newbie questions

Amy writes:

We go through a LOT of D cell batteries.

We bought rechargeable D cell batteries just for this purpose, and it was
very easily worth it!

Sidheag
DS Colin Oct 27 2003

Amy (V.) writes:

4. After about 5 min of vigorous nursing she pretty much falls asleep
but keeps nursing in a mild, "tickly" way that I can barely feel. Still
swallows, but it's obviously less of a swallow than the first 5 min and
she may not be actually swallowing anything. When she wakes up, I do a
diaper change to wake her up more thoroughly and remove her sleeping
"bag" to keep her cooler. We nurse one side for about 15 min (I let her
pop off on her own), but only 5 min of that is active sucking. I then
let her sleep off the milk drunk for a few minutes and get her
redressed, which wakes her up enough to do side #2 in the same way. Is
it normal for the later part of the nursing session to only feel like a
slight tickle like she's just tickling my nipple with her tongue instead
of sucking?

Everyone's saying comfort sucking, but I wonder? Is she actually attached
when she does this? When Colin feels "tickly" like this, he's really
asleep, and I can just slide the nipple out without even needing to unlatch
him. At that point, I doubt that he's getting comfort (since he doesn't
notice if I remove it!) and I'm also pretty sure it can't be doing anything
for my supply. Having said that, at 1 week old, and for a long time
afterwards, he'd feed/doze for hours, still getting milk I think, without
ever reaching that state, and I just went with it as far as possible.

Sidheag
DS Colin Oct 27 2003

In article ,
"V." wrote:

I had my baby! Madeline Gale (Madi) was born 11/29, 6lbs14oz!

Congratulations!

1. Is it safe (or a good idea) to let her sleep in her swing or car seat?
She will sleep a little in the bassinet when swaddled, but often rejects it
or sleeps poorly.

Sleeping in a car seat isn't recommended because the air circulation isn't
that good. No idea what a "swing" is (I am thinking of the kind you get in
parks!), so I can't help you there.

2. How do you nurse a stuffed up baby?

Um, they come off when they can't breathe, you wipe their nose and pop them on
again. Breast milk is soothing when they have colds, so they often suckle
frequently (just as sick adults make frequent hot drinks for themselves).

3. Should we be cleaning between her labia when we do a diaper change?

I only have boys but what I read says no. Just wipe. The "white discharge"
is probably not a discharge, but vernix.

4. After about 5 min of vigorous nursing she pretty much falls asleep but
keeps nursing in a mild, "tickly" way that I can barely feel. Still
swallows, but it's obviously less of a swallow than the first 5 min and she
may not be actually swallowing anything. When she wakes up, I do a diaper
change to wake her up more thoroughly and remove her sleeping "bag" to keep
her cooler. We nurse one side for about 15 min (I let her pop off on her
own), but only 5 min of that is active sucking. I then let her sleep off
the milk drunk for a few minutes and get her redressed, which wakes her up
enough to do side #2 in the same way. Is it normal for the later part of
the nursing session to only feel like a slight tickle like she's just
tickling my nipple with her tongue instead of sucking?

Yes; it's comfort sucking as they fall asleep. The light stimulation reduces
the amount of milk coming out to a trickle. Unless you are concerned about
weight gain/supply, it's fine to detach the baby and put her to bed -- using
both breasts at a feed is not essential. In fact, I've never done it.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is
nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.