October 2014 // thread 2 // keeping each other company through the night feeds!

[sazzlehopes]

Hi all, welcome to thread 2!

Well last night was hard work. Every time he fell asleep and we put him down, he was suddenly very awake again and then crying! Then he wouldn't settle. It was that annoying thing where he was just so overtired. I'm a wee bit sleepy now

Anyone using wonder weeks? So it refers to 'due date' as starting point. But R was 4 weeks early so surely it won't work quite right?

Is anyone else struggling with recovering post birth? I didn't have a section but had internal and external stitches. I felt great last week so was out and about but now I have infected stitches that aren't holding my wound together and have been told to rest more as I'm severely anaemic. DH only has a week left of paternity leave and we'd hoped to go get the birth registered and have a day out somewhere, but a trip to the supermarket nearly killed me on Monday. I'm also struggling with doing the feeds and changes, I can't stand or sit for long as my piles are agony (was too scared to use suppositries last night as it was so painful). DH is being great but I just feel he's creating this great bond with our baby and I'm just struggling. I thought sleepless nights would be the problem, just wasn't expecting to feel like this .

binky - yes, I definitely struggled a bit. No, less 'struggled' more I was really surprised by how bad I felt in general. I didn't have any extra problems with stitches or anaemia, but I still felt fully pathetic physically for at least the two weeks that boyfriend was on paternity leave. I still feel quite weak and silly now though (16 days post birth), and walked about 2 miles yesterday, very very slowly, before feeling that I just needed a nap.

Binky don't worry about the strength of the bond baby has with respective parents now - baby is a poor sighted milk sucking machine right now - the emotional bond develops slowly and gradually over the next few months, this time won't damage it.

If you're married DH can register on his own if the trip is beyond you. Obviously you'd rather do it together but you need to think of recuperating. Recovery after birth can be slow and is confounded by the stress and lack of sleep .

Gah why will Lil only settle in the bednest when I put her in? DH tries to help - taking turns to hold her upright after a feed for half an hour (its a real killer in the night but essential if they have reflux as it minimises the burning damage to the soft tissues in the throat) but as soon as he puts her in she wants fed! Wee hoglet.

Fed up wonder weeks never worked for j who was 4.5 weeks early - either adjusted or actual age. I'd end up rounding up or down so that any period of actual unsettled behaviour matched that predicted in the book. Then felt a bit conned!

a good link for those worrying about reflux / CMPI www.troublesometots.com/what-to-do-about-infant-reflux/

I think I had a bit of a rose tinted view of the first few weeks and its come as a bit of a shock!

goats I am impressed at a 2 mile walk! I'm going to hobble around the corner to a friend's house today. It's sunny and I need some vitamin d!

It might help me stop being such an emotional mess too. A few days ago I was in tears because my milk was in and it was painful. Today I'm in tears as my milk has dried up and I feel rubbish for not bf. Poor DH, he needs a medal for managing to say all the right things at the moment. he's been doing some research I think during his late night feeds!

Well my baby is now an official person- we've just been to register his birth. I was shocked at how quick it was. The appt was at 11, and we're home already (having stopped off to buy a sandwich on the way)

MW visited this morning, DS has gone from 7lb 4 to just under 8lb in 12 days. Took my blood too so hoping iron levels have gone up from 76 (I'm on the maximum dose off iron tablets so would hope it's starting to creep up!)

HV at 1pm so busy day for us today!

Hope everyone is ok!

binky- completely understand re: crying; I'm a hormonal mess and the most stupid thing sets me off. Looking forward to being slightly more balanced

I've been feeling absolutely fine (other than slightly stressed at the realisation of how busy I'm going to be with 3!) but the bus lurched today and I lurched to one side and it really strained something down there. Urgh.

DD2 is over birthweight now, so we are signed off from everyone, but we seem to need to go back for a check up at the hospital when she is 6 weeks. I wonder if I need her to have her GP check as well? I need to change the appointment anyway, so I'll just ask then.

Binky - sorry you are feeling so emotional - I think it's pretty normal if that's any comfort. Our appointment to get DD2 registered is not until 14 November when she'll be 5 weeks - and I made that 2 days after she was born - it's busy here!

When we registered birth it struck me that you could easily lie about birth date- e.g. if you wanted late Aug LO to be in next school year. As far as I know it's not cross checked with hospital. Not that I did! Just.struck me as being quite casual for such an important document.

binky I'm ridiculously emotional too and feel sorry for DP always coming home to a wailing mess (me, not the baby). I do feel like it's getting better every day x

fedup, think you use adjusted age for Wonder Weeks but don't know how well that works.

We just had a week of almost constant daytime feeding. Don't think I've ever watched so much TV in my life. An old lady here last week told me I was bad for leaving the house uncovered during my 'quarantine' and that all my milk would dry up and my baby would get sick. I wanted to whack her with my definitely full and heavy boobs.

Anyone who had a C section-is yours still tender 4 weeks after? I'm almost at 5 weeks and it still makes me jolt a bit if I touch it too firmly. I assume it's still recovering internally but baby seems to particularly enjoy kicking it when feeding cradle hold so wanted to check.

Hi all don't know if this info will help anyone but a very good friend of mine had a baby last year by cs. She was told not to drive for 6 weeks as she would not be insured. She was really fortunate that after 3 weeks she felt really well and almost completely back to normal so she called her insurance company explained shed had a cs but felt normal now, they said as long as she could perform an emergency stop she was fine to drive and that it wasn't true that you are automatically not insured after a cs.

Just thought it may help any ladies who have had a cs and are stuck at home :)

Porcito my scar is still quite sore at 5 weeks. My friend who had section 2 years ago said 3 months was a turning point in terms of soreness and another one at 6 months. Are you prevented from doing things physically? I'm going to start driving again next week but think pushing pram with toddler on buggy board is going to be hardwork

Thanks for the link Yellow will definitely check it out

Thanks Pregnant- I'd heard same from friend who works in insurance. I don't feel quite ready yet at 5 weeks (also making most of DH having to do nursery run so I don't have such hectic mornings!)

Thanks Pregnant- I'd heard same from friend who works in insurance. I don't feel quite ready yet at 5 weeks (also making most of DH having to do nursery run so I don't have such hectic mornings!)

Thanks Pregnant- I'd heard same from friend who works in insurance. I don't feel quite ready yet at 5 weeks (also making most of DH having to do nursery run so I don't have such hectic mornings!)

Bloody iPhone app!

Binky - please don't feel bad about your milk drying up. Mine never came in and my bubba wasn't interested in my boobs (every other female who cuddled him yes, mine no). Having a baby is hard enough without you being hard on yourself too.

rudy we have to show red book or discharge summary thing from hospital so couldn't just make up birth date!

I've got out the infacol. He's been really unsettled after feeds so giving it a whirl before getting in a panic re reflux / CMPI etc as really don't want it to be either of those

binky hope you are ok. Hormones, emotions and tiredness don't help. You are doing a fab job as mummy. Xx

Ah my fraudulent baby scheme is obviously a non starter then

We weren't asked for our red book or any proof of baby's birth date but the registrar said she was linking his details to my hospital records so would imagine that will have had his birth date on.

Had a busy day today and feeling it now- my stomach is a bit sore and have a headache. Not planning on moving from the sofa until bed time!