July 2017 #6 - labour here we come

[nat2311]

I think this is how you make one?

Oh no. That sounds like a serious poonami

I tried changung baby whulst she was on my knee last night and she shat on my jeans. No where near as epic as yours though lol

Omg @Spindelina 😩😩😩😅 I laughed and cringed at the same time. What a delight. We've had some pretty spectacular poosplosions up the back and down the legs but nothing quite of that magnitude.

Since Baby Z has been so fussy and refusing to settle the past few days, DH had a package sent to us this morning with a note saying "Sorry I can't be there to help at the moment but hopefully this will enable you to get some rest until I come back". The package contained a Mamaroo!

If I could attach a video I would... but safe to say Baby Z absolutely loves it. What a genius invention.

We've got the baby bjorn bouncy seat thingy, which DD loved and for which I have high hopes, but it's got a min weight of 3.5kg (7lb12). DS isn't yet back up to his birthweight of 3kg, so a way to go!

Those mamaroos are mesmorising to watch! What a thoughtful thing for him to do.

@spindelina why would it have a minimum weight? Maximum k could understand but dont get why theres a minimum.
Weve got the mamas and papas starlight swing but ive not even thought to check if theres a minimum weight so might have a look on the website.
Got a fisher price bouncer in the garage but not had it out yet.

We have a vibrating bouncy chair. Dd2 HATES it. But the Connecta is a hands down miracle worker so I'm happy with that. Lol

Hi all,

I've been lurking on this thread having stumbled across it a few weeks before my edd. I've really valued reading your experiences but have not had the courage to join in the discussions. Having seen you introduce your newborns to the world, I've felt compelled to join in and introduce mine - I hope you don't mind. Oh and congratulations to you all!

My little girl was born on 22nd after a 22hr labour. I can't quite believe she's a week old tomorrow. It's gone in a bit of a blur, ranging from feelings of joy to completely overwhelmed. I'd really appreciate linking in with you guys to share the new experiences and hear your words of wisdom!

Like Spin we have a Bjorn bouncer which the jury is out as to whether Baby Fran likes it or not. I didn't check the weight limit when I put her in it but she weighed 3.95kg on Monday so I guess it's ok. She is not bouncing it enough with her kicks yet so I normally give it a little bounce with my foot.

Welcome @ThinkingMam and congratulations on the arrival of your little girl! 💕 don't be shy to join in the discussions here and if you'd like to join the private FB group I think @mynameisntLinda is the one who can sort you out ☺️

Oh my gosh @Notyetthere 😍😩 Lil Notyet is sooooooo beautiful! Her skin looks like it's cleared up a lot on her face too, although I know the pic is from a distance. How's your Bells Palsy recovery coming along by the way?

myname not sure why it has a min weight - maybe using weight as a proxy for size (so they don't fall through the leg hole)? Or maybe that's when the baby bends the seat down enough so that the weight goes through their back into the fabric, and not their crotch? Dunno.

Hiya @ThinkingMam congratulations on your new arrival! It goes so quick doesn't it? You blink and they look totally different as well. I'm guessing by the username maybe a North Eastern connection?

Oh @Notyetthere baby Fran is gorgeous. Those eyes ❤️ how are you doing as well?

I've been half elated/half deflated today. Baby glitters was feeding without fuss this
morning and I thought my oversupply issue had calmed down. Then she just screamed blue murder for several hours this evening. I ended up walking her round in the pram (she thrashed too much for the sling and it was raining) for an hour or so. I've then eaten a nobbly Bobbly and accepted my 45 minute evening. Currently laying in bed shushing her and replacing her dummy (how was I ever against these 😂) whilst the wind whistles around our loft room. Hopefully both kids will stay asleep.

Not looking likely with baby grunty chops. 😂🙈

Thinking welcome to the thread and congratulations on the arrival of your little girl.

Butterfly dh really wanted to buy the 4moms but i was amused by babies in the bjorn on YouTube that i bought one on ebay. Glad baby Z is loving his 4moms.

Today we ventured out our local country pub for lunch. I found that I wasn't worried about breastfeeding in public but more worried about not being able to settle baby if she cried inconsolably. I have breastfed at the library when we went to register the birth and at the cafe with expensive coffee where I was all by myself while dh had his haircut next door. Sadly I missed out on the avocado on toast but I did leave with an expensive loaf of sourdough bread which I ate the next day leaving only the ends for dj😂 . Glad I'm breastfeeding as the carbs would have gone straight to my arse and thighs.

Anybody thought about starting to exercise postpartum? We got caught in a storm our way back from the pub and I ran for about 1/2 mile but my goodness that was a struggle! I did feel very good afterwards and it got me thinking that after the 6 wk appointment I should get back to the gym. I remember how good it felt when I exercised. I might also check out the you tube videos of what I can do at home. Any recommendations?

Thanks for the warm welcome all. Glitters, I'm Welsh, not from NE. You're right too - I'm amazed how quickly she's changed already. I can't decide if she looks more like me or my dp though.

I went out for a drive for the first time today - I can't believe how anxious I was. Similar to you Not, I'm concerned about placating her if/when she cries in public. I'm currently mix feeding, but have no real routine established so things feel hit and miss... which means I feel more anxious!

As for exercise, it's early days for me but I'm desperate to get back to it. My initial plan is to focus on my pelvic floor, which should set me up for more intense exercise after 6 weeks. Fingers x'd!

Butterfly and Glitters Lil Notyet's skin has almost cleared up completely. Yes the eyes, she has been a lot more alert last few days.

The bells palsy is very mild. In fact if you didn't know I reckon you wouldn't notice. Smile and laugh are even, food stays in my mouth and doesn't taste funny anymore. Eye still not closing properly so I apply ointment and wear an eye patch to bed. My pout is still slightly wonky; not that I need to pout mind. Once I could whistle, that's when I knew things were looking up.

Glitters same here. Baby Fran has just been crying non stop for the last hour. I think it's the colic but not sure. I just hold her, walk up and down the singing any tune that comes to my head till she settles. Now sat in the dark in the nursery with her dosing on my chest. Hopefully the discomfort has passed.

Now you mention pelvic floor exercises , I keep forgetting to do mine!

Thinking no routine here either but I'm ebf so easier to plan. I basically feed on demand. I have fed her in the park, while I walked through Hever castle and ladt week I fed her while in the baby products isle in boots! Anything to stop her from fussing and crying.

The dummy saved our sanity with regards to car seat. She hates it. But the dummy is a good distraction at the beginning of a journey before she falls asleep due to the car motion. For now. She won't have it anywhere else though.

Im not a dummy fan but id rather a dummy than a thumb sucker. Can take a dummy away but cant chop their thumb off.
So far though dd has found her thumb a couple of times (which is super cute). Ds had a dummy, he was only ever allowed it for sleeping and we got rid at 18 months at the same time as a bottle with no issue. I just hate seeing kids with a dummy shoved in their mouth when they're playing etc which is why we only had it for sleeping. Personal choice. Certainly hasnt impacted his speech as hes been an advanced talker for a while (which i never realised on account of not knowing any other 2 year olds but everyone we met commented on it)

Welcome @thinkingmam we do have a facebook group too which is closed and private so if youd like to join (as it's often easier to follow) drop me a message with your name and ill friend request you so i
can add you in.

I havent thought about any exercise....but then exercise is never really on my agenda. Im already at pre preg weight...although that might change coz ive got an insatiable appetite at the moment!! Haveng been doing pelvic floor either but it seems ok. Havent wet myself and an sneeze and cough ok (which is a different story than with ds coz i remember wetting myself kn 2 occasions after having him lmao)

@notyetthere gret news about the bels palsy getting better!!

@Notyetthere That's fantastic news about your Bells Palsy and about Baby Fran's skin.

I'm dying to get back to squatting because I actually really like the shape my pregnancy weight gain gave to my butt/thigh area, but it just needs toning up. But I think I'd better avoid that until the 6 week mark. At the moment it's just a daily walk in the park for me in terms of activity - plus doing my pelvic floor exercises, but that's a habit anyway. I'll get back to swimming and pilates once I return to Dubai too.

I'm actually very pleasantly surprised by how quickly my belly has returned to almost pre-pregnancy size, without even trying... I never ended up using the postpartum belly wrap thing I ordered off Amazon. I guess BF helped with the contracting of the uterus and perhaps the placenta pills played a part too.

Agree with you @Notyetthere and @mynameisntLinda we've only been using it for absolute hysterical crying when she's fed but won't comfort suck or if her dad is watching her.

Her cousin is coming down today to stay. He's 18 months/almost 2. They literally put his dummy in constantly even when he was just playing and happy. He doesn't say a single word yet. They can't work out why and because it's dh family I can't say anything.

And @mynameisntLinda I decided when she started sucking her thumb. My brother has a weird deformed thumb because of sucking it

@glitterglitters really? Did he suck it for a long time? Mil still sucks her thumb when she watches tele at night and shes in her 40s lol. I used to suck my thumb and rub a piece of silk on my nose, but i had dummies as well till i was nearly 3.

I think he sucked it till he was quite old. They went to boarding school which I reckon he kept doing it longer.
My mum also had polio and a calcium deficiency so that had some traits passed down to us which could have affected his bone development. He's hyper mobile too.

My nephew had a "silky" ☺️basically any label in a pair of underwear. He's 19 and still fiddles with labels when he's nervous.

I'm also not a fan of dummies @mynameisntLinda @glitterglitters and never had one as a child (nor did I suck my thumb) but I think using one at night for comfort/sleep purposes in these early weeks and months is perfectly fine. I agree the problem starts when the dummy is just shoved in the little one's mouth at every opportunity, when it isn't even necessary.

We haven't resorted to using a dummy for Baby Z yet but this growth spurt he's currently going through is extraordinary and he's been gnawing quite aggressively on his hands the past couple of nights, so I think I might try it out if he continues tonight. Got a few thrown in with the Tommee Tippee set so may as well give it a go and see how he gets on.

DD used a dummy until a few months before her fourth birthday. Once we were into something resembling a routine for naps, she only used it in nap-locations (bed, sling, buggy, car seat etc). We had a strict no conversation with the dummy rule - she had to decide whether she was going to sleep or wanted to chatter. That worked for us!

We only use the dummy in the car seat. And it's 50/50 whether she accepts it or rejects it.

Today we went to a birthday party and she was ok. I didn't know most of the people there but I was comfortable breastfeeding. I did however notice one thing. People tend to not talk to you when you are breastfeeding which can be quite lonely at a party when you have a newborn that feeds for 5mins here and 5mins there. It's like they want to give you the space to feed but it then leaves you isolated if you are constantly feeding; which I was. Dh kept checking on us every 15mins or so to ensure I wasn't too isolated but by 7.30pm the inconsolable crying from colic (or whatever gassy movement that she has) had kicked in that by then I was fed up and ready to leave.

Dh goes back to work on Monday and we have agreed he uses the ear plugs on days when he has early shifts to ensure he is not too tired. What sort of arrangements do you have with your dhs when they go back to work?

I am starting to think about a routine. Not a solid one where things have to be done at a fixed time but more of tweak a few things we have currently fallen into. For example, Our typical night routine starts at about 10pm when i take baby Fran up to sleep. She will fall asleep anytime between 10.30pm-11.30pm. She will then wake at 2 or 3am nappy change, feed and sleep usually within an hour but sometimes it might be longer. She will then wake again at about 5-6.30am and I normally move her to our bed, feed her and we both sleep till 9.30am but sometimes we have slept till 10.30-11am. This has become a regular occurrence that I want change. I want to get up at normal morning time of 8am and try to go to bed earlier. Most mum and baby group meet ups are before 12noon so if I'm sleeping surely I will miss all of them. Or is it too early to even think about changing things? Baby Fran will be 6wks old on Thursday.