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[laynamarya]

So, we have a baby! His name is Keonwoo Samuel Lee. I am a bit skeptical about posting pictures of our baby online, but I trust Livejournal more than facebook, so there will probably be a few here soon. And I am hoping to get a wordpress site just for talking about the kiddo, like my sister has for her son

Comments

[athene]

After I gave birth I was so anemic that I actually wasn't even allowed downstairs for two weeks (mostly). So I made myself a nest upstairs with the tv and a fridge and high protein foods. I spent a lot of time nursing and watching tv/moves.

Does the baby fall asleep when breastfeeding and then wake when you try to move him? Don't move him. Just stay all cuddled up and watch a movie or Skype on your iPad. Skyping was what kept me sane and gave me a connection to the outside world.

And yes, at that age all they do is sleep, eat, poop, coo at you, eat, sleep, poop, etc. As for breastfeeding, it can take 4-6 weeks to get everything all figured out. If you're not enjoying it cause it's super crazy painful, get a Lactation Consultant ASAP.

[laynamarya]

Yes, he does! And you are right, he is happier longer when he just hangs out next to me. But sometimes I have to burp him or change him or one of my other family members decides it is time to play with him, and then he wakes up and gets all cranky. And then it takes him forever to calm down again.

But I have been trying to babywear lately, which helps about fifty percent of the time. It is hard to predict. Sometimes he loves being in the wrap, sometimes he screams bloody murder.

As for breastfeeding, one side is totally fine, the other side is okay when we do middle-of-the-night feedings, but super crazy painful during the day. Maybe the baby is really tense during the day? My doula is coming over sometime this week to check on my technique, so hopefully she will have some more insight.

[athene]

I'm glad your doula is coming over. I found that positions that worked on my left didn't always work on my right. Check his latch and do not tolerate a bad one; unlatch him and make him start again. Also, check your breast for a plugged duct or milk blister.

Glad the babywearing is helping. Maybe try changing him before breastfeeding?

As for attachment, it will come. I didn't have that overwhelming love feeling all the time with my kiddo a first, but man do I love him to pieces now.

[jilsynchro]

This is, obviously, not exactly what I went through after giving birth to Anders, but it's similar enough. I was pretty overwhelmed having to visit everyone I ever met, including my in-laws, in the two weeks after Anders was born. I felt pretty hopeless in a lot of ways, like I would be trapped in the misery that is newborn-dom forever. I cried every day for at least two weeks, possibly up to a month. I don't remember

[laynamarya]

Yeah, I remember how overwhelmed you were with motherhood. I wish I could have had some sage advice for you back then, but really I had no clue. So, thanks for the sage advice!

I like the Olympics analogy. People don't really think about the day-to-day training Olympians do, and I think it is hard to see how much goes into raising an awesome kid, too.

It is also hard to see how my life is going to change so much. And I have wanted to have a kid for years and years, but I really like my life, my job my group of friends, and my hobbies. I have been so happy and comfortable for the past couple years, and I don't really have a solid concept of how much my life is going to shift.

But anyway, yes, the ipad has all kinds of uses. I am reading novels through ibooks now. Not sure what else to do. I really ought to be better at procrastination-type activities.

[skimtony]

Do you have headphones with your iPad? Is there a shortage of content on the iPad? These things might be correctable. There are lots of books available for free through iBooks - if it won't let you use the American iBook store, let me know and I'll find a workaround.

[laynamarya]

I have headphones somewhere! I will find them. Do you have any book recommendations? My brother sent me some good stuff, but I am anticipating a lot of free time over the next few months.

[oochie83]

I heard that the first 6-8 weeks or so of breastfeeding is the most intense, challenging, and overall less fun than formula, and after that it is easier and more rewarding. This was my experience. Except when I pumped back at work, which was more annoying than painful

[laynamarya]

Man people keep telling me longer and longer amounts of time before breastfeeding is less of a pain. I am having some serious pain on one side, so I am considering just pumping that side and breastfeeding for real on the other side. Maybe my doula can talk me out of it. We'll see

[oochie83]

So if you feed the baby enough to satisfy him with one breast and pump on the other, you will end up with a lot of milk production and a lot of milk to put in the freezer. Neither of these things are necessarily bad. I thought we had way too much milk in the freezer but it really came in handy around 5 or 6 months. If you stop pumping one side/feeding with the other though you will have to cut down gradually to avoid getting a clogged duct or mastitis.

[zard]

I agree with oochie that there is a lot you can do on an ipad. We've been trying to justify one for years! In terms of perspective, imagine that you had massive surgery that took a month to recover from. And that you had nice relatives to help you get better. That's basically all that's happened here. And guess what? You'd be bored and annoyed then too. At least this time you have cute baby. And less scar tissue.

I think that you should start making some lists on that ipad. Things you want to do. Foods that you couldn't eat before but now you can. Those always seem to make you happy.

[laynamarya]

I know there are tons of options for the ipad, but I don't know what to do! Give me ideas, preferably free ones. ;)

Haha, ok, yes! I do like lists.

I ate sushi on Sunday! It was...not quite as good as I was hoping. They didn't give us any wasabi. Oh well.