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!

Congratulations ballroom so pleased you got the positive vbac you were hoping for. Enjoy those snuggles :)

madmonkeys that sounds really difficult but well done for persevering. How old is your toddler? Mine is only just 2 & although she's been fantastic so far DH has been around to take the strain, I'm really scared for when he goes back to work and its just me and the DDs in case I suddenly can't cope.

Turquoise it sounds like you're having a tough time but doing everything you can for your baby so don't punish yourself. Sometimes I think the visiting midwives seem to have a script to keep to and if you don't confirm to it you end up feeling lost or like you're failing but you're definitely not. Keep asking for help until you get it, have you got any good support groups near you or maybe try one of the many helplines just to be able to talk things through with someone.

I'm sat up in bed feeding, my milk came in today & DD2 has been noticeably happier now with a full belly, it's the first time we've seen her awake and not crying after feeds so I'm feeling happy but apprehensive because I know it's still such early days & I'm almost waiting for the 3 day blues to hit. Silly I know but I'm seeing all these problems before they even happen! Generally though we're doing well, had our first outing today for coffee with nct friends followed by a trip to Sainsbos then home exhausted!

Congrats ballroom I'm so glad you got your vbac and that it was such a positive experience.
Turquoise I had real trouble waking sleepy DS up too in the early days. He would just fall straight back to sleep regardless of what I did. In the end I let him sleep and he sorted himself out. Birth is really traumatic for babies and they like a good sleep to get over it.
madmonkeys gosh sounds very painful and I don't have any tips I'm afraid but just wanted to say hope you heal up soon!
Back to my milk supply, thanks for replying heffalump he's 6 weeks on Sunday so not teeny tiny newborn, do you still think too early? Tonight he's done 7 to 11.30 and we're feeding again now so he can do long stretches but during the day he is permanently attached. I do want to stick with bfing but don't want him to be hungry of that's the problem.

It's likely he's just having a growth spurt, I think around 6-8 weeks is quite important developmentally and they have a big spurt as everything works extra hard, so same theory as newborns in the beginning he needs the extra so he is letting your body know to give him a boost please :)

DD1 was a very hungry baby, around 8 or 9 weeks though she settled into more of a routine although it was still obvious when she was having a phase and needed extra! Have you had 6 week check up yet? You could always ask there or at your clinic if you're still worried but it sounds like you're doing great and he's just putting in his order for the coming days.

I am feeling jubilant, tonight is DD2s fourth night although third at home and she has just woken me for a feed after 90 minutes of beautiful wonderful fabulous sleep First & second night she didn't let me get a wink, last night half hour, tonight hour and a half so far, hooray!

smallgreenone hang in there. Sounds normal to me. I know it's hard to trust yourself when you can't measure what they're taking but the fact he is wanting to feed constantly doesn't necessarily mean it's because he's not getting enough. He's due a growth spurt so is more than likely preparing your boobs so they produce on a mammoth scale.
I also feel like I feed all day but just keep telling myself its only temporary. I look back to days with DS and remember that I was actually able to go out and him not be attached to me!
Formula won't help at the moment, if you are really worried then you could try expressing some milk and feeding it to him either in a bottle, syringe or cup. But also bear on mind some people with perfect supplies have boobs that won't express. Nothing's simple eh?

Congrats ballroom sounds like another easy one!
At this stage I think it's more important they just do the sucking action to get you started. The actual amount of colostrum they have is very small I think.

Sorry to hear you're feeling rough madmonkeys I had a tear but didn't allow it to be stitched but 'luckily' my SPD has stopped me doing anything that might open it up. Hopefully it calms down soon, it's things like this that add to the overall emotional wreck-ness of it all.
My nipples look very sorry for themselves, her latch is fine but they just haven't toughened up yet. I do find the first 10 seconds excruciating but it tails off and is just mildly painful for the rest of the feed. I try not to put anything on them, and when I've gone to bed sit with them out and fan them with breast pads! Crazy woman!

Turquoise my DS lost about the same, 2 years ago, and was acceptable by the gods then, so don't fret too much. Sounds like you're doing what you should.

All's well here. DS (2yo) had a two hour nap yesterday instead of one as I was too tired to drag myself off the sofa and go get him. Then he slept from 7pm and is still asleep now.
Maybe I need to do that more often! I'm finding the days I don't get a nap are a real struggle and I get rather tetchy.

I'll persevere with it and check with my GP at six week check next week. I think maybe I'm a bit paranoid as he was dehydrated in the beginning as he wasn't getting enough milk from me and we had to stay in the hospital an extra few days.
Glad your dd is letting you have a bit of sleep xx

TurquoiseGoldandOrangecat I feel for you, sounds like my DD at one point. She was sleepy at first-refused to wake up unless she was ready! and just as we were establishing a breastfeeding routine we were rushed off to A&E at the Children's Hospital where we stayed for 6 hours to be old what we already knew - DD was fine, MW's scales were wrong anyway, and the whole thing felt like a box ticking exercise for the NHS. DD has just got back to birth weight by gaining steadily yet slowly and she's over three weeks old - some babies just like to take their time about it. However DH and I felt bad enough about the MW's dire prognostications that we've introduced four top up feeds up formula as she suggested, just 30ml after each breast feed but I BF whenever DD wants and express and hope to return to just breast feeding in time. So-as long as your LO isn't dehyrdrated - eyes look moist, fontanelle not sunken, plenty of wet nappies (I noted these in a notepad s sleep deprivation meant I lost count otherwise!) then they are fine, just a 'plodder' like my DD (thanks to the paed who called her that )

Morning everyone, was just wondering if anyone else's LO makes funny noises when they sleep at night? Ds 3 weeks old does and it's becoming a real problem as I can't sleep because of it. It's not snoring, kind of grunts and whistly exhales and its not rhythmic and stop and starts, so just as I think he's quiet he squeaks again. I don't remember dd doing it. I was awake pretty much all of last night even though ds got good sleep between 3 feeds. I couldn't bring myself to put him to sleep in another room yet so guess I'll have to get used to it but I'm so tired my vision is starting to go funny and I feel a bit unhinged.

Leelteloo I've heard of people having noisy sleepers. Mine sleep so silently it keeps me awake because I have to keep checking they're ok.
If you're not happy to put him in another room could you maybe wear earplugs while you sleep? They might block out the snuffling and still let you hear him cry.

Yes to noisy sleepers leetleloo I call DS the piglet because of all his gruntings and DH is the pig- there is no hope for me I shall be sleep deprived forever! I think it's normal for some babies to be noisy sleepers.

Yes my babies sound like espresso machines!

Thanks Smallgreen and Wherearemyshoes. Good to know my grunty baby is not the only one. He's sleeping quiet as a mouse now it's daytime grrrr so typical.

Hello, can I join please? DD4 was born a week ago after a planned homebirth ended in a hospital transfer! We're settling down now, DD is having a sleepy day today, just waking every couple of hours for a feed. Yesterday she was awake and on the boob pretty much all day, it was exhausting.

Congratulations to everyone with their new babies!

Welcome moomin!

DS doesn't make a funny sound when sleeping but his breathing is sometimes irregular while breast feeding. I dont know whether the hind milk is that difficult to suck?

Those of you who are breastfeeding how often and for how long do you breast feed? Mine usually would need a feed after 2 hours unless he has a nap, he also tends to sleep for longer in the evening (because I sometimes top up with expressed milk / formula milk)

Has anyone used a ring sling for breastfeeding? Tempted to get one as DS is already quite heavy and my arms start to hurt after hours and hours of breastfeeding each day.

Hello!
Can I join please? I'm new to MN ... And parenting for that matter! I'm a FTM, and gave birth to our gorgeous dd on Monday 17th September. It was a tough back to back labour and almost had emcs but managed to avoid it at the last minute. I think my body has just about recovered now, and getting the hang of ebf. I'm taking each day as it comes :)

Got discharged from mw care today as Holly is now above birth weight (yay!). Meeting the HV tomorrow so it feels like we are making progress!

We've had a busy coup,e of weeks so decided to have a lazy coup,e of days, but have decided to get out on Friday to meet new mums local to me. I live in Devon and I need to meet people!!

Hello Hmr1717 & Moomin.

Hi moomin how are you getting on?

Welcome hmr1717 hope you've got lots of good groups going near you, making new friends is a bonus part of becoming mum, I found it hard at first but I've made some lifelong friends through the DCs now.

I'm having a bit if a wobble this evening, the ILs have just left and taken DD1 with them for a sleepover and play day tomorrow to give us a little break to concentrate on DD2 but I feel irrationally guilty for sending her away, even though she wanted to go and will have a lovely time being spoilt. Had a bit of a cry and DH was lovely but I just miss her as all this week I've made sure she's had places to go to have fun and not be stuck at home with me and newborn DD2 but that's meant I've barely seen her and I just feel sad :(

How did others cope with the guilt of splitting your time between older and new sibling in the first few weeks? I'm hoping its normal to feel like this and will pass but lack of sleep and hormones make everything feel so dramatic!

Hi hmr and moomin
heffalump I only have one little one and all my attention goes on him I really don't know how you are meant to cope with more than one, you have my sympathies. I feel guilty for not giving the dog attention but its not really the same!!! I suppose these weeks of newbornness will go quite quick in the grand scheme of things and then you'll have more time.

Thanks for the welcomes. Hi Heff, nice to see you in here! I'm getting on well thanks, the birth already feels like a distant memory! I know what you mean about the guilt regarding trying to give equal time to other DCs. I'm now having to split myself 4 ways! I had to tell DD2 off the other night for being naughty, and she said that I didn't care about her anymore. I had to shut myself in my bedroom and have a little cry. She was fine the next morning.

I've got a little grunter too. DD makes little bleating sounds like a lamb in her sleep. I keep thinking that she's waking up, but then doesn't.

Hey everyone, yes my ds makes loads of noises in his sleep but I usually manage to sleep through them and just wake when he cries.

So much for him being a great sleeper at night, past two nights he's been up most of night. Last night woke up at half 2 and I was still up near 5. :( then up again at 7ish. I'm completely shattered. And during the day he won't let me put him down. Will sleep on me but not when I put him down, don't no what I gonna do. Anyone any advice?

Although it has been quite cold in room recently so I'm thinking it might be that.

Okay have to go he's going mental again. :(

My DS won't sleep unless he's on me in the day as well Rachel. Fine at night though. I'm just using the sling at the moment so at least I can still do stuff. Any advice greatly appreciated though!

Rachel, I find if she falls asleep on me, I cover her back with a blanket and as I lay her down in her bouncer wrap the blanket around her. Almost like swaddling her. I think if she's bundled up tight she doesn't realise she's been put down and stays cosy and warm.
I think when they get put down the cold wakes them up.

Hopefully you find something that works, how else are you supposed to do all the housework and make the dinner?

I have desperately been trying to catch up on here while Charlie has her sleep.

I did laugh out loud at the idea of contraception!! Giving birth was all the contraception I need!! I had an Episiotomy and Charlie was delivered by Ventouse, I was then stitched up for an hour afterwards and found out 2 days later that they hadn't stitched me properly I now have an open wound of 1.5inches and am on so many painkillers/antibiotics I rattle! One week since Charlie arrived and I still can't sit down without looking like an old lady sucking on a lemon

But on a more positive note, Charlie is Gorgeous and just watching my DP with her more than makes up for the pain.

whereare I'm going to try that next time to see if it works. I didn't even get a shower today because he wouldn't settle. Only for the fact I like them so hot I'd of brought him with me.

Housework? I have no idea what that is and my house is def proof of that. I just about got dishwater emptied tonight. Brought washing upstairs put into piles on bed and he kicked off again. But now I have a gorgeous man lying asleep on my knee. All lovely and clean from his bath. :) so don't feel as bad cause my house may be a tip but my baby is clean.

Mw and health visitor kept talking to me about contraception. I laughed at her when she said you can get pregnant before first period, then she went on it was a laughing matter. Tried to explain that as much as I love Oh there's no way on earth that he's getting near me like that for a good wee while. Barely have time to sleep let alone that kinda carry on. ESP when you have a newborn snuffling and snorting in a crib beside the bed, not exactly a great mood setter.

I second the advice re using a nice soft blanket to wrap them as you lay them down, if you can keep them nice & snuggly warm they are more likely to stay asleep. Although that's not to say something else won't wake them up 2 minutes later anyway :(

DD1 was so lovely with her little sister today. Baby in car seat on floor started to cry while I was at opposite end of the room, before I could get to her DD1 was there rocking her saying "don't cry baby" with a look of upmost concern. I did swallow a little lump

Thanks for the sympathies smallgreenone, youre right a few weeks is nothing in the long term, and being only just 2 she probably wont remember life pre baby by then.Hopefully! And besides that thinking of you sharing yourself 4 ways moomin makes me realise I've still got it easy!

Just wondering everyone- are your babies in outfits when they go out yet or are you still baby growing and knitted cardiganing?