Jan 2014 - And lo' there appeared a star: Our babies start arriving!

[AnotherStitchInTime]

Hello ladies,

Thought I would start you off. We can just keep this a stats thread until we all deliver and then move across if you like.

AnotherStitchInTime Dc3 Mason Oliver born 23rd December at 9.57am, 34+5 weeks, 2.976kg.

mrsv that's sad. I'm sorry he won't cooperate more, it seems like he's very unhappy. I wish I could give you a hug.

Oh MrsV I'm so sorry

Mrs v,sorry to hear things aren't good with you and dh.

I have a question about mixed feeding. Henry is nearly six weeks and I have been exclusively breastfeeding from birth. Although recently he has been feeding a lot and I have been finding it hard work. My dh suggested i expressed so he could take over some feeds, I tried this using an electric pump and found it extremely painful. So we are now considering doing the odd formula feed. Does anyone have any experiencw of mixed formula and bfing that could offer some advice.

Also henry has been doing a lot of comfort suckling in the evening when he is tired which can be painful so we have tried dummies (avent and nuby othordontic) but he gags and spits them out!!!

Xx

bikey I never really got on with breastfeeding so express and also top up with formula. He doesn't seem to mind either. Also the mam orthodontic dummies are good and they do in the smaller size too

Has anyone got any experience of lip tie? I noticed Henry's lip rolls under when he has a bottle and pulled his lip up for a look and it looks like lip tie to me

MrsV, bunt mentioned lip tie on the last thread, I think my DD may have it as her lip also curls under. I breastfeed and think it might be why my nipples keep randomly cracking, when I can get a finger in to flick her lip out it's much more comfortable. I'm going to mention it to the doctor on Wednesday.

bikey I've mixed fed from day one, as my supply was badly affected by the PPH, so didn't come in for eight days and was v low at first. I've found it pretty good, and she happily takes breast or bottle, which will make it easier when we first manage to go out for an evening. I hate expressing, it hurts and I never time it right - to get anything like enough I have to wait at least an hour and a half after feeding her, then I don't have enough at the next feed, so end up putting it straight back in her, which seems pointless.
I use Aptamil, as it's meant to be the lightest formula.

So I'm downstairs having given up on the idea of sleep. Leah slept for one hour, from 11.30 till 12.30 and is refusing to sleep anymore. I've set crying for a few hours,even left her with DH and curled up on the bathroom floor for a while thinking about what a crap mum I am.

She slept for 2 lots of 3 hours Thursday night, which was amazing. I think it might have been because she napped for 6 hours during the day. The next two nights she slept for 2 hours and then 1 hour. And tonight just one. She only napped for 2-3 hours yesterday so I'm pretty sure this is due to over tiredness but I don't know what to do to make her nap! Saturday we tried taking her for a walk as she'll often sleep in the pram, walked for over 6 miles but she still slept badly that night.

Other than in the pram she'll only breastfeed to sleep (she'll take a bottle but won't go to sleep from it), spent all of yesterday afternoon on the sofa feeding her, only result being I have very sore nipples. Tried a formula feed before bed, which obviously did nothing. Feel like a massive failure.

Sorry for being pathetic and self absorbed!

bikey not mix feeding anymore so Alice hasn't accepted bottles since the tt appointment but she's approaching 6 weeks and feeding like mad too. It's really hard after a week of better sleep and beginnings of routine. I'm nackered and considering getting dh to try the bottle again while I'm out the house.

mrsgrs not a failure at all. Sorry can't remember but has a gp checked her for reflux?

When Alice is over tired the only way to get her to sleep is the moby and walk through the crying for a while, that said she then sometimes wakes up the minute I stop moving.

Is there anyone else that can help you and your dh, watch her for a while for you to get some sleep?

She was diagnosed with reflux and given infant gaviscon. I cut back on gluten and all her symptoms have disappeared. She doesn't wake up screaming anymore, just stirs slowly.

We live 150+ miles away from all our family; we have a few friends here but none that I'm close enough to.

DH is going to take her for the evening tomorrow, he's going away Friday for 2 weeks, I'm going to stay with family but still dreading it.

mrsg sounds really tough but your not a crap mum at all. I'm sure you've tried it but white noise works if Henry's over tired. You have to have it on really loud so it's louder than them crying. I do this and stroke his head and usually eventually works

mrsG you're not a bad mum at all. You can only try your best, like we all do. Being overtired is the bane of my life. Our witching hours are 5pm onwards. I've been up since 4 with little Miss and she's now dropping off just in time for me to get up and showered before DS wakes. Joy!!

If her naps are very short it sounds like she's having trouble shifting from rem sleep to deep sleep. I think this is v common and worse if overtired. The rem sleep is about 30 mins before they surface and then go into deep sleep.
Can you catch her at this point and 'help' her not to fully awake? (Easier said than done !). I try replacing the dummy, patting and white noise help here sometimes.
Or if she's in her snowsuit for some reason she sleeps well - maybe because we're walking or maybe she's really warm?

Since Lara has been napping longer in the day she does seem a lot happier so your theory with Leah could be right.

This stage won't last forever, and then you'll be looking back thinking it wasn't so bad and planning the next one!

Book happy birthday! good luck with your tt appointment, hope it goes well

Mrs G is there a baby group you could join? I'm in anew area and know no one here and I'm too shy to go to the baby groups (apart from baby massage where everyone knows each other and in like a spare part) I have an hour round trip drive to meet my friends tonight for a 30min walk :(
Hope you can get some sleep soon

Bikey I found the MUM dummies the best, the hospital used one to help the sucking reflex and now James won't use any other brand

Tarka when u said stretches in the Moses basket I pictured your little one excersising stretching the arms out! Took me a few mins to realise u ment time

Hi mummy, hope you are well

Mrs v thinking of you. Hope the swimmingclasses go well

Humpty congratulations on the new car! We almost traded mine in for a new one would have been older then the one I already have but we need a 5door enjoy and happy motoring :)

Nature what did you put your wee one in for the swimming? I went ebay daft and have got swim suits, wetsuit thingy and float for our first swimming session

I'm envious to hear some of you have nice weather. It's still rotten up in Scotland. Going for healthy walks in rain isn't very motivating. Even more so when your other half who is ment to be picking you up, drives right past you the cuntpuffin

NUK not mum dummies! Grrr@autocorrect

curly I'm the same re baby classes. I need friends but don't know how to start the conversation about meeting up after etc

We've been told to wear a disposable swim nappy with a neoprene one on top neo nappy as this stops any leaks

MrsV so sorry it just be awful like you're stuck in limbo waiting for him to decide what he's doing. I really feel for you.

Sorry I'm rubbish and can't remember what everyone said as I'm on the app! Re baby swimming - glad they enjoyed it we have an ace leisure centre round the corner from my house but I'm too scared to A. deal with a slippery baby on my own after swimming and B. get in a swimming costume myself

Also with mixed feeding (think it was bikey who asked? Sorry if not!) - I started doing it at around 3/4 weeks as I really struggled with bf. Then I ended up getting too reliant on bf and my supply dropped dramatically and dried up within a few days. It's probably just me though, and I don't want to put you off as others do it successfully. Just keep an eye on your supply and express as much as you can.

Our bednest collapsed last night!!!!! It has two clips that let you adjust the base to different heights and it looks like one of them is faulty. Sylvie was in it and one side collapsed and luckily the edge of the bednest got caught on the bedside table so she didn't go crashing down to the floor. If the table wasn't there though, god knows what would have happened! DP checked the adjustable clip thing and when it's clipped fully down, it's not securing it and the whole side just collapses. He's going to get in touch with them today and complain

felix how scary! Definitely complain and kick up a big fuss

Thank you all. I'm feeling a lot better today. It's really strange, during the day I'm fine, I know I'm not a bad mum, we pay games and I sing and read to her and is pretty perfect. Then at night I break down, think I'm a massive failure and I terrible mum and that she hates me, sometimes even when I've had a decent amount of sleep. It's like mild time sensitive depression.

She won't take a dummy, I've tried white noise but only quietly, I'll try it louder. We've managed to bring her first sleep back from 12 to 11.30 which is good. dreading the clocks going forward!

Definitely complain Felix, that sounds really scary.

mrsg I put it on as loud as my phone will go. Sounds too loud but apparently has to be louder than their cry (think toby posted an article previously)

I read up on lip tie and apparently generally it's just left. Looking at the pictures I think Henry has it quite bad as it goes to bottom of his gum and I think under it which means he's going to have a big gap between his front teeth poor thing

mrsg I feel the same when A has her non sleeping days (like today, so far). I get weepy and angry and sad. You're not alone.
I've found the advice in the Baby Whisperer book v useful. So far...

Have you made sure it's not wind? A is appallingly windy and it disturbs her naps if I can't get it up. You're NOT a bad mum. Hugs. Xx

mrsg I'm also fine in the day and get upset during the night. You definitely aren't alone

Bit of a day of it here. GP confirmed silent reflux dx this morning and prescribed Gaviscon, then tongue tie clinic this afternoon. Since the TT snip she's only fed once and has screamed inconsolably for four hours. I've given her Calpol and she's cried herself to sleep. She's still sobbing when she's asleep, poor thing. I was told to expect grizzling, but this is crazy! Also TT doctor said not to give the Gaviscon as her reflux symptoms could have been caused by the TT. aargh - more conflicting advice!

Felix how frightening! Hope Sylvie is none the worse for her tumble. James started trying to roll and tumbled off a cushion, he got such a fright but was fine after a cry n cuddle. I felt so bad

Hope she settles soon book

book we had that and I felt terrible. She was a bit better for her night feed but I was still in tears with her then so much better the next day. Was unsettled and grumpy for about 3 days but is now fine and feeding better and sticking her tongue out

I'm the same re baby groups, never been great at what feels like random talking so hard to start the conversation. Also everyone seems to already know each other from nct and I didn't do it as we were moving to Kent.

Cheers fly. Her breathing has gone a bit funny now she's asleep, she keeps gasping. I'm quite worried. Are you in Kent then?

felix what did they say about the bednest? That must have been so scary.

The breathing thing is probably just where she's been crying so long, book.