fact that I'm still pregnant. And probably will be for at least another week. Sigh. 

So, I made a new weight loss journal for after the baby comes. 

I love it. It's pretty and it's full of blank pages that I can't wait to fill in! 

I got the Smash book on sale. Score. I am IN LOVE with the "Weekly weigh in" section i made. That alone was worth the buy. I am such a sucker for journals, notebooks, scrapbooks, calendars, and planners. Seriously I have so many. :-) 

I am not planning on starting trying to lose weight until a week or two postpartum. We will see how I feel. And even then I am starting really slow, counting calories. My goal is 2,000 a day because of breastfeeding. But more than that, I NEED to stay up on my fruits/veggies, protein, and water to ensure a good milk supply.  

I did get a postpartum stomach wrap. I researched them and they are really suppose to help your stomach shrink down. I didn't buy an expensive one. Just a cheap one with good reviews off amazon. Ill post pics of before and after I wear it. I think I'll start that when I get home from the hospital. 

For me, losing weight while breastfeeding is veeeerrrrryyyy slow.  I'm accepting that. But I know me, and if I don't try* then ill go in the opposite direction. 

I'm excited to start walking/running again too when I am physically able!!! 

So. I updated my weight tracker. Sad face. I updated it, and it looks like I've gained 55 back, but remember my lowest weight was after I lost 9 lbs while super sick in the first trimester.  So I actually have gained about 44 pounds (I was down 2 yesterday!) either way...I'm back to needing to lose 75lbs or so to reach my goal weight of 144. 

I have good feelings. It's gonna happen. This is MY year. These next several months are going to be including some very busy, very exciting changes in our family. Not just adding a 4th boy, but other BIG things as well. And reaching my goal while I'm 28 will be one! 

I have a prenatal appointment tonight. Opting out from being checked. I have been 1cm the last two weeks. Did I tell you all about my horrible awful doctors appointment last week??  If not ill save it for next post. It's long. But let's just say I saw the rudest dr. He said awful things, and if he's on call when I go in labor I'm driving down to LA to deliver. Praying that doesn't happen! 

I'm so done being pregnant. I can't sleep, i pee ALL the time...my stomach is HUGE....my muscles are all tweaking out!! My sciatica, my groin, my round ligament, my calfs and my jaw. All super tight and will cramp up randomly!! Also. I can't get up. Seriously. If I lay down it takes me at least 30 seconds to get up. I'm a turtle on my back. 

I've been using my magnesium oil to help my muscles.. And stretching. Here's to praying the baby comes soon! 

Love, The Curvy Housewife 

Countdown-34 days till D day

Wow wow wow.  34 days until baby boy #4 is "Due".  I know he could come before, most likely after, but wow....that's soon!  I'm finally thinking about the birth and what I want.  My perfect birth would go like this....

Halloween day (my favorite OBGYN works Thursday nights) I would start getting mild contractions early in the day, about 20 minuets apart.  I don't know if it's labor because I've never had a labor start with contractions (just water breaking), so I ignore it.  

A few hours later they are 10 minuets apart, still not "painful" but getting uncomfortable.  I get a burst of energy and clean and get ready.  By the time hubby gets home from work I am positive I am in labor.  Totally excited that my water hasn't broken. 

My Mom will be there, now hubby is home, and I get in the bath.  Ahhhh relief (so everyone says, with Reece the bath sent me to the moon with intense contractions!).  

An hour later I get out, can't talk through contractions anymore, must move.   I get dressed, get the boys dressed in their costumes for trick or treating, and send them with Grandma.  I think I should go with them and walk...but then another contraction hits and oh no...I'm staying here with the hubby, bouncing on the birth ball.  

An hour later the boys come back from trick or treating and are so excited for their brother to be born!!! I am very uncomfortable, but it's not like it was with Reece.  When there is no water bag to cushion the contraction all I can describe it as is "raw" unbearable pain. 

Grandma bathes the boys and puts them to bed.  Since I'm all packed and ready for hospital I lay down and try to relax my entire body like the Bradley book says.  Contractions are 5 mins apart and I think, "This is awesome!".  I've never had breaks between contractions.  My OB says to go in when they are 5 mins apart but I decide to lay down because I'm sure I am not gonna be as far as I hope I am, and I do NOT want to be waiting at the hospital for hours and hours to dialate. 

By now it's been about 12 hours since my first contraction and they are getting more intense.  Trying to relax my whole body.  Breathing.  I decide, it's time to go!!! 

The car ride is not so fun.  But luckily we only  live a few miles away. 

Get to the hospital around 10:00pm, it's good and quiet.  I get checked in quickly, the nurses are sweet and remember me from bringing them cookies.  (I did just bring them cookies last week!! LOL) 

I'm DREADING getting checked because I am scared my water will break. 
"Please be careful...please don't break my water....."

Contractions are more intense, and more often.  Ouch....ok this hurts.  Don't touch me.  Ok contraction over, you can check me.  

"Wow....You're 9cm!!!" 

"Yessssss!!!!!!!" I shout to everyone.  "This is awesome."  Oh ouchie another contraction.  Still only half as bad as with my previous dry labors.  

"She's a 9! Let's get her in a room!" I hear the nurse shout.  Moans from other ladies in triage because I get a room first. {Sorry ladies}.  

Being wheeled to the room I feel the urge to push.  My water still hasn't broken.  Totally giddy that this is happening, I tell my husband the baby is coming.  He panics a bit and yells "The baby is coming!"  

"Don't push! Page the doctor!"  

Trying hard not to push, ok this is the worst part.  My body wants to push....(always hear ladies say that lol).   I'm squeezing my legs together.  I have to get on the delivery bed....I'm worried if I stand up the baby will come out.  Shake my head, no no that won't happen.  Oh gosh another big contraction...totally feel the baby coming!!!! 

Get on the bed, doctor runs in, washes up, I'm feeling lots of pressure but no "ring of fire" (this is a fiction remember?), I push twice and baby's head is out! Oh it's kinda tough to get his shoulders out...don't remember the other boys being this difficult.  

One more push! Gah!! The pain! Whew....relief. He's born in the Caul (water bag)!!! Amazing! The doctor breaks the tough bag and the baby starts crying! He's on my chest! I'm feeling amazing!!! They don't cut the cord until it stops pulsing, and he stays on my chest.  He had dark brown hair! :) 

When they weigh him we are all shocked to find out he weighs 9 lbs 4 oz! No wonder it was hard to push his shoulders out... 

I didn't tear, I feel great! Deliver big healthy placenta, my husband and I admire our new baby, and I start to breastfeed him, he latches right on.  I can get up right away to pee.  Wow, this was awesome.  The End.  

I almost want to laugh right now.... ;)  That's so the OPPOSITE of all the my other births! I desperately want a birth like that, and if you have had a birth like that then....no fair. 

Mine go more like: "Oh crud my water just broke!".  We scramble to get ready (or in Reece's case I'm in town by myself with a dead cell phone...).  Panic, panic...it's gonna start hurting.  Hurry up, get to hospital. 

Always a LAME-O 4cm when I get to the hospital. Dang.  By now contractions are already full blown 12 out of 10 pain scale... lasting one minuet long, coming every minuet.  Can't catch my breath or focus on relaxing.  Not getting any breaks.  I have had nice nurses and rude nurses.  I have had to wait in triage like this for 3 hours with Cody.  Wanting to punch someone, but to stiff to move..."Don't touch me!" is all I can say.  Must get IV and all that business.  I finally get to my room, beg for an epidural. 

Epidural man comes..."You can't move...stop moving!" want to punch him in the face too.  But I don't, because he has the means to make me feel no pain.  Ahhhh finally relief!!! 15-30 minuets go by, I'm ready to push.  What the?? 4-10 in 15-30 mins?? Yes thank you epidural for finally allowing me to relax so my body can dialate.  Push for only a few minuets (Shane 25 mins of pushing, Cody 3 minuets of pushing, Reece 7 minuets of pushing).   Healthy beautiful baby boys.  :)

I've loved all my births.  I've been blessed to have minimal complications (just a lot of pain the whole time).   

We will see in a month and a week or two how this labor goes..... eeeekkkkk!

How were your labors? Painful the whole time? Gradual? 

Thinking.

*wrote this post yesterday and it didn't get publish for some reason...

You know the thing about blogging is everyone see's your ups and downs? And if a blog doesn't have ups and downs then they just aren't writing about it. 

Sometimes I want to give up everything. Other times I'm unstoppable. Humans. 

Right now I'm in a sort of rut where I'm not sure where I lie between charging and quitting.  

 I feel like I waste time trying to do things that go nowhere. Probably because I don't pray and see what He wants me to do. 

I'm praying about some serious decisions right now with our future.  Praying for God's will. I won't jump into anything. 

My husband has been telling me for a year I should go to nursing school. 

"Yeah right with 4 boys." I'd say. "Yeah right I can't handle blood!" "No way could I take care of other people I have 4 little ones and you!" 

But one day, My husband and I were talking about my goals and he said, "why don't you do something that helps others?" Not in a judgmental way. But he says I'm a caring person and I would do great working as a nurse. 

I've mentioned before that I wanted to be a lactation consultant. I really want to help moms breastfeed. Well I recently found out its very hard to get hired as one with out your RN. Hmmph. 

Of course I have concerns...being a full time student and a mom. Being there for my family is my most important job. Also there are things that I'm sure I wouldn't like working with in a hospital, blood, death, sickness, ect.  I was talking to my husband about it and we were discussing my friends expirience in nursing school who had to deal with an awful situation for a poor man. My husband said, "but he needed help, he needed compassion." 

I thought about Jesus and how he touched the sick, the lepers, and even the dead. He had compassion!! 

So I started to slightly ponder it. Then pray about it. Now I'm actually considering it. I'm not rushing into anything (or even saying I'm doing this) and it would Obviously not be for a LONG time seeing I'm about to have a baby.  I'm talking years. Of course. 

Many of my nurse friends love it because they work 3 nights a week and don't miss being home with the kids.  I'd die of exhaustion but... ;) 

Some people have already began to judge me considering this. That I should never even think to have a job with children. Sad when people judge. I want to help my family financially, be able to buy them healthy organic foods, keep them in private school, have them play sports, ect.  

Oh and if you have something rude to say why don't you go ahead and umfollow my blog? THANK you. (Got a very rude comment last week. Why do annonomous people read blogs and leave mean comments?) 

Anyways....

Also, I want to help moms breast feed. Sue me. 

If its God's will, then that's all that matters. If its not, I don't want to do it. It is possible to be a keeper of the home and earn an income. I mean, the Prov 31 wife did and she had maids too. Lol. 

I have lots of goals. I want to achieve them. But MOST important, IM A MOM!! A wife and a mom and that's my most important job! :-) 

I'm still making meals from scratch! Tonight we had an amazing dinner I just whipped up! Must have again. 

I sautéed chicken in olive oil, seasoned w Cajun seasoning. Added tomatoes (from our garden!), organic spinach, and heavy whipping cream. Served with pasta. Oh yum!! It tasted better than it looked. Ok I'm gonna read "Safe Haven" and keep my mind off things. 

Xo 

My Breastfeeding Story

I am currently taking courses in breastfeeding to hopefully one day apply to being a lactation consultant.  I am taking it slow, right now doing a program that takes about 6 months. I'll do what I can when I can. I want to help Mom's breastfeed their babies like I had ladies help me.

My breastfeeding story....

While pregnant with my first son I knew I wanted to breastfeed him.  I knew it was the healthiest choice for him.  My mother in law breastfed all 7 of her children for a year each.  She never pressured me to breastfeed, but she encouraged me to do so.

My Mom breastfed my sister, but was unable to breastfeed me. In 1985 there just wasn't very much help for ladies to breastfeed.  As was the trend when my Mom was born in 1958. In fact then, usually you only breastfed if you were low income.  My Mom tried to nurse me for 2 weeks, but her poor nipples kept bleeding and she was in so much pain. My sister latched on great right away, but I didn't.  And with no lactation consultants there to help her, she decided to bottle feed me. And I don't blame her!

Knowing the hard time my Mom had with me, I fully prepared myself {or so I thought}. I read books, I watched videos, I even attended a class even I think.  But nothing can really prepare you for it, except experience. It helped I knew some things, but it didn't help him actually open his mouth and latch on. 

I was in so much pain by the second day he was born.  I told my husband, "I can't do this. I am just gonna pump! It's the same thing."  A lactation consultant told me, pumping wasn't the same thing, and that my milk supply would not be enough being stimulated just by the pump.  I cringed through that day, and finally that night I had a wonderful lactation consultant come in.

Dawn say my nipples, and said, "Oh my, you can't go on like this can you?" and I cried and cried and said no.  It was too much pain.  She then told my husband to go buy me a nipple shield, which literally saved our breastfeeding journey.   It was like immediate relief. He latched on perfect, my milk came in.  She encouraged me to stop using it when my nipples healed.

Then came another issue. Weaning him from the shield.  Oh boy that was tough. I spent many nights in tears.  I was also trying to "do the right thing" and get my baby on the "Babywise" schedule.  Then I wondered why he wanted to nurse for 45 mins at a time.  The book says babies should nurse for 30 minuets, 2.5-3 hours apart.  Ugh. Why is MY baby so difficult? Why does he cry ALL.THE.TIME?  Oh he has "colic". Even though he was skinny, because he had just nursed for 30  mins he couldn't be hungry. Wrong.

I finally wised up. I realized my son was just hungry.  By then my milk was established and it wasn't enough for him {or so I thought}, so I supplemented with a bottle of formula a night. Now I know, some babies really are just more hungry and need to nurse more.  He was a different baby after he started getting a bottle at night.  He finally did sleep through the night.  Because he was satisfied. By 6 weeks old he was off the shield and onto bare breast, and around 6-8 weeks old he had one bottle a night.  Life was good.

When Shane was 6 months old, I got pregnant with Cody.  Nursing became uncomfortable and I didn't know if it was safe to be pregnant AND nurse, so Shane started getting more bottles as well as solid foods.  Finally by the time Shane was 9 months old, he preferred the bottle over breast.  I was very sad that he weaned so early, but thankful I was able to nurse him at all, and confident I'd nurse Cody.

I used the shield for Cody as well but only for 2 weeks, while my nipples healed because again I had terrible pain and bleeding.  He was easier to get off the shield. I breastfed him on demand and he was a very happy, easy, chubby, healthy baby. He nursed for 21 months.

I am still breastfeeding our 15 month old son, and will continue to nurse him until he is ready to wean.  I used the shield with him for only 3 days. I breastfeed him on demand, and he is also a very happy healthy baby boy.

I used the assistance of a lactation consultant all 3 times.