10/19

Sorry if the posts turn into a time line of my day. It's how I document throughout the day ... but I will try to add the "meat" when I have some time. :)

Since I've been in pain and have been getting tired pumping and going to the NICU, Brad decided to take off from work earlier then we originally anticipated. Initially he wasn't going to take off until I was discharged ... but I am glad he decided to do it earlier. It's been much easier to have him here with me.

9:30 - Brad and I went to the NICU for Em's feeding. She barely latched to left breast and instead took 20ML of formula from daddy. This was his first time to hold and feed her. :) I picture documented all of it.

We went to the hospital store and got a bra thing that helps makes my pumping life easier. It has looks like a tube top and has two holes where I put the pump flanges and holds them in place for me. Whoever invented them totally rock. I can now pump and do something else at the same time, lol.

I also briefly talked to a lactation nurse. She explained how to massage and hand express for milk. She said it helps out a lot in the beginning to get my milk supply started. Here's hoping for the best!

With the new knowledge ... I was able to hand expressed about .5 ML of colostrum @ 12pm and I followed up with pumping for 10 minutes.

12:30 NICU visit - I attempted right side with no luck and ended up bottle feeding 20 MLs of formula. Daddy took more pictures. We still have to get a picture of the 3 of us.

Pumped @ 1:15pm
Teeny tiny bit of colostrum

Brad went to run some errands during lunch and I rested as much as I could. Had lunch and watched TV. Cindi came to visit and we talked for a while about both Emily and Camden. We don't get to see each other as often these days, so there was a lot to talk about.

NICU @ 3:30 nursed for 15 minutes on left side and 10 MLs of formula via bottle.

Pumped @ 5:00
Teeny tiny bit of colostrum

Sally, Vicky and Haylie stop by around 5:45. Haylie seemed confused that Emily wasn't with me in my room. She wanted to see her, but children that are not siblings are not allowed into the NICU. We were only able to talk for a short while because Sally had to get back to Kevin and Haylie was getting hungry and wanted to eat dinner. I enjoyed the Panera Bread Vicky brought. Thanks Vics!

NICU @6:30 nursed 15 minutes on right side and bottle fed about an ounce of formula. Couldn't cuddle as much as I normally do because I had to leave at 7 because of the shift change.

@ 7:15 I took my first post surgery bath. It was painful and nice at the same time. I was finally able to get that yellow/orange tinge off of me. It was some iodine thing they had put on me during the surgery.

Pumped @ 7:30. I suppose the amount of colostrum is increasing, but still not really worth putting into a syringe.

NICU @ 9:30 - NICU nursed left side for about 15 minutes and as usually offered bottle after wards. After chit chatting with the NICU nurse. I decided not to come in for the 12:30 feeding and instead would get more rest, but still pump at least once during the night.

@ 10:45 i pumped and got some milk for the first time ever. It actually dripped into the bottle unlike the colostrum which collected only in the flange part of the pump. I was very excited to send this on to the nursery. I hope Emily liked it.

@ 3:00 am - I woke up for pain medicine and used this time for my night time pumping. Low and behold ... I got even more milk! Woohoo, this time it was over an ounce both sides combined.

I tried sending it to the NICU for Emily's 3:30 feeding, but turns out it was a bit bubbly then normal and the nurses thought maybe it had soap in it. I never did wash my breast pump parts with soap and only one other nurse assistant had washed it out for me the day before. Honestly I didn't think anything of the bubbles. They were there in the bottle as I pumped. But to be on the safe side, they ended up dumping it just to be safe. I got new breast pump parts and will just have to hope my next pumping session is just as successful.

I ended up blogging for some time before I got sleepy again and then slept like a baby until about 8am.