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!

Welcome hopeful and congrats.

I've tried the swaddling technique but even that doesn't work for us. nolonger I've resorted to dummy use and so far it's not affected her breastfeeding wise. Dp uses it more than I'd like because I can see she's rooting for food so would rather feed her than use the dummy but when we need some sleep I use it. Also have given formula once a day when despite hours of cluster feeding she's still hungry so it's just helped settle her off so I can.get we sleep too. But I'd say it probably has only been once a day she's had formula.

Don't like this cluster feeding. Makes me feel my milk isn't enough for her but I know that's not the case.

I took her to be weighed today and she's gained 5oz after losing 13oz so I'm happy it's on the up.

Hi Dozy, I quite like your suggestion of a bottle of formula a day. We might do that before bed in order to try and get a longer stretch during the night. Does it seem to fill her up in your experience?

Hi hopeful

I had a c section on 12th. All I can say about the swelling and the bruising is I hope so!!! My friends who have had them assure me it does.

Nolonger giving a dummy hasn't affected DS breast feeding at all. Mores the pity (joke) I am looking for a support group too but loads are closed for the summer holidays and September feels so bloody far away at the moment.

We have introduced formula in a similar way. Just give it too him when he has fed and fed and fed and still seems hungry. Probably on about 1 a day too. Dozygirl how much do you give in the bottle? Do you follow instructions for size / age or a bit less since he is also getting breast milk. Feel a bit confused about how we should be doing it.

Totally get the feeling that milk is not enough. Cluster feeding really feeds that worry. No matter how many dirty / wet nappies we get it really makes me worry I can't give him enough milk. Even though I know that's not the case.

Got everything crossed we all get some sleep!

I think it's mainly because my dp seems to enjoy giving a bottle that I've not minded it so much. To begin with it was just whenever we felt desperate enough to give it to her because she would get so worked up trying to latch on that nothing would settle her. Now I'm just trying one in the late evening if she's still unsettled so I can go to bed early. Hasn't worked tonight because she's been constantly feeding from me. I'd just nipped to loo while dp decided to give bottle as she was still rooting. He made up 90mls but I personally wouldn't have given that much. Anyway she guzzles it too fast and puked all over him heehee. At the same time I must have caught my stitches (had 3rd degree tear) and started bleeding again just as he yelled for me to come and help him so ended up dripping blood everywhere. Can't wait for everything go be fully healed. I feel sorry for those of you that have had sections as I'm sure the recovery is way worse than stitches and this has seemed annoying enough. Dd has now managed to fall asleep by herself in the moses basket so the milk must have done something!

My only problem with her is at 9 days old she has only ever passed meconium and the last time she did that was on Sunday. So we are doing all we can to try and coax it out of her. Been doing lots of massaging of her tummy and winding and moving her legs etc but all we get are lots of stinky trumps. Midwife wasn't concerned but breastfeeding counsellor is a little bit concerned. My midwife friend has suggested cooled boiled water in case she's bunged up from the formula but she's literally had such a little amount in comparison to breast milk that I can't undestand why it would. Let's hope tomorrow is the day she finally poops.

Kbro I'd go with about 60mls if just using it as a top up of breast milk but just see how much baby wants.

I know exactly what you mean Dozy and Kbro - the constant feeding just makes me feel like there's no way DS can be getting enough milk. Have to keep looking online for reassurance that it's normal. Yesterday was particularly challenging as he didn't properly sleep between 2pm and midnight... Where has my snoozey newborn gone?
Had a bit of a meltdown and decided to introduce a dummy to give my boobs a break, but after making what felt like the huge decision, then sterelising, etc, he just spat it out and wasn't at all interested! So no respite for my nips

Clstow it took DS a few goes with dummy. He spat it out a first too (after I agree what felt like massive decision!!) but it does seem to now be helping keep him chilled and give my very sore boobs a little break. It doesn't help him sleep any better at night but gives us a bit of a break during the day. Esp as my sleepy new born has also disappeared.

Am watching one born and can't quite believe over a week that was us.

Dozygirl thanks for the advice! 60 Mls was what we started with but my husband is a bit like your dp and gave 100 last night. I think he worries the mass feeding is too much for me (which it is) but 100 mls was a bit more than I would have wanted.

Hope your stitches are ok. That sounds v sore!!

All better today. Dd had a completely different night and was too sleepy to feed. They like to challenge us don't they. I got up and expressed anyway so the milk wasn't wasted. Still not getting as much as I'd like but it's slowly increasing each time I express. She was still sleepy this morning so I've bathed her and changed her and that's done the trick. She's now feeding beautifully off me. I can't wait for the day that the feeding is done in minutes rather than hours.
Oh and we finally had a poonami last night after 6 days of no pooing. I stopped my iron tablets in case that was making her constipated. I don't feel particularly anaemic anyway even though I'd had some blood loss at delivery so I'm sure I'll be fine without them.

Hope everyone else is doing ok.

Hi Dozy, glad you had a better night. Apparently expressing the amount you get isn't indicative of how much the baby is getting from you because they are so much more efficient at emptying the boob than the pump is.

We had a mixed night. Pretty good until 3am when he just couldn't get comfy again and was basically either feeding or crying from then until 7 when my toddler got up. I'm zonked today and DH is working so no rest. Am thinking of taking DD to the pictures as DS will sleep through it and it will be easy parenting!

So tonight was a feeding frenzy that lasted almost 4 hours. Followed by 60mls expressed milk from earlier. My nipples are so sore I dread putting her on now. I've come to bed now while dp gives her a formula feed so hopefully she'll sleep for a bit.

Yep feeding frenzy here this evening as well, I just don't understand where he puts it all! Doesn't seem like it's over yet either...

How did you get on at the pictures nolonger? Did DS sleep through?

Another mixed night here. He seems to sleep ok until about 3 and then it's hourly waking from then on.

Pictures was great. Just the trick. My eldest loved it and ds slept in the sling all the way through! I felt better just for 2 hours in a darkened room. We watched Inside Out btw. Lovely film.

Ah I saw inside out during the long wait for pregnancy to finish. It's really lovely. 2 hours in dark room sounds bliss.

We seem to be having better nights (yay) but now terrible days (boo). No napping, constant feeding and lots of crying. However do think mentally days are easier to cope with so I'll take that. And TV is better in the day for the feedathons. My midwife is also going to try and send a HV who can give us some breast feeding advice as I said how painful am still finding it and all the support groups are shut. Feel v lucky to live in area where we get such great post natal care. So many friends had no support.

Oh and in other happy news, the belly button thing has fallen off. Now need to be brave enough to bath him.

I bathed mine almost straight away heehee. Just in water and so could get all the gunk of her hair. Haven't been bathing frequently though.
Dd was up almost every hour last night too. The lack of sleep is finally catching up on me. Been out for lunch but felt sleepy though out it and wanted to be home. Feel like i could sleep all day i reckon.

It was bliss! Post-birth hormones must still be rife though as I did shed a couple of tears!

We've got the daytime feedathons too. He seems to want to feed but then is sick as if he's had too much. I am going to try a dummy as this makes me think he is getting enough milk but wants to comfort suck.

Kbro I'm pleased you are going to get some bfing support even though the groups are closed. It's easy to see why people feel unsupported...it's not like women stop having babies just because it's the school holidays!

Dozy, how often are you bathing? I'm still nervous about it so only given two so far. Ds has milk spots though so I've been worried about making it worse but maybe I should do more to see if that clears them up.

I'm so relieved to hear you guys are getting the feeding/crying daytime as well. I've been in tears today thinking I'm doing a crap job as I feel like when DS is awake he's always either eating or crying.

We've been bathing him about every 3 days... He still has some dry skin so not wanting to bathe him too much but he actually seems to like the water so it's quite a fun thing to do.

Great news about the bf support Kbro, I'm planning on going to a drop in tomorrow, I'm just so paranoid he's not getting enough milk.

Tell me about it clstow. Ds will not settle this evening at all. Crying, feeding, pulling off but then rooting again, nearly falling asleep but then screaming until he goes beetroot! I honestly don't know what else to try

Was going to give a bath tonight but I think he's too wound up now. I'm sure he's overtired.

Haven't really gotten into a routine yet with bathing. I did the first one is hospital ready for visitors but that was because dp wanted to do it. Then did one with my sister because she wanted to do it and another one to try wake her up after a sleepy night and that worked quite well. She had a sticky eye yesterday but that's gone today thank goodness.

Mainly expressed milk today because by nips are so sore and had too many visitors to sit feeding. Just tried rugby ball position and that seems a little less painful. Tried to test out my bf cover for when we're out and about but I can't figure it out. It feels way too claustrophobic under it and I can't see what I'm doing especially as I have shields to contend with too. And dd arms and hands lol. Why can they not just keep them out of the way haha. Anyone else fed in public yet?

Thanks for the advice on baths. We give a bath to toddler dd every night as part of her bedtime routine but I guess I need to stop worrying about routines just yet and focus on the fact ds doesn't really need more than a couple of baths a week.

I have fed out quite a few times and am just doing vest under another top and pulling the Vest down and the top up to maintain coverage but still see what I'm doing. Bit of an embarrassing moment when ds pulled off midway through a feed though and my milk was still spraying out. I now throw a muslim over my shoulder for both extra cover and to press on nipples if baby does it again!

Muslin not muslim!

I think DS is over tired to but he can fight sleep that nothing else. He looks so shattered but will not give in. Am hoping he just wants to watch the end of les mis and we can all get some sleep when its done.

He has fed for hours tonight. And is still rooting. He also will eat till he is sick but still be rooting straight afterwards. So confusing.

My current worry / theory is, is that he is getting too much fore-milk and not enough of the hind milk as despite feeding all the time he is constantly latching on and off.

Clstow I had the tears yesterday for fhe same reasons. It's so hard. I keep hoping will turn a corner with the feeding but don't seem to. Have to keep reminding myself it is v early days.

Yeah I can't believe we're only a couple of weeks in - it really is a rollercoaster. Feeling a bit better this evening after DS finally slept - which meant I could also have a nap.

It's so hard when they get themselves overtired isn't it... You can't force them to sleep but you know that's what they need. Babies are funny little things really.

I've done some public feeding too - just been pulling up my tshirt. There is nothing remotely sexy about my boobs at the moment so not really bothered if people see but other friends have said the bf tops made a huge difference to them... If it is really tricky I also recommend the muslin as a convenient cover.

Do tool a picture of me while I was feeding and I had the top pulled up. From my view looking down it looked like a lot of boob was covered but from the picture it was clear there was a lot of boob on show. I know that feeding is natural etc but I don't find my own boobs attractive so don't really feel comfortable with other people being able to see them. I think a muslin as a cover up might work better than that daft nursing cover I've got.

Hi All - Can I join in?
Baby Jack arrived on Friday 21st August at the lovely hour of 1:04am! Slowly getting the hang of everything I think...other than trying to crack breastfeeding. Eventually get him to latch right but takes me a few tries to get my nip in at the right angle....to be fair he is patient (sometimes!)

Going to the docs to get Jack registered this afternoon and his check up. This should be the 24 hour check up but because he was born on a Friday - first apt to get is Mon.

Question for you all - when did your babies cord fall off? Ours has got knocked so a bit manky - midwife came today and said nothing to worry about just to keep it clean etc. Still looks horrible but don't think it bothers Jack.