need good nursing vibes*UPDATED with pics*

OMG!!  He is totally gorgeous!!  I'm glad that he decided to nurse for you!  Not to discourage you but it took 4 days for my milk to fully come in.  Don't give up!  Breastfeeding is a great bonding time!!  If your SO feels left out (like my DH did!) he can always change the diapers!  My DH would be jealous of you...  He wanted a son!  Again, Congrats!  Keep us updated on that precious little boy! 

Thanks! SO is being AWESOME about diaper changing. He does feel left out about not getting to feed but when my milk comes in all the way i'll be going back to work parttime at night and he will get to feed the baby then, lol.
But until then he has changed all but like 2 diapers and that's only because he was sleeping and I didn't want him up all night when he works days.
I think my little guy just isn't going to eat as often as they want him to but he has nursed twice since i posted this so I'm satisfied for now. We'll see how his weight is doing Sunday and make some educated decisions then. I did try to pump though and got an oz that I have in the fridge for an emergency..and about an hour after I pumped I started leaking so bad that i had to change clothes (nolan nursed really well though) so I think I'm going to keep trying to pump in hopes of getting my milk in faster.

I have no nursing advice for you but did want to say congratulations on a beautiful baby boy and I love the name Nolan.

No advice here either, but he looks great, congratulations!! Hope things get easier (I'm sure they will)! 

I also have no advice, but BEAUTIFUL BABY!!!!!!!!!!!  I am SO SO SO glad everything went well!!!!!!!!!!  Congrats!!!!

 Congratulations!! He's adorable!!

I had problems too with nursing my son after he was born. He never ate every 2-3 hours, it was more every 4-5 hours for a while. I also had hardly any milk and had to switch to formula due to an infection that was hindering my milk supply.  That wasn't discovered until 9 weeks later.I tried for about 1.5 months that way and I switched between bottle and breast there was no confusion at all with him.  I hope everything works out for you and nursing, but even if it doesn't you are NOT a failure for not being able to breastfeed. My son did amazing on formula, no health problems at all and he is very smart boy.  Also I think there is something the doctor can give you to help with your milk production, I can't remember what it's called though. It might not hurt to inquire about that if you are still having troubles. Good luck and he is SO cute!!!

 

First, let me say, Congratulations!  It's a boy!  He's gorgeous!  All babies lose weight after birth.  I have never breast fed, and let me tell you, I know babies get so much out of breast milk, but my 3 girls were formula fed, and never had an ear infection or sickness while they were small.  Just to clear the point, that bottle feeding isn't bad. I also had a girlfriend, who leaked a lot and wanted to breast feed her son, but when it came down to it, the baby was fussing, crying, only to find out she wasn't producing milk.  This was sad, since she thought she had so much, it turned out she didn't have any.  I have no clue as to breast feeding, other than the sore breast!  I'm assuming that once your milk comes in, your breast will tell you when it's time to feed!  Good God, my boobs were like rocks!  So sore, you couldn't touch, you couldn't do anything!   Uuuggghhh.  I'm not trying to scare you, just prepare you!  I don't know if the soreness, meant milk, or what, since I never breast fed, but be aware, this is what you should expect. 

I have to ask...here, in PA, you don't go to work before 6weeks, because they won't allow you to work, until your 6 wk. check up.  You're already talking about work.  You just had a baby!  That's a major, major, experience for you and your body.  You can't even have sex before your six week check up, and you shouldn't be returning to work before then either. Your body just went thru something major!  You need time to heal.  You should not be returning to work before 6wks.  I hope your employer knows this...I thought it was a law that was country wide.  I may be mistaken, but I have never, ever heard of a person returning to work, after having a baby, before 6wks.  There should be some kind of leave your company pays for...whether maternity leave, short term leave, etc.  Don't rush into going back to work, you could hemorage, and then your looking at something that could be much worse than ever expected!  Trust me! 

Good Luck, with your little boy!

Welcome to the world, Nolan! Your mommy wants you to eat LOTS, so get with the program!

 

When your milk comes in, you will look/feel like and exotic dancer! LOL In all probability, you two will do fine.  if not, there's no crime in bottle feeding. 

 

I was one of those human milk cows.  I had soooo  much milk that I fed my niece when my sister was visiting.  She would dry up at night and was making up formula.  I just said, "Give her to me" instead of mixing up a bottle. I actually have a picture of this somewhere!

Since I only work part time I don't get any kind of leave. If all goes well I'm planning on going back in two weeks after his first real checkup. If he is doing well then I will go back..I work as a bill collector so I don't have to lift anything but a phone. I honestly don't feel like I had a baby right now, aside from the bleeding I'm having, which to me has been light..I'm going to ask the doctor about it when we go check his weight tomorrow. And my back is sore where my epidural was(I didn't notice this until I laid down to sleep last night, ack!) ..but I'm not cramping or anything and I haven't needed any pain medicine. I am taking it easy though. They told me no lifting anything over 20 lbs until my check up..nothing in the vagina..etc. Almost the same rules as pregnancy except no s-e-x!
As far as nursing goes, I can only assume my milk has come in on the left side, it is HARD. My right side is getting there, but it's not quite as "full" feeling as the left side. I did give Nolan the 2oz bottle I had pumped and he took it like a champ. Drank all if it(which I didn't expect and actually worried me that his tummy might be upset) and then went to sleep. We woke up twice last night, once for a diaper change and once for a feed, which he took from the breast and it seemed easier for him. We got up at 6:30 this morning and he ate again from the breast so I don't think I confused him too bad with the bottle, lol. I'm glad he's eating a little more regularly now though..even if its not as often as they wanted.

Lol, you should have gotten a part time job as a wet nurse!

No nursing advice but Congrats he is a gorgeous baby! 

Janet808

should not be returning to work before 6wks.  I hope your employer knows this...I thought it was a law that was country wide.  I may be mistaken, but I have never, ever heard of a person returning to work, after having a baby, before 6wks.  There should be some kind of leave your company pays for...whether maternity leave, short term leave, etc.  Don't rush into going back to work, you could hemorage, and then your looking at something that could be much worse than ever expected!  Trust me! 

Nope, not a law and you company isn't required to pay for your maternity leave either, especially if you are part-time.  The way most people are paid is through short-term disability provided by your job, not through the job per se.  I have a girlfriend that had an executive position at a major company and their short-term disability didn't cover maternity leave.  So unless you have enough vacation time to cover the entire leave you have to take it unpaid and unfortunately, not everyone can do that.

Now, if your doctor says that you physically cannot work and provides a medical reason why besides maternity; that's a different story. 

Honestly, besides the baby blues stuff that lasted a couple of weeks, I could have gone back the next day.  The day I came home from the hospital I was walking Charlie, gardening in the yard, etc. etc.  I felt no different after 6 weeks than after 2 days.  I don't recommend it, but it wasn't a big deal since DH was home with the little one.

I took 8 or 12 weeks the first and second times (4 weeks paid rest unpaid)...eventually just quit the second time. My dh also took his 6 WEEK paternity leave. Loved that!

OMG!  He's absolutely adorable!  He's so well filled out already!  

In Ontario, you get a year off.  haha!  Just had to throw that in.  It makes it harder to go back to work though.  

If your boobs hurt you've gone too long between feedings.  They do get engorged at first when the milk comes in, but that eases up.  Its easier to tell if baby is getting milk though after your milk comes in.  There will be a rythym to his swallowing, and your breasts will get softer as he nurses.    

Sending you lots of good nursing vibes!!!! I so know what you're going through. Meri was 6lbs 8 ounces when born and dropped to 5lbs 13ounces before she made the upward swing. I know how worrisome it can be. Hope he wakes up soon!!!!!

Meant to also say congrats and that he's beautiful! Also meri has the pink stuffed doggie. Its her little lovey and takes it to bed and naps. I often find her all cuddled up with it!