It's April 2013, the time is now & HERE ARE OUR BABIES!

[toobreathless]

Our first post natal thread!

Cooking & Cleaning can wait till tomorrow
for children grow up we've learnt to our sorrow
So wipe away cobwebs and dust go to sleep
I'm cuddling my baby cause babies don't keep!

A thread to celebrate the highs of life with a gorgeous newborn and the lows of sleepless nights, stitches, feeding traumas & Baby blues.

[ratbagcatbag]

I think what I'm saying about feeding is, she can go longer if she's more settled, so got to get her more settled so I get sleep. Number one priority. :)

[Trishstar]

Thanks Bec he was good as gold last night xxx pee fountain in middle of night during a nappy change and a feed at 4am but apart from that a little angel with his sleep xx

[Giddypants]

Yay, managed to catch up finally!
Congratulations to everyone who has managed to get out of hospital, it really is the most god awful place to get any rest, especially if you've been through an ordeal.
Loving all the pictures on Facebook, trish hunter really is a cutie!

I need a bit of a rant, a 'friend' of dh said she struggled so much when her dc2 came along, and when ds2 is here I'll be regretting having 2!
I am so beyond angry that she has said this. Yes I knew 2 would be difficult (made even harder with DS's 1 disability) but DS2 really is a dream, and how could I regret something so perfect? AIBU to think what a bitch!
Glad I got that off my chest

DS2 was 3 weeks yesterday, can't believe the time has gone so quickly, I'm pretty sure we have a few smiles emerging too!
Think he's having a bit of a growth spurt, he clustered for 3 hours last night, I defrosted some breast milk in the end, just to give me a half hour break. Then went to bed and he slept for 5 hours, my boobs were set to explode when he woke up!

I still haven't heeled from my c section, wound still bleeding and leaking, but I haven't been sewn together very well. Still have pain too, I know I should go to see my GP, but I really don't want to bother them, it's not infected, so not sure what they would be able to do.

[HavingALittleFaithBaby]

I'd go giddy, that doesn't sound right. Are you dressing it?

[laughingGnomette]

Hello ladies, I'm actually from the April 2012 group and have just been reading through your posts - boy it brought the memories flooding back!!

Congratulations to all of you on your new arrivals, it sounds like you are doing brilliantly despite a lot of challenges.

Before you know it you'll be reading through next year's posts with a lump in your throat!

P.S giddy - I would get that wound seen by a gp if you can xx

[Trishstar]

Giddy go to GP ASAP xx it happened like that to my friend and it eventually ended up getting infected xxx

[BonaDea]

Giddy - that sounds wrong. Have it seen to before infection sets in.

[Giddypants]

oh bugger, really? I feel like im just wasting their time. I really feel like it needs re sewing I think because the surgeon cut through the existing scar (which was already over grown) its having difficulty coming together. its really not a pretty job and its puckered at the side so that will be a big scar im not overly bothered about what it looks like just want the bloody thing to heel!

[Giddypants]

no faith im not dressing it. the midwives saw it before they discharged me. and it was leaking much more than it is now they said it was ok. could I steri strip it to get the edges to come together more? if I could see it properly close up I might know what to do with it but its in such an awkward position

[itsaruddygame]

Giddy hope your healing soon - sounds sore.

Trish - I still occasionally get caught out with the wee fountain : )

Ratbag - hopefully you will have a better night now. I didn't have a good one - cluster fed all evening and then would not settle after the 4am feed and cluster fed for hours this morning so I didn't get much sleep. Am hoping tonight might be easier!

Sneezy - hope your home soon - hospital for a week nearly killed me! Don't know how mama did it!

Excitement for today is that I returned my rented pump and am now using a medela pump borrowed from a friend. I got twice as much milk in 10 mins than with the other pump. Am hoping I might be able to pump enough for husband to use for one feed and perhaps enough to start storing some - hurrah!

Hope everyone having a good day!

[HavingALittleFaithBaby]

I wouldn't do anything other than buy dressing pads to cover it and keep it clean. Get it seen, ideally tomorrow. My sister's got infected and she had antibiotics and nurses dressing it to get it to heal. Are they dissolvable stitches? It sounds like it needs re-stitching and the sooner the better!

Do you think this mothering lark is harder for some than others? I suspect it's often about the baby not the parent (so I to myself!).
We were geared up for home tonight but feeding is still an issue. Faithlet had a great night latching but after a bf at 8am she refused all morning. Gave her top up twice (formula) and then she went mental! Finally got her to latch and she had a good 20 minutes....I proper panicked though so they've suggested I have another night here to get more confident and teach me to express (my milk has come in) so that if we do cup feed her she's still getting breast milk. They are assuring me its because she's low birth weight but its hard not to feel like mothering isn't clicking for me like it would for some people!

[SneezySnatcher]

Disaster today. We were discharged. I mean, properly discharged. Bags packed, meds handed over, notes gone through, CMW contacted for visit tomorrow. Just about to get Henry in car seat.

Doctor came and said goodbyes, congratulations etc. Ten minutes later he came back obviously upset. The consultant had changed his mind and said we need to get another 24 hours antibs in Henry.

I was gutted and burst into tears. The doctor was embarrassed/puzzled. The MW has insisted we complain about the lack of communication and consistency. Every day since Sunday we have been told we'll be home 'tomorrow'. They haven't kept us or the MWs informed of anything. I cannot complain about the care, which has been amazing, but the doctors are a law unto themselves.

This is what we are doing now
-MW has made them guarantee in writing we'll be home tomorrow

• we have denied any more blood tests (advice of MW) in case one rogue result knocks us back again
  
• we are making a complaint
  

If they had said at the beginning we'd be in five nights, or if they'd informed us of any changes then we'd have been five. It's the fact that we are being given such conflicting information, sometimes within minutes of each new piece.

Please remember, Henry has not and does not show act signs of infection from pprom. In fact, his blood results have been great and all the HCPs have commented on his health.

We are lucky to have a happy, healthy baby but the treatment from the doctors towards us and the MWs has been shocking!

[itsaruddygame]

Sneezy - what a nightmare and how frustrating. We were p-prom and got the all clear from an infection point of view after about 3 days. Only thing that kept us in longer was jaundice and feeding. I can't believe that you have been messed around so much - communication sounds very poor. I hope you finally get home tomorrow.

Faith - it sounds like you are doing a great job - don't be hard on yourself you sound like a great mum. I felt exactly as you do in first couple of weeks - Harry was early and small and getting breast feeding established has been bloody hard work. I thought that everyone else found it easy but now I am a few weeks on and getting out/talking to other mums I realise I am not alone - it is just a bit more tricky for some of us especially if you have a particular circumstance eg small/early baby, reflux etc.

I also had a few days of baby blues in the first 2 weeks which doesn't help and being in hospital and the inability to rest properly makes it harder. Hang in there it will get easier!

[miarosemum]

How exciting...postnatal thread has started! These babies are arriving so quickly now! Sneezy what does p-prom mean?

[SneezySnatcher]

miarosemum P- PROM = prolonged premature rupture of membranes. Basically my waters went 24 hours before delivery.

its if he was jaundiced or anything then I'd completely understand being in (although it'd still be rubbish). This is just different people making their own decisions and not passing them on. Feeding etc has been fine from the start (much better than with DD).

[Giddypants]

faith its definitely the babies not the parenting. ds1 was walked around constantly until 4 am when he would eventually srop screaming and go to sleep! ! where as ds2 is the polar opposite
and I do think its the little ones who have more needs to be met. if you have tine Google dr sears and high need baby. it saved my sanity lol

[miarosemum]

Sneezy I had the same and my waters had meconium in too..we were kept in overnight for ds to have obs done and then discharged the next afternoon so 24 hours in total...really feel for you, way too long!

[LikeCandy]

Hi all! Can't believe I hadn't spotted this thread had started!

BabyCandy is now 3weeks & 3days old and is an angel.
For the last 3 nights she has slept for 3-4hrs at a time, the first 3 weeks were hard - she was gassy, shouty and wriggly as soon as put down in her cot (co sleeper, so it's right next to me), I had no more than an hour or so sleep spaced over the night & DH slept in the spare room. But we bought her a sleeping bag, and I gave up onions/garlic/spicy foods and one of those things obviously worked! Whether its the warmth or the diet change I don't know.

We're now averaging 12 to 15 x 20min BF feeds a day - a long gap, then a short gap, then a long gap etc etc.
Mastered lying down feeding last night (us both in our sides, facing each other) and can see them really helping at night!

We're going through 10-15 nappies a day, her poops are still rather noisy/gassy so we haven't mastered the diet yet. She's got a bit of nappy rash, we had a night where she fed constantly for 12hrs, only stopping to poop/be changed and I think having to wipe her so frequently made her sore! Getting better with metanium though!

She got back to her birthweight on Monday. Gained 200g in 6days - I think the initial weight loss was due to my milk coming in late (day 6) but it's certainly in now - it pours out of me!

It's so good to read how everyone is in similar positions!

sneezy I'll cross everything for you that they keep their word about tomorrow!

giddy my scar for infected, 5 days of antibiotics did nothing but it's looking ok now. it's a lot less painful since its cleared up too!
I tried to wear normal trousers/pants yesterday, not a good idea and rubbed on the scar all day, looks like I'll be sticking with big knickers and maternity trousers for a while longer!!

[bunnygirl80]

giddy I'm going to pile in with everyone else and say get your scar seen to. It's going to consume much less of you and the gp's time if it just needs redressing than if you wait till it's oozing pus and you're ill.

sneezy that sounds terrible. Hope you escape soon. If you and the mws are happy you really are safe to leave then could you just discharge yourself?

faith hope things start to feel easier for you soon. I found everything completely overwhelming after DS came along. I think it was partly him and partly my total inexperience with babies. Every time he cried I'd panic and cry myself. This time around has been much better, dd is more relaxed and so am I! I'm sure as you get to know faithlet you'll both find it easier. I'm all for staying in hospital till you're feeling confident too, I used the private hospital here because you automatically get a five night stay, so I left with feeding established both times.

[ratbagcatbag]

Sneezy - my waters went at 6am on the weds, I delivered Lucy 14:37 the following day, so over 24 hours, the reason I stayed in unil sat was because I wanted to crack breast feeding, which never happened, otherwise they were kicking me out on the Friday lunch time. Hope you ge it sorted.

[toobreathless]

Hello,

Celeste is now 10 days old and weighs 7 lb 1 today (weighed by HV) she is the sweetest little thing.

Sleep is going pretty well and she will happily settle in her baby nest although I do swaddle sometimes to get her to sleep- naughty me. She is a real cluster feeder & can feed almost non stop for 3 hours usually on the evenings which is exhausting! The positive side of this is that she will the go up to 6 hrs overnight which with a lively almost 2 year old is a god send!

She does have rather revolting green poos (like mown grass) is a VERY 'sicky' baby and is being quite slow to gain weight. I do have a fast let down which might be related, but DD1 was almost identical and has CMP Allergy. Sigh! I have a feeling we might be doing down the same route with C, not going to do anything other than watch & see how her weight goes for now.

its I have a Mendela Swing, it is amazing.

likecandy lovely to read your update & so pleased baby candy is doing so well.

giddy I also agree a trip to the GP is on order, it's quite rare to re stitch them, usually if they open back up they are just left to heal naturally big they might want to give you antibiotics, send a swab or arrange for the nurses to dress it/keep an eye on it.

laughing nice of you to pop in! April is a lovely time to give birth isn't it? But I would say that as I had babies in April 2011 & April 2013!

faith sounds like you are doing a great job! Keep going. Our babies are as individual as we are and some are harder work either through circumstance or personality. Hope you have lots of help lined up for when you get home?

[bunnygirl80]

too is swaddling bad? We're encouraged to keep them swaddled until they can roll here!

Dd gave me her first smiles today She's doing a 5-6 hour stint between feeds overnight too, which is good because DS appears to be dropping his nap so I've got no chance of catching up in the day

[Giddypants]

I've got a gp appointment today at 11. See what they say.

[SneezySnatcher]

Hello! TODAY WE ARE GOING HOME!!! Thank goodness. I am so excited. Got to wait for last lot of antibs at 2 and then we are free!

They did Henry's Guthrie test and weigh-in as it's day five.
Henry was 9lb 4.5oz at birth and he now weighs...9lb 9oz. Instead of losing some weight as expected, he's gained 4.5oz! He has been feeding well and going for long periods between feeds so it seems that BF is going really well.

Finally some better news! Hope everyone else and their little ones are well.

[lutrinae]

Hooray Sneezy that is great news! You must be doing excellently with feeding, well done both of you.

Arthur was weighed yesterday and is nearly 9 lb after losing some of his birthweight and BF is going really well for me now :)

He was a bit unsettled this morning, and has done 2 huge pee fountains during changes. One all over me and one on DP. Er, bless.