Calling all Christmas Babies

[Artyparty]

Hello- anyone else had a baby this Christmas?
How are you getting on??
I had a little girl on Christmas Eve ... Dc2, I also have a 3yo dd.
Feeling a bit sad now the decorations are coming down after focusing on Christmas for so long.
Anyone else got the post baby/ Christmas anticlimax? At least we can have

Me too. I had dc3, a boy on the 23rd, 6 weeks early. It was a scary delivery, a planned c section that ended in a hysterectomy for me after I wouldn't stop bleeding. I lost all my blood volume and was in the high dependency unit for 4 days. Christmas Day passed by in a blur, I couldn't eat and didn't see my other children until I came home.

DS luckily did really well and didn't need to go to SCBU. He is exclusively breastfed and despite being jaundiced still is feeding well and gaining weight.

My 4.5 year old and 22 month old have taken to the new addition really well. DH has taken emergency dependents leave as I can't cope with my toddler for at least 8 weeks. I am not allowed to lift anything heavier than the baby.

Having done the toddler and baby thing once before my tip would be to get a good sling and get out as much as possible each morning to tire your toddler out. I got really adept at breast feeding in the wrap sling whilst supervising dd1 playing. Make the most of local playgroups where staff and other mums can keep an eye on your toddler for a few minutes for you. Also have a selection of rainy day activities for your toddler just in case you don't get out. Baking, playdough, den building, painting etc... Reading books is something you can do whilst breastfeeding. A box of small toys, board books etc that your toddler only gets to play with when you are feeding is also useful. If you can sit on the floor and feed while your toddler plays and talk to them that helps too. Give them jobs, older toddlers can fetch nappies and help put cream on the baby's bottom. DO NOT feel guilty if you have to use CBeebies as a baby sitter for some of the time. Older kids that do not nap can be plonked on the sofa in the afternoon in front of the tv with a snack whilst you snooze on the sofa next to them.

AnotherStitch that sounds really scary! Glad your ok and have your beautiful baby but still.. Traumatic. Hope the recovery isn't too long.

We're doing our first day without Daddy today as he's back at work.. So done both night feeds so far and just settling back down. My parents are coming up this evening though as dh working all weekend.. He does 12hr shifts so were on our own a lot but he gets several days off in a row as well which will be nice when we get there!

Hope everyone else had had a peaceful night (!) and has a good day xx

Thanks for all your comments, will try the hot water Artyparty. Can't believe how amazing all you Mummies are :-)
Lost it with the breast feeding (blistered and bleeding nipples got the better of me) so we have switched to formula. I now have boobies like boulders!

DD has been sick last two days after feeding - more often than when bf. three times yesterday and twice today! She also gets hiccups and has done since birth. Is this normal at three weeks?

Any help greatly appreciated!

Hi all,
I was due my first on jan 10th but baby arrived on xmas eve. I am so happy that she arrived safe and well but have found the xmas anti climax hard to deal with.
After spending so much time and effort getting ready for xmas and we had loads of yummy food in the house etc and we didnt get any of it for xmas as i had a 3rd degree tear so spent xmas eve night and most of xmas day in hospital. Its given me a weird feeling. Dh opened all my gifts for me while i fed the baby. Hope thst when i am back to full strength we can have a late xmas or something.
My stitches are slowly feeling better, but fully expect it to be another 3 weeks at least until I am almost back to normal.
Anyone else have an ache down there? I told my mws and they didnt seem bothered by it at all. Also waiting for my lochia to stop. It still seems fairly red (it hasn't gone brown or yellowy yet) but I know it can take 6 weeks or so for that to stop too.

Hi Girls
anotherstitch. How distressing. You sound very philosophical about it.... & very experienced in the toddler stakes; thanks for those tips. How are you coming to terms with not having another? It's something I'm already thinking about as I am an older mum, so there probably won't be another... But hard to accept that somehow- even tho we only planned two.
rachie that's a long time to cope on your own. Hope you are getting out to groups with other mums to keep morale up..
mummydoo (have you change your name??) hiccups is normal. Dd had them a lot in the womb & still does now . I think they are more likely to vomit when switching to formula because it's heavier- but perhaps someone else is more informed about this. Owwww hope your boobs are ok now?
frizz I am gutted about the end of Christmas too - feel like I blinked and missed it, after being the main focus for 9 months ( I was due on Christmas Day but dd came Xmas Eve!!). We had 'Christmas' on Boxing Day which was lovely- champagne brekki, pressies, dinner the lot! Perhaps you could choose a day to do Christmas again?
I am still bleeding too- if dd feeds a lot the blood goes red again. Sometimes it's brown or stops all together. Take soluable paracetomol for the pain (my midwife called it 'good' pain as it's your body repairing itself!!!)
My little one has a cold already- inevitable because my eldest had one. Poor little mite
Have a good nite everyone xxx

How are you ladies getting on this week?
Just wondering what to do about my dd who falls asleep on the breast during the night feeds... This means she doesn't get a full feed & then wakes an hour later-
Any ideas for getting her to take a full feed - both sides- in the early hours ?