September 2020 7 - babies are arriving!

[sianyflewog]

Just making this ready xx

Congratulations @Roxy8203 ❤️

Hey @LatteLover12 @Emmy2020 I got home yesterday - 2.5 days after having her via c section. The ward I was I. Had 6 beds, everyone's curtains were drawn and all ladies were so quiet. Sept is busy month apparently due to the Christmas and new year baby boom!! I was crying so much cause I was happy to be going home but in knew others were crying as their mommy wouldn't see their partner for days. I still feel so sad thinking about it.

@HugeAgeGap thank you for that. It's just so hard! I expressed 2 teaspoons of colostrum and gave it direct to get. She is guzzling away 50ml
If aptamil which is a lot for a tiny person. One nip totally cracked, we are working together on the other side. She's been falling asleep at the breast too and no matter what I tickle / blow into her face, she doesn't flinch!!

Thanks @Sara7455 it really is tough. Our girl will not let us put her down. She wants to be on either of us all the time. Iv currently been holding her since 130am and stilll am!!!

Thanks @sianyflewog that makes sense. Iv read newborns want to be close to their mums, the smell as you mention and the familiar sound of my heartbeat settles her.

@ChipsAreLife I think I'll start expressing and use the ma'am kit with steriliser. I would love for her just to be on boob but she never wants out down either n I'm wrecked! I know a dummy would sort that but I'm so reluctant!! Arghhhh feel like bad mom lol

Congrats @Roxy8203 💙

Thanks for updating us @Chanel05 the little girls coming through thick n fast now!!!

@emma278 I hope your ok xx

@Emmy2020b hope all ok too xx

Our girl is called sienna. I can't put her down at all, she hates it!!!!! Anyone else?!!

@ShiningStarz mine the same with being put down. Only sleeps on us. To get her in her Moses basket we now warm up a wheat bag to warm the mattress as we think she hates going down off us because it's cold! We swaddle her as well to keep her warm. MW suggested using white noise but that hasn't helped us so far. I think just gotta keep perceiving with them going down as it's not practical to have them stuck to you, but if a rod for your own back later down the line!

Hope you've sorted the feeding one way or another! Your cracked side should recover in around 24hrs as mine was cracked and Really really sore but just not using it and only expressing for 24hrs deffo helped and now it's still not healed but not to painful to use - oh the joys!! xx

Any c section ladies struggling with bowel movement?! It's now been 9 days and I can't go, I really need to go but can't. Partner bought me some stool softener sachets and took one yesterday but no joy yet.

I've also run out of dihydrocodeine now but the pain is still there, have only got paracetamol. What day did c section girls stop the painkillers? It's day 9 and last c section i stopped all painkillers by this point but I'm still getting pain this time around and twinges inside, worried I've done something bad trying to strain to go to the toilet xx

@HugeAgeGap - how about ibruprofen alongside regular paracetamol ? Keep taking the drugs !!! Pain is normal!!

Hopefully the stool softener should have helped by now. Keep eating fruit and veg and try peppermint tea as well. I’m in a similar boat though haven’t taken the softener yet as I’m only 5 days post section today but will consider one tonight !!

Also yes finding that at night she doesn’t really want to be put down and cluster feeds - seems happy to sleep the day away in pram on the other hand!!

My first baby was the same, she wouldn't be put down and wanted to be held all the time. I think she also had her nights and days mixed for the first week, it was tough. We persevered and like @hugeagegap we used a combination of swaddling, heating up the mattress with a water bottle, white noise, and I would use my pillow case (with my scent on) as a fitted sheet for her moses basket.

@ShiningStarz - beautiful name! You need to do what works for you both at the end of the day. We did try the dummy thing with Wren and it worked but then when he wasn’t gaining much weight over a 2 Week period I felt like a bad mum and like he must have been genuinely hungry. Varies between babies of course though. Expressing and combination feeding everything by bottle is absolutely working for us- it’s not what I wanted to do originally but when The nurses weren’t happy that he wasn’t gaining weight and I was crying at 5am again after 2weeks of trying it’s the compromise we ended up with to make sure he still got some Breast milk but was also full and happy. Expressing is tough but so are us mamas and it is doable.

I was in a very similar position when I first brought Wren home (after the first few days when he was still sleeping from exhaustion and needed to be woken for food). Once he was full I could get him to go down if I kept in physical contact with him (just my hand on his chest or something) when I first put him in the snuzpod. In hospital we also used scent cloths to help - just some fabric you put down your top for a few hours before bed and then put it in with them so they still have your smell. You can have two on rotation if she needs them for day naps too

@shiningstarz sounds really tough but sounds like you are doing amazing 😘 as long as baby is fed do whatever works for you.
Love hearing about post natal life though it sounds exhausting, in a few weeks we'll all be in the same position! Sienna is a beautiful name!

@laura1348 nice to hear from you hope you're doing well x

@ShiningStarz - something you can try (that I’ve just remembered) if you’re hoping to transition back to BF when she’s stronger is offer her the breast for 10-15mins Max (while bottle is warming for example) so she still gets the idea and then take her off to bottle feed and then settle and express or pass her to OH to settle while you then do your expressing. That way she still gets to try BF and your breasts are still being emptied to maintain supply and build your fridge/freezer stock. In theory once she’s getting the hang of BF more then you can transition back to doing that exclusively. The nurses in neonatal recommended that strategy but tbh it got hard going through that whole process once OH went back to work which is when I decided to stick with expressing. He still has a little go on the breast occasionally but he’s got lazy now so he’s not that keen.

Fed is ultimately best and if you’re both just exhausted and stressed then find what works. This way she still gets all the benefits of breastmilk and you can do cuddles and skin to skin with everyone calmer.

That’s a beautiful name @ShiningStarz ❤️

I haven’t read all the advice that the others have given you, but something I was advised to do was to put a t-shirt or something you’d been wearing in the crib (I used to put it over the mattress so it couldn’t be a hazard) so they have the smell of you when they’re put down. You could also pop something warm in the crib when she isn’t in there to keep it warm, so when you transfer her it isn’t cold compared to the warmth of your arms? You could also keep your hand on her when she’s transferred until she’s back in that deep sleep.

Do you have a white noise machine? Ewan the Sheep came into our life on day 4 and felt like a saviour.

The one thing we always used to hear was “this too shall pass” which used to drive me insane, but actually I just think with regards to feeding and sleeping, you do what works for you. You’re sensible people, you won’t put your baby at risk so whatever you do will be fine. I used to read everything and it drove me nuts, but need to remember baby hasn’t read those same books so it’s just a case of figuring out what is right for your family. Xx

@MooseWL
Hey! God what a learning curve! No time to do anything other than: bottles/ boobs/ wee/ poo etc... 😂😂
Hope your doing well
Xx

@ShiningStarz Wow, Sienna is the name we’ve chosen too! Well, 99 per cent sure we are going with that! Hope you’re doing well?

I was in hospital until 11.30pm and didn’t get home until midnight. I think I’d had a show and also wasn’t feeling well all day & was finding it so hard to breathe. Had so many tests, baby moving fine though, then they thought it might be a blood clot in my chest which was causing breathing issues so then had to get wheeled to x ray, loads of sitting around waiting for my results but luckily all came through okay! So relived. Wasn’t sure what to expect as they told me to bring my bag just in case. They are calling tomorrow to book me another scan and consultation and are going to book my induction for my due date.

Aww @Emmy2020b sorry you were in hospital so long, it’s great that they checked you out so thoroughly though! Glad everything is ok 😊

@OrDis Thank you. Yeah at least they did all the checks. My poor mum was sat out in the car for nearly 5 hours! My husband was going to come to hospital but I said not to unless something was going to happen, which was a good job or he’d of had to sit outside for hours too!

Awww it’s so hard with them not being able to come in with you isnt it. DH is going to drop me tomorrow for the growth scan and i’ve told him to just go home (we live 10 mins from the hospital) but he’s insistent he wants to sit in the car. It’s sweet but the appointment isn't till late afternoon and they are always running behind so he’ll probably be there forever in the 25 degree heat we are supposed to be having! Silly guy!

@HugeAgeGap speak to
Your go. I went straightaway after the catheter came out and have been everyday since. Maybe try lots water if you haven't already x

We bought the mam starter kit with the 4 bottles and steriliser today. Our little
One feeds every 2 hrs! It's just too hard on my nips so plan to get medulla electric pump
And express. Anyone got experience of medulla? Midiwife recommended the double pump, it's expensive but I really want this to work, feels so good expressing.

@Sara7455 now I'm home with her and my partner is here all the time, we are so much better at it: just having own pillows and environment and also warmer here too so nice to be able to undress and relax. Wev been expressing and feeding her from spoon the times my nips just need the break and she accepts that well.

That's a fab idea @sianyflewog I guess everything is so new with no smells. I like the temperature warming up idea too 💡

Hope your ok @Emmy2020b that's a lot to have gone through but glad you got the all clear. Thinking of u xx re, name, great minds think alike :)

@OrDis my partner was the same, it makes them feel useful x

@ShiningStarz glad things are going much better now you’re all home! It is so much more comfortable in your own environment.

I used the Medela pump in hospital, but they cost a small fortune. A friend has given me her Spectra S1 and I’d definitely Recommend it - it’s hospital grade and double pump so it’s pretty good. Main difference is it doesn’t have the “initiate” Automatic mode the hospital ones do to get your milk to come in initially but I don’t think that’s the end of the world.

@OrDis My husband was in the middle of a cricket match so I was like just carry on with the game 😂and I’ll call if anything changes. We live 30-40 mins from hospital but was sure there would be enough time.
Yeah not liking that it’s getting hot again I’m quite happy with clouds and cool weather 😁
@ShiningStarz Yes great minds! 🤗 Aw Thank you!
I’m getting impatient now though! But pretty much spent today lying on my bed watching tv and napping so making the most of sleep while I can!

@MooseWL How’s that bag coming along?

@ShiningStarz I had a medela with my first two it is good but expensive. I've got the Piaek from amazon for £30. I've been pumping 8 time's a day with it no problem and I've got my supply up now so I don't have To use any formula.

Thank you @ChipsAreLife and @sianyflewog . @sianyflewog I remember you mentioning that pump ages ago. I'll look into those ones, thanks. Other.

Well we got the ma'am starter kit of bottles ad steriliser today. Honestly our little girl slept for 4 hrs straight after a bottle feed (60ml) and nappy change! She met al the grandparents etc today so maybe that's why but also it was her first full day at home and maybe her smells and mine are obviously here and she feels so much more settled. I'm up doing my turn to stay awake but she's currently sleeping in her living room crib. I slept 9-1.30 and I'm wide awake now as partner catches some snoozes!!
BF is great for her and me, I do hope to fully express like you @ChipsAreLife so I can give her a full feed measured!! So glad your supply is up etc x

I can't remember who said.. but today we put a blanket on Moses basket so when we set her in it for daytime nap if wasn't a cold sheet and she's settled in !! It would be too thick to leave on all night but fab idea!!

So I'm down to my last 48hrs before baby and I feel like I should be doing something!

My feet and ankles are so sore and swollen that I don't feel I can walk very far 🤦🏼‍♀️

The house is clean, I've washed anything that's not nailed down, the crib is up...

@LatteLover12 sleep sleep sleep! Or have a nice long bath if you like them.