October 2013: The Fourth Trimester - the bit no one warns you about!

[roxvox]

Stats sheet here

New arrivals here

Key:
SC - still cooking (pre EDD)
SFW - still f*ing waiting (post EDD)
OWT - on way to theatre (CS)
IP - induction in progress
SWIL - somewhere in labour
LIT - lost in transition

Yes to whole body hiccups here too.

Today Thomas has decided he doesn't like sleeping in his Moses basket anymore... I think it will be a long night!

Flyer how did it go today?

Congrats smitten a blimin fantastic size and done on gas and air only...what a hero you are

So went to alder hey, it makes me feel sad seeing lots of sick children

There for most of the day. Luckily my mum is staying with us this week. She's been given infant Gaviscon for possible reflux. Bit of a faff as have to syringe it into her mouth. Will see what the outcome is.

No chance of returning to ff as she keeps vomiting it back up and most of it too. So on with the bf we go.

We will be referred to the team who will look at the tongue tie takes a few weeks trying to convince dp to pay but as they told us today " she's perfectly healthy she just has feeding issues" he isn't in a rush to part with his pennies!

I have a screaming baby after most feeds though so I think reflux maybe the problem.

To pink, I think these men just don't realise what we go through.

How exciting Clapham is probably LIT somewhere in London now

Flyer fingers crossed that the gaviscon helps and life gets easier for you and A very soon.

How long do people keep feeding every 3 hours? I have no concerns about feeding behaviour or nappies, and at 6 days his weight was ok, to be reweighed tomorrow at 12 days. On the day he was born I had trouble latching him in and was told he must be fed every 3 hours or else to give expressed milk by syringe. So I've been setting an alarm every 3 hours. He feeds on demand more often than that at certain times of day but he would sleep 4 hours in a row after 3 am and I'd love to let him. At 2 weeks are most people setting alarms or waking babies to feed?

And congrats Smitten!

Ana I'm letting dd go up to 5 hours at night, so feed 10.30/11, and have alarm set for4, but she.normally wakes before. She is gaining well and feeding loads during the day, so this is working well for us, pretty much from day 1.

ana I don't no of its the same for bf as ff but I asked the midwife this and she said as long as baby is feeding well in the day and gaining weight its fine to let them sleep overnight if they want to x

ana I feed purely on demand, so sometimes (today) I find myself feeding every hour pretty much. However during the day if A was to sleep for 3 hours then I would check/change her nappy, which would then wake her up and then I would feed her. Overnight I don't set an alarm and just let her wake me when she wants feeding, which is usually after 3-4 hours depending on whether I have done a ff top up before bed.

Congratulations smitten! That's an impressive size to then get away with minimal stitches.

flyer I am pleased you've had some help, even if it does seem as thought they're all being a bit slack. Fingers crossed the baby gaviscon will do the trick; perhaps A just isn't feeding because it's painful for her afterwards with the reflux? If easier to feed Alexandra using a bottle/syringe then could you express some breast milk to feed her? Quite a big faff admittedly, but it might help until you can get her on a decent feeding routine.

Well said re three year old and a baby bowlful!

Glad you've got some gaviscon for A flyer. Hope things turn around very quickly for you now.

pink this is a safe place to rant! It can be very difficult with partners with new baby. Hoping its a bit easier for us this time around.

for those with decisions made or to make regarding bf/ff (shooting, shire). Nothing specific to add as everyone s situations are different but thinking about you xx

Trying to encourage day night awareness here..........

So for the 4th night in a row H (3.5 weeks old) is awake every hour through the night, but she only feeds for 30 seconds and then falls asleep, if/when I wake her she won't feed anymore. So she's obviously not waking cos of hunger. I am soooooooooo tired!

Happy Halloween!

Congratulations smitten what an amazing weight! hope your having a good first night.

flyer sorry to hear your still having trouble with feeding. Really hope gaviscon works and that your referral for tongue tie comes through quickly sounds so stressful. x

bowlful I have thought the exact same thing today.

pink you have my sympathy re DH and feel free to rant. Falken out with mine tonight because hes been going on about DTD for the past week. I pointed out that my stitches only dissolved properly yesterday and I didnt feel nearly ready and he just got moody again woukd just like some awareness of what my body went through not even 3 weeks ago...

rachel no top tips here. Does she sound in pain? Islas had a few nights of regular wake ups where she seems particularly refluxy. Have put crib on an angle now so shes not so flat.

Hoping to see more baby announcements today, ut is after all the last day of October

Congratulations smitten

pink we registered N at islington town hall as that's the same borough as the Wit and no need for marriage cert just took passports which I don't think were stricty necessary. It was really nice as it is where dh and I got married so lots of happy memories.

I have a slightly snotty baby. It's not a big problem at all but just wondered if there is anything I can do to help him breathe especially when I'm feeding?

Thanks pinkbuttons
She doesn't really seem in pain, more wakes rooting (I think she just likes a cuddle/suck for comfort!), but will wedge cot up with some books in the morning

Not a good night here. Up since 3:00, fed non stop basically, from both boobs. Lots of fussing and whinging towards the end. Then outright wailing. Am not sure if she has drained my boobs and is still hungry (milk only came in yesterday) or she has tummy issues that are causing her distress. She has settled back in the boob now but I think mainly for comfort. I think she just needs a good sleep which would let my boobs replenish, but can't seem to get her to sleep! Not easy these little ones, are they?

Quick post for those struggling with formula top ups. If you are keen to wean off, have a google of medela's supplemental nursing system. I got in to a situation with my DD (now 3.5) where top ups had led to total breast refusal at 10 weeks. Using the SNS over 5 weeks I gradually lessened the amount of formula &, as it allows you to be feeding from the breast while topping up, milk supply gradually built up enough so that she didn't miss the top ups. I went to a v supportive breastfeeding group who helped me with a regime for this & referred me to a lactation consultant who I talked to on the phone.

Might be worth trying to find out where your best local support group is or, if you can afford it, speaking to an IBCLC registered lactation consultant (google the IBCLC website-you can always call one to talk for free). My DD did have a sneaky tongue tue that everyone failed to spit apart from the lactation consultant... They are expensive but in my doula work I have never referred a client to one who hasn't had a positive experience & had breastfeeding turned around for them & saved themselves a tonne on formula in the long run.

The SNS us a faff to use-and takes a lot of time & energy-but it meant we were back to EBF which was important to me & in fact DD still breastfeeds once or twice a day now

I know for some switching to FF or mixed feeding will feel right & you need to go with your gut in this, but if you are keen to keep breastfeeding many women find an IBCLC invaluable & the SNS thing I mentioned is a genius invention.

All ok here. A now 3.5 weeks. Wondering whether he has reflux, though I know to tongue ties cab cause similar symptoms & he does have one of those. He's stacking weight on (12 ozs last week) as I have the milk supply of champions this time (thank you DD) so haven't rushed to diagnose a problem but he gets v distressed for periods every day, very, very sicky, lots of wind, not keen on lying flat etc etc

How are everyone's older children getting on? DD totally loves A & there 's been no jealousy but she is waking at night screaming for me & much more clingy & sensitive.

shire - how long has this been happening ? It could be just a http://www.mumsnet.com/babies/baby-growth-spurts-and-breastfeeding growth spurt

growth spurt

Morning all . Well done and congratulations clapham and smitten. Happy Halloween!
I have done a little experiment with Cyrus this morning after a night of frantic feeding and reluctance to settle after feeding. He did always get there so I shouldn't really complain but I decided to take an objective view of his Moses basket and decided I wouldn't be happy about having to get in it after spending up to an hour happily feeding in someone's arms in bed! I'm not sure he's old enough to have reflux as he's only 3 days and I only noticed actual milk last night but he def loves sleeping propped up on oh's knees and he does get hiccups and wind. So I have put a normal pillow in the Moses basket in lieu of mattress and propped up head end very slightly with folded blankets so he's marginally inclined. I can't see that it's not safe and he settled immediately after 6am feed and has been sleeping since much more peacefully than he did over night. Just thought I'd share in case it may help others. I am a massive amateur obviously so forgive me if a) this is not something I should do and b) if everyone already does this! I am also aware this may be fluke and I might be back to square 1 in a few hours!! Going to get his passport pics taken later as we are going to Dublin in 7 wks so need to get things going. Hope no strangers try to touch him....I may bite!! Hope others got some rest. Can't believe how hungry a little baby can be! Xxx

Those with older children, how are you handling naughty behaviour associated with the new arrival? We just had a mother of all tantrums including hitting this morning. I am prepared to let some naughty behavior slip past as I understand it is difficult for my DS (3.2) but hitting has always been and always will be a no-no. Any strategies that others are using would be interesting to me. DS went on time out and as he wouldn't comply with that, ended up having favourite toys confiscated for 24 h.

sanji dd is a simular age she (turns 3 tommorow) her problem has mainly been attitude a good old foot stamp arm fold and scowl when talking to us, I have punished as usual by taking something away or time out I personally think that altho yes its a big change u need to keep the same rules/boundaries/punishment in place as u would have done without a baby fit consistency x

Hello - congrats and welcome to the new arrivals - Smitten and clapham (and anyone else i've missed). So which tardy babies are we waiting for now? Do they know they only have 14 hours to put in an October appearance?! (Sorry i'm sure you don't want that rubbing in if you're SFW)

Rachel we had a couple of nights like that and in the end i tried a dummy which was not something i've had to use before, so was done reluctantly, but it worked a treat just to help Thomas to drop off. I am only going to use at night when required as would rather he didn't become too dependent on it. Might be worth a try if its just that suckling she is after.

Sanji I have DS of 3.3 and am finding him quite hard work. He is generally good but his behaviour has definitely downturned since the new arrival. We are having lots of wee accidents, generally ignoring us and not doing as told. We have started taking trains away every time he is naughty. A bit of a challenge i agree. DD (5) has been great but has started coming into our bed at night which she hasn't done for years. I think we were disturbed by all 3 of them evenly throughout the night last night. Luckily the older two are at halloween events this morning so am not moving from the sofa.

and to all xx

I wonder how Clapham is doing?

Also, forgot to say a huge congrats to smitten!

Baby had four hours between feeds last night. Plus he settled well after feeds (I've worked out finally that changing him after his feeds turns a nice sleepy baby into a howling awake monster, so now I change before feed or during). However, this week we've only managed the very occasional feed without formula (maybe 1-2 a day), so it looks like a long path to exclusive bfing. Will check the supplemental system.

Thanks apperley will send DH and DS out this morning for a dummy to try! Did try one when DS was a baby but he spat it out so much one night (approx 50 times!) that I threw it in the bin there and then

I gave in last night and co slept. And felt so much better!
Went to bed at 10.30. Usually I feed sat in bed then transfer lo to cot. Yesterday I fed laying down and we both fell asleep. He usually wakes at 1.30. But yesterday didn't or woke and found my boob while asleep? Fed at 4. So felt like I got a proper sleep from 11ish to 4!
5 hours! Who would have thunk it!

Something I didn't know with ds1 (but he was formula fed so not an issue). You can get vitamins for baby from 1month old.
Recommendation is bf from 6months on to give vits. However I didn't take my vits regularly during pregnancy and I keep forgetting now. So figure he may as well take them.