October 2011 - Let the poo obsession begin

[PenguinArmy]

Come chat, moan, boast (by stealth of course), vent, rage, relax, worry and be reassured. Welcome to all the new babies. Stats thread here

I can't believe your expressing BB3

After expressing due to returning to work at 4 months last time, the thought of a pump fills me with dread. I started expressing at 3 weeks as worked part time before that and was also guilted into letting DD out with ILs once a fortnight. I actually have no intention of expressing this time around.

I dont have any problem with expressing - never really had any pain or anything and I use a hand pump thing x I have a really really strong supply (did with ds too) and a fairly fast let down so can pump out over an ounce a minute. I tend to get about 5oz per boob before I feel like I'm coming to a natural finishing point. I've expressed the past two days so that dh gives them their last bottle before bed which means I'm free to do ds' bedtime and it's genuinely made ds so happy to have that bit of mummy time back that it's worth missing out on the girls' feeds - also means I have a bit more freedom if I need it to have some time to myself or sleep (should I ever get the chance !!)

but it's such a chore.

It's funny with DD I didn't mind it while I had to do it, but as soon as I stopped doing it at work I just couldn't stand it anymore. I imagine if I had to do it this time, it would be the same. Saying that this time next week I'll probably hit the wall of hating being the only feeder

Hi all, question for all second time (or more) mums. DS was born Sunday, I've been feeding him as often as possible and he had lots if poos on Sunday and Monday but nothing today. Is that normal as my milk hasn't come in yet?

yes it's normal. Can't remember the cut off but know up to 5 days is within range. How often is as much as possible?

Been skin to skin all day and feeding about every one to two hours. Sometimes he's feeding for ages other times he latches on then just falls asleep with occasional sucking but figure it should all help supply until milk comes in?

sounds like your doing everything you can. For some sanity do you have some BF cafe's near you? I'm lucky that there is a different one each day here in different parts of the city.

Thanks penguin have midwife visit tomorrow just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something really awful overnight! Not many bf cafes around here as am in depths of Devon, but think there is a children's centre that has one once a week I'll try and go to that one. It's difficult as I logically feel that he's fine as he's happy, feeding etc. But am worried in case I miss something that could hurt him.

I know how you feel. I'm the same with his jaundice (well was, it looks largely gone). I know it was mild and lots of feeds and daylight were the answer but it's still there in the back of your mind. I was the same with DD with being a slow weight gainer. I'm not sure how to describe but I understand :) Good luck tomorrow.

hi i am reading but not posting, just so i dont have to do a massive catch up later!

just wanted to say that there are different kinds of jaundice penguin as my two had it last year. the midwife drove me mad, with her daylight obsession (i'd just had twins by c sec, i cant just bung them both in an extremely heavy pram and push them around the streets- plus i'd damaged myself internally in the hospital doing too much too soon) anyway eventually, 15 days i think is the cut off, they had to go into hospital for tests and the consultant told me there are about 12 different reasons for jaundice and they have to eliminate the serious ones first. mine had breast milk jaundice and no amount of sunlight would have made any difference! silly woman. it just goes on its own. thought i just let you know in case it happens to any of you. x

hi i am reading but not posting, just so i dont have to do a massive catch up later!

just wanted to say that there are different kinds of jaundice penguin as my two had it last year. the midwife drove me mad, with her daylight obsession (i'd just had twins by c sec, i cant just bung them both in an extremely heavy pram and push them around the streets- plus i'd damaged myself internally in the hospital doing too much too soon) anyway eventually, 15 days i think is the cut off, they had to go into hospital for tests and the consultant told me there are about 12 different reasons for jaundice and they have to eliminate the serious ones first. mine had breast milk jaundice and no amount of sunlight would have made any difference! silly woman. it just goes on its own. thought i just let you know in case it happens to any of you. x

We've been referred for the jaundice test at the hospital, but the appt is several weeks away and she is already looking less yellow so I'm hoping it will have cleared up by then.

Still fighting the sore nipples - bought something called bio fem compress relief from boots (small box of sachets) and they seem to help and have almost healed one side completely so worth trying if anyone else is still suffering!

Hi my baby boy Austin is 8 days old today. I was induced at 12 days over and he arrived at day 14. He was born weighing 11 lbs 5oz and had been cooking for way too long.... I have to say it was 2 1/2 days of hell and I know everyone says never again but I know there is no way I could go through that again which makes me really sad as I never wanted just one baby and as much as I love him more than anything I am emotionally drained from the whole experience.
My great plan was to have a water birth and as little pain relief as possible, however I was open to pain relief if I couldn't cope.
This is what did happen....
I went in at 9am on Sunday morning and was given the pessary which only started working the last two hours of the 24 hour time frame it has to work. The contractions started and I was transferred to the labour ward to have my waters broken Monday evening-that was horrific enough of an experience without what followed. The contractions were coming strong and fast yet I seemed to be 3cm forever......I decided to have an epidural as the gas and air didn't seem to be touching me. The anaesthetist came along to carry out the epidural and I was asked to get into a certain postion for the epidural, which I did informing her of my difficulties with positioning due to SPD, once I got into the position she required she asked me to move back to the edge of the bed and curl my legs up further! I was like why not tell me that in the beginning, I can't move back now but I could have got into that position if you'd of explained it in the first place!!! Anyway I finally managed with the help of a midwife and my partner and a lot of crying to get into the position she required and she went about putting in the epidural, I couldn't believe it when I could feel something hitting a nerve and making me jump everytime she did something. She kept saying to me stay still and it can't be hurting, where is it hurting, after about 20 minutes I gave up saying I don't want it anymore. She seemed amazed saying this has never happened before. At this point I was asking how far down is it? To which the midwife replied something like your not fully dialated yet hunny... and then I replied nopt the baby the window- I was in so much pain I wanted to kill myself. I seemed to meet so many midwifes and I would think this is the midwife that will deliver my baby and then there shift would end and I was left thinking is this ever going to end, I actually begged one midwife who was lovely to please stay- gas and air....
I think I got to 5-6 cm when they decided to start the oxytocin drip. I went through the night on the drip and by the morning I must of got to 9cm on gas and air. In so much pain they decided I could have a spinal- it worked and it was heaven...eventually I got to 10cm. Now it was time to push baby out... 2 hours I attempted to push baby out with no success and spinal was wearing off and I was so scared that that pain would come back that I begged for a cesarean section to which I was informed that they would have to attempt an instumental delivery before considering a cesarean. They topped me up with an epidural and took me to theatre. After a failed vaccum- cup slipped off baby's head and forceps didn't work- where they had pulled him down the birth canal so far when he wasn't coming out they had to push him back up for the c section- it was the worst feeling of pressure in the world. Finally he arrived at 13:09 weighing 11lbs 5oz- no wonder he couldn't come out. He had a big bruise on his right cheek and his two ears and right arm which are nearly gone. I feel upset that I was left so long as I was measuring big throughout my pregnancy and I am not overweight however I was told there was no need for a growth scan. Sorry for the long rant, I am crying writing this, its good to get it off my chest as It's the first time I've gone through in my head... we are both well now and breast feeding hurts a bit but I am persevering as it is about the only thing I wanted that has gone to plan...

Oh Irishclaire :( that sounds horrendous. Have you mentioned to community MWs how you feel about it?

thanks for the other jaundice stories. I'm 99% confident we're fine, just explaining that feeling of having to keep on top of something extra.

Looks like I may have to go to the GP again today, as the antibiotics I'm on for the infection in my stitches may have caused us both to have thrush! Anyone have any experience of this? Is there anything else I can be doing to relieve the pain?

Thrush

oh monkey i got it with twins. the pain is indescribable. if its not yet i would get to the gp asap. i would be clapping my hand over my mouth to stop from screaming when they latched on. my mum was going bonkers at me to give them bottles if the pain is that bad but i was determined. they give you cream and baby drops. just dont forget to wash the cream off like i did and ended up frantically calling nhs direct thinking id done some real damage! im a worrier!

irishclaire so sorry for your birth experience. i csn completely understand why you wouldnt want to go through that again, but because of the size of your baby and the fact you had a c section, i doubt you would have to. they would monitor you more with growth scans and prob let you have a c sec again. but after 8 days i doubt you care yet. hope your baby is helping to ease the awful experience. rant on here and dont bottle it in. xxx

Hello all

Irish I had tears in my eyes reading your birth story, it sounds heartbreaking. 8 days on the pain is still very raw so don't even worry about ranting or doubting your desire for more kids. I agree with sassy that you would probably be given the option of cs automatically if you decided to have another one and having had the spinal with the twins i agree with the heavenly feeling it brings over you so you wouldn't have to go through the same thing again.

Edith-May was jaundice for a couple of weeks and it was milk-based so I would feed her then feed Ayse-Rose then top ede up again afterwards so she was taking more in.

I've no experience with thrush but sounds horrid, hope you get to see dr ASAP. X

irish what a traumatic labour you had!

Thrush sounds horrid as well. Ouch.

I am another that has started expressing milk, so far so good as got a nice lie in yesterday while dh got up with ds. I don't know how often I'll do it in future without reason though as it feels like a lot of effort.

Other mums with boys - is there a trick to stopping them from peeing all over themselves or me? Just wondering ...

Try putting a wipe or piece of cotton wool over the end of his penis when you take the nappy off - the cold air seems to make them pee, but that way it doesn't shoot up at you. Also - leave the nappy under his bum as you clean (lifting his legs up to clean) so that you can quickly put it back if he starts.

I an going slightly mad - have just completed marathon 2 hour feed. For the second night in a row. Anyone else had that? My ds never fed for this long.

Irish - what an awful experience. Make sure you talk about it as much as you can and get your health visitor to chat about it. PTSD can kick in after such an awful experience so you should get checked out if you are not feeling better in a week or so - I only speak from experience having had that and severe pnd after my bad experience with a prem baby. Don't suffer in silence - there is support out there - TTY the birth trauma association who may have practical help/support.

Try not TTY !

cheeky is she feeding for the whole time and swallowing? If not she could be using you for comfort or wind perhaps. - Edith-may is a little minx for that with me.

Penelope at the beginning we just put a muslin or spare nappy inner over it but you get used to the signs (with ds his willy would go up slightly before he would start the waterfall) so you can cover them up before it starts (well in theory, doesn't always work!) You can buy willy hat things but not sure they're worth it x

Penelope thanks for asking that I've been having same problem DS weed all over clean pyjamas last night. All DP could gear was my voice from upstairs saying "shit shit shit shit shit" as I tried to find something to put over fountain!
Will be armed with muslin/ cotton wool from now on

What are peoples thoughts on this -

Hospital said their policy is feed every 4 hours (so to wake Poppy if necessary)
Mw said feed on demand (which is what we have gone with)
HV came for the first time yesterday and said she should be fed every 2-ish hours (and woken if necessary to feed) and should completely empty 1 boob before going on the other.

I tried what HV said last night and it meant feeding from 11pm-2pm (plus a bit between 9pm-11pm on and off). By 2pm I gave up swapped boobs and after 20 mins she went to sleep.

I don't understand because she has put on 7oz since she was born so I thought feeding and swapping boobs was the right thing to do but HV said she is probably not getting the hind milk.

All that ended up happening was Poppy crying, me crying and her waking every 2 hours all night and usually she wakes about 4am then maybe 8.30am.

Feel very disheartened today :(