March 2013- here we go....

[Oodsigma]

Welcome old & new to the other side!

I'll start with a stats list!

Ood -ds 7/3/13, dc4! Elcs

If anyone wants to add any more details feel free!

eco at least you know in future to avoid library bitch. Or just brazenly sit there and do it regardless, as is your right by law

Eig when I was at my wits end with bfing I called the next helpline. They will give very well balanced, free advice and are available til 10 I think most days. They can even connect you with a bf support worker in your area if you wish. The advice I got was great - my boobs were in such a state even with expressing every feed that I was stomping my feet, swearing and sweating just while pumping, the prospect of latching on sent shivers down my spine. She suggested mixed feeding, and made me feel ok about it. I think I spoke to her for 45 minutes, and it was mentally incredibly helpful. Unfortunately my boobs were in such a state that I had to give them a break and my supply just hit rock bottom. But I still value the advice- I just wish I'd sought it sooner. While there's great advice on this thread it really helps to talk to someone who knows the mechanics of it all and who's seen every scenario.

We had a lovely night here bath, bottle and in bed at 7, a few gurgle noises on the monitor but no crying at all, up at 2.45 for the next bottle, down at 3 then didn't hear a peep til 6ish. He was just grumbling spin brought him into our bed where he slept til 7.50! Just sleeping off a bottle now actually so I should really get in the shower... Will have to go for another long walk and get more fresh air into him, it seems to work!

Yep, massive improvement already, and we only started with it at breakfast yesterday. A word of warning - it stains horrifically, and mine tends to push a bit out of her mouth. Be on hand with a wipe or a bib or even just your finger to stop it dribbling onto clothes.

*nct helpline. Not next. I doubt a clothes shop would have been a great help.

Stormy all our muslins now have yellow stains! Matches nicely to the shades of poo...

Have had some weird unexpected BFing success - DS is currently latched with no shield and after possibly the most painful start ever, he's happily feeding away from me

He's still wanting 30mins plus but I've been told to only give him one side so he gets all the hindmilk, and then express from the other side. Basically means by the time all that's done it's feeding time again so I'm looking forward to these ten minute feeds you all keep mentioning.

Gave DS a bit of chamomile tea last night after his 3am feed and he went back to sleep at about 4.30am until 7! Don't flame me, OH did the research and I gave him a fraction of what is suggested... Certainly helped eradicate the mad screaming for hours after second night feed

2 more nights on my own and then OH is home and I'm still not sure whether we're going to the PIL at the weekend

Haha plonko

And no need for anyone to hide on here when they have a good night. It's inspirational for those of us still in the early stages :)

Pumped just over and ounce this morning. I did it slightly differently in that I took DD off the first side after 12mins this morning as I knew she'd have got a good feed, carried on pumping on that side and swapped her onto the other. Bit of a handful! When she finished I pumped on the other side.

DD's been feeding like a monster this morning - 8/40-9:15 and 10-10:30 and started again at 10:55! But I think she's actually tired. When do they start using the boob as a comfort? I don't want to introduce a dummy. I'm happy to keep on demand-led feeding but some sense of DD having her own routine would be welcome!

I'd imagine they can use the boob as comfort right from the start, as they'll use a dummy for comfort right from the start (unless they're dummy-resistant, of course). I suppose the thing to do at this point is to remember it's still very early days, and she'll settle into a rhythm of her own in time. Not that that's much help right now!

leni what does the chamomile tea do?

plonko sounds like you had an awesome night! May there be many more like it.

Wing, my bf counsellor says to look and listen for swallowing. If they stop swallowing regularly then they are no longer feeding as such. In the first stages they will swallow for every 1-3 sucks, whereas by the end they will be working harder and it may be 4-8 sucks per swallow. However, sometimes you find they just aren't swallowing at all and then you can take them off.

I am using an app to track activities and its interesting to see the patterns forming on the graphs. Baby Connect its called. Bit of a faff, but we are having to keep quite detailed records re feeding and nappies anyway so it does make that a bit easier.

Chamomile tea to help them calm down for sleep, just like for adults really although it doesn't work for me!

pudtat I just downloaded the trial of that app this morning is it good? I wanted to see what the pattern is with his feeding to try and anticipate when he's going to start screaming. He doesn't give the cues he used to when he was smaller any more. He just goes from fast asleep to screaming the house down.

leni we add chamomile tea to DD's bath water and also use it for nappy changes with cotton pads. Its brilliant for clearing nappy rash and in the bath has a soothing effect as well as leaving baby smelling lovely!

The way you use chamomile sounds interesting Rainbow.

DD has continued her crazy feeding today so DH took her out in the carrier at lunchtime but then a neighbour popped in for most of when he was out so I didn't get a chance to nap :( This afternoon, again the crazy hunger so DH gave DD the little bit I expressed this morning and she's currently zonked out on him. Phew! I made a banana loaf while he was doing it so I didn't have to worry about if she was okay :)

I use an app I paid for called iBaby Feed which I think is great. Very user friendly. It doesn't track sleeps though which I think would be really useful. The charts and timeline aren't showing much of a pattern except a nap around now and then from 8ish-9:30ish and then the first stretch of the evening 10:30ish till any time between 1:30 and 3:30!

Right, I'm going to close my eyes here on the sofa until I have to check on my cake in half hour.

Woah! Dd just looked startled during feed and pulled away. She looked more startled when a jet of milk shot five inches out from my boob splashing her all over her shocked face!! Had to stem flow with a muslin :-) normal?

Loving alternative uses for chamomile tea. Thanks.

Tried Medela Calm teat and DS basically gagged on it...

I love chamomile. I lived on the tea whilst pregnant, we use chamomile sleep balm for massages and chamomile baby shampoo so DS smells lovely. And I even have two tubes of Kamillosan (however it's spelt) leftover from my poor sore nips - one lives in the changing bag and the other has become a miracle cure all cream for sore skin and, in a tight spot, lip balm. I'm not a chamomile sales rep, honest

Eco sounds like you've got some powerful boobies there! I spat tea when reading your post. Am sure it's normal.

We had the Health Visitor over this morning. My normally happy baby was being incredibly grumpy and clingy, prompting much advise on the benefits of teaching him to self-soothe from an early age. He's gained just under 2lbs in 3 weeks and is still on the 50th centile for weight and length, prompting a 'Mr. Average' comment from my HV clearly he's perfect, not merely average.

Hi everyone, can I join? DD born 4/3 dc1

I'm after a bit of advice - having read through some of posts, how do you clever people manage to get your dcs to sleep in their own beds after night feeds?

DD is a little nightmare - will only go to sleep either on me or next to me in bed. Transferring her to the moses basket only works during the day. Post the 6pm witching hour during which she transforms from sleepy mellow baby to wide awake fussy baby I have very little luck. Even if she is in deep sleep before I transfer her, she wakes within minutes and wails. I really don't want her in the bed with me, but sleep deprivation means I usually crack and then stay awake all night terrified she'll get too hot or I'll squash her. Getting a bit desperate tbh!!!

Welcome Worcestershire. What we do is feed, burp, sit upright as an anti vomit/wind tactic for half an hour, swaddle, put her in basket (Moses not cat in this case) and play heartbeat on ewan the dream sheep. This is same as bedtime routine and works for us although sitting up bit is a faff.

Daytime naps are another matter tho. No success on that score at all. We've tried everything today. No joy yet and witching hour approaching. Eek.

Hi Worcestershire. Sorry to hear you're having a bad time with sleeping. Are you breast or bottle feeding? Our bedtime routine is a bath as soon as DS starts to look sleepy - anytime between 6.30 and 8. Bit of a bugger for us with dinner but him getting good sleep is more important. So bath, then a BIG bottle, big as he can manage, a good burp and nappy check then pop him down when he feels drowsy, dummy in, monitor on and leave the room. We don't go back in for anything less than crying. We use sleeping bags as DS refuses to be swaddled.

I understand how you feel about co-sleeping. It terrifies me, and I only put him in our bed if DP isn't there or is about to get up for work anyway. Would you be up for it more if you had a bednest or could reconfigure things to work with co-sleeping? Or are you adamant about getting baby into her own bed?

It sounds like you've been persevering through what must be a really tough time. I think Wing needs to cut you a slice of her delicious banana loaf

eco totally normal - my left breast usually had four jets on let down and my right has three! DD hates it and always pulls off unless she is staving. I just apply light pressure with a muslin and it stops and DD then pops back on

Latching tips urgently needed!! This hurts more than the labour

Like he's biting me, or my nipple is being crushed in a vice?! He doesn't EVER do the wide mouth so no matter how much areola I try and stuff in there it's still agony.

God I can't believe I'm still trying to do this, considering I haven't stuck to the pumping rules, have totally mixed him up with shields, different bottles, boobs and syringes. I must be mental...

Thanks eco and plonko. I'm breastfeeding, and find that after a civilised every 2-3 hours during the day dd cluster feeds and fusses all evening from about 6pm. I burp her, and hold upright, but rather than settle she tend to fuss and head butt! I've tried music, the sling, pacing up and down, the pram, but the only successful method is feeding her in the dark in my bed.... and then she wakes if I move her! Last night I did get her in her bed for half an hour at 9.30pm, but that was all. Perseverance I guess

There does seem to be something to be said for the not trying to put them in asleep thing, Worcestershire. We tend to get as calm as possible, swaddle and put in basket. Shh and murmur sleepy words, new addition of Ewan the dream sheep , and then if required offer a little finger to suck. We didn't want to start a dummy but he finds the sucking comforting. While fingertips can get rather wrinkly this does mean he GOES TO SLEEP in his basket, rather than waking up and finding himself there. Seems to mean he can settle if he wakes again better. The last week has generally been ok for settling after feeds again. Mind you, I feed him in the nursery and bring him back to bed to reduce disturbance for DH who is back at work.

Ooh, sounds like he's waking up from his nap, best go and do bath routine. First evening alone as DH gone out for the night... Wish me luck!

Leni - wonder whether LO gagged as latch on boob has issues, if he doesn't take the nipple right back in his mouth when he nurses I guess he would find Calma harder... Could you gently keep trying when calm and not too hungry as maybe if he got using the teat he might nurse better? Just a thought...

Thanks pudtat. I fear we are way off the holy grail of self settle... I can only dream of that at this stage. I've been trying it, and have got to the stage where she will lie and watch me for a few minutes before kicking off. I'm hoping the few minutes will gradually increase over time.

The good news is she slept for 30 mins after her 6pm feed, which is unheard off and I got to eat a meal without a baby latched on

Hi worsester

My evenings were just like yours until we started to swaddle DD for her last feed and I don't unwrap her (if her arms are still inside) for the overnight feeds either unless she's done a poo.

Her startle reflex would walk her every time she went back into the Moses basket, or wake her enough to become restless and then wake fully a few minutes later, so the swaddling helps for us.

Leni, back now over dinner. Has he ever latched properly, or is this a backward step?

Pud that's a good idea

Worsester sounds like you're having the same issues as me - and why is 6pm the witching hour for everyone I wonder?

DS has been sucking hus hands constantly since OH left at 6pm, and despite three feeds. Even a top up from the bottle. No poos since this morning either so I'm expecting a terrible incident shortly in the nappy dept.

Boobs should be detachable.