moral support needed!

[kateyp]

Well I am still hanging in here - bfing ds2 (age 8 weeks tomorrow). Last night he fed all night. I swapped sides every half hour to 45mins as I would get uncomfortable. He didn't settle at all between times, and lay there kicking me, which was really quite mean I thought!
The night before he was a love - fed (I think) 3 times and then slept inbetween times. I say "think" because we are co-sleeping and sometimes he attaches himself!
I am sure last night was often comfort sucking but it still meant I got very very little sleep. Today he has been feeding a lot (usually will go 2 hours, today probably longest has been 1.5hrs)
I just feel knackered. Nearly gave in this afternoon and gave some ff but in the end took him out in the car and bought a wilkinet!
If anyone says this is a growth spurt I may get violent - because that is what i have been told about his feeding patterns every couple of weeks since he was born (and he hasn't put on a huge amount of weight either!!)

So - summing it all up - I am just after some moral support to keep going. I know this will get easier - it just seems a long way off at the moment. Also wondering whether to splash out on an amby natures nest for bed - he hates his crib, (which I can sort of understand when the alternative is nice and cosy and near the all night buffet) but I really really don't like co-sleeping with him - especially when he kicks me all night.

Sorry to ramble on.

[octo]

keep going I am feeding my 3 week old ds3 after disastrous bf experience with ds1 and ff ds2 - but it is going well and friends and mn have been brilliant support - there have been hideous night time moments when have nearly cracked open the sma but i am still bf and feeling reaaly quite pleased with myself - and so should you

i'm not anti ff I just really want the bf to work for me this time.

LOL at the violent streak!! retail therapy always a winner in my book - I'm going to the mall at cribbs causeway tomorrow

good luck xxx

[purplemonkeydishwasher]

Gimme a K
Gimme a A
Gimme a T
Gimme a E
Gimme a Y
Gimme a P

what does that spell??

KATEYP!!!

YYAAAAAYYYYY!!!

Let me be your own person cheering section.
YOU ARE DOING FAB!!!
what you are going through is just about identical to what I went through with DS.
It's hard. but it will pass.

Have you thought of trying a bedside cot for him to sleep in? you get the benefits of co-sleeping but with the extra room of a cot!

we have just a normal cotbed beside our bed. I put a folded up duvet under the mattress to make in the same height as the bed. or you could try one of these

did i mention how great you are?

[theUrbanDryad]

katey - my ds hated his crib too when he was younger, we used one of these next to our bed, which pretty much equated to an extension of our mattress which he liked a lot more. then when he went into his crib i took the legs off so it was on our level. now he's gone into his cot it's all gone a bit pear shaped, but i'm still bf-ing because the alternative just seems like so much more hassle!! imagine all that sterilising, mixing up of bottles, nastier nappies etc etc etc

you sound like you're doing great though! keep up the good work!

[octo]

can i get a purplemonkeydishwasher effect too please ???

[shonaspurtle]

Gimme an O!!!!!

Gimme a C!!!!!

Gimme a T!!!!!

Gimme another O!!!!

What does it spell???? BF success!!!!!!



You're both doing really well! The tough early weeks don't last forever - just seems like it

[kateyp]

thank you!
very impressed with the cheerleading displays. you can get down from the pyramid formation now...

he's feeding again incidentally. he gave me all of 6 mins break. long enough to microwave a ready meal!!

[Adorabelle]

No advice, just wanted to heap a bit more
praise on you

It does and will get easier, I felt like my dd was sucking my lifeblood out of me on a daily basis when she was wee.

Well done you fabulous mummy

[whomovedmychocolate]

It's a bloody nightmare isn't it - I remember it well. You feed on demand and they are incredibly demanding AND THEN THE BLOODY HEALTH VISITOR WILL COMPLAIN YOUR BABY WEIGHS TOO MUCH !!!!

You are doing an amazing job and I remember just how hard it is.

Honestly, you will get past this bit and things will start to even out. My DD STILL feeds every three hours and sometimes she turns into the milk monkey overnight and crawls all over me to find milk, keeping me up all night, but hey, it's not every night now so I'm slightly more sane.

You aren't alone, we all think you are doing marvellously. Hang in there. Think of all the extra cake you can eat with the calories he's absorbing from you!

[purplemonkeydishwasher]

OH YES! you're going to lose weight like crazy!! i was a good 2 stone lighter than i was pre-pregnancy at my lightest.

of course then you get to like eating lots of cake and as your wee one stops nursing so much the weight will start to creep back on...



...




GO BOOBIES! YAY!!

[kateyp]

After a whole 10mins of sleep he is awake again and rooting. Daddy doing stirling work jiggling a screaming baby, with fingers crossed that he doesn't wake the 2 year old.

It is indeed draining - in all respects. Here we go again...time to crack out the ice cream and watch the apprentice.

'yay boobies'

[whomovedmychocolate]

Don't you just love the 'my boobs must be empty by now, surely' feeling too?

I know EXACTLY where you are coming from. It's a PITA but we keep going anyway.

I think I might start marketing 'boobtastic' awards for breastfeeding mums made of chocolate and possibly vodka for getting through days like these!

[kateyp]

Well. Last night not as bad. We conned him into sleeping in his swing for an hour and a half whilst I slept (and generated more milk - hoorah!) then in bed with me and fed every 1.5hrs roughly. This morning - we gave DH a lift to the station and so have conned DS2 into sleeping again (car seat) so am hoping that I will be creating more milk as I type.

Now just have to sort out DS1 feeling left out (well wouldn't you be - blasted baby brother attached to mummy constantly...) and get him sleeping again too...

[kateyp]

PS DS2 won't be happy that he has been conned into sleeping longer than 10mins at a time, and NOT AT THE BOOB at that.

[evenhope]

kateyp you are typing what I am thinking

I also have an 8 week old who thinks that she should feed every second that she is awake. I managed to get a bath yesterday (my third since she was born ) by palming her off to daddy but most of the time I am just the all-you-can-eat buffet. She has had 2 nights in her cot but mostly she sleeps with me, across the bed, star shaped, and kicks me in my caesarian scar. Sometimes I get 3 or 4 hours sleep if I'm very lucky. I've got a really painful left wrist where I sleep on an angle with my arm under the pillow....

I am waiting to go out this morning so for the first time this week she has been asleep in her pram for the last 2 hours. I don't want to wake her up because she will scream and I'm enjoying the break. Meanwhile I think I could feed an army of small babies... if she doesn't wake soon I shall have to get the pump out because it hurts

(Does it help to know someone else is suffering? )

[Bethbe]

kateyp: Snap! My god it can be hard those early weeks.........

'Growth spurt' was the answer to my HV moaning at 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12 weeks!

Hang in there, - it really does get easier!!!

[kateyp]

Thank you thank you!

It really does help to know I am not the only one providing the all you can eat buffet (lasting all day and night)!

We have just managed all of toddler group without a feed - so he has gone 2.5hours. This may well be a record in this house. I am buying shares in wilkinet. I got it yesterday (in my "let's throw money at this problem" phase) (also got me out the house for a bit to the shops!) and he has snoozed peacefully in it throughout toddler group. And is still asleep now I have taken it off and popped him in his bouncy chair. Normally bouncy chair leads to offended screaming.

Now my problems have changed:

1. Boobs beginning to feel rather full, need to feed him.
   
2. need to take dog to his grooming appt at one - was hoping for a feed and then walk him there with DS2 in said wilkinet but now not enough time to do feed and walk!
   
3. Now worried that he hasn't fed for ages...and should I be waking him up?!! (you can't win can you?!)
   
   My main theory however on sleep is that the better they sleep in the day the better they sleep at night and am loathed to wake a baby at any stage!
   
   I would like to think we have turned a wilkinet shaped corner, but I know better than to ever think that with a baby!
   
   Thanks again!
   Kate
   x

[kateyp]

Just turned round to see problem number 4;

2 year old dozed off on sofa.

So now I am going to have to bundle sleepy, tantruming toddler, screaming hungry baby and grumpy un-walked dog all into the car....

Why don't these little people stick to a schedule?!!!

And why don't they coordinate naps when we don't need to be anywhere?!!

[princessmel]

cancel the appointment.

Let them both sleep and get your dh to take dog another day.

I think you're doing great btw. It's so hard in the beginning. Keep at it

[octo]

thanks shonaspurtle

[shonaspurtle]

You don't know how damn good it feels being the one who's able to say stick in there it gets so much better...but you will soon!

[octo]

Think have blocked duct - in agony - off to try compresses/massage etc I never thought boobs could hurt so much (only the right one) Pacing floor waiting for ds3 to wake up so can feed - is agony but hoping will help

Over and out in octo land xxx

[kateyp]

Got "what to expect when you are breastfeeding and what if you can't" (or whatever it is called) from library today. Actually made me consider jacking in the breast feeding altogether...

From what she says it sounds like I am really just not producing enough for the little guy.

Will continue for the weekend and see how his weight gain is on Monday. Feel rather disheartened...

[HAQUE]

DON'T GIVE UP!! IT IS VERY DIFFICULT AT BEGINNING BUT REALLY DOES GET EASIER (I KNOW YOU ARE PROBABLY SICK OF HEARING THAT), DON'T MEAN TO TEACH YOU HOW TO SUCK EGGS BUT ARE YOU EATING ENOUGH? GETTING TIME CAN BE HARD, EAT SANDWICH OR BOWL OF CEREAL BEFORE BED, I USED TO FIND IF I DIDN'T MY DS WOULD FEED MORE FREQUENTLY, ALSO FOUND SOME THINGS I ATE AFFECTED HIS TUMMY, APPLE JUICE WAS BIG NO NO. I NEARLY GAVE UP AT 6 WEEKS BUT ENDED UP DOING FOR OVER TWO YEARS!! WAS TOO SCARED TO STOP AS THOUGHT OF HIM SCREAMING ALL NIGHT HORRIFIC! HE DIDN'T GIVE SECOND THOUGHT TO IT!! I WAS GUTTED!!

[kateyp]

OK - not given up yet BUT have knocked co-sleeping on the head - in that neither of us were really "sleeping" and it was more co-feeding!

I have been eating loads so don't think that is a prob!

Anyway - so last night DH gave him EBM at midnight, and I fed him at 3am. He still fed for about an hour and then took another 20mins to settle in his crib BUT I feel so much more human this morning (despite ds1 up at 5.40am!)

So I am hoping that both of us are going to sleep better seperately (he is still snoozing now) and as a results my milk production will improve and I will be less cross through the day.

Funny how this bfing lark goes in waxes and wanes isn't it?!

[shonaspurtle]

Have you tried eating porridge in the morning? Oats are supposed to help with milk production. No idea if it really works but some people swear by it and sometimes it just helps psychologically to feel that you're doing something to help yourself iykwim?

Sorry you found the What to expect... book so disheartening but a lot of people on here don't think much of her advice so don't take it to heart (easier said than done). Can you try the babymoon thing? Search the archives for babymoon, but basically it's taking to your bed for a couple of days with your baby, lots of skin to skin cuddles and feeding. Apparently it can help boost production as well as relaxing you and just being lovely .

Octo, hope you managed to clear the blockage - ouch