October 2012 babies part 2: winding, yawning and grizzling, and first smiles?

[YompingJo]

Part 2: in which our babies learn to sleep through the night and make us tea in the morning

Lisbeth and anne - Mini Angelico has her first cold Off into town for saline drops and one of those snot suckers... Sister told me to get the one where you suck yourself rather than bulb but at least snot goes into container and not into my mouth, boke Bean woke every two hours last night and sounded like the lovechild of Miss Piggy and Darth Vadar. Had to wake DH at 6.30am and room swap so I could get a couple of hours sleep to function today!

Have my post-natal check today. It's a couple of weeks late but don't mind as want to know why I'm still fecking bleeding!!! And how long it's going to go on for...

Shout out to Elpis, Fjord, CWest and anyone else missing in action - hope all is well x

Hang in there all mamas and beans with snatters / reflux / boob issues etc!

lisbeth and angelico !! sending nose unblock sleep hugs to you. how do they get bloody colds so soon?? its rubbish. note that any meds - even vapo stuff- state nothing under 3 months. under 3 months is when you need the sodding help!!!!

we also have a truffle searching piglet in the room......

will try the saline thing. oo propping the moses basket up slightly up the head end underneath with a flat cushion bizarrely helped quite a lot with his breathing. apparently they recommend doing the same if they are in the cot by putting a few cds under the legs of the cot under one end.

sleep would be lovely.

going to have some wine tonight...

Congrats on auntyhood squid

Boy I hope week 7 is easier than week 6 which has mainly featured mummy guilt over lack of weight gain, projectile vomiting (me, dh and baby), projectile pooing (only dh and baby thank god), very little sleep, and vain attempts to force-breastfeed baby...

Last night the worst as dh too ill to help and he is designated settler in our house. He's still in bed, so jealous

Oh and no routine/bedtime here! Baby wooly very needy and cluster feeds in evening so no hope of bed before midnight, likes bath, hates drying, makes no difference to sleeping!

On the plus side did get 5 hours sleep Monday night and getting lots more smiles and general being awake, not hungry time. Can get the odd thing done if I put her in the sling or bouncy chair and drag it round the house after myself .

Friend came for a visit last week, listened to me moan then admitted she's been TTC for a year with no joy...feel bad...must be more positive

Hey-ho HV coming tomorrow to weigh bean again and beat me round head with scales if she's not gained

Argh I still can't put my bean down in evenings. Moses basket refuser. Bought a fancy lambskin thingy from John Lewis but didn't help. So will only sleep next to me- then she does do 3-4 hr stretches. I think that's old but other on here seem to do up to 6 hours! Mind you she's only 5 weeks.

I just wish I could put her down in the early evening so partner and I could have some time together!

Plan: bought a co-sleeping cot which arrives tomorrow. So she can lie next to me but then I can roll around to heart's content and know she's safe, and also maybe sneak off early evening an have time with DH...

Anne they can have Calpol from 2 months in a very low dose if that helps... I gave Bean some last night as she was very flushed and feverish. HV and GP both said it's okay - I had some in for after her jabs. She is 8 weeks now though so can't use it under that :( I have my snatter sucker trying to psyche myself up to use it lol :o

Having a reception age child in the house germ carrier me and master midge got instant colds. I used children's olbas oil in his Moses basket - a life saver.

angelico fab to know about calpol. DS is only 4 weeks - still, will be bloody good to know when he gets ill again in a few weeks time. midgetm i hear you. will get some of the olbas oil. where abouts did you put it??

DD is older but small children are amazing at germ breeding up to the age of at least 15. i sometimes this that boys start to kill of germs by excessive use of Lynx when their balls drop...

HELP - anyone any experience of this???

Just had my PN check up a bit late (8 weeks) and mentioned that I'm still bleeding. Got an internal scan and have a big blood clot sitting in uterus. Have to go in on Sat for D&C - would have been tomorrow but couldn't get childcare or start ABs in time :(

Anyone any experience of this? Am so pissed off, need a General anaesthetic and have to take 2 diff ABs. What can I expect afterwards? Is it sore?

Posting this in a couple of places to try and get some answers so thanks in advance.

Gaaaah, thread moves too fast for me to keep up!

Had to at Yomping & your vibrator though!! I've almost stopped bleeding now & as we probably haven't DTD for probably around 5 months at least I'm looking forward to jumping DH's bones in the near future although why he still would want to jump mine after what he saw during labour I have no idea

I need to book my 6 week check with the bubs - has anyone done this? Stupid question but as we are all feeding on demand, how the hell to you book an appointment in the day? Just bring formula, nappy & all the baby crap paraphernalia with me to the doctors?

And can I confess - I still haven't bathed Baby Loopy. He's only 4.5 weeks but where I lack confidence, I'm literally scared to do this Why am I scared? I have no idea, but I do know that evenings are definitely not a good time to do this as he's usually bawling his head off or sleeping

And routine? HAHAHA, love it!! I wish...

Quick one for Angelico. I have had a few ERPC's and they are pretty painless as under GA and just leave you a bit sore afterwards. Had one after I had DD and I just pumped and dumped milk wise and didn't affect feeding. Real pain in the arse fanjo but not painful. Sorry you have to have it done but good job caught before you got an infection.

Shit Angelico that sucks. I hav no knowledge to help u only that I hav heard of this happening a lot. Poor you, total PITA, never mind the worry. But I'm sure Is not something to worry about physically. Bloody bloody bollocks.

Loopy there is no rule says you must bathe at night! We did first 2 in day as so unconfident. Find a time when u hav someone around. You might find it goes better than expected!!! And we only do weekly, I hav crap sensitive odd skin and I'm trying to leave his alone!! And maybe look up some videos online? Boots site can be helpful.

Oops, must go! X

Loopy yes you need to take all the crap with you Im afraid! It's like packing for a week...

Dont worry about not bathing, they dont really get dirty. Do you have someone who could show you how to bath him?

Thanks Midget. I have had infection for weeks but ironically the ABs for 'mastitis' probably kept it at bay. The low level infection I had was actually from this, the boob stuff was just blocked ducts. Am a bit pissed off at GP who I saw at week 4 after massive gush of blood who said everything was fine and she didn't need to refer me to gynae - might have been able to get it removed when it was smaller / before it got 'established', thus avoiding GA and D&C :(

Did you have to express milk in advance for DD? Or how much milk did you dump - you know, how long after?

angelico you get all the luck! This happened to someone I know and they had to ff for a week but kept pumping and went back to bf pretty easily afterwards. She said they found they had to give a dummy though as he wanted to suck more often than feed.

loopy I dreaded the idea of a bath, it was the one thing that really unnerved me but it wasn't nearly as scary as I thought. Def do the first one with someone else as it's easy to forget something and you're stuck once they're in. And a 20 second dunk is fine! The MW that did our antinatal admitted she got really nervy bathing her son in a baby bath so ended up buying a washing up bowl from Asda and doing baths in that until he got too big so that might be an idea?

Sorry to hear that angelico

loopyla You can have baby in your bath too, that's what I do mostly, and find it easier and less nerve-racking than holding them in a baby bath. You probably need someone to help. I run it not too hot and without products, and boyfriend hands me baby and I just soak her really and let her kick about. Then he has warmed towel ready and I hand her back.

I didn't bath baby squid for 2 weeks and I think weekly is fine (or less often). Like huffle says may be better for sensitive skin to bathe less often anyway.

Sorry cross-posted with Angelico, hope everything goes well

Thanks for all the bath tips, will save it for the weekend & bathe with him like squid has suggested & when DH can help us and I'm sure he'll jump at the chance at sponging down my enormous norks at the same time (DH, not the baby)

Gush of blood normal? although doubt if it would have made a difference to needing the procedure, it would have saved your bits being Infected. takes off imaginary white coat after fake doctor qualification. I expressed before I went in to surgery so DH could feed but I can't remember how long I dumped for - not long from memory. But I don't think it was for more than a couple of hours after. They will prioritise you if BF and the anaesthetist will advise - I think i then fed as normal quite soon. but I was sick as a dog so my memory can't be trusted

I think now they advise you don't even have to dump (seem to remember hazy conversation when I was in theatre this time round with master Midge but again I was pretty spaced so also can't be trusted on this)

I've had the procedure after miscarriages too and they honestly have never caused me any bother. Hope it's the same for you

Thanks for sympathy peeps and special thanks Midget for excellent info (including proper name so I could google info on ERPC even though it seems to be a clot rather than placenta.) I think if it had been spotted early you can have tablets which induce cervix opening / bring on a period and so it passes out naturally IYSWIM - another MNer said this is what she had. Unfortunately mine is now 'established' - seems to have fibrous tissue developing around it hence needs manually removed. Have had GAs before and I am ALWAYS amazingly sick afterwards so just hope this isn't what puts the final nail in the BFing coffin after surviving all the blocked ducts. Gah!!!

Nobber GP

One comedy moment today - consultant was doing PN check (this was pre-discovery of hateful clot grr) and asking about contraception, asking if I wanted more kids etc. I asked how long you need to wait after CS before getting pregnant and he said "We used to say a year but now it's just 3 months wait is advised." Presumably my jaw hit the floor because he added, "You'll be physically ready for another pregnancy long before you're mentally ready...!" :o

Angelico!! Although I was told 2 years!! Odd how much the info varies from place to place?!

oh my lord angelico, you really have been through it. I am so sorry you have this to contend with too. Feel full of admiration for your positive attitude and courage. You never feel sorry for yourself, no matter what gets thrown at you. Likewise midget, you are so matter of fact about all you have been through and are so wise!!

loopy have you got all the kit for feeding out and about? I had a fantastic flask with a section to pour the water in and warm the bottle easily. Also, a divided cup so that you can have the right amount of formula already measured out. Then you just pack the bottles with the right amount of water in and it is quite easy to do when out and about. Apologies if you have already done all of this-feel free to tell me to butt out. I know that it takes time to be confident about doing it all with an audience. i am still shit at breastfeeding discreetly and this is my second baby! I am less self conscious this time though, I just wap out wherever now!

Had a good day today. Greatest achievement was managing to make play-doh snowmen with ds1 whilst breastfeeding. Multitasking triumph! Woop!

Got Will weighed and he is putting on weight so chuffed that my cackhanded breastfeeding must be working. The bf support lady asked if I wanted a home visit and when I said yes she came this afternoon! V. Impressed! And she was so nice, so encouraging and supportive and really helped me.

Her top tips

*I swaddle for every feed cos Will beats me up whilst flailing around making latching hard. She encouraged me to try it without swaddling, and to try and get his bottom arm around my side and under my arm so that his arm isn't a barrier or getting squashed making him uncomfortable. Also the arm flailing helps your let down apparently.

*I always cradled his head in my hand as I guided it to the breast, thinking I was supporting his head. She said I was actually preventing him from leaning his head back to open up properly. So just to hold his head underneath, around his ear rather than at the back.

Loads more, but prob too hard to explain or just specific to me. The other thing she did which has cheered me up was a massive pep talk on not feeling guilty all the time. She was so realistic in her advice which was v. Refreshing! For example, I asked about whether or not I am supposed to feed for 30 minutes on both sides for every feed and she laughed and said 'Don't be ridiculous-when are you going to get to sit there for a whole hour? Just feed him for however long you can, even if that means 15 minutes before you do the playgroup pick up and the rest when you get back!' she really took the pressure off and was so full of praise for what I have done so far. i wish I could parcel her up and send her round to all of your houses to just tell you what a great job you are doing!

Love and hugs to all xxx

three months????? Are you having a laugh??? So you get 12 weeks off from being preggo nly to start it off again? Oh my God, that would be hell! And can you imagine telling work!??

3 months!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!

Angelico you've given me the fear a bit. Today I got a little tiny bit more bleeding - baby is 7 weeks. Should I get myself checked out?

Last night was Grim. Baby awake from 4pm til midnight. WTAF? Then produced a babygro destroying poo and fell asleep Damned bowels keeping me awake. Then fed at 4am and struggled to settle for ages. DS1 awake at 2am and then singing loudly in his cot from 6am. My eyeballs feel like they've been deep-fried and my brain is cooked. Physically shagged too. Sorry, massive moanage. Only 6 working days until childminder's back and I get some sanity restored to my days [guilty mother emoticon]

Loopy re norks in bath - mine are huge too, with blue veins, not that attractive but large for sure. DH bought Erin a 'pillow pet' ladybird - it's her fav thing to lie and kick at, she lies and makes funny noises at it with open mouth and she tries to grab it - and today I see why she loves it, as it's face is like a boob! She was trying to latch on to it's nose!!! It's got a flesh coloured big face with a big red nose - clearly like my giant bosums...

Angelico what a time you are having of it. I guess at least it's been spotted now and you're getting treated. Hope all goes well

Bella thanks for passing on info from BF lady. Guess it's how to make it fit in with everyday life. At home on the sofa it's so much easier than when out and about. I miss my cushion to prop Erin up when BF out the house - she's so heavy! Also she's now into grabbing and gripping things so I have to be careful of small scratchy hands scrabbling at my chest - it's excruciating if she catches a nipple.

I am also so happy as managed to fit in pre-pregnancy jeans today for first time! My skin on tummy is still soft and more flabby than before but it's clearly shrinking despite my daily chocolate