Post Grad Brookers - we're in here....

[Biscuitsandtea]

New thread - t'other one got full up....

Scarlet sounds like you're doing everything right for your DD. This feeding malarkey just isn't as easy as it's made out to be, is it? Switch-feeding sounds complicated, too! I was just going to offer the second boob when DS had finished on the first, rather than going back and forth. [ignorant emoticon]

Purple thanks for all the advice! I did have a drip during labour, but DS has also dropped down the centiles for length and I don't think the drip would affect that?! Can I still use the dummy when he's tired and goes to bed for a nap, or not even then? Bit worried he'll never settle without it. But I'm happy not to use it downstairs or if he wakes in the night...

After feeds DS is usually calm. Occasionally he snoozes for a bit when he's finished. Sometimes he starts to cry, but when I get up and walk around he stops almost immediately. Sometimes he gives a particular high cry which means he isn't satisfied (but often needs to burp so has come off the breast). Then I put him back on the same breast, or offer him the other one if the first seems empty or he's getting cross with it. Does that sound OK? At night he goes back to sleep straight away after a feed (using the dummy).

I like bfing and intend to ebf till 6 months if I can. DH would prefer ff and has recently announced that 'everyone' at work says he should introduce solids at 4 months. I find this quite frustrating actually.

Wants glad D had a good sleep and feed.

Too it's amazing how complicated 'popping out' can be, especially with a dog!

With all the talk about feeding, I just wondered if anyone else feeds in the same position as me. DD sits on my leg so is upright when feeding. She quite often brings up wind as she's feeding. The MW suggested this position as she was falling asleep when I was feeding her laying down and ever since then she has been much better.

Thanks for the advice Purple. I've been topping DD up with formula for the last 2-3 weeks. The MW advised it on day 10 but I managed to put it off until recently. I think you weren't around when I had DD so you may not know that I had a 2 day induction process followed by an EMCS. I was dripped up to the eyeballs so it's definitely possible DD could have had an inaccurate birth weight. She was 8lb 3oz at birth, 7lb 8oz day 5 and 7lb 6oz day 10. I had a nasty infection in my CS wound and was prescribed Augmentin which gave DD and I both horrendous upset tummies which I think hindered BF. Plus my milk didn't come in until day 5/6. Since day 10 though she's not lost any more weight, she's just been very slow to gain. When she was only just 8lb 3oz again at 6 weeks I decided to try topping up with formula. I usually only do this once at night just before I go to bed and she will normally take anything up to 4oz, even if I've been breast feeding all evening. She sometimes (but not every day) has a small top up in the day, 2oz ish.

Thing is with DD, she likes her sleep. I still have to wake her for feeds in the day so it's not like she behaves like a hungry baby. She then spends the evenings cluster feeding and being completely dissatisfied until she has that bottle. I occasionally express in the day if she's asleep (not that successfully) so she also ends up having that in the evenings too.

At what stage do you stop influencing supply? I remember a MW telling me after I had DS that after 6 weeks you couldn't increase your supply even if you tried. Is that correct?

I know it's not the end of the world if DD ends up being formula fed. DS is the healthiest little boy I know and he was fully FF from 4 weeks. It's just that I really wanted to be successful with it this time probably because I know I'll never get to do it again and I have enjoyed it more this time.

Very selfish post from me . It's just that we don't see enough of Purple these days and I was hoping for advice

Pet maybe try breast compression too, it sounds like you are following cues, maybe try a day without dummy and see if he feeds more? If he is dropping centiles length wise too that is great as it means he is just reaching where he is supposed to be, and is most likely why hv is not worrying :)
It is so frustrating you are not getting support from DH, I think it makes things that otherwise wouldn't worry you, worry you as you can doubt yourself or at least that is what I find I do. Please don't worry you are doing a great job :)
Would Dh be swayed if you showed him some links showing the benefits of BF?

Jen that is how I fed Dd as she got older. :)

Scarlet just seen your post, I will reply later lovely :)

That sounds like an interesting position Jen . Interesting though purple that you said you used it as dd got older. As I was trying to picture it I had assumed it wouldn't work so well when they're bigger as they'd get too tall to line up with the boob?

Purple thank you again for taking time to give advice and support. I really appreciate it. I'm surprised (and relieved) that dropping length wise suggests DS is just settling where he's meant to be. I thought I must have stunted his growth! I'm only 5 foot but DH is 6 foot so was pleased when DS was born near 75th centile for length (near 50th for weight). Maybe DS is going to be short, after all. Oops. Perhaps a rugby half back instead of a forward!

Yeah, Biscuits, I wondered about that too...

BTW DS is 13 weeks and feeds about 7 times in 24 hours. Is that too few feeds?

And DS is quite strong (has been supporting his weight on his legs since about 9 weeks) and always seems to be kicking or wriggling. He generally seems to be a content and happy baby. I just hope he tracks a centile - don't care which - from now on!

I hope not too few feeds Pet - DS2 has only fed 5 times today...... h

For the record, I've somehow never worried about weight gain with any of my three- apart from when they said Ben would be readmitted if he hadn't gained as he was below 2.5kg/5lb 6. however, the LC I saw told me never to switch breast after 10 minutes, let them empty the first one (not relevant with 2 anyway) then offer the second?! Plus i find B feels the cold way more than S. Even now S sleeps in a babygro and bag, B in a vest, babygro, bag and sometimes blanket over the top, both in the same cot in a room 19-20 degrees. So I'd agree with making sure she's not working to keep warm. The other thing when DD started dropping down the centiles was that a lovely, sensible hv, not my usual one, saw us at immunisation clinic and said her second dc was a poor weight gainer but perfectly content and well. She advised unless you're concerned there's a problem never weigh your baby . Worked a treat for DD :)

too next sun should be ok, I'm meant to be joining in parts of a hen weekend but I'm still debating whether to attempt braving an hour each way with the dts and debating the practicality... Will pm you. And I now have a super tidy house, all hand me downs sorted, no bags piled in hall so you've done me a favour :)

I think the switch feeding thing is just a quick fix to boost supply Dream rather than a long term solution for weight gain. Previous to the last couple of days I've kept her on each breast as long as possible. I hadn't considered the temperature thing, so I might see if she'd like another layer. Our house is very warm in summer and freezing in winter. Our room where she sleepd hasn't dropped lower than 21 since she was born and is most commonly 22/23 degrees. She's been sleeping in a vest, sleepsuit and a doubled over blanket so I assumed that was sufficient. But now you mention it, she often has cold hands...

Ok I have been thinking how to explain milk supply and still not sure I have nailed it, part of the reason being is we don't know as much as we would like about bf! Here goes!
Your boobs have a limit to how much milk it can make as it will have certain amount of milk ducts and a certain amount of storage capacity, now this can be increased in the early weeks by feeding and is the reason why feeding in the early days is important as it sets how much you can produce. This can not be influenced past these first days/weeks. However, if you keep having milk removed from your breasts your body will make more. If your breasts become engorged or are full than there is more FIL (a protein that slows milk production down) which reduces your supply, less FIL the more milk, so boobs that seem less full are more able to make milk.
So the way to increase supply is to remove more milk and in this way you can increase your supply, you could view it as short term as it isn't a physiological change, but you could actively increase your supply for as long as needed.

Milk production (sciencey and thorough) and another link for increasing supply

Scarlet have you had latch checked and that she is feeding effectively? You can tell this by listening to her swallowing while she feeds, it should be suck suck swallow, suck suck swallow, simplistic but if you are not hearing that something possibly needs work. (Although DS goes swallow swallow swallow lol)To me it does sound like she shed a lot of water weight to begin with. The other to consider is that maybe your Dd is just a slow grower, many babies are and there is nothing at all wrong with that. Dream is absolutely right that as long as baby seems happy and doing well then is weighing actually any sort of indicator?

Amount of feeds with a newborn is 8-12 in a 24 hour period. Biscuits at DS age they can be really good at feeding so they don't need so often. Again don't worry :)

Pet Ds sounds lovely :) and well on track!

Purple you explained that very clearly and it makes sense. :) thank you again for your kind words.

Dream I agree with you about the not weighing unless you think there's a problem. Maybe I'll wait for the HV to come back then and not check in the meantime. Did your DD go back up the centiles, end up tracking a lower one, or do you not know because you stopped weighing her?

I didn't weigh her after she dropped from 50th to 17 th centile til her next hv check at is it 8 or 9 months? She was 10 ish weeks when dropping down. She was back to 50th by then. So clearly no problem. The hv also told me I'm relatively slim so she may just have been settling where she should be. She's 22 months soon and only stopped wearing 9-12 trousers recently as her legs are too long! Now she's perfect in 12-18. She's tall and slim, her daddy is 6'4" so i think it'll just be her build.

S is officially an early riser. Up 5:30am for the last week. Yawn even more.

Thanks so much Purple, very helpful and knowledgable as always . Her latch was checked in the early days and was fine. I'm pretty sure it's ok now. I do stop her and help her on again if I think she's not quite right.

The HV I saw yesterday said DD looks happy, alert and healthy so not to worry. Maybe I should take that advice. The women on DH's side of the family are all tall and slim, as is DH and DS so hopefully she's been lucky enough to inherit that gene when it comes to physique. She's between 50th and 75th centile for height which is probably making her look skinny because of her 9th centile weight. I'll get her weighed again in a fortnight and make a decision then I think. In the mean time I'll continue with the BF.

How's everyone else doing today? Crap weather again here, DH working away this week so I'm alone with 2 DC which is fun
I've got plenty planned so we're off out today shopping. Going to buy DD a couple of GroBags. She's already too long for the first size Purflo one.

Think we are having definite sleep regression here . M went to bed at about 10.15pm and then was up at 2.20 for a short feed, and then woke up at 4.40 and lay in her cot chirping to herself quite happily until I finally gave up hoping she was going to go back to sleep at 5.10 and got her up and fed her. She had kicked all her covers off, and when I covered her back up she gave me a big beaming grin and looked even more awake . I shall go look at grobags on Amazon. M went back to sleep at maybe 5.30. Then DH's alarm went off at 7 and he hit Snooze until 7.30, then stumbled noisily around the room getting dressed, left for work at 8 and then M woke back up at 8.10, wide awake and with no interest in going back to sleep after her feed. It wouldn't have been quite so bad had I actually gone to sleep when she did at 10.15, but I was hungry, so I got up for a snack and then I just couldn't sleep for ages. I know this isn't nearly so bad as some have it (Dream, Pomme and Scream in particular), but it is bad for M!

Scarlet, I was told to keep the house around 20 degrees and then M would need vest, sleepsuit, cardigan and 2 blankets, one thin and one thick, although that was when she was first born and tiny. Now she has vest, sleepsuit and 2 blankets.

Dream, it would be lovely to see you but if you've got a hen party then don't worry about us! There'll be other occasions.

M is developing into a definite Daddy's girl, I think. Last night he was playing a game on his laptop and M was trying to catch his eye. Every time he looked away she gurned, and as soon as he looked back at her she stopped grizzling immediately and gave him a big grin! Ha, it means he can't hide behind his laptop any more - she has him sussed! Clever little beastie.

Pet, DS sounds like a lovely healthy baby. Like Purple and Dream say, if the baby seems happy then don't worry!

Too it sounds like DH's days on the laptop are numbered - clever M! We're using a sleep bag from Sainsbury's, another from Mamas and Papas (both bought in sale) and one from Babies R Us, so you should be able to find one easily!

Too - For both mine I have loved merino sleeping bags - they are pricey but between 17 and 30 degrees they regulate the temperature so you just have to worry about what they're wearing underneath. They last ages and are just brilliant. You can also buy them on amazon :)

Sorry to hear about the regression - guess that's an upside of having nothing to regress from :)

Slightly better night last night so feeling a little more human. Wonder if dairy free is kicking in? Jelly babies are currently replacing my chocolate addiction!

I have the follow up GPs app tomorrow so other than demanding a paed ref feral like yesterday need to work out what else I want him to do for me.

Too do you have TK Maxx 'ooop north'? They sell grobags at a very reasonable price (genuine grobag ones for £15 ish often).

So, if you do a lot of long journeys with dd why not look for one of these travel ones which have a Velcro opening at the back so you can put them in the car seat and fasten the harness through it and a two way zip so you can zip from the bottom and top up to where the harness comes through. Difficult to explain but v clever and worth it of you travel in the evening and want to just transfer dd into bed when you arrive somewhere

Post more in a mo while I feed ds2.....

Scarlet sounds like a wise plan for waiting a few weeks and seeing how it goes. If the HV isn't concerned then just see what happens .

Gosh I don't know what's wrong with my DSs this morning. They're both scoring highly on the grumpalicious scale . I am 100% looking forward to our imminent supermarket trip.....

Loving M sussing out DH Too . Ds2 will cry now if he thinks he's been left on his own (and he's in a mood like today) but I guess it's nice that he's getting more aware and recognising who he's with (or at least that he's with someone!).

Ds2's latest trick while feeding, especially from the left side, is to go suck, swallow, come off, look up and smile or giggle, go back on, suck, swallow, come off, look up and smile or giggle, rinse and repeat..... Adorable smiles? Yes. Conducive to getting a feed done? Not so much .

Too I hope M isn't going through this mythical 4 month sleep regression? Brooking that she'll settle back into her good ways.

Pomme glad there is a slight improvement - long may that continue. Hopefully the mixture of meds and dairy free is paying off? So did the GP do you a paed referral the other week? Or do you need one tomorrow? I have no sensible
Suggestions really I'm afraid but will be brooking that it all goes well

I'm just ordering an Ergo, am I right in thinking I need the infant insert too?

I believe so Jen up until a certain weight which I can't remember, I think.