Friday, May 29, 2015

Javi and Breastfeeding

I realize I haven’t blogged about in detail my breastfeeding journey with Javi. This is really for me to go back to on how he’s breastfeeding was and for my reference for the next kid (naks!). I found my blogposts about Miya’s breastfeeding to be very helpful with Javi this time around.

I mentioned in my birth story that we didn’t have a problem with latching. We were able to experience Unang Yakap when Javi was born.

Unang Yakap when Javi was born

A lactation consultant went to my room at the hospital during our stay.

Lactation consultant checks if the latch is correct

On our nights at the hospital, I didn’t put Javi at the bassinet provided. He immediately co-slept with me. I had him sleeping beside me the moment he was born.

Still at the hospial


What I noticed with Javi (in comparison to Miya) is that he doesn’t feed regularly. During his early months, I would feed him for a few minutes and then he will throw up most of the milk (sometimes milk will come out of his mouth). So the pedia advised me to feed him in small amounts instead. Problem with this kid is he doesn’t know when to stop, he will nurse and nurse and nurse and then throw up. So I learned to nurse him only for a few minutes say 5 minutes at a time. I don’t know if this is the reason why I think he doesn’t drink too much milk or what he gets is really enough for him. In comparison, I think mas matakaw si Miya sa milk before. That’s why I started pumping milk when Javi was only a week old. I had so much milk and he wasn’t drinking all of it. I had to pump and store earlier than I did with Miya. I was also praning of getting a mastitis because of story I heard about it hehe.  Although when I started working, Javi can consume around 3 to 4 bottles of 3 oz milk (that’s from 7am-7pm). That increase a few months back to 5 bottles. But now that he eats three times a day, he’s down to 4 bottles again (this is very recent like this week recent). When I had the measles and he had to be away from me, that’s when I realized that he doesn’t sleep through the night yet. When we sleep at the same house, he usually sleeps around 6pm and then wakes up again around 8pm. So we get to play with him until he sleeps again around 9 or 10, I nurse him to sleep. And then I thought his next feeding was around 5am already although there are days when he wakes up during the night to feed, I thought he was going through a growth spurt. Turned out he does nurse during the night. When he was away, I told my mother and the yaya to prepare 3 bottles for the night. For his 10pm feeding, and then around 1-3am feeding and then when he wakes up at around 5am. Turned out my estimates were correct. So while we weren’t together he drank 8 bottles of 3oz milk. But before I got sick, I usually leave him 5 bottles of 4oz of milk already. We had to lower the measurement of milk because my frozen milk was bagged at 3oz each. I didn’t want my yaya to stress out about transferring the milk and measuring each one. So I told her to just pour each bag to one bottle. But now, we’re back to feeding him 4oz of milk per bottle. I ask my yaya to list down his schedule, time he sleeps and the time he drinks his milk. So that I know if he’s had enough nap times and if he’s had enough feeding.

Breastfeeding on his 4th month birthday


Breastfeeding while out in Baguio

When Javi and I are together, say on weekends, he doesn’t really feed as much. He usually nurses as much as he wants when it’s time for him to sleep. I nurse him to sleep. But during the day, he won’t feed as much. I always joke that it’s because he’s such a chismoso. When he feeds and he hears someone talk he will turn his head and smile at the person talking hehehe. He needs complete silence for him to focus on his feeding. So when we’re out, there are times that I don’t even have to feed him because he can’t concentrate on feeding and end up not nursing at all until we’re back at the car on the ride home. Unlike with Miya before who really feeds anytime and anywhere.

Breastfeeding at my cousin's wedding last February
Breastfeeding really is amazing in keeping babies healthy. Both Joema and I had measles and we co-sleep with both kids but until now none of them are showing symptoms of getting it from us. Well, Miya has measles vaccine and booster shot, but Javi hasn’t had his measles vaccine yet. Although we’re not yet in the clear, we’re a few days short of the three week mark. Now, Javi has cough but he’s active so we’re still monitoring him.  

As for pumping milk, I'm now catching up to pump for my frozen stash of milk because I'm going on a business trip in a week. My frozen stash was used up by Javi when I had the measles. He used up all of them, he drank up the milk I pumped while I was sick and Javi's godmother gave us breastmilk too. It was depleted. Good thing, the last few bags I pumped while I was sick was not touched and as of last count last night, I have enough milk for him for 5 days (assuming 8 bottles a day). One of the breastfeeding moms in my office, also generously gave me her extra stash for Javi. I'm super duper grateful to my breastfeeding mommy friends for giving their milk to Javi. I'm so terrified of having to buy milk for Javi. I can't fathom the idea of Javi drinking other milk aside from breastmilk before his first birthday! Before I got sick, I dropped pumping milk before going to the office. But now to catch up for our frozen stash, I have to pump milk before leaving for the office. And then I pump 4 times at the office: 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 6:30pm (if I'm still at the office). I also pump now during weekends. My goal is for my weekend pump to supply for Javi's Monday milk so that's 4 bottles. Last weekend I was able to do it. Hopefully, I can do it again this weekend. I'll be gone for 6 nights, but I'm preparing atleast 8 days of supply for Javi. Because I'm not sure if I can pump regularly while on the business trip. And I don't want to stress out on how to bring home my milk. I think I'll pump and dump while I'm away. I plan to store my milk on the second leg of my trip, but I'm not sure how much I can bring home. So the two extra days is for when I'm back and have no extra milk for Javi. Hopefully, everything will turn out okay. I'm not worried about Javi having problems latching when I get back because we didn't have that problem when we were separated when I got sick and that was longer than my business trip.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Quick Update

And when I was so good blogging I suddenly disappeared again. Well, I have good excuse this time. Joema got sick - measles! And then after two weeks it was my turn! It was hell! When Joema got sick, me and the kids went to my parents' home and stayed there for the duration of his illness so that we won't get ill. But measles is contagious even before the rashes came out, so yeah I caught the bug from him and was sick after two weeks (incubation period is 2-3 weeks). When I got sick, the kids were then sent again to my parents' home. It was torture for me to be away from the kids, from Javi specifically because we're breastfeeding. They told me there were nights when he didn't have a good night sleep and he wanted to be carried the whole time. I couldn't leave him a shirt or piece of clothing so that he'll smell me while we're not together because my clothes might be carrying my germs. My stash of frozen breastmilk was gone in a few days. I had to pump milk continuously even if I was feverish or itchy from the rashes. No worries, I did all that for my son and I missed him and his Ate terribly. I had a few breakdowns while they were away because of home sickness. I guess it was God's way of preparing me for my upcoming business travel. I should have been gone this last week but because of my measles the trip was postponed to second week of June. I guess the only difference when I was sick was I didn't know when I'll get well, unlike for a business trip I know when the trip will end. Haaay! While I was tortured to be away from the kids, my little girl was having a blast hahaha! She thoroughly enjoyed her "summer vacation" at her Lolo and Lola's place. Javi on the other hand really missed me. The day I got my doctor's clearance I went to see them. Javi was crying from his rocker when he saw me, apparently he wanted me to carry him. And when I did, he hugged me and he propped his head on my shoulders. It's the sweetest thing I tell you! I felt like crying while we're hugging me. I didn't expect for him to miss me that much. And then these days, he's always "naghahabol". He doesn't want me leaving his sight. I think he hasn't recovered yet. Poor kid! He turned 8 months, by the way. I hope to blog more in the coming days. I don't know how because I'm swamped with work because I was gone for two weeks! But I think I'll manage to post a few things. See you around!

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