Pandemic babies virtual baby group - all welcome!

[Ahorsecalledseptember]

I wondered if any other ‘lockdown mums’ fancied having this as a place to chat?

I had my baby in mid December. He’s an absolute darling but it’s been a bit of an uphill battle, from OH being banished from the hospital while I was left pretty much alone for seventeen hours, to virtual HV visits and all in all not a huge amount of support which isn’t ideal with a new baby, although obviously I appreciate it’s a difficult time.

I did an NCT course over Zoom and I have realised how reassuring it is when people say ‘yes my baby is the same’ so here is a virtual baby group.

I have just fed baby and am expressing milk as now is apparently the optimum time. Breastfeeding didn’t work for us but I still want him to have my milk, but I do need to top up with formula. I’ve ordered some “lactation tea”, no idea whether it will work or not!

How are the other ‘lockdown babies’ faring?

Congratulations on your little one! Is it your first baby?
My son is 11 weeks, FTM. I am breastfeeding, but started expressing a little to build up energy supply just on case, and I tend to express during the night/early hours of the morning too. I find it a lot easier to get a decent amount with a hand pump that way. Sometimes I would express during the day as well, helps with the supply too. I hate sorting out the pump every day though. One of my least favourite tasks..

Energy supply? Where did that come from... milk supply of course. Brain must have vacated the premises...

Emergency milk supply (a stash in the freezer). Clearly I need to sleep 🤣

I knew what you meant!

Just had an expressed breast feed and waiting for a burp then need to express. Gosh I’m tired though.

What pump do you have? Mine was ridiculously expensive!

My baby was born in December too. He's currently feeding, he's fully formula fed due to my milk never coming in but every feed is supplemented at the breast so he gets the small amount of breast milk I do make.

After the last feed he did a poo right near the end so even though he was falling asleep during it (and normally goes back to bed easily enough) he was wide awake after having his nappy changed and then vomiting up most of his feed as he was flat on his back too quickly, he's quite refluxy. Here's hoping this feed goes better!

Mine is in his crib fussing. He’s tired but fighting sleep (this is a real problem.)

part of me wants to pick him up but that sometimes over stimulates him.

did you have a c section addler?

Yes, had a homebirth planned but then developed pre eclampsia at 41+3 so there went that plan!

My supply issues are from insufficient glandular tissue though, my breasts didn't develop properly to be able to produce enough milk to sustain a baby. I suspected it during pregnancy but was still hopeful, but it didn't work out. I'm still quite upset about it but not much I can do about it!

This is a great idea! I have a gorgeous 4 month baby boy and he’s now at the age where he’d really enjoy baby classes but all the face to face ones have now been cancelled. We’ve been doing some free ones online on Facebook which are really good, just not the same as face to face. If anyone’s interest I’ll let you know the name of the Facebook group so you can join. Most are suitable for babies once they’ve had their 6 week check.

I’m still breastfeeding (after a really tough time at the beginning but we finally figured it out) and have expressed a few times. I really hated expressing and found it really hard so well done to all you mamas who are expressing. It’s really hard work

I was so upset too addler, it was the one thing I really wanted. I suppose he’s still getting my milk. Did you have a section?

Hi mel, I think lockdown has helped with expressing! Not much else to do!

Ds is well and truly awake now, sigh!

Yes I did. It was still a lovely experience and we had a great team in theatre.

DS had half an hour in his bed but is now uncomfortable and gurgling and swallowing. I don't know why it starts an hour or more after his feed, and not straight away.

Ds has actually gone back to sleep, I’m relieved and happy. I didn’t think he would.

I had a section too, it was fine but I didn’t get skin to skin after he was born.

Hi! Can I join? I had my baby in March. He was born into a lockdown and will probably celebrate his 1st birthday in some form of lockdown - which is a depressing thought! Although he knows no difference.

Hes also started wanting feeding at night again. Urgh! I thought we were over that phase!

I'd say fed is best! The good thing about bottle feeding is you can delegate that to someone else if you need a break/do something without a baby attached. My DS is a firm bottle refuser, so things like medical appointments and haircuts now have to be done with a baby on a boob (in fact I had to switch to mobile hairdresser just so I don't look like a yeti). I've tried everything to get him to take a bottle and gave up now.

September I am only expressing small amounts per day, 150ml on average, so I am using a Medela harmony hand pump. It's quite good for what it is. If I were expressing any more than once/twice per day then I would get an electric (which cost an arm and a leg).

Addler I had a section too. My milk didn't come in for almost a week afterwards (I hear you that your supply issue wasn't section related). DS dropped weight and I had to supplement with formula in the first week. That's why I thought I'd have no problems with introducing a bottle later as he already had it in his first week, but nope, at week 6 he flatly refused.
Have you recovered from your section?

Mel I actually deleted my FB account 2-3 years ago. Went to China where FB/Google etc is banned, came back few weeks later and found that a) I did not miss it at all and b) the world was still standing, I could still reach my friends no problem. So it went, and for the majority of the time I haven't looked back. Had no plans to part with my account before I left 😂

Welcome! It’s depressing isn’t it ... I know my ds is too young to be impacted by any of the crazy stuff but I’m sad for me. I wanted baby groups and library visits. Still, can’t be helped.

Cross posts ☺️ looks like a lot of us had sections here.
Scream going back to night feeds mist be frustrating. How are you dealing with it?

Its really frustrating, but then I measured his length yesterday and plotted it in his red book. It seems he's grown about 6cm in 6 weeks, which is going some! It sort of makes me understand the need for night feeds a bit more.

I also had a csection, but because both me and my DS had sepsis. BF didnt didnt really happen because of that, but tbh im not that sad about that 😂

@Mc3209 I think I've recovered pretty well. The first two days in hospital was so painful to even take a step but haven't had any pain relief since day 5. Weirdly though the last week or so it's felt more painful in my stomach, I'm worried I'm not healing as well as I should because I didn't take it easy after we got home from the hospital.

Still on blood thinner injections and my stomach in covered in bruises, which isn't nice when DS is pounding his feet and knees into me while I'm holding him!

Good morning! My second is 9 weeks old. She’s feeding now too 😊

It’s been an odd time. We’re lucky with having done it all before as otherwise I think I’d be feeling very overwhelmed and lost.

Hi everyone, my ds was born just jver 2 weeks ago on Christmas eve. I also have a dd who is almost 2 and half. So nice to have a space to chat to others in the same position. I wouldn't be taking him to classes or groups yet anyway but it can feel very lonely looking after 2 all day on your own (and stressful!)

Hi all can I join? I had my second DS end of October, he's just over 10 weeks now! He's EBF and is up most of the night 🤣🤦‍♀️ it's a very strange time not being able to talk to other mums face to face, so this is a good thread to join! :)

@Charlottejade89 I agree!! My toddler is 2 and a half, and managing two little ones is a challenge to say the least 😂 I massively underestimated how difficult it would be! Especially without having the support of family and friends helping.

It’s so reassuring when someone else says ‘oh yes my baby does that too!’ isn’t it!

@Laur89 yea so did I! for the first week he was so chilled, I was like this is easy! but since then he's been really fussy when having his bottles and really grizzly afterwards. he tends to have e periods where he's really unsettled and won't sleep for hours, but thennknce he's slept he's like back to normal if that makes sense? I'm thinking he might have reflux or possibly ky cmpa, he vomits quite alot and his poo is bright green and smells awful so will have to speak to the hv when she ever turns up. Hes been awake since 8 am and is only just going off now

Hello, great idea for a lockdown babies thread, can I join too?

My daughter is now 15 weeks old. We were lucky that she was born between the full lockdowns so some family were able to meet her at least.

I had to be induced due to a medical issue, ended up in hospital for 4 days (alone) with nothing progressing (and zero sleep!) and eventually had to have a c section. My milk also didnt come in at all and I was devastated as had always wanted to breastfeed. Definitely not the start I imagined!!

The lack of support and the isolation has made things so much harder but like a PP said at least our babies dont know what is going on!

Whaf I'm finding the hardest at the moment is thinking of new ways to entertain my daughter all day as she is obviously still to young to 'play' but has so much energy! What do your days look like?

Just realised this post sounds so moany! The upside is that despite this pandemic I will be able to look back at 2020 and know that the best moment of my life also happened then! The smiles and cuddles make it all so worth it!

@BecLJ It’s so hard when they’re too little to play but still need entertaining, isn’t it?! I really struggled with DS and felt like he constantly needed attention and interaction. I’m waaaay more chilled (read: neglectful) with DD and she’ll happily sit in her bouncy chair with a toy hanging over it just gurgling at it and smiling for ages 😂 The main thing I found to do (and thankfully is still lockdown permissible) is lots of walks in the sling. It’s as good for their muscles as tummy time (and they don’t hate it), you can talk to them so they get good social interaction, they often fall asleep, and it stops you going mad indoors looking for things to do.