My daughter, born this May 1st, is having her first period. Actually it is not a period per se because it won’t repeat. She is, however, bleeding and passing blood clots from her vagina. The doctor confirmed that this is false menstruation. He made sure she wasn’t losing too much blood, and to be sure it was not due to an injury did a pelvic exam. He used the thing normally used to look into the ear as a speculum. No wonder she was unusually fussy yesterday, I get that way on the first day of my cycle too. Less than a week old and she had to endure a pelvic exame! At least we know she is all girl.
Golly! I’ve never heard of that! I’ll bet you were terrified! Other than that, how’s the little sweetie doing? And you? And everyone?
At first is was just pink, and pinkish urine can mean dehydration so I was afraid of that. Then it became redder and KellyM looked it up and found out what it was, and the doctor confirmed it at her well baby visit. Then it became copious and I nearly freaked. The expert sites say a blood tinged discharge, not a giant blood flow with clots pouring out of her vagina. Takes after me I guess. The doc saw her again to confirm that she was not losing too much blood.
I am doing ok, the epi and third degree tear are healing as well as can be expected. I hope to get some sleep sometime. Breastfeeding is not easy, but at least I have a lot of milk. Hubby is really getting the hang of this daddy and diaper stuff, and looks obscenely well rested today. KellyM, is exhausted, taking care of us all and working full time. She has been teaching us how to take care of Loren. It has been a godsend having her love and wisdom here. She looks like the cat that ate the canary when she holds Loren. I don’t even think the grandparents were as proud or pleased.
Loren is quite the cutey. She has a decent amount of hair and a peircing gaze. She takes after KellyM in that she has a long body. She looks like a little wiener baby, she is so long. She handle stress well, crying out when something bothers her and quickly quieting down once the offending stimulus is removed. She has long alert and sleep phases too. I am the luckiest woman alive.
Newborns are so amazing! They go through so much in those first months.
My daughter didn’t bleed but I remember them telling us she might. Her labia were huge and so red but that subsides after a while too. Poor little thing… the indignity of a pelvic exam so early!
Ouch on the epi and the tear! Breastfeeding is very hard and I learned a lot with my daughter. Don’t let Loren use you as a pacifier! It’s hell on nipples otherwise! If you get cracked or chafed you can rub them with milk and air dry them or get pure lanolin ointment for them. Just be wary that lanolin stains! Good luck 
And Congrats!
Since her first baby period is caused by your hormones affecting her, yeah she takes after you all right! Time will tell if she takes after you on her own, with her own hormones.
Congrats, if I missed them somewhere.
And my obligatory not-asked-for advice: If you are struggling with breastfeeding, don’t be an idiot (like me) and try to tough it out. There are no rewards for suffering, call a lactation consultant. I was stupid twice. Please learn from my stupidity!
There, done!
Okay, I lied - one more thing… Favorite “unknown” book for parents: “The Wonder Weeks” by Vanderijt and Plooij - babies have fussy stages, even the lovely ones like yours. It is really nice to know in advance when a stage is about to hit, and know in the middle of it how long the screaming and not nursing or nursing all night or not sleeping thing will last. The stages are very reliable (within two weeks or so), and have classic behaviors for each. It is a sanity saver, no foolin!
Loren would drown if she were to use me as a pacifier. My breast pour out milk with very little prompting. So far my nipples are not sore. Expressing keeps the ache away from my breasts too.
If you’ve got that much supply, keep an eye out for oversupply issues, such as diarrhea, gassiness, and unexplained crying (colic-like). Oversupply can cause these (BTDT!), and it can be severe (to the point of bloody diarrhea, and sometimes vomitting after feeds). Avoid oatmeal if you’re gushing milk (oatmeal appears to increase supply).
Here’s a good link on the topic, very helpful for identification of the problem (should it actually be a problem), and management of it, too. It isn’t the only cause of fussiness in breastfed babies, but it is a biggie.
And since we’re at it, my two other links (one on the Wonder Weeks book, the other on how baby brains work)
Waaaahhhhh! I want a baby! Just for a few days!!! Then you can have her back!!! Waaahhhh!