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

I don't know why they make it orange flavoured, why not milk flavoured?! Thomas screwed up his face the first few times but he doesn't mind it.

It is nice to know other people are having the same issues (though of course wish everyone had easy babies!)

I'm way behind in the thread so sorry to people I'm missing.

We've been using infacol for a few days now. J looks so cute when I put the dropper in his mouth and he sucks on it. Then he gets orange breath. I think it's taken the edge off but I'll probably double the dose because we still get crying spells in the evening.

Yesterday we had builders drilling through our external walls so I escaped the noise and faced a lot of my fears, especially regarding sling use. We were out for more than three hours, I used the toilets at m and s, I changed him outside of the house, he cried in the queue at the cafe and then I fed him in public in a crowded cafe. The main thing I need to work on is making sure I get one-handed foods. A sandwich would have been so much easier while feeding than the salmon pate.

Go Ana! Lots of new achievements in one trip!

I've lost track again. Eliana's been wanting fed every 1.5 hours the past couple of days which means little to.e to catch up here.

Chickie her scar seems to be healing now. It's still open a little but no sign of the infection.

My wound is still weeping a little but is starting to really itch so hopefully that means it's healing. Not had a call re swab results so presume ththey were clear.

Flyer I think my overhang is a permanent fixture. I can't even see my scar without the aid of a mirror.

Got nystatin drops for Eliana's thrush. She loves them.

Legally I wad given Daktarin for my nipples but I've bee mainly expressing because Eliana doesn't always want to latch on. I decided yesterday to save my expressed milk for during the night because unlike formula it can be kept for 6 hours at room temp so saves me going down 2 flights of stairs to the kitchen to warm a bottle. I think my supply may be dwindling again though because I'm only .anaging to express 3-4 times per day it's so time consuming. I would like to have continued up until Eliana's next op but think I might give up in the next few weeks. The positive side is being able to drink at Christmas I suppose.

Woo hoo!

Discharged from the midwives as LO is now over his birth weight and weighing in at 8lbs 15.5oz.

Hunter seems to like his infacol, think he knows its always followed by milk. he's so funny, he'll be screaming but he stops as soon as you put the muslin cloth under his chin and just lies there rooting and waiting for his milk!

Been to drop in clinic this morn and had the implant put in. so 7 days and we can finally think about dtd again!! she wanted to give me a pg test because my last period was so long ago but relented when I pointed out that I haven't had sex since I gave birth so it was psychically impossible!

Haha Roofio you only gave birth 5 weeks ago so it would be pretty impossible.

When do your periods usually come back post birth? I have to say I've not missed them one bit. Although I am still bleeding nearly 4 weeks post c section.

Untitled excellent news on the discharge

Mon when is eliana's next operation?

A question for you ladies - do babies that just lay by themselves and not cry exist? Emilia will manage to sit in her rocker or on playmat for 10 or 15 mins a few times a day, normally right after a long nap and feed, but other than that she is feeding, sleeping or crying until she is picked up. I was thinking maybe she has a touch of colic, but the crying is anytime of day so I don't think it is. So tell me, do these contended babies exist or are they a myth?

bowlfull that will come with age when they can lay on a play mat and touch the hanging toys or try and concentrate on rolling over etc and just talking to them in baby voices will cheer them up/amuse them ATM its lots of peein pooing crying feeding sleeping

I was just wondering the same thing myself Bowl. C is generally either asleep, feeding or (thankfully relatively rarely) crying. He seems to spend much more time asleep than the books would suggest although DH bears the brunt of any evening fussiness. I was a bit worried that we never seem to have more than 10 minutes contented wakefulness a day, but it seems as if that's normal then? He's 3.5 weeks.

Hi all, sorry not to have posted much... I have read!

Having a bad few days... Just so much fussiness and crying, it feels like its getting harder (they're just over 8 weeks). Both def have symptoms of silent reflux, but in losing sight of what's in the "normal range" of fussiness because all the coping strategies I'd have for one (carry around, pop in sling, wind lots after feeding) are so so hard to manage logistically with two. So at the mo it just feels like they're taking it in turns to cry when not feeding or asleep... Nights are ok ish (although last night was waking every 1.5 hours, rather than their usual three hour stretch then every two hours) but daytime naps?!?! In the pushchair is fine, but the hours in between the school runs are all over the place because if I put one down (other in sling) they'll wake after a few mins, presumably because of the reflux. Sigh! Tired!

Sorry to be me me me.... And sorry not have turned the promised corner as I know I'm four weeks or so ahead of most... But take heart that this wouldn't be any where near as bad with one...!

Am so tired! Been crying all day. Baby O just won't stop crying/ feeding. His latch is good, my supply is great but the moment I put him down he starts crying, then rooting every hour or so. Been doing this ell week. I know it's part due to reflux but he is on second bottle of Infacol and very little relief.

I have also been alone all week as DH works in Brussels and got back last night, O is a big baby (weighed 12lb 7 at 4 weeks!) I find it hard to lift him and my CT syndrome on my wrists is worse than ever, hips still feel sore from traumatic birth. I tried to take a walk alone as I have been in all week (DH can give expressed milk) as soon as I managed to get dressed it starts raining.

DH thinks for my sanity we should start ff tomorrow, don't know if that makes me feel better or worse.

Hope you ladies are having it better, will catch up on thread now and maybe get some information that will help.

Sorry for lengthy me me post especially as I gave not posted in a while, just didn't think taking care of a baby was this hard.

There must be something in the air at the moment, seems like we are all suffering with grumpy babies. mrsh just go with the lots of sleep - I was wondering the same about emilia, but now she has defintley switched to more alert time screaming her head off than day time sleep, and we are at 4 weeks 5 days old.

legaLly I know this gets said all the time, but honestly have no clue how you do it, esp as your dh seems to be away a fair bit. Is getting some help during the day an option for you?

funkky for you. Not sure abut the formula, but can highly recommend getting out of the house. Today is only the 2nd day since E was born that we haven't gone out, and both days have been horrible with all 3 of us getting bored, fed up and grumpy. Its a good idea to invest in a good raincoat with big hood and some wellies and get some fresh air whatever the weather xx

MrsH and bowl I also was wondering if it was normal as A sleeps so much, in the daytime this is at night she seems to cry and cry some more, obviously she is normal though.

Legally you deserve a medal or lots of I honestly don't know how you do it, I admire your abilities to cope so much. I'm struggling with one, and you've two and dd it must be so very tiresome. I really hope the twins turn that 'so called' corner soon and give you a little bit of a breather.

Funkky I also didn't ever imagine having a baby would be such hard work (I think I was somewhat delusional) you sound like you are doing very well given the circumstances that dh works away, this must be very tough both emotionally and physically. WRT ff/bf do what's best and easiest for you and your baby.

Funkky - try a sling... It will revolutionise things! I am not sure ff will change the fact that he wants to be near to you/in your arms.... Slings really are fab for clingy babies!

Legally, I do have a carrier which he falls asleep in, I just ache all over back and hips when using it and no matter how long he is in it for, he starts crying the moment I put him down but it will have to do for now I guess..

Flyer, I was so ready to have a cute little one that coos and giggles all the time, and was only worrying about managing a toddler when he gets to that age. he is cute, but the effort required physically at this age is exhausting!

Thanks bowlful, i am determined to get out tonight regardless, may use the car though. Ff is because we think he may not be full on breast milk, hence not sleeping enough either but I think as he is putting on weight/ pooing well etc it is the colic making him clingy/ wanting to be upright and rooting is just becoming a habit for him whenever he wakes up.

Funny, he's Been downstairs with DH for 2 hours, the most I have been apart from him since he has been born and I think I miss him already!!! Sigh.....

Just a quick suggestion funkky I brought infacol for ds and it has no effect on him and tends too make him sick if anything but find that dentinox colic drops doo the trick like no tommorow and can be added to bottles if u decide to ff xxx

Flyer, HV said periods can take up to 4 months to come back, like you I don't miss them one bit.a bit sad it's not a contraceptive though. My bleeding stopped week 4 after having baby.

Lol@ Infacol, baby O. Squeezes his face up when he gets the drops ( imagine sucking on a lemon) but then calms down as he realises milk should be coming after.

Legally hope the twins turn 'this corner' soon.

Legally sorry you are not having a good few days, surely you are allowed one or two every now and then. Be kind to yourself.

Funkky wasn't your baby a big one? (I get a bit mixed up with Facebook/mumsnet names). Not surprised you ache carrying him in sling.

Thomas has been much better in terms of not screaming today, more sleepy (until I try to put him down then angry purple faced little monster). Only done one poo all day though so worried I haven't fed him enough. Operation force my boobs on him about to begin.

Lat time my period came back after 5 months. I was ebf and I think that makes a difference. It took me completely by surprise as I had no none of the usual aches and cramps or warning signs.

11 months for my period....

I've just managed to wrestle two syringes full of gripe water down H and he's given me so many burps!! and has just passed out asleep again rather than the hour of crying I usually get after his evening feed. could this be the answer to our colic problems?!?

Wow roofio! Are you using anything else at the same time like infacol or gaviscon?

we've been using infacol for a while. it brings up some wind but not like that!! I can't believe the amount of wind one tiny little person can make. he is just trumping constantly!!