The brookers post graduate thread

[hawthers]

We've got so good at brooking no argument for no pregnancy complications and sneeze births, we're going for our Phds in big fat babies

purple, I do have a fast let down. Ben used to just fuss, then open his mouth and let it squirt in, idle baby!!! It seems they're uncomfortable and that's why they can't latch on- arching backwards, crying, legs curled up. Poor little things. Hv tomorrow, will ask her. LC clinic is Thursday, so not too long to wait.

scream, I find it totally infuriating when my duo sleep beautifully at the same time and i can't because we're at playgroup/out/eating. So much more annoying if its visitors!! Glad ebil's visit was diluted by your family.

Any sign of scarlet and miniscarle!t?

A slept in her cot upstairs from half seven to ten! I didn't spend the evening walking her about screaming. It was nice though I missed her by nine

scream not being able to sleep when they are is the worst. The one thing guaranteed to make me cry in frustration. Hope your boobs are better soon too.

I have a DD! Details on PSEPP thread. May be back in here later on the night shift.

I'm a natural worrier purple especially about my babies. it does look like some of the stuff has come off of DS2's tongue during the last few feeds and with me footering and it doesn't look sore or bleeding underneath.

i guess being tired and hormoney enhances my worrying powers

also looking forward to hearing from scarlet!

glad visit wasn't too bad scream. :)

Yay yay yay Scarlet - I'm beyond pleased

Poor poor ds1 has been ok with the CP most of today but since he went to bed has been finding them really itchy and was sick too which DH caught in his hands - touch!

congratulations scarlet!

Congratulations Scarlet!

Gosh, over the weekend I spent my nightly waking hours (watching the day slowly dawn while cuddling DS) writing a long email to my NCT group (slow typing as I always use my phone) and find you've filled 3 pages! Sorry to have appeared and then disappeared - my DH doesn't like me being on my phone when he's around during the day (though he has the TV on permanently but doesn't see that as a similar barrier to us communicating). To be fair, I have practically been surgically attached to it since DS's birth - it's been my lifeline to the outside world!

To answer a few questions, DS is Tommy. DH (not me) is in our bed as he has a bad back and would be crippled on sofa / air bed. I would have abandoned my pre-birth prejudices (our bed is for us not the baby) and concerns over safety risks and attempted co-sleeping, but we've got a memory foam mattress so DS just rolls into my hollow and I have to arch my back to feed him lying down. So it's the sofa / air bed downstairs for me, with dog for company and cuddles if I ever manage to put DS down.

Oh, and no hiding the sausage here! DH isn't interested, my undercarriage is in no fit state to play and it would be tricky to accomplish with a baby over one arm!

Right, there are so many people to respond to I don't know where to begin! Dream I hope you had a better night with your Bad Bat Babies (love that epithet) - I'm finding one baby hard enough, so second Scream's comment about your divinity! And you're making time to express on top of everything else - think I need to man up a bit here and try to achieve more than walking the dog in one day!

Scream I hope the nipple agony eases and you can really enjoy your restful day in bed with A. After surviving the EBIL visit you deserve a day to recover!

Biscuits good luck with your eternity ring hints! My mum got one after 3 babies; my brother gave his wife one after their first, but DH is taking me to Wales for a week during October half term (we're both teachers when I'm not on mat leave) so I can't complain... who needs jewellery anyway?

Jaggy hope it's not thrush. I'm a worrier too so totally sympathise. I think I was quite sensible before DS was born but have had some epic meltdowns since about (with hindsight) minor problems.

Finally, y y y to DHs complaining about exhaustion despite sleeping . Trying to be charitable, perhaps extreme lack of sleep is easier to cope with than slightly disturbed nights? I would never have believed that I could actually function on less than 5 hours broken upright sofa-sleep, but I seem to be still alive and awake to bf another day...

Speaking of which, it is now fully daylight outside and the night is over as yet again sleep eludes me. Shall I risk putting DS in his pram for one final attempt? (He woke up straight away when I last tried at 3am.) or shall I attempt some more upright dozing instead? Ah, decisions, decisions...

Nice to have you back Pet - thought we'd scared you off . Now I've forgotten, how old is DS? I think you said he was born at the end of March? Which would make him 4 ish weeks?

Gosh these early weeks are a killer aren't they? I literally cannot understand how Dream does it all twice over!

To return the favour and introduce myself Pet, We have DS1 who is 3 and a half (and has chicken pox ) and DS2 was born at the start of March so is 7 and a half weeks now.

Did you have a bit of a time of it with the birth? I can't remember if you said before sorry! Does your DS suffer from windy type problems or just that aversion to being put down that these babies seen to think is their prerogative? (I say 'just' that aversion! )

Hoping your nips are recovering a wee bit Scream - it's a very gradual recovery when the babies keep feeding but hopefully they're going in the right direction xx

Scarlet - hope you finally got some sleep last night after 2 nights in labour. Hope DD is still feeding well and that they've dosed you up on 'owt going for the CS pain. Has DS met DD yet or will that be today? I bet you've missed him terribly. How long do you think they'll keep you in? xx

I shall reply properly later. Just on for a quick mega whinge... Managed less than two hours broken sleep last night with windy, colicky babies crying all night. This is no fun. I think I'll sell the Bad Bat Baby Boys, or at least DT2 who's most unhappy and hard to calm *.

• disclaimer- of course I won't actually do anything so foolish and know I'm very lucky

But it is totally hesrtbreaking to have two clearly unhappy babies in pain or at least discomfort and there is nothing I can do to make it go away... Infacol does bog all.

Hi pet - nice to see you back.

I have dd1 who is 2.1 and dd2 who is 9 weeks today. DD2's nickname is currently fat face (MIL thinks this is 'cruel') and she feeds constantly. DD1 has a fever today and between her and DH have been constantly ill recently.

I would also like to announce that I may (no digital scales so squinting at dial) have lost a whole pound! Woohoo.

Dream a friend of mine is one of 7 (SEVEN! Count 'em!) girls and the last two were twins (eeek!). Apparently their Dad once took one of the twins round to a neighbour and offered her to them! He would never say which twin though.....

Pomme - I don't know if you recall me saying I'd lost 8lbs early on? Well I've put it back on . It was, I believe, A Fluke.

Well done on your 1lb loss though

Hey pomme I think you must have missed my announcement last night...

No I just want more details scarlet!! huge congrats on your dd. how are you feeling this am?

dream - how are you still standing?

I have papoose baby asleep on me. It's a great new discovery of mine - wrap dressing gown tightly around M and I, and tie the cord under her bum so she's sitting on it. Then use one hand to support her head et voila! Home-made papoose that allows me to make cups of tea croissants with jam and hang out washing around her. It's less hassle and feels cuddlier than actually putting on the BabyBjorn. I might try the one-shoulder sling again now she's bigger and see how that would work out.

Scarlet, how did Night 1 go? Hope DD was angelic and let you get some sleep.

Pomme, hope DD1 gets better soon! Yay for losing a pound, too. Every little helps! Maybe this is just the beginning of the weight loss kicking in and you'll lose heaps more.

Oh Dream, that does sound heartbreaking. Hope the HV today can do something to help.

Welcome back, Pet! You are a saint for sleeping on the sofa/airbed! Bad back or no bad back, I would just sleep in bed with DH and he could like it or lump it. This is in fact what I do, but DH sleeps very deeply so isn't disturbed too much by the nighttime wakings. We can't do cosleeping due to a memory foam mattress either.

Biscuits, you poor thing having DS1 down with chicken pox. It makes me itch just thinking about it! I know you can't get it twice, but all the same. How do you prevent a 3 yo from scratching? The mind boggles.

Oo loving the homemade dressing gown sling too! I considered a sleepy wrap the other day but they're expensive!

You can get chicken pox twice - if you get it before 12 months. Happened to two toddlers I know. Gutting!

Dream - Did you not get prescribed gaviscon or am I dreaming that? Does that not work either? Theres another over the counter one called Colief that might work? I agree Infacol is shite.

Although I continually check in with this thread when I'm up feeding, I seem to have lost any ability to remember what I've read! Apologies if I miss lots of people out.

Dream I totally agree that it's just heartbreaking when they cry and you know they're in discomfort but you can't do anything about it. Autumn is getting the hang of the crying thing Fortunately so far she still hasn't had any extended crying sessions, but she will sometimes have a brief cry a little after a feed and I'm not sure if it's wind / hungry for more / wanting to be held differently / something else?! She just seems so upset and I hate not knowing how to make it better! I can't imagine that twice over, you are so strong to look after your boys the way you do!

Pomme at "fat face"! Love it!

Jaggy how is DS2 today? I hope the white stuff is clearing up.

Biscuits how is your poor little poxy man? No Brooking for a swift recovery and for the rest of the Biscuit household to remain itch-free!

Too I love the papoose baby idea! Genius! Once my tummy stops hurting I will definitely give that a go!

Scarlet it's so good to have you as a fully fledged post graduate! How was your first night?! I second *Pomme's" request for more details, when you have time. I'm still so excited for you! I do hope you have a quick recovery. I have to say I think my wound is taking longer to ease off than I expected, but that's entirely my own fault for overdoing it during the day just wandering around (I love the novelty of not having SPD pain!) and then paying the price at night. I have it on good authority that if you spend a few days in bed and let your DH look after you and your DS, you'll be fine asap!

Pet can I just say you've slotted in beautifully! Thanks for the background intro, I agree that you're a saint for letting your DH have the bed! My DH is currently banished to a futon mattress on the floor of the nursery because I'm so paranoid about him rolling over in the night and hitting my cs wound. It's kind of nice having the bed to myself though, not sure if when I'm going to let him return...

My background is that Autumn is DC1, so I'm usually the one asking clueless newbie questions of all the wise and experienced Mums in here. I've had a difficult pregnancy, dominated by sciatica and SPD (hip) problems, which is why I chose to have an elcs. 5 days post op it's clear that my sciatica has gone (Yay! Although this is a lifelong problem not a pg-related issue, so it's only a temporary departure). I'm not yet sure if the SPD has gone or not, I'm still on all the pain meds the hospital prescribed me, so I haven't had any SPD pain for a few days but it could be lurking underneath. I'm still way better than I have been though, I can climb stairs again and I've been walking around the house without crutches. I'm hopeful there's been a significant reduction in the problem at the very least!

How have you been getting on with your DS? Are you bfing, and if yes is it going well? How are you finding the night shift?! It's a good thing these babies are so gorgeous, because they take every ounce of strength that you have!

too, Seb loves my Boba 3G sling and something like that is comfy to carry them on your back in when they're bigger for dog walking and so much easier than a framed backpack. Ben's not big enough yet, they have to be 7lb. I need another... Maybe a.manduka, connecta or similar. I love slings!!!

biscuits hope your ds is ok and not suffering too much.

scream I damaged my stitches in hospital overdoing it. I still had a fab recovery, though on day 4 I was doubting I would.

Hv will want to weigh the babies as I've declined weighing the last two times- I can't see the point in them being done too often.

Oooh, she arrived just as I was typing! DT1 is 8lb6 and DT 2 is 7lb4. So S has put on 1lb 6 in 10 days and B 1lb 1!!! She says I'm vanishing and need to eat more. Marvellous! I am only half a stone heavier than pre pg now and the babies are 4 weeks old on Wednesday.

hello all.

scream today DS2 is hungry! he seems to be feeding away as normal and some white stuff definitely gone, so fx it's not thrush. the health visitor is going to have a look when she comes round for the first time.

was going to get gp to check today, but feeding, puking and pooping took up most of the morning! i think we may have another nappy now in fact. yay!

dream i can't imagine having two lots of baby input/output to deal with, especially if they're not as chilled and sleepy as this one is (so far...)

hi pet :) I'd better do a quick summary too. DS1 is 2.7, DH is at home as a SAHD since he was 6 months. he's currently annoyed at me hanging around messing up his nice tidy house DS2 is now a whole 12 days old. I'm feeling a lot better this time round after avoiding a cs although the forceps have left me a bit ouchy.

DS2 appears to have just nodded off again with his poo filled nappy - eew!

I'd like to investigate the sling thing a bit I think. Someone lent me a mobu wrap, which is good, but when I put DS in in the 'newborn' hold he seems too far up (maybe because he's biggish?) but I'm just not sure in doing it right and i don't know who could check it? I like the idea though. Especially as ds2 is getting harder and harder to put down so it would be handy at least sometimes to have the option of a sling eg if I'm getting a meal for DS1 and DS2 won't be put down. Any suggestions as to what type I should look at?

A friend also suggested looking at one I could use for bf as I struggle with it out and about.

Any ideas?

Moby not mobu

I've heard about 'sling meets' where you can try all different kinds, i think i Googled to see if i had a local one. it turns out someone at our playgroup is a sling obsessive and has offered to let me try out her vast collection!

I've asked my sling lender friend if she knows of any meet type of thing.....

Jaggy I'm so glad to hear your DS2 is feeding well today. Still No Brooking for there to be no thrush!

Dream, and everyone else who had a cs, when did you stop taking painkillers? I've just realised the cocodamol the hospital gave me runs out at the end of today. I'm not worried because I still have lots of codeine which was prescribed to me during pg. I'm surprised though because I don't feel anywhere near ready to stop the painkillers yet. My wound stings, aches and burns at the end of every 4 hourly dose, which certainly reminds me to take the next pill! Is that unusual at day 5?

I guess I'm curious about 3 things- a) What day did you stop taking painkillers? b) Were you actually pain-free on stopping the painkillers, or is there a certain amount of pain where you're supposed to just bear it? c) When were you finally ache/burn free?

I understand the wound will still "pull" when you exert yourself, for weeks and weeks to come. I just mean when should it no longer hurt while you're sitting still and not on painkillers?