April 2015 #4 - time to start glowing and growing

[BrixtonBunny]

I thought I'd start a new thread as the old one was almost full up xxx

That's really reassuring Tiny - we won't be able to afford business class but nice to have some positive words about flying with a little one! I'm going to make every effort to breastfeed as I know it'll be worth the initial struggle in the long run.

I haven't done business class either, but Siarie said her inlaws would pay for it (i wish)

I found harder to do 5 hour trains to Edinburgh, than the 2h30 flight to Lisbon... although there was once when the pressure change did make my DD cry a lot and she wasn't wanting the boob... but cried for 20 minutes, being really cuddled and then it passed...

The best bit is the in laws will be flying too so we can take turns baby sitting. Wonder if they know what they've signed up for

I'll have to speak to DH tonight as they want to book everything ASAP if we're up for it.

If I can BF then I'll want to pump and store so DH can get up and do the feeds occasionally.

I'm feeling really good today, pretty much normal! Which is amazing since Sunday was a really bad day for me.

13+1

Has anyone else been suffering from headaches? Seems like everyday at work I get a headache and with no other options than to reach for the paracetamol just seems like I'm taking some everyday. At home I have those little headache cooling strips but can't exactly sit at work with one of those on. Its too cold to open the window and I only get 30 mins for lunch so no chance of a walk and stuff my face.

Already done a workstation assessment and I know i need a better chair and an anti glare thingy for my computer. (both of which are ancient!) But I'm waiting for them to do something about it. which will be sometime never I'm sure.

At first it was the sinus headaches from the cold but now I think I'm pretty much over my cold yet I'm still getting headaches. I get them round the back, round my eyes and at my temples, its just getting ridiculous to be honest.

not everyday, but yes, also getting some

I have headaches too, sinus pressure headaches. It's very annoying but I just cope with it. When it gets really bad I go to sleep.

Squatting I also have back pain, lower and middle. Feel like I'm falling apart. Where is my glow?!

26 hrs till my scan

tiny it's fab to hear from someone who succeeded with breast feeding, we really struggled with DD, she was pre and a bit weak and she is a smart young lady, she cottoned on pretty damed quickly to the fact that bottles are a hell of a lot easier than breastfeeding, so I ended up expressing and while the Medela pump we used in the hospital was great the medela mini we bought after well left wasn't particularly well researched and not powerful enough for exclusive pumping so i ran dry within a few months.

Is fenugreek really that good, I saw people suggesting it before but as it was never mentioned by the midwife or health visitor I always wondered if it was bit 'placebo'... would it be a good idea to start taking it from the beginning to 'supercharge' the milk supply?

I only started with it at 10w and did notice a difference when I didn't take it for a few days until i got round to buying more once it ran out... i probably wouldn't take it before 6w as until 6w you need to feed feed and feed to build up supply - at the start it is both hormonal and supply and demand, only once all established you can then let go a bit.

I now do don't offer don't refuse and she has breast milk 99% of the evenings (100% when I am home) and maybe 80% of the mornings - some mornings she doesn't ask...

Have a lovely trip Wineandchoccy!!

I have no experience Sairie but go!!! It's family, they'll understand and if she doesn't she's obviously not right for your brother . Seriously though, you won't know until you know your baby. Ds1 was settling down well by 8 months and ds2 was a great baby in the day but a nightmare at night so the trip would have been fine but sharing a house would have stressed me. I'd change them in the aisle but that's me!!

I bf both mine ChickenMe, was as stubborn as a mule with ds1 and despite, large holes in my nipples, thrush and mastitis I fed him until 14 months. Ds2 was a breeze, not sure if he was a natural or I was just better! My top tip is don't trust the midwives I had one who kept telling me ds1 was latching well and I had my nipples torn to shreds. Another eventually said he wasn't and when fixed they healed so quickly! I was very engorged with him and it was so tough to get enough nipple in his mouth for a good latch. If you're not happy keep asking and different people all the time, bf cafes are good and I was very self conscious of the milk that sprayed everywhere with ds1 and hated feeding him outside for the first 3months but again ds2 was easy to feed anywhere and everywhere. Happy to answer any questions!

No sorry Lauren82000, only with my cold.

What a day!! Soaked and blown about, toddler group, lunch on the run, open day at ds2's nursery, home for 45mins and back for phonics workshop and then school pick up!!

We're planning to go to New Zealand for a month in Sept/Oct. We might be mad because we'll have DD who will be 2yo and the new one so the flight might be a nightmare. But you have to grab these opportunities when they arise, so I say go for it! I agree that it is almost easier to travel with them when they are a bit smaller. We travelled with DD when she was 7 months and she was great on the plane - fed, slept etc really well. The toilets are a squeeze but they have a little baby change bit that flaps down.

I bf DD but had ongoing issues with supply and she didn't gain weight well so I ended up supplementing with formula (which doesn't help the supply issues!) I agree that bf cafes are fantastic - look for good local advice beyond the midwives because you can get some very confusing and contradictory advice from them in my experience. Totally planning to bf again with this one and really hoping that it goes a bit better....

I bf DD till she was 14 months. We had trouble in the beginning as I'm not sure she really got it but I was determined to do it so persevered. Didn't help that we were stuck in hospital for the first 5 days first it was me (I was borderline needing a blood transfusion) then it was DD (had her all packed up to go home and the mw came over to discharge us and said she looks a bit yellow, so spent another 72 hours in under the lamps.)

But because I was stuck in there and was struggling with a good latch and getting her to catch on with a good technique I was expressing into little cups which the nurses then fed her. (Wasn't trusted with them for some reason) So i found it pretty stressful to get started. Once I was home and the security blanket was taken away we both caught on quickly and I never looked back. DD hated bottle nipples and I never really pushed her with them. I couldn't be bothered to spend loads of money trying different styles so when I couldn't get her to take my milk in the bottles I had I just gave up and carried on with boob.

Don't think I actually followed all the rules you are supposed to like feeding from both sides every time. Just fed her one boob till she stopped then the other one next time. I had a really good supply and in no time my boobs had got used to my feeding technique and I never had sore nipples or engorgement issues. (didn't even look wonky)

Definitely believe in feeding on demand and you should only introduce a feeding routine if you find yourself feeding all day everyday, otherwise you get nothing done. Once you have settled in your boobs tell you when its feeding time well mine did, had the let down feeling just before DD got fussy. It's like they were psychic

Was lucky with ds2 Lauren82000 as supply was settled but with ds1 I soaked through at least one breast pad on the boob I wasn't feeding from at every feed until he was 8 months. He had both sides at every feed and put on 1lb a week, he was even 4oz heavier at 5 days old than birth

Glad there are some experts on hand to offer advice with feeding!

Have managed to get myself in a total flap about money this afternoon. I've planned for mat leave and by the time it starts will have saved enough to cover any deficit. But now I'm really worried about what happens when I go back to work. How the hell are we going to manage with lower income and bigger outgoings?! I'm not sure how many days a week I'll go back to work yet but whichever way I work it out I won't be bringing home much at all after childcare. Not sure how we're going to manage.

Banana it does feel that way but somehow you do end up managing. Try not to worry about it too much now. It'll either work out or you'll have to do more hours than you wanted to.

BananaToast It's hard, was one of the reasons I started childminding. We were getting further and further into debt each month but while minding we've always got by. It's hard because no matter how I cut my hours it was too much of a cut despite saving in childcare so I worked full time and still couldn't afford to pay for everything. It's the difficulty with needing two salaries to get a mortgage and living to what you have. Sit down with your dh and look at what you need to have going out and see where you can save. If you can afford to fly with the baby then I guess you can make savings that will make it possible (perhaps that's a big assumption but we certainly don't have spare money for a foreign holiday, in fact we don't have passports)

Thanks, I know we will definitely be able to cut back on our spending. It's hard to get rid of trips abroad entirely with DH's family so far away or we would never see them, but know this is obviously one of the first areas to cut back on. We did discuss finances before TTC and were of the opinion that we would never feel able to afford it. We both have good jobs but our outgoings are also high, and we spent all our savings on buying our first flat last year. I know we will make it work, it's just a bit scary!

Banana it does feel that way but somehow you do end up managing. Try not to worry about it too much now. It'll either work out or you'll have to do more hours than you wanted to.

I gave DD her last bf yesterday morning. She's 1 on Sunday. BF was the one thing that went right from the start, dd took to it straight away and I never suffered with any pain feeding her at all. Do appreciate that I was probably just lucky though! She never took to being fed from a bottle - and I did try - I bought (at least) one of every type on the marketplace! She didn't take to any, which meant she couldn't be babysat until I weaned her as she fed on demand.

What no one tells you about breastfeeding is how much they feed. Pretty much constantly! Didn't bother putting a bra on at all for the first few days home (unless we expected visitors) and slept topless! And oh, the cluster feeds...

Also I really struggled to express. I spent half an hour expressing and got no more than 1.5 oz per boob. Plus she wouldn't take it from a bottle anyway so I gave up in the end!

Childcare wise I was lucky because dd had 2 retired nannies that were eager to snatch her from my clutches! Otherwise I agree it can be very expensive.

I'm also planning to BF, so happy to see I'll have access to some great advice

We've booked a trip to Cornwall next September (to see DPs family) it's not flying..but it's 6-7hrs in the car...baby will be 4-4.5 months old. Probably a bad idea

Hey guys. Sorry for barging in a bit with a question and no chat, but any advice for really bad trapped wind? Its so painful I am doubled up and it makes me exhausted. I have tried all the usual deflatine tablets etc...trying to eat sensibly etc. But its becoming really hard to manage and not just curl up in bed every day :(

Have you tried Windeze? Are you constipated as well?