November 2015 newborns and neurotics

[Ladypug]

Hi all,

I can't see a group for babies born in November so I'm starting one! My DD is 2 weeks old and we've had 2 weeks learning curve - breastfeeding, nappy changing, sleep deprivation and learning what cries mean, on top of poor DD struggling to go to the toilet and manic bouts of meltdown crying! How is everyone else getting on?

[sophiaslullaby]

Hi Lady, thanks for starting this thread, I thught they'd have been one for Nov. Quiet month? :-)
You've got through the first 2 weeks ok then? That's gone so quickly! Saying that mine was a week old yesterday. It is a massive learning curve isn't it? Every day and night has been different.
I'm BF (hence the time!) and he's cluster feeding so am exhausted but I'm finding my own routine for it all, even if DS isn't.
You mention about your DD struggling to the toilet - that was my first worry with mine - didn't poop for 5 days!!! apparently it's normal up to 10 days!
Are you getting on OK though? Are you feeling happy and well?

Ahh, he's finished his feed, I'm off to bed again (for an hour!)

[Tootsiepops]

Marking my place as I'm being induced on Friday currently shitting myself

[babyconverse]

Wrote a long post and its vanished! Joining as mine arrived on the last day of October ...

How are people coping with the lack of sleep? Dh is still on paternity but worrying what it's going to be like when he goes back

[Ladypug]

Hey Sophia, wow that week has gone fast! All ok here although toilet trouble for worse - she is going but is in agony trying to go and we were told yesterday it's probably colic and to expect the intense bouts of crying to get worse and continue until 12 weeks. 10 more weeks of this seems hard, really not sure I'm man enough! In saying that, last night I had 4 hours sleep and I'm feeling like a new woman!

[Ladypug]

Hi Tootsie, please don't worry, it's over before you know it and is so very worth it (don't currently know the day of the week but really!) just think to yourself - it's just one day... That helped me get through labour x

[Ladypug]

Hi baby, welcome! Ah yes, same - DH still on paternity. When he goes back I think I might die! Coping with lack of sleep surprisingly well but don't know how! I'm getting at least 2 hours per night and up to 6 on an incredible night, albeit in snippets. Showers are making me feel better too - after a shower I can take on the world. The hardest thing has been recovering from c section whilst trying to do everything - I'm desperately up and about doing stuff but then I really feel it the next day!

[sophiaslullaby]

Hi Tootsie -don't be scared, it's exciting! By the end of the weekend your baby will be in your arms, just put head down and steel yourself to work hard at getting baby out -be strong for baby and by monday you'll be on here talking poos and sore bodies with us

baby - I take DS into spare room to feed at night, have tablet, phone, snack and water and use the time to catch up on facebook/emails etc. That way, although it's hard getting up and i'm knackered, I don't dread or resent feeling like the only person awake in the world. And then I try and sleep when DS does during the day - although so far I've had about one nap a day so still a zombie!

Lady my DS has only done the one poo Tues, nothing more since. But before he did midwife told us to try stimulating the bumhole with warm water and cotton wool, just rub it - guess helps relaxes it. It didn't work for us but then again that evening the poop came so... Midwife also said there are gentle tummy massages you can try so perhaps ask your midwife to show you these, anything other than facing a stretch of 10weeks of crying, that's not going to help you!

DH went back to work yesterday fo a week (he's only 10mins down the road) and i actually really enjoyed my day - I did whatever i wanted and found it helped loads with my confidence as mother and wife to prove I can still be me, still put a wash on and yep - still have a shower in peace! Feed baby, put him in moses basket and knew I had 20mins before he'd wake. If he did wake I'd just get out and already nude to plug him onto the boob, bonus!

[Ladypug]

Sophia you are doing great! I'm only just showering with DH here! It's full on isn't it? Feed, wind, change, sleep, repeat! X

[sophiaslullaby]

Thank you, You say that but I'm now worrying it's just me floating on the post-birth euphoria and any day I'm going to fall apart - even though I've already had a few tearful meltdowns (around day 4/5) over missing my bump/cuddles with husband/thinking of the birth again.
I'm going to expect more tears but key is to feeling confident in myself and happy with baby's progress and running of home, think if those are all fine then your psyche is calmer and you can understand your feelings so because a positive upwards spiral.

I don't really know what I'm saying but it's working so far!!!
I'm actually struggling more with finding decent daytime TV - it's pants!

[BriocheBriocheBrioche]

Hello all, especially lady and sophia from the pregnant forever thread.

DD2 is 15 days now and feeding really well. Finding it easier this time round as she is always hungry and eager to eat. Dd1 was a really sleepy feeder and I was always worrying as to whether she'd had enough.

Dd2 has been letting me sleep a little bit cluster fed all night last night. I sent dh into the spare room so we could co-sleep and she just smacked all night whilst I lay there half asleep. Nips feel a bit sensitive today though - I think I need to get a 'deeper latch'

Had a bit of a hectic morning as the hairdresser came round and dd2 decided she was desperately hungry half way through and then dd1's school to say she'd been sick and has a high fever so jhadi to go get her!!!

lady don't push yourself too much, you need to rest that c sec scar.

[AbbeyRoadCrossing]

Hello all, my DD was born 26th October but I've been on the November antenatal thread as was due the 1st. I'll put a link to this on there as we're all still on there as a few still waiting

[Llouh]

Hello Ladypug,

Glad to read your baby finally arrived! I remember chatting during the longest wait ever while we were both overdue.

My baby was born on the 1st so a November baby. How are you both getting on?

[Ladypug]

God Sophia, I've had SO many tears! Cried my eyes out at the new John Lewis advert! You sound like you're doing ace :-)

[Ladypug]

Yay more people! Hey Brioche, labour twin! How are you getting on? I was feeling good about breastfeeding as all been going well but I've now been told DDs colic could be caused by a bad latch and too much air being let in! Argh! X

[Ladypug]

Welcome Abbey, good idea!

Hey Llouh, great to hear from you! How's it going? All ok here, very tired and finding it hard, not going to lie but the love you feel makes it all worth it doesn't it? I wouldn't have said that a few nights ago mind you when we had 4 hours back to back of solid screaming! X

[SnozzberryPie]

Hello, please may I join you? Ds was born yesterday morning so early days here. This is dc2 for us so I have a vague memory of what to do with a newborn, but not when you add a toddler into the mix so everything is chaos here too.

Having a boy is also new to me and he has managed to wee all over me twice as I haven't yet mastered the art of nappy changing with a willy involved.

Breastfeeding is going OK although ds has a very small mouth and it is hard to fit my nipple in even when he opens wide! He is quite sleepy and has to be woken for feeds. I'm sure that will change soon.

I had a really good labour (as good as it can be!), I was at home in the pool and it was over in a few hours and it only got really painful towards the end. After a three day labour ending with a forceps delivery with dd it seemed like a walk in the park this time.

[Ladypug]

Hi snozberry, welcome and congrats! Your birth sounds lovely :-)

[BriocheBriocheBrioche]

Hi snozberry
Welcome and congrats on the birth of your boy.

This is dd2 for me too and although everything is going well (so far) it can be quite intense balancing cluster feeding with getting an almost three year old fed and watered!

ladypug I saw one of your other threads about feeding/colic. I have a friend who had was in a similar position to you and she just took the baby to an osteopath (they love them here in France) and he apparently got all the 'air' out and he is much better since.
Could that be an option for you?

[sophiaslullaby]

Haha, snozzberry this is also my first experience of a baby boy (my first baby but I have much younger sisters who I helped raise) - have been widdled on a few times and - very stupid question alert - where do I put the nappy barrier cream? Just bum or do you put it on winky too? I'm laughing as I ask this but one website (yeah i even googled it!) said just bum, but the front gets more damp...

Had first dirty nappy worthy of a hose down this morning, oh it got everywhere!

[Ladypug]

Hi brioche, thank you! It's something I'm looking into currently. We don't even know if it's colic, so depressing but we're trying everything in case! Fingers crossed something works, 5 hours of intense meltdown from DD every night is not sustainable!!!

[AbbeyRoadCrossing]

Haha I'm the opposite - first girl! I was a bit horrified the first time the poo went up there - DS much easier to clean

[SnozzberryPie]

How's everyone doing today? Ds had a rough night, he wanted to feed, but then fell asleep straight away, but if I tried to put him down he cried till I picked him up again. We repeated this till around 6am when he finally went to sleep next to me in bed. Luckily dp could get up with dd so I could sleep then too, but I don't know what we'll do if he's the same when dp goes back to work.

To top it all off dd dropped my entire pack of maternity pads in the bath

Today my milk has come in, so hoping he will be a bit more settled with a full tummy.

[AbbeyRoadCrossing]

I'm finding it very tough. DS is 14 months and getting his molars so has been night waking and generally grumpy and upset. DD keeps being sick and has her first cold. I've also had a lot of hassle off the health visitor about DS not walking and DD not weighing enough (she was only a couple of ounces off the line on the stupid red book graph). I think they were both asleep at once for 2 hours in the last day. Luckily it's the weekend and DH can help.
I knew this would be hard but it's very hard

[Ladypug]

Hard time here too, DD is generally crying for 5 hour stints at a time every night. Last night she didn't and we felt we escaped it only to have her grizzly and restless for the entire evening so neither DH or me got any sleep. I don't know how you're coping with 2, one is finishing me off! It's so much harder than I imagined!

[sophiaslullaby]

Tough day today here too -DS feeding constantly but wouldn't let me put him down when sleepy. DH and MIL cleaned whole house today -very grateful but they were so busy I couldn't get a hand with baby (I am very grateful for what they've done but would prefer 5mins free than clean windows sigh)

I was thinking the same Lady - I hae lot of respect for those with toddlers and baby! Trying to give DS his last feed before going to bed. Reckoning I'll be up by midnight -2am, that's the hardest feed, so sleepy.
Hope all get some sleep tonight!