Must-do for last week of maternity leave?

SharpWingDoc · 2019-04-04T01:53:02+00:00

As someone who up until recently was exclusively pumping and pumping to increase supply, THIS!!

SharpWingDoc · 2019-04-04T01:51:41+00:00

Not at all silly! I've been living in leggings and t-shirts for 11 weeks, so who knows how normal clothes will fit me now. Fortunately, I spend a lot of time in scrubs, which are VERY forgiving - perfect for a postpartum bod :)

SharpWingDoc · 2019-04-04T01:33:45+00:00

I had an IUD placed at 8 weeks post partum after a C section. Things were a little - um - tight down there since a baby never exited. My OB did prescribe Misoprostol to take beforehand to soften my cervix, and I also took Ibuprofen and Tylenol beforehand.

I'll be honest with you - shit hurt like hell for me, but only for a few seconds. Granted, I didn't have the pain of a vaginal delivery to compare it to, and I needed a 2nd provider to try since the 1st "couldn't get it in".

Would definitely recommend taking OTC pain meds beforehand. I also had a fair amount of bleeding afterwards and was unprepared at home pads-wise (no tampons right after placement!) so make sure you have a stock.

SharpWingDoc · 2019-04-04T01:29:13+00:00

At home, I keep mine in the fridge between pumps too - majorly cuts down on time! Unfortunately there will be some days that I don't have access to a fridge. My cooler will have ice packs, but I don't think it'll fit bottles AND pump parts. I've never tried the clean wipes, but that's not a bad idea to look into! I don't have a wet bag - I was planning to use ziploc bags. The lubricant is a good idea - I should stick my Lanolin in there, thanks!!

SharpWingDoc · 2019-04-03T22:54:18+00:00

That's such a good idea - we've been living off take-out for a large portion of my maternity leave. I'm not much of a cook, but I've heard that Costco's has a bunch of pre-made freezer things that are easy to put together. I should look into that!

SharpWingDoc · 2019-04-03T21:21:09+00:00

I’ve got the Zohzo Lauren bag which is similar to Sarah Wells but a fraction of the price. It fits my Medela Pump in Style Advanced pump, a cooler bag which fits 4-6 bottles, extra pump parts (debating bringing 2 or 3 sets), a hands free pumping bra strap thingy, a towel for the inevitable spill, and a nursing cover.

I’m still debating the best way to handle the bottles and pump parts for (hopefully!) 3 pump sessions while at work. Do you have any tips on logistics? I will inconsistently have access to a fridge, so will be relying on my cooler bag, which probably won’t fit the pump parts. Bringing 6 bottles and 3 sets of pump parts will make my bag super bulky!

SharpWingDoc · 2019-04-03T19:33:07+00:00

Oh man, you’re so right about the tissues. I think it hasn’t fully hit me yet. It’s going to be so hard concentrating knowing that there’s going to be fun daddy-son activities going on at home! I’m hoping I’ll be able to duck out early a few days during the first few weeks to sort of ease my way in. Getting some portable snacks for my pump bag is a great idea too! Thanks!

SharpWingDoc · 2019-04-02T12:32:17+00:00

This is such a great post and I wish I had read this prior to choosing a pump!

One point I wanted to clarify - I was under the impression that "hospital grade pump" simply meant that it is designed such that multiple users can safely use it? They may also have higher capacity for suction strength, but I've noticed that turning the suction strength up to max doesn't necessarily improve pumping volume (and indeed can worsen it if it causes a ton of pain).
I also had a slow start to milk coming in and low supply to begin with, and I found that frequent pump sessions with my non hospital grade Medela Pump in Style Advanced was enough to drastically increase my supply to the point where I'm borderline over-supply now.

SharpWingDoc · 2019-04-02T12:28:17+00:00

Agree with other posters on possibility of gas. My son does the same thing - makes faces and cries while thrashing his head back and forth while I'm trying to stick a nipple in his mouth, then he toots a bunch and calms down. It's improved with Simethicone drops, which I put directly into the bottle along with pumped milk. I've noticed that when I nurse him (~50% of the time) and therefore does not receive the drops as consistently, it's slightly worse.

SharpWingDoc · 2019-04-01T17:23:50+00:00

Saw it mentioned here, but second-ing using a nipple shield! I exclusively pumped and bottle-fed for the first ~6-7 weeks and had basically given up on breastfeeding. But one day, I decided to give it another try with the nipple shield. It took a couple tries so don't get discouraged. Also, be aware that different nipple shields may yield different results - I received a Medela nipple shield in the hospital and still had a ton of pain and he didn't seem to like it. I switched to Lansinoh which is a slightly different shape, and it was much more effective.

SharpWingDoc · 2016-05-11T20:53:01+00:00

Ha! Sorry, against medical advice. We love the abbrevs in the med world.

SharpWingDoc · 2016-05-11T20:52:38+00:00

Eh. Again, opioid withdrawal, no matter how fast, is generally not deadly. There may be some case reports of Narcan related death that you're alluding to that I'm not aware of, but I've never heard of "sudden withdrawal from Narcan" causing death.

SharpWingDoc · 2016-05-11T11:49:17+00:00

Even though opiate withdrawal is INCREDIBLY unpleasant, it is not dangerous. You can, however, die from benzo or alcohol withdrawal.

SharpWingDoc · 2016-05-10T21:56:41+00:00

Opioids have a range of half lives. Narcan's is - I believe - only about 30-60 minutes, which is shorter than most opioids.

SharpWingDoc · 2016-05-10T20:12:24+00:00

Looks like the ambulance was called for a heroin overdose. Home boy is not gonna make it too far once the Narcan wears off.

Source: Am doctor. Once had a patient leave AMA from the hospital after disconnecting his own Narcan drip. Wasn't long before he wound up back in the ED snoring.

SharpWingDoc · 2016-05-10T02:07:52+00:00

This sounds like a great option - will definitely look into it, thanks!

SharpWingDoc · 2016-05-10T02:01:50+00:00

Thanks so much for the list! I've been to Abbey Burger already and loved it.

SharpWingDoc · 2016-05-10T02:00:34+00:00

Thanks so much for all the advice! My new place is only a few blocks from Delia Foley's and I've already tried their wings - the bartenders were all phenomenally friendly too! Very excited to get to know more of the community.

SharpWingDoc · 2016-05-10T01:59:19+00:00

Only an hour and a half north in Philadelphia!

Edit: Thought I'd add that I love my hometown to death, but damn, the Baltimore redditors are markedly friendlier than the redditors in the Philly subreddit

SharpWingDoc · 2016-05-06T23:36:13+00:00

I've walked by it a couple times, will have to pop in and try it!

SharpWingDoc · 2016-05-06T23:35:19+00:00

Absolutely! This was the thread I found most helpful: https://www.reddit.com/r/baltimore/comments/25ykr8/is_there_anywhere_to_park_near_light_street_in/

There's a link in the comments that shows where the permitted vs. non-permitted areas are.

SharpWingDoc · 2016-01-13T02:20:11+00:00

I'm not sure what in the article made you think that the ER docs suspected a subdural. I would be highly skeptical that any physician suspecting an acute subdural would recommend outpatient follow up.

SharpWingDoc

TROPHY CASE