(2013) ivf/icsi mummies Support group

Marble: Oh I see. I am on the same Fenugreek dose. Are you sure that your baby is not getting enough milk? Have you monitored his bowel movement and weight gain? Maybe he gets hungry fast coz BM is easily digested.

Hope: My lumps disappeared within a few days after I restarted BF-ing. The whole period from mastitis (rock hard) to soft breasts took almost 3 weeks, the last week it was just lumps. I massaged a few seconds with the warm towel before every pump, during the pump I will take a break and massage too.
 


Egg factory,

Bowels seems ok and urine output also ok. But problem is even when my breasts are drained flat and limp both sides, my baby still wants some more and won't settle. At times, I think becos of slow or no flow, he yanks my nipple really hard! Ouch!!
 
Marble: How about his weight gain? You can ask PD about that. Unless his weight is not on target then they will recommend supplementing with FM.
 
Lil, you not getting a helper/maid? Mine just came and she does things so slow. Sigh. Not much of a help interm of helping me to look after my boys. But my house is very clean now.
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You can try to up his milk volume.. Up till he can last for 3 hours.

I am so tired.. Thinking of giving up bf alot alot of times already.. Don't know why I am still pressing on.

Recently I have been quite down.. Guess I am really way too tired.. I want to put my boys to IFC but my husband doesn't want. Sigh.. Thinking should I get another maid? Hving one now already not so many issues.. So tired..

Mofmm, sorry.. I think I asked you this before.. Your helper helps in feeding your girls at night right? So, you let her sleep in the day? How long?
 
Egg Factory,

Err...never weigh. He is only 3 weeks old, not sure what is his weight cos no chance to weigh him yet..will check next week when i bring him for immunisation at 1 mth.

Saralyn, your helper is still new so you should give her some time to adjust to meet your expectations. Mine came 3 mths before I delivered and I'm still training her to meet my expectations. Mine does work very fast but is sloppy...

IFC also may not be ideal. Whenever i look at my bb, i tell myself it will break my heart to put him in IFC..no individualised care at such a young age.
 
Marble, you can try taking durian and red bean to boost your milk supply. Over the weekend I had turtle soup and that night my supply was alot. I was shocked. I don't know is it because of the turtle soup or not thou.. No harm trying
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Hm.. Having a maid is so tough. I was more tired last week than any other week coz I had to look after my boys and train her up.. Sigh. Just this afternoon I asked her to do ironing. She took more than 15 mins to iron one working pants for my husband.. Can imagine how slow she is now? Haha!

I really need to have some rest/break.. Thus thinking of IFC.. I can have some time to rest and they will be look after well by other people too.. Thinking of putting them to half day IFC one. Not full day kind..
 
Hi Reikibaby, I was prescibed Fenugreek by KKH and after the supply finished, I got more and that's the only supplement I am taking to boost milk supply. That being said, I drink at least 3L of fluid a day including red date tea, eat salmon and ngor her (threadfin) daily to boost supply.

Hi Saralyn, re training the maid, I let my mum and my confinement lady do that. Fortunately my maid is pretty ok - yes, she's slow and doesn't have much initiative but I guess she wouldn't be a maid if that was otherwise the case. So long as she takes care of the baby well is all that matters. I cut her a lot of slack, household chores wise as I recognize that she is waking up at least twice a night to take care of the baby. Broken/interrupted sleep is a miserable experience so I let her nap all she wants when the twins are napping. For eg, my twins are on a routine so their naptime is 12 to 2 which is when she naps too. The twins' day end about 7pm and once she puts them down together with the confinement lady, have her dinner, wash the plates and mop the floor, she is free to sleep until the twins wake for their last planned feed at 10.30pm. Also, wherever possible, I reduce her household chores eg. toilets wash once a week instead of twice. And I also help out with the household chores like washing the milk bottles if I see them unwashed, or washing the babies' playmats myself. I always urge her to rest more as I do not want her to be overtired and take it out on the babies.

I thought of IFC but the cost of IFC for twins comes up to almost 2K and I heard that the babies fall sick pretty often. Also, the ratio of babies to teacher is 3:1 and I can imagine that if my baby cry and the teacher is feeding another, she will not be able to pick up my crying baby and soothe her. As such, I might as well pay about 600 more a month and get a full time live in nanny (who was a confinement nanny) who will take care of my twins 24/7 with the maid, and this will allow them 1: 1 attention as well as allow the twins to stay home where I can have easy access to them. Unlike you, I am unfortunately able to latch and am exclusive pumping. Hence, if I do not have paid help like this, it will be impossible for me to provide BM to the babies.
 
Hi Adeline Ho, yay to find another mummy with 2 twin girls! Hope your twins will be able to go home with you but if not, be assured that they are in good hands in the hospital. My twins had jaundice too but I took them home and brought them for twice weekly check ups at the polyclinic till their jaundice levels fell below the 100 count. No photo therapy but I did expose them to fresh air and sun.
 
Is it trhue that after our bm supply has stabilize, we can prolon g the pumping interval for the night ?
Soon I start to prolong the pumping interval as start work end of aug
 
Thanks Saralyn for the info. Hopefully their jaundice level will drop today. Are your twins on forumla feed during their stay in hospital? I thought if babies are on formula feed, it will help in reducing the jaundice? apparently not the case?

Hi Mofmm, I did ask the PD if i can bring the babies home and bring them to the nearest polyclinic to check on their level of jaundice so that they no need to stay back. The PD is not keen to let us do us. May i know if after the babies are discharge, do i just walk in to the polyclinic without making appointment and request them to do a jaundice check? How soon do we need to bring the babies to polyclinic for the 5 in 1 jab? is it anytime within the first 3 or 1mth? need to make appointment?

I'm still waiting for my milk to flow in, today only saw some colostrum flow out after my friend helped me to massage my breast. Its so painful but the after effect is gd because can see the colostrum when squeezing the nipple. I also started the fenugreek today, taking 2 tablets each time. The lactation consultant say can start slow first - 2 tablets each time and slowly increase to 3 tablets each time.

Hi Small Bunny, hope you are all well on the delivery. May i kNow what you do to calm the rashes that you had from puppp? how you make it go off initially when you had it? I'm still having it and it itch like hell especially at night. When i scratch it, some of the rash will develop clear liquid pus. See my skin i will feel sad and depress man.
 
Adeline: congrates well done. You need to feed babies more. Help to reduce the jaundice. Jaundice more will developed from day 3 onward. Need to be closely monitor. Pls take note jaundice baby will keep sleep so have to wake them up for milk every 2hrly.

As for your rashes, now that u delivered, should be getting better. Ask dr for med to apply.

For jabs at polyclinic, 1st-2nd mths go for hep B 2nd dose. 3rdmth then 5in1 1st dose. Call them for appt. now Singaporean FOC for these 2jabs
 
Ladies, after I clear the lumps, do I need to pump regularly or can I go back to my usual pumping intervals?

Dian tang, I drag my pping at night and when I go out to 6-7 hours. But must be careful of blocked ducts which I'm having now... Trying to pump diligently to clear it.

Reikibaby, when are u going to start looking for job? I lay start in sep or oct. think I will have separation anxiety!
 
Saralyn - durian n red bean for more breast milk? Really? Ok will give them a try..but hard to get turtle soup. Still on confinement diet n getting a little sick of it..

I think my problem could also be lack of fluid. I drink only abt 2L of confinement tea daily plus a bowl of soup at each meal. Maybe not enough but I haven't started drinking plain water yet. Will try to up fluid intake..
 
Adeline congrats on the birth of your twins. I also had pupp in 3rd trimester and nothing seemed to help... it went away on its own after delivery. You can ask doc for a cream to apply. I remember I also suffered itching as a side effect from epidural and morphine but it went away within a day.

Hope: What is your regular interval? I pump every 3 hours in the day until midnight then rest until the next morning. So after this long interval I can feel they are full and getting hard again.
 
Thks for all the well wishes! Waiting at hospital for surgery this afternoon.

Adeline, it got so bad I had to see dermatologist who prescribed a steriod lotion. Was hesitant to use but no choice cos it was really bad. He also told me to use physiogel A1 cream which can be purchased at pharmacy. I'm also using pinetar soap which can be bought cheap on iherb but when I first had puppp couldn't wait n bought from guardian. When itch I also use sarna lotion which helps. Hope your puppp goes away soon!
 
Sade! How have u been? Long time didn't log into SMH... So u r feeding your bb with brown rice cereal? What brand? My twins are 6 plus months now.. now feeding them frisocream rice cereal. Tried pumpkin puree but they don't like...
 
Hope: I also scared to get blocked ducts if I prolong the pumping interval . But no choice if I want to stop bf bef going bk to work

Small bunny: very soon u will c your little one!
 
joanne, nice to hear from u again.. busy with ur LFT right? I bought organic brown rice and then grind it into powder and cook it for 10mins n mix with ebm n spoon feed my girl. she is ok with this cereal. its rather demoralising when prepared those puree n bb dont even wan a taste of it. read that hv to keep on trying if bb rejected the food on another day.
 
Sade, ya I leave bb at home with the maid to keep an eye on bb while he's sleeping at night.

Dian tang, I pump once a night, abt 7-9 hours after last latch. I make sure I really empty breast
 
Hope: i hv blocked ducts too. My CL used a hot towel and massage at e same time. I pumped out immediatel. My breasts were swollen and it was v painful. I get my bb to suck but she refused cos nipples are blocked and she has a hard time. But e best solution is to ask ur baby to suck.
I keep hving blocked ducts on alternate days, is really fustrating. Even my bb latch on, it doesn't seem to solve e problem...

Adeline: congrats to you. Don't worry about the jaundice cos my daughter also hv jaundice at 13.4 for one week. I rent e phototherapy box for one week that cost me abt $1k but she refused to sleep. In e end, I gave her formula milk twice a day for 3 weeks then her jaundice reduced.

Lil: your maid still not here yet?

Bb: how did u manage to last 7-9 hrs? After 3 hours. My breasts get so pain and swollen, hv to ask my bb to latch on or pump out.
 
Saralyn and PSP, my maid will only be here at the end of Aug. So initially, I would be on my own after CL left last Friday. But now that I've hired another CL for a month it would be just nice. Their timing will overlap a little so I will ask CL to teach maid about baby care and basic Chinese cooking. This will be extremely helpful to me since I can't cook! Fingers crossed and hope that my maid will be good! Really luck la. Can only gauge so much from bio data and interview.

Hope, how's your block ducts? Better?

Saralyn, so when you go back to work, will someone be home with your maid and babies? I know what you mean about exhaustion and feeling down. For the past 3 days, I'm looking after baby by myself day and night because my DH is sick. One day was particularly hard with baby crying non stop and won't nap. I was still in pajamas at 4pm and missed a lot of my pumping times because I'm attending to baby. I felt down because there is no escape, no 'off switch' and again I started to wonder if all this is a mistake. Then I remind myself how hard it was for us to get here and how blessed that baby is healthy and all this shall pass. So when you are having a bad day, hang in there. A good day is just around the corner
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you are doing a great job because 2 bundles of joy is tough!

Small bunny, congratulations and welcome to motherhood!!
 
Egg factory, I usually pump every 4 hourly in the day and stretches for 6-7 hours at night and when I go out.

Dian tang, yah I guess just have to be careful. The hot shower and warm compress works pretty well!

Lil Ponyo, thankfully the ducts were cleared this morning. Thanks to all ladies here for the tips! Hope it won't come back again though.

Alison I stopped latching baby after full month and baby is now 4 mth plus Liao. She doesn't want to latch anymore haha. Though it takes some time, but the hot shower and massage helps alot. You mean you clear the ducts tody and it comes back 2 days later?
 
Long time since I last posted here. Glad to see so many more graduates from this thread.
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MofMM u actually managed to find a live in nanny? Does she stay all 7 days of the week? How much do u pay her?
 
Hi Adeline, as Babysmurf said, you can call polyclinic to make an appointment for the hep b jab followed by the 5 in 1. I would follow the PD's advice in discharge re jaundice. Met a couple at the polyclinic who told me her son's jaundice levels increased instead of dropping and this required hospitalization subsequently. Yes the initial part of massaging is really painful but keep at it and you will see results! Jia you n don't give up!

Hi Small Bunny, thinking of you - how was the surgery? Do update us on your boys' birth story

Hi Alison PSP, only after 6 weeks when my supply establish and stabilize at 1.5 liters did I dare to drop the night pump. Don't feel the engorgment as I ko already in the night.

Hi Marble, drink the longan red date tea instead of water helps boost supply. Another thing I learnt is must drink a warm drink while pumping and empty out each breast each session.

Hi luv, yes she was and is a CL but had experience raising kids for Sporean families from birth to 3/7 years. She is from Msia and will stay with me 28 days (day and night( each period before going back for a break of 2 days. Her duties are to bring up the children with the maids help - feeding, bathing and playing/conversing with them. Will keep her for about 2 years till the twins have passed the weaning teething milestone stages...after that see how. Her fees are 2500 for each 28 day period - for me i feel it is worth it as I'm buying her experience and expertise with the twins. If singleton, fees would be cheaper. Just let me know if u are keen to find a nanny - there were others that I had interviewed too and can intro to you.
 
MofMM, I see. Looks like a perfect arrangement for u! The CL is willing to work continuously for 2 yrs? So much time away from her own family.. But I guess that's the nature of her job.

Thks for offering to intro a nanny!
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Don't need one at the moment as my mum will help take care when I go back to work after my leave. Hope she can cope well.

U are lucky to find a good CL! Personally I haven't had much luck with CLs. -_-
 
PSP, I think after a while the body knows how to regulate supply. The breasts do get hard and a little painful, but it clears during pumping. Small price to pay for not waking up to pump earlier and sleeping a little longer
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Help mummies. My bb prefers formula to chilled bm. If is latching, sometimes he will latch. How?? My parents kept ask me to stop bm but my hubby kept insisting on bm. He said latch very easy de. Sianz. I hate this endless quarrel on bm n fm.
 
PSP, ya bb is right, the body will need two to three months to regulate the milk supply.

Usagi your bb should be abt 4 months old right? Yes i agreed that latch is so much easier as bb grows older and also v convenient. Its important to have your hb support to make thing works. soon your bb will start on solids, just hang on another few more months to go.

Saralyn, u r doing good to provide bm for twins, not easy at all. think u can slowly drag the pumping intervals so that you can rest during night time. If you really wan to stop, you have to stop gradually. I have no intention to stop yet so cant advise how to do it.
 
Lil, the arrangement for me now is to work from home till they go to child care which is 18 months old. I don't think I can last for 18 months!

Mofmm, woah.. You got your nanny at a very cheap price! When I asked around for my confinement it was at least 3.5k for twins.. Glad that you found a good nanny..

Sade, thanks.. This morning I missed my 4am pump! Sigh.. Woke up at 5+ and decided to drag till 7am to pump.. But the yield wasn't that good if I were to pump at 4 and 7. Guess I have to be good girl and wake up at 3hours interval..

Dian tang, you stopping bf when go back to work?
 
Saralyn: ya cos dun think I have time and no room to pump milk at work . I started to keep sone bm so that my boy still have bm after i go bk to wk.How abt u?
 
Dian tang, I am holding on as long as I can. Since I have arranged to work from home i shouldn't have any issue to continue. Is just a matter of me now.. Whether I want to continue or not based on my tiredness! Haha.. But I am trying to bf for 6 months.. 6 months is my first target first.. After that then will decide to continue or not. Hopefully I will reach the 6 months mark! Another 3 months and 1 week for me to go!

Time flies! Another 4 more weeks and my ML is finished. Think you should be around the same right? I don't know how the past 12 weeks went by.. It seems like I just delivered them and brought them home not long ago.
 
Hope, good to hear that your ducts are clear! Keep up the regular pumping and massage!

Saralyn, I see, that is so good that your company allows you to work from home. For me, even before I started my ml, my boss already keep asking if I can travel in Oct!

Mummies, do any of you been told that your baby is tongue tied? I've been told twice (once by lactation consultant and the today by my 2nd CL). First time, I brush off off this comment since pd never say anything. But now that another person has mention, I wonder if I really need to do something. I haves feeling if I ask doctor, he will say its fine. Actally he says that about lot f things.
 
Thanks to the sis for the advice. My second twin has discharge today and her jaundice level has dropped. We will go for one more appointment with the thomson PD and after that switch to polyclinic.

I would like to check whether is it normal that one of my twin poo poo only once a day and the other twin always poo after each fed. Quite extreme between the two. They are latch on and after that supplement with formula milk.

Mofmm, indeed the massage is very painful but worth it. I can.squeeze the colostrum out easily now. Hopefully the milk will start to flow soon.
 
Saralyn: it is good to bf for at least 6 mths .it is our bb health that kept us going for bf. my family discourage me to bf when I start work . That is y I am keeping my bm so he can hav bm til 6 mth.
I am starting work end of aug. I guess u are also rite? Another 5 more weeks ..

Lil Ponyo: what is the tougue tied u mention ? My lactation consultant only said my bb tougue is short which affect his latching .
 
Lil, yup.. I heard of tongue tied.. If I am not wrong, they will outgrow it.. Go see his pd and see is it he has it..

Ya.. I love my work so much now after looking after the 2 boys. Nothing is more difficult and tiring than lookin after them! Haha. Can't wait to go back to the workforce. I guess I am more suitable to be in the outside world than being a sahm.

Dian tang, mine will be mine sept because I took some leave too. Have to clear my last year leave before it get forfeited.

Yup.. That's why I am still pressing on to bf them.. 6 months is my first target.. But is really very tiring.. N my boys have this very bad habit.. After a proper latch, they will move around and adjust themselves to just have my nip and abit of my aerole in their mouth.. Thus, I do get sore nip quite often by them..
 
Hi Saralyn, confinement lady is 3.5k and for three months at that price. After that have a nanny at 2.5k till 18 months. I'm not confident of being able to work from home though I have that option - I guess I could, to keep an eye on things but I doubt I will get much work done at all!

Hi Luv, good to have your mum's support. Mine isn't willing and my in laws are old and a story of their own, making it impossible for me to get by without paid help!
 
Sade. Bb now 3.5 mths. I dun mind to pump de but he dun like bottled bm. But I am working already how to latch. In the past 3 months I seldom latch too. In a state to give up le. My son lost wt from refusing to eat.
 
Sade, I'm on NPL at the moment n taking care of my boy myself now. How's your weaning so far? I'm starting next week. Keeping fingers crossed my boy will take to it!

Usagi if your boy is losing weight then perhaps u shld consider giving more FM if he keeps refusing BM. The bb's health is most impt, be it BM or FM. Don't feel sad so long as u've tried your best to give BM.

Lil n Whiteclover, what do u mean by tongue tied? Have u consulted a pd?
 
Hi ladies my twin boys were delivered safely via c sect on Tues. Now I understand why all the mummies are so busy w feeding! Twin a is a good but aggressive feeder so if I'm not careful he'll latch badly n start suckling v hard immediately. Twin b is more laid back but hates the proper latch. When nurses help to eventually latch him properly he'll suck a couple of times then doze off.....
 
Small bunny,congrats and welcome to motherhood! I also got 2 twins boys.. I must say boys tends to be more aggressive and they really can drink alot! haha! Enjoy and rest more!
 


usagi then how does ur hubby expects u to latch when u r working already? maybe its the teat problem. did u change to appropriate teat?

luv thats good. npl till when? how to u start weaning? can share? u intro one ingredient by one or give porridge?
my girl only takes some brown rice cereal now.

congrats small bunny.

reikibaby how long do u plan to bf?
 

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