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.

Bona - you are doing well if the urge to punch people asking if they are sleeping through only refers to strangers! I remember a wedding where my DH's 80 year old auntie was seriously at risk all day! Just managed to rein myself in!

Well, we have now given up on the 11pm bottle from DH, as half the time DD has refused to wake up enough, and to be fair on her, she is definitely sleeping for longer stretches at nIght, so I think I can get a reasonable night out of her (touch wood!). Evenings are still quite stressful as they consist of the largest amount of wailing in the day, so I'm slightly wishing away the next couple of months till she clears this phase (I know it does get better!) which I feel bad about! Oh well...

faith expressing is a very individual thing & some people BF very successfully but struggle to express a drop. fWIW, I express occasionally but generally can't be bothered, I get 120-150 ml (3-5oz) per side per sitting generally. I have both the TT handheld and mendela swing & find it makes no difference which one I use.

Those struggling with babies who want to be held all day have you thought of a sling/wrap?? I have a Moby & if C is being grumpy I just pop her in & continue what I was doing. She loves it, obviously so don't cool with her in it got safety reasons but otherwise just carry on as usual.

user for settling DD we usually have a feed at 11ish/midnight then I let her cuddle on my chest for half an hour or so then I just pop in her bedside cot asleep or awake and she just drifts off slowly. If she starts crying I pick her up and cuddle her for a bit longer. She does have a dummy which helps a lot.

C feeds once to twice between midnight & 7am generally. How on earth do you ladies manage to keep track? I wake up in the morning & unless it's been a terrible night have no idea what time I fed her!

How have we gone 7 weeks with no poo leakages and now H is pooing for England!!

Tell me it's a phase! 3 times now after feeds he is straight away filling his nappy and it's exploding out and covering his vest and gro!! I dread this happening whilst we are out! It's controllable at home!!

Morning all how was everyone's nights?

trish i can't answer your question but jare you sure it's not diarrhea or some other tummy upset? And also are the nappies big enough? Sorry for stating the basics but I know I sometimes overlook them.

I need some moral support ladies. Feel pretty rubbish about bf right now as once again have cracked sore nipples. dd doesn't latch like she used to, doesn't open her mouth very wide so it's difficult to do it all properly but I don't know why she is doing this

Am I being stupid for trying to continue with bf? Should I just switch to ff? I don't really want to but right now it seems like it might make my life easier and I feel like I'm just trying to be a hero with the bf

Kitten - it will get easier, most babies have latch issues at some point in the first 3 weeks or so, as they are learning too. And your nipples will toughen up. But getting to the easy stage can seem like an eternity... It's hard to give advice at the moment (toddler under foot!) but hopefully someone else will have more free hands!

Kitten - I know what you mean about feeling like a martyr with bf'ing. When we were battling with thrush for 3 weeks of hell I came close so many times and wondered if I was being self indulgent. Now that it's gone I'm so glad I carried on. Anyone I know who gave up sooner than they meant to regrets it.

Having said that you can't be expected to carry on in pain like you are and you have to do what's right for you. I'd suggest getting some pro help before finally deciding to switch. There are bf'ing support groups around where you can usually just drop in for free. Otherwise if you can afford a lactation consultant to visit you at home that would be great. Don't know what the going rate is but my lady charged 80 for a first visit and consultation lasting 90 mins or so.

Meantime lots of lansinoh and switch positions. If you usually use cradle hold try football or vice versa.

kitten it might be worth considering nipple shields short term too - they'll protect your sore nipples and guide your DD into the nipple. I couldn't get Faithlet to latch without them to start with - I have the Medula ones and you can get them from Boots (that's what they gave me in the hospital).

Trish it may well settle down as quickly as it started.

We've had an ok night but I'm pretty tired. Need to try to nap today if possible!

And Trish, my LO often poops during a feed never mind afterwards! Agree with the suggestion you might need to move up a nappy size and make sure you are doing them up high and tight! I just always take an extra outfit in my bag now... Usually need it for sick or poo!!

Kitten how old is baby kitten? Baby E's latch went downhill at about 2 weeks, and I just couldn't get her to open her mouth enough, and I went through lots of cursing! By 3 weeks, it had improved again, but E is a big baby, so other babies may go through that phase at different times...?

Faith, I'm tired too. Decent start to the night - 8-1, but then took quite a long time to settle after that feed and was up again less than 2 hours after going down. After that one I have up trying to settle as he was actually starting to wake up and just let him sleep on me til 7-ish. I might have got 5 hours total but v broken. Yikes am looking forward to this improving!!

Kitten... I had this at the start of the week, boobs were flaming agony, have been trying every possible position to spread the damage. It's better now I have been persistent. I didn't think I could do the hold where they lie down your body with your boob above their head, they can't help but open wide, but it just took a bit of practice, you semi recline. Try the nipple shields they do bring relief I cracked nipples, and lashings of Lansinoh.

Wilf is 3 weeks now, but he has the snuffles still from DD's cold and now he has her cough ( which she has also given to me ) poor little chap is so uncomfy.

We aren't really setting a routine, just letting him work it out, but we do give signals, so we tend to go up to bed about 8pm, low lights and low noise, I read a book while feeding him off and on until 10pm, when lights go out and he goes down for the night in his crib. Every night is different and no pattern so far, sometimes 2 hours between feeds, sometimes 5. It is hardest to settle him anytime after 4am, he often wakes himself with the farts. During the day feed him when he demands it.

Thanks ladies, it was completely liquid poo but wasn't his usually slightly firmer seedy poo! He's 9lb and wearing pampers size 2 night nappies (6-13lb) and size 1 regular nappies (4-11lb), it was the size 2 he leaked thru. Should we switch the size 1's in the day? Or use some more up whilst he's under 11lb? He's not a chubby baby, he's quite slight xx

kitten we will give you as much support as you want / need, but ultimately the choice is yours! Whatever you end up doing, know you are making the right decision for you and baby, be that BF or FF :)
Lots of good ideas above, and have you considered expressing and bottle feeding that? That way you don't have to worry about latch. Is there a free BF group near you? What part of the country are you?

trish BabyCandy poops with almost every feed, we're still on 10+ nappies per 24hrs!

The last few days / nights have been tougher with BabyCandy (you may have seen my crazy post on the BF forum) as her latch is v hit&miss, and she's only sleeping for a max of 2hrs at a time again.
I'm not complaining though, in the grand scheme of things I know I have it very easy - she's such an angel! Still not even considering a routine - we'll see how things go!

Morning all, we had a really good night. Teapiglet went down at 10pm (our 7pm bedtime remains an aspiration) and slept through until 3am - 5 whole hours!! I got her back to sleep at 4am and she went through to 7.30am. I'm sure it won't last but it does feel good.

We've been out and about a lot this week and my fear of nappy changing and BF whilst out has gone. I don't drive so we've been getting about by bus and train and my confidence is growing.

Teapiglet is three and a half weeks now and it has got easier though I know we're still going to have tough days.

Hope everyone has a good Sunday.

Oh and trish at night we've been using size 3s for a few weeks (she's only just 11lb) as they're longer in the body. I haven't had a reusable leak yet - but it's early days!

Meant to say wasn't completely liquid!

kitten, I feel your pain. For the first week of BF I was in tears it was such agony. Don't put yourself under any pressure to continue, you should do what is right for you, but I would strongly recommend getting some expert advice that really helped me. Are there any BF groups in your area you can drop in to?

photo we have no routine at 3 1/2 weeks though DD is slightly more predictable. I was feeling low and unable to cope at the two week mark and it has got a lot better. Hang in there x

Trish we have has exactly the same. Baby Essex is 6 weeks, he normally has at least 5 very seedy nappies a day, he is ebf but then 2 days ago didn't go for 36 hours the had a massive very dramatic runny darker yellow poo, next day 1 less dramatic but the same and again today, very watery. Any ideas, is he ill, he's fine in all other ways, drinking lots and kits of very wet nappies. Have 6 week check Tues so will ask GP then.

Stacey H is same doesn't seem ill in any other ways at all. Still every nappy is wet, feeding fine, not any more whingey than usual! We have his 8 week check tomorrow (he's 7 weeks today tho!)

I also meant to ask is it ok for him to have his first injections tomorrow as he's 7w1d then? That's when Docs booked him in for and they knew his birth date? Or shall I make them move it for next week? Xxx

Stacey H is same doesn't seem ill in any other ways at all. Still every nappy is wet, feeding fine, not any more whingey than usual! We have his 8 week check tomorrow (he's 7 weeks today tho!)

I also meant to ask is it ok for him to have his first injections tomorrow as he's 7w1d then? That's when Docs booked him in for and they knew his birth date? Or shall I make them move it for next week? Xxx

We have had leaky nappies this week too, moved to size 2 which helped, I blamed tummy bug/my antibiotics as it was a day of no poo followed by a day of lots of poo explosions. OH blames me getting speedy with nappy changes and not doing tight enough, I can't say I wasn't quietly happy when she leaked poo on his chest after that one.

Thanks for settling tips, I think bedside cot will really help us, right now in basket she moves so much it doesn't even look safe, and keeps hitting herself against sides etc. will introduce dream sheep and cot at same time.

kitten I've been thinking of stopping bf too, going to see how her weight is on Tuesday, a big gain will motivate me I'm sure, would rather stick it out and im really proud of myself for doing it. With regards to not opening mouth wide enough, when that happens to us I move her a bit away from my body, and when she starts crying stick boob in mouth as fast as I can while mouth is wide open and quite often I get a latch. It doesn't work when she yawns though.

2 of the 3 explosions came after a day or bit more of no poo!!! Xxx I'm paranoid when I smell him farting now!

Not in a mean way but I'm glad other people are also struggling, makes me not feel like such a bad mum.

Yesterday we went out with friends of DH, while we were eating I could feel my let down but I get that quite often when she's not due for a feed. When we left the table I suddenly felt I was a bit wet and noticed my left boob had leaked, I quickly bent down to get my coat from under the buggy and DH bless him said what have you spilt on yourself, which meant everyone looked and they have kids already so probably realised what had happened. I normally only need to change my breast pads a couple of times a day, I've never leaked before but now I'm so embarrassed, I keep on checking every few mins in case I leak again, please make me feel better and tell me this has happened to other people

Hi ladies, but of a me-me post, but ds2 has woken with green gunk in one eye, I have wiped with damp cotton wool ball a few times but it keeps reappearing.... I had it myself quite badly when I was actually in labour and had drops from the doctor for it. Do I need to take him to the doctors or should I wait a day or so?

Cheese I'd go to the docs tomorrow and nip it in the bud x

Just been mooching on the which? Website and came across useful abc useless baby item lists! As voted by parents.

Lets see if we agree!

Useful

www.which.co.uk/baby-and-child/nursery-and-feeding/guides/baby-products-you-need/parents-10-most-useful-baby-products/

Useless

www.which.co.uk/baby-and-child/nursery-and-feeding/guides/baby-products-you-need/parents-10-least-useful-baby-products-/