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

[hufflepuffle]

Oh and sorry Beeble to hear your story similar. Bloody sucks!!! Hope you recovering xx

[Londonmrss]

beeble, I have a similar discomfort in where I was cathetised (is that the right verb?). I didn't have any stitches, but feel a bit sore- particularly when I have a poo- ie when I bear down. I think it's just an injury from pushing with a catheter. Mentioned it to my doc and as they found no trace of a uti, he thought the same and it would heal in time.
Sorry about my desperate midnight posting last night. I just feel so incredibly guilty that my baby's beautiful active time is spoiled by the fact that it's the middle of the night. I want to play with her and sing to her and do developmental stimulating things when she's calm and alert, but I don't want to give her the message that 3am is play time. I feel awful that when she's gorgeous and awake like that, I'm just thinking 'for fuck's sake, go to sleep', rather than appreciating and enjoying it.
We had a weigh in today at 18 days and she's 10oz over birth weight, so hard as this breastfeeding bollocks is, it seems to be working.

[LoopyLa]

beeble hope you're ok & thanks for the google search

kyrria how was your trip into work?

[AnneH656]

Hi all

Can I join and be accepted into your fold?? just looking for some like minded support.

I was on Oct due date but disappeared after the birth. Rank experience all round and only just finished the six medications was prescribed post hospital discharge. Nice.

So ds is 3 weeks tomorrow. Bottle feeding due to stupid boobs. Actually stopped milk producing. Blame is placed on post birth stress and meds :-(

Dp works long hours with only Sundays off so alone a lot. Hes a driving instructor though so can pop home at least. Getting there though. First jaunt out alone with ds today. Morrisons successfully completed :-)

I miss sleep.beautiful sleep. And never believed I could 'forget to eat' but I do. Bloody odd.

Sending everyone here a hug. We'll get there. Where..i am not sure..but we have are cute bundles at least. Man he is cute..

[AnneH656]

huffle you are superwoman

[AnneH656]

Ps can relate to the 'hands'. For my labour the phrase 'i had more hands up me than The Muppets' springs to mind..

[bella2012]

feeling a bit desperate. will wont let me put him down, will not sleep and hasn't since about 3. He is feeding almost constantly as though he is completely starving and he keeps writhing about. When he comes off he really screams. Does this sound like a growth spurt? He is 2 weeks and 2 days. I have done something to my back through tension trying to feed him and I really can not keep doing this all night, it is so painful. Please help me someone

[londonlivvy]

Oh Bella. My heart goes out to you. i hada tough day too with her not wanting to be put down but yours sounds worse. Is the squirming / writhing about wind? It can be for my LO. If fists clenched it means pain. Have you tried a dummy to extend the gaps between feeds ? Sometimes it extends it by 20 mins or so which can mean she has more time to digest the last feed. Or a sling?

Not sure if any of that helps but much hugs and I hope you find a solution. My arms are killing me after all this carrying.

[Beeblebear]

Oh And who was it that asked about circumcision? Yes we had it done. Had a lovely dr too. Ds got lots of pain relief and they didnt strap hom down like some places do. Is all healed now 1 week later.

[squidkid]

Jess took a while to put down last night but has been asleep from 11.00 to 5.30, so that's pretty good going! I woke up from dreams that I was back at work and everyone was laughing at me because I was leaking milk... my boobs were huge!

My sister in law still hasn't had her baby, thinking of her lots, she is 40+6 now. I was only overdue for 3 days and it was miserable. She had a tough labour with her first baby - 3 days of painful but irregular contractions, failure to progress, epidural, emergency section, then had to stay in hospital over a week because her and baby both caught an infection. They wouldn't let me on the ward because I wasn't a grandparent even though all four grandparents were out of the country . Her milk didn't come in for over a week and a nasty midwife made her feel shit about baby not putting on weight. She wasn't back to herself for months. A crap experience, so she is a bit nervous about this time. Going for a VBAC - I am hoping hoping hoping for a straightforward manageable labour for her. They won't induce her, so if she goes overdue it will be an elective section which she is really hoping to avoid. She went to 40+12 last time.

I am happily getting back into my fitness (running 3x week, just easy ones to start, it's lovely - I go at 7am while jess and boyfriend are snuggled up together) and eating super-healthy but don't appear to be shrinking to pre-preg size, boo. Probably will take months eh. My birthday is a month today, had hopes of wearing one of my cute dresses for it... we shall see... superficial stuff but still bothers me! Am hoping to be back to proper runs and proper workouts by the end of the year, and proper hikes when the weather gets better and Jess can go on my back. Again we shall see...

So have been spending my days entertaining/distracting my sister, cooking, shopping, baby massage, taking photos, doing some writing, reading, playing little singing games iwth Jess... it's nice. Some days I feel like a prisoner to the baby, other days I can't quite believe I can hang out with my kid and do whatever I want for a whole year...

Sometimes I feel like I am annoying everyone on the forum blathering about all the nice things I am trying to do when most of you are struggling with younger babies and the hardcore feeding/sleeping problems that I am beginning to emerge from... hope I'm not being too annoying... I mean to be encouraging... normal life will be possible again honestly! (well bits of it!)

[bella2012]

thank you so much livvy. I think you were right about wind-hearing his pain cry was just horrid. Well, thank God for that, we have made it through til morning-he is still feeding, but in a less intense and agonising way. Phew. Hope your night wasn't too bad ? Much love and thanks again for answering me.

[squidkid]

Thanks for the thread yomping... we would be wandering aimlessly around cyberspace if not for you
I never woke jess when she slept lots! Oops, didn't know that one. Oh well, it didn't happen very often!
I think another room is fine. Boyfriend gets twitchy about it though. We dont' shut doors and live in a flat so would be able to hear everything, I guess if you're in a house you'd need a baby monitor? Though tbh it's not when she makes noises that worries me, it's when she doesn't!

huffle Actually I still am very glad I did the hypnobollocks... like you say, at least I didn't waste all my pregnancy being scared of labour... and I think maybe it contributed to me feeling very safe at home and not panicking (though I did have three midwives!) Can't say it did owt for pain relief though!!

Olives Your health visitor is misinformed about co-sleeping, there are safe ways to do it (some would argue safer than the alternative). And I don't quite understand why it's her business whether you let your baby cry or not, people have different ways of parenting and as long as you're not doing anything dangerous or abusive there's no point criticising people's parenting!! Sympathies, it is so easy to lose confidence even WITHOUT people having a go. Stressed, tired parents are not massively safe either so I'd stick to what works for you, if you're doing it safely.
I don't like criticising whole professions but I also have found healthy visitors a bit useless. The ones I have had seem scared of me because I'm a doctor, which is stupid, I have no expertise in this area and have always been happy to take advice. I am five foot three and smiley and not intimidating. There is one good one I have met, who is also a midwife - I don't think that is coincidental. What is their training anyway?
Have another appt today, ho hum. Maybe I'll just not stay in...

beeblebear yes dummy works well in the car but unfortunately cannot replace it when I am alone with her!! And it falls out all the time...

crazypaving def sounds like the growth spurt, mine came a few days early too... fingers crossed

londonmrss I really wouldn't beat yourself up about missing baby's alert time... these first weeks are hard enough! I don't think it's reasonable to expect brand new mums to be all singing and dancing to help baby development... Babies will develop fine as long as you don't put them in a drawer and ignore them all day (tempting sometimes)
Big congrats on your weigh in, brilliant achievement after all your hard work


bella big hugs - sounds so tough sweetie - sounds just like the growth spurts we've had, yes... it will end but it's so hard!! Can you feed lying down and just shut your eyes a bit (really hard when they're flailing I know) Thinking of you xxx

livvy very intrigued by the maternity nurse, is she coming every day or is it just a now-and-then arrangement? Sounds like she's given you some confidence (that was the thing I struggled with loads on my own) even if all the techniques aren't foolproof. I like the idea of taking note of the good stuff. I kind of try and use this thread for that myself (to keep a record) though of course I whinge too
I went to bed at 7pm last night so don't feel bad! All sleep is good at this point... helps it's the winter really

nice to see you angelico and yay for your postman's message of hope

yay for master midget's smiles :)
I want to go to the cinema too! The art cinema does showings on a monday, but it's the same time as baby massage... And baby yoga which I want to do one time.... grr!

Sorry for essay! xxx

[hufflepuffle]

Bella u poor thing. Sounds indeed like growth spurt. Hope u coping, hugs to you xx

AnneH hello! More hands up me than the muppets....! Priceless! Tough birth by sounds of, hope u recovering x

Squid u must type so fast.....!

[Cherrychopsticks]

How are you doing Bella? That sounds like such hard work, especially with your other little one to take care of. We had a similar situation on Monday, I think. Seemed to be full of wind, constantly straining and really uncomfortable. Didn't want to lie down, didn't want to be held, all he could do was feed. Normally feeding sends him to sleep, but he was wide awake the whole time.
The only thing that helped was putting him down on his front. I know I shouldn't but he seemed much more comfortable, and even seemed to get some burps and farts out just by lying that way.
Anyway, it died down a bit by itself, still having the odd episode but not feeding continuously anymore, and going down for naps occasionally. So it will get better!
I have also never had to wake DS for a feed, because he's never slept that long. V of those that do.

Welcome Twobuttons and Anne and anyone else that has joined while I wasn't looking.

Thanks for sharing your birth story Huffle, traumatic for you to say the least! You're so strong, you should be very proud of yourself. I can't believe the injuries you sustained, so glad to hear you're healing well from it.

Another one jealous of baby cinema Midget, they have nothing like that here and I really want to see Skyfall. Luckily it's not out til December in Japan, so hopefully I can express and we can get a babysitter.

Lisbeth no circumcision here. It's not usual in the UK, is it? Also not common here in Japan. I think it's pretty standard in the US though, is the same in Canada Beeble? I think Germany have banned it, which is a bit controversial as its mainly the Jewish community that do it.

We're rocking the white noise here, and it's doing my head in, but better than crying or perma-feeding baby. Was desparate to do a bit of vacuuming today but DS wouldn't settle so ended up doing it one handed with him in the other arm and he fell asleep. We have a Dyson and it's really loud! Anyway, he's now in his cot dreaming away to vacuum cleaner mixed with purring cat on full volume on my iPhone.

Quick question, what bouncy chairs, rockers/swingy things do you all have? What do you recommend? We haven't got one yet, but as his peak awake time is our dinner time we need something ASAP.

Oh, and who had the Moby wrap? Any tips? I can tie it no problem, but when I put him in it just doesn't seem right (or safe). Not sure which way he's supposed to be lying. Also, he hates it Really disappointed as I was looking forward to using it, and it'd make my life so much easier.

[AnneH656]

Hi cherry we have fisher price vibrating jungle chair. Its really comfy. Some seem not too close to the frame. Was only 35 quid. Oddly he will only sit in it in the mornings??

bella if it is windy - dd1 had terrible colic. Found hanging her tummy down on my arm like a monkey on a branch and rubbing her back softly helped. Sounds like growth spurty thing though. Ds has had a couple of massive feed nights already. Dummy has helped (when he wants to take the bloody thing)

bloody love white noise app. Just drying my hair in his room calms him. Recommend it. Baby calm and hair done in one! Waiting for Ewan the sheep to arrive..ordered yesterday :-)

Off to name register today. Still feel bit like innerds will fall out and sick of bleeding but excited about the jaunt!

[londonlivvy]

Squid the maternity nurse isn't free at nights at the moment and only a few daytime slots, so it's a bit limited. I could try a post natal doula or an agency to find a night nurse but I'd been hopeful I could sort it out with some daytime help an advice. She's coming over for a couple of hours tomorrow.

Having said that i thought id cope with just ome tips, yesterday DD was grizzly, refusing to nap, needing to be held, etc, and then last night she woke at 10pm, 2am and 530 and wouldn't go back to sleep after 530 so am feeling frazzled. Supposed to be seeing NCT girls at lunchtime today but all I can dream about right now is going back to bed when she goes for her lunchtime nap. Today is another long day with DF out til 1030pm. Oof.

[hufflepuffle]

Cherry would u believe I was coming on to wonder if u were alright cis your last posts involved stressed little dude! Was hoping u coping, obviously you are! Thanks for sympathy, is all in the past now!!

White noise app not working for me. However dS loves dishwasher, Hoover, haurdryer and extractor fan! Why do they like these noises????? We hav a Ziggy Zebra swinging chair thing (bought in desperation week 2 when only thing to settle him was swing in carseat!) which he growing to like. Plays nature sounds which are hideous!!! Like some deranged robot! But again, works!!

As for chair/ bouncer, pre baby we thought that we would get a non musical non vibrating chair as baby must learn to self sooth, right???? So got Chicco Mia. V v comfy looking, 5 positions. Can rock or bounce. He quite likes it, think will be v useful as he grows and can entertain self by bouncing or looking around, but perhaps at this early stage a vibrating one might hav done more?!

Interesting to see if anyone else has an action chair!

Right, 6.5 hrs sleep, fed and down again, I'm going back to bed! Fed on boob feels like been punched for hours, this better bloody clear up soon!!

Happy Wednesday all, DS 4 wks today! X

[smileyhappymummy]

Hi everyone.
We had a lovely night too, 11.20 to 5am. My pyjama top was soaking by the time she woke up but getting a decent chunk of sleep was amazing. Beat the previous night when she woke at 2 and spent the next 3 hours feeding, possetting her feed back, feeding again, watching us change the sheets on the bed that were now soaked with baby sick etc etc.... She does seem to be a very sicky baby, wondering if it's worth getting her some infant gaviscon to try. Also getting periodically slightly paranoid that it means there's something really wrong with hereven though I KNOW this is stupid. The downside of being a doctor and knowing about all the rare stuff....
cherry our dyson is magic for stopping baby crying. Turn it on and the crying turns off. White noise apps, recordings of the Hoover help but decidedly inferior. Would love to know if it's brand specific, dyson could be missing a marketing trick!
huffle you did brilliantly. Remember to keep on taking care of yourself. Hope your dh is ok too, I think that time when they don't know what's happening snd imagine the worst is awful, (henyankee 5 year age gap between our 2!) and at least we are almost too caught up in it all going on to have that.
anne lovely to have you here and congratulations!
bella well done on getting through the night, it feels endless but everything does pass in the end.
Right going to stop here before computer eats my reply!

[smileyhappymummy]

cherry we have a hugabub rather than a moby but think its basically the same... Try this link for how to tie it www.hugabub.com/flex/tying-the-hug-a-bub-wrap/89/1.

[Smorgs]

Good grief. The screamathon lasted all day yesterday in addition to three previous nights. He actually went hoarse from it last night not too bad by comparison. Fed at 11, 2, 4 and 7 and doing another feed now at 10. Took a bit to settle after 2 but otherwise ok. Have decided structure is needed in the Smorgs household so going to try baby whisperer schedule today. Have in laws arriving tomorrow and really don't want them to have to endure a week of constant screaming. Know they'll understand though. Tried using baby Bjorn yesterday just so I could hang washing out but he hated it. Have bought Kari me on eBay so hoping that will be more if a success. Ditto with vacuuming cherry - I did it one handed the other day and he went straight off. No brand loyalty though, we have a Bosch. Squid don't stop telling us about what life might be like in a few weeks I find it really inspiring! Huffle your birth story is really amazing, you sound much better than I would be having gone through that. Here they offer 10 weeks of rééducation périnéale (basically fanjo physio) to everyone no matter what kind of labour you've had. I know someone who had a similar tear to yours who did these lessons and it has really helped her.

3 weeks today and 3.5kg so just over half a kg gained.

[Cherrychopsticks]

Thanks for the chair info everyone! I like the sound of the Fisher Price jungle one Anne, purely because it'll go nicely with the FP rainforest baby gym. Though if he'd go in the Moby, I wouldn't need one...Have you seen the Mamaroo, or whatever it is? It's like a spaceship I want one

Thanks for thinking of me Huffle, had a couple of bad days - just when I think I'm getting the hang of things, it all changes without explanation. And when I have no plans, everything goes like clockwork, but the minute I have to do something it all goes tits up!

Yes, real Dyson definitely works best Smiley.
Glad I don't have your medical knowledge, I have enough irrational worries already!

Had a bit of a meltdown when DH got home last night because evenings are the worst right now - continual feeding, grizzling and awake time just when I'm trying to get dinner ready, and am at the end of my daily energy. But then we had a good night (good for us being a 3 hr sleep followed by a 2 hr one ) So All's right with the world again!

DS has a lovely new trick - when he gets gas mid feed, he scrunches up and writhes around whilst pulling his head right back with chin out (looks a bit like a turtle). He does all this with my nipple still clamped between his gums. Ouch!

[Smorgs]

Crazy - hope your night was a bit better. Bella - sympathy on the griping pains. Pretty sure that's what the Orc Smorglet had its horrible to see them in so much pain. Have you tried moving their legs towards the chest and in anti clockwise rotation? Someone recommended that to me on Monday. Smiley - glad you sound better was a bit worried you're normally so upbeat. This is hard core and I don't even have a toddler to deal with too.

Smorglet currently feeding while gently kicking his little legs contentedly - unbelievably cute.

[londonlivvy]

Oh smorgs you have my sympathies. Horribly grizzly child this week who will only sleep when full belly of milk. Much screaming this morning, which on top of my sleep deprivation made me go and lie on the bathroom floor and sob. I then took her for a walk to get her to sleep, hoping she wd stay asleep when we got home. No such luck. I just want to walk out of the house and leave the noise behind. Oh god this is hideous. We should have just got a dog.

[lisbethsopposite]

Bella it does sound like a growth/feed spurt. Make sure you have lots of your areole(spell?) in his mouth - even if you have to try and stuff some more in while he is feeding IYKWIM.
Can you plonk yourself in front of TV and just go with it?

[Smorgs]

livvy I know, the amount of walking we're doing just to get him settled will at least help shift the mummy tummy right? I was OK until yesterday when I had him most of the day by myself and the tiredness caught up with me in the afternoon. Still can't nap during the day really, but am getting in a couple of hours before midnight when DH takes him. I'm ok though, much better than the beginning. Don't have such a knot in my stomach all the time, although I do dread the evenings when he seems to constantly cry/grizzle. Cherry It always seems to be when your making/eating dinner doesn't it?!

I'm not entirely sure Smorglet doesn't have reflux. His 'sounds' have changed particularly after a feed and sometimes he vomits up to an hour afterwards. He's really difficult to burp but if I lay him straight down just after a feed he starts crying - wondering if it's the acid coming up? A friend's child had silent reflux and it was a nightmare to diagnose. I have to see a paediatrician every month anyway so will book the apt today and hope he has some miracle solution?!