August 2012 - sunny (ha!) summer babies

[ImissMiniPop]

they're starting to arrive, so here's our 'Due in August' post natal thread. To talk poo, pee, burping and everything else, too...

Here's link to antd-natal thread for those we'll be waiting for www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1511603-Due-in-August-Thread-Part-6

Have borrowed Needles list, which I'll start here, please feel free to add your details to it. I'm rubbish at list keeping, and hopefully Needles will be along to keep it updated :o

BIRTHS
tigger8 (?) DC? due 27/7/12, GIRL born 11/7/12
missjemima (?) DC2 BOY due 3/8/12, born 10/7/12
PoppySeed34 (34) DC1 BOY due 4/8/12, born 28/5/12

*side not size!

Cape the 6 week thing as far as I know is to make sure baby is not put off the breast as bottle feeding is so much less work for them nothing to do with supply so you can start expressing now and build up a supply. I wanna start but have so far failed to find the time/energy to get everything seralised and ready! I use the phillips advent hand pump mostly cos it was on special offer in boots before ds1 was born I did no prior research before hand but I get on well with it the only advice I got was not to go electric unless you need to express loads cos it can be a bit much to start with. Oh and the Via system that goes with the phillips pump is brilliant I only discovered it later on with my 1st wish I knew about it sooner saves all the transfering if you wanna freeze the milk.

Am currently expressing with my medela swing electric pump that I really like. I gave it a bash a couple of weeks ago, but stopped as dodin't need it. Now I do again and it's fine, if a bit noisy. I'm aiming to pump enough for an evening feed and get approx 50ml per boob per go (in the mornings, less later on) so maybe two gos per day with expressing for that feed. I may up it if I need to leave a feed with Mum etc but will worry about that later.
Will post again later, as am typing with left hand and it's taking ages! x

Ooh I am so rubbish haven't been on here since LO arrived!
I too have a Medela swing electric pump, I am too lazy unco-ordinated to manage a manual one.

I get on very well with it, started using it in the mornings at 4 weeks and get 100-150ml per boob in the mornings. I am only expressing once a day in the mornings as I haven't been organised enough to do more - must start having it ready for each feed so I can stockpile ready for an evening out
I have also tried LO with a bottle since 4 1/2 weeks - I have some Medela ones with the Calma teats that are supposed to be like breastfeeding and he has taken about 30ml from them with me. I am planning to persevere as Medela say it can take a while for them to get the hang of it but if still not taking properly will give another type a go. My BF book says to try the bottle every 3-4 days so that's what we're doing. Am planning on exclusively BF for as long as I can bear it but want him to be able to take a bottle just in case!
Anyway, long post, sorry, hope everyone & their LOs are well & happy, will try & catch up on some posts!

Also got the medela swing electric pump - very good, had the tommee tippee one first and it broke as milk kept going up the suction tube! Have been expressing since first week or two.

Is anyone-else using the baby swing things? It worked for dd as she refused to sleep(!) so am using it for daytime naps for Little Man, don't want him to become reliant on it but my back aches after loads of rocking / bouncing etc.!

Thanks for expressing and breast pump info guys. I shall take a look at the medula swing when I hit the shops :)

Thanks for your kind words all, we're both surviving! The plan is mostly to hibernate till DH is back I think, was planning on getting out to our first 'group' today but we both have colds so decided against it. ION have just put away some of the "newborn" babygros and vests and got out some of the - to 3 months ones, they do swamp him a little but are so cute (because mostly they are gifts, whereas the newborn ones I bought so value-packs )

cape Did the HV say it was Flat-head syndrome? I thought the best cure for that was plenty of tummy-time when awake? To get him to change sides: when Theo is asleep if I make a loud noise nearby he'll "startle" and usually moves his head to the otherside without waking up. Also if he is properly asleep I can move his head from one-side to the other without waking him (have done this to get a hat on if going out - not just to be mean )

Another vote for the Medula Swing pump hear - expensive, but IMO better than the hospital one that I used!

Only thing I would say is I was glad of my manual pump when I went back to work as would not have wanted to sit in our 1st aid room pumping nosily away as I could here the people in the office typing so they would have been able to hear my pump!!

Thanks for the tips nightfall. He is just getting better neck control now (7 weeks today) so trying to increase tummy time. I will try moving his head when asleep. It seems to be on one side, just slightly (I hadn't even noticed, hv pointed it out), but he still has a slight cephalohaematoma from birth, which is going down, but which I think emphasises it more. I am also going to try not to let him have super long naps in the car seat which is so tempting when we come in from car, just to leave him there!!

Oh of course, neck muscles usually have to develop before tummy time - didn't consider that one as Theo had freakishly strong neck muscles from birth. The literally put him straight onto my belly at birth and he lifted his head up to look around - I was amazed! We've gotten used to it now though, I stuck him down on his tummy on Day two and he lifted his head up and held it off the ground for ages. Don't suppose this is going to be a big developmental advantage to him though...

Frilly here!! Sorry I've not been on for so long!! I will catch up properly later. Hope you're all well though?

Another vote for the Medela Swing pump. Was over £100, but managed to get it on Amazon for £99 2 weeks ago. Bit expensive but worth every penny if you are going to use it a lot.

All the MW's/books/internet etc say don't introduce bottles until 6 weeks if you are still BF. BUT I introduced a bottle to Mini pint 2 weeks ago, so she was only 3 weeks old. It was the Health Visitor who advised it after 3 weeks of weight loss. Because baby was not sleeping for more than 45 minutes I was feeding her all day/night and knackered with 2 DC's to look after.

So I gave her a bottle (Avent with natural teets) for the night-time feed, the first night she slept for 3 hours! . She took the bottle fine after a few trys to figure out what to do. She drank the lot and I felt soo guilty thinking she must have been soo hungry. Cried the whole time she was on the bottle, but now 2 weeks later realise that it was the best for her.

So I am now giving alternate feeds, bottle, boob, bottle etc through the day time. This is great as It means for the night time feeds when she wakes up I can still feed her myself without having to warm bottles in the middle of the night. Also when taking kids swimming/clubs etc don't have to pack bottles, can feed her myself. However still not confident at getting my boobs out in public .

Sorry long post, but baby asleep and finally have 2 hands to type and some energy!

hope everyone's ok... little sleep here (little man was fine last night but ny insomnia decided to pop in and say hello!)

Rant warning...

so we see pil every week, mil has gone abroad for a few weeks but we still see fil every weekend... dh has been back at work 3 weeks now and managing 2 under 2s @home varies day to day but quite often I am just getting through hour by hour as when one's ok / sleeping the other plays up and vice versa (must co-ordinate nap times soon!). so all in all I get no down time to self. all day yest i looked fwd to 10 mins to eat dins, sit on new sofa and watch towie (sad I know!) and then getting some zzzzs. fil has kindly picked up a bookshelf for us (w're happy to pay delivery charge to ikea but with mil away he likes to keep busy and fill his days with random tasks) and so was expecting him to bring it on sun when he comes but now he's keen to come tonight (think he wants to play with dd etc). i know he's prob a bit lonely and i should stop being such a cow but all i want is to get in my pjs, relax for an hour when dh gets home then go to bed! tried to convey this to dh but he was having none of it. i am so tired for the last 48 hours my right eye has been so dry it hurts if that makes sense?

wonder what the alternative day of ishop was like today...

sorry - rant over...

Sorry fair got a bit sidetracked about your original question. I have been expressing since week 3 as I have been introducing bottled formula in during the day. So I have been expressing when I giver her a bottle to make sure my milk does not dry up. I can only manage about 60mls for both breasts. Very at your 150 ffs. So I do this about twice a day then give it to her as a 'top up' at one of my breast feeding sessions as I clearly don't make much milk to keep her going for long!

Oh dear ishop difficult situation :(. Do you feel you could just be in your PJs when he comes round anyway, then say you need an early night and slope off? I know you miss time with DH.

Let your DH do the chatting with him and maybe FIL might realise? Don't know if that would work but don't have any other good suggestions sorry!

For those of you who are expressing, what are you doing with it? Are you stock piling in the freezer or just using it for bottles so your DP /someone else can feed etc.

Arrg so need to get organised expressing then dh can help a bit at weekends as lo was 6 weeks yesterday. V annoyed at myself!

Had 6 week health visitor check today and ds1 2 year check. Minivine is now 10lb 13oz and still on the 50th centile exactly for weight and height! Got a big head on the 75th centile tho lol! Ds1 woke up late and grumpy from his nap so did not get weighed as would not go on the scales and refused to get measured but they will do him next month when I take minivine to baby clinic.

Was soooo tired today think its all catching up with me so dozed on the sofa with ds1 cuddled up watching tv feel better for it now. Played out in the garden in the rain with ds1 as well was fun and he has a puddle suit so did not get wet well apart from his head where he kept taking the hood down! Went to park yesterday in his puddle suit as well and splaashed in muddy puddles peppa pig style is sooo good cos does not get wet or muddy just the suit and the boots. Wish I'd bought one last year! Can't wait for them to be old enough to run around together!

Thanks lois had a lil cry and fel better now...

yes, think i will feed little man at 7 then go for an early sleep. sure i'm just overtired too, don't mean to be ungrateful just want some space and a minute to myself

re expressing, i've just put it in the fridge and then used when out and about / let others feed as a bit of a shy bf'er...

Oh sorry lois think I'm gonna stockpile some and keep some in the fridge. It lasts a few days in there just remember to not keep in the door as temp changes too much there.

Quick Que: how long do the night sweats last? 4 weeks tomorrow and I still wake up drenched (!) around 2am most nights - sorry TMI but its horrid, even the duvet was wet last night.

Hi all! Back from first evening out with DP with my parents babysitting mini-ginge...missed her like mad but she was apparently fine and does seem v relaxed since our return, hurrah!!

Expressing- we started at 5 weeks and despite lots of problems with latch/breastfeeding before it's actually been much better since started odd feed with bottle, maybe because I'm more relaxed. Using medela swing which is great and avent bottles though sticking with newborn teats as the 1 month+ ones she guzzles too quickly and then sicks up. I'm expressing every other day at moment which DP then gives her in the evening (good for his bonding with her I think...and means I can have a glass of vino!)) but I may start freezing some soon to have just in case.

Update on dry head issues too....gp prescribed cetraben and said they no longer prescribe the aveeno that the hv recommended. so far her forehead has cleared up well but scalp still scaly and dry....could that be cradle cap? Gp unhelpfully described it all as 'baby excema/cradle cap type thing) so I'm none the wiser!!

Fingers crossed for a good nights sleep for everyone xxx

Hope your FIL visit went ok ishop :)

Thanks for tips on expressing everyone, think I'll start doing it to get DP in on the feeding action and for when out occasionally.

nightfall my night sweats probably stopped about 4 wks although I do find I'm sometimes a bit hotter these days which is not like me must be all the extra blubber I've got :)

Think a walk is in order today as its reasonably sunny here, although getting a bit nippy.

I'm using a bit of olive oil for dry skin gingerelle. I just dab some on cotton wool and it's not greasy at all actually and she likes having her faced stroked I've discovered! My mum always said to do this for cradle cap and then a little brush if necessary the next day with one of those baby brush things. Not sure if that will work for you but might be worth a shot to save buying cream, depending on severity of course.

Hope everyone got some zzzzz's and has a good day :)

I bought a swing on eBay for 35. Lots on there, some with extra bottles, storage bags etc. I do have a hand pump but get more with electric and is much easier if lazy!

Morning all, hope you are all well?

Nice and sunny here, would go out but waiting for the lazy builder to turn up..

didn;t realise there were night sweats, that totally explains why I've been feeling super hot (not in a sexy / good looking way) lately!

thanks lois fil came, tried to build the desk and move a superking mattress upstairs but didn't finish either, wanted to come back today to "help" but I think dh put him off. I do feel bad about not wanting all the additional visits but it is just b/c am shattered. Also -we used olive oil for baby massages for dd (now 21mo) when she was little(r) and she had eczma, my mw was saying this time not to use olive oil but to use other vegetable oils although am sure olive oil is fine!

does anyone-else have to incessantly rock/walk baby to sleep?

Thanks pint and ginger for advice on expressing and pumps. Much appreciated.
We have dry head syndrome here too: we've been advised olive oil or yellow liquid paraffin.
Poor little minifair has got a bad outbreak of milk spots. How long do they last? We've got lots of visitors coming over next few days and she looks like a spotty teenager!!!
Other news: she slept for 6 hours straight the other night - it was amazing. Unfortunately I am now apparently trained to wake up every 3 hours and so woke up and had a mini panic attack as to why she wasn't whimpering. Managed to resist the urge to prod her and go back to sleep and couldn't believe it when she finally awoke and I checked the clock. Last night was back to 4 hrs then 2 hrs sadly, but the 6 hour stint was nice while it lasted!

Hey all

Not been on in a while things have been a tad horrific for us of late :( feed strikes, emotional me, getting my period after only 2 months whilst breast feeding (wtf?), teething... Again after only two months wtf!? Immunisations on top of that and potentially reflux so every feed forcing all this goo in his mouth poor soul. Plus all this when DH goes to London for work for 3 nights. Never appreciated my mum and dad so much!

Anyway not kept up properly so I hope you are ok and doing well. Also I never appreciated how hard bf could be as he was always great til now. I feel like I was so smug so sorry if I wasn't sympathetic to anyone struggling before... I'm really impressed by everyone whether they bf or did not as was faced with having to change and its really upsetting. Still going just now hoping things improve and it's just the teething causing him not to feed.

Going shopping for the carpet for sandys nursery today with my dad though which should be fun :)

Update me everyone, how have things been for you recently?