Jan 06 babies - no sleep til....!

[GeorginaP]

Hi there. Anyone feel up to joining me from Jan 06 ante-natal thread?

morning

SK - yes, think kiddicare link on MN homepage is cheapest place to order one of thos fisher price swings BTW. Gus is in his now which is great coz Archie has hurt his knee and wants to be cuddled a lot and carried everywhere. god knows what he did to it, if its not much better soon, i better take him off to the doc tomorrow; docs dont DO sundays anymore do they?? what is that all about?

try not to worry too much about when dp goes back to work - i was terrified too when Max was born and Archie was only just 1 that id never cope, and TBH it was nowhere near as bad as i feared. bloody hard work for the first few months, no denying it, esp when they both want you at once, but it does settle down and actually becomes easier than 1 IMO.

chuffed - glad to hear feeding is improving

hunker - on the mastitis, poor you. still, great that the LO is doing so well anyway! you are clearly v good at nurturing him, even if you are in agony.

i did bath Gus once, in the big bath with me. he loved it! he hates to be naked or have his nappy changed (never had a 'winter' baby b4, so never experienced that one) but as soon as he was in the water he was so calm and happy looking. i sort or swished him about for a while... i needed my mum there to hand hime to while i got out of course, so not v practical really. was the first time hes been in the water since the birth and really lovely, but dont know when i'll get time to do that again soon!

Boob's feeling a bit better - have been feeding in all sorts of positions (dangling boob into James's mouth while facing his feet is particularly hilarious!) so that his chin's pointing towards the lumpy bit, combing it and using heat to try to get it to shift. Am going to try to avoid antibiotics if I can.

Have uploaded another pic onto Yahoo - it's my favourite one so far, I think.

For people who are having feeding problems - do post a thread on the breast and bottlefeeding topic - you'll get fab advice from people on here.

Hunker - I just can't get DS to latch on properly lying down. The only way I can do it is sticking him on a pillow & feeding him off the top breast. I take my hat off to all of you that can do it with such ease (I must have funny boobs ) Are you still checking your sugars BTW?

Anyone tried expressing yet? I had a go with a pump after tonight's feed & got about a tablespoonsworth with the pump on max suction. DH & DD are desparate to feed him & I so want them to be able to (particularly DH with the night stuff as he's more awake then) but wonder whether I'm trying to do things too early. Any experience here?

Loomer - re the bleeding nips. My MW recommended letting milk dry on them then a dollop of vaseline to stop them sticking to breast pads - mine healed within a couple of days was v impressed.

NotACow/SK/Georgie don't envy you looking after your other LOs as well as a newborn. Greatest of respect from me (and to you others who've done it before!) I feel like I'm going through the whole "new baby" thing but with the benefit of experience and can't get over how fab it is - am seriously luvved up today (again - am so sad - for a change it's "thank goodness for hormones"!!)

So pleased that nearly everyone from the Jan thread has their LOs now. Didn't it all come round quickly! We'll blink & they'll be one year old....((iris has a misty eyed moment courtesy of vast quantities of hormones & remains of last nights champagne))

Just been looking at the yahoo pics they are all so lovely, tried yo upload mine but it wouldn't let me will try again tomorrow.

My milk has come in ouch ouch ouch have expressed some off tonight to get a bit of relief. Latching on is toe curling but then she settles down.

Hope everyone else is doing well will catch up again soon.

Iris, I couldn't get DS1 to latch on properly lying down for ages but DS2's easier. I have him quite low down against me, so my nipple's level with his nose, then tilt his head back a bit and pull his feet right into me. I support him behind his back with my lower arm curled round him and hold a book in my other hand

I've been expressing to get rid of the lumpy boob - now have 10oz in the freezer. But I didn't express this early with DS1 and I wouldn't have done with DS2, but for the sore boob. I expressed a lot with DS1 when I went back to work, so was very used to doing it.

Which pump are you using, Iris? I have an Avent Isis hand pump. Do you massage your boobs before expressing? If you knead down toward your nipples with your knuckles (gently, don't drag the skin!), then (this sounds odd, but does work!) lean forward and shake your boobs, then start to express, it can help with let-down.

SK, looking forward to seeing pics of DD2 on Yahoo

Morning. Thanks for all the faces. Think I had a touch of the baby blues...and sleep deprivation.

NotaCow -think it was you that said I should cut myself some slack..... well, slcak has been well and duly cut .

Saw my cousin on Saturday. She's a HV. She weighed Libby and she's put on 7oz in a week!!!!! That must have been why she's feeding so much.

Have also decided that I'm going to do mixed feeding. Am so totally knackered from 2 hourly feeds thru day and night. At least she'll still get a lot of BF milk and a bottle at 12am and one at 8am.

DH going to give her 12am bottle so I can get some sleep and then I'll BF thru night when she wakes.

Poor lamb has still got this stuffy nose. Just can't seem to shift it. It's really disturbing her sleep in the early hours as she just can't seem to settle.

I am chanting to myself that 'its just a phase'! I know that things will settle down.

We've all come down with this bloody cold. Mollie coughing like she's on 40 a day. She was sick last night cos of the coughing. DH poorly and I@m trying to get rid of a sore throat and stuffy nose.

We've started dunking Libby in the bath with Mollie now. No bubbles, just a bit of lavender oil. She loves it. Seems to calm her before she goes to bed. I've also been massaging her with olive loil to try and calm her. She likes having her feet rubbed. Little madam will be having spa treatments before I know it!

How's the mastitis Hunker?

This is turning into a bit of a novel. Hope everyone else well and LO are behaving themselves.

Don't know what I'd do with you guys. Sniff.

G xx

hi all

bf alex so scuse the 1 handed typing.

hunker, sorry to hear about the mastitis, hope it improves. did you get a temp with it? i used belladonna homeopathic remedy, 200 strength and that worked at 1st, but had to take penicillin when i got 2nd attack within a few days. seem 2 b ok now.

had been co sleeping till last nite wen i tried alex in his moses basket. he did really well!10 - 2, then 3 - 8, so we've cracked it then - yeh right! but its good while it lasts.
notacow
who did u get to give gus the frenulum snip? and how was he during and after? my nips r gradually healing, as long as i'm consistent w the lansinoh.

Hi everyone,

yes I'm with you all on the time flying...!

Hope everyone is feeling ok today I really am just trying to go with the flow and remember what it was like last time ie Leah is now nearly 8 and does not still sleep with me, breastfeed, grizzle or wear a nappy - hurray!

I'm feeling the same as you all on almost everything! Finn feeds well, latches on like a mousetrap but happily drains me until he passes out - now back up to 10lb 7oz. Despite my bedside cot and best intentions, he usually starts off the night in either the cot or his carrycot and then once he's had his decent (3hr?) sleep I bring him in bed with me for the rest of the night (did exactly the same with dd)where he almost helps himself for the rest of the night! I say whatever works for you - do it! and that includes the odd bottle if it saves your sanity. luckily because of the bedside cot there is no danger of him falling out and he has his own blanket (not our duvet. my only worry is suffocating him with my enormous boobs!

Iris - I'm dehydrated too, too much tea and not enough water probably especially with bf all night! Have stopped my co-codamol as it really bunged me up (all I need!). you may remember I'm on this probiotics study - they took my placenta and cord blood and I took capsules for the last 4-6 weeks I was pregnant - now I have to sprinkle them into Finn's mouth before he latches on (easier said than done) I'm not sure of the strength but it is stronger than you can buy I was told.

Georgie - hope you are feeling better, you must put yourself first, if you're not feeling well you can't look after the others - I think it is normal for them to feed 2hrly at this age - Libby is just building up your supply but a bottle will give you a decent rest. the other kids are really good with him still, all wanting a cuddle every night - ds2 particularly is dying to teach him how to gang up and get his revenge on ds1 for being the biggest brother!

Anyone else still in maternity clothes?! because of my stitches I am loathe to wear anything tight round the middle but am desperate to go to somewhere like primark and buy an interim wardrobe to cheer me up. my hair also...

Georgie, glad you feel a bit brighter today - hope you're all over your colds soon. Poor Mollie with all that coughing

Lyra, lovely sleeping there from Alex - clever boy!

Mastitis seems better (touch wood...!) - have been massaging, combing, feeding loads and hoping...! Red patch has gone, but still feels tender. Yes, I had a temp with it - felt awful on Saturday evening - shivers, aches, hot flushes - so really hoping I caught it early enough.

Went to Ikea this morning - didn't stay long (not long enough for my liking, but long enough for my postpartum body - lol!), but was good to get out.

DS1's being so sweet with DS2 - he kissed him on the head several times in a row today, rocked the pushchair when DS2 whimpered in Ikea and "helped" to get him out of his car seat when we came home. Long may it last...!

Crossed posts, Rach! Sounds like Finn's taken to bfeeding brilliantly!

Still wearing some mat clothes here, although they're falling off me, but I don't want to wear anything tight. Am back to pre-preg silhouette, but I hadn't got back to normal after having DS1 (I got pregnant when DS1 was a year old, knowing I was having a small gap, so hadn't bothered to get as trim as I'd like! ). Will start trying to get a flatter tummy sooner rather than later!

Hi everyone,

Glad to see your all doing ok

Hunker- Glad your feeling bit better now, loving reading all your advice RE - breastfeeding it really does help.

I am still managing the breastfeeding & really enjoying doing it this time round, Sophie has been weighed today & after droping 4ozs 5 days ago, in just 5 days she has put on 10ozs i was totally shocked to say the least she is now 8lbs 6ozs so really pleased with her progress!

I have decided i am going to get up tomorrow get the kids up dressed & fed all on my own without dp Then take ds to nursery & go off to town to town i am trying to prepare myself for when dp goes back to work on monday as i will have to get into a routine so thought i would try it out tomorrow, am feeling scared but sure i will be fine!

I am off to town as not fitting in my jeans from pre-pregnancy i can get them on but i can not do them up my hips seem bigger & still a bit on my belly which needs to go! How is everyone else doing on thwe weight front?

Had a lovely midwife come & see me today, she actually sat with me & explained a few things about breastfeeding & other things & was here for about 30-40 mins normally they are in & out in 5-10mins but she said she loves giving her time to people & realises that this is what every mother wants.

I am off to the yahoo site to see if anyone has put anymore pics on all these babies are just goregous i love looking at them all

Sophie still has no middle name i have till friday to think of one as we are off to register her on friday so any suggestions?? i have looked through the baby names book & just can not find one i like.

Anyway i am off to bed now but will pop back soon take care all xxx

morning all!
Rach - I must have missed when you said about the probiotics study.What is it's aim? Must be a right nause trying to get them into Finn's mouth! I'm expecting some baby probiotiocs in the post today from my homeopath & am not looking forward to administering them - any tips? We got some stuff for his wind too yesterday ("Cup" something or other - she didn't write it in full). It worked a treat last night, & this morning he woke up (after 5 hours in his carry cot ...a first!!) playing a virtuoso fanfare!! How are you healing up btw? I can't imagine how uncomfortable it must be to try to sort a newborn whilst recovering from surgery. Are you very limited, mobility wise?

Mum2OneAndOneMore - I packed away all my mat clothes yesterday (apart from T shirts which I still need to accommodate my vast chest!) Because I lost weight everywhere else I just look like a ridiculous boob job on legs. All my jeans/trousers are hanging off me too (apart from round the waist which is pretty snug! - it's a gross look!) I'm going into town later too - to get a couple more nursing bras & see if I can find something to make my top half look more in proportion.

Hunkermunker - thanks everso for the bf advice. I'm using a medela pump but only expressing at the end of feeds at the mo as he's such a guts (from 8lb 2oz to 7lb 10oz at day three, then up to 8lb 11oz at day 10!!) I'm leaking loads early morning when he sleeps most so collecting that in breast shells. I think realistically I'm just going to collect enough for a good drink (given that most of it is colostrum) and start expressing properly (using all your tips) once his feed pattern is more stable.

Georgie - over all your colds!! It must make such a difference though now you're mixed feeding. How's it going? I thought of you & your "it's only a phase" mantra last night when Dom was on a particularly enthusiastic feeding frienzy (never realised just how bruised my nips could feel!!)

Hope everyone else and their LOs are doing well. The pix on the yahoo site are just gorgeous! Have a good one all

Morning all, just about off to bed on this side of the earth. We have had ridiculous heat, have had ds in just a nappy the last two days.
Sorry to hear about all the mastitis etc, and flu's. Still perservering with the bf, first day at home with dd and ds by myself and it was hell but hopefully it'll get better. A 22mth old has no sense of quickly do they?

Size I'm pretty much back to old size with a little more in front but not much (stomach) boobs never change size for me stuck on a 32F but rest of me is a 10 again.

Can I have a little moment and brag a little at the same time, ds has just rolled over from front to back twice in the past two days. I thought yesterday's was a mistake maybe put him a little on his side or something while on his front but today he did it again and he definately was right on his front face sideways.

Looks like I've got another mover on my hands...

Well better go...
Take care.

Quick question on childbirth section about feeling a bit flappy down below if anybody can help it would be appreciated.

I found the thread... with the help of some very kind mumsnetters Have just read through everyone else's experiences, feeling a little more reassured to know we're all having our own battles Our little bundle is feeding well, in fact I think I'm about due for another feed, DP just changed her nappy.. and then she pooed again I heard a rather loud "OH" from DP upstairs, but she's now wiggling next to me!

Right, I shall keep it short and sweet, just wanted to say hello!
xxx

hi all

BFing going ok here still sore when she latches but getting better, boobs still huge and heavy though they have went into overdrive with milk production hope they settle down soon been pumping a little off with my pump (mini medula really recommend it) to get a bit of relief. Was up at 12 2 and 4 last night and slept til 8 so not too bad, she's quite quick at having a feed and settling back down though.

Am back in pre pregnancy clothes, have tried cords but not jeans yet, am just slobbing out in tracksuit bottoms most of the time as it's far too cold to go out here unless you really have to. Anyone elses stomack just look gross mine does!

Glad everyone else is doing well will check back with a better message later.

hi all

i love reading all theseposts but am a bit pants at the 1handed typing lark. hurts my back. so cant say all i want to (or any of it really!!)

first day on my own with the 3 boys today.... hmmmm. its been...interesting.

agh!dinner! oops, better go makesome.

DH back to work tomorrow (well, today!) so will be on my own with DS1 and DS2. Hopefully DS1 will sleep a while as he's only had 20 minutes in the car today! He can do up to three and a half hours in one nap, so fingers crossed!

Had James registered today, went for lunch and then took the boys in to DH's work for show and tell

M21A1M, have you got a middle name for Sophie yet? Hard, isn't it?!

Iris, glad I could help - best to wait till feeding's established properly before mucking about with expressing, I think. Makes more work, as much as anything!

Chuffed, hope your days get easier with them both - glad to hear you survived day one though (gives me hope - lol!). DS2 managed to get on his side from his back - wow at your DS rolling over!

Lilstarry, ikwym about the nappies...DS2 managed four in half an hour the other night...

SK, glad DD2's feeding quickly - makes such a difference when they just feed and go back to sleep rather than mucking about! DS1 used to be awake for hours in the night, I seem to remember!

NAC - glad you survived today!

1-40 am.. yawn. So, DP and I finally relented after an hour of painful unhappy screaming, (not like our Bee), I kept trying to latch her on but she just wasn't getting anything.. so we made up some formula She has eaten but still doesn't seem settled, I feel like a right failure but my poor boobs are in agony and I can barely stand the pain... I'm hoping to express and give it to her like that, what does everyone else think? I want to continue breastfeeding but I'm not handling the pain and the pressure and the uncertainty (yay for first time parenthood!).

Hopefully might get some sleep now! Glad to hear things are generally fairing well for everyone, I just wish this little misdemeanour hadn't coincided with my rush of hormones, what a rubbish night !

keep perservering with bf if you can lilstarry1 maybe go to a drop in clinic if your local hospital has one. They really helped me with latching on etc and have more time with you than at the hospital.
I'm still working on bf, down to about 150ml a day from 100ml after every feed so we are getting there.
HM - hope your day goes ok, got out of the house today which really helped. I think I just had a day from hell yesterday today has been much calmer.

Lilstarry, it can be bloody hard work to get bfeeding established - I know I found it overwhelming at times with DS1 (and to a much lesser extent in the first three or four days with DS2).

There are numbers of breastfeeding helplines here

Please get some advice from somebody who knows about breastfeeding - sadly midwives and health visitors aren't always the best people to ask - plenty of times they'll check your latch and say it's fine when a slight adjustment from somebody who's been properly trained will make a world of difference.

You could try nipple shields while you're healing? Have you got any Lansinoh for your nipples? It's definitely the best nipple cream you can buy, IMO.

The first six weeks or so of breastfeeding bear absolutely NO relation to what it's like for the rest of the time you do it, I promise. Newborns are skittish things and it's often really hard to feed them because they don't know what they're doing!

You can indeed express for a baby - there's at least one MNer doing this at the moment (fastasleep). It's hard work, but definitely possible.

Good luck with it - try to get some help from a breastfeeding counsellor. Just a chat's often enough to keep you going, but it'd be a good idea to get someone to check your latch, if possible.

Start a thread in the feeding topic for more advice from a wider range of people

x x x x x

hello all

having a quiet day at home for a change today. have been going out quite a bit previously, but had a bad night so decided to take it very easy today. lo asleep in my bed at the mo, got the alarm by my side so i'll know when he wakes. i thought the dreaded mastitis was returning last night, felt really cold and feverish and my boob was very sore, but no red patches. thankfully it all seems to have subsided for the most part, but i had to was ds2 at 2ish as i was so full, then he woke again at 6, so i've just had a lie down with him to try to catch up some rest. my right breast seems to get so much fuller than the left, so it is prone to blockages. i'm trying to feed from the left one a bit more often, but not sure if that's making things worse.

bf is hard at first isn't it, unless you get a baby who really knows what to do (like dd was, fabulously effecient feeder). ds2 is so like ds1 when it comes to bf, but he is definitely improving and my nipples are finally beginning to heal. yay!

it's really cold here in Manchester, a kind of dry cold with no frost. i'll take ds2 out in the pram later, and walk the dog, but he'll need to be very well wrapped up! and me, i keep forgetting to put my coat on, i'm so used to the central heating that pg provided.

anyone watching that bf programme on channel 4 tonight? it looks rather sensationalist and not presenting a very positive view of bf, but also looks like compulsive viewing.

can't believe alex is still asleep, i want to go and wake him up as boob on the right is calling to him, but i'll try to tough it out a bit longer, maybe express a little just to make things more comfortable.

notacow
who did u get to give gus the frenulum snip? and how was he during and after?

just to say hi

going thru a lot of pain on the boobs and bf also at the mo - lansinoh is my saviour tho - great stuff and starting to feel better.

had a better night where she didnt feed all night but gave me a welcome 3 hour rest.

is a great feeder tho - above her birth weight after 4 days - i have never seen feeding like it - she seemed to be feeding every hour but now starting to space out.

DH looking after me really well - have him for another 10 days hooray.

hope all well with everyone - its so tiring isnt it but theyre just gorgeous -will try to post pics soon

bye for now

Sorry to barge in - a message for Georgie. I lost my mobile. I can make it on Friday. (Sorry to come on this thread, it took me ages to find you, you've changed your name - I mean on here too.)

hi all just popping in before the breastfeeding programme on C4.

Agree with everyone on here breastfeeding is bloody hard at the start, my friend had her little boy on the 20th Jan she has a DD but only got to 4 days with her she phoned me crying yesterday as she has mastitis bless her, only advice I could give (never had mastitis) is buy a pump and try and express the milk away from the sore boob. I told her too as Hunker has said get past the first 4-6 weeks and it is great.

So far DD2 has been a bit better than DD1 in that we haven't needed to express for her. Lilstarry my DD1 was jaundiced and wouldn't latch so I had to express for her the first week, I kept putting her on the boob before the bottle though and she got the hang of it. TBH I hated expressing it was such a faff, sterilising the pump bottles etc then trying to BF as well. My boobs were really sore too and it was toe curling. It did get better though and I went on to BF her for a year. My boobs this time are still sore but it's usually just on latching then she settles down. Would echo Hunker again, try and see a BF councillor they are great.

We got Talia registered today so she is officially a person now! DP is off for another 2 weeks, really need his help don't know how I am going to get on without him when he goes back to work.

Got into my old jeans today very happy as can't afford a new wardrobe.

She was a little star last night fed at 11pm, once at 3.30am then that was her until 8am, wish it was like that all the time, DD1 was up at 5 though but settled back down again.

Hope everyone else is doing well and the nipples aren't too sore think we should rename this thread "Jan 06 - bloody hell my nipples hurt!"

Hi ladies

Am sitting here typing whilst watching the breast feeding prog on channel 4.

Anyone fancy BF their 8 year old?!

How's everyone doing?

Lilstarry - if it helps at all, I had probs with Mollie. It took me at least 2 weeks to get the hang of it. You and the baby have to learn what to do. Hang in there. But don't beat yourself up if it doesn't work out. Most important thing is that your LO is fed. Agree with everyone else, it is bloody hard, especailly if its your first time.

Chuffed - good work Brook! What a star. Sounds as if he's well ahead of the curve. Bless.

Have also sorted out all pg clothes and am back in my jeans - yee haaa. So lovely to pack all the stretchy clothes away .

Ohhhh, and Libby was a total star last night. The mixed feeding seems to suit her. She has monster BF on and off between 5-8pm. The bottle at 12am, then BF at 3ish and 6ish and bottle at 8ish. Feel like a new woman now I've had a bit of sleep . Long may it last.

Seems like a week when we've all got our LO registered. Libby is now 'official' as well.

Mumfun - HUGE congrats on your little girl. Do you have a name for her yet? Actually, I should go look on the birth announcements to find out shouldn't I?! Are you chuffed that you've got one of each? How's DS taking to her?

Hope everyone else surviving with or without their DP/DH's around.

Sweet dreams to one and all.

G xx