October 2013 Bus Graduates - Routines?! Our babies clearly haven't read the manual.

[Shirehobbit]

Apologies for the x-posting that meant there's no thread link in the last thread .
I'll start this one and hope people find it.

That's great news flyer

Anyone else struggling to get back to sleep after doing the night feeds? It's only been in the last week but I'm lying awake for ages afterwards and struggling to get back off.

LO finished feeding and went down at 5.30am and has woken up again now (40 mins later) but I've been awake that whole time as couldn't get off :(

Not good when every minute of sleep is precious!!

Yes untitled, that's happened to me too.

She's now decided she can't sleep anywhere other than on me, and is taking ages to settle on me after a feed.

Still not completely convinced I'm not "making a rod for my own back" by letting her feed to sleep, but she doesn't seem to sleep without it!

Yes untitled me too. Last night after the 4am feed I didn't get any sleep before the 7 am feed - combination of my restlessness and his squeaking and grunting and then needing changing. Eventually I gave up and fed him again and then he was so unsettled again that we slept for two hours with him on my chest!

sephy honestly don't worry re feeding to sleep. I fed ds1 to sleep for 5 months. Then slowly swapped his bedtime routine round so his feed was before his bath. It took about 10 days to get him to do feed, bath, story, bed. He then started to go into his cot awake and self settle. He still woke in the night to feed and I fed him back to sleep. I also used to let him sleep on me when he was tiny and wouldn't sleep anywhere else. It didn't give him any problems at all so don't worry.
Baby b has a cold and is really struggling to breathe. Must pick up some saline drops today.
Ds1 is doing an extra morning at nursery today so I'm taking b to his first group on his own so I can show him off!

Re weight gain: H was 8.lb 3.5oz at birth and when lasted weighed at 5+5 weeks was 11.13oz he's so big he's out growing some 0-3 what a waste of money all them clothes were

That's ff since birth btw

About the weight gain the consultant I saw the other day explained that ff babies will always have a bigger weight gain at first so will put on more weight as breast milk is much lighter but as the months pass bf babies eventually catch up so don't worry it's just how they work apparently. She explained that you can't compare a ff and a bf baby and often hv panic because in the uk most babies are ff not bf so they are used to seeing bigger initial weight gains.

Hello everyone. I wasn't involved in any of the previous threads but my baby is weeks today so thought if say hi to some people in a similar position. Number 2 for me and so far so good after a nightmarish first. He sleeps a lot (won't last I know) last night I fed at 11. He woke at 4.15 and then 7. X

flyer I can see that in my two. Dd was ff and jumped centiles very quickly from 50th to 91st and eventually on 98th. For both length and weight mind. However as she is still there at nearly 5, she was "finding her line"

Ds is mix (mainly bf ATM) and is nicely cruising the 25th for weight. I expect that to jump however as I don't have snall children!

Welcome chocolate cake.

My HV said they expect 5-8oz a week.

Thomas has a cold and is really struggling to breathe especially in his back. Seems to be a it of it about, our poor little babies. I rubbed Vic vapour rub over my arms as only suitable on babies over 6 months, used saline drops and slept with him on my chest most of the night. Quite a few bogies on me this morning (yum) which probably explains yesterday's yellowy green sick.

Baby massage this morning, not sure he will be in the mood, but will at least go and watch. Don't know how those of you with older ones get up and out in time for school. I have to go at 9.30 and am nowhere near ready, still feeding. No shower for me again!

Welcome chocolatecake and welcome back mrsflower I remember you too!

Sorry to hear about the injured or poorly babies, wishing them all well.

Thanks for the practical advice re. Expressing, so good to hear other peoples ideas.

I haven't weighed c since birth because I'm worried I will fall into the trap of freaking out about slow weight gain etc. I've heard that the charts h.v's follow are based on ff and as flyer pointed out its quicker that bf. C feeds well has loads of nappies (and leaks as you are aware ) and his saggy skin has filled out around his knees and elbows, he is also getting amazingly chubby cheeks!

My first hv was a complete disaster. I was prewarned by friends and family they are a bit useless and scaremongerers so I had low expectations any way.

Was told they would come between 1 and 3, so waited in. Come 2.30 I called the office to see if she was still coming, was told she was parking her car will be with me in 10 mins.

10 mins later get a call from her. 'Im very sorry I don't know this area can you give me directions to your house'
She didn't know where she was so I could provide directions
Finally found out and I provided her with decent directions- she kept calling me to ask for more.

Anyway come 3.30 she finally finds the wrong gate which is a 30 second walk from my house, I didn't have a fob to let her in that one so I asked her if she could turn right and come through the other she said yes and I go out to meet her..... She disappears... I wait 5 mins thinking she would reappear... Nothing. I call her, she tells me she had to go home because she needed the toilet!!!!

Dp was furious, called the office complaining they said they couldn't send us another one today would we like one tomorrow, he kept saying 'no I think we will cancel, we don't want another hv'. We found out technically there is no law to make you have one. The lady was so confused, as if no one ever refuses an app. He asked what the concequences were and she said someone will be contacting us.

I read on an older post on mn that they keep it on your record that you refused a hv so treat you suspiciously if your child has injuries in the future.

In the end I had to endure the leaflet giving and the info I've heard expressed soooo much better on here!!

Sorry for the epic post

Welcome youare.

How are people finding losing weight (those of you who are not already at pre-baby weight)? I still have over a stone to lose (and two dress sizes). I haven't done any specific dieting, but have been doing a 3 mile walk pushing the buggy 2-3 times a week. I've lost half a stone in the last month, but would ideally like to lose more than that in December as I am not planning on holding back over Christmas! I plan to start running again in a couple of weeks after my 6 week check, which will help. What are other people doing?

Sorry for being a perpetual lurker. Orange I know how you feel - LO is v snotty and has slept terribly last two nights. Finally gave in at 4.30am (she woke at 1.15am) and let her sleep on my chest.

Flyer sorry about the HVs! Hope they have eased up. We really struggled with bf'ing and took 4 weeks to get to birth weight - much stressing out by MWs and HVs which added to my stress. I haven't had her weighed since but she looks like she has grown so fingers crossed!

Question: I haven't yet started putting her down at night as she still cluster feeds to at least 10.30-11.30pm. Have others managed this transition successfully?

sorry most of you are having bad experiences with your HV. I have to say I really like mine. I'm ff so weight gain has been good, but she generally seems really nice and quite laid back. I'll see her at the 8 week check otherwise it's just up to me to take him to the well baby clinic to weigh and see a HV if I want. he's not been weighed since the 6th Nov but they advice no more than once a month so no need to worry.

we had a good night here, H slept from 11 till 7 30!!! he's only little still so I know that's unusual, but got me wondering when do you drop the night time feed? (H usually only has one) do I just let him tell me when by him sleeping through more and more? when he wakes in the night I feed him but I'm wondering if he'd be just as happy with a dummy and a cuddle!!?!

Sephy - I fed DS to sleep until I stopped breastfeeding at nearly 2 and a half. It took a couple of nights of wailing to stop, then it was fine. Do what you've got to do now, don't worry about the future :)

Roofio it's trial n error. I think stick with 11pm feed until he regularly sleeps 11 to 7ish. We dropped dream feed at 5ish months. After a month of sleeping through.

With the night feeds see if he will settle. If not then feed. He may want comfort. U can also try giving water to put lo off wanting feeding. That's what we did at 4months to get him sleeping through. Took 3nights of offered a dummy then water. However he had slept through quite alot by then.

sanji I got so depressed when I looked in the mirror last night. My body is disgusting at the moment. I've got 6lbs to lose until I am pre preg weight but an awful lot of toning to do. I'm not dieting as such as am too tired but I walk everywhere and eat sensibly. Am having soup for supper twice a week and no alcohol in the week. It's going to take a while longer for me to be happy with my body and I know they say 9 months to put it on so 9 to get back to normal but I am impatient!!!
Also re weight gain. I bf ds1 and he never struggled to put on weight. Was born on the 50th centile and stayed there. This baby is ff and is on the 75th centile and has been from birth. So both mine gained weight in the same ratio despite being fed differently. Strange......

Shooting I'm with you on being impatient with weight loss. I've still got a stone and a half to go

I'm also eating healthy 2 weetabix for breakfast, soup for lunch and fish for tea with veg and on that I've lost no more weight! My body is very untoned and it used to be very toned pre pregnancy. I'm just going to ignore the hv and start running next week I feel fine so bugger it.

Thanks for more reassurance re feeding to sleep.

Just went round to see a friend who did Gina Ford and tried to recommend her book. I did have a look to see what it suggested for 6 weeks and was really surprised to see how different her sleeping guidelines were from what I'd seen online. Just goes to show that there is no one magic answer - thi k I just need to chill out about it all a bit more.

We're back from hospital and F is in fine fettle thankfully. I'm knackered though, we were sharing a room with a baby with a chest infection who kept us up all night. If F has picked the bug up I will be very cross.

Hooray Imp!

Terrible night here. Horrendous. Awful. All better once C managed to produce 2 massive poos and 7 mega farts around 9am. no kidding... and no sleep for poor mummy. Ever. Again.

I still have s stone to lose and don't fit into any pre -preg pants. I remember it took me months after DS1. I eat sensibly although not dieting in the slightest. and I walk about 4-5 miles most days.

I also stupidly went to try new bigger size underwear 2 days ago hoping it would make me feel marginally more attractive. 3 way mirrors... bright lights... not to mention my poor body. Big mistake. Massive. Do. Not. Do. It

all I have to say this morning. shit. on. it

Sephy you will send yourself mad if you start reading about sleep, they all contradict each other. I agree with everyone to do what you need to do now, even bad habits can be unlearned. I honestly didn't see how ds would ever sleep without being bf to sleep - I used to have a slip my nipple out of his mouth when he feel asleep and try to transfer without waking him. If he stirred at all he would end up screaming and we would start all over again. But at about 6 months we started cuddling to sleep, which he was fine with, then about a year started putting down wise awake, and after a couple of nights of a.few tears and is comforting him he was hapilu going to sleep on his own.

Been to story time this morning, and have a friend from work visiting this afternoon so looking forward to catching up on the gossip. I may even have a cheeky afternoon glass of wine!

So Dd is, at least doe the moment, sleeping through. Feed and sleep is her Moses basket at 7.30, wake her for nappy change and feed at 10.30, and then she is sleeping until 6, has a nice big feed, then back to sleep until about 8. However I'm really worried about how this will affect my supply, so I've decided to get up in the early hours to express, which has the added bonus of stocking up the freezer!

Can anyone recommend any nice, fairly cheap breast feeding dresses. I've accepted that I'm unlikely to lose much before Xmas, so would like a couple of decent outfits for over the festive period. Not cocktail dresses, just nice daytime wear. Any suggestions much appreciated.

Talk of baby weight gain is very relevant today. J, who last week was called a "bruiser" by the mw who delivered him, and who seems bigger every day, has only gained 5 oz in 10 days. Our HV (who is actually a student but I really like her) was quite sensible and said it was likely due to his cold and the fact that he's cluster feeding. He seems to be taking very short feeds and not getting any hindmilk. He had green poos over the weekend but they're yellower now, and enough wet nappies that I'm sure he's hydrated. Apparently the cold makes it harder to feed and he tires more quickly. I'm frustrated that there's not much I can do but ride out the cold.

It's interesting that some of you will hardly ever see your HV and mine has visited three times already, and is planning another visit in two weeks.

Sorry so many of you seem to have troublesome HV's. Mine is lovely, we had our last meeting last week (although I could've had more if requested) and I cried during it, so this morning she gave me a call just to make sure I was ok and to check that I didn't want any further help. She's also commented that she doesn't understand why the NHS promote scaremongering with new Mums.

I don't believe that I have pnd as I am not depressed, but I am extremely anxious. I have been an anxious person for years, and was on medication for it. I came off the medication when we started trying for a baby and I was actually ok throughout my pregnancy, but now I can feel it slowly creeping back in again. Tiredness doesn't help! And it annoys me that on the pnd questionnaire it asks you whether you've felt tired in the last week. Of course you have - you're a new mum!