August 2015 - Let the Sleepless Nights Commence

[nolongerwaitingfornumber2]

My DC2 was born on 5th August and I'm up in the wee hours feeding away. Anyone else with their August babies care to join me?

I still can't believe he's here and in my arms!

Hey just a quick before try and get DS down but my friend just sent me this and thought I'd share
m.huffpost.com/uk/entry/8102290?utm_hp_ref=uk

Kbro typical that happens with hv around and then not when she was. My midwife thought my lo had perfect latch but it only last a couple of seconds before she saw what she was really lik . Nipple shields have been a godsend. Someone at a bf group I went to had a 2 week old and she was using a nipple shield just for one side because she struggled on that side.

Oh frolic I hope ds settles soon. It's heartbreaking when they're upset or uncomfortable and u can't do anything to help. Hope u have a better night.

Been drinking lots of water. Used to be probe to uti's but mainly related to dtd so didn't get any at all in pregnancy because I never bothered lol. So that's why I'm sure the uti is secondary to infection in the wound but hopefully the antibiotics will work. I do feel a bit better but that's because of all the water. It hurts more when u don't have a lot of fluid in you which I probably didn't this morning because I was rushing to get to GPS on time.

Cross posts. Kbro thanks for sharing. That's just perfect way to describe it.

My SA-Be stretchy wrap arrived today. £5 off eBay. Chuffed with that. Mind you they're only £30 new so pretty reasonable. Already excellent. So easy to pop baby in and out. Hurrah I have hands to play with dd1 etc. it struck me it might useful if you have a reflux prone baby. Bairn is upright and close both of which are good I think. Comfy enough to sit/lie down while wearing. That was one of my worst fears. Sil had a baby just before me last time and her dd was tormented with the reflux. It was just awful. It gets better after a couple of months I'm told but so terrible at the time.

Poor wee baby here is totally bunged up with the cold. Wee soul. We've resorted to a snot sucker. Don't know that it helps much but just desperate to help her breathe. I find the notion of sucking snot totally revolting so I've decided it's a daddy job. Reckon I carried her for 41 weeks and pushed her out so he can suck the snot out her nostrils. Fair? I think so!

Kbro, yep that article is spot on.

I think letdown speed is linked to leakage/breastpads/amount and speed of expressing rather than the quantity of milk. My boobs empty really quickly and forcefully and I think there is none left after 5 mins but ds is still swallowing so must be getting milk. Babies are just much more efficient than pumps.

Dozy, sorry to hear you are struggling and hope you feel better soon.

Mzzzf, you poor thing. That does sound exhausting. DS sleeps better on me definitely but I usually get a stretch in the day when I put him in the bouncer on vibrate. It has been a lifesaver!

Hi to everyone else and hope there is some sleep to be had xx

I'm a firm believer in baby led feeding. Sometimes DH takes 30, sometimes 100, but I listen to his cues. I wouldn't want him to take what he didn't need.

Ahahahha DS not DH!!! Sleep deprived Gaff!!!

Thank you everyone for your lovely support and advice. Breastfeeding is by far one of the hardest and most confusing things I've ever done - it's definitely the hill I am climbing. I started the top ups today not having read your advice and it feels so weird giving DS a bottle, but despite having just finished a feed both times he did eat all the formula (30ml) so it makes me think he's not getting enough from me. So now I'm even more like

Sorry to hear about your infection Dozy, hope you feel better soon.

Thanks for the link Kbro, definitely seems to sum up the first stage of parenting. DS has given me his first proper smiles in the last couple of days and it's so massively rewarding it makes all the tough times totally worth it.

Hope everyone is having a good night, after a very fractious day I was worried that we'd have no sleep tonight but so far he seems ok. What I would give for 8 hours uninterrupted though...

Hi all! Just checking in to say hi. I think my labour from hell must have been a karmic trade for an easy pregnancy and easy baby, so sorry to hear so many people having a tough time. :( We had a night from hell on the first night home from hospital, but apart from that we seem to have taken to breastfeeding like ducks to water. Fergus is now nearly 10lbs and has gone up a centile in weight! We're just going with completely demand led feeding which means the occasional day long session of constant cluster feeding while he builds my supply up for a growth spurt, and no real routine, but that's newborns. I've even managed feeding in public without too much fuss - forced myself to do it in the pub for my birthday and got over the fear as soon as I did it. I think being surrounded by my most trusted friends helped. I knew that they would have my back.
I have however completely given up on getting him to sleep in a cot and just brought him into our bed. I have literally no idea how anyone can get them to sleep alone!!

I like cosleeping. In the morning dd1 comes in too and it's a massive family pile up. It's lovely.

MaGrat - the bigger they get the more they sleep for a longer term I think - guess their tummies get bigger and can hold more to keep them going! Like you I am totally baby led for feeding.

sian and josker I have co-slept with all of mine, so much so that I actually did away with the cot after DC2 - it was just an ornament in the room! Obviously everyone is different but I absolutely hate getting out of bed in the night - as long as I am in bed I feel I am rested. We have a super king so lots of room. 3 of the DCs have super kings too - they are always in with each other too - never know who I will find where in the mornings but as long as everyone sleeps I don't care where they do it

dozy hope you feel better today - it's tough enough with a new born, never mind feeling poorly too

Was supposed to go and cheer my DS on at a football match today but DH can go himself - it's pouring down!!

Clstow I think me and you are fighting the same breastfeeding battle. I've been trying my hardest not to top up with bottled but I have to give in when she's inconsolable despite hours of breastfeeding. She did the same last night where she fed for ages off both sides but then drained a 120mls bottle. It'd so depressing! Either i don't male enough to satisfy hr or she doesn't do it properly. I really don't know. I just want to be able to wean off the bottles but no matter how hard I try she wants more.
I also breastfed in the pub last night. I'd fed her for ages before we left, then fed her while we were there, then someone held her ehile I ate my tea and then she was crying for more but I'd dropped the nipple shield on the floor. So took her home for more feeing. It's just so constant isn't it!!

She woke about half 7 this morning so tried the side lying position. Getting more confident with it the more I try but again she was suckling for a good hour, then I went for a shower while dp held her and came back to her crying in hunger.

I do love breastfeeding though. Just hoping in a few weeks it'll get easier and she'll be satisfied from just me.

Have you looked at the biological nurturing videos, Dozy? That's how I feed. I get rest that way. I'm sure you will be able to wean off the bottles. I mix fed the first time (not through choice- bloody faff it was!) and it was fine in the end.

Dd1 has yet to sleep through since dd2 arrived. I think she's really unsettled by the change. Poor wee toot. Don't know what to do. She's so grabby with the baby. I feel like I'm constantly saying "No!"

Morning all!
Ds cluster fed from 6:30pm to 2am. I have no idea where he's putting it all. He then did 3 blocks of 2 hours sleep, so I'm not feeling too bad as I've probably managed about 6 hours in all. I did wander at one point if he was ever going to come off the boob.

We're having problems with leaky nappies. Ds likes to lie on his right side. We always put him down on his back, but he manages to get on his side by sticking his legs in the air and using their weight to pull himself over. He often wakes up with a soaking back on that side. The wee must be coming out of the waistband of the nappy. It does only seem to happen when the nappy is very wet. And within no time of a change. But with all the cluster feeding, that's a lot of the time. I'm to make sure his willy is pointing down every change.
We've been using pampers as we were given a big box. Does anyone have any suggestions of other brands to try? Or any other ideas about how to solve things? I do have some reusable that I was planning on trying when things are a bit more settled.

Thanks for sharing that kbro. Really lovely.

I hope you're feeling better today dozy and that those antibiotics are doing their thing.
Good on you for breastfeeding in the pub. I was all set to do it yesterday lunch time, but ds slept through. If only he was as sleepy at night.

That's a great bargain for the sling jockstar. My brand new Kari me was bought by my lovely step-mil at a boot sale for £2!
I hope your little one gets better soon. I'm sure big sister will get used to the change in no time.

I hope you had a good night clstow.

Hi siani. brilliant that things are going so well for you.

I hope everyone has a great Saturday

Frolic we've got the exact same leaky nappy issue. I think it comes out the waist at the side, I'm hoping it gets better when we go up a size.

Pampers are shite and overpriced. I use Sainsbury's little ones for both of mine and never had a problem. (DS1 was in pampers and I had the leak problem with him)

We're using Sainsbury's little ones now. Didn't get the leaks when we were using Aldi nappies, but I cba walking all the way to Aldi!

siani . Different nappies work for different babies, that's why there's always so many different recommendations from people. What size do you use? You may need to go up a size. I use size 3 for DS. If not then you may have to walk to aldi

Ohh how true is that open letter to new mums?! Thank you for posting that. I've sent the link to my DH to read so he can kinda get what I'm feeling.
Well today has been different and better. We have tried be reflux milk today and so far (fingers crossed, touch wood etc etc!) it seems to have eased her pain and there appears to be much less regurg/vom. I'm praying to god that this is not a fluke and that this little box of powdered wonder works!!!

Also DH is around today and actually just having company and help and the ability to nip to the loo when I need to is awesome
Plus I had a lovely dog walk this morning in the blustery autumnal rain and it was lovely on the braes!

I really LOVE winter time. Big jumpers, intense weather, stodgy food and red wine. Oh and it's only 14 Fridays to go before Christmas!!!!

Ooops posted before I was done!
Hope you've all had a great or at least a good Saturday. You ladies really do rock on here

Thanks fatty and siani. I'll finish what we've got and try a different brand. I think it will be time to go up a size soon as well.

Glad you've had a good day mzzf. Autumn is my favourite time of year. we've had beautiful autumn sunshine all week. Perfect blackberry picking weather. I'm finding it hard to come home once we're out, it's so lovely.

I'm a bit worried I might be getting an infection. My womb is still very tender and my blood loss has ramped up after almost stopping. Exactly what the midwife told me to look out for. But I don't have a temperature, so hopefully it's just a sign of doing too much. Fingers crossed for ds having a good night as I'm feeling very sore.

frolic I had a bit of stop start with my bleeding after my emcs. Turns out I did have an infection even though I felt a-ok and completely normal - deffo get checked out asap missus!

Also I didn't get more bleeding after doing lots but I did get tenderness on my stomach.
Is there any change to the bleeding apart from there being more - smelly? More clots? Etc
Either way though it's worth taking it easy tomorrow and getting checked come Monday.

Always found washable nappies better at containing poonami and heavy wees. We've had two poonamis today so best look out the infant nappies. Never really noticed much odds between the different brands of disposables and on that basis have bought the cheapest/handiest. Aldi/Lidl are. Just as good as pampers imo.

Really hope you get relief from the reflux soon, Mzzzf. Brutal.

I want to try reusable nappies but I'm not sure how I can possibly manage that much laundry - Fergus goes through about 6 changes of clothes in 24th. I can wash stuff okay, but I can only fit one load onto the washing line at a time, I've no idea how I'd dry reusable nappies.