July 2013 - Part 1. Remember your pelvic floor exercises!

[TotallyEggFlipped]

Time to start the post-natal thread.

And start those PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES!

No routine here at all either. I am genuinely so pleased that I am still breastfeeding as it made our travels around the UK on holiday so much easier, just being able to pop C on wherever and whenever! Feel I have well and truly conquered my anxieties regarding feeding in public though, even though it is still a bit tricky as he has a tongue tie meaning we have latch issues. Most lovely public feed was sat under an African type hut watching zebras graze at the Wild Place in Bristol. Most stressful was on a packed commuter train which was delayed for 2 hours mid journey due to a fatality on the line. Thank goodness for the wonderful woman who not only gave up her seat so I could feed C, but then brought my other 2 DCs down to stand with me, and then managed to find us three seats together (once a few people had left the train to make alternative ways home)

Completely exhausted after taking my 3 DCs all over the south by myself, and very pleased that the big 2 are back to school tomorrow, but we really had a great time, packed lots and lots in, and were able to introduce Caspian to several members of our family, and meet up with a few friends too.

I haven't started expressing yet, and am suddenly feeling a bit worried as some advice says not to express til after 6 weeks, and other advice says you must introduce a bottle before 6 weeks to avoid bottle refusal I am off to Boots to get some bottles (I got the breast pump already with my parenting club discount thing). Does anyone at all have any advice on it? Should I start expressing right away? If so when? And any ideas on how to introduce bottles of EBM? I started looking into it in the middle of the night (C was awake between 2 and 4.30) and am more confused than I was before.....

Oh forgot to add, he is 5 + 2 today

Ah you all fell off my active conversations. Sorry v crap at the mo - on FB more!

All going ok-ish. Finding our feet now. Breastfeeding going well, managing a feed 4 hourly overnight although 2 hourly in the day. Still haven't cracked the Moses basket.

Anyone else use wonder weeks for developmental leaps? Harriet has become more clingy and demanding in last few weeks. According to wonder weeks this is a developmental leap so may explain her fretful behaviour. Also suffering with wind so lots of screaming in the evenings.

HAvent DTD yet. Probably getting there but Harriet in our bed still.
Can't reply personally as can't remember much! Hope back to school / new schools go well, holidays passed successfully and everyone is getting some rest!

Oh 4+4

DH tried giving N a bottle of expressed milk last night & she was having none of it . She has had a couple of bottles over the last few weeks, but nothing regular. I'm really hoping we haven't missed the boat. She's 9 weeks today.

Glad you've been having a good time BF out & about, waves. I hope you get some rest when school starts.

Just discovered that DH has a week off next week (the rest of his paternity leave) so going to think of some nice things to do. I think we'll go back to the zoo one day.

better late than never bought thought I'd mark my place ive sort of been following the fb group, not for lack of trying just lack of 21st century connections lol i.e. internet and my phone takews forever and a day to load and thats when it wants to work... been thinking about everyone and all is ok as can be with the current cahos of new baby lol xxx

Tee hee. Laughing at the idea of a newborn being asleep for 4 hours during the day. What nonsense! First of all, babies, like the actual people they are, are all different. But also, what the flip are you supposed to do with an overtired infant all day long? Who writes these books?

Best advice I had with dc1: never wake a sleeping baby. Which I think is spot on!

Sorry for the lack of personals by the way, brain like a sieve but very impressed with the solo travels with three. We made it to asda today and I thought I was doing well!

I haven't expressed yet. I hated it last time and couldn't bare to get my old pump out of the loft. I've just ordered a new one (a mumm one on offer for £15) so when that arrives ill give it a go. I've also heard the 6 week thing - it's confusing isn't it? R is 6 weeks tomorrow so I hope we haven't missed the boat. It would be so great to miss a feed and sleep more than 2.5 hours at a stretch. 4 and I would feel quite human again!

J had his first trip on the bus today. He slept thru it all.
He has a cold so he is a bit grumpy. He was also awake for a stretch of 3 hours and I really struggled as I'm used to him sleeping well.

4+1

Just back from holiday. 5 hours on the train and B slept practically the whole time (whoops, apparently that's too much? Really couldn't give a toss!). We stopped off last night at my Grandma's to show her off, and both her and DS were on really good form so we had a lovely time, she was so chuffed to see them.

Had such a lovely two weeks away - and a fab birthday ( all day on the beach, BBQ, swimming in the sea, fizzy wine and building sandcastles with DS). Oh and I am getting myself a Kindle with my birthday money for reading while BFing.

Back to earth (well, real life) with a bang tomorrow though, first day doing the nursery run with both of them in the bike trailer. Plus all the washing of course!

Being home has brought home how much B is growing up. She is a real chubbster now, almost out of some 0-3 stuff already, grinning and chatting constantly, and she has just started getting her hands in her mouth deliberately and reaching out to bash the toys on her bouncy chair/playmat. She is so far continuing in her placid cheerful nature ... Hoping it lasts!

Love reading about all the other babies, sorry not to do personal replies.

B will be 9 weeks tomorrow (how?! )

Actually - bad mother that I am - I've just realised she's 2 months today!

Vinegar - every time someone asks me how old N is I have to try to figure it out and I often realise a few minutes later that I've calculated completely wrong! I think it's normal to not keep track of the date when you're not at work. We almost missed N's first 'month-aversary'

oh lord, went to baby and mum yoga today. LO cried through most of it.. just wanted to be held, the teacher was great and gave me great pointers etc. felt good to have a stretch.. kept trying to bring in PFM but feeling a little....loose?? down there! yeh cant quite engage those muscles like before. I felt pretty young there, brighton is so full of white middle class 30+ couples that have kids. I guess it's always going to be a bit odd as DH is 41 and Im 23 so we dont really fit into a normal category.

Newborn sleeping 4 hours in the day? only if I stick her in a car/pram etc! my goodness this one is mega awake ALL DAY. She just doesnt want to miss out on the action! she's not very tearful etc but wants attention on her all day.I agree with shocking dont wake the damn baby!

Ive moved bath time later by 40mins, she was only sleeping for 3 hours at the start of the night when we started bathing her at 7. baths made her too sleepy to 'feed up' before the only big sleep we get, I think this is working better. Only time will tell!

can someone link me to the fb page? it'll be cool to join there as thats where I post more!

Evening all. J definitely doesn't sleep 4 hours during the day - though as Vinegar said babies are all individuals so there is no one size fits all.

Nexus - I gave up on mummy yoga with ds1 as it turned into the worlds most expensive bf session. I found buggy workouts better as they sent the boys to sleep and I could work out.

Had day from hell today - cock ups with gp re js referral letter (took 3 hours and several tantrums break downs including a threat of a sit in to get a letter promised a week ago!) For paediatrician, fuck ups at the boys new school (they changed Danny's class but didnt tell us, lost Ds1s forms) and being bumped by rich Saudis at the paediatrician meaning j was overtired and irate through the appt and coming home. Thank god tomorrow starts soon!

Also j 8 weeks now and just shy of 13 lbs I discovered today.

Pps Mrsd - hope your ds's first day at school goes well and glad you had great holidays Waves and Vinegar. I introduced a bottle of ebm for ds1 at 6 weeks which he took but then started refusing it from 3 months as preferred boob - had to do bottle battle at 6 months. Ds2 outright refused at 6 weeks so did bottle battle at 6 months. Haven't even bothered trying with J...

Ugh - J still fast asleep ( got to sleep at 9 after Dr apt) but ds2 woke me twice with nightmares (think he is having pre school wobbles) so am wide awake now!!

Waves - re expressing, I found it a lot easier to express in the morning when boobs v full and also to have the baby either feeding on the other boob or near me. I hope C is more receptive to bottles than mine were.

J is smiling lots now, sucking on his hands lots (prefers them to dummies), batting toys, grabbing hair, loving the lights and music on his play mat, v nosy when in his sling, sticking his head right out for a peak around and basically, as long as he isn't put in a car seat or is held at most times, v adorable. He loves ds1 and ds2 who can stop him crying by talking to him sometimes too. Am getting lots of compliments about his big blue eyes from strangers too which is lovely. Just need to remind myself how v lucky I am to have my family after a hellish day like yesterday.

Have another hell day lined up - ds1 to be taken for first fillings (oh joy) then off to service new car with a wailing J.

Oh dear, dinky. What a crappy start to the week. I hope today isn't too traumatic and things get better after that. J is sleeping brilliantly! It's hard to believe he's the same baby who was torturing you through the night only a few days ago really. I hope he keeps it up.

How did things turn around for you, sleep-wise, dinky? C is awake every 2hrs in the night still and I'm beginning to despair

I hope your da's first day goes well today and you get to catnap at some point.

Good luck to all the Dinkies for today - sounds like you've had a testing time lately.

Waves good work on the public BF. My most stressful effort so far was in the arrivals hall at Heathrow terminal 3... Junior was yelling, I didn't want to miss DH, and parking is so epically expensive that if I'd waited we'd have been totally fleeced!

Lovely day yesterday. We finally registered JP - feels good that he is finally official. Also went to baby massage which was fun, although sailing dangerously close to being an expensive breastfeeding session, like Dinky's yoga experience. Still, lovely few hours sitting in a friend's garden with tea and cake. Got home to find a three figure tax rebate from HMRC - life is good.

Lovely to have DH back, but my mum and dad were a bit better at doing the washing up . JP is sleeping well at night. Usually wakes for 2 or 3 feeds, but sleeps in between, and is even settling himself in the crib. Hurrah! I've been expressing and trying a bottle with varying degrees if success, but am leaving him with DH whilst I go for a medical appt later... will see how that goes! Braving my bike too - first time since the birth so slightly anxious for my poor nether regions, although all seems to have healed well.

6 weeks here!

Sorry I've barely posted but could someone please help?

I think my baby has reflux! She has hiccups a lot, sicks up after every feed either just a little bit or practically a fountain, she won't settle after a feed and cries and she's very hard to burp as she seems to throw herself back to avoid being burped.

It all seems like reflux according to Dr Google but just wanted any opinions or experiences?! I also so have a doctors appointment at 11 but need ammo incase she fobs me off xxx

Emsie - that's exactly what j was like and he has been diagnosed as reflux. Is D always on the move, quite good muscle tone, Velcro baby like(but wants to have frequent change of position)? Ranitidine has helped J lots I think.

MrsRoss - we use an ergo cocoon at night which is brilliant - part swaddle part sock. Can heart from Amazon and impossible for j to break free.

Emsie- that's exactly what we went through with my ds. Infant gaviscon works wonders with him but doesn't work for everyone. He's a completely different baby now. Speak to hv or gp :)

Dinky - She's a wriggler and my mum says she's never held such a strong baby at this age, is this what you mean?

I'm back from the doctors and she just prescribed me infacol I've already been using this and it doesn't do a lot to be honest. I was hoping for gaviscon because she does seem in pain at times

Also, how often are your babies getting weighed? My HV says she won't see me til 8 months now so have to get Daisy weighed at the baby clinics but I'm a bit lazy with walking to them!! xxx

Yes Emsiev- that's what I meant. You can try cranial osteopath to help alleviate some of the symptoms, cot on incline, lots of sling time, lots of winding during feed times and upright after feeds. I'd go back to the gp and ask for something different if what they have prescribed isn't working.

Definitely go back to gp, sounds exactly like what we went through and gaviscon has been a life saver