November 2012 - babies are here at last

[StuntNun]

This is the post-natal club for graduates of the November 2012 intake.

Horsey you have tried hard to establish breastfeeding and it has been one thing after another. I would suggest that you seriously consider switching to formula and then just enjoying your baby. If you have any qualms about giving up breastfeeding or think you might have regrets down the line then give the medicine a try and put off the decision for another week. Please remember you are sleep deprived and maybe a little hormonal still and may not be at your tip top decision making form! Have you talked things over with your DH?

Happy birthday thechick. Hope you have a great evening Evil. I am a bit ~ haven?t dared ask my DPs to take all 3 DCs yet. horsey hugs to you ~ remember there is no?bad? or ?wrong? decision here, just what?s right for you.

Thanks for the good luck wished Nervous and VQ. They worked cos hospital thinks he?s fine and told me just to keep on with what l?m doing. Good news about your DS stunt.

Thechick not sure how much your DS weighs but lady from my sling library rxkoned mei tais are better when they get a bit bigger (l think she meant 7 or8 pounds). They look really simple and easy to usr. l have a moby wrap which is great, but l get the impression most people only get about 6 months use from themul. you have a sling library nearby? Myy local one has been really helpful.

Good news daisy

blonder hope you are ok too after weigh-in.

horsey you know I am a big fan of bf, but I think I would give serious consideration to stopping after the ordeal you have been through. Perhaps you could think about relactating in a few weeks if you do regret stopping. It is hard, but possible, and no harder than what you have been doing. I have never relactated, but read about it. I am no expert. You have to do what is best for you both, and really feel for you about this being a hard decision to make.

Wishing all mummies and babies a good night sleep x I am turning in shortly as I am pooped x

horsey you can only do what's best for you and your boy, if your both much happier giving formula then maybe that's the way to go. You've tried so hard and deserve a meddle, it's important you feel comfortable with what you choose but this is a magical time that you should enjoy and treasure for ever

We're up for our first feed since 11:30!!! Wohoo almost 4 and a half hours!! Im so pleased lol hope your all having a great nights sleep

Nice work nervous

Up feeding again. My 2 are going every two hrs at night for the last couple of days. Means I end up listening to more of the World Service than is strictly a good idea :/

How are you finding it with 2 catbag we've been doing every 2 hours here too before that long one

Hello everyone,
horsey does it really matter how your LO is fed? The main thing is that your LO is healthy and happy.

Skyfall was fantastic. Everyone should see it.
Off to my six week check soon, will post later about it.

Evil

Horsey It sounds like you answered your own question.

'Today is the most relaxed I've been as there is no milk? Upset but accepting that this wasn't going to happen.'

Bloody hell you gave it a better shot than most, if you didn't have the guilt, would you be happy to exclusively ff? I think you know the way to go and nobody would judge you for it at all. You have to be happy for your little boy and read what you said above. Look at all the 70's kids, we are all thriving when our mums were told bf was evil

Give yourself a break and do what feels best for you both ((hugs)).

Good morning ladies. I to like someone up thread had a sleeping baby from 11 to 4.30. But then hungry at 6.30 and 8.30.
But he is still very unsettled between 7 and 11. He doesn't seem to have wind. Reluctant to give him infacol unnecessarily as y would he have wind only at that time everyday. It's not like his diet changes? N he gets my expressed milk at different times everyday. Strange. Any suggestions

Right better run. Got to clean last nights bottles.

Hi all. L had put on 20g at the weigh-in yesterday, hurrah. I tried to post but the app was playing up and my laptop has decided this is an ideal moment to give up the ghost. It was a real relief to see the numbers on the scales go up. The mw said a load of stuff about how pleased she was and how she thought the formula guidelines were too stringent and didn't take into account individual circumstances. But it doesn't change the fact that if I hadn't questioned what I was told (by her) in the first place, we'd be feeding L formula now rather than having given my milk a chance.

Accidentally OD'd on painkillers last night after getting confused about timings so had a very bleary night. Woke up convinced I had not fed L all night and my milk had dried up. DH assures me I was up most of the night feeding him!

Horsey although our issues are different I think you are probably feeling similar to how I was, full of worry/guilt/indecision, but ultimately we are trying to do the right thing for our babies that is also reasonable and sustainable for us. I know it's a bit Nethuns to say Happy mummy = happy baby but I know L has been a lot more chilled out and happy since I decided to go with my instinct and minimise my stress levels. Hope you are feeling more positive today. As everyone has said we are all on the same team and we are all here to support each other.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. Had a lovely day.

Daisy there is a sling library near me too, I borrowed a moby even though I was against them before, but they said because of the size of my baby, that's the only one they would recommend. I have it for two weeks, but I'm being impatient and just want to buy one now. Think I might go for the Mei Tai.

Horsey if its any consolation, I am very very pro breastfeeding and I'm giving formula at night as that's what's working for me and for my family. As everyone has said, you need to do what's right for you. Oh and the Kari me looks a lot like the moby I have borrowed. How are you getting on with it??

I have a very snuffly baby who was a month old yesterday.

I've graduated!! Huzzah, baby Oliver Harry, 9lb, arrived at 08:39 this morning, within an hour of being in hosp no pushing . I asked if I could not push and let my body do it. They said I could have an hour. Amazingly it did and took only about 20 mins. Much better than my last experience so feel really blessed and chuffed though a bit tired.

I think I left getting to the hosp a bit late as I was fully dilated when I got here, I don't know where I got the motivation from but I was mid contraction and in reception DH said, there must be a lift, I said I just need the quickest way, and almost ran up the stairs. I really though I was going to deliver in front of lots of bemused cleaners!

DH was fantastic, kept telling me how wonderful I was (as instructed in his birthplan), but it helped so much, that and the and to squeeze. He looked a bit grey by the time he went home, he deserves a beer and a chill.

Pins and needles because he just wants cuddles and I can only use one arm for that as have canuala in crook of other elbow.

A very contented sophia obviously my hormones have kicked in, wait till I have had no sleep!

I need some breast feeding advice ladies! I know I've done it before but that was 6 years ago and this little one seems to be in a non stop feed'athon, it's all the time, he's latching beautifully but it's so frequent I'm really sore.
I feeling really run down too, is there any super food or drink that could help? I have mouth full of ulcers and a head cold.
Will J get a pattern of sorts soon? Should I be feeding everytime he roots for it? Is it meant to make the after pains of the birth so much worse?!
Any advice much appreciated, I'm floundering a bit I think and he's only 3 days old!

The answer to all your questions is - Yes! Feed him when he roots, he will establish a pattern, but at this point he is working hard to get the milk to come in and increase supply to his demands. And yes to the bastard afterpains! Feeding makes them worse as it is your uterus contracting and shrinking.

I'm not sure on the food question, but others probably will!

Remember to use a cream or expressed breast milk on your nipples. I would hand express a few drops on your nipple before a feed and rub in, and either the same or cream if you prefer after the feed. Depends on personal preference!

Congratulations sophia I'm glad you've had a positive experience!! How are you feeling?

Sorry tits I can't really help. I feed when LO routes for it and I never had any after pains maybe because I had a section? Not sure. Sorry I couldn't be more help

Does anyone feel that their relationships with people have changed for the worst since their LOs arrived? It seems like mine with in laws has use to get along great but now I constantly feel like everything I do is critised and that they make me feel like my instinct is wrong ect, I'm hoping its just me being overly hormonal and all in y head but I don't think it is

nervous am generally ok except every time I stand up I leave a trail of blood behind me I need to sort that out quick smart!

Don't think people are criticising, they are probably just trying to be actively involved and if not you must know be confident you are doing a great job, and you as a mother knows best in the end. You must not let anyone bring you or your self esteem down.

Tits Lots of Lucozade (as well as the obvious water) and keep plenty of ice-cream in (for the sugar), you can shovel this in after every meal, nice with tinned fruit. Pasta, especially brown is good, you can just make loads and stick some pesto in and just keep in the fridge to snack on. Eggs, however you want them, but try eggs with wholemeal toast as your first meal.

Bananas are good to keep by your side and eat with little one feeding as is the pasta as you can eat this cold too, keep in a tupperware box.

Hope this helps x

tits I also have a mouth full of ulcers and a cold. I thought it was random but perhaps is stress/lack of sleep.

nervous I think it is likely to be predominantly hormonal. I remember with DD feeling like everyone in the world had an opinion on DD and what I was doing and that all those other people's experience outweighed my instincts, and that their suggestions were implied criticism. However, looking back, people who care for you and your baby want you to profit from their experience. Take all "advice" with a smile and ignore anything you don't like, and do so wih confidence, you are the only expert on your own baby. Fact.

Joining you in the run down club Tits. I think all the adrenaline has worn off and I feel like I've been punched in the face. And the head and the tits and the tummy. Very tearful and not sure how I can manage (may be a coincidence that DH is back to work tomorrow). I know I am meant to go through these feelings and it will get better but it is hard to shake it off especially when I feel so dizzy all the time.

Suddenly much harder for L to find his latch now he has more strength - I can't just put his head in the right spot like I could in the first week. But that is also taking its toll on my sanity and my nipples.

I thought if we had the weight gain sorted everything else would fall into place, but now I feel like I'm going backwards.

It's early days Blonder. Keep up the good work and after everything has settled down it'll be a piece of cake. You'll be able to feed your baby anytime, almost anywhere without any faffing with sterilising bottles and making up formula. The initial trials are usually worth it in the end so long as things are going reasonable smoothly.

Thank you Stunt, voice of reason.

Have had a good cry over DH and sent him off to bed so at least he will get some sleep. Hate the thought of him struggling at work tomorrow, I don't want to waste energy worrying about that too.

Hmmm the leaflet in infacol says it takes a few days to kick in. However one dose n he is sleeping well. Had about a half hour where he was unsettled n crying. But that's better then 4 hours!
I wasn't sure if it was wind. But researching made me think it was. N then I thought infacol won't do any harm. Might b wishful thinking but hope it's worked n isn't just coincidence .

Feel like DH is taking full advantage of me at being at my mums. He was out yesterday today and I know he has plans for nxt two evenings. Although he has come to visit everyday I've been here so at least I know he is missing me.
So cute watching my sis, mum n dad argue over who can hold lo n whose turn it is to feed him lol.

Omg I have a son! Has it hit any of u yet? I still feel like I'm playing a game/ in a dream n it will be over soon

Seems like last night was a quiet one. Does that mean that everyone's babies slept through the night?! Or, like me, does it just mean we were all too tired even to mumsnet in the wee small hours?!

LO has been awake since 5.30 . Dad just woke up n took over . I've measured out water n formulA n come back to bed . And I asked my sis to do the 3am feed. I was making the bottle n she woke up so I passed him over lol. Feel ultra lazy. But shattered. So arguing over LO during the day isn't going to get them anywhere unless they help during unsociable hours from now on. Lol.

Right onto important things. Sleep time