April 2011-kicking back drinking lactulose cocktails and riding the maternity surfboards

[Petalouda]

Post-natal thread for all the antenatal April 2011 Family!

Share the birth stories, the baby blues and everything else.

We are one extreme to another here. Either T won't settle in his hammock at all and is in with us all night, or like last night he settled after about 20 mins and slept 12-4 and 4.30-7ish. Even managed to get him back in there after his 4am feed. Still, we have now managed 3 nights in a row where DH and I have both got 6-7 hours sleep so it is a calmer household today :)

I am so glad not to be pregnant anymore. I really enjoy the 20-30 week stretch, but the rest is awful for me. I am 99% sure that we won't have anymore children.
Things I can do now that I am not pregnant.
-Sleep on my front
-Eat a meal without feeling sick beforehand and needing a handful of Gaviscon afterwards
-Get up and down off the floor without sounding like I'm 90
-Play with DS1
-Have energy even when I'm sleep deprived

Just posted this on the sleep thread but wondered what you ladies thought, too - just had my mum on the phone and she is terrified that letting S sleep for hours in the sling (fabric type, I put his legs through and down so he is as upright as possible) is going to disable him for life as he should be flat for all naps so his back grows straight..... He is flat in his bedside cot at night (or next to me, of course!!) and is often happy in the pram after lunchtime-ish feed, but in the morning especially when he is overtired, he will only settle in the sling, and then it's like magic, and he'll snooze for a couple of hours and wake up happy. Is she being silly or am I being evil mum?! Advice please.....

Daisy - this is from my sling instruction booklet:

An infants back in naturally rounded and needs to stretch gradually over one or two years in order to obtain the adult s shaped back. This is why the baby's back needs to be slightly rounded inside a taut sling. This is most certainly better for the baby than a position where the back is lying straight and is stretched.

I have been using my sisters Hoppediz sling this morning - it's a bloody revelation! I have the use of two hands to do things!!

JKS - Oh lord the night sweats. They're vile aren't they. I wake up with a pool of it around my neck and cleavage - nice!

Daisy - your Mum is being a bit hysterical, although with the best of intentions I am sure! :)

I really need to crack using my KarriMe so that I can carry on with tasks when T won't settle.

I am still getting night sweats some nights, it is horrid. Just round my neck now really but it makes me feel like I need to wash my hair every day, and ideally I would like clean bed sheets every day too but that is just mega impractical in terms of laundry etc. Oh to be a millionaire and have someone to deal with these things on my behalf!!

ILTMIMI - brill, thanks, will send that paragraph to my mum! :>)

I've just had H in his sling most of the way home after an odyssey to the passport office. He loves it and, frankly, if they ruined babies' backs there would be a serious problem in parts of the world where they are commonplace (like Africa).

Thanks again for the support ladies, H finally ceased the 'in pain' crying last night. Unfortunately he became happy and awake baby between 2-4.30am but at least he's back. I'm sure it was the combination of everyone's advice. He's been in a good mood most of the day too so hopefully it was something I ate or just a little tummy upset.

Welcome Caramello, sounds like you had a good experience

The swingy chair we have is this one. H loves it and is spark out in it right now...

JKS I marvel at you being able to manage to get out with 3 in tow. I went on my first outing yesterday on my own with DD in the pushchair and DS on the buggy board. Was feeling like it was fine and I was gliding through it until DD decided she wanted feeding and DS wouldn't get on the buggy board to leave the park. I still have some way to go I think before feeling totally confident with the two of them out on my own. Other women make it look easy!

stuffed glad the nurse checked your bits out and it's nothing too serious. Better it sorts itself out than needing intervention. It's a reminder to me to do my pelvic floor exercises too, I have been very slack.

Very happy not to be pregnant anymore here too. I'm loving being able to spring up off the sofa rather than it taking multiple stages of maneuvering! I think we'll be sticking with just the two children but I'm so sad thinking this will be my last newborn days. I think if DH wanted another in a few years I'd probably be easily swayed....but I doubt he'll change his mind!

Daisy ILTMIMI's brochure has said it all, I think the sling is fine for them to sleep in! I should probably be reported to Social Services as I took S to get registered this morning in the Baby Bjorn rather than the Kari Me. Bad Mother! I know she's too young to have her little legs bent outwards by it or something but I can't work out how to get the Kari Me sling to support her properly and I end up walking around basically supporting her weight anyway. I need to find someone who has used one to give me a few pointers as I must be doing something wrong! Ali do you use it with T sideways or upright against you?

Glad H is back on happy form for you Cycle.

I have that swingy chair too, I got it from Amazon when it was on a deal last week, it arrived yesterday and it took DH over an hour last night to put it together

It arrived just in time as i've been to the doctor's today and have been diagnosed with a bad case of Tonsillitis , have been put on AB's for a week and told to phone for another prescription next week if it's still not cleared up.

Thanks for the tip about acidophilus ILTMIMI, i'll send DH down to H&B tomorrow for some, luckily Actimel were on special offer when I went to the supermarket yesterday so I'll be supping plenty of those too.

youtube often have good instruction videos for slings. Is a kari-me one of the slings that is just a long piece of stretchy fabric?

Hope you feel better soon liv, I used to suffer with tonsilitis quite a lot until I had them removed in my early 20's.

I have totally forgotten about getting I registered

Afternoon Evening!

Glad I'm not the only sweat bucket around, was beginning to think something was wrong with me!! Think my issue is more of a stress sweat though in relation to feeding issues but whatever the cause it's bloody awful, that combined with the lochia is making me feel minging!!

Stuffed How did you figure out you had a prolapse (I know thats maybe a silly question and you just had a look lol) reason I ask is I've been having an odd sensation down below. It's almost like a pressure from inside out but it's nearer the front - think urethra/clitoral area as opposed to vaginal/perineal (sorry if TMI although I think maybe we're over that by now!!) mentioned it to MW yesterday who didn't seem very concerned and said she didn't know what could be causing it, didn't want to have a look either! Just suggested I see my GP if it persisted! Yet another reason for me to be pretty unimpressed with them!

On the plus side R passed her hearing test with flying colours and has gained 180grams in 5 days! Would I be right in thinking that's about 6 ozs?
As for the feeding dilemma, I've been persevering with mix of BF, expressing and FF but this morning attempted BF first thing and it was just excrutiating again so have now decided I'm reverting to FF and expressing only and giving my breasts a break. Hope that perhaps once they've healed a bit I can try again and maybe get it right from the beginning with the support of the BF support lady and HV as MWs were hopeless! Still having a little guilt trip to myself that we won't be having the BF bond but we can have skin to skin other ways and tbh R already seems much happier now that I'm not getting myself in a state over every feed plus she is still getting breast milk just not directly from me! Hope she doesn't forget how to latch!! Mind you maybe that would be a good thing as there is clearly something not quite right with it anyway!!

An hour Liv?! I put ours up in about 20 minutes and was chastised by DP for taking too long!

Good luck with the feeding MrsW, hopefully a boob break is just what you need.

Right ladies, here I am with the begging bowl out for more advice. I'v also posted on the feeding board.

Super Duper Medela Symphony arrived yesterday. The first pump I got 100mls, double what I was getting by hand. Woo Hoo thinks I. But today, I've been lucky to get the regulation 50mls each time. I'm pumping every 2 hours, B is feeding every 3.5ish so I'm pumping more regularly than he is feeding, but he's always looking for more and I can't keep up. Will my supply catch up in a day or two? I'm loathe to use the formual for top ups now I've got the pump.

Is it too early to think I just don't have enough to feed him what he wants/needs??

Lis I'm having similar issues as don't seem to be expressing nearly enough to give more EBM than formula but then again I am already giving formula so not such a problem for me. I can roughly express 2ozs at a time but usually more first thing in the morning. Not buying an electric pump as yet until I know for sure which way I'm going to go with feeding, so just using hand pump just now.

R hasn't had many feeds today, not sure if it's because the formula feeds are filling her up more than the expressed breast feeds. She fed from me this morning around 9-10 and then slept until about 1.30 and then fed again (formula 4ozs) until 2.30, woke again at around 5pm and took 4ozs expressed milk and is now awake but setlled. She'll probably doze off in a bit so is only likely to have 1 more feed before bed time and will then feed again during the night, probably only once. Does this seem like enough and is it likely to be because I'm mix feeding? Don't currently have enough EBM stored to give her that before bed or during the night so they'll both be formula and she'll get EBM first thing in the morning but I'll be pumping like a legend tomorrow so that I have more for her!

Lis - yes it will catch up, definitely. Can you get B latched at all, because that would really help your supply even if he isn't on for long. Don't worry if you can't atm, pumping like that will do the job. Are you making sure to pump during the night? Your prolactin levels are highest then so it is like an extra boost to milk making!

caramel yes I have the same problem with the Kari Me. I think I need to tie it tighter but it has been so hard to find a time when T is awake and in a good mood to practice putting him in it!
Agree with you about the buggy board outings. I have taken to putting DS1 in his reins, and then he can't bolt off leaving me trying to run with the pram and a c-s wound that still pulls a little when I do more than trot!

Yes at least an hour cycle he's not the most DIY savvy man. That did include a good 15mins while he went seatching for the batteries though. I'd moved them when we converted the spare room to DS new bedroom.
The conversation went something like this:
DH: Where are the batteries?
Me: Either the kitchen drawer or in the battery box
DH What battery box?
Me: I put all the batteries in a box
DH: Where's the box?
Me: Don't know
DH: What's it look like?
Me: I can't remember

Liv your conversation with your DH is similar to the one I just had with DH. S just wee'd on her clothes so I sent him looking for a clean sleepsuit...

DH: what does it look like?
Me: Like a sleepsuit, it's white.
DH: where are they?
Me: In her drawers maybe? In the washing pile?
DH: with the 100 other small white things with poppers?
Me: Erm, yes.

Oh dear, the sleep deprivation is well and truly setting in for us both.

ILTMIMI, yes, the KariMe ones are the long piece of fabric ones! Looks mad that that piece of material can wrap in some configuration and actually hold a baby, let alone a toddler as it claims to be able to do!

Ali I think the 'special bracelet' for DS might have to come out next trip out on the buggy board to ease my nerves and make life easier. I do hate a leash but needs must and all that!

Saturday morning, hurray! So looking forward to this weekend, having DP back with us again for a bit..... Thank you for all your positive sling vibes; I also asked the midwife yesterday (who finally signed us off, yay!) and she said absolutely fine and echoed Cycle's point about African babies. Phew! The magic solution can stay. If anyone is thinking about getting one or has one they can't get on with, I can heartily recommend a Close Parent fabric sling - goes over both shoulders, cross over thing on the back which is comfy and also excellent guide to how it goes on! and just very intuitive to use, S looks very comfy in it. Was recommended by another friend (lovely lady from Up The Hill, Cycle!) who swore by it. (And no, I don't work for them!! just a very pleased customer...)

Well, the poo famine lasted 3 days and when it came it was a nappy filler!

Hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend :)

Congrats to everyone I've missed (Ecuse & Caramello),

I seem to be doing lots of lurking with intent these days - I have many good intentions to post but somehow never get around to it.

Has anyone heard from Kits? I've been thinking of her and hoping everything is okay.

Hi all.. quick question, can anyone recommend a grobag suitable for newborns? i think the one we've got is a bit big.

Also any recommendations for a sling? i'm after a fabric one that i tie on first then put baby in and is easy to do on my own?

is the sling/stretch wrap I am using at the moment, and the instructions which I think are clear www.hoppediz.de/en/wissenwertes/the-art-of-carrying/double-cross-carry-part-1/

I can't believe I haven't used a sling before, I could kick myself. We went to a local farmers market this morning and into town this afternoon, and I slept all the way through both outings. It also meant he had a really good long feed after each sleep in the sling.

lucie - I don't have any suggestions, but the important thing is the head hole isn't too big so that they slip down. Mine have all been big boys with big heads at birth so Grobags have been ok.

I think the last post from kits was all good, they were all home and well.

oops, looks like they've changed how to post links

Hi guys! So, turns out I've been quoted in the Daily Mail! check it out.

They must have lifted it from my description on the childbirth thread. Hilarious.

H having a sleepy day so I'm dreading tonight...

I have a great fabric sling. Can't remember the name as it was a gift but it's just a huge length of stripy fabric. H went in it after fussing yesterday and fell asleep straight away. It's pretty easy to tie once you practice once or twice and I thoroughly recommend them.

wow cycle looks like journalists will go to any lengths for their stories, imagine trawling MN to get their info!!

Trawling sites like MN is becoming very common. They took the quote and attributed it to a 'British mother on Mumsnet'. Once you put comments in the public domain they're fair game. The funny thing is that an ex-colleague works on the Mail health team, if he'd known it was me he could have just asked for a quote...