JULY 2014 - WE HAVE BABIES

[justhayley]

Well it's only mid June but I hear we have our first July 2014 baby - congratulations MrsC, also hear there is one going to be joining us very very soon so thought it was time to start a postnatal thread! Wow can you believe it's that time already!!!

I hope to be joining you on this thread in the next few weeks - have no desire to get to 40 /42 weeks in this heat thank you.

For now congratulations new mummies xxx

She was weighed on different scales to day 5, different midwife so I presume different scales and we are talking 10g! It just tips her weight loss from 6.9% to 7% which is the trigger mark for extra monitoring! She's well fed tonight and snoozing away all content so it's not as of she's starv

Damn it!

... Starving hungry!

Hi all, right can't sleep as had a good calm eve (used dummy for first time- feel this may be a life saver!) Now worried will have an awful night as this is a common pattern with an ok eve!

Anyway been wondering do you sleep in pitch black with newborn? We have a bedside light on very low so when ds wakes I can see what I need and go feed him - he also seems to hate the dark so likely not to settle if he woke and was pitch black. Am I creating bad habits? Hes only 1 month so wouldn't think so but when would I stop? Tell me what you do/have done please!

howly it could easily just be the difference in scales. Maybe put in a call to a breastfeeding helpline (La Leche League? not sure what there is available in the UK) and see if they have any advice.

ickle well for DD1 we didn't sleep in pitch black as we just had slatted blinds in our room and no curtains. Didn't have a light on though. Now DD1 (age 2.4) has black out blinds in her room and so do we. And white noise. Some mornings she'll sleep in past 9am which is so lovely, particularly at the moment! DD2 has had white noise and total darkness (as she's in our room) from the start. I don't think it makes a whole lot of difference. You can always use a little night light later when he's in his own room if you think he'll sleep better with it. I wouldn't worry. There are worse things than sleeping with a night light.

Hey all, sorry I haven't posted too much, we've had a busy last week with visitors, baby groups and trips out.

Howly that's frustrating that you are so close to the borderline. At least hopefully she'll be back 'on track' in the Hv's opinion soon then.

Ickle, I have our bedside lamp on for night feeds but here DD seems to drop off best once I turn the light off and then it's total darkness. At this stage I don't think you can be setting bad habits and as Nancy says it would be easy enough to leave a night light on later anyway. Do whatever you need to get sleep at the moment I'd say!

Normally we go 10-2 for the start of the night but 10-1 tonight so think we may be on for an extra pit stop this night. I don't mind as long as she goes back to sleep quickly; some nights take me ages with the same 'how to move a sleepy baby' game the rest of you are playing but last night was a great one for a change. We will see...!

Aargh think DD may have a cold- she sounds so so congested :( I'm sat feeding her listening to DS coughing in the other room-he's either full of cold or teething or both but mighty grumpy with it! And now DD! I just want to sleep-so so tired tonight! DD keeps being sick cos of the mucous/congestion fear a long night ahead :(

Aww Blue poor DCs (and you).

We're up again after an hour sleep and had an interesting nappy change - a projectile poo that sprayed across the room and up the white wall. Lovely, particularly at 4am! Done a clean up job but will need to assess the damage in the harsh light of daylight At least it got the wall rather than me

Now she's milk drunk sleeping on my like a little angel. Tempting to try and move her to the cot but really need to wait for real sleep...

Hiya moving myself over to postnatal & trying to catch up. I'm on page 4 of 16 so very slowly getting there.

How is everyone?

So far Phoebe (still without a middle name) hasn't had any cluster feeding days (she's now 16 days) DS had loads so I feel your pain ladies. She feeds roughly every 3 1/2 hours - 2 1/2 in the nights, wish I could get that swapped around. She suffers from wind so 2 days ago I gave in & got her some Infacol which really helps. Only letting her have it at night when it's really bad as don't want to fill her little body with medication.
Had her weighed on Saturday she's now 7lbs 7, 4lbs above her birth weight. She feels massive, DS was 9 weeks before he weighed this!

Had an amazing experience on Sunday. As you may remember I had planned a home water birth, I didn't end up getting it as labour was so quick and I have birth on the front room floor before the pool was even a little but full.
Anyway the pool company suggest a rebirth where basically you set up the birth you planned for and have it - without all the pains .
I really wanted to use the pool before sending it back so on Sunday DP filled it and added floating flowers, put on my birthing CD, burnt the clary sage oils, and put soft lighting on.
The previous night DD had her first bath and screamed to the high heavens so wasn't sure if it would be the relaxing experience I had hoped for. I got in the pool and DP passed DD to me. I popped her on the breast for a minute to calm her and then popped her off. I can't explain what an emotional experience It was. DD was the calmest iv ever seen her and definitely thought she was back in the womb, her movements slowed and she just loved being "swam" around the pool on her back and then brought into me and then moved around again. I thought I'd get a quick dpi but she was so happy in there we ended up staying in for over an hour. DP who thought I was a total hippy for doing a rebirth got in after half hour of seeing how relaxed we were and almost fell asleep. I must say all my blood sweat and tears that went into unpacking my dinning room and creating the perfect birthing too was totally worth it. I can't really explain how emotional it was or why, but felt me and DD seriously bonded and fell in love with each other (not that I didn't love her before). Think it was because all my senses were stimulated in one way or another and I don't get much time just me and DD without DS climbing on us.
Wish I bought a birthing pool now so I could leave it up and have this experience over and over l

• or just buy a house with a swimming pool lol. The whole experience was very hippy but truly amazing. I'm now wondering about TTC number 3 so I can finally get the water birth iv wanted for DS and DD lol.

Going to attempt to move DD back into the moses now - she's currently asleep on my chest and go back to sleep myself. Really want to catch up with the thread, it's not DD that's keeping me mega busy at the moment it's my 2 year old

Night all hope your all well xxx

Ps apologies for all my spelling and grammar mistakes - but it's 5am and I can't be bothered to re read and check post before posting

Oh dear. At 6w, bean's new favourite fun thing appears to be being awake. She gets giddy with it.

Stayed awake with a few cat naps from about 6pm till nearly 11pm last night and this morning she's giggling already. One one hand, it's lovely, on the other it's 6am and I've slept about 3hrs.

Hope DH is OK, Ellie and what a fab new name Zing.

It's nice to see wveryone on the post-natal thread. Congratulations ladies, we have lean mean eating machines babies!

hayley am in tears because your rebirth sounds so lovely!

Thanks for calming me ladies, I turned light out last night once ds asleep and was fine when he woke so will just do that from now on, well good eve and pretty good night thanks to new best friend Mr dummy! Now to be restrained and only use it when he really needs it...!

mrsa hope your wall doesn't look too bad in the light!

blue rubbish ti hear dd ill hope it doesn't last too long otherwise get plenty of chocolate in and cancel all plans! Lots of cuddles on the sofa and dvds required if ds will sit?

Love the new name zing.

hayley that sound really lovely.

mrsa must have been something in the air last night because we had a projectile poop moment at 4am too! Not on the wall but on me and the rug and the change table. It's amazing how quickly that comes out!

Well, we survived the night and did get some sleep :) I've been a mean Mummy today and dosed DS up with calpol and sent him to the childminder as I'd got stuff planned for today. DD still v bunged up, going to pop into a pharmacy to see what (if anything) I can use-eg saline nasal drops to clear it.

About to pop in and see my freelance employers for a chat, just hoping DD goes with the plan and a) stays quiet and b) doesn't do a mega poo which I have a feeling she's working towards given the noises from down below!

Catch up properly shortly

ickle we usually sleep with the landing light on but at the weekend while we were away we couldn't do that so bedroom was pitch black and ds slept really well. So I've started closing the door and opening it if I need to see to ds in the night. DS has a dummy occasionally but he doesn't like it all the time.

ismarah its very cute now they're more alert isn't it but frustrating in the middle of the night... The other reason for shutting the bedroom door at night as he is fascinated by the light.

So after 2 days and a night of bad sleep ds slept for 5 hours last night before waking for his first feed and then went back down for a couple of hours. I've had about 7-8 hours sleep but feel more tired!

zing cranial osteopath seems to think ds has a really tight neck which could be affecting his digestive system and making him head achy and grumpy. Also explained about his misshapen head and how that could be affecting him. Fingers crossed we can sort him out so thank you for encouraging me to take him. She recommended a lilla kuddis pillow - have you tried these?

blue not sure if it's available in the uk but the nosefrida snot sucker is very popular with my moms' group. Sounds disgusting but it works .

Meeting went well and I should have a day or two work per month from October which will hopefully be manageable (from home) with the DC. DD decided she was hungry so fed the whole way through the meeting-wasn't really what I was planning to do but worked well. Now enjoying a quiet few moments in John Lewis cafe with a latte :)

Nancy I have a snot sucker at home but haven't figured out how you empty it so haven't tried it. Pharmacist confirmed saline drops ok from newborn so bought some of those.

zing love the name :)

ickle so glad dummy has helped. We used one sparingly with DS but using more often with DD- as a tool when needed they are great!

Maggie we have considered cranial osteopathy for DD but can't really afford it at the moment- how many sessions will you have to sort stuff do you think?

Well done Blue!

I'm annoying myself now. Wardrobe contents are annoying me, as are my tits, but I feel silly about wanting to go shopping at this point. It feels like a waste of money to buy things right now because obviously hah I'll lose loads of weight when I'm allowed to exercise again, as of tomorrow. Because it's DH's money it feels even more silly. Even though new shoes would obviously solve at least half my wardrobe problems and all the sales are on.

My fancy book about setting up a business did arrive today though so in theory, in the future at some point, I will earn a living again. However, working from home means one can wear whatever one wants but it seems silly to want to dress vaguely professionally / stylishly right now. Even if it would set one up in the right mindset. See? Annoying.

ismarah

well done for sorting work out blue. haven't seen you or zing for ages!

i'm playing the putting down in the moses basket game too. Bought ewan the dream sheep but DS refuses to even acknowledge it. We also have a projectile vomiting situation here which is very disheartening after 30 mins of breastfeeding. I've also started co-sleeping halfwaf through the night which seems to really calm DS so screw the pre-baby principles!!!

It is testing times today as I have a work deadline and DS refusing to go down or in the sling or in the pushchair or in the bouncer.... plate don't give me ideas like e bay

coco I sometimes co-sleep in the mornings after a feed once dp has got up for work and ds seems to sleep longer that way. Was considering getting ewan the sheep but didn't know if it was worth it...

blue not sure how many sessions but I've sacrificed my sessions and a few other things to pay for it so hoping only 2 or 3.

Not one of my best days today :( have completely lost track of what feeds DD has had. She's SO congested she's doing lots of short feeds anyway. Saline drops have definitely loosened everything just need to get it out of her tiny nose now! Plus she keeps being sick which is no doubt linked to the cold. DS has had a good day with the childminder but is clearly exhausted so tomorrow could be interesting depending how much sleep I get tonight! As usual by this time of night I am shattered and ache all over. Possibly more so tonight as I tried DD in the Moby wrap which a friend has leant me- think it's going to be great if my back can take it.

ismarah happy shopping ;)

Coco don't envy you trying to work at the moment- I was offered some this morning but since it would have to be done during 9-5hours I couldn't even contemplate it at the moment.

Hopefully DD settling for a sleep if I manage to successfully move her from m arms to Moses basket which then frees me up to finally put away food shopping which is still all over the kitchen and bring the washing in before it rains!

Recording Great British Bake Off though so hoping to watch that later though I could well fall asleep!

Apologies for self oriented post I just haven't had time to go through everyone else's posts today.

Having issues with milk supply today, I'm exclusively expressing for LO. I physically can't keep up with him today, I'm pumping everytime he feeds (DP feeds while I pump for next feed) and it still isn't enough.

Really don't want to go into formula/mixed but don't feel I have any option now, DS is clearly still hungry and I just don't have the milk to feed him.

Anyone have any advice on increasing supply (or formulas for 3 week old?) this is first LO and I have absolutely no idea where to start with the FF thing.

Stress levels aren't good today

Collie best thing to increase supply is rest as much as you can and drink loads. Also if you can put baby on one breast, even if he doesn't feed while you express from the other one.

DH is still in hospital. The pain had gone by yesterday morning but he was kept in last night just in case it came back. He had a scan this morning and has been waiting for the dr to come and give him the results ever since. He is nil by mouth just in case he needs to have his appendix out. Meanwhile I'm going slowly insane looking after 5 children on my own. The HV phoned today to see if I was coping ok and I just cried down the phone. I also cried at the cold caller lady who just kept saying that she wasn't selling anything when I was trying to politely say I'm not interested and please get off the line.

DS4 is supposed to be having a big op on Monday and his specialist nurse phoned to talk about it while I was out at the baby clinic. I've got loads of questions for her but couldn't ring her back because I was worried I'd miss a call from DH (I know I can phone him back but he keeps turning his phone off to save the battery). I'm so tired and I just want him home. I'm also worried that they will take out his appendix and then I will have to look after 5 children and him while he recovers, including one child who has had major surgery and will need pain meds etc. I feel like I've reached the end of my tether and I'm worried I won't be able to cope with DS4's op if this goes on much longer. My mum used to be a nurse so she keeps criticising the medical people and saying what would have happened "in her day" which isn't helpful.

Thanks Ellie think tomorrow will have to be a rest day.

Sorry to hear you're having such a tough time! Hope DH makes a quick recovery and you aren't left looking after him and your DS at the same time. Things can only get better eh!

Sorry you're having a tough time ellie and hope things improve - if I was of much use at the moment I'd give you a hand but I'm barely keeping going myself. Sending you lots of hugs.

I'm fuming and if I had a car then I'd be on my way to give someone a piece of my mind - I can't go into too much detail but DP was responsible for something as part of a group he's involved in and it was pretty much the only thing keeping him going but someone has decided they're taking it away from him for no good reason with no warning and left him to find out when he turned up to a meeting tonight. He's really upset and all for no other reason that I can think of than this other persons ego. FFS.

Collie I was exclusively expressing up until about a week and half ago (ds is now 6 weeks old) I found it completely exhausting so I sympathise. We've since finally managed to get the hang of breast feeding, which is much easier, and ds seems happier, but we've found that he's hungry all the time, so his last feed before bed we're giving him formula. It gives me a chance to catch up with him and have a break, and he seems to sleep longer as well, which is saving my sanity and my nipples! We're using the sma one for newborns, and ds seems happy enough with it.

Auntie and Ellie I hope things get better soon.