July 2008 - Now our babies are arriving let's have a thread to talk about them...

[minipinkscottish]

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!!!!!

[Peanut73]

Yippeeee!! Good work minipink!

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.

Looking forward to everyone slowly joining!

[jocesar]

Hello

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.

[ichef]

Hiya! Glad we now moved on to the post natal.

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?

Well good luck to all of us!

[Polyxene]

(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...

[Peanut73]

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!

Have a good night all. x

[isaidno]

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!

[minipinkscottish]

Yippee!! the thread worked

I will also keep posting on other thread as I know it is horrible to be overdue - been there xx

[JODIEhavingababy]

Hi,

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!

[purplejennyrose]

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!!

[Peanut73]

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?

Questions, questions...

[JODIEhavingababy]

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?

How is everyone today? tired and emotional?

[isaidno]

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!

[isaidno]

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.

[minipinkscottish]

I am soooooooo happy !!!

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)

[JODIEhavingababy]

Ahh Minipink, thats fab! You must be so proud!

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!!!

[purplejennyrose]

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.

[BrownOwl18]

Hello all

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.

[Peanut73]

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.

Sorry for the long moan.
xx

[libralady]

Just uploaded some more photos and am now off to catch up on the thread!

[libralady]

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.

[Peanut73]

gorgeous photos libra... and thanks for the hug - i needed it! x

[isaidno]

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!

[TJuice]

hey ladies! found you . . .

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.

[TJuice]

added new pics of Miss Elodie Summer

[sweetkitty]

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