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 ...

@Zampa what is it?

I haven't had J weighed since he was 4 weeks but he is growing well and other than yesterday he only cries when he is hungry or tired.

Thankfully, although he had a really bad afternoon and evening, he slept for 7 hours last night and was smiling again this morning. So those who have their jabs coming up, don't fear, the feeling poorly doesn't seem to last too long.

It is J's first day at nursery tomorrow and I am feeling hugely emotional. My little 9 week old baby boy is going to nursery!

@durezidal It's a respiratory tract infection. Symptoms are similar to a cold with rapid/wheezy breathing and a cough. It's not serious in most babies but some have to go to hospital to have assistance with breathing. I'd be a bit more laid back about it if a friend's baby hadn't been one of the ones to go to hospital with it, just before Christmas.

Good luck with the tears at drop off (yours and Jasper's!).

I have heard that having a slow cooker with water and a few drops of obas oil in your bedroom overnight can clear blocked noses and chests, however I don’t know whether this is advisable for newborns. Maybe something to look in to? I agree with you @Zampa I think of everyone too and wonder how they’re getting on.
Good luck tomorrow @durez!
I have got the new year fever and suddenly just want to exercise and eat well etc! The only problem is dragging myself out of bed in the mornings to work out is so much harder now when I can so easily just snuggle up with Tildy...I’m still a stone heavier than I was before I got pregnant, and I’m not overweight but I just don’t want to let that extra weight hang around. I thought breastfeeding was meant to shift baby weight 🙄

Good luck @DuRezidal and hope @Zampa she feels better soon

@Hazandduck I've also put on a stone and two dress sizes since baby and would love to do more if t weren't for coccyx. On occasional days I'm trying to be good but hard with lots of Christmas food still around and am often hungry with little time to prep food which means snacking on junk!

@Zampa hope she's better soon
Hope the first day at nursery goes well @durezidal.

I didn't put on any weight in pregnancy (thanks to gestational diabetes and not being able to eat carbs or sugar) but was overweight before and I'm keen to get a bit fitter and eat better. Struggle a bit as when I'm tired I eat more for energy, and also agree that it's hard to find time to make the right food when looking after a baby.

Freddie was very upset last night after his jabs but once he stopped crying he slept 10pm - 2am. He hasn't really settled properly since 2 though, he is waking every 40 mins. I've told DH to get some sleep now before DD is up at 6am and then he can take them both and I'll get some sleep then.

DD2 has woken up hourly tonight. A real killer. Hoping OH will take over now!

Oh that’s so tough @Zampa and @buttery :( I am really dreading Matilda having her jabs next Friday, she’s such a sweet natured little baby I think it will break my heart to see her poorly and in pain 😢

We have our GP checkup today. Over the last fortnight she has gradually been sleeping for half an hour longer each night, last night she slept for 7 and a half hours without waking for a feed!

It is amazing to sleep for so long but she has gone from having a big messy poo once a day to having an even bigger messier one every 2-3 days which worries me a bit. She has lots of wet nappies still though.

We have our check up today too @hazanduck! Quite excited by the prospect! Also a good opportunity to get LO's cough checked out.

Hope you and Freddie got some sleep @butterybollocks.

@Hazandduck that's a great amount of sleep! How have u managed that?! Pooping every 2-3 days is normal as shows their digestive system is maturing xx

Good afternoon everyone. Sounds as though so much has been happening. Finally feel as though I'm coming out of worrying new mum phase as have stopped googling every single thing that happens with e. He still isn't sleeping much during the day but is sleeping at night and early morning so am going with his states atm. He is still only 24 days old so silly of me to expect so much. First trip into town by ourselves soon....am apprehensive but also looking forward to it. Much love to all x

You're doing better than me @motherhippy16, I'm still fretting and googling and everything 8 weeks in with a second baby

Did you get some more sleep @zampa? I sent DH downstairs with DD and Freddie. Freddie slept on him and I had another two hours of sleep which was lovely! He sleeps really well in the first part of the night but is rubbish in the early hours of the morning. I'm hoping he'll just grow out of it sometime soon

Haz DD was bf and once went 11 days without a poo. When it did finally arrive we were at baby massage and she was naked. It was a bit messy to say the least!

Same as you @butterybollocks. OH took lo at 0530 and I slept until 0830. Gorgeous!

Had my 6 week check this afternoon and the doctor removed about 6 inches of dissolvable stitches which hadn't dissolved!

@zampa did it hurt to have the stitches removed? I'm going for my check on the 19th & there is a stitch poking me when they repaired my 3rd degree tear, so things obviously aren't dissolving as they should be & I'm somewhat scared about what (if anything) the Dr might do!

@DiscombobulatedWomble It didn't hurt at all.

Doctor said that the last stitches didn't dissolve as the area was too dry. If you have time before your appointment, maybe have lots of baths to encourage them to dissolve on their own?

J's first day went really well and the staff all commented on what a smiley and calm baby he was! So proud!!!

That’s lovely @Durez, glad Jasper got on ok :)
@Lydia I have absolutely no idea! She does tend to cluster feed from about 4-5pm every half an hour to hour so I think she fills herself up, then at 7-8 we give her a bath or wash, little massage with the bedtime lotion, fresh pyjamas and then try and turn as many lights off as possible. She sleeps lightly feeding on and off on me until about 11.30 then Duck gives her about 4-5oz of formula which I think fills her up more than my milk! I woke in a panic the first night she slept for over 5 hours, with boobs about to burst.
@Zampa glad the appointment went well. I had my appointment too but the doc didn’t even ask about my stitches and didn’t look down there! She was making way more of a fuss of Matilda who was being very smiley and gurgly haha. To be fair I think it’s fine, had sex a few weeks ago and it was painless, and it seems to look all normal down there...Tildy was 7lbs 12 when she was born and is now 10lbs 8oz, I can’t believe what a chunk she is. So glad she has gained weight, I find it so hard to gage myself if she is getting all she needs off me.

@buttery that sounds...embarrassing haha! The doctor suggested giving her boiled water to help her pass poo more easily but said it wasn’t anything to worry about. Xx

@motherhippy it feels good coming out of the fog. You still worry but it gradually gets less crippling. I remember just sitting crying thinking “what if I get a cold sore.” I was obsessed I text visitors before they came round to check they didn’t have one! Hope you’re ok xx

Does anyone else be find they wake up in the night before baby? Each time she is due a feed I wake up about 30-60 minutes before she does because boobs are so full. Seem inefficient to me! I use Haakaa almost every night time feed so wondering if that is creating extra issues?

@Hazandduck I heard formula fills up baby more than breastfeeding, so u express whilst your DH does the formula feed or has your supply adapted? My DH has started saying baby won't take a bottle off him, but I am not having that, I need her to take bottle so that I can have a life! We persevere, he has to be more patient!

Hey ladies

Haz I do wake about 20 mins before a feed too. I'd considered using a Hakka but didn't buy one in the end. We're weaning Frederick off nipple shields and have got as far as only using them at night so perhaps I might try a Hakka soon do you manage to collect much during a feed from your opposite boob?

I wonder if we all feel like sharing an up to date photo.

Here's Freddie, 7.5weeks, 8.11lbs (6.15 at birth), breastfed.

Lovely photo @izzibee29.

Here's Leonore, 9lb 7 at 6.5 weeks (6lb 9 at birth). EBF.

She's been trying to smile but hasn't quite got the hang of it yet! We're going to do a photo session with her today to get a nice picture for her thank you cards.

Thank you @zampa, glad it didn't hurt! I am bemused though in the hospital they were very vocal about keeping the area clean & dry! I guess that's until the skin has knitted together & now it has the stitches need moisture.. who knows!

I was surprised that I wasn't checked over during the 6 week check. I was given permission to drive again though which made me very happy.

We are struggling with a routine. I'm not allowed to bath Bea as I not allowed to take her out of her harness. Which a shame as baths do seem to relax her which help at bedtime. I bath her every two weeks at the hospital. It's not forever though, trying to be positive.

This is Bea, 12 weeks old. 6lb 4oz at birth and 10lb 4oz last week. FF baby.

Lovely seeing the up to date photos! We're also struggling with complete lack of routine, DH has been off work since 22 December so we're still in Christmas mode. He goes back to work on Monday and I have things planned for next week (including our first baby sensory class on Monday: mainly because it was cheap and local, I'm actually a bit nervous as I'm convinced she's going to cry, sleep or vomit through it but it gets me out of the house!)

Felicity is 8 weeks tomorrow, FF, 10lbs 14oz now (8lbs 8oz at birth).

Bea looks very angelic and what big eyes Felicity has! Great to see them all growing up!