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.

I jus saw this come up in active convo's so thought I'd pop in to say hello

Loved the birth stories

pet - I think the fact F came out with his fists by his face had everything to do with your tear, not the fact that you didn't use the epi-no or massage.

I'm so that you're on a post-natal thread!

Ouch, just saw your post Ali.

JKS gave a good tip.

Breast combing has always worked well for me. Make a fist with the hand that is the same side as the affected breast and support the sore breast with your other hand. Starting well above where your breast tissue starts, roll your fist slowly towards the block and then the nipple, also doing it in the shower can be more comfortable as is aiming the shower jet right at the block.

Are your bra's fitting ok? If they're feeling a bit tight don't wear them until the block is well and truly gone. Also seams on bra's can be the culprit for blocked ducts.

Wow Petal, have just emerged from my baby bubble enough to reread your birth story. I'm in awe, fists by face without pain relief!

Henry came to DP's rugby game today. I put him in his sling as he was fussing and he was spark out in seconds. Team mates all came over to coo, never have so many burly men looked so soppy

Halfway through the game my boobs felt really odd. I assumed it was because H hadn't nursed all day (we were in public and I wasn't confident). Got home and decided to go for boobs first in case lack of nursing had blocked something. I think tingling was milk coming in as H attacked them both even though he really doesn't get on with the left one normally. Marvellous!

Ouch, Ali, sounds nasty. Good luck sorting it, hope I can avoid that one. Let us know what works.

ILTMIMI - ha! you could be right about the fists vs epi-no! Although perhaps it would have been less dramatic than 3rd degree if I'd put in at least some preparation!

Cycle - the pushing bit & tearing was fine, absolutely nothing compared to the whole first stage (& ambulance transfer). From what I remember (and it's rapidly retreating into the dark distance) the whole first 7-8 hours was way worse than the actual tearing.

I get the weird-boobs thing too, I think it coincides roughly with F's mealtimes. Weirdly, he's gone from emptying both at a sitting, to doing just one at a time today. Not sure if this means he'll wake up more often tonight, but we'll see.

I so wish we were all local to each other so we could do the first trip out/public bf together! I MUST do it before DH goes back to work on Thursday.

Love the thought of soppy massive rugby types! I had a similar thing with lots of squealing yr11's yesterday when we popped into school - although a much different level! Had to stop myself getting jealous of minutely skinny 15yr-olds - I'm twice their age, I'm not supposed to look like that EVER, let alone less than 2 weeks after having a baby! But that's a train of thought for the feminist threads...!

I had a bit of a boob incident in Mothercare earlier - went to get some more nursing bras as the pre-birth purchased ones seem a bit small. Was quickly trying them on while DH wandered round with Megan, was about to check the size on the ones I'd chosen when I noticed wetness - I was dripping from both boobs all over the changing room . I was very grateful for the breast pads they leave in there and quickly mopped up, and bought the bras.
Don't go shopping just before a feed is expected! :o

Oh, thanks for the offer of night time company Petalouda, unfortunatly I don't have Internet on my phone but if we've left the computer or netbook on...
We've just had an afternoon/ early evening nap but I think it's time to get up now and get some food.

I may well be around for night time chats too. Tho you'l have to forgive all the typos!

At your tear Petal - is it healing ok? (can't remember who answered my post to say yes). I tore both times and think the recovery is worse than the moment of tearing itself. Thus time I have a stich prevariously close to my anus and it's been killing me. I recommend a drop of lavender oil in the bath and lots of painkillers

On the upside, I had a poo today abd it didn't hurt at all. Praise be to the makers of lactulose!

Ouch I am not jealous of your stitches in your nethers ladies! My section scar has healed up fantastically this time, so that I've almost forgotten about it. I found myself running after DS1 in the garden today without realising - which when you consider that after I had him I was still walking very slowly at 6 weeks post-birth is just wonderful :)

Boob is somewhat better, I fed with chin to blockage while brushing downwards with a hairbrush and I can feel that the duct itself is no longer blocked. That side of my boob is still red but I'm hoping that will disappear now and that mastitis doesn't flare up.

ILike - I went through the mill with DS1 and BFing - thrush, mastitis, supply issues, latch problems - the whole bloody 9 yards. I know exactly which drugs I shall and shan't be asking for should the situation arise, and am fortunate to have a very supportive GP - and also a Dr for a father who will write me a private script if all else fails.
I've only worn feeding vests and sleep-type bras so far so no seams. I'm about to order a couple of Bravado ones from a website you linked to a few weeks ago and those a seamless too.

Cycle - so pleased for you about the feeding :) It is the most demoralising thing when it isn't going well.
I wouldn't feed DS2 out in public yet I don't think, latching is still a bit hit and miss sometimes - he is a proper fighter and gets his fists in the way unless I really swaddle him. In another couple of weeks we will get out there, but I remember with DS1 that he was about 8 weeks old before I felt confident to feed him in Starbucks or somewhere like that - I'd fed in other people's houses before that though. It does take time to build up the confidence.

chilli - I drip milk all over the bathroom floor when I get out of the shower, which is nice!

Stitches are actually fine.

Most annoying thing right now is DH trying to be lovely and make me cups of tea, etc. Disappearing off to play COD, coming back and wondering why I haven't drunk it. I haven't got go-go-gadget arms you know!

This paternity leave must really be a hardship for him.

Rant, grump, moan

Am so at those whose milk drips and leaks.

H just had a proper go at both boobs again. Can anyone recommend a good breastpump? He's still having problems latching on the left and the right is getting hammered already. Am thinking giving the right a break and keeping the left going is a good plan.

Ooh Petal. DH knows better than to leave me He remains close by so that I can request drinks, food, TV channel change or whatever without dislodging DS from my boob.
I had a bit of a go at his the other day because he had buggered off and left me in bed feeding DS2, with DS1 fast asleep in the next room so I couldn't even yell for him

x-posts.

Cycle I had a Medela swing electric with DS1, which was brilliant for me as a first-timer when I hadn't a clue what I was doing. It was fecking expensive, but if I hadn't had it I have no doubt that I would never have managed to get BFing established so it was worth it.
When he was about 4 months old I bought a Tommee Tippee hand-held one, and that's what I'm using this time - I would really recommend it, especially for the large-breasted because the cup part covers quite a big area.

What you need to think about when you are expressing, is that you want to mimic the way H sucks as closely as possible. DS2 latches very differently to DS1, and I mimic DS2's suck pattern as he gets the letdown going which is a few quick sucks, then he waits, then another couple of quick sucks and then he waits for the milk to flow before he starts gulping.
Because you can't do this with an electric, I find I get much more milk more quickly with my hand-held.

Alternating is a good plan if your nipples are getting really mangled. I did it for 3 days earlier in the week and it gave mine a chance to heal. Re-apply the Lansinoh regularly inbetween feeds/expressings to stop your nips drying out.

I have milk

Ali - Ouch, hope the brushing does the trick.

Cycle - I've got the medela mini, it was the cheapest reliable electric pump I could find. It's noisy but it used to send DD1 off to sleep! I have heard good things about the avent electric one too. Def go for an electric one.

X-posts with Ali!

Hand-held? WTF am I on about, they are all hand-held .

Clearly I mean manual

Yay for milk NANN :)

Lol. Yes those footheld ones are a right bugger to get the hang of

are feeling better today and I've managed without the nipple shields.

With regards to the stitches survey, I have a 2nd degree tear and didn't do the epi-no thing, but on the plus side the stitches are less painful with my tear this time than they were with the episotomy last time round.

Breast Pumps - I borrowed a Philip's Avent electric last time round but could never get more than a couple of ounces out. So far i've bought a manual Avent this time as it was on special offer at £13.00, i'm going to wait a few weeks and see how I get on before I splash out on an electric but DD has managed 9 days of BF only and is back to birth weight so I think I must be producing more milk than with DS

Duty calls, I'm off to get the out

Morning all. Just had an unfortunate nappy-change incident. At the point of switch over from old to new, F starts to wee everywhere, and then adds a bit of poo. So new reusable nappy is now unuseable. Then, again at point of switch, he poos, and then again! So that's 2 nappies straight in the wash (plus the original disposable in the bin) and a good old mess to clean up!

What a nightmare. Hope he goes back to sleep now!

Why do these things happen at this time of day?!

Morning all, how was everyone's night's sleep?

Sorry I still haven't posted my birth story, I just don't seem to find the time to do anything at the moment.

DD is doing reasonably well at feeding on the left but not on the right, does anyone have any good tips for getting her started on the other side?

Petal - I hope you got some more sleep, these things always happen in the middle of the night!

Liv - fab news on the nips and the milk :) I've definitely got more milk than I had at this point with DS1.

We have had a much better night's sleep. DS2 slept in his hammock from 1am - 5.30am! So DH and I have both had a decent stretch of sleep and actually feel human.
I have got a manicure and pedicure booked for this morning, got someone coming here to do it which is nice. Can't wait to have presentable feet!
Also, the babyweight is gone Tummy still very much present, but I now weigh less than I did when I conceived.

x-posts Thaney. Have you tried swaddling before a feed? Also check your own position - are you twisting or holding DD further from your right nipple without realising?
It is really common for babies to latch better one side than the other, could be how she was lying in the womb, or the way she came out. It will resolve itself as she uncrumples :)

Oh No You Di'ent!

Ali - you already weigh less than you did at conception?! That's incredible!

Well, that's it, I've been trying to keep it to myself but now I'm joining in: I've been back in my size 10 Fat Face jeans for a week already! All the maternity clothes are packed away. And if I hadn't just scoffed a load of toast I'd be up those stairs weighing myself right now (and then not reporting, as I am clearly not back to pre-preg weight just yet!).

Actually, putting the maternity tops away might have been a silly idea. My entire front is way bigger than it ever was! I look pretty normal to me now, but I put a shirt on yesterday and there was no way it was being done up! I think I must've been skinnier than I thought.

Looking at the time of my last post, I think I must've got another couple of hours sleep. Given that I think F was up till at least 2am before that, I don't think I've had that much sleep. It's ok, I'll nap in a bit.

Petal getting back in your jeans is very impressive! I'm a couple of inches away from mine, and they aren't a size 10!!

We've had a good day today, T has fed really well and I had a lovely pedicure earlier. Just off to get DS1 into bed and then settle down to watch the golf.
DH is back to work tomorrow which is making me a bit :( It has been so lovely to have him around this last fortnight, DS1 has really thrived having him around.

Petal would you recommend buying the pee pee tee pees everyone laughed at on the AN thread then?

I'm hoping by posting on here gives baby the idea that the grass is greener on Post than Ante! :o

Had my first go at expressing this evening. Mum picked me up a cheap hand pump. Got about 20ml out of the troublesome left boob really quickly and fed it to H at his next feed. Was on a high but he then decided he needed a mega feed and I ended up having to give a load of formula as well as he drained the right boob dry and still refuses to latch on the left.

Have looked up bf drop-in groups and may brave one on Tuesday but am planning to pump vigorously in the meantime.

Dunno what got into H this evening but he screamed for AGES earlier.

Am hating all those back in normal clothes. Is rubbish.

Oh and my TMI contribution for the day is that, apparently, a blood clot the size of a plum is NOT 'massive'. I panicked and rang the 24-hour number I got given but mw assured me it's fine