January 2016 - Hello babies!

[Nousername2015]

Thread to share our experiences and also have a chat to someone also dealing with lively babies at 3am!

So dd3 had a better night, fed every 4 hours through the night and stayed in her moses but...
She's caught our germs. Snuffling which is stopping her feeding, docs gave me some saline drops but she's bringing back up feeds and is then crying because she's hungry.
Any tips for a week old baby with a cold?
Thought she would have some immunity from me. Saying that she has avoided the temperature that ds1&2 have

MW didn't say cluster feeds weren't normal - I said that she said that long cluster feeds (like 4-5 hours) are uncommon and could be sign that baby isn't getting enough milk. BUT clearly long cluster feeds over a good few hours aren't that uncommon as it seems many of us on this forum have been attached for 4-5 hours at some point, and so it is likely to be nothing for us to worry about at the moment

Oh I see. Yes. Seems we've all been there.

Glad to see others worrying about engorged boobs! I had what I assume was a blocked duct last night and it was AGONY. Some fairly brutal massaging, hot showering and feeding seemed to sort out the big painful lump but both have been very sore today and having just laid down in bed they're pretty uncomfortable.

I also have the problem that none of my clothes fit or are suitable for bf-ing so need to do some hasty online shopping as I'm not ready for a shopping trip with a newborn just yet...!

Lily a cheap solution is to get a loose vest top to wear under normal top. Pull vest top down to reveal boob, pull normal top up. Minimal flesh on show.
Although i BF ds1 until just after i went back work when he was one, and by that stage i didn't care when or where i whacked the boobs out anymore!
Weirdest place I BF was the petfood aisle of a french hypermarket.

newflash baby is in her basket! She is asleep! Admittedly this has only been the case for 10 mins so any second now she will begin screeching but this is huge progress as not an instant wakeup.
Ridiculously, I'm now lying here missing her tiny snuggly little body and her lovely baby smell. Bonkers.

Marsaday I'm keen to BF for 1 yr. Any tips? How do u deal with the teeth? How many times a day did u do it and how did u do it with f99d etc

Mumfairy you need a nose sucker!
You need one with a tube that you suck with your mouth, like nosefrieda. You can get them in boots. Don't bother with the bulb shape hand ones, they do nothing.
Also, fill bathroom with steam and take baby in, it will loosen then gunk so you can suck it out more easily. I know its a disgusting concept but the nose sucker has been a life saver for us with cold prone ds1.

First time I just carried on... Teeth didn't cause a huge issue really - i got bitten twice when his front teeth came in and that was it. It was more when actually teething and suckling hurt his gums that we had issues, he would be obviously hungry but pull off and cry. I used to put teething gel on gums just before a feed at those times.
Mine wasnt a great eater when he was tiny, he was really picky so we didnt reduce breastfeeding that much really. By one he was on feed before breakfast, mid morning, after nap, late avo and one before bed. He had one at night until about 11 months and then he slept through

I second the vest top under ordinary top thing. Much easier than wearing special bf clothes with flaps I csn never find that look a bit odd if designed to be worn while pregnant too. I like H&M's nursing vests too with shelf bra as I'm flat enough not to need a proper bra too so it reduces the number of layers that need faffing with at each feed
I fed ds1 for a year. He never bit me and bf didn't feel any different once he had teeth. I found it a doddle from about 6 weeks onwards and much easier once they are big enough to sit on your lap so you don't need pillows or cushions to support you. Once he started eating he went much longer between feeds and mainly fed at home (morning, night, before/after naps) but I have also fed him in every imaginable place and most of the time I doubt anyone even realised I was doing it.

Does anybody know how to bring a cluster feed forward? I was advised to have tea then do bath then keep offering boob. Did all this, he fed frequently but cluster still started at 11 pm. I need to bring it forward as it's killing me

Currently mid a massive cluster feed. She went down at 7, then woke at 9 and has been feeding since..!

No idea about how to shift a cluster feed, sorry. Although ds1 i used to offer boob every hour to 90 mins after if at home and ge rarely cluster fed, i guess as he was full already.

Who 's awake??
Baby DD has slept 3 one hour blocks in moses basket tonight - this feels like some sort of miracle as up until now she cried inatantly every time.
The catch is that she will only sleep if white noise is playing, if it is turned off, shw wakes instantly.
Despite baby having a good night, ive actually slept even less (only an hour sp far) as toddler has been a complete Nightmare - after 2 hours of on-off shouting and yelling we Finally gave up and put him in the spare room with daddy.

After lunch that should say!

Oh no sounds like you've had a bad night. I'm full of mummy guilt aha8m

Hey all, m joining from the other thread. Still in hospital. Ds has generally been good, hat him out from intensive care two nights ago. Last night/this morning he just cried and cried. Constantly wanting to breastfeed. I'm having problems with him latching on, so have been expressing and using nipple shields however breasts are engorged now.

I just want to go home.

And it feels like no one told me about how bad after effects of labour cab be. Horrible blood, swollen where stitches are.

If I want so battered,I feel I could do a better job.

He is a beautiful baby though... But it's so hard. Reading here about your experiences is good to know I'm not alone, but waaaaaaa its ask so painy!!!!

Just so painy*

Is it worth exclusively expressing or shall I just go formula? Will my boobs get better???

Boobs will get better I promise get some lansinoh and apply after every feed.

Has he been checked for tongue tie

He hasn't got tongue tie, its my flat nipplee :(

I just spoke to one of the midwife's. Just feel like the last few days have felt like weeks!

Ask for help with latch I'm sure you should still be able to bf despite nipper shape. I haven't heard that prevents it but I am really no expert.

You're doing brill x

I think you can get a gadget think to help latch with flat nipples. Can't remember name but will see if i can Google.
I have a ridiculous over supply of milk and boobs are hard as rock. My dd is a dinky dot so can't get her mouth around them properly and then struggles with the flow.

Marsaday and cheese and crackers

Thanks for the bf tips. Obviously I can't say but I was hoping to bf at that age in the morning and maybe at night. I d9nt know how I will feel doing it in public at that age. I know it shouldn't bother me but it's still a bit of a taboo isn't it?

Flat nipples here too and I could get him to latch while in hospital so he had a mixture of breast milk (with help getting him on), donor milk and formula. We started exclusively bf-ing after we'd been home 24 hours and started getting the knack but we're still figuring it out a week later!

I don't know what the mw's advice will be re expressing vs formula, are they helping you at all?

And yes, the after effects are pretty painful. Take painkillers and take it easy, it'll heal up soon!

rpj this is the thing I was thinking of..

www.amazon.co.uk/Lansinoh-70150-Latch-Assist/dp/B001PPGR42
Not sure if link will , if not it's called Lansinoh latch assist. You can probably order from boots for next day delivery to nearest store.

first time you will probably find that by then you'll have been bf for so long that it just seems normal, you won't even think about it any more.

I cut down gradually before i went back to work, replaced one boob feed with a bottle every couple of weeks until i was just feeding before work and before bed. No trauma involved as I did it so gradually, and no issues with engorgement either.

I haven't had much engorgement I think because my supply was low.

Thanks I'll probably forget and end up posting nearer the time but great tip.