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 ...

@Topsyloulou we provide 5oz feeds for Bea, sometimes she drains the lot other times she will have 3oz, then we give her the other 2oz when she starts to act hungry. Acting hungry = crying, sucking on fingers, opening mouth and moving head side to side.

@Topsyloulou we’ve been encouraging our very sucky baby (ouch my nipples!) to suck her thumb, hadn’t thought about how to wean her off!

@GingerHanna we had photo shoot Thursday and she was angelic, then a nightmare at night! I wonder if because I am not breastfeeding, giving her express milk instead.

I slept in spare room and got 5 hrs straight last night, feel so much better today for it! Total luxury lol!

@theotherendofthesockportal We use a dummy for DD. It started in hospital when she was tube fed and we did dummy dips in expressed milk to give her a taste. Having been previously "anti dummy" I did see how much comfort she got from it. She's now 2.5 and far less reliant on it. We use it at bed time and when she's tired or upset during the day but she's less interested in it now.

A friend's baby acts hungry after a big feed. She was feeding him again but that was leading to huge vomits (presumably because he was full up). She has since introduced a dummy and he sucks that instead of feeding again and things have settled down.

Hi all... sorry I have been a bit absent and sorry for all the high levels of emotions.. it sounds so so hard and I think u are all doing amazingly well with the tiny humans! My mw said at the breast feeding clinic that we are aiming for 10-12 feeds in 24 hours with the minimum 6-8 of being really good feeds. I'm 37+2 today and no sign of anything. Think I'm having some Braxton hicks but this could be baby getting into an uncomfortable position. I just don't know! Mw on Tuesday... hospital bag packed... just need to finish the nursery and wait for baby to come! Lots of love to all x

@Topsyloulou and @Zampa thank you for your replies re: the dummy. I shall be going out shopping for some tomorrow. Bea has been awake since 4pm feeding on and off and I need a rest. DH has been busy doing my usual evening household tasks after working 6 days in a row in a physical job and is now conked out, at the moment I feel like propping my eyes open with matchsticks.

@butterybollocks the perfect prep machine is just amazing, it’s the nespresso machine for babies! We are just formula feeding and Jasper is doing so well on it. He had his 10 day check today and weighs 7lb so has exceeded his birth weight of 6lb 12oz. Therefore we have now been discharged from the midwife which is great!

He is having between 2 and 3 oz a feed at the moment so not huge amounts but obviously enough. Even though we did all this with our daughter it seems that we add starting from scratch again as I feel as though I have forgotten everything from the first time around.

@theotherendofthesockportal we used the MAM dummies with DS. They come in their own little steriliser box so super handy if you’re out & about. I’d suggest buying dummy clips too. DS had a habit of losing his dummy at the worst times & the dummy clip makes it easier to find / stops it hitting the floor.

Thank you @Topsyloulou, I will get those. I do like a tried and tested product. You were awake at an unsociable hour?

DuRez and sock good to hear the perfect prep is working well for you. Ours should arrive today.

We've been really struggling with Freddie at night - he's been tired but just not sleeping in his crib, he cries and fusses everytime we put him in. We've only been getting 3 hours sleep a night. Last night we decided to try putting him in the sleepyhead - he slept for 5 hours solid, woke for a feed, and went straight back to sleep. He's still asleep now but I'm up expressing some milk. Feel very refreshed after some proper sleep!

Those of you who've had sections, how is your recovery going? Mine was 5 days ago and I feel great, don't really need painkillers but I'm also conscious that this might mean I'm doing a bit too much.

Glad you had a better night @butterybollocks. I’ve heard good things about the sleepyhead & the difference it can make. I think it’s the feeling cocooned that does it. My DB bought us the Aldi version & Iris loves it. It’s proving handy to take when we visit people too.

I’m 6 days post section & still taking paracetamol & ibuprofen 3 times a day. I don’t get any pain if I take them regularly but I messed my timings up on Friday & was in a fair amount of discomfort. TMI warning - I did overdo it a bit on Friday post topping up my painkillers & my bleeding which is fairly light now got quite heavy again. I remember the mw telling me last time it was my body’s way of saying I’d overdone it. Had similar yesterday after the hospital & a visit to family & passed a big clot which really knocked me out & I fell asleep on the sofa for an hour which I never do. I’m trying really hard to take it easy but I’m finding it so frustrating. DP is great but he doesn’t see all the things that need doing & I feel bad pointing them out. DS is being really good & being gentle with me but I just want to be down on the floor playing with him. It is definitely getting easier every day though & recovery is definitely better this time round.

Buttery he's still absolutely brand new, it's completely normal for him to not want to sleep in crib. Definitely google the fourth trimester if you haven't already. I'm amazed a 5 day old even slept 3-5 hours, that's fantastic going!

I’m on antibiotics for mastitis and milk production dropped off a cliff. Has anyone else had this experience? Baby is 12 days old and I really want to exclusively breast feed. Any advice or experience? I’m expressing every 4 hours when we feed (bottle express milk) but supply will run out by tomorrow at the rate it’s coming out.

The sleepyhead is amazing!!! We have one that our friends have given us and we have used it from the third night in and it’s made a huge difference. My little owl has migrated 😁

Jasper slept last night 8pm - 11.30pm, 12am - 3.45am, 4.30am - 8.15am! I can’t ask any more than that from him

Lydia are you feed directly from breast too? This is the quickest way to get rid of mastitis and up supply. I'd express every 3 hours if exclusively pumping and drink plenty water, eat some oaty things to help production etc. Lots of skin to skin with baby.

@butterybollocks I’m 4 weeks post section and I still don’t feel 100% back to normal. I did have a set back earlier this week when I burst part of the scar, the pain Cate back and I started to bleed vaginally again.

I’m now taking things easy again, no pushing the buggy etc. I find it so hard to not do things around the house but I know I’m too weak to do it. I’m hoping to be back to normal in another couple of weeks.

@Foggymist thanks for advice will try those things, can feed from breast but had a few days of not doing so because it was so painful. Boobs less painful now but nipples still burn after she has been on them. She has a really strong suck and it’s agony. Also wondering if burning is from infection?

I haven't had mastitis but my friend did and she said while feeding through it was the most excruciatingly painful thing ever it cleared it quickly and kept up supply. She said she literally squeezed her mum's hand to stop herself crying with the pain, but within 24 hours it all felt better. Can you contact a lactation consultant just to be sure of what's best to do?

@lydiangel I've had mastitis in the past and agree that feeding through it is the best way to clear it and maintain supply, foggymist has some good suggestions. Ime it causes pain in the breast, especially where the blockage is, not Nipple pain. However, burning nips is common at the beginning and if you haven't already maybe get the latch checked, double check for tongue tie etc. Other than that, you could try Nipple Shields - they have pros and cons but can really get you through the early days until nipples toughen up a bit. I've also heard good things about lansinoh cream (I'm allergic to it so haven't used it).

Also maybe ask your doctor if you could try a different antibiotic?

@topsyloulou ditto on the bleeding increasing when I've done too much. Keep having to remind myself to take it easy. I'd like to do the school run tomorrow but think it might be too much? It's a mile walk and a bit of waiting around.

@lydiangel83 I've heard that feeding through mastitis is the best way to clear it up but easier said than done! Would nipple shields help?

When DD was tiny, in order to top up my expressed supplies, the NICU nurses mixed it in with formula. Would you be happy doing this whilst waiting for your supplies to get back up?

Two weeks old today. Feels like it’s getting harder not easier but that is probably sleep deprivation.

He keeps falling asleep on the boob so it’s a real struggle to get enough food in him. We still have to top up with expressed milk and pump after ever feed... just wish I could see an end in sight. Lactation consultant said that when he hits 3.5kg he should be strong enough to get all he needs directly off the breast... but I don’t know how to transition to that.

Pretty damned fed up right now.

@GingerHanna I have the same issue she latches on super tight then falls asleep! How did you get to see a lactation consultant? I’d like to see one I think. I’m sad that my milk supply is reducing due to mastitis / antibiotics/ bottle feeding expressed milk because too painful to breast feed

@lydiangel83 My Kramzorg called the one she knew and it went through my insurance - please remember that I am in the Netherlands so very different system to you!

I am so fed up of just getting from one feeding session to the next. I am loosing track of days and wondering where they go so quickly and then dreading each night.

Not sure if this is normal or not?

@Topsyloulou I’ve bought the MAM dummys you have recommended and will try them later.

I noticed @Hazandduck has been quiet, are you having your baby?

lydia try googling IBCLCs in your area. They're the ones that should really know their stuff. I'm planning on demanding to see our local one pretty much as soon as the baby is born. With DS1 his TT was missed & I was told that DS2 didn't have one until I demanded a second opinion from the IBCLC & she cut it & his weight picked up again. Everyone else insisted that feeding must be fine because he was slowly gaining weight. What they didn't take into account was the pain I was in or the fact that I have a really strong let down so was basically pouring milk into him without him having to do much! I found with both of them that by 9w the let down wasn't enough to pump the milk into them & their weight tailed off. DS1 ended up seeing a paed for high energy formula. We avoided that with DS2 because I kicked up a fuss!

Have you spoken to your HV @lydiangel83?

My health visitor has given me the details of all the breast feeding cafes in the area and the name of the lactation consultant who runs them. I'm going to give her a call next week (pre-baby) to run through a few things.