I had mastitis for the first time last month too. Never had it with Peanut, but a combination of factors seemed to end in the infection. Isaac started sleeping a bit longer (it didn't last, though he is starting to sleep 6 hours in a row again! I know sleep isn't linear so I'm not expecting this to last or progress to longer stretches, but anything can happen!). I wore a bra that was too tight. Isaac is a much less vigorous feeder than Eli, and likes my right breast much better than the left one, which is the one that produces more and the one that ended up with the infection. It was very painful and I felt really awful, like a really bad flu. I had to go to a different OBGyn because mine was out of town. It wasn't the best of experiences (though also not the worst). The doctor told me I got the infection because the baby didn't have a schedule for feeds, which is bullshit and goes to show that doctors most often than not know very little about breastfeeding. He prescribed me antibiotics and I got better over the course of the week. I managed to see my doctor later that week too and got my six week check up. All looks good! She also recommended a cream I had been applying on my breast, which is meant for milk cows. It works wonders! I ended up trying everything: the cow cream, the antibiotics, a mega dose of vitamin C, probiotics, hot compresses, hot showers, massages... I hope it never comes back!
The doctors (mine and the new one) pissed me off some. My doctor insisted quite a lot that I get an intrauterine hormone device. I don't want any hormones nor do I want an intrauterine device. I know people who had theirs migrate outside the uterus and required surgery to remove it. The doctor was so adamant about birth control I accepted a prescription for the mini pill, but I don't plan to fill it. What part of no hormones is hard to get? I've been learning the sympto thermal method and I said I would use condoms. My sex drive is non existing. Whyyyy did she need to be so pushy about the hormonal birth control? In the end she said "well I guess we'll see you in two years with your third pregnancy". Like that was a terrible thing (she didn't ask if that was in my plans or not), like clearly I couldn't keep myself from getting knocked up. Before that, the new doctor acted kind of disbelieving when I said I had mastitis. When he finished his check up he said "well, it looks like you correctly self diagnosed". As if it was such a surprise? I mean, can't a woman be trusted to know her body? To research, to learn how to take care of herself? Ugh.
Anyway, baby Oz is doing great. He's a smaller baby than Peanut was, but he is putting weight at a great rate! He weights 5.600 kg at his two month mark. I am down to 66.6 kg today, so I still have over 7 kg to lose. Still, not bad for the two month mark. I'm finally wearing normal people clothes as of last week! My transition pants! I am done putting away the kids clothes and my maternity clothes and donating everything that didn't make the cut. I want to start painting the house, first outside, and then maaaaaybe the living area. It would be a lot of work so I don't know... Baby Oz feeds very often so even though I'm not doing much I don't have a lot of time to be productive.
I did a bit of work this past month and it looks like I might start a small renovation in a couple of weeks, though nothing is certain yet. I'm not really feeling ready to work yet, but I am trying to keep myself open to whatever comes my way. I am contemplating sitting down with Cookie to see if we can cut expenses and if it would be okay with him if I took a few months off work entirely to stay home. I doubt he would say no but I don't know if I can get myself to say no to work if it comes my way. I really want to get to the thesis too, I realize I need to get back to teaching (construction has been awfully stressing the past year and a half and the economy is pretty bad for the sector right now). So if I want to go back to teaching I *need* to finish my MBA for good. It just makes more sense now than it did a few months ago.
I also want more time to spend with the kids without worrying about anything else. Last night a dear friend lost her pregnancy. I'm incredibly sad for her, and it sharply put things in perspective. These babies of mine, they need mom more than anything else. Work can wait. I will figure things out when they don't need me quite so much. Right now, they are all *I* need.
