September 2012 babies - warmest welcome!

[Macaroons]

Here's the new thread for September babies fresh from the oven!

I'm a first time mum and I'm struggling with breast feeding at the moment, my 6-day old DS always seems to be hungry (a feed every 2-3 hours, each lasting roughly an hour), and when he's hungry he's very aggressive towards my nipple it really hurts! Any tips out there? And how often do you feed your baby and for how long? how do you teach your baby to be gentle on the nipples?

Good luck to those still waiting for their babies to come out! Will be watching out for more baby news!

How charming of your DH smallgreen! Though he can't really think you do nowt all day else why suggest you taking longer off work?!

moomin your school run sounds like mission impossible - well done for surviving let alone doing it all on time!

I have survived day 2 on my own and all went fine. I even got up early and did some actual housework - changed the bed as had a few baby sick splodges on, and some ironing. This is unheard of for me normally, DH is on charge of the house, so I am definitely trying to improve on that front.

Babyfunch has just fed for 40 mins solid which is unheard of (usually feeds are 10-20 mins) so hopefully she will sleep for ages. Good luck to everyone for fabulous Friday night sleeps!

Smallgreenone - my 3 hourly feeding plan failed by about 8am... my DH used to think DS is an easy baby (coz he does 3 hourly feeds in the evening) but after working from home he knows that DS is very fussy during the day, not only when he's hungry, when he's tired and wouldn't go to nap too ... Get your hubby to look after your LO during the day and he knows it's not just sitting around all day!

Those of you feeding on demand, roughly how many feeds are there each day? My DS is 6 weeks this sunday, but i lose count on the number of feeds each day. Sometimes he lasts 2/3 hour sometimes its like 1 hour.

Reason why i wanna go on some loose schedule is so that I could know when hes really hungry, and when he wants me as a dummy. There are times he cries cries cries and when I put him on the breast he only really sucks properly for 5 minutes! And with lack of routine he doesn't always nap which worries me ...

Rachel - hope herbies eyes are ok. If in doubt see GP!

Have a good weekend everyone!

I've got an app so I can keep track macaroons and he feeds anywhere from 5 to 9 times a day not including middle of the night feeds. Some of his feeds are 5 mins and I think sometimes its comfort too but ivd tried a dummy and he just spits it out so not sure what else to do as he's too young to leave crying. Also think it was someone on here said they will suckle when growing to increase your milk supply. Completely understand about routine and nap times though I feel the same, Ds sometimes just does not nap and then is incredibly overtired.
DH has taken him downstairs so I am going to snooze for a little longer. Happy weekends all!

I also have an app to track feeds Macaroons and they are approx every 2 hours but can be closer together especially when there are hours of cluster feeding most evenings. 6 weeks is still young, it would be less stressful to just follow baby's lead and go with it, they soon find a rhythm

Well done yesterday funch glad it all went well.

small what a thing for your DH to say! Was it perhaps a badly timed joke? My DH will occasionally come out with a gem like that as he loves winding me up and knows I'll bite, gets on my nerves a bit but I know he doesn't really mean to be insensitive.

Can't wait to get riding again, won't be like before as I'm planning on leaving my horse with her loan family for the foreseeable future but I'm hoping to go on a few happy hacks with my friends and their horses until finances allow me to bring my girl home again. Would love to get the DDs a pony when they are older, DH says no way Jose but we'll see about that!

I got an app after one of the ladies on the night feeding thread recommended it, it is very good but tbh I'm a bit crap at using it and after a few days of forgetting to switch it on/off I've given up with it now. I'd say we can do between 10 and 20 feeds a day, depending on if you include 'top ups' that she'll sometimes have not long after a full feed and on how she is sleeping. Also she's only 3 weeks so there's no routine yet really, just a lot of unpredictable demands!

So the bug I have had lingering on for a week has decided to turn into full blown throat infection. I feel so poorly. I remember getting sick just about this time with dd: think it's to do with getting over tired and run down. I can just about handle being ill myself but last night Euan began sneezing and then developed cold symptoms and could hardly breath all night. We've been up all night, I even ventured to the late night feeding thread and saw some familiar names but felt too exhausted to add a post. Grandma has turned up like a night in shining armour and has the baby and dh is taking dd out for an adventure so I'm in bed, armed with hot lemon and strepsils. Now if I could just stop coughing long enough to get to sleep it would be great. Hope you are all having a better weekend.

leetleoo I am in bed for the day too with a cold. I feel absolutely rotten and feel like I could sleep for a week. DH is bringing ds up to me when he needs feeding and grandma is coming later. Hope we both get better soon

How scarey for you madmonkeys . I'm glad the results came back ok.

I'm going to try and tackle some ironing myself today funchum . When I say try, it all depends on what sort of day I'm due to have with dd. There's been none done, bar ds's uniforms, since dd has been born so there's a huge pile to do. Joy!

Sorry smallgreenone but that comment made me smile. Was he just winidng you up? I have a bit of a temper and could just imagine if someone said that to me.

Kind of jealous with all your dh/dp home to help at the weekend... dd's dad was due to come over and help this weekend but he caught a d&v bug from work (he works in healthcare) so was well warned to stay away until he's better.

Hope all you sick ladies get better soon

smallgreenone - hope you are getting better!

leetleloo - tiredness and stress has brought me a cold sore attack on my chin! (I was worried initially that it's shingles, at least it's ONLY cold sore...) hope you get better soon!

horridheff, smallgreenone and maketea - I have an app too, but I still lose track of the number of feeding as sometimes I'm so exhausted that I forget to hit the "start feeding" button (or forget to hit "stop")

my feeding times today: 0.00, 3.45, 6.45, 9.30, 10.30, 11.15, 12.05, 13.05, then a short nap, then 14.30, he fell asleep, but woke up at 15.20, fell asleep again but this time he naps for much longer (and so I napped too!) It's now 17.45, and I think it's almost time for another feed.

Then he'd usually have some feeds before 7pm, then sleep for a while, then another feed at around 9pm, then a 11.30pm/midnight feed. Is the cluster feeding in the morning "normal"? This "pattern" is just so different to the sort-of-regular 2-3 hourly feeds throughout the day found in most books / breastfeeding advice. Sometimes I wonder if it's me or him - if there's some issue with the breastfeeding supply, that he needs such a massive catch up feeding marathon in the morning?

Oh forgot to say in last post that DS is 6 weeks old today and has out-grown the Moses basket! He now looks tiny in the cot!

I'm not sure if his comment was a joke or not to be honest, anyway all is forgiven now as am feeling too tired to be cross and he has been v helpful all weekend. Today we have had smiley Sunday and baby small had been giving out grins all over the shop even thus evening and he's normally quite a grump in the afternoon. He has injections tomorrow though so we might not see smiles again for a few days I have bought calpol in readiness- can they have it at 8 weeks? Does say 3 months on the bottle but hv recommended I get some .
Baby small has nearly outgrown his basket too macaroons is the cot in your room? We can't bring the cot into our room so baby will have to go into his own room in a few weeks even though they say to sleep with parents until 6 months so I'm a bit worried about SIDS......... What are you supposed to do though?
Hope everyone had a good Sunday

smallgreenone and leetleloo, hope you both feel better soon. I'm not feeling too great myself, have a bit of a sore throat and although I felt fine this morning, I feel really tired, cold and achey this afternoon. I can't be ill, I just can't! Now DH is back at work I have to stay on top of everything, or it'll all go pear-shaped! We've had very little in the way offers of help from anyone this time around. My mum even said the other day that she wishes I had waited until I was older to have children so that she was retired. I may have been only 21 when I had my first, but am 32 now, and she's 62, she could have retired by now, but has chosen not to yet!

I lose count of how often Lola bfs during the day. Despite her gaining weight well, she sometimes seems very unsettled during feeds, and swallows a lot of air. I'm wondering whether the latch isn't quite right. I might go to the local breastfeeding cafe on Tuesday to get some advice.

I can't wait to get some smiles. She was nearly there the other day, but not quite.

Smallgreenone - yes the cot is in our bedroom, only just fits in the gap between our bed and the radiator. There's a gap of say 20cm from the radiator hope he won't get overheated. (we have also turned down this particular

Moomin - I wonder if my latch is fine too as he feeds really well on my right breast (the flow is so quick that he sometimes chokes) but not so well on my left

I wonder if another growth spurt is on the way. Have been feeding on and off from 5.30 till now (8am)

Oh dear, I hope you're all feeling better soon.
Madmonkeys, to feed her upright I sit on the sofa with my feet up, cross legged with plenty of cushions under my elbow. Then her bum sits on my thigh so she is in a sitting up position. It works for us and definitely helps with wind. Also my milk flow can be really fast and she gets a bit choked on it so being upright helps.
Macaroons, dd cluster feeds after she wakes about 8am till half ten, then has 2-3 hourly feeds till more cluster feeding between 6-9pm. It means I can't get anything done and makes breakfast and bedtime awkward for DS but at least it means I can get out of the house in the afternoons.

Hi ladies! Hope all who have been suffering with colds and the like are feeling better today. We have had icky stomachs this weekend- our 2 year old has been getting through nappies. Plus, we have had visitors every day since Friday- not ideal when there is a bum to deal with . Can't go out today with the pram, as awaiting a delivery, so I have managed 150 sit ups, using the tummy toner. I have dug out the rowing machine, so might try a bit of rowing later...

I have to say, I'm losing track of how often Oliver feeds. During the day, he is pretty much every 3 hours, but this morning, he has been on and off the boob every 30 minutes. He doesn't want me out of his sight, which makes going to the loo a bit awkward. At night, he has a feed at 10pm and 1am, and then has fussy time until about 8am, where he wants feeding every 1-2 hours. TBH, i think he is probably using me as a dummy. I'm getting a BabyBjorn carrier this week, so I'll be able to carry him around. See how that goes! Happy Monday everybody. S x

Hey, how's is everyone today? Feeling better? So far we have managed not to get sick, but its only a matter of time as my whole family is sick and my Oh has been feeling dodgy all weekend. So just waiting to see if I get it now.

shoeprincess your doing great so far. I must get in the right mind frame to start. Although I'm not allowed to do sit ups. I'm waiting to hear about a Pilates (sp?) class that I want to join.

We had a lie in this morning :) Herbie didn't wake until 10. Had a 4oz bottle and now he is lying sleeping on me. He's so cute.

I seen a few ladies on here mentioned an app so I went looking and downloaded a Philips one. It is excellent. You can upload pics of moments, add in sleep time, when you feed, also can say which breast your Lo fed from. Can also put in when you changed nappies. It's free also which is great :)

I have had a very unsettled little man this past two days. The night before last he was up every two hours cried and was very hard to settle. He has also changed from taking 5oz every 4 - 5 hours to 3oz every 2-3 hours. During the day he goes crazy when you put him down. Has to be constantly walked about or bounced. Last night he went down at 11ish, up at half 12 for bottle. Then thankfully slept til 5.30 but then was awake for over an hour crying after his bottle, only way I could settle him was binging him into bed which I don't want to happen. Has anything like this happened with anyone else's child? Or have any experience of this and any advice?

rachel - hope you're not catching a cold!

shoeprincess and wherearemyshoes - looks like cluster feeding is fairly common then! at first I was wondering if it's something to do with me! (eg slow breast milk flow) mine cluster feeds in the morning, then there's a nap at around lunch time (so at least I could eat) then more feeding then another nap at around 3.30pm. I hope this pattern will last so I can plan my day slightly better. I'm planning to nap as well now as I'm knackered, catch up later!

Hi all, ds had jabs today . He screamed when she did it and for ages afterwards and then has either been asleep or crying all day .
I've given him some calpol so hope he sleeps a bit tonight although he's slept so much today I'm not sure he will.
I don't think ds' cot will fit in our room macaroons we got a massive sleigh cotbed for him and its enormous! Might have to get a travel cot and have him in that for a bit instead.
rachel I'm doing a Pilates DVD it's really good. I used to go to a class but find it easier to do the DVD now baby is here as can do it anytime. Pilates is great and so good for your core, I think you'll like it.

smallgreen my mum spoke to her teacher and she recommend I don't start until my stomach muscles are sorted. She said a lot they do in class would stop my muscles from returning to normal, (need to start my physio exercises) but said to join the Jan classes. So I might do that.

Oh yes Rachel deffo don't start until you have the all clear from the doctor.

Smallgreenone- how's DS today? Hope he didn't have too unsettled of a night. Ollie-bobs got his appointment through for his jabs - 1 November. Can't say I'm looking forward to it. The silent cry, where their face goes bright red and they don't make a noise for about 10 seconds, then let out an almighty racket. It's my first day behind the wheel this aft (after CS and GP sign off). Need to pick up Thomas from nursery, so might have a little trip out with Ollie beforehand.
I defintely think we're all enduring the cluster feeds at the moment. Ollie is on and off the boob and has been since yesterday. I have had to dig out the 6-9 month sleep suits as well (though i do believe there has been an element of shrinkage in the wash as well!)

Anyone recommend any decent box sets to watch whilst we're in the cluster feed zone? I'm temepted to watch West Wing again, as it is quite apt with the elections coming up.

Rachel- yes, don't start the exercising until the GP signs you off. I'm suffering from my little spurt of activity yesterday. Not my stomach though- my lower back. Having a rest today, so the bikini will have to wait .

has everyone waited till 6wk check to drive after CS? I was driving from 19 days after, I felt fine and was able to emergency stop (tried in our cul de sac with no-one around and no kids in car)i had my 6wk check just now and id obviously driven there and GP didn't comment.not criticising anyone just curious x

I thought the no driving for 6 weeks was due to not being covered by insurance. I think it is dependent on your insurance company though. I haven't needed to drive, so haven't been too fussed really. Like you say, as long as you were able to emergency stop comfortably, I don't see any problem (though the insurance is worth a check).

Hi shoeprincess he is much better today thank you. Last night he was very unsettled but seems and wouldn't really feed but he seems to be much better today. It's so annoying that they'll be every 4 weeks now for a while and I know what you mean about the red face and then the huge scream!
I drove about 5 weeks after my c section. I checked with the insurance company first and they said that as long as my dr had ok'd it then I was covered. My consultant is a family friend so I rang him and asked him and he said ok so I considered myself signed off!
How many naps do your baby's have in the day? Ds has three but he seems really tired sometimes I'm wondering if he's not having enough sleep.

I had ds in his own room from about three months smallgreen . Our house had paper thin walls and I wasn't sleeping with him in the room as I'm a really light sleeper. Funny had just been saying to my mum I'm going to have to look for a new place to live asap. Once dd is too big for her basket I have no room for a cot in my room, unless I move out some stuff, and no spare bedroom. I'm tripping over things as it is as my place is tiny.

I'm still working my way through The Game of Thrones boxset shoeprincess

How is Herbie today rachel ?

Took the decision yesterday to start dd on bottles. She was having real problems with latching and was getting to the stage she was taking three sucks with a load of air and then going to sleep as her stomach was full of wind and she thought she was fed. Was going to go cold turkey to stop my milk but was in agony earlier even with hand expressing tiny amounts from last night so went out and got a pump. The relief was amazing and I felt much happier as the thought of dd not getting some of my milk made me a bit sad so going to mix feed with the bottle for a while.

Glad to hear no exercise until the postnatal check. I can feel no guilt for slumping around stuffing my face with matchsticks and crisps then.