November 2011 - early birds, just in time and late to the party, all welcome!!

[TwoJackRussellsandapumpkin]

Hi all,

just starting up a post natal thread for all the due in November peeps on the antenatal forum and anyone else who would like to join in too, hoping to see my arrival by the end of the week, so officially an early bird I hope :)

Hiya all, thought i would drop in and say hi ladies. Seems Max is much better on infacol, so hopefully this will continue to work and only has colic very mildly if at all. He has his moments where he' s hard to settle but am trying to rub his tummy more.

For voodoo We have put Max on one bottle a day, we started when he was a week old just trying him every other day just to see how it went as bf has been established well since he was born (still time to fail ) He has had 3 bottles for 3 days now with dh, only takes an ounce around teatime but still good for both ds and dh. We are using sma gold but have been told aptimil is lighter on their tummies so may switch in a few days if he seems like he had a bit of tummy ache still.

Cali Max's head and hands have been a bit cold some nights, i put either a long sleeved vest on or a furry babygro and put a blanket on us when i feed. But yes snoozle and pam are right as long as their chests are ok then try not to worry. Max had blue hands and a blue patch in his chest when he was a few days old, i was told by the hv that its ok as he is still developing his circulation. Also 5 hours sounds fab, i hope i get 5 hours in one go soon

So, its time for me to move over. So, after being pretty ure things were hotting up contraction wise tues night with another night of minimal sleep, they once again faded to minimal wed morning. But i did start bleeding a bit. Wasnt very mucusy so hospital took a look. Got home about midday wed, and tried for a nap ater lunch. Woke up to contraction at 2.20 off the back of which my waters broke. Had baby in bed at home with no intervention by 5.54! Couldnt have wished (realistically) for better! Didnt even manage to get the birth pool filled. Tesco order showed up at 4.40 which was funny! DS thrilled with sister, kept showing her stuff. 'this is a lamp, ugli fruit'. Very cute. 7lb 11oz, first degree tear, no stitches. No pain relief. Very mucousy baby, done her brothers trick of stoppingbreathing of first night, scaring me out of ever sleeping again. Had 36 hours of big old "we may have to take her in" style feeding problems but think we have now turned the corner and my milk is coming in and I am SORE.
Havent cought up with, well, anything to be honest, its taken me four days to get on here! Looking forward to trying to pick up the thread of whats happening though.

Just glad you made it here! You need to tell those babies of yours to stop scaring their mummy so much!
Re the mix feeding (and thanks for your thoughts/experiences ladies) I would like to express for the bottles. Probably try this time next weekend then!

Voodoo I would recommend giving bottle every day once you start (even if only an oz) - DD took a bottle beautifully from 4-13 weeks then we skipped a few days & took a further 9 months to get her to take milk out of a bottle or cup again. Chances of it happening to you are prob quite slim but it was a major pain in the bum. She would become completely hysterical if offered anything other than breast.

Mw concerned about weight so topping up bf eith formula. Dh did the night shift last night as I was exhausted so hoping will be able to express more as only managed 45ml from one breast. anyone any tips for upping supply?
Got some fennel tea ....yuk but willing to give it a go.

Wow caz your first real smile! Can't wait for that.

Voodoo I am using both and he takes them without a problem although if I give the bottle he does automatically turn his head looking for breast milk. Maybe get your partner to give the first couple of bottles so baby doesn't smell your milk and start thinking give me that.

Cookie - I was told custard & chocolate great for supply

Hi all,
I'm so pleased to finally join the post natal thread after my son was born on Wednesday! I have written a mammoth account in the ante-natal thread. Sorry not to catch up on everything here but just wanted to ask for advice re a terrible headache I have had since birth. Its a rumbling, vibrating in my head that hurts a lot and I can't rid of it, paracetamol doesn't touch the edge.

I had an epidural but have been assured its not a dural tap headache as I'm not laid out on my back but any other ideas what it could be or how I can get rid? I'm on day 4 with it now and its making life really difficult - grateful for any words of advice.

Will try and catch up now...

Caz First smiles - awesome! We had our first one the other day...
DP scared the bejeezus out of me this morning by waking me up, cradling our daughter, crying - turns out she'd given him a big smile - by Christ I was pooping my pants for a second!

Nutramigen has worked miracles so far for her. Her reflux is all but gone, and we're getting so much more sleep out of her now between feeds.
We're back at the burns unit at the hospital tomorrow to change her dressings - she's cried in pain a few times with it, but only had to resort to paracetamol twice - my brave, brave girl. I'm still battling some guilt with that, but I'm relieved that the hospital have now banned babies from the milk kitchen - I just wish I'd been a smarter parent than to bring her.

mash could it be dehydration? After I had spinal they told me if I started with headaches to drink gallons of water.

Mash, I had headaches of varying degrees after both my births, but then, I get headaches for any conceivable reason - however, could just be the shift in hormones. They can be pretty awful.
Not had a good 24 hours here. Last night BOTH my children were crying incosolably for me for two hours - DD was just hungry, but DS was so angry with me and so clingy with me, real sharing mummy issues kicking in. I'd go into detail but I would just ge t upset again. Then thisafternoon I agreed to let my dad take DS to visit HIS dad. I didnt feel good abou the idea, but decided I was just being silly. Should have listened to myself- DS was fine, but I suspect whatever hormones are pumping round my body are NOT set up for letting my children away from me. I cried for an hour and a half. And now I am crapping myself because I am worried there is something wrong with DD, because I am really not convinced at all that she exhibits the moro reflex. I am just hoping its because I dont see it, but my partner is worried too, and he doesnt scare easily with this kind of thing. Going to ask midwife about it tomorrow, but all feeling a bit glum here. And I was up every hour through the night feeding, and then today she has slept all day.

Morning all,

Just, you sound so tired out, hoping that you had a better time last night with more sleep during the night and that you DS and DD are feeling happier and less stressed out today.

Cali, good to hear that your DD is feeling better and getting better soon :)

Welcome to all the newbies, glad you guys have joined us.

Nowt exciting here, no smiles that aren't due to gas me thinks, although those gassy smiles are adorable and melt my heart, J has the cutest dimples so pretty darn heartbreaking!

Hope everyone has a good day today, it's rubbish weather here in the east of Scotland, so a day mostly inside me thinks, although I might well be super lazy and drive the dogs round to the park for their walk, terrible I know, but much easier than being dragged round there by the bad pully dog!!

Just I hope you managed to get a bit of sleep last night and have a better day today. I don't know what to say regarding your worries over the moro reflex - my logical head says that since it will have been checked after the birth you don't need to worry, but I don't think logic really comes into it in a situation like this, because she is your child and you know her best. I hope you can get your mind put at rest soon.

Just I have to admit I wouldn't recognise Moro reflex - H startles but think Moro is slightly different? Either way, just get it checked - now you've had the thought it will play on your mind so get your GP to check. My LOs have been checked out for various things over the. Years as I know I'm a worrier

Thanks for the advice, will definitely start to examine the options this week or probably next week when I have a bit more spare time! Sophie is settled as can be, feeding well, sleeping enough and content.

My MIL is another story. Good god. She is driving me insane. She keeps buying shit stuff which I keep returning or asking her not to buy. She is asking every 5 seconds when we are next coming round, or when we do she is practically dragging the baby out the car seato to have a hold. The other day she told Sophie 'Mammy is cruel not feeding you' WTAF! I am feeding her and at that point she had been fed 15 mins before we got there - she practically was about to pull my top down and latch her on herself I swear. ARRGGGHHH. She asks how my stitches are constantly but not in a very gentle way, asked in a 'hushed whisper' if I was still bleeding! Shouted at OH when we were in the hospital as we had banned everyone as we were expecting to be out in a few hours and I wanted to get home and see the dc's with the baby 1st..... then today she rings (OH is back at work) and says well am not busy now I will come up? I was like erm no im busy actually, 'well I will just get on the bus and give you a 'spell'. ARRGGHHH I am going to lose my rag I swear. Sorry for the rant. I just had to get it off my chest, I am frightened to say anything as she will take the mother of all moods and say I am unreasonable. Oh her last classic on Sat - to OH, I, my dd and OH's aunt - 'shes not your baby shes my baby too'. What am I going to do?!!!

Cali, glad to hear how you and Abigail are doing, don't beat yourself up honestly.

Sorry for the super long post of rant!

Argh why are you always bottom of the list when you're desperate for the midwife to visit! Plus, even less sleep last night. But I cant stop her sleeping the day. I just cant get her to be awake.
Voodoo, you're mil sounds like she really does just want to be as helpful as possible. She probably dpoesnt realise how oppressive that is to you. Cant you just say you need things to be a little less hectic and have some quiet time too.

Oh. Good. God. Why has my DD decided to teeth now. Her last 4 molars. She is irritable, not eating, crying, whinging and stroppy. I have no patience with her today. Sigh. Ds on the other hand is feeding well and generally sleeping 3-4 hours between feeds.

It does seem like I settle one and then the othe starts off at the moment.

voodoo blimey, you have the patience of a saint. I would have lost it with your mil by now.

just hope you have been seen by the mw by now. I thought the Moro reflex was from loud noises...will have a look.

Yes, the Moro reflex is where baby is startled by loud noise and fling arms and or legs in air. Love it when ds does if, so cute.

just have you had the newborn hearing test done yet?

Kate maybe I was a bit dehydrated, although I have been drinking lots, as I literally drank pints and pints last night and today and the headache is still present but much much better.

I can't imagine ever having two children - kudos to those of you dealing with teething toddlers etc as well as a newborn.

Just I hope the mw has out your mind at rest.

Midwife referring to paediatrician. She was a bit unconvinced. It was kind of "well, its there. But its not pronounced". And there are a few other reflexes she seems a bit, not entirely absent, but weak on. So obviously I am scared witless. Trying to tell myself its just me being neurotic and her covering her back. She is just so sleepy too. She is sleeping ALL the time. She whines and feeds through the night so we cant sleep, but I swear she does it in a state of slumber.
And two kids is a nightmare! Bedtimes are proving major impasses in this house.
The moro is also to do with falling. When they have a sense of falling they do it.

name changed here to include both my babies.

voodoo dear God how have you not killed the woman? I could not be doing with that at all. My Mum is all over X when she is around but in a helpful giving me a good break type way, and gives us lots of space in the meantime. My in-laws have showed a complete lack of interest... so far they've seen X at 2 days old, 2 weeks old and 6 weeks old. A grand total of 3 times, and two of those times have been us visiting their house... What winds me up is all over FB my MIL likes things, ott comments on things, I find it all a public show and farce to be honest. Ah well...

just sending hugs, you sound very stressed out. xx How old is DD now? Its only really been the last 2 weeks that X has been awake for any length of time at all...

Well do you think X will smile for the camera. DH is exhausting himself trying to get him to smile when we have our phones/camera at the ready! Although he started the day with a beaming smile for me today, it was lovely!

Last HV home visit tomorrow and then 6 weeks GP check on Wednesday.

Caz how do you name change? I hate my username, think it sounds ridiculous but it was chosen in a hurry when I joined because I really wanted to join our antenatal thread, and I tried about ten different names and they were all taken! Ended up with this one, but need something a bit catchier.....or a bit smarter!

Voodoo you have my deepest sympathy on the MIL front - an overbearing MIL is a type of hell all of its own. And I don't know about your MIL, but in my case its made all the more complicated by the fact that my MIL is a lovely, gentle, kind woman whom I love dearly. But I could still happily choke her sometimes....[insert 'deep shame' emoticon, as I am very aware how lucky I am that she is not malicious, just stressful]

6 week growth spurt here we come... Having said that - we're down to one feed during the nights now!

I'm feeling very anxious about feeding. F fed when he was first born but then refused to latch on and I had to formula feed for 3 days but I kept hand expressing colostrum and feeding him through a syringe.

My mw got him breastfeeding on Sunday and he fed yesterday, he was on all afternoon and half the evening but I'm concerned he's not getting enough milk. On Sunday when I fed him the other boob leaked loads but neither of them are leaking now although I can see milk when I squeeze them. They also feel really soft, not hard and lumpy like they did on Sunday. Do you think I have milk or have I messed up my supply?

F is weeing and doing lots of very small amounts of poo but I just don't think things feel right. The MW is coming back today thank heavens so I'll see what she thinks and if his latch is ok etc.

Hard and lumpy is the milk coming in isn't it? Mine were like that
Ash but now are sort of normal! They only leak when I havent fed her for a longer period than usual and then feed, the other breast leaks like mad! See what the mw says, I agree it's hard to know how much they are feeding.
I don't know how I haven't killed my mil yet, my mum says she knew that I had to have a degree of patience hiding somewhere and here it is! Poor OH feels very stuck in the middle but then again what can you do, she probably is just very excited and wants to be involved it's just that she only appears to have one setting - manic! She just wants to have the baby and lush her in her pram but to me it smacks of playing with toys! Sigh.

Mash my boobs don't become engorged or leak but DS is clearly getting enough as putting on about an ounce a day - everyone is different I guess