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

[TotallyEggFlipped]

Time to start the post-natal thread.

And start those PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES!

Impressive work on the Outies list, Dinky - thanks!

Felix missed out on a silver coin by 82 mins no frigging way I was hanging on for that through! . His daddy is happy that he was born on the same day an Englishman won the Tour de France though I had to veto Christopher as a name.

Sounds like lots of our babies are getting a little more demanding. F had a perfect day yesterday but grizzled for hours last night and wouldn't settle at all. I ended up sacrificing my nipples for a bit if peace and quiet in the end.

Icing great to read your post and hear that you are feeling more positive.

Sorry not more personal - I have to feed a baby who can't possibly be hungry again... can he?

My brother is coming today and I can't wait to show him his new nephew!

Disclaimer:think I have jinxed the good sleeping by mentioning it-she's pretty much been up since 3 with just a couple of half hour stints of sleep-Shelley-my F also likes to sleep on me & not be put down. The bad side of sleeping well at night is that she doesn't much sleep in the day & basically feeds/comfort sucks all day & I can't get anything done. I got the close caboo & love it but not used much yet-may try it now.

Not princess-That sounds so traumatic. Im rubbish at being out as find it so stressful & our hormones are still giving us the run around so my rational has gone right out the window. Wanted to for my mother the other day when I said I was off home with baby & she said, well
You could stay here but maybe you want to get some odds & ends done'. As if!

Am I the only mother that doesn't manage to get anything done? Last few nights dh has given her 3oz of formula at bedtime so I can get washed & mine & DS outfits & snacks ready for next day!

We're venturing to town today as my parents have taken DS to seaside & dh is off work. I really need to build my confidence with getting out & at least attempt bf somewhere in public (with an expressed bottle on standby which I'm sure will be used). I'm still quite panicky about it tho-can't believe all the brave out & about stuff some of you have been up to!)

An going to try exchanging some outfits in boots without gift receipt-my childless friend bought some lovely but impractical 0-3 outfits that I wouldn't even attempt to put on.

Can't remember who asked about a dummy but we've started using one occasionally-took a few brands to find one she'd take but eventually she's given the mam ones the thumbs up! Any extra tricks I can get up my sleeve, I'm happy!

I'm on my phone so can't scroll back to find out who I'm talking to () but yy to having a baby I can't put down... It's insane. Ds2 literally feeds for hours and hours. I've worked on my latch and he's drinking loads so I know he can't be hungry (gained 5 oz over birthweight in 15 days as well as pooing and weeing LOADs). He's using me as a massive size 16 dummy in other words. Tis murder on the nipples isn't it? My boobs literally cower at the end of each 5 minute nap. I'm glad it's not just me.

In other news I've finally been discharged from the midwives which is great. 16 days in and still bleeding but they've checked me out and everything seems okay. One of my stitches fell out last night (I had a 2nd degree tear) so that feels like progress.

I also chucked out all the maternity gear and I'm back in my old jeans (albeit with an enormous muffin top and matching belly that was never there before!). I gained 20lbs breast feeding ds1 (and never lost it) so am ignoring the cake-a-day rule I implemented with him. Trying to eat fruit instead... So far so good.

I'm in awe of those back in pre-pg clothes already! Day 13 here and my perineum could not contemplate being in denim (stretchy jersey all the way here!) not to mention the 12lbs still to lose...

Afternoon all. More awards I see - first smile award to princess llamas H and first sleep through award to Evelyn's F.

Cheese, Evelyn - remember that the good things too (like big fat sleeps) are just phases too. The good thing is your little ones have shown they can do them! Don't let unsettled days and nights dishearten you too much.

More to say but J calling for service so back later.

Ah don't be too envious mightbe I did this with ds1... Lost all the weight in two weeks but got cocky and gained BF weight instead. All those days and nights on the sofa with little treats to keep me going did for the smugness! I'm still overweight now because I never shifted it.

Well done you sleep throughers! With ds1 I used to set am alarm to wake him for feeds. Can't imagine what I was thinking really... No way would I do that now (unless I had a tiny or poorly baby of course). Come on DS2, make your mummy proud... 5 hours tonight please. You can do it!

OK J latched on for the long haul so am back.

Re pre-preg clothes - am back in some of my fat clothes but since going dairy free seem to be losing weight quickly over the past couple of days so hopefully will fit in more fat clothes soon.

Good luck to all those with outings to the zoo and beach. Npk - sorry you had a horrible first trip - the next one is bound to be much better. Make sure your pelvic floor is up to the job before starting running - personally I'd hold off on running till at least 4 months post natal but power walking pushing a buggy (or double buggy in your case) can be an awesome work out till then.

Went to a mum and baby group today - there was a baby there a week older than j who won't sleep during the day at allbut does 7/8 hour sleeps at night. He was a bfmb too! Ds1 used to cluster feed all evening then do an 8 hour sleep from 6 weeks onwards - somehow I don't see J following in his footsteps!!

PS j did a 4 hour sleep last night - am still in shock!!

Well done J... The 4 hour sleep is the holy grail for me. I think I read somewhere that's the typical adult sleep cycle so I always think 4 hours and ill be fine. Ds2 has managed it a couple of times and I felt totally different afterwards. Almost normal. Sadly we regressed to 3 hour kipping from there...

Still I'm staying positive and tonight he's going to nail it I'm sure.

Congrats on your 4hr sleep Dinky, did it make you feel more tired tho? I find the more sleep I get a the mo the more drained I feel the next day; how is that fair?! Thanks for the great list update too. L might also be in the running for an early smile award was definately smiling by week two but I think he was doing it even earlier but noone believed me.

Lordy cheek what a nightmare, what on earth did you do for 5hrs? I'm glad someone had the sense to let DH and babe out, I would have been frantic.

Well done to all the great weight gains (for the babies). I'm like you Dinky, had DD weighed almost weekly (as it was a good excuse to get out the house) this time round I just can't be bothered with the faff, and I'm too busy at moment keeping DD entertained in school hols at moment.

Re night feeds I find if I cluster feed in evening L tends just to wake twice (at 12ish and 4ish) which seems to be working well although the rest of ghe family dont get dinner but if I don't fill him up in evenings he can wake every hour, which is not fun at all.

I went to a funeral yesterday and the theatre today and clever L managed to sleep/feed all the way through without any fuss, clever little man. Though he did disgrace himself by covering me from head to foot in sick ten mins before I had to leave for funeral: I was at my mums so didn't have anything to change into, so I had to rinse everything in the sink then dry with the iron and an hair drier. So I spent the day in damp smelly clothes. And this morning he managed to wee in his own face, nice!

J slept for 4 hours - I stayed awake for the first hour and a half waiting for the usual hourly wake up call so am in usual death warmed up mode Fortunately my brown skin hides my deathly grey palor and bags under my eyes quite well

Sunday - hope dh is pulling his weight now. Sorry to hear you had to go to a funeral - and L barfed all over you. Quick thinking re the outfit rinse. I think I would have just had to borrow something off my mum to wear! Kudos on theatre trip with L and ROFL at his athletic wee - surely weeing in ones own face should be in the babylimpics?!.

J has his first open air theatre trip next Saturday - I reckon if I sling him he'll sleep through it... Think am going to take him to parent and babies film screening on Monday as ds1 and ds2 are off at separate playdates

Sunday - glad L tried to make up for his pre-funeral performance by behaving during the service and at the theatre.

dinky - Fingers crossed J is learning to sleep at night and you'll get even more sleep tonight.

I'm currently stuck sitting on my bed with a sleeping J leaning on me. I daren't move he's so peaceful finally. MIL has just brought me some toast in lieu of dinner. Will have to wake him soon if I'm to have any sleep tonight, and, frankly, I can smell a smell that I really hope isn't leaking on my bedding...

Had a nice afternoon out at a local national trust cafe. I ate Brie for the first time since October. We also did our first (second and third) public feeds.

Yay, we did our first public feeding too-I had to take a cushion out tho but it was good. The weirdest thing is this morn I was again researching latch & position etc & read to anchor one of baby's arms under boob to minimise flailing & rugby hold for opening mouth wider-tried it & basically NO pain since. It's incredible-is it possible that we've had a lightbulb moment somehow? Milk has been dribbling out of her mouth, she seems satisfied & has been a little sick so I think it's right but just cant believe it's possible for it to be this easy! Or that some mums only know feeding like this.

I Agree the 4 hour stretch to feel human again. I'm off to bed now as tired, which makes me more emotional, fx for 3-4 hours :)

I took a couple of baby clothes presents back to boots & m&s & changed them no problem without receipt. Managed to get lots more things in clearance for 1-3 years-was delighted!

Hope everyone has good nights :)

Breast feeding in public - tick. I had a friend with me for support and a Jojomamanbebe breastfeeding cardigan that drapes and buttons. Lost my BF cherry in the comfort of my local Starbucks but then had to BF for forty minutes in a restaurant whilst eating. The waiting staff just let me get on with if but the chefs seemed rather intrigued and kept looking out of the kitchen window but thanks to my cardigan I was all covered up -and slightly warm-

I've fed out a few times now but had mainly had dh with me. I started in Costa and also pret with careful table selection. My first one alone was last week in the park under a tree with no one around so quite relaxed (apart from the associated poonami!) But I fit caught yesterday in matalan and she was starving. It was to far too go home with her crying and there was no code etc so I just fed standing leaving on the wall in the shade outside the shop. It was surprisingly ok, although I felt quite exposed to begin with as far as I could tell no one noticed!

Good work ladies-it's scary mostly for the latch on-I think a lightweight cardigan is a good idea for feeding as my t shirt when pulled up exposes my back & all sorts.

Going for another go today I think but feel like I'll be carrying a little cushion for a long time!

Have good days all :)

Congrats to all those popping their public bf cherries - the more you do it, the easier it becomes, I promise. And the need for cushions will pass Evelyn. I found rugby ball hold good in the early days as encourages them to open their mouths properly - not good if you have a windy baby and fast let down though, so its a case of trial and error to see what works for you. Best position for J is biological nurturing but only if at home as have to expose my entire front for it. Otherwise cross hold (but leaning back with legs crossed for support for angle) works well for us when out and about. Have also found if bf lying down but have him elevated on my arm and so more turned into me it reduces the windiness. Hope the thrush is passing.

Last night was better -J had a fat 4 hour sleep 8 -12 then awake every 2 hours, which is liveable with. And managed to swaddle him and get him to sleep in his buggy now which is great so can MN and do chores.

PS if you have a belly band from pregnancy Evelyn and don't want to expose your belly when bf out and about, just pop it on under your top

In awe of those managing to get more than 3hour sleeps in, thought we were doing quite well with 10pm, 230am and 7am, unfortunately having thought that was here to stay last night we did 10, 1,4, 6 and 7which is not a habit I want to get into.
Big sympathies to all those with sucky babies stuck to them all evening, hope that means you do get slightly longer at night to sleep. We struggled to get A to settle in her Moses basket initially but found that a few days of "spaced soothing", never actually letting her cry for more than about a minute ( couldn't bear the 5,that they say is ok), has meant that now she settles in it very easily. Know it's not for everyone but definitely did for us.

Re breastfeeding out I managed at a village cricket match last weekend which was great but got caught out at health visitor yesterday, was in totally inappropriate clothes and had rubbish boots breast pads in which meant I managed to feed but exposing more flesh than I was totally comfortable with and ended up with massive leak all over rest of clothes on non feeding side - note to self - stick to lansinoh pads and buy more appropriate tops!

Hope tonight is better Lancslass. Totally agree - cheap breastpads are a false economy! Lansinoh and Johnsons breastpads are good.

Might need lots of support over the next few days... my brother and his GF have just left, and DH has gone to Glasgow this afternoon for a weekend of work. I wept as they left and am suddenly feeling very alone - they've only been gone for 15 mins. I've got a few things planned to keep us busy, but it's still terrifying!

Sleeping seems to be going ok here - touch wood - although I have often caved in to co-sleeping rather than use the haunted moses basket.

Good work to all thise braving breastfeeding out and about. Agree that the latching is the scariest bit of BF in public... I have taken the view that most of the time people barely notice what I'm up to. I have a giant swaddling muslin that I draped around us and it covers a lot. I do need to get a few more suitable tops though...

I'm sure you'll be ok, Clenching. DH will be home soon. Hopefully with lots of things to keep you busy you'll bart notice he's gone. I think you probably deserve some chocolate or cake though.

Yesterday evening N fed non-stop from 5-9:30, so I thought we might get a bit more sleep, but she still woke at 12-ish, 3-ish & 6-ish, which us actually slightly worse. I really hope she's not going to get like her non-sleeping big sister who was regularly feeding 5-6 times a night until she was around 1.

Break it down into chunks Clenching. My dh is offshore until Thursday. Mil is here til tomorrow, then I just have to do Sunday and Monday as I've arranged the HV and Dr for Tues and Wed. Two days seems more manageable.

Funny you should say that, Totally but there's a chocolate and caramel torte in progress (just had to pause to feed a yelling baby - felt like a terrible mother leaving him to cry whilst I separated my eggs). Absz, good luck to you. I'm breaking down the time in my head. We're off to a barbecue this evening (first solo car trip... eek!), and have a couple of things for Sunday so it's really only tomorrow. And the nights .

I am in awe of anyone who parents single-handedly, or indeed all whose OHs are at work all the time. I am super-lucky as DH is freelance do is around at home a lot of the time and is very hands on. Just that when he is away it can be for long stretches currently in denial about his 2 weeks in New Zealand at the end of August .