February 2015 Thread # 8 - The babies are arriving!

[GeekyHybrid]

Hopefully people will find this. Hello lovely ladies, and babies!! Exciting times

For everyone still waiting, I had an acupuncture treatment on my due date and things kicked off immediately after! And very fast.
My hospital offered it but not sure if all do.

Not sure how to deal with threads in terms of starting new one etc - I still can't work out how to reference people in bold...?!

Nic put a star * immediately before and after the word you want in bold...

I have a reflexology treatment booked for Thursday evening so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that might help.

I seem to remember a few people on here saying they felt a bit ropey the day before they went into labour. I feel really muzzy headed today and not quite with it, but not like I'm coming down with something. I'm hoping it might be a sign?? How others feel? It might just be too much daytime tv.

Feeling rather demoralised on the bf front. Despite everyone agreeing she has a really good latch and is really actively sucking, plus me not getting at all sore, she'd lost 7.7% birth weight at day 5. So she was reweighed today - day 7 - and has stayed the same as she was Friday. This is despite her feeding pretty much solidly (the odd 10mins nap inbetween) from 10am-7pm and again from 9pm-1am, on top of other feeds, yesterday.

*Sunday not Friday - you can tell I havent slept much.

Whyo Logan lost 9.6% of his birth weight by day 5 and still at day 17 is not quite back. Bf babies do tend to take a bit longer to regain weight but as long as your feeding regularly it will come back on.
Are the mw worried?

Donkir they want to re-weigh in another 2days. They said really it should be going back up by now, although they did also say as she's a big girl it can sometimes take a bit longer to put weight back on.

Its just so frustrating when she's been feeding so well. Then yesterday was hard work with all the extra non stop feeding but I thought she'd at least gain a little bit from it. So for her to have only stayed the same weight just makes me feel so rubbish.

I had problems with DS's feeding but at least there were obvious issues/problems to work on/things to do to at least try to improve it. This time all they can suggest is trying to manually express after every feed to try increase supply past what she's currently demanding and that we may need to start topping up.

Grinning, bet you never thought you'd hear yourself say that you're envious of someone having a sweep!! I'm envious of those folk currently in labour!

Having very frequent BH today..does that mean anything?

Oh ladies who are still waiting - I know it's easier said than done but do enjoy the quiet before the new baby arrives. I only had three days of mat leave before my lo arrived and it wasn't enough! I had so much to get done!

And whyO I had the same thing with my lo's weight.its so nerve wracking, and I'm sure the stress of worrying about feeding doesn't help the milk come in and settle. Id be a bit careful of pumping and topping up as you don't want to end up having loads of milk making your boobs even more painful than they might get anyway!!

I'm on day 12 of bf and happy to report that my nips are happy and no longer blistered...

Good luck to everyone waiting and those with babies!

So have reached my due date today with no signs of Bubba wanting to make an appearance. Had 40 week midwife appointment and she said she will do a sweep next Tuesday if nothing has happened by then. In the meantime she told me to keep wiggling hips etc and walking or swimming. I am getting a bit impatient now as been off for 2 weeks and feel like I am wasting ML waiting for Buba to arrive. A little sign that's it on the way would be nice. Oh and only 4/5 engaged too .

Sorry I've been a bit MIA; finally home again after another 24 hrs in hospital due to an infection. IV antibiotics seem to have me feeling better though. Still on iron tablets as well as various painkillers. Shake me - I'll rattle.

Also got hit with the emotions yesterday which is still going strong. I'm crying at almost everything. Especially missing my Dad, who'd be loving all of this.

Most of all I'm feeling really upset and resentful that I didn't have more support in the first two days in hosp with BF... I really wanted it to work out but he wasn't latching so a 'specialist' spent about 10 mins showing me different positions and when he latched and started feeding on one of them she said "well done, you'll be fine now!" and left us to it. I couldn't get him to do it again and everyone I asked just said "keep trying, you'll get it" - but this resulted in a very frustrated, grumbly and crying baby and a very upset me. So we switched to expressing/bottle feeding with formula top up while my milk supply improves.

Now my milk is properly in, I feel horrendously upset that I'm not successfully BF, when I wanted to do it SO much. Most people are saying it's too late, he's been on the bottle too long (he's five days old). I have a midwife visit tomorrow and I'm going to ask her (nay, BEG) for some support if it's not too late. I feel thoroughly cheated in being told I should just 'get' it. Clearly not.

Plus, he's a dream child during the day. Napping well, bright and alert when awake, etc. But as soon as nighttime swings around it's a totally different story. Feed, change, and then put him down (he's usually very sleepy at the end of a feed). We try burping him each time but he hangs onto his wind and it's not always successful. He sleeps for maybe an hour then wakes, screams until he's passed a bit of wind and then grumbles/cries for a good couple of hours when it's only been a short while since a substantial feed that initially knocked him out. I don't want to just shove a bottle in his face everytime I can't figure out what's wrong with him. I feel like a shit FTM.

So it's only day five and I'm already an emotional wreck. Yeah, not feeling confident! :P

Am trying to catch up on the thread, hope everyone is holding up ok and sorry for the essay! x

It's been a good couple of days here. MW weighed LO yesterday and he's now 5oz above birth weight on day 10, not bad considering he'd lost 6oz on day 5. So that's us discharged by the MW, HV on Thursday . Today we went up to my work - I don't feel up to driving because of the stitches still stinging so figured we'd go whilst OH was still on paternity. LO was passed around the mess room and then we had a lovely walk through the garden and we saw all the crocus - millions of them Funny how I miss the garden itself though not particularly the job! Looks like I'll be there again in 3 weeks time for a leaving do - I just hope the team settles down again by the time I go back in September-ish. I'm really glad not to be around for the fall-out from this one.

frenetic I'm sure it's not too late, do ask mw for help but please also don't feel bad, I know it's easier said than done especially when the emotions are all over but please, give yourself a break. This motherhood malarky is a huge adjustment and you've not had the easiest ride to say the least. Keep going etc

Frenetic glad you are home, I am a second time mum and still don't understand my baby, a few of us on here seem to be in your shoes with the sleepy perfect baby in the day and non sleeping at night, baby here sleeps all day wakes usually about 1 then spends next few hours snorting, groaning, chuntering then come 5 am as sun comes up he settles again, last night he settled better think it was due to him relaxing more after his 2 min bath and he brought his wind up better, he never burps it usually comes out as epic farts, he has been so unsettled tonight, had a bath (well he went in the sink) had a bottle then did a mega burp out of knowhere and it seems to have knocked him out.

Tell your mw all of your concerns, my friends mw spent over an hour with her teacher her ways to latch I hope yours will help you, milk usually comes in properly on day 5 so don't lose heart you may still be able to bf. emotionally day 5 is known to be the worst day, you are doing well don't beat yourself up

Frenetic it definitely isn't too late to bf if it is what you really want. I have a friend who gave up on day 3 after a really difficult start, but after a few days expressing and formula got some support and tried again. She said it was tough but she is glad she did. My LO was totally disinterested and wouldn't latch at all until day 3/4 and then something just clicked and he got it

My friend was advised lots of skin to skin as that and keeping putting baby to ur breast will help keep supply stimulated.

Good luck, but remember, if it doesn't work out, it isn't something you have done wrong and it is more important for u to be happy and not stressed by the feeding situation. Ur baby will do great with formula if it comes to it. I know how tough it is so pls try to not be so hard on urself.

Sat crying again because you're all so lovely. Please tell me there will be a post natal club...

I have a history of depression, so I'm being really mindful of my mood. It's reassuring to know that it's normal at the moment though. I don't feel depressed luckily, just ridiculously emotional and out of my depth!

Seeing a different midwife tomorrow as my usual is on holiday. I so hope she's as nice.

Frenetic....lof course there will be a post natal thread....and fb.....you aren't getting away from us now!
Good to be mindful of your mood, but rest assured even on number 2 I think 'holy shit What do I do' at times, emotional and out of your depth at this stage is normal though, your still recovering from the birth/infection/transfusion and now on top of that you have feeding issues/tiredness and to top it off a bit of oh crap what do we do. You are not alone, vent/cry/rant/moan this is what this thread is for to support each other!

Frenetic

I'm just adding in my thoughts. I have failed to breastfeed both of my babies, I do think of it as a failure, I too desperately wanted to, assumed I'd be able to the first time, hoped I might this, but I couldn't and for my mental health gave up a lot quicker this time.

I'm determined not to blame myself though, I really tried and my ds hasn't suffered from it, he's a robust happy little boy with very few coughs and colds and I'm hoping dd will be the same.

I know someone who managed to get breastfeeding going whether baby was seven weeks old, so it's totally possible, hard to do but possible, especially with this being your first you don't have any other children to distract you :)

I agree with Memphis (as I very often do, clever gal our Memphis) I'm a second time mum too and I find it hard a lot of the time, it's like starting again, totally different child to my first. This parenting lark is bloody difficult!

There's a theory which I totally subscribe to which says that babies in essence have a fourth trimester, humans only birth the baby at this stage due to limitations of the pelvis and they aren't quite ready to come out into the world really yet, they are so dependant upon their parents and they don't really give all that much back yet, just wait until the first smile, I actually cried when my son first smiled at me, I was so grateful!

I went for a walk with my three year old today and it was so lovely, he told me how much he loves his dad, me and his sister and we just had a general chatter and that's what I'm focussing on at the moment, through the tiredness and mountains of washing.

Apologies for the essay everyone!

It always feels so much worse at night, especially with thin walls and ratty neighbours. Mind you, they spend an extortionate amount of time screaming at each other so if they complained I'd likely flip out at them..

Frenetic it always feels so much worse when its night. Babies are often born with day and night the wrong way round in their little body clocks. They normally adjust within a few weeks - it all feels so much easier then.

Also don't be afraid to offer milk again even if he's not long had a massive feed. You cannot overfeed them at this age - they are self regulating - so if he's not actually hungry and you offer milk he'll just refuse/spit the teat out. It may just be that he wants to cluster feed at night (fairly common).

Plus I agree with the others even as a second time mom it can be bloody hard working it all out again.

Again with the thank yous, feel better knowing I can talk here.

The fourth trimester theory is interesting, definitely fits in with what a lot of people say about three months being when things settle.

To those still waiting, can't wait for all of us to have LOs and get through the next few months.

Just been catching up on the thread and wanted to say that FF does not make you a failure and I am sorry that you feel that way Frenetic. I really hope your midwife can help when you see her.

Please look after yourself and keep talking to people. I always find talking helps.

Which is why I need to ask some advice. Day 3 with my one and Lochie will not settle anywhere else but on us at night. So queue me up all night as my OH becomes grumpy with lack of sleep and frustration. Really wants to help but feels there is nothing he can do. So does anyone have any tips as Lochie sleeps well, just not in a way that let's me sleep too.

week 39 starts today. needless to say being first time mum, every ache and pain makes me think ( in a panicked mode) : this is it !!! i can't wait to meet our soon but the birthing experience scares the living life out of me -- . due date is supposed to be Feb 28th and I promised our DS if he comes out earlier than 25th I am naming him Rudolf or Cornelius or something like that -- .
do all first time moms worry they wont know when they're in real labor?

Truk

No advice, phoebe is the same, she totally resists the Moses basket and we've resorted to mostly co sleeping to get some sleep, not ideal at all!

Way

Yup I think everyone worries about labour and knowing whether they will know but you do apparently (I've been induced/had a section so didn't actually ever go into labour myself)

I know I was a hopeful each time at every twinge ;)