Is there a September 2013 group yet?

[Gingerandlemon]

Just that really! I gave birth two weeks ago on 1st September and am so ready to start asking everyone if they're going through the same stuff as me!!

[juniper9]

I'm using a few formula top ups- baby doesn't sleep unless held, and I'm exhausted. I got DP to take her downstairs this morning (he slept through all of her grousing and complaining last night!) and he kept her happy for a few hours. Meant I could sleep, but also meant she had formula.

It made me cry to watch him feed her formula last night, but it was 5am and we'd been trying to settle her since 11pm. I'd fed from both boobs for about 2 hours, and I just couldn't handle it any more.

[FastWindow]

juniper don't stress. Baby is getting fed, however that is, that is the most important thing. I don't have enough milk to feed DD, so I'm topping up with ff, and DH gets a go, and I get a rest. Much too much is placed on bf these days. Yes it's best. But if you can't, for whatever reason!! Don't let anyone tell you you've 'failed'. If baby is happy and putting on weight... You're doing your job as a mum!
Yikes... Essay...

[Queazy]

Hi all, hope you've managed to get some sleep tonight. My LO is 4 weeks old and has had reflux more or less since birth. I was so exhausted I used formula to mix in with some of her medicine instead of expressed milk (feeding and expressing at same time too hard) and she was even worse. Now think she may have cows milk intolerance and have had to give up dairy!! No sleep, giving endless meds and needing to read all the food labels...recipe for disaster! I wanted to say that I would also be v prepared to give formula if she could have it - you need to do what gets you through the day.

I had an all-nighter with no sleep last week and it was painful. I've found DH going back to work hard and have been a zombie in the daytime. Everyone tells me it gets easier though - we'll get there! Just don't beat yourself up about the odd formula top up...I think we're doing well to be breastfeeding the rest of the time and functioning on so little sleep

[Queazy]

p.s. Purple, how are you feeling now?

[PurplePoppySeed]

A bit better this am for some sleep - brought DD up at 9 to start the 2 hour battle to get her to sleep, then she only woke at 3 & 6 being noisy now, but it felt like a much better night! I'm worried the mastitis could come back as I've got the opposite problem to most - too much milk, so I still have lumpy full boobs - another reason I'm thinking formula might not be good, I'm also worried about expressing as I need her to drink more or my supply to reduce!! The cold is going slowly, but its just like being pregnant - I can't take anything!

[fl0b0t]

Sounds great purple and livvy! We've had a couple of ok nights like that. . Sleeping ten until midnight, one until three and f for until six or similar. Last night he wouldn't settle for a few his early morning. This evening he has been feeding almost constantly from eight pm until now. Very tiring.

[Joskar]

A Good Day!

DD fed from the boob for several hours today. Every hour-three hours from 6.30 am til 8 pm. I seemed to run dry after 8ish (can this happen?!) but I've tried to express something for every formula bottle she has had. Seem to have much less milk in the evening. Hopefully the supply and demand will even out a bit if I carry on with the expressing as well as the feeding. Only thing has been that she's been very windy and poopy this evening. Could this be the lentil soup I had for lunch?

V, v tired but so happy. Even nicer is that I think she must have a decent latch because it isn't very sore when she feeds. Still taking advice of older hands and applying nipple cream though!

[Frenchgin]

Hey Joskar from what I've read its natural for you to have less milk in the evening (end of the day tiredness I guess!) but if you're like me you will find your boobs fill with a vengeance at night.

I was told to express a little milk & use that on sore nipples before & after a feed it did work for me instead of using nipple cream but thy weren't that bad in the first place. No idea about the lentils but sounds possible!!

I'm hoping for a night that doesn't involve being awake more than asleep but doubt its going to happen........

[Frenchgin]

Queazy did you manage to catch up on some sleep during the day? Hope so & hope tonight is better for you.

[Queazy]

Unfortunately not We had visitors too who stayed 5-9pm so had to eat after that and missed any evening nap. The tot did her first gummy smile today though which was beautiful!!

Psyching myself up for another long night!!

[Batbear]

Joskar - glad you've had a good day - make sure you are drinking enough water too - my supply seems to reduce if I am dehydrated.

Queasy - I can't believe your guests stayed for such a long time during what is bound to be dinner time! Not the most considerate thing! Poor you.

DS2 is sometimes coughing so much with his virus that he is projectile vomiting. After feeds I need to keep him upright for a while to stop him bringing it all back up.

I feel so sorry for him, he has lost a bit of his voice (silent crying at times) and doesn't seem to feel well at times. He's not got a temperature though so there is little more I can do.

Hope everyone has a quiet night

[Frenchgin]

Oh Batbear poor you it must be really difficult to see him ill & not be able to do anything. Hopefully he will recover soon & that you are managing to get some sleep tonight. X

[Mooster1709]

Morning all! Thank god we had a better night - sleeping 12-3 and 4-6. Had two horrific nights in a row before this where DD wouldn't sleep anywhere but on me, refused to be put in basket etc. so although she slept, I couldn't, and was surviving on the two hours I get when DH takes her from 9-12.

Someone in my antenatal class suggested taking up a flask of hot chocolate, magazines, DVD's to watch in laptop, iplayer etc on ipad, snacks etc. basically to assume that you're going to be up all night and if you're not it's a bonus. It helped, especially the hot drink. obviously I was still weeping by the time 6am rolled around and DH took over, but I survived longer than usual...

[Queazy]

That's such a good idea Mooster! I'm going to stock up tonight.

My lo slept from 1:30-5:30 last night, which was so needed by me! I didn't sleep before and she's still gradually settling now so that 4 hrs will be my lot! Mornings are particularly testing as by the time she's settled there's an hour until next feed...I have to weigh up sleep vs. shower/make up. I forgot to wear make up out yesterday and looked a right state!! Xx

[juniper9]

I've signed up for netflix and end up watching that quite a lot. It saves where you're up to with a show, so you can dip in and out (assuming you remember the plot!)

[fl0b0t]

juniper snap with lovefilm! and I like to surround myself- water, infacol, snacks, ipad, phone, muslins etc so I'm prepared for most things!

[JethroTull]

Expressing & feeding is the chance I get to catch up with texts & MN / Facebook etc.

[Frenchgin]

iPad was a treat to myself before Thomas was born & it has been a godsend for the long awake hours! Love the idea of hot chocolate ready to go, may have to try that sometime.

Good luck one & all for a sleep filled night - around feeds of course!

[Batbear]

Evening everyone!
Hope today has been good. DS2 has seemed a bit better today so hoping tonight will be a bit better too.
I still feel quite tired though - stayed up for homelands with my OH instead!

DS2 was awake quite a bit today so hoping for more sleep tonight! Hope you are all getting sleep too!

[Mooster1709]

Any suggestions for good series to go for on netflix juniper (or anyone else!)? I'm all out of inspiration...

[Queazy]

I'd recommend getting all the series of Homeland. The latest series is on TV now, so you can watch the whole lot. Apparently The Killing is fab - I'm about to buy it myself !

[fl0b0t]

Homeland is good! Also got the killing in my list. Watching Downton Abbey and may finished Luther too.

[fl0b0t]

Does anyone use s breastfeeding app? When Robin first went onto feeding on demand after his sleepy jaundice start, I downloaded Feed Baby Pro which was and still is resit handy. You press L or R on which side your are feeding and can outside or stop it. You can edit entries, view graphs and compare days which is tacky handy. I can't keep track of when he had feed etc so find it rant handy. However I'm not sure we need it any more and it is s bit if s pain and extra thing to think about. ... should I give it up? ! Anyone else using an app or have used one?

[jennimoo]

I used an app with DD... For over a year! Once I started it was hard to stop.
This time I'm bit tracking at all, trying to just go with it and relax.