October 2012 babies - we meet them at last!

[YompingJo]

Getting thread in place in readiness!

Squid Water babies do classes from 6 weeks, we did them with my daughter. Tbh if you're confident holding her in the water you can do the same yourself, but they tend to book small pools, that are a bit warmer, and it's quite fun :-) baby body warmers are good if you go for a normal pool, think m.care sell them.

P.s. agree with you squid about co sleeping, spent first 6 weeks with DD1 reading baby books and inflicting GF regimes on her, tears all round. She just got bigger, was awake more then started to nap and sleep better on her own after a couple of months. Def going to go with the sling, co sleeping option this time!

ps I want to hear more birth stories, I think it really helps to write them down too, if anyone finds the time would love to read...

THANK YOU Squid you have no idea how much better I feel after your ranting, all we want at this point in time is to get a bit of sleep & not feel resentful towards our beautiful baby. Co-sleeping isn't great for us but definitely better than no sleep & I love the excuse for more cuddles

squidkid You are so bloody right about cosleeping. Shall we write a book about it? I'm a journalist, you're a doctor.

We're at the in-laws' but I am still waiting for my nap after DD refused to accept that snakes and ladders is a game of chance, not low cunning. DH now has to go to India for a day next week. Madness. Two overnight flights and jetlagged grumpiness guaranteed. I know it isn't his fault but it is just as well for him I am away.

Also, for those who had c-sections, any tips on how to look after the wound in the long term? Mine's looking ok (so I'm told!) and not infected but just wondered if I can bathe in tea tree oil etc. At the moment it just get washed when I have my daily shower.

Hey peeps. Thank you Squid for your description of loveliness....... I really need that today! Tough night and tough day, keep the lovely reassurance that this is short lived coming!!! So glad you are enjoying your little princess so much now!!

I am in super bad form. Will try to restrain myself!!

Can anyone say when can switch from cotton wool and water to wipes?? Little dude has up to 8 dirty nappies per day, never mind the wet ones. This cotton wool lark is doing our nuts in. Apologies to any earthy types who don't like baby wipes.......!

Don't kno if we hav baby with colic, stuffy nose or just evening dislike!! Good day yesterday but all went wrong from tea time. Constant feed, no more than 1.5 hrs sleep, right thru to 8am when DH awoke to find me sobbing. Took DS out in car to do groceries and left me to sleep. Car makes him sleep. Had to go out again this avo so again slept in car. Not good, will he sleep this eve now without car??!!

Mammoth overnight feeding has wrecked nipple recovery too. Feeling very glum. I am a bad person! And look at his wee face asleep on my boob here, how can I feel so stressed??!

And now I hav thrush. 2 doses of post surgery antibiotics and all these feckin sanitary pads will do that alright. Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

Sorry ladies. Good to get it out. 321 relax......

Tonight will be better, I knows it!!!

Xx

Huffle I use wipes - ones that are just water. Will check the name of them. Had no adverse reaction to them. In fact better than water as London water tends to dry babies skin out because it is so hard. also I am lazy

Hopefully not long now before I join you all.. I miss you!! :(

Boyfriend has come home from work and taken baby to the supermarket with him. this is blissful. I don't know what to do with myself. (He suggested: wank )

huffle can't remember how old your little one is but I found weeks 2-3 horrendous, much worse than first week...

THIS TOO WILL PASS

Use wipes if wipes are easier. You can always switch back if they cause a problem. We try to do too much... (Jess is now going in moses basket for 2-3 hours at a time due to dummy, and I feel bad about using dummy!! But surely sane mother is better than dummy-less baby... I can't even remember why I'm not supposed to use a fecking dummy!)

huffle I've been using wipes since she was born. Midwives also seemed quite happy to use them when they changed her for me on first night post section. Decided they were much easier than cotton wool and water and could always change if they caused problems. So far so good!
squid dummies are now officially a good thing as they reduce the risk of SIDS - so ditch the guilt! Couldn't agree more about the co-sleeping - almost inevitable that it's going to happen in the first few weeks so I reckon we should be explaining how to do it as safely as poss instead of making exhausted new parents feel even more guilty. I remember crying in the middle of the night with dd1 not settling, baby books scattered around me all of which helpfully suggested "if your baby is fed, clean but still crying they are probably tired. Put them down for a nap". No mention of how to get them to settle for a nap!
livvy Melissa can make some super loud grunts and squeaks at night, almost impossible to sleep through. No solutions though!
mrsconfusion lovely to have you here again. Glad all going well!
springersmum couldn't agree more re stretchy wrap, have washed up and cooked dd1 dinner with dd2 happily snoozing next to me the afternoon.
wooly glad boobs feeling better.
Melissa is 4 weeks old today. All going well really...except I feel a bit rubbish. Just weepy and anxious for no good reason. Ah well, it'll pass like everything else.

ThanksSquid and Midget*. I do hav some water wipes, in a green pack. Will use and see. Tho MIL has just been with no less than 8 packs cotton wool after my rant about how much we using!!! Bless her. And she happily let him cry on knee for 15 mins!! He was 2 weeks on Wed Squid.

And we hav tried dummies. Hosp said to give a go as so v sucky. MW and HV said to leave it to 4 weeks as might 'confuse' his suck. This boyo would suck tar off the road...... Bought some Nuby Cherry ones with round tips earlier, SIL suggested. Will try soon.

He is awake and silent and staring at me. Might b a better night!

Xx

Hello all. Happy November!

Ds is 13 days old now and has gained all his birth weight back plus 3/4 of a lb. He is exclusively breast fed and baby led feedin schedule. All iis goung quite well minus the scream feat from 9 pm to 2nite am I

Hey peeps. Ended up at out-of-hours doc last night and got antibiotics as he thought I was teetering on the brink of full-blown mastitis - he reckons I've had a low level infection that I'm not quite shifting, hence the same ducts blocking, clearing then re-blocking. Feel a good bit better after starting ABs and shovelling in the ibuprofen so fingers crossed it will go away!!! Really annoying because in last few days I've really turned the corner with CS soreness and feeling almost back to normal - only to have agaony from a different source - grrrr!

Crazy hope the osteopath helped today - really feel for you :(

Squid lovely hearing about the bath stuff :) I love the idea of it but just imagine sitting in coldish water - I'm a hot bath kinda gal :o Your friend is wise and I'm going to try and adopt that attitude. We had a really good week last week and Bean's colic seemed to be easing so this week forever to be known as the week from hell was doubly horrendous :( Going to try and adopt the 'every day is different' approach and go in with low expectations...!

Huffle you are doing really well by the sounds of things in spite of the bloody thrush and everything else - so for you! And I agree about ignoring this whole 'dummys are confusing' thing - our Bean just loves to suck and she doesn't care if it's a boob, a dummy or a bottle! :) Also it is perfectly natural to feel angry when the beans are going mental and you just need you-time. I felt so guilty at times but even last night when I was in agony and bean was screaming I was feeding her but felt totally detached from her - felt too sorry for my own wounded boob! Friends and family with kids assure me this is totally normal and natural and doesn't mean you don't love your bean. Am learning it is perfectly possible to love the bean but have moments of disliking / resenting them :)

Smiley some for you - the weepies are horrible. Bean is just over 5 weeks now and I still get struck down when it has been a horrible day or I'm exhausted. You have two kids to look after which makes you a hero for just surviving!

Mickey we will see you soon! :)

Elpis I think that's a great idea about you and Squid teaming up to write co-sleeping book :o Have to say we were v fortunate that bean has slept well in basket from start so I've only brought her into bed with me two mornings - and then I put her on her own little mattress, in a grow-bag thing etc. I am totally paranoid about the co-sleeping thing and it seems a shame if it can be done safely. I would love to read really clear guidelines about it so book is a good idea! This week when she's been more cry-y and clingy I might try it although tbh hoping she keeps napping in basket or carry cot - she did go down without a fight this afternoon thank god!

Hello to everyone else - am on borrowed time here as bean has been dozing for a couple of hours so going to have a cup of tea while I still can :o Also my book proofs arrived today - it was so exciting and reminded me that I used to have a life...! Going to go and look through book and chant "Someday I shall once again sleep for 8 hours at a time, own my own boobs and write stories...!"

I am having trouble posting from my phone it seems...

Was saying scream fest from 9pm to 1am ... Is this colic? Dh was lovely last night and took him after the 11pm feed, and rocked him and put him in the swing, then by 1 had Ds sleeping on his chest where he stayed until 5am. I actually got some sleep! But feel a bit rubbish today as I don't know how to do that myself and settle the baby. Feel like a bit if a shit mom as other than feed or change Ds I'm kinda useless. Thanks squid for the view in Co sleeping. I do feel better for that now but here in Canada people really grown upon it so again feel a bit shot. Hey it's what us working for us.

Wondering if it's ok to start trying to give a dummy in the evening when Ds is fussing. Trying to force feed boob just seems to make matters,worse.

Failing in my mission to keep up but managing to pop on for the occasional read.

So I have someone else's baby today. Wakes up, nappy change, feeds for 10 mins, falls fast asleep for 2 hours, repeat. Very weird. I guess my milk supply has finally adjusted to her demand and harmony has been reached. Went to bf drop in for help, discovered her difficulty latching was due to my over-achieving boobs being a little too enthusiastic and basically jet washing her with milk when she tried to latch, making it scary and slippy for her. Much hand expressing later (180 ml a day, ), things have settled down nicely.

Wanted to say a very belated thank you for your support pages back about what is normal after having stitches. I feel much better now, not fully recovered, things are still swollen, lochia is still quite apocalyptic, I can still feel stitches with my finger even though was told they would dissolve within 12 days (day 12 today). I'm constipated, dulcolax sorts it but as soon as I stop taking it I bung up again. Am mainlining prunes, veg and water to try to sort it. But I can sneeze without wincing and can sit on normal chairs again and these are good things!

We seem to have a very easy baby, her needs are usually easy to interpret and she cries for reasons which we can address, rather than for no reason at all. The lack of sleep is getting to me though, had meltdown in mothercare
yesterday when I lost my credit card. Felt like stupid, hopeless woman that everyone felt sorry for. Wanted to scream "this isn't me! I am an intelligent, capable person, not this tired wreck I appear to you!" They phoned later, after I had cancelled the card. It was found in the hood of a baby outfit where I had dropped it while looking at hats

Squid, can I ask about co-sleeping as I do this sometimes. Is she literally in your arms? How does that work? I am on one side of double bed, with duvet and pillow, Alice is on other side, swaddled and covered with a blanket. If I put my arms around her, would be worried about duvet going on her face. How do you manage it?

Can I ask everyone how your DH, DP or DF is coping and how they are dealing with parenthood? Mine is taking a while to adjust. He is amazing with Alice, chats to her, changes nappies like a pro, clearly dotes on her... And is starting to notice all the housework things that need doing and to do some of them unprompted. But then sometimes he just sits on his laptop or mobile while I do chores while she sleeps, or he talks about buying himself a new longboard (he skates) and I wonder if he has a clue about how much needs doing every day just to keep on top of things, and how unhelpful he is bring! Meh. I guess I'm pumped full of "take care of her, love her, don't mind the sleepless nights, don't mind all the things I can't currently do" hormones, whereas he isn't. I'm not complaining, he's amazing, just seems to have moments of cluelessness.

Wow, epic post. Thanks for reading, hi to all, hope you're all doing OK and managing to stay afloat in the face of blocked ducts, poor sleep and convalescing bodies!

Yomping DS is 6 years old and DH still hasnt got a clue just how much needs doing! He will do anything but I have to ask. Every. Time. I can't say "can you do the dishes each night?", I have to ask every evening! We didn't live together when DS was born due to our age and I think this time he has had a shock and is maybe, slowly realising how much my life changed at 17, while he got to carry on being a teenager in a lot of ways. He's been a lot more understanding of my worries and nagging these last couple of weeks and even apologised the other night!

yomping when I've coslept with Melissa I've had duvet down below waist and just put more clothes on - vest, long sleeved pyjama top and cardigan then shes swaddled next to me with cellular blanket over both of us. I've either not had a pillow or used a tiny cushion. Possibly a bit paranoid but makes me feel comfotable enough that I can settle. I like the UNICEF leaflet health professionals leaflet on caring for baby at night for a decent explanation of cosleeping and risks and how to do it safely without just scaremongering like most of the midwives and health visitors I've come across seem to.

www.unicef.org.uk/BabyFriendly/Resources/Resources-for-parents/Caring-for-your-baby-at-night/ here's a link to the UNICEF leaflet if anyone's interested.

Thanks smiley, I've been googling for safe co-sleeping info & barely found any useful info, really appreciate this

yomping I am also co- sleeping. We are lucky to have a king size bed so DH sleeps on one edge, I sleep next to him and then baby olive is in the middle of the bed next to me. I have a duvet from my waist down and have a blanket over my arms. Baby is swaddled and has a cellular blanket over the top of her. I tend to sleep on my front without a pillow and have one arm around her. DH provides extra warmth for me, she sleeps very well and when she wakes I just sit up in bed to feed her or feed her lying down.

Thanks for the co-sleeping reassurance squid I was genuinely not anticipating any issues with her sleeping in her basket and was reluctant to co-sleep. However I am now a convert. Last night she slept from 10pm to 8.30 just waking up a few times for a feed and change. I feel like I've had more sleep than when I was pregnant.

Hi all. Apologies for my prolonged absence from the October thread and lack of attendance over here - although mini-kyyria arrived on Friday we were only discharged from hospital late last night following a hectic few days post delivery.

Labour was fine (in fact felt it was no where near as horrible as i was expecting) but I suffered with a post-partum haemorrhage that required a 4 pint blood transfusion, the threat of emergency surgery and a crash team!

Then had a horrible few days as little one was diagnosed with jaundice. Unfortunately I had problems with my milk supply (apparently quite common following traumatic labours/blood loss) which didn't help as he wasn't getting enough fluid from feeds to help flush the bilirubin from his body. He was also on UV therapy which was making him hot so he needed proper feeds more than anything. Ended up having intervention from paediatrics and having to top him up with formula feeds as they were worried that he was suffering from dehydration.

Now home and feeling very much out of my comfort zone, but seem to be winging it so far!

Lovely to see people here - I have a lot of catching up to do!

YAY Kyrria I've missed you!! How's baby Kyrria doing?

Baby Loopy also had a touch of jaundice but we managed to avoid further hospital stay by using formula too. Hope you're recovering well too?

kyrria lovely to have you here! Glad you've escaped from hospital and hope you're feeling better. FWIW I had a massive pph last time and had problems with milk supply, topped up with formula for a few weeks and then got back to exclusive breastfeeding so think you're right that blood loss does have an impact on milk supply but also wanted to say that it doesn't have to be a long term effect if that makes sense.