December-the 'Merry Christmas' Babies!

[Calmriver]

Hi Guys, thought I wouldn't betray our months of being together...whats a week amoungst friends!!!

Congratulations mardy and welcome to the world Hester. Keeping everything crossed for a positive outcome, will be thinking of you and yours.

Eli hope all is well with Mischa.

Hi everyone else, was coming on to try and post a proper one but dd wants entertaining, so I should keep her amused whilst ds is asleep. Will try again later xxx

Congratulations Olihan, I thought my baby was going to be the whopper of the board! Welcome to the world Ben

I'm still thinking that lying on his back is part of the problem with ds2 (altho he did take one nap yesterday on back ). I gave him baby bliss gripewater during his early norning restlessness and we got another 2 hours of sleep after that.

hiya, im new, i had a baby boy called charlie on 15th december at 9.15pm, i have 2 other kids,shannon 6 and declan 4, they had been brilliant!
Have read most of this thread and it has made me feel better knowin im not the only one whose suffering with sore boobs from BF and lack of sleep
He also seems to have lots of wind all the time? And i thought BF reduced that?
Charlie is constanly moaning in the day, wantin to be picked up and burped!Have given him colic drops , dont seem to work!

Hayley- the colic drops often only work after they have been used for 3 days or so...thats the kicking in period. Have you been doing them for a few days?

Jabber - just to let you know I have tried to reply to your email but it's not going through...just tried again.

xx

Jabber - just to let you know I have tried to reply to your email but it's not going through...just tried again.

xx

calmriver: yes about 2 days now!! i might try infacol instead..mw said its better!

HayleyWaley, here's something I copied to try with ds2:

To reduce gas

? Change in the nursing mothers diet: The most common gas producing foods eaten by nursing mothers include: dairy products; cabbage family; orange juice; very spicy foods; caffeine containing foods such as chocolate, coffee, tea; anything that produces gas in the mother.
? Drinking soothing herb teas. The relaxing nervines. especially those containing carminative oils may help. Examples for the mother to drink include Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), Balm (Melissa officinalis)Linden (Tilia spp.) or Red Clover (Trifolium pratense).
? Rhythmic activities: Such movement helps ease both abdominal discomfort and emotional distress. Examples might include gentle rocking, car rides, walking with baby in a front pack, baby swings, setting in infant seat on top of a clothes dryer.
? Sucking: Some babies will not suck during colic attacks, and it is not a good idea to continually feed the colicky infant, however you may be able to encourage the infant to suck his own hand or fingers, or a teething object.
? Heat: Lay baby over warm hot water bottle wrapped in towel in a flexed position and rhythmically pat the back. Give the baby a warm bath.
? Alter feeding position: Try feeding with baby sitting up to avoid ingestion of air. Bubble the baby often during feeding

Also:

Some women find that certain foods in their diet seem to make colic worse and they may find that cutting these foods out helps. These might include cruciferous vegetables (eg cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts and parsnip), beans, onions, garlic, apricots, melon, spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol. By reintroducing foods gradually, women may be able to identify which food, if any, is causing the problem.

lubella,not sure what the problem is, I just got an email from chipmonkey but I've set up a hotmail account just for you

jabberwocky dot 2006 at hotmail dot com

no spaces

Let me know when you email and then I'll reply from my regular address.

Oh, here's a thought about the blocked email, lubella. If you just hit reply it goes back to MN. You have to look in the message and click on my address. But now you can use the hotmail address too, so either way we'll get in touch.

Got home this evening - hurrah!!!

I've only just had time to scroll down a few posts-worth, and have yet to unpack hospital bag, but here goes.....

Mischa is much, much better, and thank you to all who asked after her/me. Its been a hell of a ride, this past week's rollercoaster (just when you think they're getting better, they get worse - and vice versa) and I know more about intensive paediatric care than I ever hoped to. But the long and short of it is that Mischa had bronchiolitis pretty badly: she has a 'floppy larynx' (I know a couple of you mentioned those, what feels like ages ago) which is no big deal in itself, but can make respiratory tract infections more severe. She's also very little. I was petrified when she went into the High Dependency Unit, but its where she needed to be and they were brilliant. The uncertainty and getting iller went on for days, and I lived in the hospital 'hotel' for most of it - waking up at 2.30am or so to express milk and check on Mischa, never knowing what I'd find going on in the HDU. One time there were cardiac arrests going on, another time curtains were pulled around her bed...you can imagine what went through my head, but they'd just moved her across the room to make space for another bed. A few more grey hairs, that one.

Two nights ago, she was well enough to be booted off HDU into a sideroom on the main ward (to make room for someone sicker) and I packed my bags at 1am to trundle down a floor to sleep beside her. Or, not sleep - monitor kept beeping. Then as suddenly as she got sick, she got well. Within 48 hours she no longer needed oxygen, started being able to cope with bottle and then breast feeding without choking/coughing, and today, just after the last tube came out, she SMILED . A real one, eyes and all, looking straight at me. So did I.

DH and dd have been stars, though dd has been very upset at times - she had the hacking cough throughout, dh is sick (same bug probably) and I am just starting it, but the family is back together again and we're all pretty happy. Once we stopped being scared that Mischa was going to die, the worst bit was being apart so much, especially so soon after a birth, and over dd's birthday and Christmas.

The best bit was the support amongst parents, and some of the nurses. And the canteen vouchers for Nursing Mothers (made me feel like I was in the war and had Done My Bit, somehow) which provided me with mega fattening stodgy comfort food twice a day .

That has to be the longest post I've ever posted: but telling you a bit about this past week might help me move on from it. A part of me is still in shock, so talking helps...

And MardyBum, I'm thinking of you lots - I can only imagine how scary and shocking it must be waiting to get more information, and having to deal with not knowing whats going to happen. And dealing with your LO through it all. Puts my week into perspective..

New Year love & hugs to all, I'm looking forward to catching up as much as possible, and talking feed, sleep, sibling issues again!

Eli, I'm sooo happy to hear that Mischa is better. I have thought about you every day. It really makes you stop and reasses priorities when something like this happens, doesn't it? It certainly did for me.

Try to get some rest. I will keep you and little Mischa in my thoughts.

love,
jabber

Eli, I'm so pleased that Mischa is well and you are all together again.
Mardy, all thoughts and prayers with you asnd yours.

I haven't had a minute to post since Eloise was born. But I'm having a really rotten day, and need to cry on someone's shoulder!
Following a difficult, planned CS, in which they couldn't find a space to give me a spinal block and nearly reverted to a GA (which I violentlt protested)little Eli was born. She is a really big baby for someone as tiny as me, and they had to use forceps to haul her out. During the night, she became jaundiced, and her levels are only now starting to fall, 10 days in. Apart from sunlight, which is in short supply in Scotland at this time of year , does anyone know of anything that can speed up the reversion process?
I'm also bleeding like a stuck pig (sorry if TMI). I thought that I had stopped bleeding a couple of days ago, but the flood gates have opened now
Also, having fed DD1 successfully for 2.5 years, I am struggling to feed DD2 - we can't seem to get the latch right, and the only way to get her to open her mouth wide enough is to catch her in mid-scream. This can't be good for her, associating feeding with screaming. I've had cracked and bleedin nipples for 10 days, pain in both breasts after feeding, and now I seem to have a blocked duct in one breast. HELP!
I seem to have spent most of today in tears. I know that my problems are really trivial, but its nice to know that I'm not on my own and that I can come on here and moan. DH is trying his best, but I think he thinks I'm going round the twist

babypowder, I'm so sorry you're low but you have every right to be tearful. I had lots of problems bfing ds1 and remember completely breaking down after 2 weeks. You may want to try expressing and giving a bottle for a few feeds. It's tricky tho as you don't want to have nipple confusion. This time around I had one side that was more tolerable so at one point I just fed from that side and expressed from the other for a few days to give it a break.

Ds2 was quite jaundiced. The bfing consultant said the more he pooped the better things would be. Now, you may have seen my post ranting about the pediatrician having me give some formula feeds in the hospital. She said there were some studies that showed formula helped bring down jaundice faster. It sounds weird to me, but if you do decide to give a bottle or two you may want to try it. I was upset mainly as ds1 had severe nipple confusion and I didn't want that to happen again. Ds2 had 3 feeds of formula with bfing in between and is still feeding fine - although I am desperately wondering when all the soreness will go away

I bled a lot and for a long time afer my section with ds1 - much more than this time. But, if you feel that it is excessive you will definitely want to give your dr. a call.

Finally, as I mentioned to lubella, when you have had a traumatic birth it can be difficult to get your head around it. I have spent literally years in therapy after ds1's birth. So if you feel you need to talk to someone do it sooner rather than later. Feel free to CAT me. If you use the hotmail address I posted for lubella, let me know on this thread as it is not an email that I use normally.

Big cyberhugs to you and also to Mardybum. You are in my thoughts MB as is little Hester.

babypowder, I forgot to ask if you had tried nipple shields. That's the only way I could get ds2 to take the right side at first. I wish I had tried them wih ds1.

Nipple shields might sound like a solution, but they very quickly cut down the supply of milk to almost nothing, so don't use them if you can avoid it.

thanks for the info jabber that explains a few things! xxx
i brought nipple sheilds and they hurt even more!

Jabber I have emailed on your hotmail let me know when you recieved OK x

Elibean and Mardy you and your LO's are in my thoughts and prayers

Babypowder Angelina was v jaundiced which the Midwife told me (after I developed Mastitis and had to stop BF) was being prolonged somewhat by BF. Cleared up within 48 hours of Formula feeding, I think the more they can pass through their system/ Liver - wee + poo the better so if you can bear to give a top-up feed it will help, as will fresh air and of course a bit of sunshine which yes is in v short supply in Kent. If you can changed/ top and tail her by a window this is good too.

DH did the night shift last night and is still asleep. Angelina didn't settle ALL night apart from in my arms for a bit, it is just utter hell. Still terrified at how I am going to cope next week when he goes back to work but trying not to think about it; each day at a time..

Went to the health shop yesterday and asked for something to help me get through this and was given "Floradix" which I have only been taking for 2 days but already seems to make me feel more human - it is safe for BF and actually suggested for women who have just given birth...I really recommend esp if you have had a difficult birth/PPH like I did xx

Hi All,

Eli I am so pleased for you. From DD1 I know how nice it is to be released after being institutionalise at the hospital for that seems like so long. (((())))

Mardy my thoughts are still with you and Hester (((())))

Dylan went for 5 and a half hours after a hungrier baby 10pm feed last night, but me....I woke afer 4, 4 and a half and 5 hours just to check everything was okay. He must have sensed my anxiety and decided not put me through it again. Because when I smugly returned to sleep after the 3.30 hungrier feed thikning it would be 7.30 or 8 when I next woke, he woke exactly 3 hours later!! Fun and games, he has a pattern all of his own.

What I like best (least) is that he goes from sound asleep to full blown screams for food without even opening his eyes. Big bird could be feeding him and he would'nt care!

And just as I was healing nicely and able to sit without a single wince, days of crap eating have paid me back. And as I am a bit constipated as as a result (apologies for TMI) I now have a nice bunch of piles agin . Germaloids has reappeared from the bathroom cabinet and fibregel is beck on the daily menu (twice)!!

However as I sit here I am still munching on a pack of Cadburys fingers, having had a cup of tea and digestives for breakfast - digestives do have fibre though!

does anybody know if combing BF with formula is ok?
charlie has been having a formula last thing at night (about 1am)which DF gives him,,so i can go to bed early and he can sleep right thru til 5am ..coz when i was BF i was doin every hour or so thru the night ands i wasnt sleeping!

bailey: i was constiped n had piles last week, havin a poo was like givin birth, it bloody killed i was screaming sometimes lol... i know how awful it is but luckily its cleared up now

HW, I was giving formula and expressed breast milk for a few days - although I had problems, like last time and only managed to exptress a total of 3 oz. But MW and HV all said some was better than noe, so I would imagine what you ar doing is fine!

Thank you all so much - its amazing the difference a day makes! Having been utterly low yesterday, I decided that I would stay in bed this morning until DD2 woke for her 11:00 feed. Just left DH and DD1 to it. And it has made the world of difference!
I did the shower head on the blocked duct thing, and amazingly DD2 fed off it really successfully. So hopefully that's that over with for now.
It's interesting about the formula feed and jaundice thing. My MW insisted that there was nothing I could do, and that formula wasn't something that I needed. DD2 is doing at least 4 really yellow poos everyday, and her nappy gets really heavy with wee (we're using reusables, and they get REALLY heavy )
Anyway, just wanted to say thanks to you all for the support and understanding. I'm sure that things will continue to get better - after all I've managed to raise DD1 and 3 step children quite successfully up to now! Just sometimes it feels like I can't possibly cope!