AUGUST 2010 - welcome to post-natal :o)

[CherryPie3]

I know I'm not around a great deal lately but we don't yet have a PN thread - so here we are.

Love to all xxx

:)

Hi all and welcome bookcase, I was a late joiner too.

Bubbabear, I live in Oxford but my parents live in a village near Newbury and my sister in Shinfield so I'm around that general area quite often, maybe some time we could meet up?

I can't remember who it was who was talking about poo strikes but I think Elodie has just had one - no poos for nearly three days (normally she poos after almost every feed) then an absolutely mammoth one this morning - which was thicker and darker (maybe green tinged) than usual and smelled slightly. Does this sound normal to everyone? She's been weeing and parping plenty in the interim.

On a sadder note, my family dog died last night. We had had him for 14 years and he was clearly deteriorating for some time, but it's all a bit tinged with sadness

Hello bookcase!

bubbabear my parents live in Wrexham so we'll be up there a bit, perhaps we could meet up?

OK swimming was fine.. although I was late (I am always late) and they don't know I was coming...and her swimming wetsuit is far too big but someone their leant me hers so that was nice and says I can borrow it until Poppy grows into hers

Have bought some new shoes - HORRAH!!!

bellygazing - sorry about your dog

Elusive I would also go back... mine stopped at about 5 weeks

Can't wait to take F swimming on holiday in 5weeks (althouh i need to find a swimsuit that holds my huge boobs up and my flabby belly in...hmmmm)

I am trying to find out about milk donation as i have so much i am fit to explode and my freezer is already full. No idea why i have so much all of a sudden. Got 6oz off one side after i had fed for 15mins Mooooooo

Afternoon all and hello Bookcase.

Elusive I think you should get your lochia checked out too, mine stopped at about six weeks, but was only brown by that point.

Cazzybabs glad that swimming went well, I love going with DD1, haven't tried with Erin yet - think it might have to be a whole family outing.

Sorry to hear that your group was unfriendly Chulita it's horrible when you've made the effort to get out of the house (I'd forgotten how long it takes!). Are you in an area with lots of baby/toddler groups? I had to go to a few before I found a non cliquey one that actually welcomed new mums.

Anna great to hear that your postnatal group are nice - next week you'll be serene mum with serene baby, we all used to take it in weekly turns to be harrassed mum at my group . My postnatal group were my lifeline when I had DD1, they're a fantastic bunch and we still have weekly meet-ups three years on. We've also just booked our Christmas piss up dinner out, nice to have something to look forward to.

Pample hope that Scarlett is settling better for you. It can be so exhausting. I found the first three months with DD1 a complete shock to the system.

Girls am very of your holiday - how lovely. Belly sorry about your dog.

Well, Erin is still snoozing and CBeebies is keeping DD1 amused. Am off to look at the ever increasing ironing pile. Not going to do any, just going to look at it

Oooh, just remembered something else I wanted to add. Have been feeling a bit down and mood swingy over the last week or so. Don't thik it's PND (although of course it could be), am suspicious it might be the mini-pill that I've gone on. I'm on my first pack and have become really out of sorts - just so angry one minute and fine the next. Haven't taken today's pill and feel on a much more even keel already.

I've made an appointment to talk to my GP about it - just wanted to flag it up as a thing to watch out for for others. I think my back-up option of a diapraghm might be on the cards, I just don't want to take hormonal contraception anymore.

cakey like the halloween name! I refuse to use any hormonal contraception as i never suffer with mood swings unless i am on the pill. It just doesn't agree with me and we are happy using condoms.

Alice I think the Rosie look for milk donors...? And pray tell about the holiday?! Might have to book something now we've found out we get a ridiculous amount of tax credits because studentships aren't counted as income. Or maybe I'll wait until the emergency review when we'll probably find out it's all scrapped!
cazzy you've inspired me to put my mothercare vouchers to good use and get some swim nappies! Does anyone know if post section you can just start exercising or do you have to wait till your 6 week check (mine isn't until 8 weeks you see!).....
belly sorry about your dog :(
cakey she's getting there! Didn't get my usually successful pram-pushing couple of hours off this morning tho (usually she'll be asleep by the time we hit Waitrose 2 minutes away from our house - bad for the budget!!) but I think that was because she was brewing up an enormous poo and was in some discomfort. Post-poo she had a feed and went to sleep with little in the way of protesting. Hope you get the contraception sorted and good to know. I was thinking of the mini pill because my normal one is out with breastfeeding but maybe i'll have a proper talk about other options. Condoms are just so expensive :s (cheapskate emoticon!)

Just spoke to the Rosie and going to take some up there.

Thanks for commenting on my spooky new name Alice [preens]. I can't believe how much milk you're producing, it's briliant that the Rosie can take it, such a shame for it to go to waste. Do they use it in the NICU and/or SCBU?

Glad that you're having a good day Pample, not sure about the swimming after a section. I was never told that I couldn't though.

I went on the mini-pill because of breastfeeding too. I can't be fitted for a diapraghm until 12 weeks postpartum apparently, which is a bit of a pain. I don't like using condoms, so it seems to be the next best option. (I don't like the idea of the copper coil).

pample you can get condoms free from the family planning clinic [fellow cheapskate emoticon]

another tip for the cheapskates, as long as your LO doesn't poo you can dry out 'disposable' swim nappies and reuse them loads of times :)

just got back from the HV and she agrees I should ask for Ranitidene for Sam, he's still sliding down the centiles...

Quick question about baby wetsuits- I want to get one for Nina as we are going swimming next week but the only places I can see any (mothercare and early learning) start at 3 months, where did you all get your smaller ones from?

cakey I'm on the mini pill (cerazette) and was for a year before I was ttc and never had any problems with it (and had no periods while I was on it which was a blessing HOWEVER I read a whole long thread about really bad side-effects some women have on cerazette elsewhere on MN so maybe worth giving that a gander.

Pample I was told I had to wait until after the 6-week check to go swimming - although my GP didn't seem terribly fussed.

Alice jealous of your massive milk producing skills - I was v excited when I got 4oz off one side (one off occasion) and that was while I was giving E the first morning feed when I always get more milk. I think milk donation is brilliant, I met a mum the other day whose baby was born at 32 weeks and she had donor milk for ages because her milk didn't come in immediately because she was so early - she is now successfully breastfeeding.

Thank Belly, it is Cerazette that I'm on. I found that other thread yesterday after I started to think that my mood swings might be pill based. Just can't carry on feeling that bad - and being so angry with DD1. If I still feel like it off the pill though, then it could be PND. Am hoping my GP can enlighten me.

busy on here today :)

thanks bookcase, we had a better night last night, only 2 feeds. DH helps out a lot evenings and weekends but as i'm breastfeeding there's not a lot he can do to help with nights

All this talk about contraception has reminded me that maybe I should have sex with my husband I've been physically recovered down there for some time but I just don't know when we'd do it. J doesn't really sleep in the evenings and there's nothing like a crying baby for killing the mood!

hello all, sorry I haven't been on for ages!

i am on cerazette and don't seem to have had any problems, but i know it can give some people terrible mood swings.

J tends to nap from about 4-7pm so that's when we often find a moment for sex! it's still a bit sore but gets less so every time.

just also had a ginger wine while he's asleep in the hopes it will have cleared the milk a bit before I feed... I also ought to go and get the dinner on or at least prepared before he wakes up.

Belly Sorry to hear about your dog

I am also jealous of all the people who can express loads of milk. I express once a day, which is actually when i give my LO his night time feed, because he's now going 6 hours and when he feeds, he just empties the one boob, I am now organised and express of the other at the same time, but I'm just now starting to get 5 fl oz and that is when my boob is so big and solid as it has had 6 hours to replen. I'm amazed at others who can express more.

I would like to know more about taking my LO swimming. I have a pck of the huggies swim nappies, can my LO just wear them or does he have to have trunks on aswell? Do you have to book in for lessons or can I just go for a swim with him? Any info greatly received as I would love to get my baby in the pool.

My LO was weighed today, he is 7 weeks and 5 days, he weighed 12lb 2oz, so I am very hapy with his progress, as I always worry with the BF, as you're never sure exactly how much they are getting.

Well I hope everyone is well. Take care xx

dogwalker most pools want you to have 2 layers on so he'd have to wear trunks too. You don't have to book lessons, you can just take him and pootle around the pool with him. Good weight gain!

Good night all, my day started at 5 again today so I'm shattered now!

Hi everyone!

Just a note to say hi and hugs, everyone is doing so well - even though you may not think it!

cazandbelle thanks for staying in touch, I've got my candle on the mantelpiece and ready to go for you both tomorrow. Caz you are fantastic, so full of love for your angel, what a wonderful mother you are to your little angel. I've been reading your blog and my heart aches for what you and Jon have been through and what you are still facing.

I am on the mini pill also but have heard horror stories about the havoc it can wreak on moods so hopefully not. me eek! I have rejoined the gym and taken up driving lessons again, I desperately need to get my licence so baby S and I have some independence and not have to rely on buses and DH for lifts.

I am really pleased to report that we seem to have turned a corner with breastfeeding. S is 7 weeks old tomorrow and she must be around 11 lbs now. Breast feeding was a real battle for us, I dreaded every feed but at last, it seems to be that little bit easier - I reckon her mouth has grown thus improving the latch. Also her feeds are much quicker now, about 10 - 15 minutes only which I hope is enough for her! She would feed every 1.5 hours if she could so I reckon if I could somehow get her to take more at each feed, she'd go longer? She is a sweet tempered little thing though and full of gorgeous smiles.

Lots of love to you all and wishing you plenty of zzzzzs tonight xx

that's great that bf is finally getting easier LCR She sounds similar to my LO feeding for about 15 mins every 1.5 hours (although he's not that regular or predictable). Do you offer her both sides at each feed? I feel like maybe because he feeds little and often his stomach isn't being stretched so he'll never take more in one go, but I don't know if anything can be done about that - when he's had enough he clamps his lips shut (cute but sometimes annoying!)

You know the toe curling, shards of glass through the nipple pain that you get when they first latch on? I thought that was supposed to disappear with time, but it seems to be getting worse for me :( especially on the left. It's fine once he's been on for a little while so I don't think there's anything wrong with the latch

Hey ladies

F was 8wks old yesterday and celebrated this by staying awake all evening then sleeping 10pm til 5am, had a feed then asleep til 7.30am - what a star!

Feeding was a real struggle for us til about 4wks, then we had the colic til 6wks, then the 6week grwth spurt (well from 5 1/2 wks) lasting 8 days of feeding every 2hrs, and finally for the last week doing mostly 4-6hrs at a time at night, and now almost a whole night - woohoo!!! Still cluster feeds during the evenings though.

BF group today, so going to ask if i can borrow one of their electric pumps for a while so it is easier to do the expressing forr milk donation. I think because he feeds so much during the eveings, then goes quite a while without that is why i have excess in the mornings (they really hurt!)

Good morning ladies, hope everyone had enough sleep!

Chulita Izzy has been on Ranitidene since she was a week old as she had really bad reflu and lost 12 oz from her 5lb 12oz birth weight in a week and she has been like a different baby since! We have a check up at the hospital in a couple of weeks and hoping she continues with it as she is so much happier! She's now 8 weeks and weighs 9lb 9oz but doing her best to catch up with everyone!

cakey I am FF and so on normal pill - DH didn't know what hit him week before period - I def think it plays havoc!

caz I haven't got any candles but will make sure I say a prayer this evening.

Izzy seems to have settled into a night routine of sleeping through from 12-6 which would be great if I didn't keep waking up when she was snuffling!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Thanks for the advice, ladies. I think I will go back to the doctor to get checked out. Problem is, I'm sure they'll send me for a scan (esp as I had the retained placenta), but the thought of going for a scan with a 3 yo and and 8 week old is not good, and DH is too busy to take any time off work at the moment.

Marzi, you're not the only one who hasn't done the deed yet (though we have managed a couple of alternatives ). Re contraception, I'm hoping to start using Mirena, as a prelude to maybe thinking about DH having a vasectomy in a year or two. I had massive problems with pelvic pain a year or two ago (never got to the bottom of it, in spite of a laparoscopy), but it was clearly hormone-related. Mirena is only progesterone, and only very small amounts, so I'm hoping it won't have too many side effects. DH and I don't really 'do' condoms, and I don't want to risk using anything that's not practically 100% protective, given that we don't want any more children.

ElusiveMoose - I am also going for the Mirena...but am a little scared having read some horror stories in the www.

blimey i am cold

but poppy slept 10.30 - 6.45!

Woohoo Poppy!

Elusive I went for a mirena a couple of years ago (before chlidren) to stop the pelvic pain and heavy periods caused by endometriosis. They don't really recommend them for people who haven't had children (due to getting them in i believe) and it was terrible. They couldn't get it in but then i have had to have 2 c sections and they struggle to do a smear on me too. Everyone i know who has had them after having kids can't rate them high enough

Well condoms would be expensive if we were 'at it' but nothing so far (despite DH's best eforts!) Mentally i don't feel ready and i am so petrified of getting pregnant again and there is only one method of contraception that is failsafe - abstinance think another week or so perhaps