March 2011 - we made it!

[Muser]

The waiting is over, the babies are arriving. March 2011 mums, come on in your time is up.

Happy mothers day all! Swaddling worked well last night, thank you muser. I had a great nights sleep which is what I needed. I'm sure after childbirth you need a long period of recovery but it doesn't work that way!

Thank you also honeymoonmummy for your thoughts on co sleeping. We are going to see how things go.

Happy mothers day all!

edeluna - I alternate and the first time I introduced a bottle and then went back to the breast it did cause slight confusion for a couple of minutes. She soon realized the difference though and went back to the right method. IDK if its a gimmick or something but I went for the Tommee Tippee bottles as they advertise being the same sucking method. I really don't know if there is anything in it though. Might be worth mentioning though that my LO is a good little feeder - any problems we've had have been my fault. I said the 6 week thing to the midwives in the hospital and they told me that it was fine to express and feed as soon as your milk comes in. They even encouraged me to as I was so exhausted and needed a break.

Hi everyone and happy mothers day!!

Edeluna sorry to hear you ended up back in hospital with you c-section wound - hope you are loads better now. I think the antibiotics are working as mine is now less red and sore, but I'm gonna ask my health visitor to have a little look when she comes tomorrow to weigh Bethan.

In terms of feeding - I have been only bottle feeding with expressed milk as Beth had problems feeding from birth. I have been trying her on the breast every now and then in a hope that she might take to breast feeding - purely for selfish reasons as it would make my life so much easier Anyway we are now beginning to have some success and she is now starting to latch and we have had 2 days where we have had a 10 min breast feed (not a lot, but def a step in the right direction!!)

DD1 breast fed like a dream... although when I started expressing for the odd niight out and in preparation for return to work at 5/6 months ish... it was a nightmare as she wouldn't take from a bottle!! Therefore if you can get them to do both as early as possible it has got to be a positive!!

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Happy Mummy's Day everyone, especially if it's your first one!

Hey, I've just found this group - introduced by a friend. Is it ok if i join?! Little Rosa was born 2nd march and we are doing fine (more or less!) but as I'm out in Mexico for a while longer am a wee bit lonesome on the baby chatting front!

Thanks :)

Hi Nello and welcome and congratulations! Mexico, how exciting, do tell all!

hi everyone,
highland just wanted to add to those feeling teary, i also have been feeling very emotional, crying for no reason and sometimes just feel like i can't cope and want my old life back, it's really hard adjusting to life with a baby and the hormones are running riot, so no surprise it can get you down really. especially when he won't stop crying and i can't figure out why.
try to remember no-one said it would be easy and you're still a good mum even if you are finding it hard right now.
Also - accept any help you can get.
I actually feel a lot better today having got a reasonable amount of sleep last night too so that helps.
x

Welcome nello, always lovely to have new recruits. How are you finding it all?

On the emotional side, it DOES get better. My little girl is 7 weeks tomorrow (how did that happen!) and I've gone from being tearful and overwhelmed to absolutely loving it. It's not always easy, but there are fewer hard bits and I kind of know what I'm ding now. She usually sleeps for 5 straight hours now which helps a lot. And she's so alert and interested in the world, with occasional smiles. It's just lovely. Yes she still cries a lot at times and it's hard to comfort her. But we've now learnt that the best way to deal with it is bung her in the sling and go for a walk. I think sometimes she just gets a bit bored!

Thank you for welcome!!

We're doing ok. Rosa is now 4 weeks and has put on a kilo so all good with weight it seems. I too have been very emotional, wishing for my old life and waking in the morning with butterflies in my stomach worrying about the day and night ahead! Think it is getting better though, just trying to enjoy her and worry less, and haven't cried for a whole day!!!

in mexico due to dh's job and wishing i wasn't... there is no help after leaving the hospital at all and no baby groups so just muddling through! it's slowly getting better though although she is also a cuddle monster and likes to sleep on me at night and refuses to nap in the day unless in sling or pushchair so feeling a wee bit tired! Anyone else have trouble with daytime napping? any tips??

glad everyone seems to be settling into their LOs...it WILL get easier won't it?!

Hello ladies and babies

For those of you no longer lurking much on the antenatal thread, I wanted to wander in and tell you...

Had my 20 week scan today and I have a LIVE baby with no apparent problems We are very very happy. Looking like a little sister for Bobbie. Can't quite believe it but utterly thrilled to be able to tell you all

That's wonderful news spilt. I imagine the scan must have been terrifying. I hope the next 20 weeks are nice and dull.

Congratulations Spilt! :)

Thanks

It was terrifying Muser, most scary scan I've ever had and I've had a fair few now! My heart rate was almost in sync with the baby's which was 140 bpm On that basis he booked another scan for 28 weeks to try and keep me calm...!

haloflo re cosleeping am a big fan of this. Did it with ds2 and am now doing it with ds3. Has made things so much easier as instead of spending 90 mins trying to get LO to sleep in Moses basket for him to promptly wake up and want another feed, he feeds and I drop off to sleep before he has finished! Went for this option on the second night and am getting up to 8 hours sleep a night with ds3 doing one 3-4 hr stretch then every 2 hours. He will be 4 weeks on Thursday

Did this with ds2 also and there was no prob getting him to sleep in own cot by 3 months and he is a really solid sleeper now.

Fantastic news Spilt, so excited for you!! Stay positive and strong. x

Cherub59 I have been cosleeping, not by choice, with dd sleeping on my chest if she won't settle (every night after 2am) but do feel worried about it. Not so much the fear of hurting her, as she seems to be quite stable on my chest and I manage not to move, but more worried about how long it will last for as I would prefer her to be in the cot. How did you manage to move your ds2 from cosleeping and into cot? was it very difficult? Also, how do you cosleep positionwise? I wouldn't want her beside me as our bed is only a standard size and I feel she could get trapped so the only possible way is on my chest, however I have noticed that as she gets heavier it is getting harder for both her and for me.

Also, in terms of napping in the daytime, do you just let ds3 sleep on you? dd won't nap unless on me or in the sling/ moving pushchair.

Thanks!!

Am exhausted! DD would not sleep last night, wind I think - hoping too early for colic - (legs pulled up, screaming her heart out.) She settled up on our shoulders but screamed again the second she was put on her back. Finally after 3 hours of it, at 4am, I offered her another feed. 15 mins later we had a sleeping baby. Its horrible when you can't settle then, I get upset but luckily DP is much calmer. I do not want him to go back to work as then I would feel I should be settling her in the night as he couldn't sleep at all during the day.

Tried to lie in this morning but having to sit up for a feed is tiring so i've decided to get up and sleep later this afternoon.

Thank you for all the thoughts on cosleeping, I wonder if as the weather gets warmer DP might be keener as we tend to only use a sheet in the summer months rather than a duvet (our flat is very warm - we don't live abroad!)

split That is amazing news, I hope the next 20 weeks are really dull and all the best for the 28 week scan.

Hello all!

After being so desperate to join THE OTHER SIDE I have been to bloody knackered to get on here.

Arthur is doing brilliantly, only 6 days old and he has already put on weight (half an ounce!) so despite how much breast milk he is spitting up after each feed (an squirting out the other end) he's definitely getting his fill. BF has been hard and most of Monday morning was spent taking it in turns to cry but since then it all seems to have clicked in to place. Bloody sore though but I think its because he is such a strong sucker rather than latching issues (although we had those too - had bruised nipples to show for it!).

Ok so i was warned about boys weeing when you take their nappy off (had a beautiful arch of wee fly all over the sofa cushions!) but no-one warned me about projectile poo!!!!!! At 2am this morning i was wiping down me, the carpets and the curtains behind me as poo shot out mid change. My boy must have some strong bum muscles

My next mission is to try and venture out of the house with him but with DH back at work, its a daunting prospect on my own.

Hello all,

Also joining you here on the other side- can't catch up now on everyone's posts but hope to soon. Lost the other thread due to our own little arrival taking up a lot of time.

Briefly- Elijah was born after 4 days of latent labour (contractions for 4 days stopping me getting any real sleep). Went to hospital early hours of 1st April only 2-3cm dilated. Was 9cm dilated by 7.30am and pushed our whopper of a boy out an hour later- 9lb 8oz. Not enough pain relief due to staff shortages and the speed of my labour so it was pretty brutal. Had 3rd degree tear so had surgery after and was a bit of a blood bath!

Rattling with medication now but he's a beautiful boy and we are getting to grips with things slowly.

Nipples hurt!
Breasts are massive and hurt now as milk came in yesterday- hope it gets less sore soon!

Hope to catch up on everyone's news soon.

K X

PS- it's hard work this isn't it! Sleep deprivation plus a need for recovery- not a great mix!

Hi All

Trying to catch up with this thread again.

Congrats to all the mums and new babies. Glad to hear all are doing great apart from sleepless nights.

Edeluna I do hope that your wound heals quicly. I went through exactly the same thing with DD1 3 years ago. I was also rushed back to hospital 2 days after discharge on a Saturday and basically had to wait until the Monnday for discisions to be made. In the end they decided not to restitch (By the way mine wasnt removed yet, midwife came in the Saturday to remove it when she found me soaked in blood). For 10 days I was on intravenous Anti-biotics, which affected baby's poo because of breastfeeding. They then decided to pack the wound with gauze instead of restitch. Worse choice ever. It took 5 months before it looked like there were signs of closing. MEaning during that time I werent allowed any swimming with my baby, doing anything around the house, bathing her, etc. I would suggest you ask for a restitch and then take it slowly in order for it to heal. That is what I am doing now and luckily or fingers cross my new wound didnt open after ELCS.

Because I am awake most of the first part of the night I put DD2 in her crib next to my bed. When she wants that midnight feed or after 11pm I then feed her lying down and pull the crib next to be with a pillow next to make it nice and soft. DD2 then lies on the end of the bed. If she needs a feed on the other breast I either sit up and feed her to make sure I dont fall asleep with her in the middle and then move her back at the end of the bed.

That all means happy mummy, happy baby.

Hi everyone, congratulations to those who have had their babies since I've been on last. and spilt I'm so pleased your 20 week scan went well!

I also haven't had the time to go online at all really since Ethan was born 18 days ago! We got home after 6 days in the hospital and dp proposed after we got inside the house it was so emotional :-) as I had been planning to give birth at home he originally planned to propose after the baby was born but as due to complications the homebirth didn't happen he wanted to wait till we were both home with the all clear.

Things are going well, Ethan is fully breastfed and feeds whenever he wants which can be 3- 4-5 hours apart at night and 1-3-hours during the day. He usually spends 10-15 minutes feeding, he was weighed yesterday and has put on 334 grams from his birthweight and 260grams since 11 days ago so he is obviously getting enough so very pleased. He does get quite windy and is difficult to get a burp out of him!

I've decided to slow things down a bit as when we got out of hospital I was up and about going out to cafes, shopping etc.. but started getting a bit hectic as Ethan would cry a lot (as babies do) and I find it difficlt to feed in public (people like to stare!, and I still need to see what I'm doing so can't really cover up and be discreet at the mo) anyway dp is back to work on thursday so I won't be able to go out far anyway (I don't drive)

I'm still feeling quite emotional and teary am taking everything personally at the moment. I'm worried about dp going back to work as he has been amazng! as has dd she loves her little brother.

Congrats me23 what an excited time for all of you.

Split Very happy to hear your scan went well. You are in my prayers.