November 2017 #5. You wait ages for a baby, then 3 come along at once. Ante/post-natal chat ...

[Zampa]

No specific post-natal category so I've added it to the normal ante-natal category ...

Congratulations @izzibee29, lovely photos. Sorry to hear you had a tough start, hopefully things are much easier now.

@AccrualIntentions good to hear Felicity is doing better.

I'm also going stir crazy being stuck at home, that's why I was so desperate to drive again. It's very rare for me to be at home all day normally. I'll be going out every weekday now to drop DS at the childminder or preschool so that's a start. I'm popping into work this week to introduce everyone to Iris & another day I'm heading into the city centre to finish off the Christmas shopping / find something that actually fits for my Christmas party.

Congratulations @izzibee29 great choice of name

I have to leave the house every day or I go stir crazy! I've been walking 4-5 miles a day for the past week or two and I feel so much better after a walk. I have the school run to do and two dogs to walk so it's a good job I like walking! When DD was a baby I used to walk 3 miles every afternoon for her nap.

@Hazandduck @theotherendofthesockportal sorry to hear you’re having a tough time. I will join you in the difficult grizzling feeding cycle. Liliana has grizzled for days and seems to only take solace in using me as a dummy :-/ I know she isn’t drinking properly because boobs feel full after she has either fallen asleep (for 5 mins) or pulled away just to suckle in my nipple. I have to keep pulling her off but she is a very strong baby with vice like grip and I am in agony :-/

@lydiangel you may already know this but you can pop your little finger in the corner of her mouth to break the latch and take her off

Big up the house leavers! It's 1310 here and I'm still in my dressing gown! DP is back at work but have managed a shower and a load in the washing machine!

Will attempt a trip to the library later ... Wish me luck!

We've been out for a 3 mile walk as the weather was lovely, and had a sainsburys delivery so I actually have food. I feel properly accomplished! (It'll probably all go to pot this afternoon ).

Oh @lydia I’m so sorry I feel your pain :( we have tongue tie clinic at 4pm I am praying this is a miracle cure I can’t carry on like this, had a migraine this morning after about 30 minutes of sleep last night because she just wouldn’t settle 😓 Me and DH battling in the small hours too, everything is just so raw at that time. Come morning we are always back to normal but the nights are just terrible at the moment. I fell asleep with her in my arms and he went mad at me and I started crying at about 4am! I feel so awful, I can’t believe I fell asleep with her and he woke up with her head between us both, terrifies me I don’t trust myself when I’m this exhausted xx

How did you get on at tongue tie clinic @Hazandduck ? I fell asleep holding DS in hospital just after he was born. He was cluster feeding & I was just so tired, I closed my eyes for a second & woke myself up when my head dropped. I felt awful but it's so easy to do when you're that tired. That's why I now always look at stuff on my phone if I'm doing night feeds to keep me awake. It's proving quite harmful to my bank account though!

How's the mastitis @lydiangel83?

I managed a full food shop this morning thanks to the close caboo. Think it's going to be a game changer, she was so settled in it. Definitely going to try it round the house too as she only really catnapped today & wouldn't settle unless I was holding her.

I may be about to ask the most stupid question ever, but, what do you do with your babies whilst they are awake? Bea is now awake for several hours at a time. I sing nursery rhymes, or put her in her play/gym bouncer. But this doesn't take up much time/ I get bored of singing, then she ends up crying. What am I supposed to be doing?

@theotherendofthesockportal Try; some baby massage; giving a running commentary on what you're doing; talking in a higher pitched voice; showing baby different objects ... Nothing very high brow!

Singing is definitely a good one to continue with. I highly recommend Rhyme Time at your local library. I learnt lots of new tunes!

Well... the midwife couldn't do the sweep! Babies head is too low and my cervix is behind so she couldn't reach! Have to wait until Friday for another midwife to do and until then it's long walks and sitting up straight and engaged etc.... I'm getting a little fed up now but it is lovely to hear of all of you're wondeful babies x x x x I hope everyone is well x x x

Sock I just chat to F, take him on walks round the house or to look out of the window, or pop him on his play mat for 5 mins (while I drink tea!). Just looking at the world and watching your facial expressions etc is enough when they're tiny.

I'm attempting the school run on my own for the first time this morning - my mum has been popping in to help when DH has been at work. So I'm up early to express before everyone else wakes up.

@theotherendofthesockportal I put Liliana in her sling and go about jobs because I agree, after a short while of talking and singing I have run out of things to talk and sing about!

To be fair I have had such a grizzly baby last few days that I will take any moments silence as complete bliss and enjoy it, so she probably hasn’t had much interaction out of me beyond feeding and basics :-/

Mastitis seems on the mend thank you ladies. Didn’t take antibiotics in the end as didn’t have the fever / flu like last time and trying to resolve by massage, heat, pumping etc.

I am a bit concerned tho as still weeing blood occasionally. I went to docs about this a few weeks ago and they said UTI, even tho none of the burning / pain of a normal UTI. Gave me amoxicillin antibiotics which a later GP said isn’t usually effective for UTI :-/ went back to GP as still felt a bit weird when I sat in certain positions, and they said still bacteria in wee but if no symptoms let’s not treat. Now I have the blood in wee again I will go back to doctors, but I am worried it may be a different issue. I’m wondering if it’s possible my bladder parts got damaged in pregnancy / labour?! I had forceps delivery 5 weeks ago. Any experience/ thoughts welcome!

@lydiangel83 Definitely go back to the doctor. I had recurrent UTIs after my first baby but couldn't see the blood in my wee and antibiotics did help.

How is everyone doing today?

I'm investing in freddie's naps today because he has ended up overtired the past two mornings. So I'm just back from walking 5 miles to keep him asleep in the pushchair. Hoping he might stay asleep long enough for me to eat lunch but he's stirring so I think it's unlikely.

Felicity has been sound asleep in the Moses basket since 10am. I've had a nap, a hot breakfast, a wash, watched some TV undistrurbed, it's bliss! But if she doesn't know the difference between day and night, why does she refuse to sleep anywhere except on me at night?! Off for another walk this afternoon, I've been feeling much better for getting out of the house every day.

DD has a cold, the poor little thing, as do the rest of us. However, it's coincided with her getting better at sleeping, so small consolations!

She's now sleeping in her side by side cot rather than with/on me, which is a relief when it comes to SIDS risks. Still falling asleep on me, whilst feeding but that's ok!

And she just did a stretch of 2hrs 15, which is 30 minutes longer than usual. Feel like we're making progress!

Sorry you are all poorly @Zampa but great news on the sleep progress! Really pleased for you. 👏👏👏

How are you doing @MotherHippy16? Any progress?

@Zampa back to doctors today as no signs of UI except bleeding eg no itching / burning, and I am wondering if some internal bleeding :-/ also bleeding out of the other holes but they are explainable (post partum and heammorrhoids). I literally feel like I am falling apart, an old running injury in hip has flared up - I think from being weak and inactive :-/

Hope that it's nothing serious @lydiangel83.

@lydiangel83 you poor thing, it does sound rough. I hope the doctors can help you xx

Thanks ladies. Doctor said wait for 6 wk check next week where they should examine me. Not in pain (apart from coccyx and burning nipples) so will have to see what they say I guess

@lydiangel83 I wouldn't wait that long! I would demand to be seen ASAP. I get so annoyed that women get fobbed off all the time, especially when our bodies have been through the trauma of carrying and delivering a baby.

@gingerhanna still no signs have been walking every day, sitting on my yoga ball, having spicy things etc and nothing! Am having a sweep tomorrow morning (if they can do it) but have resigned myself to be induced on Tuesday. Baby is still perfectly happy and wriggling and kicking but I am getting very achey around my hips from sleeping on my side's. Just want to meet my baby now! How is everyone doing? X