Google Vs. The Post-Partum Mother

I think it took me all of 2 hours being home before I was on google searching for the answer to all my ridiculous questions:

1) Newborn sleep patterns (read: holy crap I don't remember my daughter sleeping this much ever in her lifetime).

2) Jaundice symptoms (read: my baby is turning yellow and it's not because he's 1/4 Chinese).

3) Newborn Breastfeeding Poop (read: you'd think after 21 months of breastfeeding I'd know what was normal, but since my daughter never had normal poop, then I really don't know).

I love the internet, but seriously, they should put a lock on WebMD and Google. The ridiculous answers mixed with crazy hormones and fear of pooping is enough to get someone committed. I even, for ONE second, was wishing I had my "What to Expect" book.

I know. Blasphemy.

And if you're wondering why I showed up at your blog 14 times yesterday, that was me, searching for "sore nipples cure."

Now back to trying to figure out how the hell to keep track of all these damn tiny socks. And I'll announce the winner(s) of the baby pool shortly.

Comments

[Mrs. Chicken]

I can't believe you can think coherently, let alone write. You knock me out!

[nyjlm]

step away from the Google, step away! Get someone else to look up the info for you- preferably someone who will filter the info for you- like your BFF.

poop should be seedy/mustardy yellow. If his jaundice is getting worse, he may still have some meconium. To clear jaundice- nurse nurse nurse, so he'll poop poop poop.

hang in there mama!

[Jennifer]

I can't believe you've posted! You're amazing. Having a newborn is full of nonstop questions, isn't it!?

[Amy H]

Here's an idea for the baby socks that works for me. I bought a lingerie bag (from bed, bath, and beyond) and put all the socks in that bag to wash. They all come out clean and in one bag so matching them is easy. hope that helps. one less thing to deal with since your in-laws are clearly no help.

[Suburban Turmoil]

Sore nipples cure: Soothies. Seriously. They're at every drug store, they keep scabs from forming on your nipples, absorb leaky breast milk and they're AWESOME. I will be wearing them for two weeks after I have my baby, and will feel NO PAIN. :)

[tracey]

ONe word for sore nipples-LANSINOH. It's a miracle ointment. I still use it today...not on my boobs, on my lips. I swear.

Now, it's NOT ALL bad in 'What to Expect'. COME ON! Sorry but, it beats the crap out of WebMD for baby stuff. Unless you want to be online for hours only to be convinced your baby has some horrible disease. No thanks.

Th other lifesaver is the 'Nursing Mother's Companion'. Loved it.

[Damselfly]

What a good mom you are. Do you think the people at Google are scratching their heads at the search term "newborn breastfeeding poop"? Like, I can see someone turning to his co-worker and saying, "I dunno, Larry, someone keeps searching on poop. And what is breastfeeding, anyway?"

I wish I could give you tips on the sore nipples. All the advice people gave me didn't help. I even spent $50 on a specially formulated nipple ointment that a pharmacist had to make from scratch. Sometimes, the little beauties still get sore, four months later.

[Melissa]

Sore nipples, I swear by Ameda/Hollisters HydroGel Pads, http://www.hollister.com/us/products/product_series.asp?id=6&family=72&series=755
Also, KellyMom.com has some great suggestions. If your problem is blisters, I would direct you to
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/nipplebleb.html
But then there is also this on KellyMom:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/nipplehealing.html
The saline solution rocks and this in combination with a lanolin or Hydrogel regimen got me through my daughters latching issues (which lasted 4 weeks until I finally called a IBCLC; if things aren't better next week, go to La Leche League and find an IBCLC).
For breastfed baby's diapers:
http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/pediatricks/poop.asp
Best of luck; Drew is beautiful.

[Sarah]

FYI....Jaundice is cleared by light and uv rays..it's a chemical your liver overproduces that turns your skin yellow and it's been proven that the light breaks those chemicals down to lower your bilirubin(sp) count which causes the jaundice color. So if you think he's yellow, strip him down and sit in front of a window so the sun is directly on him. Both my boys were jaundice...Daniel was under the lights at the hospital.

As for the poop...come on it can't be that long since you Q, you can remember those yellow seedy explosions.

Enjoy the sleeping.....seriously I think my guys were awake like 1-2hours at the most and the rest of the time I was poking and begging for them to get up and eat off my gorging breast.

[Roxanne]

If the little one seems jaundiced, place him in the sun, in front of a window, etc. I mean, no sunbathing or anything. a reasonable place for a reasonable time. Luckily, the day after My 2nd son and I got out of the hospital, my family went to the beach, so me and my pumpkin colored baby spent about 10 minutes per day outside, with him in the buff on the balcony.