April 2015 - thread 17. The babies are still coming thick and fast, waving Pom poms a plenty in support!

[PenguinPoser]

Felt we might need a new thread to get through the night feeds and labours!

I know kismac, he's so tiny, I look at him and think how unfair for him it is, and why isn't he wired right to eat what I eat? I haven't done anything diet wise to cause it, always ate everything, exposed my immune system to lots of bugs etc, I don't think I've done anything to contribute to any allergies. I don't want the poor boy to have to do hard stuff with his diet. Half of me really wants it to work and the other half hopes that's not it... But then he will still feel rubbish

And my daughter's eczema has suddenly spread too and I have no idea why. Feeling a bit about it all.

I was that friend to my mate last pregnancy. She was due a few days after me but went 2 weeks over. She said she was super jealous and annoyed about it!!! Your little one will be here soon, find your happy place again

And dh is sitting next to me eating ice cream!!!

Aww your DH is a bad man! It won't have been anything you've done. Sometimes these things just happen. Fingers crossed it's not an allergy and is something a bit simpler to resolve.

Sorry I haven't updated much - I have mainly posted on the FB page but have been following all of the chat on here too. LO is now 3 weeks... We've had a bit of a nightmare with feeding. Lots of weight loss initially, diagnosed with tongue tie, had it divided 10 days ago but she hasn't latched on since :-(. Either she screams or just hangs out but either way doesn't drink any milk! So I'm expressing bottles for her which is a pain in the neck. But at least she's now putting on weight. I hate breastfeeding! I just wish it would work. I have ordered some nipple shields to try because a friend said this really helped with latch. I know they tend to advise against them but I'd try anything at this point. Does anyone have any experience with them? I'm not even really sure how they work but I'll have a play when they arrive tomorrow.

DH has gone to sleep in the spare room tonight because he's feeling ill and tired and I can't help but feel annoyed about that. I know it's the right thing because he's no use to me in his current state (and super annoying) but it just seems so unjust that he'll get nine hours uninterrupted sleep while I sit in bed attached to the breast pump!!
Sorry for a moany post. Will have a read back and catch up on things. On a more positive note, I went to baby cinema today and loved it - top mat leave activity! Also have signed up for six weeks of postnatal Pilates which should help restore some tone!

Thanks kismac.

roastpots I salute you! I didn't get on with nipple shields at all because I found them pain full to put on and they didn't fit my nipples, gap at the top and too big for ds's mouth, he just bent them at the base when he latched and tried to suck the top, both of which caused me lots of pain! But for people they fit well they seem to really help with pain free feeding and can help with latch if your nipples are usually a bit flat or similar. Like you said, worth a try definitely. I hope something works for you.

Ds had a tongue tie divided 6 days ago. I shoved him straight on the boob afterwards, he spat it out a few times, blood bath on the boob! He was fussy for the day, shallow latching, coming off etc then settled. It probably helps that he was happy feeding before that on the boob, its just that my nipples weren't happy with his tie!!!

I'm not sure its helpful to sit here and say "oh well its worked for us" but I wanted to share because he was fussy at first, and he did have to learn to change his latch (it is now deeper) so its not just you. A good breastfeeding support team has been invaluable for us - does your midwifery team have a specialist? I am in awe of the fact you are still expressing. Hopefully you have the strength to keep trying, there are babies who relearn to breastfeed having stopped. Nipple confusion with the bottle teats may be part of the problem and the shields might help with this?

Hope you have access to some good support

Hope you get the feeding sorted roastpots and hope the diet is worth it daholster. I might join you and see if it makes any difference here... The nhs page says also fruit squash so dairy free and water to drink for the next week or so. It better be worth it!

And so begins my stint awake for the night. DH is most unhelpful as he just keeps saying put her in her basket. But when I do my lovely sleeping baby wakes herself up and wants boob again to settle despite already having each boob twice 10mins before! I'm feeling decidedly empty and my nipples really hurt.

I don't remember feeling like this last time. DD1 was a pretty good sleeper and went down no problems. I know every baby is different but I can't go on not sleeping between 11.30 and 4.30 every night. I'll never function properly.

Thanks all, and ooh feeding app sounds good!

Evening again Lauren, think we are the night owls with the same problem!

I was using a feeding app for the first few days just to check how long she was on for and how long between feeds. I eventually got annoyed with it so deleted it but it did help initially. I'm more comfortable with following my boob fullness levels to know when it's time to feed and I know I'm changing enough nappies by the amount in the bin.

Yes RL we do seem to have a similar problem. DD just doesn't want to sleep on her back. She much prefers my chest and it's so not worth trying to put her down when she just wakes herself up and I have to resettle her all over again. It's just too cruel on my poor body thinking it's going to get some rest when it clearly isn't. Might actually wake DH up at the half way point to get an hour in. Can't believe I've only been up for an hour feels like hours should have slid by.

That sounds like us though Lauren82000, except that he does that 5.30/6-8.30/9 so it makes it easier to deal with during waking hours. I don't know what happens either, it's like a switch! At some point that last feed means he falls asleep and it's deep enough to be able to put him down!

Glad you're doing well roastpots and sorry to hear bf isn't going as you'd like. Give nipple shields a try and good luck with getting him to latch, pumping and feeding is exhausting so well down for keeping it up for this long!

Was going to say hope cutting dairy helps daholster but sounds like you're not sure you want it to! Sam has gone to pooing slightly less frequently and I've been putrind sudorcem on at every feed and things are much better. Are you sure he needs the canestan as well? Surprised steroid cream isn't heloing, whenever I've used if for ds2's eczema and it always clears it up really quickly for a little while. Good luck!

Sam fell asleep at 8 tonight so put him down and he slept until 12, first feed change feed went well and he went back down but he was back up after only 15 mins so just trying a top up feed and will try to put him back again now! Nice to have had some sleep before his first feed!!!

DD was really alert late afternoon/evening so I would have thought she would be zonked by now. Can't decide if I should go down and make myself a brew and watch a bit of tv or not seem as though it looks like I'm in it for the long haul again tonight. No point being sat in bed is there?

Hello everyone - checking in on the night shift too! Sorry so many people are struggling with sleep etc as well. At least we are all in a similar boat. Same as you cinnamon I've just been up for first feed after dd slept 8-12. I know I can't exactly complain about that but I know it's her best sleep of the night so when I've only had about 90 min so far I've still got major fingers crossed that she'll go back down. Last night wasn't great.

Brummagem congratulations on the house!

Daholster how rubbish about the diet changes. Really hope it's worth it and it helps your poor ds.

Roastpots sounds like you're doing great with the expressing but hope you manage to get lo back on the breast. I used nipple shields at first to help latch on the left side and it did help so fingers crossed for you.

Kismac still thinking labour/baby thoughts for you! And the others still waiting.

Lauren do get your dh up for an hour so you can rest. Is he off work? If so I don't see any reason why he can't get up! (Other than not having milk producing boobs - damn men!!). I look forward to the weekends when I don't feel bad prodding dh to get up and do nappy change and cuddle until I inevitably have to get up and feed.

Hmm having af like crampy pains. Hope it's not coming back yet as lochia has just stopped! Thought we weren't meant to get af while breastfeeding? My body probably doesn't know what's what as I was on pill for 10 years then only 1 month off before falling pregnant. The GP wasn't very pleased that I didn't want hormonal contraception back. Can't use combined pill due to bf/BP issues/cholestasis and progesterone only things absolutely knock my libido off. Which I didn't realise until I came off it.... Hence baby straight away . Don't want to be pregnant again anytime soon but will be careful. Not that I feel like dtd yet anyway - too scared post episiotomy stitches. Can anyone reassure me it will be fine? also too tired to think about it but oh well!

Hmm how long to wait before trying to put dd back down...

Agree Lauren you might as well go put TV on, prop baby up with loads of cushions/pillows Incase you nod off?

I'm up doing the first night feed, DH took her at 11pm so I've managed 2 1/2 hours sleep but I could do with more and the past few nights she has took ages to settle.

Congratulations on the house brummagem it looks lovely

I hope things settle down for you daholster you certainly deserve a break

roastpots I hope the nipple shields work for you. I think I am going to buy some today because my right nipple is really sore.

It's my birthday today we are going to go out for lunch so hopefully dd sleeps whilst we eat. My mum has made me a chocolate birthday cake for once I don't need to watch the calories because of all the breastfeeding.

Dd is now asleep on my chest I will give her 20 mins then she is going in her crib because my eyes feel very heavy.

Happy birthday wine, hope you get your undisturbed lunch.

DH took her for an hour and we have just done switch over back again. I had to go put DD1 back in her bed as she had tried to get in ours again. All I can say is no wonder DH keeps falling asleep in it when he puts her back it's really comfy.

Breastfeeding doesn't stop your period coming back at all it's an urban myth. I bled for 9 weeks last time so convinced my period just tagged on the end. Hoping I won't bleed that long this time. You'll just have to get the condoms out for dtd annoying to use but better than Russian roulette trying to work out when your ovulating after a baby.

Speaking of dtd I have to say I'm far more in the mood now I've given birth than I was pregnant. Shame I have to wait till my 8 week check before we get the all clear, only 7 more weeks to go..

Lauren is there any particular reason yo have to wait until 8 week check? My GP didn't even discuss dtd (well just contraception). You can start contraception from day 21 if you want to.
Pleased your dh took baby for a bit!

Happy birthday wineandchoccy have a lovely day! enjoy the cake

I'm feeding again.... I swear this is the most well fed baby....!

Happy Birthday Wine!

Feeding here too. He went down well after the 11.30 feed, but now well latched for the last half hour! I hate the roulette of how long to leave it after they are finished before putting him down.

DH has fallen asleep without doing the hot water bottle too so he probably won't go in his moses basket properly. His blanket is between my legs warming up though!

Hope all those up and feeding have an easy night.

Happy birthday wineandchoccy!

We have dtd PenguinPoser, all was fine. I waited longer after ds1 and I think a lot is more the worry than the reality! Have ordered condoms online until I can have another coil fitted. I had a copper one after ds2 so no hormone at all my period returned at exactly 16 weeks with both ds1&2, I bled for 4 weeks with ds1 and 6 with ds2 so a reasonable time off with both.

Why does my dd not want to go to sleep? She has her eyes wide open with not a hint of sleep in them and as soon as I lift her back in the crib the screaming starts, ahhh!

I don't feel like dtd just yet but I am planning on not going back on the pill, when I stopped to try and conceive I realised I felt so much better when not taking it. It also took ages for my cycle to settle and if we wanted another baby I don't want to have to go through that again. We have decided to use condoms when I feel ok to try.

Happy birthday wine
No sleep here either, think me and DS have had half an hour. He's wide awake even though he has had a good 90ml at most recent feed! How can he not be tired after that? Feel like I'm never going to sleep again....

RE dtd - I've been more in the mood since too rather than when pg. have been told not to do anything though for about 2-3 weeks because of stitches.

Eyelids are so heavy..,,

RL have you been napping during the day when you can?
And has your DP been taking him for a bit at night? A couple of hours might make all the difference to you.

Morning all.
Happy birthday wine!
Sorry for those having rubbish nights. DD has very helpfully got herself in a routine of feeding til about 2:30 am with only little naps before but then zonking out till I wake her between 6:30 and 7 because my boobs have become a fountain! 4th night in a row of this and although it's only a 4 hour block which doesn't seem much to my pre baby brain, I'm so grateful she's letting me sleep through the middle part of the night which is the worst bit to be up for! I'm planning on feeding her constantly today before her weight check. Fingers crossed she's finally back up to at least birth weight as she's 2weeks old today!

Hope everyone is asleep!!!

daholster i second kismac re your husband being a bit of a baddie with the ice cream!

Brumma - congratulations.

No massive news at this end, DS feeding at three hourly intervals at night so am pretty grateful for that. He's starting clustering more in the day but that's fine, what is mat leave for anyway. Still only day 14 so far too early to be relying on things not changing again. He is so much bigger than when he was born and I have a little twinges of sadness for the newborn phase being over forever (we're not going to have a third)! Time to get a grip

Oh and DD has calmed down massively on the defiant behaviour this week. Told me that DH and I are 'the best parents in the whole wide world' last night which was heartening. Not true, but nice to hear!

roastpots - nipple shields helped me massively first time around, I haven't needed them this time. I used them at every other feed for first 2-3 wks until I toughened up and then BF for nearly a year so they didn't interfere with establishing it or anything. Good luck and well done on all your expressing efforts.