The babies are here! September 2020

[LatteLover12]

Hi all 👋🏻

Here's a new thread so we can keep chatting through the sleepless nights and the many outfits they've already grown out of... 😄

@ShiningStarz sounds like she's in a good routine! Eva manages about 1 hour of awake time, and she's happy in her bouncer. Im avoiding lying her flat because she's got a bit of reflux so not going on the playing mat yet. She also gets extremely tired in the evening and for the past few nights she just screams after her bath because she's so tired and can't handle anymore. We might have to skip the bath or extend her last nap

Anyone feeling not themselves?! Thinkv put on 3 stone and I can't seem to get myself eating healthy!! Also haven't even tried sorting my eyebrows really all year with lockdowns lol!! Some days I go without water all day and I usually start the week off good but by mid week I'm exhausted and just eat toast, biscuits and takeaways!!!

Also anyone else not using a dummy for their LO? I have to time a trip in the car after a feed and I only have a 1hr window to do stuff!! Would a dummy means she would settle for longer in the car / out shopping ?!

On a plus note I bought LO her Xmas day outfit, denim dungaree dress with a red top for under it and Xmas red and cream tights! Eeek I never thought I'd be buying my own child's Xmas outfit! I was asked at the till if I wanted a gift receipt n I proudly and loudly announced NO not this time as it's for MY daughter 🥰 feel blessed!!

Ps I noticed couple raised blisters just above my section scar 🤔 anyone else? In 10 weeks post section so doubting it's an infection at this late stage??

@MooseWL ah your MIL sounds lovely ☺️ I'm the same mine is amazing, I lost my incredible DM when pregnant with my second so to have a MIL who is so supportive is something I truly grateful for!! I know what you mean, you defo do get used to it and you also become very good at naps! Make sure you get those in at weekends when you can.

@Lilice oh that will be so hard when she goes back 😢 I'm sure you'll be ok though. The guilt is unreal isn't it? I just keep telling the girls they had all my attention as babies and it won't last forever. I really want to work on getting him to sleep better on his own in the day so I can get some time to do stuff!
Yes same, no more after this. I would probably keep going if I could lol! But I realistically wouldn't cope. That's good you can go back one day a week to start.

Are you just expressing at night? The last two nights he's been down by 7.30 but woken up every 2/3 hours for a feed and then gone back to sleep. I actually managed to have an evening last night where I watched I'm a celeb without baby! Progress lol!

@ShiningStarz bless you, I would say now is not a great time to make any decisions on having another baby. See how you feel later down the line you've still got time. Just be careful with contraception I feel pregnant when my first was 10 months because I had just stopped BF and had a surge in hormones... was awaiting my period to start the pill that never came 🤭
I'm the same at the moment. I'm trying to get out for a walk or two each day but I'm eating so much sugar. I'm addicted to marshmallows and easily do a bag day! I've told myself no more though and trying to go cold turkey! I think I'll try lose the weight and shape up after Xmas!

Mince pies are my new biscuits 🙈

@ChipsAreLife after Christmas is a great idea!!

Anyone else got their first period yet?? I'm still waiting although feeling very crampy this morning xx

@ShiningStarz yes mine came this week (I think anyway, it hasnt been long since my lochia stopped). It hasnt been any heavier than usual, but I have been feeling more crampy than previously

Thanks @OrDis I'm sure mine will be here soon enough! Was it a normal one for u? Mine were really heavy before I got pregnant

@ShiningStarz yes fairly normal, maybe even a little lighter actually... i’m assuming it was a period as my lochia stopped a few weeks prior and then I had some typical ovulation-type mucus. Mine have never been too heavy (lucky in that respect) but I definitely felt more period pain this time around than usual

@ChipsAreLife it's great to have our evenings back, i keep thinking I should probably go to bed early too and end up staying up very late watching TV 😱 it wasn't that long ago that I would have Eva every evening sleeping on my chest until midnight because she wouldn't go down in her own bed before then. Things change so quickly. Hopefully it will be the same with naps, but ive always found day time sleep harder to tame.
I express after the kids have gone to bed and once during the night although I don't want to but my boobs need it lol. How many times do you express? I give formula too and still breastfeed whenever I can but If she's too hungry she'll get too frustrated. The cheap elvie version i got isn't good because the flange is massive and I have to wait a month to receive a smaller one, not very happy about that. I realise my piaek flange is too big too but don't know if smaller ones are available.

@ShiningStarz Eva takes a dummy but not always. She mainly takes it just before she falls asleep then spits it out and she's taking it less and less already. Maybe it would help Sienna go to sleep when her awake window runs out?
Still no Af for me but been feeling crampy so might be on its way

Random question for those of you that have done this before! We've been invited to a friends wedding next year in April. (I'll be optimistic and assume it won't have to be cancelled due to covid...)
The only thing is it's no children...just me and my partner and its also 4 hours away so would either involve a really early morning then an overnight stay, or staying the night before too.

I'm thinking our options are to say no as Jacob will be too young for me to want to be away from him for 2 nights so far away , and I'll still hopefully be feeding him. We have family who would happily have him if we did want to go, and I could express.

Or as my parents suggested they could come down and stay nearby/in the same hotel where we'd stay and make a long weekend break of it and look after the baby in the day but he'd still be close and I'd be able to have him in the evenings. I do really want to go to the wedding but logistically I'm just not sure and tempted to say no but obviously don't know how I'll feel at 7 months!

What does everyone think? I've got to rsvp by next weekend!

@MooseWL I've also been invited to a childless wedding next year in Sheffield and I live in devon. I think if it were an option I'd have my parents come up and stay to look after him in the day rather than be away from him that long please feeding could also be an issue

@MooseWL I think id take up your parents offer- best of both worlds then 🙂

@MooseWL I've never been in that situation but I'd rsvp yes (if you really want to go) and take up your parents offer (if they're genuinely happy to help abd don't mind)

@MooseWL so ... I left my first overnight at 10 weeks. It was DH birthday and DSIS was desperate to have her. I got a decent sleep and it was so nice. I then had one of my best friends hen for at 4 months and had two nights away.

Dd2 my DSIS had for three nights when she was 7 months as DH had a big bday and I needed a break having lost DM at 9 months pregnant.

Personally I'm very lucky as my DM, DSIS and DSIL were/are amazing and I completely trusted them. I expressed loads before and left enough milk for feeds. I pumped regularly when away and supply was fine. I had the best time away and felt like me again and recharged so I would go for it!!!

@Lilice I've actually stopped putting him to bed at 7 as he was doing his big stretch then and then waking every 2/3 hours so I was shattered!!
I express every three hours and then when he wakes in the night. I give one bottle of formula every other day as I can't keep up! I said I wanted to get to three months which I'm nearly at... think I'll probably introduce formula once a day from then and do expressing till 6 months if I can. It's such hard work getting supply established and he prefers breast milk so I feel bad not carrying on!

Sounds like you're doing amazingly well 👏👏👏

Oh and forgot to say annoying about the flanges and the time it'll take. My Elvie needs a good sort as suction isn't what it was. I've been using my manual medela that was £15 and my Hakka this week. I get 180 ml in 20 mins with those!!! May just stick the elvie on eBay!

Also my youngest dd is self isolating as her teacher has covid. Going to be a long 11 days!!!!

Thanks all. @chipsarelife that's really good to know I didn't even think about it as a break for me but now you say it I'm already imagining the really good sleep (in 5 months time 😂) I totally trust family with him so maybe I need to stop worrying and just do it!

We have our 8 week checks and jabs this morning - eek. Then a trip to the clinic for another weigh in. How did your LOs all cope with the jabs?

@MooseWL Alfie broke my heart with the look on his face while getting the jobs but we gave him the calpol and he was fine. His legs were sore and a little swollen but that went down over night.

Aww @Roxy8203 ours are next week and i’m dreading it. Obviously want her to have them just dreading the scream when it’s done. Did you go in the car or walk? Our doctors isnt that far and i’m debating whether to walk there or drive... how long were they crying for after?

@OrDis If it helps, I found that DD settled pretty quickly after the jabs with cuddles. But she was inconsolable about 3 hours afterwards, but a bit of Calpol and she was fine and slept for most of the rest of the day ( a feat she has definitely not repeated since!). I would really say not to hesitate with the Calpol. We waited a bit to see if we could settle her and she just got more and more upset. As soon as she took the Calpol it was like an off switch. And she settled right down.

@roxy8203 @OrDis
Jacob just squealed for a couple of mins after it went then was fine after a cuddle! Just sat in the car and given him calpol and boobing him before our weigh in appointment but was really not too bad!

@MooseWL I walked, he slept on the walk home and there wasn't anything pressing on his legs like maybe there would be with a car seat.
He isn't much of a crier so after a cuddle and boob he was ok

@Roxy8203 thats what I was thinking about the car seat... that it might press on her legs so I think I may walk. It isn't far - we could sprint home if needed lol!!

@OrDis Eva cried for just a few seconds and was fine afterwards. I gave her calpol when we got home and she slept for several hours in her bed . She was a bit unsettled in the evening but felt better after more calpol