Day 3 - Wet Day

Day 3 is commonly known as the "Wet Day" - women (and their partners) are cautioned that Day3 can (and usually is) a rough day. Called a wet day because you are bleeding still, milk is coming in and often women experience a huge wave of emotions on this day (hormonal wave).

Milk coming in & feelings

This for me a truly challenging experience. It was the first time around, and so far, it seems it will be a similar experience. It's only starting now but I've gone from huge breasts to watermelons that are quite sensitive and turning hard.

Baby M is fussier at the breast as it becomes harder for him to latch and things are changing. Baby M is a more expressive baby already compared to Elba - what an important reminder to me that our littles are different and their own people. And to be mindful of my preconceived ideas of how things should be.

Baby M also seems to have a really hard time with being changed - clothes or diaper. We will be creative about how to make this experience more pleasant for him, more gentle for him and be aware of how he responds. We don't rush through it or distract him just because it is unpleasant - that may be beneficial short term, but I'd rather focus on guiding through unpleasant things and seeing how I can make the environment better.

On that note - Baby M is wearing clothes for the first time. 2.5 days of skin to skin and we are finally wearing clothes.

Why no clothes and putting them on now?

Initially we do a lot of skin to skin - I am nude (at least top as well) and baby is nude (sometimes with a diaper). We spend most of the day doing skin to skin. Babies are not good at regulating their temperature - skin to skin is helpful for this. It is also so good for them being close to their mamma having been in the womb and now in the world with so much new. While it is good for baby, it is also good for mama - good for regulation of hormones, of emotions, of connection and feeling calm and restful with our babies.

Why wear clothes now?

In the middle of the night, I decided to get Baby M some clothes - not great timing. But he seemed cold and more willing to lie next to next me than on me.

He is currently wearing 100% cotton clothing - vest and sleeper (footless). With organic cotton or cotton diapers and a cover. The clothes are gentle on his skin. Washed in our homemade laundry detergent with zero fragrance.

Food, Drinks & Supplements

Supplements, custard & drinks

Supplements I took today:

1. Desiccated thyroid - From the Life Giving Store

2. Vit D drops (it is winter in Canada)

3. Organ Blend

4. K2 - Lifebud (I have the capsules & the drops)

5. B Vitamins - Lifebud

6. Probiotic

7. Lactoferrin

Food & Drinks

Milky cacao with oyster powder, colostrum, syrup, pinch of kelp extract and cacao.

Organic sprouted soaked overnight oats cooked slow and low in milk with whey protein and wild blueberries. I usually have it with yogurt, but I am avoiding cold foods - especially in the first few weeks.

Beverage containers

It may not seem like a big thing - but the type of beverage containers makes a big difference to our experience.

We are using several different stainless-steel containers. We have several hydroflasks that are great for keeping things warm (or cold - but warm in this time). There is a variety of kinds - some with straw and others without. We have a few different ones for the whole family - Ian for coffee and Elba for her beverage.

I also have a Stanley cup with a handle that I use so much in the first year of parenting to ensure that I constantly have easy access to mineral rich beverages.

For water I like a bottle with a straw that you can open one handed while nursing baby.

By the end of day 3 I was feeling so engorged I got the hand pump out and only pumped a little. It is not a good idea to pump in this time to avoid encouraging too much milk and prolonging the problem. The pumping I do is super minimal and really only if I truly need the relief. Most time I just try to bear with it and use a warm cloth / compress.

I also started taking some Milk of Magnesia in prep for the first bowel movement. It can be scary, painful or just uncomfortable. But either way - a softer stool is preferrable. My choice of how to achieve this is Milk of Magnesia and not the use of laxatives.

Blood & barley sausage with tallow chips

Snacks are flowing today

It is important to be mindful of our iron (and other nutrition in this time) - one food I have been consuming is blood sausage. It is tasty and great in this time.

Raw carrot salad with kelp flakes (iodine) & broth

Two foods I am having at least once a day but sometimes more is Dr Ray Peat carrot salad and broth.

Dinner as a family of 4

Dinners are being had in the room - still together as a family. Staying in the room can feel good in terms of healing and resting, but also have elements of feeling lonely. Having meals together feels good, but isn't' too much that impedes rest and healing.

Signs of starting a rhythm

My bedside cart is better stocked and as we move through these initial days and go through the most intense days of adjustment there are little signs of some rhythms starting. One of them is the warm cloths and diaper folding.

For Baby M I made 100% organic terry cotton cloths (same as the ones SIMPLY Pure & Natural Personal Care box). I wet them and place them in a wipe warmer next to the bed. I use only water. Nothing added to it.

100% organic terry cotton Flat diaper

Diapers - At the moment we are only using 100% organic terry cotton flats and Disana knit cotton diapers with covers (some wool ones I made and some normal polyester ones).

Concluding remarks for Day 3

Today I saw signs of the hard coming with the milk coming in... I know the next couple of hours and then days will be particularly rough for me....

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