A pox on you! A pox on me?
So, I made a foray out into the land of the living on Friday. The rather pathetically obvious shopping of a woman post partum:
-Huge package of pads for the continuing Gross Nastiness That Will Not End (I think this is the proper medical term for it).
-Huge pack of breast pads for boobie leakage because I was so engorged because my son couldn't nurse because of effing thrush.
-Cheapo breast pump to (hopefully) relieve said engorgement (it did).
-Prenatal vitamins for determined breastfeeder, thrush or no.
-Acidopholous capsules (see 'effing thrush' above).
Oh and let's not forget the tube of Gold Bond ointment because - in a bizarre well-of-course twist - I am manifesting what I finally determined to be hives.
WTF?
I have them on the inside of both arms, on both feet, on my upper thighs and belly. They are swollen and they itch. I've added Benadryl to my handful of drugs I take*.
I'm beginning to wonder if anything else can happen. I mean, what is this, a personal plague? What's next?
Blimey.
In good news (finally!) Fiver and I are soldiering on with the thrush. I have actually only had to pump twice so far. I'm a tough old broad and I've been gritting my teeth and trying to let him nurse both sides (and faithfully applying our respective meds). The right side is bearable, the left side is the one that's so bad but it has to be getting better - yes, both sides are still a mess but at least I haven't had to unlatch him.
Now my only problem (pause for laughter here) is that my milk supply seems to be down to nothing and I don't know what to do to help it. Nursing more is not an option right now with the pain - I'll try to feed more as I heal, though. I do know I need to be drinking more water. Ugh. I'm so bad at that.
I wonder if how much (and what) I eat affects my supply measurably?
I also have been freakin' freezing cold for the last three or four days. What's up with that? With all this insulation, you'd think I'd be warm as toast. Jeez. I swear I feel like and old lady. Oh wait ... I AM and old lady!
*snort*
-----
*Actually since I don't know what the trigger is (something I ate? Something I touched? One of the drugs?) I have stopped all pain meds save Tylenol. This has not made my life very pleasant (cracked and bleeding nipples - pain meds = very BAD), but, I swear, these hives are worse! *scratch*scratch*scratch*
7 Comments:
oatmeal can help boost your supply. I wasn't always thrilled about eating the stuff but you can eat it in cookie form and it still works.
Ya gotta drink the water. I know that it sucks but it does help so much.
I'm sorry that it's hurting so bad. I had some trouble in the beginning while nursing the twinnies. Bad ezcema + cracked & bleeding nipples = PAIN. We worked through it and put the cream stuff that my doc gave us and we made it. It did suck.
water, oatmeal, water, fenugreek capsules, water, water, water. i also heard sprite or sierra mist does something to up your supply. throw a glass of that down you, and at least you're getting more fluids.
the fenugreek was a lifesaver for me last time. 3 tablets 3 times a day, and you'll smell like maple syrup. my dh used to come home and ask what i had baked.
Fenugreek, oatmeal, and mother's tea kept us going for a little while longer. Riles never had a decent latch and had NO desire to suck when she did-- so I was pumping like mad. You can also add *ha ha I know this is crazy with the pain involved* a few minutes of pumping post-feeding to encourge things along.
There's a recipe out there somewhere for mother's oatmeal cookies that supposedly taste great and help with supply issues...
You're freaking me out--so much of what you've written post-partum I could have written as well. The final straw was being freezing cold--what is that? I live in NC for goodness sakes.
Hope that nasty thrush goes away and stays away!
Talk with your pharmacist with regard to the hives. He/she should be able to help you determine whether any of the medications you are taking, or some combination thereof, are causing them. If it's not the medications, he/she can probably recommend a good topical cream for relief until you can see your physician.
So sorry you're having such a rough time right now....
Blue,
[[[[[HUUUUGGGG]]]]] I'm sorry you're havin' such a rough time right now. Keep up the good work - you'll make it through.
Katya
Beer, dark beer, the hops increases milk supply-I have no idea if you drink or if you like beer, but half a bottle a day is supposed to work great.
Oatmeal is good too.
I'm sorry you have hives... decongestants dry up milk supply I believe.
Post a Comment
<< Home