Dec 08 Ladies - LIghtning Strikes... and the usual gossip!

[Beans33]

Hope this works for everyone - I'm assuming Summer won't give birth in the next few hours!! x

Oh and also again DS1 had a TT and we had it snipped at 2wks. Although the feeding was a bi easier it did take him time to relearn now to feed as his Tongue had to move differently.

Ok really buggering off with my useless advice now.

Just done a very speedy skim and its late, so no personals I'm afraid. But I did want to say, I'm an aunt! My sis had a baby girl in the early hours of yesterday morning. She had a bit of an epic labour (having contractions since sunday but getting nowhere). We were up north, so feeling a bit sad not to be of much help. Anyway, all well in the end and I got to see them and have a cuddle this evening. I'd forgotten, but newborns are such tiny scraps of people, but still very much themselves. Consensus seems to be she looks a lot like my DD, but she felt like her own person to me.

I'll try and catch up properly before the week is out.

Goodnight all.

Hellooo lovely ladies. Crikey, page 17 of a new thread and this is my first post, I am getting worse. I just wanted to let you know that I haven't dropped off the planet.
I'm off on holiday to Menorca later today, with parents, sister and niece...God help me, so no time for a proper catch up, but lots of love to you all. And I wanted to say that all you new Mums (2nd time Mums obviously, but you know what I mean) are scaring the crap out of me with your breastfeeding, labour, lack of sleep talk! I want to forget how bad the first few weeks can be! x

Oh Katie I thought you were going to say you were looking forward to it as we are doing such a great job/ such naturals, etc etc

Rubs the first thing I will say is breathe, calm down. You are doing brilliantly with feeding DD, you've fed her through this pain and you will continue to satisfy her needs. Before I get started on the logistics, you need to know that your milk is more than enough for her. Now, as others have said stop the expressing, it doesn't stimulate supply in the way feeding does. It may seem as though she is not getting much but she is getting loads and all of it good stuff. You've got to stop thinking in terms of 'full up' & 'satisfied'. Formula seems as though it satisfies babies more, because it is harder to digest so sits in the tummy longer. BM is digested immediately so in effect they are never really full. It's kind of necessary because babies need so much nutrition but have such a tiny tummy so need milk to pass through quickly. Above all though you need to relax and just let nature take it's course. You need to trust her to feed when she needs to and not assume she is doing it only for comfort (which is also not a bad thing). She & your boobs will sort it out so please please please let them. The only professional assistance I would suggest is popping back to the clinic to check her latch is still ok after the TT repair. Is she getting a good gobfull, is she in the right position, ie not too far across the boob. Does she take the boob in her mouth or do you put her on it. Oh and one last thing...relax. Sweetie women have been doing a bloody good job of this for thousands of years and your one of them.

Nolda I really hope you can come did you see the link to the meet up thread PD added a couple of pages back.

Katie although I'm sure you meant you've been reading with interest how amazingly our three new 2nd time mums are doing, I think it's a good thing to get the freak out of having a new baby out if the way whilst preggers. I kind of forgot about it with DS2 or assumed I'd be untaxed as it was 2nd time around then hours after he was born I was upstairs with him changing his nappy and all if a sudden it hit me...I've got a small person dependent on me...again!!!! Aaaahhhhhhh. I soon calmed down but certainly didn't have the same snuggly effect that DS1's first hours had. Hindsight can be good & bad.

Oh no! Leaked out baby poo on my bed! Babies are gross.

Just rushing on as need to go into Oxford to buy special Annie Sloan paint for built in wardrobe in our bedroom that needs titivating. DP and I had huge row last night about the DIY (we have had hardly any, which is amazing given the stress of it over months) - he thinks I should do something more 'useful' than do up the wardrobe (which is horrid) when in fact I am the only one who seems to have any sense of what we need to do to be in within a month. Anyway, I called him a twat as he was suggesting I do jobs that are physically beyond me at nearly 8 months pregnant, so he stalked off and slept on the sofa. But I had a brilliant night's sleep I can't see us being in before the new baby. It's not so much the finishing the house, actually, as the logistics of packing up here and moving. Sigh.

Rubes, so sorry about the feeding stress But thank goodness they have sorted the TT. I do hope things improve for you and it doesn't overshadow your folks' visit. Will you come to the meet up next Fri?

Congrats to your sis, Invis! Might we see you too?

Veggie - I didn't see my friend for a drink afterwards in the end, as we had to leg it for the babysitter as the comedy had already massively overrun. But it was still a nice evening.

NJAN - gossip? What do you think we're for?

ZJ, I haven't caught up with some earlier posts in the thread I wanted to respond to! Like Summer's DS, DD feels duty bound to point out every car, and also every flower. Some days she fixates on tree and there of more of those here than cars...

Have lovely hols, Katie. I am seriously jealous of Menorca

Deirdre I hope you and your DD enjoyed Toy Story 3 and that you had a lovely evening out with your DH. The Go-go hamster thing reminds me of DD's birthday recently. DS was OK with it all until someone gave DD a sylvanian family car. I have never heard such bad-tempered screaming before and we had to put the car away until I managed to get one for DS. Not sure what that has taught him though

NJAN Sounds like you had a super relaxing day, good for you.

Rubena So sorry to hear you are having such a stressful time with feeding DD. Listen to the wise Veggie and try not to worry (easier said than done I know).

Summer I did laugh about the carpark, Oh so familiar!

Congratulations, Auntie Invisible!

Katie Have a lovely holiday in Menorca.

LadyT Your DP is an idiot. I have been very impressed by your DIY activities, especially as you are pregnant. It must be very frustrating for you to realise that you won't be able to move before the baby comes with all those nesting feelings expectant mums get.

I would very much like to come to the meetup. With Veggie and Bisou going to be there, it would be very silly to worry about my relatively short journey. PD Don't think there'll be any biccies left considering the rate at which DD has been scoffing them, sorry.

Sorry - have only REALLY quickly skimmed thru , but I just want to say that the reason I am expressing is that I was told to by both the midwife and the BF clinic lady! This is why I am so confused! I spoke to them and they also think my supply has dwindled due to the fact that she couldn't latch properly due to the tongue tie and want me to get milk into her by basically feeding on demand and also expressing as much as I can so I know what she is taking in ! They have looked at her when she is feeding and they do think that she is only sucking at the beginning and then just using it like a dummy as she can't seem to get much out. I have expressed right after feeding and can't get much myself!
Anyway, the good thing is I am carrying on anyway and she seems to be picking up some weight. I have the Baba sling and just let her feed all the time!
Anyway, I have to run as she is wanting a feed again and my mum can't provide that so will come bacl - probably later in the evening when all are asleep but will try and get on before - thanks for kind words x

To be fair Nolda I have DH with me for most of the journey from Den Haag to the southbank & Bisou won't have her DS.

Congrats on being an Aunti Invisible and so lovely what you said about her being her own little person. It's funny how people compare from early on. My family used to say I looked like my aunt, my mums sis. Apparently she was attractive in her youth but by the time I saw her she was in her late 30's and had not looked after herself and drunk a little too much. She actually looked quite haggard and had a stoop from bad posture. It's scared me for life being told I resembled. Obviously resembling theinvisiblegirl would be a huge complement, but ad you say she's her own person.

Lady while I maintain that you shouldn't be doing anything, if your going to do something it should be the supposedly unnecessary things as after the baby comes you won't do them, the necessary things you will do because you have to but those little things that you have to deprioritise because they are aesthetic will get left for ages and then possibly never done, but seeing them everyday not done will get you down. Does that make sense, I'm rambling a little.

Pubie where are you? Zenning out I hope and concentrating on DD, let your mum play with DS & do the housework

Oh hello Pubs. Gosh that is confusing for you. Well I think you need to do what you think is right and feels for you like it's working. I'm just passing on what I've learnt from that little course I did. Really the best way to stimulate your milk is relaxing and getting her to do it. It may mean dedicating a week to her and letting her feed with you completely relaxed and concentrating on her. That means getting your parents help out with DS (& DH pulling his weight when he's around) & leaving the house to everyone else. You almost need a second babymooning. Lots of skin to skin time and cuddles. Also use this time to enjoy her don't fixate on how much she is having, she is putting on weight, you are doing well. If you feel she is just sucking and not compressing, you can compress for her but it's best to let her sort it out.

Vag - I am trying to get parents to do stuff. They are doing ok - but it's night and day compared to mil I'm not doing any housework don't worry (well not too much) the difference is, my parents have a low tolerance level when ds screams or tantrums which he is doing the last few days and he has 3 teeth coming through which isn't ideal and that coupled with the new baby is making ds grumpy I'm thinking.
I've just been on the kelly mom website and they too suggest pumping in between feedings yes I'm going to go back to the clinic to check the latch but unfortunately it's not until next Wed. I have her in the sling and she is feeding now. She starts off fine - good latch and sucking properly then literally about 3-5 mins later she stops and does this little weird sucking kind of movement but is clearly not sucking in milk. I strip her off, swap sides, try everything I can to keep her awake and the whole thing starts again. It's like she gives up becasue it's too hard - and I appreciate this could be becasue she has had a taste of the easyness of the bottle but what am I to do when I was told to express to get milk into her as I was in too much pain to have her attempt to suck from me with the Tongue tie!

What meet up Lady? Sorry I'm so self centred

Rubes: you are doing a brilliant job. She's put on some weight and is feeding regularly. The sling sounds an excellent idea.

You aren't self centred next Fri, 27th. PD did a link to a thread on about the previous page. I'm sure it's the last thing you feel like but just in case...

Hi all

Just a quickie as am now at inlaws. Rubes - you do what you feel is best and if they have told you to express, then perhaps you should. I have no idea as am fairly lucky that DD1 and 2 are both hungry little groblets and latched on well. It only took/takes them 10 mins to do a feed, then they are usually sick as have gulped too much. Our white sofa is now dappled with sick marks!! nice. Will pretend it is designed that way.

Anyhoo, won't get much chance to come on for next week, but will try to drop in when I do.
Will miss you all!

Invis - well done being an aunt - hurray!

Lady - bloody men. They have no idea about pregnancy and how bloody exhausting it is towards the end. We moved 3 weeks before I was due (2 weeks before she arrived!) and it was so stressful. DH insisted on doing it himself, which meant I had to help packing and then did the majority of the unpacking too. Felt thoroughly debilitated by the whole thing. You know your body, so you do what feels right for you, not what he thinks is right. Tit. Men eh. If you had a lovely night's sleep, maybe consign him to the sofa!!!

bye for now all.
Big big love.

xxx

Rubes Oh hon, I hope the feeding issue gets sorted out...certainly sounds like you have been confused! I am no expert but if she is putting on weight then she is getting your milk and you are both doing bloody fantastic. FWIW both mine were real milk monsters. DD fed every 2 hours right up to being weened(sorry that might not help!) and DS fed virtually non-stop for the first 10 weeks before he fell into a routine were he fed and seemed full.

nolda Toy Story 3 was great. Although it took us 1.5 hrs to get to the cinema when it should have taken 20 mins! The motorway was closed and the roads were gridlocked - Poor DD was crying saying she had missed the film. But when we did get there, it was about to start in 3D. Never in a million years thought DD would keep the glasses on but she did.

My night out is tonight. DC's (and Go-Go hamsters) all at Nanny's house, and our meal is booked for 8pm. DH has booked myfave Italian - whichwas meant to be a surprise but he rather foolishly told DD he was goingto surprise Mummy and she has told me that 'Daddy is taking you to a restaurant as a surprise isn't that lovely?'

ladyt Hooray for the good nights sleep but boo to the row. Take it easy!

DB that's quite funny about the disclosure, nice that she thought it was 'lovely' .

Have a great time tonight. I'm interested to hear that DD kept the glasses on, I want to take DS1 to a 3D movie (I love 3D) but not sure if it will freak him out.

Oh I meant to say, yes, I have some fenugreek from my low supply with ds (I have a history of this ) had forgotten about it though so have just whipped it out.
thanks!

Where's Kiwi? Is she still away?

Rubs, don't look on it as conflicting advice, look on it as different options to try. She's growing with your milk so somethings working. Just trust yourself and use whatever works. Obv. I don't want to push you outdoors but would be nice to see you next Friday.

LadyT - would have loved to make it to the meet up, but I'm afraid new job starts on Monday, so no chance of getting away on Friday. I will be thinking enviously of you all - lots of pics please! I am amazed you are contemplating painting, never mind more heavy duty DIY - you can tell DH you have my undying admiration for being superwoman! BTW - have finally got to the Jonathan Coe book. Has taken me longer to warm up to than usual, but is starting to warm up.

Rubes - I had BF problems early on with DD, she didn't take much and it became a problem. I was also advised to try expressing, to try and get supply up, but I'm not convinced it did much for me. I also had some medication which is supposed to stimulate supply - not really sure if it did the trick or not. In fact I think in the end DD just figured out sucking more for herself. DS was fine - greedy little monkey! Not sure if that is any help at all, but I think what I am saying is listen to advice, and try things, but in the end they will work it out (obviously as long as she is growing OK).

Hello kayz!

Uuuuuurrrgggh. Woken up this morning by DS1 to find that DS2 had done a massive poo and had managed to spread it all over himself, his cot and his toys. Boy bathed, bed stripped and in the wash and toys disinfected.... 7.15am. Can I do a swap for a puppy?

Hello all - Veggie not on holiday just life getting in the way of mm time! How are the plans for your meet up going, have I missed arrangements?

Just been posting on the feeding forum as DD is driving me nuts with her constant feeding. She's been up for 2 hours and must be on her 8th 'feed' of the day. Agghhhhh! Really wish she'd just cut down, not least because I'll be in nEw York for a week soon

Re words, one of my NCT friends says her daughter can count to ten!! At 19 months?!?! That's just wrong.