Graduates of the Due in Aug Thread

[PinkTulips]

thought we should start a post-natal thread before we drive the expectant moms over the edge talking about our gorgeous little babies!

and yes i know i'm technically July thanks to Caleb popping out 2 weeks early but you're stuck with me girls

just a really quick hello from me. holly and i have come home today - am just sitting here wondering what i do next! its so bizarre!dh has gone shopping and I'm just sitting here watching her sleep!

hope everyone is ok, i will be needing lots of advice from you all so I will catch up on the threads soon. take care
olivo x

Olivo oh god I remember bringing a new baby home, we just put the car seat down on the floor and went 'er, now what?'. you'll be fine. Great to hear you are home.

YF - mastitis, do you have red patches on your breasts? these are def signs of mastitis. Take Ibuprofen (eg Nurofen) as per max dose on the packet usually it's enough to clear it if it's not a serious case. Google reflux and you'll get loads of info and tips for managing it. Sami's cleared at around 3m, feeding was a real struggle and his weight gain was poor, I was a state for ages and took him to three different paediatricians. Poor you it's so hard when they are this little. Every morning I keep thinking 'they are both one day older...'

We put a sheepskin in Milo's moses basket and I can't believe the difference, he's happy to have proper naps there (not just 10 min cat naps but 2 hrs at lunch time) and settled without a squeak at bed time. There is light at the end of the tunnel maybe

Kitegirl - I've found a beanbag works wonders for naps as well! Even thinking about putting it in her moses basket at night because sometimes she is a poor sleeper. Only problem is if I do that, there isn't any room for her!

Thanks KG
It breaks my heart to watch him throw up a full feed cos hes so tiny. HV said she'd come back on Thursday but I was to call if there was any problems. So first job tomorrow is to give her a call!

Can I just ask, did Sami bring up every feed or was it just every so often and did he ever have good days where he didn't do it at all?

Sorry if I'm taking over the thread with all my Q's but its times like this when you thank all things for Mumsnet!

Hi to everyone else.
Booby, you sound blissfully happy and chilled. Am so pleased for you

Olivo, glad to hear your both home safe and sound. Enjoy those peaceful starring moments!

Sarahlou, what sort of beanbag have you got? Is it big?
I'm re-thinking where I put Ellis atm. He currently either sits in his rocker sat up right or in his swinging chair which he rather likes.

Sami had 'silent reflux' - he didn't actually vomit much but feeding was so painful, he would be hungry and start sucking and pull off screaming. I cried every time it was so upsetting. Some feeds were fine, others awful, but I learned to manage it. And we got him on meds immediately as soon as I even suspected reflux, marched him to GP and demanded to be taken seriously. Do an archive search on MN as well there's loads of stuff here. xxx

Yellow - it's a round one, about 2ft diameter and 9 inches deep/high. I bought it last year from Dunelm Mill for £6.99 for ds but now have 'borrowed' it for dd! She absolutely adores it as it moulds to her shape and keeps her warm. Plus she can lay flat or slightly upright if she still has wind from her feed. Her head is supported by the beans so there's no danger of 'broken neck' syndrome (you know, where the head lolls from side to side like she's had a skinfull!!)

thanks booby will look for the nct breast feeding book

kiera's trying her best to feed all day.... she'll feed for 10 mintes and fall asleep and its a real struggle to wake her to continute feeding. Can't really have her feeding all day though else I won't be able to do anything with ds...

Hi All,

Just wanted to come on and get your advice really.

Eeny & I are both so low at the moment with colicy Alex.
Finding it very hard to gain much pleasure from having him around and just wanted to get your thoughts.

It is so hard to distinguish between him being ill with colic and him driving us mad through continually crying.

We've tried him on Infacol, and now Colief - have bought a swaddling blanket today off ebay.

What can we do to keep our sanity?!?!

HELP

Sal, i'm so sorry you are both having a rough time with Alex but it really does get better. My friends were at the end of their tether with their ds and then it just stopped. Just try and stay upbeat as baby will feel your emotions and pick up on them. Just hang on in there.

On another note, has anyone else had PND? Had it with ds1 and am so paranoid about getting it again that i'm driving myself nuts!! Analysing (sp?) everything i do and now worrying that my worrying will bring it on iyswim....

Glad everyone is as well as can be. Will catch up on it all later.

Off now for my first outing to the shops with both boys and no dh....will let you know how i get on!

thanks Snowboo. I know it will pass.
But it seems like Hell in the meantime. A week feels like an eternity.
We really feel for the poor little guy and can't console him and then we get driven mad in the process!!!

What insane people become parents?!? )

Luna, I have the NCT breastfeeding book for begginers if you want it. I'll send you a text, just let me know your address.

Sal and Eeny, I really really know how you feel as I'm sure we all do. My dh has been saying the last couple of days how he's looking forward to going back to work just to get some peace and I can totally understand.

SnowBoo, I didn't suffer with PND but quite bad anxiety. I used to have these awful thoughts about harming my dd which I later found out is quite common.
I found myself slipping a bit on the odd occasion but I know how to handle it and how stupid I am even thinking about it. I'm sure you'll be fine. You just need to keep thinking positive

We took Ellis to the Dr's today and he does have reflux . But she gave us a prescription for Enfamil. It does have to be ordered in but they can get it same day. So we'll see how we go with it. Am so glad the HV was on the ball with it, otherwise dh and i would have been guessing for ages.

Sal, as Snowboo says, colic does eventually stop, And I really empathise - as I said earlier, my ds had colic, it stopped at around 4 months (as the textbooks say, but they say 3 months, but my son was early). I do wonder whether premature babies are more susceptible? Another school mum also had preemies (both sons in fact) and both had colic. Who knows? I digress. I just hope my little tiddler doesn't develop it - although full term, she certainly doesn't look it! She's settling well so far, but I'm fully prepared for the worst, and I'm still drinking my fennel tea - not sure if this is a real effect or just wishful thinking, but I do actually like the taste.

Thanks Yellow.
are you having colic troubles too....?

hi sal and eeny Im still waiting to pop but wanted to let you know some of the tricks I tried with colicky babies. First of all eeny needs to watch what shes eating not too much in the way of acidic foods ie citrus fruits tomatoes also coffee and caffeine drinks like coke alcohol and spicey foods if she is breast feeding. you can buy little bottles/jars of baby waters flavoured with camamile and peppermint which can help or you can buy milupa granules which you can mix with warm water which are also flavoured with camamile peppermint etc which can relieve wind and soothe baby. Try holding baby on his tummy across your lap when winding him and also a heat pad/ water bottle which is warm on his tummy may help too. Thinking of you all lots and hoping I can join you very soon. It will get better eeny and sal they call it 3 month colic because it usually does disappear by the time baby is 3 months old it is due to an immature digestive system which obviously has been even more so because alex was early.

thanks Hoppy.
Alex was premature and he is suffering. will check out the Fennel tea anyhow and see if Eeny likes it.
did your boy improve over the 4 months?
sorry haven't had a chance to read the whole thread

thanks for all the advice Dreamy... will look at that with Eeny when we can grab a few secs!!!

sal If there is a family history of lactose intolerence eeny could try cutting out milk and milk products in her diet too also sprouts cabbage parsnips onions and garlic. reintroduce foods slowly to find out if anything is making him worse. A warm bath can help relieve the pain too. Yes Ive heard fennel is a very good one for colick and milupa do fennel drinks

Is there a baby massage class near you surestart run them or you could ask your health visitor tummy massage can help too

now can anyone tell me how to get this baby out Im soooo fed up been having stop and start contractions and mucus discharge for a week now and still nothing

hey all

Havent been on for a while , also having a time of it. DD2 hasnt been right since Thursday , colicky every night for hrs , no poo for 4 days until yesterday afternoon, falling asleep on every feed so not properly settled , engorged boobs and a sorry state by Sunday had by all. Took her to gp yesterday as noticed thick white on her tongue and nether regions , and have creams and drops for her tongue. Gp says she must just have a slow bowel , but did notice that she was more lethargic than she should be. So Ive got to Ive lots of orange juice, prune juice , anything else ???? No eggs and banans as to binding.

So weird as she has all the same problems as a baby as my sister , and they were born same date and similar time only 32 yrs apart!!!!

Im so sorry yuor having a time of it all

Yellow havent experienced reflux , lets hope the prescription milk helps , have you looked at the wedge thing that goes in the cot to keep them propped for sleep?

Snowboo I had PND/PTSD , all sorts of early signs are obsessive behaviours , not wanting to go anywere dress or see anyone, loss of appetite, severe anxiety , nasty thoughts of death or harm for either you or the baby , corrr theres all sorts , had them all and some as had both problems.

Sal / Eeny, I only have a small fraction of what you have been going through. It is very hard and you both seem to be doing really well through it. Its tough few mths until they are estabelished little beings. Thats hw I keep talking to myslef , I keep visualising forward to Xmas time and how different things will be by then.

Ive got to go now and do nursury run , in a zombied fashion , so have to go early as have to drive slowly as not really all there yet !

speak to you all later xxx

sal, the most helpful piece of advice i got when dd had colic was when you're reaching the end of your tether don't be afraid to put baby down in his cot and just leave the room for a few minutes to sit down, take a few deep breathe and clear your head. it's not going to hurt them to cry but having mommy or daddy too stressed and upset holding him will only make things worse. havea cup of tea and go back in with a clear head and renewed energy.

Dreamy, would it help if Eeny drank the peppermint and camomile tea rather than giving it to Alex? Just a thought as its quite nice to drink and rather relaxing I think so it could benefit both????

Sal, as I mentioned earlier the Dr confirmed that Ellis has Reflux. He has to have this new milk until he starts on solids, so 6 months ish but I have been reading that depending on the severity of it, it can last alot longer even going on into adult hood so who knows.
The milk Enfamil is the first step. Apparently its quite thick unlike normal baby formula. The next thing will be to add Gaviscon to the feeds and then failing that Ranitidine, like Kitegirl's DS had.

We had another good night though. He went down at 9:30 and didn't wake till 5:30 but the HV quite concerned as its such a long time without feeding!
Another bit of good news is that dh doesn't go back to work till Monday now Apparently paternity leave commences on the day your shifts start not the day the baby is born so we have an extra 4 days with him at home. Yipeeeeee!!!!

I second PinkTulips advice. When they are screaming and you are at your wits end, take a break. They are safe in their cot and a few minutes crying will not harm them but it might make a world of difference to your ability to cope!
this baby lark is hard core and yes, only insane people do it twice. I would give my left arm for a 7 hr stretch of sleep....
xxx

(Waves to Melsy) Hiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!

Sorry to hear your having a bad time too!
I'm kind of laughing to myself, thinking how we were all longing for our babies to arrive and how excited we were.

Little did we know lol

Hi KG too!!!