2 mo update

Submitted by granolamom on July 2, 2007 - 10:45am
Body: 

I'm about 2 mo pp and thought I'd update a bit. my rectocele is still in hiding. my uterus is quiet and I haven't gone looking for it. the cystocele, however, is getting low and uncomfortable. could just be that I'm slouching when I bf the baby, but I'm thinking maybe its related to all the hormone shifts as it feels like it used to the week before my period.
I'm back to the firebreathing now that all bleeding has stopped and recently been doing the, forgot what Christine called it, the 'turn the hips out, bend knees and bounce' thing as described in Christine's blog a while ago.

by the way, has anyone figured out a way to sling the baby with good posture? having a hard time with that.

alemama

July 2, 2007 - 12:11pm

granolamom- I have tried and tried- and finally just gave up. I only pack the baby now- I use an Ergo and put him on my back- I was able to use the Ergo with him when he was 2 months but I chose not to- That was right when I found out about my rectocele and I decided I would just relax more and not try to do everything. I used his sleeping time to do dishes and the like-
Don't slouch to feed the baby- just lie down. That is the best way and it gives a good rest- at least 10 minutes or so anyway. I have discovered that I can feed the baby while he sits up and I don't have to slouch at all- now this took him about 6 months to figure out so you will be lying down to nurse for the next 4 months or so but then you will have years to nurse in the posture.
Maybe you are feeling the cystocele more b/c the rectocele isn't holding it in right now- I know that happens to me when my rectocele is gone I feel the cystocele more.
Thank you for keeping us all updated - It gives me hope.

granolamom

July 3, 2007 - 12:04pm

thanks for your input..makes so much sense that I feel the cystocele more now that the rectocele is gone. I'm remembering now, that I only first developed the rectocele after the cystocele had begun to recede. I guess *something* has to take up the space.
if only I could get rid of the space!

re: nursing lying down, that was my plan. but baby's got a bit of a reflux and has trouble nursing lying down.

I'll look into an ergo, I didn't realize you could wear a 2 mo on the back. not so much for getting housework done, baby just likes to be in arms most of the day. he knows what good is!

kiki

July 3, 2007 - 3:59pm

I think the Ergo on the back is only from 6 months. I have one but haven't been brave enough to try it as I'm a bit nervous about the weight on the back (I remember a thread about backpacks and someone saying it was best on the front...???)
I use a wrap sling w/ minimal stretch, holding my baby very tightly to me, facing in. I can't wear it for long walks now as I feel the weight bulging down, but fine for short bits / around the house. It's hard as I carried no. 1 for 3 years--but as someone said, find the cuddles other times...

nursing. If you can't lie down, i find cross legged on the floor with a cushion works quite well so that i can maintain the posture...

hope that helps

louiseds

July 3, 2007 - 8:33pm

Hi Kiki

Yes, it was me who suggested the front, after trying a long walk carrying a heavy mini-rucksack both ways, not a baby. The front was better because it kept my shoulders down and back, and I let the shoulder straps down so it was more like a pregnant belly. Carrying it on the back I noticed that I tended to straighten my lumbar curve and bend the thoracic curve more, and had to strain my shoulders forward, closing my chest up, which kind of went against Wholewoman principles. I figured that a woman's body is designed for a weight on the front, so I went with that.

Having said that, from my experience carrying a little baby on the front is a little cumbersome if you are trying to do something with both hands, but carrying a little baby on the back is not at all good for their necks if you turn suddenly. Also, you can easily bump them into objects that are behind you because you don't get the visual cue and can easily misjudge the space behind you.

With big babies, on the front is almost impossible, and I found the back just fine for short periods of time, eg to keep a grumpy toddler happy while you finish a job, or while shopping for groceries in the minefield that is "The Supermarket". I have even put toddlers to sleep this way, then just sat down on a bed or mattress on the floor once they had nodded off, leant back, undone all the straps and left the peaceful sleeper be. Then I usually went off and had a sleep myself. There's nothing quite like the sight of a sleeping toddler to make my eyelids droop!

I think you can do anything that feels OK, for a short period of time. Then encourage them to walk when they are able. Once you know Wholewoman principles you will instinctively know what is OK and what is not.

Cheers

Louise

granolamom

July 3, 2007 - 9:44pm

yes, a cushion would help! that's a good idea. thanks kiki

alemama

July 3, 2007 - 10:04pm

I did use a boppy pillow for a while with another pillow under my knee- I wish my breasts truly hung down to my belly button then there would be no issue-

rosewood

July 4, 2007 - 1:04am

There's an ergonomic support that you can put in a chair recommended to me by my Alexander teacher. posturevolution.com (or something like that). Haven't tried it, but will if there's another baby.

I saw a woman using a Mai Tai (sp?) front carrier. It looked really comfortable. I always used a sling when little, but would try this as well.

Keep up the great work, granolamom. With all the hormonal changes, I'm sure there'sa lot changing.

Marie

louiseds

July 4, 2007 - 9:16pm

Hi Granolamom

Just to add to my previous post, the meh tai (all cotton) is the sling I used for all my babies, both back and front I have also used it as a hotwater bottle sling for mastitis. I had two simultaneously on the go for about eight years during the 80's.

The are probably still available from your local breastfeedng support association. They fold up into nothing, at least my primaeval models did!. You just check them in the washing machine when somebody throws up on them. They are fully adjustable, and conform perfectly to the baby's body. The only downfall is that but you have to tie them on to your body. If you are a plastic click clip freak they wouldn't suit you, but I suspect that all Granolamoms can handle a simple bow ;-) . Actually you can wash them still tied up if you have difficulty resizing after laundering them.

Once you get used to a meh tai you would probably never need another type of sling, but slinging a three year old is pushing the envelope a bit! ;-) You have to piggyback them at that stage, when they are quite able to hang on themselves. Yes, I have walked up the hill home from playgroup with a preschooler with a sore foot in the stroller and a big baby in the sling on my back. That memory will never leave me.

Cheers

Louise

granolamom

July 5, 2007 - 12:37pm

thanks for the ideas louise. I'm looking into the mei tai's and also considering a woven wrap (those didymous wraps looks delicious). I'm not afraid of tying a couple of knots : )
right now I have a maya wrap, which is a ring sling, and I really do like it since its so compact, easy to wear and versatile.
I wore my second child until I was too pg with baby number three to balance. ds was almost three and he's a big kid too. by then he was on my back and I see the mei tai tpye carrier is probably better suited to that than the ring type.

for now though, baby likes to be cuddled in the front (I like him there too). I'm noticing that the higher I wrap him, the more comfortable the posture.

I guess like everything else, there's a learning curve

kiki

July 7, 2007 - 4:10pm

the hug a bub has just a bit of give which is great for staying snuggly but also getting them in / out... you can lie them down like in a ring sling, though it never worked for me as baby hated his head being covered. i loved my ring sling but it really hurt my back last time around after carrying through 35 pounds... but the wrap has been a great alternative.

the ergo is (as far as i know!) based on a mei tai but with buckles, not straps...

enjoy sling shopping! so fun...