July 2017 #6 - labour here we come

[nat2311]

I think this is how you make one?

@Twixes we're the same at night. Dd1 was like this but then went to pot at 4 months.

Hoping this time we're blessed with a sleeper. Their cousin sleeps 11/13 hour stretches and has done since 8 weeks

Jealous of people who are getting sleep - I've had two tricky nights. Last night I was cluster feeding from about 5pm until 2am. My partner kept a close eye at one point so I could sleep during feeds. He then woke up at about 4am and 6am for brief feeds (15-20 minutes) and now we're up and he's feeding again.

I hope the cluster feeding settles down soon!

Boys are so hungry @Lallypopstick! Have you checked if he's tongue tied? It might be a case of him not getting enough into him/not an efficient feeder. I hope you get some rest too, it's exhausting.

@glitterglitters I dread the 4 month sleep regression!

Didn't have as good a night last night. I think I fed her about 4 times but as usual I fell asleep during each feed. If I could just stay awake I reckon she'd have one good feed rather than us both falling asleep and not getting the job done properly!

I think we're only getting lots of rest because she's growing or something.

We've introduced an oz or 2 of
expressed milk to proceedings when it putting the toddler to bed. I've noticed that since we've done this that she (touch wood) hasn't been AS cry-y etc in the evenings.

Dh has said the penny has dropped for him now? and got a rush of love when he was feeding her a couple of nights ago. I am really chuffed but I've spent ages assuring people that dad doesn't have to feed the baby to bond 🙈

I think dd1s 4 month sleeps regression and subsequent 16 months of frequent waking, me sleeping on the floor of her room for several months, climbing in the cot with her and other total chaos has basically got me to the point where dd 2 will give me a break.... right?

@Twixes I'll ask the health visitor to have a look when she comes round to rule it out.

We have good breastfeeding support in my area and have had a daily phone call from the breastfeeding team. The lady today said he's probably going through a growth spurt so let's hope it doesn't carry on for too long. It's weird though, it's not like I've forgotten how hard last night was, but I definitely feel more matter of fact with it this morning. The power of sleep - and this explains why people have more kids!

Glad to hear other people fall asleep during feeding too. I was feeling like a bad person!

Glitters I am going through the same feeling , but according to my research this is very common symptoms so you don't really have to worry about anything, this shall pass, once the baby is here you wont even remember the strange feeling you are getting.

baby linda doesnt seem to want to feed lying down so ive ended up having to perch on the bed or prop myself up for night feeds. so hard to keep my eyes open.
shes just fallen asleep and im torn between having a much needed shower or a much needed sleep lol
@glitterglitters i dont think feeding is needed for bonding, maybe it was just coincidence. dh has found it easier this time i think, he used to bottle feed ds but we were just so tired and fed up all the time. it took me about 6 weeks to feel the love for ds but this time i feel it straught away (which makes me feel incredibly guilty)

I can't stress enough how much comfort and reassurance this thread brings me. Just being able to share and relate and realise that the ups and downs each of us are going through are totally normal... thank you all for contributing.

Like you with your first DS @mynameisntLinda I haven't felt the immediate rush of love yet. I undoubtedly love him and will do absolutely anything and everything to protect him, but that overwhelming sense of love hasn't hit me yet. Sometimes I look at him in complete awe and wonderment but it still doesn't quite register that he's my son and I'm his mother. I'm quite sure it will come with time, but it certainly hasn't been instant.

He's unbelievably cute, but I'm also struggling to see any kind of likeness in his face connecting to either me or my DH... I think if I could clearly see one or other of us (or a mixture of both) in him, maybe it would be easier for me to register that this gorgeous little baby was created by the two of us. Might sound weird but that's just how I feel right now!

Also like you @mynameisntLinda we have thus far failed at feeding lying down... it does make the night feeds extra arduous having to sit up and hold him and remain fully conscious for the duration. Maybe we'll get the hang of it eventually?

Bold fail, sorry 🤷🏼‍♀️🙄

Don't feel guilty Linda, I've been exactly the same! Like you, with DS it was more of a slow dawning thing, but this time around it was pretty much instant. For me I'd say it was because of the birth I had with DS...it was a complete car crash...I haven't mentioned it on the forum before in case I scared anyone but I had a massive, deep internal tear from cervix to outside, 3 transfusions, surgery, 3 nights in HDU and another 7 on the ward, oh and not to mention the complete urinary incontinence and the fact I left hospital in adult nappies. Fun times! So needless to say I found bonding slow at the start, particularly because it was coupled with a baby that couldn't be put down and fed constantly 24 hours a day.

But the body and mind are amazing things as I got pregnant just over year after that horrific birth :) c-section this time of course! And DS is such a great eater and sleeper, once he was on solids everything became so much easier.

Do we need a new thread soon? A post-natal one like someone said before.

Lally I'm on the case.

Link to the shiny new postnatal thread.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/postnatal_clubs/2994875-July-2017-7-The-One-Where-We-Have-Sleepless-Nights-and-Master-the-Art-of-Eating-Food-One-Handed