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.

Afternoon! He everyone's OK.

kellestar you poor thing, that sounds like you may have mastitis? If you're still feverish I'd go to gp today to see about antibiotics. Having said that, I had exactly your symptoms two weeks ago and managed to head it off by strongly massaging the breast...both painful yet a relief. You massage firmly from outer breast towards the nipple, which can clear any blocked ducts. I also put a hot flannel or a hot-ish shower on the boob ( not nipple). It came to nothing but I think could have developed into mastitis. Is the sore boob red?

Dd seems to faff around during her early hours feed atm.. I offer her boob 2, she's not bothered, but when I put her down she wakes and won't settle. Was up with her from 315-445am, this is not to be encouraged! Anyone else experiencing this?

*L

Looby my dd acts the same at around the same time of morning as your dd i think she'd happily sleep on me after she's had her full but the minute I try to settle her in her Moses basket again she wakes and starts fussing but isn't actually interested in more boob and it isn't the basket that's the problem as she sleeps in it the rest of the time fine, confusing little things these baby's!

Looby... I think I caught it early enough, feeding, massage and hot compress seems to have worked a treat, it's still a bit achey but nowhere near as bad as yesterday. DD kept us up most of the night with her bad cough.

Took Wilf to the HV and he's 9lb 1oz at 20 days. They told me I should concentrate on just BFing him at this stage and not topping up his feeds with formula. No idea where they got the idea I was topping up, this boy is exclusively BF, was not impressed!

DD has been pushing my buttons today, her reward chart is empty of stickers today, I cannot believe how short my temper is today, getting fed up of shouting so I've got some chocolate, knitting and an audiobook lined up for the next hour, while Wilf sleeps.

ewan has been ordered!!!

Interesting that she might be over-tired in the evenings...bad night here, had me up a lot then she slept for 3 hours after we got up :-/

Ah well, who needs sleep anyway?!

Shopping trip survived! I treated myself to some bits (and chocolate!) while baby slept entire time, since walking back in flat hasn't stopped screaming but at least I have cake.

Will order Ewan too, sounds awesome!

I have been given a £50 voucher for Mothercare from work. Does anyone have any suggestions on what we should spend it on? Kind of feel like I want to buy something we normally wouldn't but not sure what???

trish I think when you decide what feed schedule to go with the most sensible one is the one that fits with you long term, eg if you are going back to work or have a school run to do in the future then an 8am start is too late. I know you can always change it again but if you can start with one that you don't need to change its less hassle. I've heard a lot about a 7am start being ideal, don't know why though. But also if you manage to make 10pm your last feed eventually the LO may last the night and you don't need to be up till midnight.

essex for future reference if you need to express to have enough for someone else to do a few feeds the best method is to start a few days early and express after every feed. Sounds mad I know. Initially you will barely get anything but after a day or two you will get much more and it will be easier, as you are essentially fooling your brain at each feed into thinking you are feeding one and a half babies (your baby and the express bottle) so you will be making more milk accordingly

Thanks Kitten will bear that in mind xx thinking long term makes sense!

Nicky clothes probably is pointless as he will outgrow?

How about towards some lovely bedding for a cot?

Towards a Baby monitor if you don't have one?

Or they have those kits to cast their hands/feet?

dysgu do you have a bouncy chair or play gym? They're both things that would last for a while/get plenty of use.

I'm glad your shopping trip went well user. I was going to catch the bus yesterday but wossed out for fear of Teapiglet screaming/needing a feed/needing an urgent nappy change. I will be brave and do it soon.

I'll also be ordering Ewan the magical dream sheep. Teapiglet will only go in her basket if she has fallen asleep on me so I hope Ewan might help with settling.

I had a lovely day today with Teapiglet and my parents at a local farm of course Teapiglet slept throughout but we had a great time

kelle it sounds like Wilf is doing great weight-wise, well done.

Have been nosing around the MC site but nothing is jumping out at me yet. Faith yes we have a bouncy chair and a baby gym (both bought second hand and cheap at a baby market).

Trish yes, he is growing so quickly that clothes would not last long. I did buy him a few outfits there last week but they were in the sale - including the one for when he is 6-9 months (he will get there one day) that was just £5. Most of his clothes are second hand - as were the girls' at the same age. I guess I am just not used to spending money on babies!

Teapig over time you get used to ignoring people around you if your baby is crying. I honestly don't think that most people pay too much attention and anyone who judges you has obviously never been there. I do remember being in Tesco with DD1 when she was still tiny and screaming - the cashier told me off for taking a hungry baby shopping. I pointed out DD1's feeding tube and she was the one feeling embarrassed then. Good luck when you do brave the bus.

Does anyone have suggestions of how to routinely give the LO no-nappy time without getting wee'd on?

Also is anyone doing regular skin to skin time? Which part of the day do you do it? Dd tends to get upset when stripped!

Thanks dysgu. I think I might brave the bus tomorrow.
Have fun spending your vouchers.

Hi sorry for not keeping up with everyone's news and thoughts but I haven't had a second to get online! I will name check tomorrow properly.
Just wanted to let you all know Alex was weighed today 8lbs 3oz! And he kinda rolled over!!! He got half way then kind of fell the rest dr noticed a improvement since we've been doing muscle toning exercises with him to help him stretch etc. his co ordination is improving its not quite at 'usual' yet but he's getting there.
A woman at the drs today said you would never guess he was a ex nicu baby- I nearly burst with pride.
I Hope everyone is well. X

mama sounds like Alex is doing so well. He really is an amazing wee boy.
kittenmummy how old is your LO? It took until about 3 weeks for my girl to stop screaming when her clothes were taken off (once she had built up some fat reserves!) and has stopped weeing every time her nappy is taken off since about four weeks. Now, stripping her and laying her on her mat to wriggle is the only way to amuse her in the evening when she is cranky! We do skin to skin every evening after bathtime for her last feed before putting her into her Moses basket. It seems to soothe her and I love that quiet time.

2nd night if dream sheep and he went again at 7.30, bliss! He did have one wobble when the sheep stopped its 20 minute cycle, which confirmed for me that it's definitely working!

I'm currently expressing to replace bottle DP is giving at 11 and I'm off to the spare room to hopefully sleep which I actually find unbelievably hard these days, so used to 30 mins at a time then checking on DS!

Good luck tonight that babies all sleep well!

Just checking in to mark my place on this thread because... Finally I can!

Full birth story on the ante natal thread but basically after a 40hour false start I went from 2cm to delivered in four hours.

Theo Wilson, 7lb9oz born 5.40pm on the 16th May.

Surely the last baby on the April thread?!
Thanks for all your amazing support ladies, you have been wonderful and I'm so excited to be joining you all on the post natal thread.

Xxx

Massive congratulations bext, just caught up with your birth story on the antenatal thread. Enjoy every second with your long awaited DS. They change so much from how they are at birth (and I'm only two weeks in) so make sure you take it all in. Welcome to the next rollercoaster :)

congrats bext!!

exhausted this morning - highlights of the night included projectile vomit at 11 when winding and a jet of poo at 2.30 when changing - went everywhere!!

Congratulations bext

dysgu have fun with the mothercare spending! I got a cosy toes for the buggy from there a few weeks ago which I wouldn't be without now, otherwise maybe something to use a bit later like a fancy high chair or walker?

You did remind me though I kind of want to get a playmat but will wait till baby sale first week in June I guess!

Baby username looks to be growing a bit faster than I expected, mothercare newborn looks a bit snug now, I think we will be in 0-3 soon. Also started using size 2 nappies.

Been considering switching to formula, baby username just seems so fussy and hungry all the time, I feel like am starving her, we used to have 4 hrs between feeds whereas last few days its pretty much 45 mins if she comes off the boob at all. Going to get her weighed Tuesday, a big gain will motivate me I hope!

Username thank you for mentioning the Mothercare first week of June sale! I also want a playmat or baby gym for DS and would have been so annoyed if I'd bought one full price.

Fwiw my DS is now formula fed after being constantly hungry on the boob and not gaining properly. He's much happier now! Hope baby username puts the weight on though so it's all worth it

Sorry not to name check everyone, but congrats bext (we have a Theodore known as Ted, not Theo ). Mama, great news and sounds like Alex is going great guns especially for his adjusted age!

On mothercare vouchers do you have a proper nappy bin? We have the tommee tippee bin and it is fantastic. We have two actually - one upstairs and one downstairs! The bins themselves are only a tenner but you could stock up on the 'cassette' refills. Basically it saves the need for nappy bags and stinking up your own bin. We never smell anything coming out of ours at all - you shove the nappy/wipes/cotton wool in, turn the little handle thing on the top, the nappy is twisted away inside and your ready for the next one. Hard to explain but have a look on you tube. Not a very glam way to spend the money but seriously handy if you ask me!

I feel like LO has hit a bit of a plateau sleeping wise and isn't 'improving'. The 8 pm bedtime works well but he just refuses to sleep any earlier! By 3/4 months I want him to be asleep by 7 so guess there is time!! He goes a good long stretch to about 12.30 / 1 or sometimes even 2 but has so far refused a dream feed at 11 to keep him going. He sometimes settles quickly after that feed which is great (but sometimes it can take 1.5 hours as he finished, settles, then decides he wasn't finished after all and starts all over again). But then the gap to the next feed is short again - only 2 hours and he then has a really long wakeful period after that feed although he often goes down for another 2 hours after that.

Anyway the upshot is I'm still not getting much sleep (I go to bed at 10 so get 2 - 3 hours then another 1-2). Any idea on how to stretch these periods out? Should I just persevere with the dream feed?

Lovely to see you here bext! Gorgeous photo on t'other place :)

Sounds like a busy night dysgu!

We felt like that user but after we got her weighed and I talked to the Health visitor I had the confidence to continue EBF. I suddenly feel like its getting easier too.

We had a good night - she went down at 9.30 and slept til 1.30, fed again at 4 and 6ish. Just co-slept from the 6 feed til 7.30 - bliss! :) just having skin to skin for the first time in a while - Tis lovely!

username trust me a big gain is definitely the boost you need to keep going! I was considering giving up till I got her weighed and she'd gone from 7lb 14oz to 8lb 12oz in just 14 days! Definitely the pep up I needed to spur me on with BF'ing baby yummy was doing every four hour feeds the first two weeks of her life then changed to whenever she pleases (usually every hour at the most unconveniant time!) but just accept they're growing baby's and enjoy the excuse to sit on the sofa watching boxsets and scoffing chocolate down time with your baby your doing great to have kept feeding this long anyway, even one day of BF'ing is better than nothing.