sept 2014: babies are here (or coming soon!)

[allisgood1]

Even though dc3 is end of August, thought I'd start a sept thread :-)

How are you all doing?

dS1 is 9 dats old. Feeding well and surely sleeping well but it's hard to know as I keep falling asleep at night feeding him!

Congratulations to all the new mums! Taken me hours to catch up!

Sorry to see so many people are struggling with feeding, hope you all get a breakthrough with it soon.

BF is going well here, I love it and she has no problem latching on, my problem is the routine she's settled into - she cluster feeds in the evening, feeding constantly from about 7pm to 1am - sh will stop, fall asleep, wake 5 mins later and then be inconsolable until she's back on the boob. Leaves me sore, exhausted, and despairing. She then falls into proper sleep around 1am, and I have to wake her every 4 hours to feed, whilst my boobs are painfully full and leaking like a tap :(

Really don't know what to do, really struggling! Wondering about expressing some in the morning to stop the leaking/swelling, but don't know if that will make it worse :(

Looks like my 6 day old boy has a growth spurt. Up every hour and drinking more than me! Had to give give a formula for one feed as my boobs were desperately empty and didnt manage to express anything. No in the breast pump sgain to prepare next feed in an hour. Im so exhsusted I even dont have the energy to try him on thr boob.

• now on the breast pump again. -sorry,brain out of order

Coolcat if you express you will stimulate your boob to make more milk unfortunately... boobie can't tell the difference between baby and a pump lol. How many weeks have you been bf for now? Engorgement usually settles down by around week 6 to 8 as your supply is established.

Similarly velvet, it's obviously your choice if you feel your baby is starving hungry top up with formula but he needs to suckle you to tell your breast to increase its supply for his growth spurt. It's a delicate balance of supply and demand.

Nazly I express when I can. Its easier if DH is around, but if its just me on my own its a LOT more difficult. I try and do it after each feed when humanly possible but DS is the same in needing to sit up and he's started to want 'playtime' with me. Typically I can do a pump around 3am, 7am before DH goes to work, 5pm when DH get back from work and one around 10pm. During the day, I'm just trying to get one in as and when I can which has been very difficult and I'm finding is getting harder. I can't stress enough, that I could not do it without it being a team enough between me and DH to allow me the time to do it.

I've been winging it as far as amounts go, as I can find NOTHING for babies under a month old. (For older babies this is a useful guide He screams when he's run out though so that roughly how we have worked it out; from the amount he's had and the time to next feed. As long as he's had a 'good' feed he will settle. He gets the same amount each time - its just the length of time between feeds that varies. We have been aiming for 3hrs so if he's wanting more sooner, we've upped the amount. He's currently on about 110 - 120ml (4oz) per feed - the midwife confirmed thats roughly what he should be having now at 4 weeks old.

I bought some breast milk freezer bags and just filled them. In hindsight I wish I'd portioned them better but at the time I thought I would be able to do a lot more bags. But at the time I had no idea how much per feed he would need. If I was to do it now, I'd bag up in 110ml portions.

velvetlilithi the truth is I have no idea how I managed to get a stockpile now really! I simply had an oversupply of milk about two weeks ago so I just stashed. I don't have a magic answer I'm afraid. DS lost weight initially too so I think this explains some of it. He's now gaining weight but it has been slow up to now, though he seems to have put on a fair amount over the last few days from the look of him.

Now I am not quite producing as much as he's eating - I'm losing a small net amount each time now, rather than gaining. I have roughly 400mls in the fridge at any time as my current supply, which works out about 4 feeds worth, so I'm not too far ahead of where you are. Keeping on top of it is HARD work psychically, but probably harder mentally, especially knowing he's eating more than I can make at the moment.

I'm finding I get better pumping sessions at different times of the day too. There are some that I struggle to make a feed, and others I make more, but its roughly balancing out as just under what he's eating over the course of a day. Its tough when I get a 'bad' feed, despite this, as it feels like I've failed somehow. I get more at night and first thing in the morning, with midday pump being the worst.

I'm currently looking for a magic solution to increase supply to match His Lord Hungriness, but I've not found it yet. It does seem like my supply has plateaued off at a pretty constant level now too.

Sorry to those that are struggling with breastfeeding. It does take an enormous amount of patience during the first 12 weeks and that's without latch problems. DS has days where he feeds all day, others where he can go 2-3 hours between feeds. Dd2 spends most of her time in front of the tv as a result and the house is a tip but I know it's short lived. To those of you topping up because you think baby us hungry, obviously this is your choice but it's a myth that your boobs are "empty". Breasts constantly make milk so as long as baby sucks you are producing. This explains this better: life.familyeducation.com/infant/breastfeeding/50450.html

Just remember the more you give formula the less milk you will produce as baby isn't stimulating your breasts. I think many women confuse cluster feeding with a starving baby...the liklihood is that baby isn't "starving" he's just helping you produce more. Formula will of course settle baby, this confirming your suspicion that baby was "starving", but formula is thicker and harder to digest so baby will be fuller longer. Formula doesn't automatically mean baby will sleep longer either. DS is EBF and sleeping around 7 hours straight at night (4 weeks old). With dd2, I weaned her off breast at 10 months to get her to "sleep through"...she woke up just as often!

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I know it was mentioned on the anti natal thread but is anyone up for a weight loss thread? If so, is it best here or in weight loss section?

Show I was going to ask the same thing; I am very unsure of going on a diet while bf but I hate the size of my tummy, as if I am still 5 months pregnant :(
I wish there was a magic way of getting rid of it

Top thanks
Red thank you

I had oversupply a couple of weeks ago for a week or so and it was painful and messy
Now I am constantly worried if ds has had enough

Nazly, everything I've read says as long as you're not restricting below the usual calorie allowance then bf isn't affected. As long as you're eating the right things and drinking plenty it shouldn't be a problem.
Just thought it would be nice to have a seperate thread for a bit of advice/support? Feeling pretty rubbish with my body and would love to start shifting this weight now need to ignore the chocolates downstairs

I'm definitely up for a weight loss thread. I've got 25lbs to lose to get back to where I want to be (ate way too much cake when pregnant)! My stomach is just a big saggy bag of fat. It's awful!

I have the flabby belly pouch too I haven't got the energy to bother with dieting yet though. Bf burns extra calories though so I don't think I'm putting on weight fingers crossed

Agree with Allisgood re.the myth of empty breasts. Explained it much better than I did ??.

Top I ate and ate when bf dd and just got bigger and bigger! Totally my own fault but I thought I'd be fine with how much I was bf, wrong! I'm not one of these that loses weight easily even when bf.

Sorry fell of thread a little.

No longer pumping. Baby has 2 breast feeds of me different times a day. Hes 6 weeks tomorrow so hoping supply is established. Dh said if your pumping will your milk finish. I was pretty unsure so I popped boob out and squeezed. Milk shot out and got my eye so happy hes still getting some.

Im eating less than when pregnant. But not drinking enough water mainly juice. All pre pregnancy clothes fit me was big before pg as just had ds2 so need to get vack into pre ds2 clothes..they get on me but can see a bulge. Was going to get cross trainer but just dont have time atm.

Blossom around? ? Not heard from her for a while

I'm up for a weight loss thread too - I was the lightest I'd been since I was about 16 when I fell pregnant and was loving it. Keen to get back to that as soon as I can as I felt great as well as looking better. I'm not breastfeeding so won't have that to help me out so definitely need to try and stay focussed and not be tempted to pick at stuff when I'm at home.

Also thought I'd suggest the 30 day challenges? Before I found I waspg again I started the squat challenge. Will link

here

I use sugar to get me throughthe day as well as eating 'normal' food plus I comfort eat a lot. Thing is, when I'm thin I feel loads happier so don't need to comfort but at this size I feel disgusting so really need to get some weight off and quickly.
Using dd's nap time to catch up on sleep myself so need to get out and about with them both as some exercise. Plus I'm still bleeding and can't do much with boobs this size (and this tender!).
Want to lose 4 stone () so really need to concentrate now.
Think when bf is firmly established I'm going to do low carb. I've just added up what I've had so far today and it's already 1000kcal!! That just cereal with milk, toast and soup?! No wonder I'm so bloody fat.

I have no appetite it's really freaking me out because I don't want to lose my supply. I may calorie count for a few days just to see if I'm eating enough. How many calories are needed if bf?
I'm back on paleo. I've lost 7lbs in 4 weeks so not bad. I need to lose at least 20 more pounds but preferably 25lbs. I think that's nearly two stone. I'm annoyingly between sizes so old clothes are tight and maternity are way too loose.

Hello all, I too would join a weight loss thread, I keep catching myself in the mirror and it ain't pretty :(

Who's baby is sleeping 7 hrs, so jealous! Longest Eli has gone for is 5, he'll be 7 weeks on Wednesday! ?

Some days I'm so busy with baby I don't eat much. And sometimes when she's napping I suddenly cram as much food down me as possible while I have the chance lol. The only exercise I'm doing is having a 20 minute walk most days. I know I'm not drinking enough as I'm still getting constipation (apologies for tmi). I'm rubbish at drinking quickly, takes me ages to finish any drink!

Just had Jessica's 6 to 8 week check. Everything fine apart from doctor felt a slight click in her left hip so she's having that checked again and possibly scanned next week. He said it could just be a bit of fluid like. I hope it's nothing but can't help but worry!

Saw doc today. Sh said nothing wrong with B, and said yo express what I could and top up with formula. Came home and got nothing off so he had 2 formula feeds. However, have just expressed 80ml off one boob so hopefully he can have at least one breast milk feed tonight. He is sleeping soundly and I hope he is packing the weight on.

She also said she didn't think his jaundice too bad - have taken him out in sun twice and have had hi in conservatory too!if mw not pleased she will send us for blood tests on Thursday. Really don't want that.

Quick question - I have a gro swaddle but think he is still a bit chilly at night. Can I put a cellular blanket over him too?

Tomorrow I am seeing my HV, and the infant feeding specialist midwife at hospital. Drawing up a list of questions - I am really unsure how much I should be supplementing / topping up without jeopardising the supply I have, and I need to know if the issue is still his poor latch or my low supply or a combination. He is contented, sleeps well, alert when awake, pooing & weeing but will drink 2-2.5oz when I offer a top up. I'm not sure whether I should be waiting for him to cry or offering it regularly. I woke up covered in milk at 4am this morning after he had a long sleep, but I also find I can't pump much and his suck to swallow ratio is very low (just now I was counting 8-12 sucks per swallow which. I don't think can be right?). I really hope he has gained weight tomorrow.

It's not the ideal I wanted it to be - ie exclusive breastfeeding - but I'm trying to take comfort in any amount he is getting.
On the plus side, DH's first day back at work and I managed to get DS1, baby & me washed, dressed, breakfasted and at preschool on time, then we went to a BZf support group - circumstances conspired to make it all run smoothly, but I think I might have used up all my luck for the week! Only managed 1 pumping session though.

Holls, yes I would add a blanket & tuck it in snugly :)
DS1 loved being swaddled, but Danny is happy in a sleeping bag