June 2015 - our adorable babies are here!

[comeagainforbigfudge]

Right, I'll start us a post natal thread that we can gibber on.

We had vomit sunami X2 yesterday. One just before our dinner, which necessitated a quick bath/hair wash (which toots hated til sat her in the water then she was happy -ish). 2nd was about half 11 and all down her dad, took. But since then she slept for four hour stretches and been much more settled.

We formula feeding on demand (anywhere from 30ml to 90mls) but I don't know if we fed too much or didn't wind properly. But she is pooing for Britain so no problems that end.

come Thank you, I am slowly starting to realise that I am not doing too bad for 2 weeks after a 52 hour induction, PPH needing the crash bell pulling and major lack of sleep. Like you the only part of this that I have experience with is bum wiping in the day job. I think we are having a little bit of a growth spurt at the moment as DS is feeding every 1-2 hours today.

Also completely typical to vomit after you and her were both settled. We have it the other way, he will open his bowels, have a nappy change and as soon as everything is done up again pass lots of wind and open his bowels again.

Hello everyone. I hope you are all doing as well as possible. I am sorry to read that several of you are struggling, but I confess that it does reassure me a bit too. DS is now 15 days old and we are still struggling to find a routine. He doesn't sleep well at night, so it is starting to become really tiring - especially for DP who is now back at work.
My parents have been with us to help; I feel terrible to even say it, but I will actually be happy once they are gone, as I feel that ultimately I find it more difficult to try to deal with having guests (albeit my parents) and deal with DS.
excited et al. : I feel your pain regarding cluster feeding... It is so draining. Does anyone have any experience with previous children? Will this get better?

zaha yes it does get easier.. The first few weeks are very hard but baby will start to settle down and find their own routine and the constant feeding will ease off... Promise!

This heat is really not good for babies, Mabel screamed for 2 hours solid yesterday which was fab! but she did sleep very well so I can't complain too much! Hope everyone else is managing to cope with the heat wave and newborns!

zah I'm always glad when my visitors leave. I feel exhausted still trying to have a conversation plus look after DD. I just shut the door, get her off to sleep and lie down myself. You must feel like you are always in entertainment mode. Poor you!

My wee toots is so grumbly today. Lots of little feeds. It's not really really warm here yet but warm enough that I've had her in her vest only. She's finally conked out in a weird position on the sofa after crying for no reason. Other than she can.

Bad parents that we are, we filmed her wee goat cry (whilst trying to console her obviously!!) as it's so cute and funny totally not winning any awards for parenting that's for sure

Oh you've flen off tio... Nit good!! Also can't bloody type and Fred... As you can see from tupos. I'm like some online version of that policmsn from allo allo....

Mil is staying. That is all.

How are we all doing? I've just realised it's JULY! and my dd is 3 weeks old!

Anyone else struggling with getting wee one to nap in this heat? She just refused to sleep for any longer than an hour yesterday. Wanted lots and lots of little feeds. Then cried for what seemed like eternity who knows how long before age finally crashed. She did then sleep til half 4 this morn (from about 11). But it was a hard won sleep and may have been more to do with the rain starting at last!

I've been vaguely aware that time has been passing, it's mostly all blurred into itself, but the month has changed!

I'm finding lots of little feeds are wanted too. Sleeping had got better for us, ds seemed to have fallen into a pattern of sleeping from 4-7am and then from 10/11am to 2pm and maybe from 5-8pm, but yesterday only wanted to sleep after a very good feed and if he was being held by me. Any suggestion of giving him to DH or putting him down resulted in him waking up and rooting for a feed.

Does anyone else have a baby with prolonged jaundice? DS still has a tinge of yellow that if it hasn't resolved by Saturday will mean that he is referred for blood tests and a review to check that his liver is functioning normally.

Hi ladies, can I join?
DS was born on the 21st (much to the delight of OH), although he wasn't due till 16th July.

Hi heather congratulations! Gosh but wasn't your DS an early bird hope you are both doing well

Oh it rained proper last night. Nice and cool when I got up this morn. DD slept until half 4. But settled with me putting a blanket on her. Then she conked out straight away until half 6! Feels weird. Bet she's up all night 2night though as we still haven't figured out a bedtime routine yet. Probably as we feeding in demand and she still only 3 weeks old.

excited my wee ones jaundice cleared up but my friends baby who is over a week older still has a jaundice loom about her. She is also bf. Think it just takes longer to clear their system.

And I like that you are starting to get some sleep patterns going = sleep for you! My DD also wanted just to sleep on me the other day when it was absolutely roasting. As was she! Not sure why she felt the need to make herself even warmer!!!

heather congrats and welcome!

Mabel slept for 10hours last night!!! I woke up in a total panic at 7am run into her nursery to find her still snoring away! I know it's a fluke but God it felt good to have a full nights sleep!

It's cooled down here too due to the big rain last night, hope it stays this way it's a lot more bearable! Last weds was just ridiculous! Hope everyone is doing ok ...

Hi, can I join? I have birth to my beautiful baby girl 12 days ago via ECS. All going well for us apart from breast feeding. My little one has still lost over 7% of her body weight and much of the time is refusing to take milk from the breast. I'm having to express milk and give it to her via a bottle just to keep her going on the breast milk. Anyone else having a similar experience? Otherwise things t going great for us

Hey lucas, my little lad is the same.
He's two weeks now and refuses breast at all. Mw/hv think it's just cause he's a little small so hopefully he'll breast feed soon.
I've been having to express, I have a pump but I went out on Friday and only expressed once and now I feel like my supply has decreased. Anyone know anyway I could increase supply again? I'm having to top up with formula and Oliver really doesn't like it

Hi Lucas and heather, welcome and congratulations.
My DS also needed small formula top-ups during the first few days, and he was distressed during birth and then didn't eat at all for almost 48 hours and was a little weak.
He is now 3 weeks old today, and things have gotten a lot better. I hired a breast pump (Medela Symphony) and was expressing most days to complete his feeding (as he wouldn't take enough directly on the breast), but now it's been a few days when I haven't had to complete his feeds, so I am feeling much more positive. I have a hv check-up on Tuesday, so he will be weighed, and fingers crossed he is gainly weight nicely.

So, in general I am feeling happier with the whole feeding situation (albeit still not perfect, and still having to use nipple shields). However, I am still very much sleep-deprived. I find it really difficult to nap during the day (just because when DS is sleeping, it's the only time I have to do the basic things like shower, or put on washing, etc), and at night my sleep is very interrupted!

At 3 weeks, DS is starting to interact a bit with us. I feel that his sight is improving and he is more aware of his surroundings, so that's exciting!

Congratulations heather and Lucas!

come DS didn't bat an eye at the storm on Friday night, he seemed really content and fed all the way through it. We don't have a bedtime routine either, we are doing the same as you - feeding on demand. We do turn the light off in the evening to try and get the message across that it is a time to rest. I'm ending up spending nights in the living room as I find it easier not to fall asleep while feeding on the sofa, if I feed in bed I'm likely to fall asleep while he's on the boob. It's also much easier for me to do nappy changes in the living room.

heather the way that I've found to increase supply is just keep offering the boob, even though it does feel like he is attached to me most of the time. I had to give formula while in hospital as DS had low blood sugars connected to my medication, he was on a strict 3 hourly feeding monitoring routine until he had 3 consecutive in range readings. It was hard then at home because I felt empty even though he was displaying hunger signs.

zah Just go with the flow during the day and try not to feel too bad if the washing isn't done. Sometimes jobs like the washing and washing up are left for DH when he gets home, as long as I am making sure that I am going to the loo during the day and able to get myself something to eat and drink. It's not like you are sitting about doing nothing all day.

I also feel that DS is becoming more aware/his sight is improving. He seems content to spend some of his awake time just being held and looking around him. The jaundice has resolved enough for the MW to be happy, but I think he has some discolouration still in his eyes. He has also at 3 weeks managed to exceed his birth weigh - my boobs are working!

Hi all.. Sorry been awol for a week or so.
Been so busy settling into routine of school runs, feeding, changing and i started back at work after 2 weeks (self employed) so thats taking up afternoons.
Baby is now 5 weeks and is such a good girl.. Shes really settled inti our family nicely and feeds and sleeps so well... I know we all think we are blessed but after the time we had waiting for her she truly was worth it.
I've been feeling a little down this last week, think the hormone crash has finally hit so those on fb may of noticed i've not been posing there quiet as much either.
I can't quiet say exactly whats up with me but afew things have made me abit mad and emotional...
I have only had a couple of ppl round to meet baby compared with everyone wanting to come when i had the others, (i like ppl coming round i know some ppl hate it)
Only 1 of my so called close friends (6 of us known each other since school 20 yrs ago!!) has sent me a congratulations txt!
Got really pissed of at my older kids 'funday' on thur as the leaders had done loads of art projects with them.. Handprints, my family drawing, decorating various things.... So my 2 kids showed me everything they had made and the group was selling each thing to raise money for £1 each... Totalling £10 ... I had to take a minute to myself (for a little emosh cry) as £10 atm is alot of money for me and i didnt want to upset the kids by saying they couldnt have their pictures.
Sorry this has turned i to a rant but i feel better having written it down!
Welcome newbees.. I'm not usually such a moaner!

Oliver is still on 3 hourly feeds.. Should I stop now and just let him demand feed? He was 4 weeks early and is only 2 weeks old now.
I'm finding feeding difficult. I was under the impression that he would arrive and would bf straight away and yet he still won't latch! It is upsetting cause I really want to do this but its just hard that he's refusing the boob altogether!
Hv is coming on Thursday so will have a good long chat about feeding then.

Heather, try not to worry to much... Has oliver put on weight since birth? If he has then your doing something right!
Is there a b/feeding support group you could visit locally or a b/feeding support worker that could visit you at home?
Its not easy and does not cone naturally (despite what some ppl would have you believe)

Lots of factors are at work and you are learning a new skill.... I'm on dc3 and still had to perfect getting her on correctly and had issues this time with lazy latching and also she has a small mouth so just wasnt taking in enough boob for affective feeding.
I found using shields provided her with a bigger teat to latch to and after a week or so i started gradually removing it during feeds to allow her to latch directly to my nipple.. As it had been drawn out it was easier for her to get a good latch.... We now dont need them.
It could be something you could try aswell.
Let us know exactly what issues you are having and we'll try to offer advice

I'm not sure, I know he lost weight but I haven't seen anyone since leaving the hospital (I was in for a few days) except the nurse when they did my dalteparin injections.
My hv is coming on Thursday though so I could talk to her about it, but its just frustrating as I had my heart set on bf cause he's my first

Heather, I was advised to feed on demand but make sure that there is not more than 3 hours between feeds, so waking him up after 3 hours if he is still asleep. I second getting to a breast feeding support group, I'm not sure where you are but in my area there is at least 1 a day that I can get to. Have you been discharged by the community MW?

lucas congrats and welcome...

jazzy sorry you are feeling down, but it's totally normal for the hormone crash as we both know, it will pass and whilst it is here feel free to vent away on here!

Jazzy, it's completely normal to feel down, our hormones are still all over the place. I think you are fantastic being able to manage 3DC and going back to work, when I am struggling with just one!
I will follow your tip regarding nipple shields: at 3 weeks DS is still dependent on them, but I will certainly try to remove them mid-feed to see if he can latch on better.
Tomorrow morning I have a weigh-in, fingers crossed DS is gaining the appropriate amount of weight.

I'm also still feeling awful emotional at times. So tired this morning after being up a few times (just to feed/change nappy) but by this morning I was so tired I was crying changing nappy.

But both DD and I have slept for a couple more hours this morning. Need to get organised now as going out this afternoon!

I also second the whole leaving housework to one side. As long as kitchen clean and washing are done, everything else can wait til OH is home

Heather does your HV run a baby clinic? You could pop to that if it's before Thurs? Also try the nct website for breastfeeding support groups. And maybe the infant feeding board on here? I'm bottle feeding so have absolutely no useful hints or tips for you

I'm still dependent on nipple shields on one side too... Not sure what is wrong with my left tit but ds seems to have taken agin it!! So frustrating as it makes bf a faff when one of the advantages is supposed to be that it isn't! I hate messing about with my norks out in front of my in laws too I'm also getting an awful burning pain after feeding which I thought was because of my circulation problems (this was the case with dd) but I'm confused again as to why it's only on the "ouchy" side. Seeing HV and bf support lady tomorrow but everyone's said the latch is fine so I don't know what they'll say....

Just tried removing nipple shield after a few minutes feed. DS didn't particularly like the lack of nipple shield, BUT did manage to feed for a few minutes. Admittedly it didn't last long, but I suppose it's still a small victory.... I will try to repeat at next feed, but I don't want DS to get frustrated.