December 2011 - Worp speed 5 to sleeping and smiling

[BeeMyBaby]

FairyBayleaf DC1 EDD 6th Dec BORN 29th Sept Albert Elwyn 2lb 14oz
Tjuice DC2 EDD 21st November BORN 7th Nov Amaya Rose 3kg
Sevensevenseven DC2 EDD 20th Dec 25yo Southwold BORN 21st Nov Eva Rose 5lb 4oz
Girlwiththemouseyhair DC2 EDD 24th Nov Maggie Juliet BORN 25th Nov 8lb 9oz
YBR DC1 EDD 22nd Dec BORN 25th Nov (girl) 6lb 3.5oz
LittleBlueBoat(Cheeptrick) DC2 EDD 5th Dec 29yo S.Yorkshire BORN 26th Nov Hope Brynn Frances 8lb 9oz
Kri5ty DC1 EDD 13th Dec 26yo Manchester Boy BORN 29th Nov Saul Harrison 6lb 13oz
LauraSmurf DC1 EDD 3rd December Girl BORN 30th Nov
BeeMyBaby DC2 EDD 29th November 25yo Scotland BORN 1st Dec Safia Hawwa 7lb6oz
SoTiredOfTheWheelsOnTheBus DC2 EDD 7th December BORN 1st December Boy 8lbs5oz
Iggly DC2 EDD 2nd December South London BORN 2nd Dec (Girl) 8lb 1oz
Girlsyearapart DC4 EDD 6th December BORN 3rd Dec (Boy) 7lb 7oz
HoneyLovesCake DC1 EDD 2nd December Cornwall BORN 6th Dec Rocco Kaleb 8lb 14oz
Mmmmcheese DC2 EDD 25th December 32yo BORN 7th Dec (Girl) 7lb8oz
Itsybitsy08 DC2 EDD 6th December Boy BORN 9th Dec Kieran 8lb4oz
Msbuggywinkle DC3 EDD 13th December 27yo BORN 10th Dec Miranda 8lb6oz
OiMissus DC1 2 December, 39yo, Horwich, Bolton BORN 10th Dec (Boy) Alistair Jude 9lbs
jigglebum BORN 11 Dec Freya 7lbs
Pludophtherednosedreindeer (plupervert): DC2 EDD Dec 10 (Kent) BORN 12 Dec Helena 8lb 6oz (3.8kg)
NorthernChinchilla- EDD 19th December, BORN 12th Dec, Boy, 7lb 7oz
Jomouse DC1 EDD 2nd December 35yo London BORN 14 Dec (Girl) 5lb 8oz
Tyelperion DC1 EDD 3rd December 27yo Windsor BORN 14 Dec (boy) 9lb 8oz
KateM77: DC2 EDD Dec 10 34yo BORN 16 Dec Daniel James 8lb 6oz
BennyBenBear DC1 EDD 5th December Manchester/Bolton BORN 18 Dec Oliver Stephen Bolton 8lb 9oz
Kiteflying DC2 EDD 7 December 44yo Australia BORN 18 December (Girl) Lulu 8lb 14 oz
mopsytop DC1 EDD 25th December BORN 19 Dec 6lbs 11oz
AWomanCalledHorse DC1 EDD 22nd December BORN 21st December 7lbs 6oz (Boy)
Figgygal DC1 EDD 12 December 30yo Bath BORN 22 Dec Daniel James McMillan 9lb 4oz
Kitty5824 DC1 EDD 21st December 33 yo Manchester - Don't know BORN 23rd Dec, Boy, 7lb 14oz, Sebastian John
Aethelfleda DC3 EDD 27th December London BORN 3rd January, Albert Thomas William 8lb 10 oz
hawthers DC2 EDD 22nd December London 33yo BORN 28 December 7lb 4oz (boy)
LittleMissFlustered DC3 31st December BORN 6 Jan (boy)
hopeful1 BORN 6 Jan Noa Francie Kate 10lb 3oz
MissRee BORN 12 Jan 12 Freya Violet 7lb 7oz

P.s. Thanks for the words of encouragement! Before having minim

I've been awake since 7am. That is all.

mopsy don't be too hard on yourself, you're doing a great job. Do what you have to, happy mum=happy baby

Minimopsy I said i would give bf a good try but if it didn't work, no big deal, I would put her on a bottle. After all, I was bottle fed& I am healthy (and I was a tiny puny preemie)! So what happened to my nice, sane, rational self after giving birth? I know breast is best blah blah but I also know that in reality formula is totally fine, there arcs many factors that go into raising a healthy child and she will be getting all the support and love possible so formula or breast in reality just won't makeca material difference. Bf statistics are relevantcacross entire populations but in individual cases I don't think so relevant. So why cannot I apply this sensible, rational thinking to myself? I feel like I will be a BAD MUM if I give up trying. But if ivwax someone else, I would say to that person to just put her on the bottle and she will be fine. And don't feel guilty. And you are in no way a bad mum. And yet, I can't say this to myself. It is all very ridiculous!

God seven how are you not in tears? That little sleep and I would be howling! You poor thing!

I feel exactly the same mopsy, I said before I had LO that I wouldn't beat myself up if I couldn't bf but that is what I did/do! Again, no rational thought or what I would say to others! It was my midwife in the end who said it's ok to stop (against what she should have said) as she was worried I was heading for PND I think. And once I'd made the decision I did feel a little bit relieved that the pressure was off though I still get massive pangs of guilt. I just have to keep telling myself I tried and unfortunately it doesn't work for everyone. I'm going to see counsellor about the birth so am going to bring it up then too as I'm interested to see whether my milk production is linked to the fact I had to be induced, never contracted on my own or had any urge to push.

LMF sorry to hear you have had so little sleep too. I feel v lucky indeed to have had several hours in a row. benny I know! Why are we so much harder on ourselves than we would be on others? I need to get a grip. Presumably there will be many times in the future as a parent when irrational guilt kicks in so guess ji may as well learn to deal with it!

Oh and benny I have had two GPs say to me it is fine to stop and formula is totally fine and the baby will be fine. It isn't that they are anti-bf in any way or told me to stop, they said keep on trying as long as you feel you want to but don't stress and don't worry at all if she goes on formula, she will be absolutely fine. I think the pro bf stance of the NHS, while good (obvs should promote it) now goes a bit too far. The language used is so negative (the way they say many mothers "give up" in the first few weeks-it makes it sound like oh those lazy mothers! I am working my arse off, I don't want to be a "she gave up" statistic. Sometimes it just doesn't work).

Hello

Just found this group and wishing I'd found you all soooo much sooner - is it too late to join? Could do with the odd moan and advice...

Hi leaky welcome to the thread! Are you up feeding too? How old is your baby?

Ah Mopsy I will join you on the guilt train as you know I'm in same boat though must say I'm not as dedicated as you with the expressing. I am also giving it 6 weeks so to the end of the month and then reassessing/calling it quits. I'm finding the decision to call it quits harder than that initial bf/ff decision as it means actively withholding what I can give him. Sometimes he fights me so much I can't even get him on the breast for more than a few minutes at a time and screams around the boob and the irrational part of me feels he doesn't want it anyway so we could avoid the massive screaming fits if I just bottle him. Took him to work today and got some lovely advice from very professional ladies who had the same problems in last few years and they all said you need to think about what's best for you and baby and are you able to actually enjoy LO? Made me think a lot and luckily my DH can see how much harder this has been than we'd ever thought and with BF counsellor, expressing and fenugreek how much I've tried to increase supply/get help/persevere so the decision is with me. Doesn't help everytime I buy formula i feel like I being judged by the cashiers not to mention the breast is best message everywhere you turn makes me want to cry as I am trying. Mega irrational I know

On a plus side Danny has slept 10.30 -4.45 overnight he must have known I needed it as I fell asleep on sofa at 8.30 and DH had to finish his bedtime feed as couldn't keep my eyes open, now to finish this feed and back to bed for coupe more hours would be nice.

Ladies, we really need to throw the guilt in the bin (easier said than done I know but hearing your stories is making me realise how irrational I am being as I would happily advise you to relax and go onto formula and enjoy your baba so it is more than ridiculous not to give myself same advice!). Breast is best IF IT WORKS!!! Otherwise, feeding our babies is best! And bottles have advantages. Sure, sterilising/making up feeds is a pain in the arse but it means we can share the load.

hello leaky, its not too late at all. Want to put your info on the stats thread here. I'm afraid I think I am obsessed with that thread... but y'all just wait till next Nov and you will want to know when everyone's LO's birthdays are!

Not had a great night here, had sleep from 11.30-1am, then 2.30-4 and has been a bit grizzly since then but its all my fault as although she is in bed with me and had a sleepsuit on, DD2 somehow had a single frozen hand so I will need to remember to put a cardigan on her (she had a cardigan on last night and was so toastie she managed to sleep for 4 hours straight!).

when I said sleepsuit i actually meant a sleepingbag on top of her sleepsuit.

Hiya guys: mopsy I think all of us who are BF whether mixed or totally are finding it full on and sometimes Baby just doesnt seem satisfied, I think that's just the nature of non-exact BFing and why it is truly " on denand" rather than any sort of a schedule. You are doing brilliantly with the mixed feed thing, every single BF is a bonus for LO, and if youvenjoy the snuggles its s plus for you. I think you're fab keeping up the expressing as it's sooo timeconsuming..

DS currently on boob 3 and I have an hour before school run prep begins in earnest. I need teeeeaaa!

Aaaaargh, huge motivating support post about FFing and the blood y phone ate it!!!! I wanted to say to everyone that you're doing fine but sometimes there comes a point where FF makes sense for mummy's sanity and wellbeing: if you reach that point either through sleep deprivation, the impracticalities of expressing, or because you can feel your mood sliding through the floor, then deciding to move to formula can be a positive decision. We are lucky to be in a developed country with good hygeine and easy access to formula: in a years time no-one can tell how you fed, view every single Bf baby has had as a bonus, but look at what's going to work best for you. A less stressed, less
Knackered, happier mummy may make that decision for you. When I'm at work I look at the mum as well as the baby, both of you are equally important!

Something that may help if you can't help feeling guilty, but do want to move to FF is the good-morning-and-good-night feed: move beeb onto total formula supply (when I did this with the DDs they were 6 months so used 4x7 ox bottles but your LOs would need smaller bottles more often) and then first thing in morning and last thing at night, offer baby the breast, so you get two snuggly unhurried boob feeds a day: they are total "extras" so you get cuddles, it doesnt matter AT ALL what the volume is, and it helps drop your boob supply slowly so you wont be too uncomfy. Just telling you as it worked well for me wwhen I transferred my Dds to Ff.

((((hugs)))) to all you sleep deprived mummies...

Oh and standard disclaimer that I in no way want to judge, advise or pressure anyone either way with regard to feeding: see that fence over there, I'm sitting on it!: but I (and the rest of the thread ladies) am here for non judgmental support, pompoms, and haddocks. :)

Hurrah hi all (mopsy was trying to convince the ds that his Moses basket would be much more comfy but failing...) thanks for the welcome. Feeling fairly chuffed I'm up and the boy and I are dressed, having a quick feed and may well be out of the house by our intended 9 oclock which is significantly the earliest we'll have managed yet. Really at a loss to know how those of you with older dcs do it every day!

Thanks aethel! I am defs persevering for next 2 weeks, currently expressing/bringing to breast lots to try and increase my supply and hoping she'll feed better from the breast in a few days a (if?) it increases. She fed quite well at 4am and only took 60ml top up so that got me hopeful. If I do end up having to stop, themirning and night feed sounds good. I am defs not ready to stop quite yet though but if I do have to, I want to have resolved my guilt issues.

P.s. Are you a bf counsellor aethel?

well done mospy did you find you managed to express less after the 4am feed as more milk had been removed?

Got about 35 ml it was perhaps abut less than a usual
night express but only by 5 or 10 ml

overall thats very good, if you imagine that you used the expressed milk during that feed, then you DD would only have needed 25ml formula top up - very well done indeed! (I understand that its used at the next feed but means your supply is definitely getting better).

I hope so! She isn't feeding too well at the breast right now but hey ho. Every little step ..,

Hiya brain, good to see you on here! I've got two older DDs (6 and 4) as well as my new DS (two weeks old: didn't make it out in December as a week overdue!) and in all honesty the only way we get to school on time is a combination of advance feeding (tank up DS from 7am-7.45 as much as he will take), bribery/blackmail (to get the DDs dressed, shoe'd and coated: DH doe their breakfast!) and luck (DS not exploding before we get out the door). That and my moby wrap sling which isna godsend as DS sleeps in it (as opposed to the buggy where he screams blue murder cos doesnt like the wind on his face!)

I must say having had two summer babies before (aug/sept), this winter baby lark is somewhat bobbins! I am really missing some
Of the newborn things I used to like with the Dds, letting them kick on a blanket in the sun in the garden, little walks out in the buggy without need for a billion layers, it's a bit grim out there today!