HI everyone - wow another thread! It is really all happening!
TJuice - here is my 10cents worth - feel free to ignore if it does not apply anymore.
Q1. Fisher Price Microwave steriliser
I had this last time - I rinsed in water and then zapped in mictrowave for 4 minutes
Q2. When you are doing three-hour feeds (as recommended by the midwives until her weight is not more then 10% less than birth weight) do you go from start to the next start?
Sounds like this has already been answered and do not want to contradict - but I did this from start to start.
Q3. What if it takes you an hour? Do you feed again two hours later?
I agree with advice being given aboove - sounds like some comfort sucking is taking place also. But if this means that little Elodie is learning and you are not sore I would not worry too much in the first week or 2. Just getting it all to "work" should be your initial aim.
Q4. Why is she so sleepy during the day feeds and alive and difficult to put down during the night ones?
I was told by my Nanna who had 8 children that when we are walking around the waters in the womb are also moving which rocks and lulls the baby to sleep. And at night when we are still they tend to wake more(why they also like rocking). So it could be the routine Elodie is used to. Remember it is only the first few days/weeks so don't worry, after about 3 weeks I started distracting my DD a little bit to keep her awake longer during the day to encourage her to sleep more at night. It helped but every baby is different.
Q5. How do you know if she got the hind milk and emptied the breast before moving on to the next one?
I realise this is not really helpful and if you were to ask me I could not give you an exact answer, but somehow I just knew. Gut feeling, less full breast. AS Kaz says I only did for both boobs in first few weeks until DD regained her birth weight then switched to one boob for each feed. Then the fun starts - remembering which one you used last!!!
Q6. Do all babies squawk and squeal and grunt in their sleep?
Yes! WHich is so distracting when trying to sleep. I had DD in moses basket at night with me - but I put her into her cot during the day after a few weeks so I could have a rest. I know not everyone ecourages this but it worked for me.
Conflicting advice - the hardest thing to deal with when you are vunerable and just had a baby is the conflicting advice you get from midwives. The thing is they are all probably right and wrong. Each baby is different and one way that works for you may not work for someone else. I found a few midwives were young and everything they said came from text books and not their own experience - you could get better advice from here!! Some of the very best advice came from other Mums and my Nanna. But the very best advice I can give is this - follow your instincts and gut feelings and baby - because you are all unique. Try out what other's suggest but do not worry if you are different.
And remember it is very early days, just use this time as learning, loving and bonding time. Routines etc can be implemented (if you choose to) once you have gain more confidence and knowledge of you DD.
Sorry I did not mean to write an essay - I just remember all the different conflicting suggestions/bombardment of advice/pressure to have everything working right in my early days of having DD. And TBH once I relaxed a bit, listened to my own instincts and DD's everything SLOWLY began to fall in place. I actually lied to my MW's and told them I was going away for 2 months when DD was 4 weeks old because I got so sick of them worrying me and pressuring me.
Kaz mentioned the hot weather - we women are amazing beings - our milk adapts to the hot weather. Research from Australia in very hot climates (like the desert) show that when it is hotter the milk changes to account for this but maintains the same nutrients etc. Aren't we clever!
Hope everyone's pains and not too bad and have a great day!