Martians 2014 (and the February early arrivals)

[LyraSilvertongue]

I expect it will be quiet in here for a while with only four Martians born so far and it not even being March yet

Those who have popped so far:
Coolhand
Dabarai
LyraSilvertongue
Wuxiapian

Hi all just checking in here after a bit of a break. My DD arrived exactly four weeks ago today and it has passed in a whirlwind blur. Wish I'd read some of these posts before as I would have realised that what I've been experiencing is perfectly normal.. Cluster feeding, growth spurts, favoured breast and general shell shock!
Anyone else recovering from a c-section? How long does it take for the swelling to go down around the scar? I seem to have ended up with an adhesion just above bladder.

Oh gosh, Yogi, I don't know... I had a c-sec too but my scar seems to be not swollen at all - I've got the loose 'overhang' which is now mine for life but the only thing I can tell is still healing are the muscles above the scar. Has your HV checked the scar if you're worried?

Congrats on making it to week four with your sanity intact - we get there this Monday coming, but I've definitely lost it baby brain had me emotional at the slightest thing again today!

Just checking in! Baby Clara arrived on Wednesday night after a long labour and forceps delivery. We're home and getting settled into our new little life. I'm so in love!

I'll try catch up but hope everyone's doing well :)

And here you are! Hi.

So, does anyone else get days when they feel like they've just 'lost the knack' of looking after their child? Had a cpl good days this week, but now Ben is mostly unsettled (colicky, which I know contributes)... except for when my Mum had him today. DH & I had to go to a funeral, and Mum says Ben was fine!

Ugh this one is resisting the left boob and being a monster to get back down in his basket!

We have good days and bad days!

Hi all,

I hope it's ok for me to join you. I had a baby girl on the 9th March, am beginning to emerge from the post baby fog and it'd be really nice to have some others in the same position to talk to!

I'm lucky as she's a good feeder (am bf) but she isn't that keen on sleep! When she does sleep she initially only wanted to sleep on me but I seem to be getting somewhere with getting her into crib through sheer persistence. Anyone else tried Ewan the dream sheep? Is he too good to be true?

The thing I wanted to check with you all is do any of your babies have colds? Mine picked one up (oh the guilt!) and we've had a few screaming fits as clearly she's finding it hard to breathe, especially when feeding. It's awful to hear. I'm not sure there's much I can do apart from make her warm and comfortable is there?

Em I think I feel much like you, I think I've got things sorted and then she'll be inconsolable and I feel useless!

Hope you're all enjoying the weekend - I'm enjoying having DH around in the day to help, it's been hard with him being back at work! x

Hi Sloe - welcome!

So sorry your LO has a cold I'm dreading our first. My Mum's recommended getting some Baby Olbas and putting it in an oil burner thingy, in the bedroom, so you're all breathing it in! Obvs it won't mean anything for you, but it's the only way to get menthol anywhere safely near a newborn. And I've seen 'nasal aspirators' advertised... wondering if they're any use.

Hope the cold goes soon! Will be thinking of you and hoping for the best...

I've started this thread in Chat in case anyone wants company/moral support while feeding tonight

I'll see you soon in chat Frankel, we've been 'party feeding' little and often since about 02.30 and still going strong
I think Luke is gonna be a little piggy!

I've marked my place on the thread in Chat!

Hi Sloe - I confess that in desperation we did try Euan the Dream Sheep with our eldest. It was an expensive folly! I won't be bothering this time round!

Thanks Em, I'll give that a go! Be nice for her to sound a little less like a piglet ;-)

Love 'party feeding', I say I've got a party girl as she favours the hours of 3-5am, unlike me!

What do you do while night feeding? Do you stay in bed or get up and watch tv? I'm torn as I try not to wake DH (at least when he has work the next day) but my bed is so cosy!

Hmmm the dream sheep is looking at me with crazy eyes now. Not tried him yet, he was brought in a moment of desperation! I'm holding out little hope but he better not let me down.

Hope you enjoy Mother's Day, if you go in for that kind of thing (I'm all for receiving a nice card and being made to feel special!)

I am tending to feed DD sitting up in bed at the moment. DH has a special ability to sleep through it all or get back to sleep quickly , so it doesn't disturb him too much. However, having said that, he is good at resettling her when I give him the nudge, so can't complain. I've also tasked him with night time nappy changes at the weekend!

I used to get up and go and sit on the couch with DD1 but the lure of the warm comfy bed has been too great this time round!

Hummm don't know if DH had forgotten it's mother's day or not. He's not said anything yet! Anyone else had a greeting/card?

It depends on how much sleep we got the previous night... DH can also sleep through if I feed Ben in bed, but if we're having trouble releasing wind and B gets whingey (ie noisy), I'll go into the front room.

I wake at the slightest thing so DH often just feeds on the sofa - unless I'm feeling rested and stay awake to keep him company! Usually only happens at the weekend.

Oh, I've been remembered!

Yay, Owl! They were just teasing you, eh? I've had a card and pressie too clever 4-week old he is!

hello my name is vikki I was am on April group however James was born at 37 weeks + 5 on 24th March at 9.20 am. He only weighed 5lbs 7 ozs and only got out of hospital yesterday due to jaundice. He's currently feeding as I type breastfeeding is a challenge can only do it lying down and he's feeding every 2 hours. 1st time mum so no idea what's going on half the

Hi Vicky, welcome to the world James, I hope he's getting over the shock of an earlyish entrance !

You describe being a new mum perfectly - we all make it up as we go

Hi Vikki! My DS was born 5wks early on 14/02. He was 5.10 & we had a week in hospital as us was jaundiced & had Phototherapy for 5 days on & off. Took him a while to get the hang of BF & the jaundice has really just settled. We were sent back to the hospital on day 21 for more bloods, but all was fine. I'm sure you're doing a great job.

Anyone else who is breastfeeding finding it hard to eat and drink enough? It might sound strange but I'm finding it really hard work getting enough calories in, especially during the week when I'm fending for myself and don't have waiter service. If I don't eat/drink enough I have wobbly moments which is a bit worrying in case it happens while holding the baby. Even before I was pregnant I've always seemed to need to eat a lot, think I must have a fast metabolism.
Any tips?

Imeg, I'm the same. If my blood sugar drops I get quite teary and emotional. I've found setting myself up with a snack area next to the sofa - a side table with a bottle of water, cereal bars, painkillers and nipple cream!If I get up to use the loo/change E then I replenish stocks!

yes I am the same getting emotional if not eating. im getting really hungry but my sleeping schedule is such a mess I really wished I could pass my breast to my oh last night. James doesn't always fall asleep after a feed and stares at me and 10 mins later wants more

I'm glad it's not just me.
Cereal bars sounds very restrained Frankel! I'm tending more towards chocolate, ice-cream and cake...
I think I need to do as you say and restock every time I'm getting up anyway.

Oh I'm still eating crap too, but cereal bars are easy to keep nearby and not worry about the cat trying to steal them!

Think I'll have to get DH to do some more night time nappy changes at the weekend, it feels even more draining doing it all - though tough as I'm bf so awake anyway! I try not to wake him up during the week but the weekend seems fair.

I agree about snacks and eating, very hungry but it's difficult to put me first when little madam is keeping me on my toes! Getting a bit fed up of the sweet snacks though.
Saw my in laws today, MIL said she's brought me a bit of cake but it was only a small bit as she wasn't sure if I was on a diet!

Was a bit shocked at that, what with having given birth three weeks ago (and having lost a good portion of baby weight anyway) but I'm sure she didn't mean it in the way I took it. Surely no one (bar celebrities) puts them self through a diet so soon!