IS THERE A SEPT 2005 CLUB YET?

[pooka]

Hi all fellow September mums. If I'm duplicating another thread please tell me. If not, would love to hear how everyone is getting on.
Tom is a week old today. All well - though has a slightly infected cord stump so am going to GP today.
I'm still madly hormonal, could burst into tears whenever I think about the impact all this has on my lovely dd (2y2m).

Picadilly Circus - I'm hoping I can find an NCT Bumps and Babies to take Alice to whilst dd1 is at Pre-school. I have moved area since I had dd1 and feel like I need to spend some time in the company of mothers with babies a similar age to Alice. I can't keep boring everyone else with the little details!

Did the Bumps and Babies group you went to have other mums on their second baby or was it all new mums?

The one we are using is the equivalent of one sheet and one blanket, we had them for dd and luckily I kept them cause I think they are quite expensive although george and mothercare do their own for about £10.

Beatie, in the end Alice and I were lazy and didn't go to the NCT group yesterday . Will try harder next week (and report back on my findings).

I think DS may have realised that (a) Alice is here to stay and (b) she is rather boring really. People keep asking me how he is with her and I don't know what to say really - probably like most other new big broethers and sisters I should think.

Both are in basket/cot at the moment and hopefully both asleep. I feel I should do something sensible, like eat lunch while there is the chance .

We are using a grobag for Alice some of the time, and blanket some of the time. She is still enjoying night time sleep (although had rather more feeds last night) and doesn't seem to mind how she put into her basket. When wearing a grobag (1 tog) she has on a vest and babygro as well.

Beate, thanks for the cranial osteopathy suggestion. I remember it was mentioned way back in my NCT class but I had forgotten all about it. There is a Neal's Yard nearby that does it, so I might take DB along there and see how we go.

Kiwikate and Beate, I will take your advice and relax a bit about the timing of the feeds later in the day. He tends (touch wood) to sleep for 3-4 hours during the night, but before that in the 6pm-12am period tends to be the most unsettled.

Latest update: got up this morning for first feed and noticed that DB's thumb was in a shocking state - all blistery, twice its normal size and angry red and with the skin all broken and peeling! Took him to the doctor and now he is on anti-biotics. This in addition to creme for the thumb and a couple of other sores he has, saline drops for his blocked nose, Nystatin for the thrush and powder for his weeping stump. I cant believe it - he is only 2 weeks old tomorrow and already he has more medicines than I have had in 5 years! It takes an age to give it all to him and it disrupts attempts to try and get him to sleep after a feed because the thrush liquid has to be given after the feed, which upsets him. DH and I are crossing our fingers that all this will have improved in a couple of weeks time. But I hope that this isnt setting him up to have weak immunity. We dont feel that we have much choice but to give it all to him though.

1stimemum: sorry to hear about all your DB's ailments and medicines. Sympathise on the thrush especially - DD2 has been crying a lot during feeds which DD1 never did and when I noticed how white her tongue looks I put 2 and 2 together and took her to the GP today. I was diagnosed with thrush the day she was born - had had no symptoms - so it all made sense. DD2 was given Daktarin gel, which you put on the tongue twice a day - do you have to give your liquid after every feed? Ditto on the unsettled evenings, too - though this has just been the last day or two and whatever she's like in the day/eve she's still sleeping amazingly well at night - generally just one feed, sometimes two, and last night she slept 5.5 hours in one go, so if I have to do a bit more work in the evenings I'm not going to complain.

HI everyone - first moment I've had to post today... Shocked at my boobs! they've got huge had to go and buy new nursing bras... Ooooh they're much more comfy... a growth spurt of 3 cup sizes, in my old bras it'd looked like 'Hello Boys' gone seriously wrong

Firstimemum - your poor little mite, hope you get a chance to remember how wonderful you are for making such an amazing little being... it all gets easier as you get into the swing of things - hope you manage to get through your initial hiccoughs quickly {{{hugs}}}

Hi Everyone - I'm back! Charlotte Sarah Poppy arrived on the 29th September at 3:20am, weighing 7lbs 1.5ozs. My birth story is here . Quick summary - my PIH developed into Pre Eclampsia, so had to be induced. Charlotte swallowed a load of merconium and ended up in Neo Natal ICU for about 30 hours, and we had to stay in hospital for 6 days as she was on IV antibiotics. All is fine now though, and we're settling into life at home. She's an angel baby (makes me nervous, as am waiting for it all to go pear shaped) - sleeps for 4 hours, feeds for 5 - 10 minutes (apparently my milk has the fastest letdown in the west), and barely cries
(if she hadn't had a hearing test in the ICU, I would be worried that she was deaf, as nothing seems to disturb her).

Congratulations to all the new arrivals, and fingers crossed for those still waiting. All sounding very promising for RZ...

Congratulations Kiwifruit, from a fellow antipodean (Oz, not Kiwi)! You didnt have the easiest time, but you and Charlotte are well now and at home so it all worked out for the best. Well done.

Beate, I made an appointment for a paediatric osteopath for today and am really looking forward to it. Hopefully it will help us. It will be our first trip on the Tube which is a milestone. At least DH is still here (his last day of paternity leave) so I dont have to brave it alone.

xx

Hello everyone! I dont get chance to come here as much as i used to, my dd Olivia is 3 weeks old, 4 weeks old on monday and so far the breastfeeding is going well, i had a real struggle with supply when bfeeding ds1 and ds2, and so was expecting the same this time, but dd feeds for about half an hour and then sleeps for about 3 hours! - fantastic!! still pretty nackered though, still have ds1 (5) school run to do, with ds2 (2.5) causing hell and then Olivia generally yelling as when im doing the school run i have little time to feed her for as long as she'd like too! - so all normal chaos really! - keeping my eye's open for any signs of PND too! had it quite badly with ds1 and ds2, but so far so good - but i know its still quite early days!

No time to write but wanted to say congratulations Kiwifruit and good luck FTM!

OK - dd1 has gone back to bed phew! I have spent the morning feeding baby Alice and she has finally settled for a sleep.

I envy all those with babies who have a sleep/feeding pattern..... but Alice is pretty contented and only does the hourly cluster feeding in the morning and evening, meaning she has a great sleep in the afternoon and goes about 4 hours between feeds during the night It might not last.

Alice hates being in her carseat so I really need to invest in a good sling. Has anyone found one yet? Alice is too little/young (IMO) for the Baby Bjorn. I have a pouch sling and an Ergo carrier... none of which are suitable for carrying snuggly a baby who won't settle in her pushchair. I'm thinking of getting a wrap sling now. Has anyone had any success with one of these? even if I just wear it in the house, at least I can get the washing machine unloaded in the am.

I meet my health visitor this afternoon. I haven't figured out how I am supposed to vacuum the house when my two girls don't sleep at the same time. dd1 is scared of the noise but whilst she napped, I had Alice in my arms!! Argh. And yes, it REALLY needs doing.

Hiya beatie my sister got a sling/wrap thats absolutely brilliant i think she said she got it from a site called freedomslings.com i will ask her asap and clarify it didnt cost her much and her dd (4 months) LOVES it!! my house too needs a hoovering desperately and ds2 is busy making me even more laundry as he has tipped a whole pot of chocolate yoghurt down himself and dd is just about to start squawking! its madness!

Congratulations kiwifruit and welcome to Charlotte Sarah Poppy glad everything is ok now we were all getting a bit worried about you.

Beatie - HV couldn't give a rats A*e about the housework as long as you and kids are fine. In fact mine told me to calm down and rest more forget the house work for a few weeks.

will post properly later
love to all of you.

congrats to kiwifruit, finally you join us in the postnatal thread!!

not sure if this breast-pumping thing is going very well... not getting any more out, and missed a session last night (as I was totally exhausted) and now my boobs are killing have been expressing every couple of hours this morning, but not producing much and not relieving the discomfort. Bugger! Also had a teary can't-sleep-can't-stop-crying thing this morning... if you have PND does you feel like this every day? some days i am fine, pretty cheery most days.. prob. just hormones? I am just a bit paranoid as I've had depression before, and I think that can make you more at risk of having pND....

First day entirely on my own today! Managed to get ds1 to school swimming lesson, ds2 to school and dog walked as well as feeding dd...so far so good, but i know it won't last!
Health visitor came yesterday - as good as useless really! DD is on 98th percentile for height and 91st for weight - she looks about 4 weeks old!(only 2 wks really) She is obviously childless herself so it's hard for her to seem credible! When I complained Nell is windy, she asked if I'd tried winding her at each feed!!! doh!! Her nappy rash is dreadful still (dd, not the health visitor's ) - I might take her to the dr next week if there is no improvement - any suggestions? Tried sudocrem and metanium with no results.
On the subject of slings, I am borrowing 3 to test drive!!Currently trying huggababy - I have managed to get it on, but dd still asleep so doesn't contain baby yet!! Then will borrow mobywrap (basically long bit of material) and active babybjorn. Fancy tricotti myself, but seems expensive for what it is. Will report findings!!

Sorry, congrats to Kiwifruit - I was getting worried about you! Off to read your birth story...

andif - I too fancy the Tricotti but could not justify the expense to DH. I got a single pouch sling instead but I can see it won't be used until Alice is much bigger. She's completely lost in it and it hurts my back. I'll be interested to see how you get on tying the Moby Wrap sling. Keep me posted.

Luckily my HV sounds as though she has young children as she said she only works two days per week.

onthe subject of slings - I was going to buy one, but haven't bothered as I thought it'd be too cold to take the baby out in it now the weather is getting colder. Are you all just planning to use them in the house?

LadyL, I think slings are at least as cosy as buggies - DD1 was born in Jan and I used the sling exclusively for ages - they really get very toasty in them as they get all your body heat as you walk. You can dress them up nice and warm in a snowsuit or whatever if necessary, and even wear a nice big coat yourself and button it round the front. Very snuggly

PS We use the BabyBjorn, but I've ordered a Huggababy this time as it seems to be recommended for breastfeeding.

congratulations Kiwifruit
.... and another lovely name
So pleased that everything is going well for you all now you're at home

Good to hear the staff at Hosp were supportive of you having as natural delivery as possible - it means SO much.

Beatie how big is Alice? or should I say how LITTLE is she? - The Baby-Bjorn Active with the lumbar support is suitable from one week and I took this totally literally and me and Conrad sail happily forth, He's quite a Tall/Long baby but there's not much width to him!! He seems perfectly happy as the Bjorn adjusts to support his little body so he's not just slumped - his head resting against my (now ample)bosom...

Alice is still too curled up to get her comfortably into the Baby Bjorn. I hate to pull her legs straight. She's 8lb 7oz - she was weighed to day by my very lovely Health visitor who didn't seem to notice my crumb filled carpet.

Ahhh! you've got a little froggy baby! My dd was like that,she used to tuck her little legs right up to either side of her body - she'd be like that even when you picked her up...

see what you mean about not wanting to get Alice into a Baby Bjorn

LadyL please cat me sounds like you need someone to talk to. I have had depression and PND so know where you are comming from. Yes Depression can give you a pre disposition to PND and as I have been treated for both in the past I am on the look out for signs of it kicking in this time as well. Hugs to you I know the expressing is hard work and am struggling with it at times myself but as ds seems to prefer ebm to formula I am going to stay with it as long as I can. Have you tried the power pumping suggestion on the exclusive pumpers thread? Apparently you pump for ten mins every half an hour for a couple of hours each day for a few days and it helps increase supply. Yeah I knopw it really will feel as if pumping is overtaking life but might be worth a try, others wise fennel tea is supposed to be good.