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Hi ladies I know there are many of us still to pop but thought it would be nice to start a thread that we can come to once the LO's are here
Abbie is 4 weeks and 3 days old today and my due date isn't here yet
Abbie is doing great - eating and sleeping and very content. The feeding was hard going at first as it is very frequent with her being early but I think you actually get used to being tired
Someone (sorry can't remember who) was talking about bottle and bf together and nipple confusion. Well all the times I have bf I have done so exclusively even when it was very difficult - I am stubborn As Abbie was early and lost a good bit of weight the mw advised topping her up with ebm through a syringe. This was tough as I was bf then trying to express only to bf 1 hour later - so I gave her formula to top up. Giving her the milk in a syringe became difficult as they tended to spurt the milk too quickly at times. So I gave her a bottle to top up( Tommee Tippee - closer to nature) and it was great!!
I bf her all day and then top up after bf at night to get a bit longer sleep - it's working - she is putting on weight and no nipple confusion
sorry for huge post - hope you will all come over and join me!!!!!
so great that abbie is doing so well. she looks amazing.
Glad to hear your mixing of breast and bottle is going successfully. I am doing that with Charlie too.
Charlie is on breastmilk exclusively, but DH does one feed (the last one, before bed) with expressed milk in a bottle. Charlie loves it - has no problem with it at all. If only I would go to bed early and make the most of it! Usually I just lie in bed and watch DH feed him!
Still not sleeping for more than 3 hours during the night though which is very tiring. Night before last he woke up crying every hour and I fed him five times between 11.30pm and 9am...
Charlie is now 7 weeks but his due date was 8 July (last Tues). I'm a bit worried he has his night and day confused so busy trying to keep him awake during the day.
Just checking into the new thread. Santiago is now 8 days old and I'm suprised that I actually feel I'm coping much better than expected- probably because he does at least sleep- has even done a few 5 hour stretches.
Finding bf a nightmare. I'm only feeding off the R boob as I have an inverted L nipple and I can't get him attached. his means the R nipple is f***! bloody milksakes every day. I can't believe how excruciatingly painful it is- making up for my amazing birth and lack of stitches.
I'm expressing from the L and am giving him bottles, so far no nipple confusion- hope it lasts.
must go- he's woken up! Hope everyone is doing ok.
Minipink and Peanut - Just had a peek at your photos your kids are gorgeous, congrats!
Fred is also on breatmilk exclusively but he's also taking expresed milk and not complaining, any of you who ever had a girl will be probably agree that boys eat a lot more and a lot faster than girls?
this time around we have decided to take on a night nanny and she helps a lot, i did strugle with the other two kids and since dh's work is paying for absolutely everything re this pregnancy/baby we decided that it'd be a good idea and it's not just good, it's amazing, she's really helpful.
Anyway I can't take my eyes off little Fred, it's amazing how we fall in love with them little ones isn't it?
(Cross-posted in total from antenatal thread, no time to edit at all I'm afraid)
Hmmn, well I guess I'll try keeping up with two threads then, but I'm definitely going to keep posting on the antenatal thread as long as it is still going. I know I have my baby now but I know how awful it was going overdue both times, and how much it helped this time having lots of people here to talk to!
CONGRATULATIONS to Cass, DonutMum and ichef!!! (hope I haven't forgotten anyone)
Aw, lovely pictures from those that have posted them! Really nice to see all the babies. (I'll have to try to get a bit more familiar with the technology and try to make a profile and post pics myself.) Lovely to see so many gorgeous pics of little Kez, and my goodness Disney and ichef, what handsome boys with so much hair!
Pigley - I got really into jigsaws when first diagnosed with ME: a nice non-strenuous activity that was absorbing enough to be distracting without being too mentally taxing! I found that charity shops are a great source of cheap jigsaws, usually complete or very nearly so.
GOOD LUCK Libra1975!
Sympathies to the overdue crew, THOUGH...
...are you sure you want this???? ARGH!!! Wilfie decided he wanted to feed constantly from 7.30 yesterday evening to 5.00am this morning! Good grief. Of course today he has had at least two hour gaps between each feed - I've been trying to grab naps, though I'm still feeling rather like death warmed over. I do hope he can start sorting out day and night soon. It has been easier up till now as first my parents and then my parents-in-law were here so they could look after DS1, but they've all gone home now so we're on our own. I rather dread the thought of being awake till 5.00am again, and then being woken up by a lively DS1 wanting to play...
jocesar - lucky you with the 5 hour sleep stretch... that has not happened here yet... 4 hours is still the record, unfortunately during the day, not at night. Sorry to hear about the bf, i can only hope it'll improve for you, it did for me.
ichef - aw thanks. I looked at your pics too - congratulations on your beautiful wee fred. I have heard that boys are more voracious feeders than girls, funny huh?
I'm really hoping he'll sleep well tonight. He has been bathed, massaged with lavender oil and swaddled... he looks so peaceful!
Poppy will be 4 weeks old on Wednesday - and it's like she has always been in my life! I am completely besotted! The 2 DS are quite taken with her too.
She's feeding really well; had a few probs earlier in the week with comfort sucking, offered a dummy but my nipples are obviously much more desirable! She has mastered the comfort suck now - gentle and slow so not too much milk comes out. She wakes about every 3 hours at night but I am a master at bf lying down so can go straight back to sleep once she's latched. I am starting to feel pretty tired though - and more eye bag concealer will be needed soon!
Just checking the new thread out so I don't lose it!
Sam is 10 days old now and my due date is tomorrow! It feels like he's been here forever, although DH getting worried as I'm starting to get broody again! This happened last time and I Promised Sam would be the last!
He's been as good as gold, and even went from 11pm til 7am yesterday!!! I'm not getting my hopes up though, I know it's easrl days yet, but he always has a good old feed at night, constant feeding from 8ish-11ish.... I think he's pretty chilled as DS1 is sooo manic and I'm still having to run around after him!!
Anyway, off to bed, can't wait for the others to join us!
hi all ichef - just to blow your theory - florence takes the word 'voracious' to new levels - currently in bedtime cluster feed mode and she's on her fifth boob, IYSWIM, and can drain a breast in 10mins flat...1 week old today... I am covered in milk! just put her up on my shoulder as she'd come off for a bit, thinking she may have finished, and she chewed my shoulder furiously then latched on to my cheek - like being snogged by a small inept slightly cheesy smelling animal...on we go!!
jodie so of sam sleeping from 11pm - 7am! charlie still wakes every three hours and this has been going for 7 weeks now... i am seriously tired.
isaidno - i am interested in your bed bf routine! i have tried this a couple of times but have been petrified of falling asleep so it hasn't been a very good experience. at the moment i get up and take charlie to a chair in our room to feed him. what happens after you fall asleep? does poppy finish feeding and fall asleep next to you? aren't you afraid of squashing her?
pjr - is the cluster feeding working for you? is florence lasting more than a couple of hours at night?
Right, I seriously spoke to soon! Had the night from hell! Sam did't settle until 2, cluster feeding, boobs hurt like hell today, then he was good and slept til 8, but Oli up at 5....... bloody kids, whoever thought this was a good idea?
peanut - I just latch Poppy on, then she comes off when she's finished. I put her back in the moses basket when I wake up and realise she's stopped (and has gone back to sleep.) She goes straight back to sleep while she feeds because she hasn't been disturbed much in the first place. I am a fairly light sleeper and never worry about squashing her - I feel aware of her prescence IYKWIM. Why don't you practise lying down to feed one afternoon when you have the whole bed to yourself - try and get a snooze in!
purplejenny - I have a greedy girl too! You made me lol with your description of a sucky baby snog!
peanut -I should also add that the best position for me is to lie on my side with the boob I want to feed from on the bed. My head and arm are on the pillow. I bring Poppy close and roll her on to her side slightly so we are facing each other.Her head is not on the pillow - more under my armpit. Then I stick the nipple in, which is the trickiest bit, but once it's in I can relax.
Abbie has put on 12 onzes this week and she is now 7lb - only new mummies can get excited about these things
Jodie - Abbie does the constant feeding thing too but at the moment it is usually during the day. last night was great. We went out for an evening walk and so she fed at a slightly different time in the evening..around 9.30ish and was sleeping at 10.30 when I wanted to go to bed. So instead of just going to bed I lifted her and changed her nappy and bf her and then gave her a top up with the bottle - she feeds well and was happy to take it
I was probably asleep by 11.15 and Abbie didn't wake me till 3.30am - amazing because she hasn't gone more than 2 hours since she was born...I will be trying the same tonight....bath,pj's wee walk etc (fingers crossed)
I want to start introducing a bottle, but not sure when to express! Although I suppose a bottle of formula will be OK.... (DS1 was FF and he's OK!) I just panic as I had such problems feeding DS1 that I feel like a first timer when it comes to feeding! (It still feels wierd calling him DS1 not DS!!)
I'm also starting to get nervous about DH going back to work next week!!!
peanut - sorry, haven't got on computer till now - florence has given us good sleep at night for 3 nights now, and last night went nearly 5 hours!!!Previously was only lasting 2 hours at most. Could change again - she's only 8 days old! - but I'm enjoying it while it happens. I get out of bed and sit in chair to feed at night - I struggled trying to latch her on lying down, find it quite painful at mo - but she does sleep next to me in bed, swaddled like a little caterpillar. That's the only way she settles - won't sleep anywhere else at night. We have a superkingsize bed, so I've cleared a space in the middle at the top, and then put my 'v' shaped feeding pillow kind of sideways - so there's a barrier between her and DH- and then I lie on my side facing her. That sounds weird but it works! I'm a light sleeper too.
Thought I'd come and join you over here. Maisie was weighed again yesterday and has stayed the same. I am now having to give her formula after every breastfeed. She gets weighed again on Thursday. Perhaps I should give her egg and chips before the midwife comes
On a more positive note my Health Visitor phoned to arrange to come round and she sounds lovely.
isaidno - thanks for your advice - I will definitely try the afternoon sleep routine.
pjr - your sleeping arrangement sounds lovely!
I am at my lowest ebb since charlie's birth. He was such an angel for so long, but had a day of inconsolable screaming today, I think he has colic. Basically I have been feeding him every 3 hours for 7 weeks, which means I haven't had more than about 1 1/2 hours sleep in a row for 5 weeks. We had a mothers lunch today and charlie screamed his head off all through it while all the other mums sat there with their babies on their laps. I bf him, changed him, rocked him, cuddled him, etc to no avail. Then we went to tesco to get some food for dinner but had to abort the mission as he screaming as if in pain so loudly that people were stopping to look at the lady with the maniacal baby. When we got home he just got louder and more beside himself. Thankfully mum was here and i gave him to her in his moses basket and went to bed in the dark for three hours.
Of course he's been angelic since DH came home. I feel like i made the whole episode up. Think i'm just exhausted.
peanut sorry about your screaming Charlie. It gets to you doesn't as you never know what exactely the problem is. Stay positive and big [[hugs]] to you.
peanut - it's hard when they scream and you're exhausted. IME it is best just to hold them tight - I loosely swaddle Poppy in a blanket - and just be as calm and still as poss until the screaming subsides. Too much jiggling and moving seems to disturb her more than just letting her scream. And of course they are always angels when other people are there! Winding up Mummy is far more fun!
peanut - hugs again and we are all so there. at least, on the june postnatal it seems that many of us are experiencing screaming kids. Elodie is generally very good but if I go too much off routine or she gets overstimulated, she does this angry crying/bobbing on and off the breast thing in the evening. Have you thought about cranial osteopathy? May consider it myself.
Off to a lunch with some of my prenatal yoga group - only two of us have given birth though so the babies will be held and coochy-cooed all over.
Hello everyone thought it was about time I migrated over here although not leaving the Due in July thread quite yet until everyone is off it as I know what it's like to be overdue and deserted
Well Bethany is about 32 hours old now feeding starting to go well but early days. I had forgotten how small and utterly beautiful newborns are, she has captivated us all already. Her sisters won't leave her alone and DP has adopted the song "I get all the girls" as his anthem
Peanut - hope you are feeling better and that your LO is having a more settled day - hang on in there...I know what it's like when they scream and scream, dd1 did that for a while - horrid, horrid. It will pass..xxx
isaidno - yes it more or less has, I'm still quite tender in my erm bum and fanjo so it's hard to say and I have not moved much since the birth IYSWIM so not done any walking to test pelvis fully yet but the signs are very good. Lovely to get rid of the acid reflux as well.
Peanut - hope LO is more settled now - it's horrible when they scream and scream - and all babies do it from time to time
I have found over the years (cause I'm so oldmature experienced) that staying calm yourself is the best thing to do (easier said than done) and if you are at home and know that baby is well, fed and changed then don't be afraid to put them down in cot for a few minutes while you go to loo to cry or scream or just get a cuddle xx I'm sure Abbie will put me through the same soon enough
Congratulations to those whose SPD has vanished. I bet you are mightily relieved. TJ - lovely photos. Can't believe DS1 finishes playschool tomorrow ready for big school in September. How the time flies. I am cherishing Luke's early days as I can't remember Sam being that small. Luke was weighed again today and in 9 days he has put on 1lb 2oz and now weighs 7lb 8ozs. We also booked his christening today. It's not until 7th December, but had to investigate early as they get booked up so quickly as our church only does christenings on the 1st Sunday of each month. Is going to make December and expensive month! At least there will be some nice food in the shops to get for the party afterwards.
Charlie was really good today. Also, DH did both night feeds with expressed breast milk so i could get a good night's sleep. I think yesterday was a mixture of charlie having a meltdown and me hitting the wall after 7 weeks of sleep deprivation.
Weighed him today and he is 9lb 7oz - up from 8lb 9oz last week... so at least he's thriving if a little louder than he used to be. The next door neighbour said she could hear his crying from her front room last night.
sk welcome! i think half the thread have been waiting with baited breath for you to pop!
Morning all. Got a quick question about cabbge leaves helping engorgement - anyone tried it?
Am trying my best to bf Logan - am managing about 6-7 times a day with shields and thank god for Lansinoh. He gets another 2-3 of aptimil too. He fed on and off from 6am to 8.30 this mornign though - switched to the bottle of aptimil at 7.15! Think he's on a hungry day.
Got mw visit today so home she'll tell me he's put on weight rather than the small loss newborns usually have.
Also need to get his passport application in so need to get into Snappy Snaps to get his pics done. Joy! It's next to M&S in Colchester so I'll pop in to the food hall and get some yummy treats.
Have fab days and hope lo settles down soon Peanut.
Louis is 2 weeks old today and doing great. He's a very hungry baby and even put on weight in the first week. Feeding every 2-3 hours, nips now much less sore and I'm remembering how to feed discreetly in public- would recommend mothercare's nursing vests they're ace! There is a little flap through which to poke your nip but the rest of the boob stays covered, really handy. And only £10.
DH went back to work on Monday after his week off, was dreading it but although dealing with a 3.7 year old and a newborn has proven challenging so far it's not as bad as I'd feared!
Isaidno I think it was your post I saw elsewhere about wondering about dummies. I've been going through the same thing. Louis is such a sucky baby that he would be on the boob 24/7 if I let him. Mainly comfort sucking tho. But then he gets too much milk, it gives him wind which really unsettles him and he throws it back up again 5 mins later. SO after lots of umming and ahhing I have introduced a dummy and am really glad I have. He feeds better now (I think it's more that I am certain that he is hungry rather than needing comforting) and doesn't throw up as much. Hasn't forgotten how to bf either!
Not started expressing yet, when did you other expressers start?
don't have very long as I really should feed ds3, but thought I'd pop in here. He has a name now!! Conor Sebastian. 2 weeks 4 days old. After having breastfed really well for the first few days he has now developed some gastric/gut discomfort. Lots of screaming, during or after feeds, sometimes relieved by burping, sometimes it carries on for ages, especially at night. His poo also varies between green and yellow, which the midwives are a bit concerned about.
I'm trying to work out what exactly is going on, but ds1 had a cow's milk intolerance and ds2 had reflux so I'm not terribly surprised by this . I have quite an overactive letdown and he's definitely doing some coughing and spluttering when the milkflow is too fast, so I've been doing various things to slow down the flow, like feeding from only one breast over a 2-3 hour period. I'm also wondering if he's reacting to something I'm eating...
So Peanut, I don't think I'm in quite the same situation as you but I do know what it's like, especially based on my experience with the previous two. I found mum and baby groups especially difficult when ds2 was in his worst phase. I was hardly a good advert for breastfeeding, with him writhing about and screaming so much. Huge hugs to you, come on here and moan any time you like.
I like the kellymom.com pages about 'fussy babies'. There are some good suggestions there, although I know every baby is different, so what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. With ds2 and now ds3 I've found that an upright position in a baby carrier sometimes calms them down - so that's what I've been using for all the school runs. The other mums must think I have a really laid back sleepy baby but I know better !
I had great plans to donate milk to a milk bank but I haven't started to express yet as it will just stimulate more supply and I think we could do without that at the moment.
Similarly I'm quite keen to use a dummy but want to wait until at least after the 3 week growth spurt.
anyway I will try to come back again sometime (in the next week lol) and read everyone else's messages.
Morning all Donutmum - cabbage leaves do work but you tend to smell rather badly after a little while as the cabbage seems to cook on the skin If you are bf 6-7 times a day you shouldn't be getting that engorged. Ask MW to check your positioning as poor latch will lead to sore nipples and engorgement - I've been there and it's awful!! I am also using formula to top up - why not try spacing out the formula feeds between the bf and giving yourself a rest - only a suggestion - good luck xxx
Abbie is fine this morning but I am totally stressed out!!!! A bit hormonal I think and also having a bit of terrible 2 trouble from ds4 - I know he is of baby and i am trying to spend lots of time with him but he can be so naughty at times especially when I'm bf. It will pass I know but right now it's hard work
on my "lunch break" and will actually have a sleep while she is down today (usually find something else to do for two hours).
i had my six week checkup for elodie with this old locum doctor that they must have wheeled out of retirement (he was about 75 or something). I asked him about colic and to my surprise he recommended acupuncture of all things.
i spoke to my acupuncturist and he said that it is extremely effective and not many people know about it. its not like an adult session where you have to lie down for 20 mins - it only takes a few minutes as babies are small and very responsive to the acupuncture.
Who knew????
Fingers crossed, Elodie isn't really colicky - just gets a bit fussy when its been a busy day and she's overstimulated and her "routine" is totally off. But its worth knowing.
Also, he agreed to see me on monday and will look after her during my session. how nice is that?? he has seen me through the aftermath of miscarriage, quickly pregnant again and a smooth and comfortable pregnancy - totally rate him.
Hope you are all having good days.
I am having a day at home after a week of "mum dates" and its nice.
really should do something about my podginess now but don't feel like exercising yet and keep scoffing choccy like i am still pregnant!
Peanut I know what you mean about having a fussy baby, DS1 was an absolute nightmare, and wouldn't feed, I just got to the end of my tether with him one day and gave him a bottle, after 2 days of hourly feeds (day and night ) He drained it and then slept for 6 hours!!!! Hurrah! Bottle feeding seemed to suit him better, I don't think he could get enough from me, and I was getting stressed, which didn't help my supply... You are doing very, very well!! Good old DH for doing the night feeds! Luckily I'm a little less stressed this time, And I'm Very suprised how well it's going!
Minipink DS1 is naughty too, when I'm BF Sam, he is usually so good, but so far this week he has taken his nappy off and pooed on the floor, 'stolen' the toothpaste from the bathroom and squirted it everywhere, taken bites out of ALL of the tomatoes in the fridge and put them back!! Thats just a few of the things, and there is f**k all I can do about it as I have a baby attached to my nip!!! Other than that, all he wants to do is pick Sam up, give him kisses, hold hm etc, which is a pain, but cute at the same time!!!
Tjuice How cute is Elodie!!!! She is adorable! One of the very few girls on this thread!!!!!
Brownowl Love the name Maisie, it was my nan's name (well Mary, but Grandad used to call her Maisie) and I wanted it for a girl.. Lovely lovely lovely!
Anyone else I've missed, sorry.......
I'm STILL bloody working as they STILL haven't sorted out my MA..... Rang yesterday and they should have it done by the end of the week!
Minkus - Poppy wouldn't even try the dummy, but she has worked out the best way to comfort suck. I know she's doing it because it's all gentle - not much milking going on!
SK - looked at your pics on facebook and Bethany is lovely xx
I've just eaten some brie and it was yummy yummy yummy! One of the joys of not being pg! Must stop eating at some point though or I will be back to 9 mths pg weight!
Jodie - thank god I'm not the only one with a terror tot - makes me feel a bit better IYSWIM He is in garden with dd at the moment - a little peace
I need shopping today but am too stressed to face supermarket with dd, ds4 and LO Ds1,2 and3 are away for a couple of weeks to their dads - they are such a help when they are here.
Thank you to all who have posted re:bottle and breast that is exactly the info I was looking for. I want to use breast and bottle (with EBM) as I would like to involve DH and it seems there really isn't any reason not to. I expressed this evening my right breast as Alex hates that breast for some reason and it is very hot/heavy/engoirged, was expressing for 4 minutes and got nearly 30ml, not sure if this is good or not. At the moment life seems very chilled as all Alex seems to do is eat and sleep, in fact I am fussing already over whether he is sleeping too much. First time mothers huh.
isaidno - my first supper out of hospital was camembert, water biscuits and a large glass of wine
Jodiehavingababy - they should backdate your MA to whenever you stopped working!
Well here we are surfacing from days without much sleep. I slept until 10:30 today and then had lots of wee naps through the evening. The house is a tip and my cats are sorely neglected..but we're getting there. No schedule so far..just feed on demand, wind, change nappies, sleep. Wash, rinse, repeat.
He only cries when he is naked, wet, or hungry and there seem to be nice 3-4 hour breaks in between. So it's all up to baby at this point. Our flat is a bit busy and loud with the city background so we opted for the BT digital baby monitor. Holy poop it does everything! It has talkback, a nightlight, and lullabies. (there's a reggae dub version of the muffin man) You can even get it to play mp3s. wow!
Poop is orange..midwives are happy and I'm starting to feel less like a rubber chicken and more like my old self. More pics on my profile.
Tjuice - your girl is adoreable!
We're going for his US passport photos tomorrow so trying to keep those scratch mits on. Not so easy
My sympathies to the screaming babies. We went through that the first week in hospital. ugh.
hi ladies thought we needed the list over here I get confused!
Well 2 days old already, she has day and night confused but is so cute I will let her awat with it. Milk came in today ouch forgot how painful that is had pump out tp relieve it a bit. I'm terrible I am already latching her on and falling back asleep, she must unlatch cuddle in and fall asleep herself, I also did this with the other 2, you have a different kind of sleep lighter and you are always aware of them, DP said he watched me one night and I was arranging her blanket and cradling her whilst asleep. When DD2 was older she used to latch on in the night and help herself.
Bought dummies today not used them yet. Will try a bottle in a week or so too.
Libra - I think Bethany is sleeping too much as well she's only a day younger than Alexander, I seem to remember they do sleep a lot for the first few days to a week then start to get more active and nosy. TBH with just the one I was really bored at the start DD1 was a really good baby and never cried for food and slept loads, I used to go out a lot with her though, take her into London and show her the sites
Poppy is just over 4 weeks now and hardly wakes for more than an hour at any one time. Over 24 hours she must be asleep about 21 of them! She went to bed at 7:30pm tonight and I'm just waiting for her to wake for feeding and I will then join her. I always put her in the moses basket upstairs in the evening, quiet and dark - I think it helps her realise the difference between night and day.
When she is awake she only wants to feed and cuddle - which is fine by me!
SK and Isaidno, thank you for your words of reassurance, DH has just banned me from reading anything about babies as I keep getting myself worked up about what I should be doing rather than just going with the flow of what Alexander wants.
Mcchesers - have you found any scrath mitts that actually stay on??? Glad you are feeling more like your old self.
1) how often do you bathe baby? 2) when is it advisable to go into town? 3) 3 weeks before dummies can be introduced? 4) what do you need in your changing bag for extended days out?
Questions for SK-
1)what's with people putting a coin in DH's pocket when we are walking about?
2)what does baby need to wear out on days like this. He's too small for proper clothes.
Lucky us there is a brand new D'nisi coffee shop just across the street from us and they open at 8:30am. There goes my allowance!
1) not that often top and tail twice a day bath erm maybe twice a week at this age 2) whenever you feel up to it, DD2 was out day after she was born, this one is going shopping with us tomorrow 3)can't remember about the dummies, think DD2 was about 3-4 weeks got fed up of being a human dummy by this stage, be warned though some of them totally refuse to take a dummy at all 4) all I would take is nappies/wipes/change of clothes
1) It's an old Scottish traditional that if you see a newborn baby for the first time you give the parents money, usually it's put down the side of the pram or given to the parents, think it's for good luck 2) Bethany has only been in babygros so far, tomorrow I will put her in a babygro, cardigan and a wee hat with a light blanket around her
What did you want to know about babies and cats, I now have 3 of each they don't mix much especially at the start, cats stay out of babies way most of the time, it's only since DD1 has started feeding and patting them they have acknowledged her.
sorry spaced out the cat questions. I'm feeding a milk monster at the mo..have gotten a giant pillow that accomodates him and my tiny laptop.
I have two cats a big fat old one that has steered clear of the baby entirely, but the younger one that just wants things back the way they were before the baby was here. She's trying to get into DH's lap while he is holding the baby. She's also sniffing around baby's things and being an overall jealous puss. Is it ok just to try and co exist, or should we try and keep her out of our room? I feel so bad neglecting her. DS shows no sign of allergy,just the usual sneezes that babies have. Should I be hoovering more than normal now with all the cat hair?
OOH also..I don't want to be a dettol addict, so what do I need to use antibacterial spray on? I use it on the sink and the changing mat. Just zoflora and water in a spray bottle. SK I'm asking you because you know a lot about germs and seem to be on top of the cat/baby relationship game.
god, i just realised that i introduced a dummy and bottle well quickly. thank goodness she took it and still takes the boob. I wish i had time to have read the books! i think the Tommee Tippee closer to nature bottle is pretty good.
well, dh did the "night shift" of two feeds and once again i woke up dripping and grossed myself out. but then in the early evening, my supply seems to be a bit low. may have to start doing a top-up feed then, so she goes down well between 7 and 10pm.
that is such a sweet scottish tradition!
re. taking her out, i had a comment the other day about "how I dared to take her out so early". She is six weeks now! What am I supposed to do, stay in until she leaves for college????
Libra- I started using socks..they work better than anything else. Also and this is way cool, early learning centre sell wrist rattles. One of my friends sent me two..a bee rattle and a ladybug with a bell. They velcro onto his wee wrist like a watch and instead of bonking his hand or fist into his face, he bonks the soft stuffed bee. and it's super cute to boot
As far as baby..seems to be just to let them dictate to you what they want. My boobs were too engorged to sleep so I was expressing first thing in the morning and sticking in the fridge for dad to do the early morning feed and give me a break. There was no confusion...and the mw said if it works for us then fine, but they don't recommend expressing because the body thinks it's an extra feed that it has to produce for.
On the dummy/bottle subject, I gave Sam a dummy at about 4 days as he had trapped wind and the sucking used to work a treat with DS1, (was a tip a MW gave me) it worked again as 1/2 hour later Sam had done a massive poo!!! He doesn't have it alot as he just spits it out most of the time!
I have also started to give him a top up feed at about 10.30, he tends to cluster feed at night and my supply isn't quite enough ATM so he has 2oz of formula, he then goes to 7.30!!! Wonderful! last night was the third night we've done it and he still attacks my boobs whenever he's hungry, so no problem there, using Avent bottles and teats, not quite the same shape as my nips, but was what we used for DS1 so didn't want to go out buying new bottles (although got new teats)
As for taking him out, Sam was having Sunday lunch with us at 2 days old! (was a family outing already planned) And I take him for a walk everyday, he even came to the hairdressers with me yesterday!
SK glad SPD has all but gone and you can get around now...
Libra1975 your milk supply must be good to get all that out in a short space of time! Also, babies do what they want! Sam sleeps most of the day, and only wakes for a feed, over the last couple of days he's become more alert, but only for about 15-20 mins at a time, then it's off to the land of nod! I only had to wake him once as i noticed he was slightly jaundice and this can make them really sleepy, so on that day I woke him every 3 hours for a feed, seemed to do the trick.
Sorry for long post, did only pop on to check for more babies, didn't really have time to post, but there you go!
Just wanted to say that if you are breastfeeding the night feeds are the most important for maintaining your supply - sorry! Your body is at its most productive overnight so it is important to stimulate the supply then - ideally by feeding your baby, but you could express.
Dummy and bottle use is not recommended before 4 weeks in case of nipple confusion, but I know alot of mummies on this thread have not had this problem.
Oh ISAIDNO, you've worried me now... What can I do? will my milk dry up do you think if I'm not feeding at night? I've tried expressing while DH gives him his bottle, but there is nothing there he's sucked me dry!
what if your baby is already sleeping through, like Jodie's? are you supposed to get up and express?
i also heard that you produce more and better milk at night and that night feeds are important but sometimes you just need to catch up on sleep. isn't overtiredness also a cause of low supply?
Jodie - I would recommend you try on the breast first - the sucking will stimulate the production, but top up if you feel he hasn't had enough. Your milk won't dry up as long as you are still feeding, but I think it is important for you to know that night time feeds are necessary.
don't want to worry or upset anyone; just want to say - have confidence in yourself - feed as often as baby wants and the milk will be there.
Hmm, I was just about to post same as isaidno! It's just I got 'caught out' by this first time - started letting dh do lots of night feeds and my supply definitely dropped. It's the 'supply and demand' thing - if you go a long time at night without feeding, your body will start to think that you need milk less often so your supply will drop to that 'level' - sorry, haven't expressed that very well! And as isaidno said, the milk producing hormones are highest at night.
tjuice - I certainly wouldn't express if the baby was sleeping through! In reality babies do not generally sleep through the night until their tummies can manage a long period without refuelling. I think the rule is go with what your baby wants.
Of course it is important to get sleep yourself and you have to decide what's best for you. Personally I would say a night off feeding should be occasional rather than regular. I'm no expert though - and every baby and mummy are different.
I agree re the night feeds etc. When I missed a couple of nights my supply dropped and I had to start expressing every two hours to get the supply back up again.
At the moment my supply is good so I feed Charlie for 20 mins off one breast first thing in the morning, then express 120ml out of the other breast. I then feed him from alternate breasts every 3 hours (offering second breast if he wants it) throughout the day. I go to bed and DH uses the 120ml bottle of EBM for the last feed of the 'day', i.e. when he goes to bed at between 10.30pm and 12am. I then do the middle of the night feed which is usually between 2.30am and 6.30am (sometimes twice which is a killer).
I really don't want my supply to diminish as we are flying to Australia in February and I would prefer to do the 24 hour flight without the hassle of formula feeding... but maybe I'm exaggerating the hassle.
Anyway, that's my two cents worth!
Jodie the dummy for wind thing interested me. I haven't given Charlie a dummy but he has bad wind so I'm up for trying anything. Do you have to persevere with the dummy or do babies either take it or leave it?
OMG my boobs hurt! Need to pump some more off don't think B is drinking enough yet. Had MW visit today she has gone down to 7lbs 11ozs from 8lbs 5ozs so not too worried. Still quite jaundiced as well.
My iron levels are down at 9.6 which is low for me, have to get iron prescription on Monday, she said undercarriage looked fine just raw I feel this birth out of all of them has really knocked the stuffing out of me. I feel so stiff don't know if it's bacause the SPD has went and I can move again a bit, we took Bethany out for the first time this morning shopping for DD1's birthday presents I was knackered though, haven't managed to get a nap this afternoon as well.
Having lots of visitors tomorrow then DD1's birthday on Sunday although we are just having a quiet one the 5 of us.
I was lucky if I got 30ml from both, and now even that has dwindled so I'm afraid I took the decision 2 days ago to abandon the ebm for Luke.
He's had 3 weeks of my milk which is far more than Sam ever got.
As for taking baby out, I went for a walk to PIL the afternoon after Luke was born at 8.07 that morning. We walked him to the postnatal clinic the next evening as well. He also did the Tesco's experience at 4 days old. Although my SIL did tell me when she went to visit her gran with her DS (now 28) just after birth, her gran drew the curtains once in the house as 'it is dangerous to take a baby out before it is 6 weeks old'. WTF??? Now I understand what the 'confinment period' was all about. Can't believe women used to rest up for so long after the birth (apart from the working class that is) - I am talking Victorian/Edwardian times. Anyway, I've bitten the bullet today and e-mailed work asking for an extension to my ML. I was only intending to take the 12 weeks at full pay plus a weeks holiday, however my Mum who is my childcare provider has been waiting for a hip replacement and now has a date through of 4th August (lucky it's the day after my Nan's 100th birthday). Anyway she'll need time to recover, plus I don't want Sam to feel like he's being pushed to Big School in September whilst Nanny has a new baby to look after and Mummy has abandoned him and gone back to work. I've now requested to return to work in Novemebr after the 1/2 term holidays. We've booked a week away that week anyway and I already had that week booked as annual leave.
This return to work business could change though if I win the lottery. We will just have to tighten our belts for the next few months, not that we spend excessively anyway. Who knows what's going to happen in this current financial climate?
Funnily enough I had an e-mail from work yesterday advising me that the plans for us to move to a new purpose built building in 2010 have been cancelled. We're now staying put and they will revamp the current building!
Tells you something when a financial services provider starts to tighten their belts. Anyway looks like the redundancies will still be going ahead so I will certainly be busy when I do return (I work in HR, predominantly Redundancies).
Oh and Luke has a dummy, which we introduced at 2 days. This is just to settle him and once he spits it out, we do not put it back in. He doesn;t scream for it (but then he is only 3 weeks old). I don't want it to become a permanent thing. I can't stand seeing toddlers of 3+ still with a dummy, same as toddlers with bottles of milk or juice.
Mind you I sucked my thumb until 6 and I know how annoying that was to my parents. Maybe I'm just old fashioned and when the time comes I'll think differently because I'm in that situation iyswim.
sounds like the sleeping all the time thing is completely normal which is nice to hear.
We have just had our first outing, DH and I (and A of course!) went into town had a quick bite to eat at the local cafe and a trip round sainsburys. Alexander was a star and slept thru it all. Was nice to get out but was exhausted by the time I got home and we were only out for an hour.
I have read re:dummies as long as you don't keep stuffing it back in their mouth after they have fallen asleep and spat it out you shouldn't have any problems.
isaidno - re bottle/breast. I asked my midwife this morning and she said what you have, if poss wait until 4 weeks but do it before 6 weeks.
mcchesers - those wrist rattles do sound very cute! Are socks ok? I presumed that the elastic around the wrist must be bad otherwise why don't they just use elastic in scratch mitts!!!
Libra- MW said socks are ok..some of the mitts we got had elastic but he gets them off somehow..poor Aidan just scratches his face and bonks himself about the head. Apparently we have a few more weeks of this flailing about.
How do you decide what routine to take? Last night was a flurry of feeding and I can't even think if I got any rest at all. I kept waking up to DH holding the baby with a very sad look on his face.
Cheers mcchesers. Am with you on the routine question. Some say you should demand feed, others say every 2-3 hours and wake them to feed if they sleep thru this. I did query the MW this morning about this topic and she said that every 4 hours would be fine for a normal healthy term baby but so would demand. Tracey Hogg thinks you should implement a routine as soon as possible and as much as I would like to follow her book I I am going to let A determine his routine for a couple of weeks and then re-assess. However as I have no other children to think about I am able to take this route. I think you just have to decide which is going to work for you. There is no definitive instruction manual which for someone like me is very frustraing!
A has only been home for 2 nights and DH can already sleep thru his wails! To be honest I don't mind this as I would rather he was awake during the day to attend to my every whim.
Do you know what I did with DD1 to keep her scratch mitts on? I got two of those little cotton scunchy things you know bauble type elastics but furry? well put two of them on her wrists as she was wearing shortsleeved vests as it was Summer. Probably not supposed to but it worked and it's not like she has funny hands now. I tend to just put the scratchmitts over the babygro arms and they stay on.
Routine? erm I had planned one with the first but didn't quite happen. I think she will fall into a routine as with the other two she will have to, am getting a bit wobbly though thinking about how am I going to cope with 3 of them on my own, think it might be baby blues though the same when we sent from one to two.
mcchesers - re the cats, I would allow the cat to sniff the new things for the baby but then shoo her away, mine tried to sleep in the babies bed before I shooed them. They sleep on our bed during the day on a duvet I wash every week or so, they aren't allowed in the girls rooms and as for hoovering yes I hoover downstairs every day and upstairs about twice a week. I also clean the carpets regularly. My cats are mostly housecats so don't go outside and bring "things" in. Cats tend to sleep away from the DDs all day then about 8pm kids bedtime they come downstairs.
Am still stalling about the dummy thing, DD1 is a thumb sucker (a lot harder to get rid of a thumb than a dummy) and DD2 spat hers out in disgust at 4 months as there was no milk coming out of it.
routine - I feed on demand, day and night, but I do start other things as routine asap. - any sleeps after about 8pm take place upstairs in bed, in quiet and dark. (All day sleeps downstairs in light / noise.) I think this helps the day / night differentiation. - have just started bathing each night about 6pm, then into pj's. This sets the cues for when night time sleeps are due to begin! - try and get washed and dressed about same time each morning.
I still cuddle / feed Poppy to sleep at the mo, but will start leaving her to settle herself more often from about 8 weeks.
I have found that feeds seem to develop more of a routine all by themselves as baby gets older, obviously ff is different and I have very ltd experience of that.
my inflicted three-hourly routine from the hospital kind of fits into the hogg/ford routine thing. generally i try and follow a kind of gina-ish routine but allow for lots of flexibility (if she seems really hungry - i feed her - if she needs to kip, she has a kip). Its impossible to try too hard to do a routine at this point - at least for me. I would end up getting depressed about it, feel inadequate and not enjoy our time together, know what i mean??
but when we have visitors in the late afternoon and evening and things get really off-kilter -time wise - i notice she gets more fussy and difficult to put down . . .
does anyone know how long it takes for milk to replenish?
As Abbie was early and lost a good bit of weight the mw advised topping her up with ebm through a syringe. This was tough as I was bf then trying to express only to bf 1 hour later - so I gave her formula to top up. Giving her the milk in a syringe became difficult as they tended to spurt the milk too quickly at times. So I gave her a bottle to top up( Tommee Tippee - closer to nature) and it was great!!
xx 
of sam sleeping from 11pm - 7am! charlie still wakes every three hours and this has been going for 7 weeks now... i am seriously tired. 
