January 2016 - Hello babies!

[Nousername2015]

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

It's probably a growth spurt. I remember constant cluster feeding at 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks.

She also developed stomach ache, pulling up legs, clenching fists etc.

She seems a lot more settled this week I'm now waiting for the 6 week, 7 week and 8 week spurt.

We have a breakthrough - toddler slept through last night!
Plus, we've bought a cosleeper crib and last night baby slept in it for 3 hours with my hand resting on her so i actually got some sleep!
Plus this morning we've had a sleepthead delivered - next revelation as she napped in it for an hour, first time she has napped lying on her back without the noise of a running shower!

Oh wow mine won't hi anywhere nr Co sleeper

I shuffled myself right to the edge of it so she could still smell me, then put a hand on her so she could still feel me. Also warmed it with hot water bottle before putting her in, and used the tshirt i wore yesterday as an extra sheet over the mattress.
Does this make me sound a bit desperate?

Not at all you do what you got to do.

Mars, my baby won't sleep in cosleeper... Was considering doing that with T-shirt! Might out sheets on radiator. Co sleeper is handy to have rolled down with baby in bed so he can roll into it (no risk of falling out!)

I kept mine for that reason to but gor a moses basket and have had much better sleeps for both of us. X

PS I do wish she would go in it though. It looks so comfy and I could reach her easily. But I think it's too vast for her. X

How is everyone?

Last night felt a bit strange for me. Baby was fussy. We both fell asleep. Partner woke her up trying to get her in basket. More fussing. Slept in basket for a but then awake to be fed. Fed. Fell asleep in my arms. Same again.

I've been doing well at getting her in basket too.
Oh well ups and downs.

Also I feel like I've been winded. Not sure if it's from too much sitting.

Am enjoying being at home, feeding and snuggling but am I bit fed up today as I'm not sure I will ever be able to resume any kind of normality.... I don't plan anything in the day and by normality I mean jusy popping out for now or going for a day out a bit later.

It's quite isolating being at home. Partner seems to be cracking on with his hobbies and interests and I just feel a bit left/isolated at times.

Baby is worth it though. X

First time - I feel the same. Today and yesterday I have been taking naps, early nights, filling in time watching Netflix, knitting and drawing the baby and thinking about the future. So its kept me going a bit.

I'm imagining the future me who will look back at these early days and miss them, so keeping that in mind :)

I know. We will.miss it one day. I just haven't been able to get her in basket for a nap. I'm all for 4th trimester but I want to find a balance too. I've read on another thread that putting bab down whilst slightly drowsy (if they stir after winding) can help in the long run I've tried to do that and though I was doing that but today she just hasn't gone down since about midday. Every time I put her down she wakes up.... I'm worried she has spent too much time on me last night and wondering if she's at the stage now where she's starting to learn things

I just don't know.

Will definitely miss he's early days when we don't have them.. x

Anyone got any reassurance on losing weight? DD is 5 days today and is weighing in at 11% of her birth weight. She is a big girl, 10 pounds 2 at birth - am trying to feed as regularly as possible, left nipple holding up fairly well but right is very painful and I don't think her latch is right as she keeps bobbing off and I'm in a lot of pain!

Finally got appointment at tongue tie clinic for next Friday - those of you who have had it done please tell me it's not too traumatic.. we're getting through bottles of infacol pretty quickly at the moment. Really hope releasing tongue tie reduces wind and discomfort.

After horrendous growth spurt with constant feeding, ds2 actually had the best night ever last night, sleeping from 1am to 5:30, longest stretch so far. I actually felt human today. He has slept well today too though so I doubt he is tired enough for a repeat performance tonight and he is very squirmy and windy tonight so doubt he will settle easily.

Hope you're ok mars having a toddler and a baby screaming at night must be very hard and much harder to catch up on sleep during the day too. DS1 fortunately started sleeping through over Christmas at last (he is four!) or I would be going crazy right now.

liberty I think it's most important to establish whether she is now gaining or still losing weight.

Midwives here always suggest topping up with expressed milk if there are concerns about weight. Or even only giving expressed milk for a bit so you know how much she is getting. Only works if you can express though, I can't get more than a drop out but I know my baby is getting lots out so expressed amount is not an indication of how much milk you have.

Have you had latch checked? Has anyone checked for tongue tie? Can you get to a breastfeeding support group? I know it's a scary time when you're concerned about weight but maybe as she weighed a lot to begin with she can afford to lose more than a smaller baby?

liberty with my hefty baby struggling with latch on right side (just too heavy for me to support in the position required) still a working process but midwife suggested underarm technique. I can only feed in bed propped up with loads of pillows! V practical.... Oh well! (oh and latch still hit and miss, felt v low about it all yesterday, 5 days old) hope you all had a little sleep

My baby had tongue tie snipped and didn't cause any problems. I think it's more distressing for parents to watch as parents.

I had the same thing and wasn't far off being readmitted. I gave top up as after each feed and fed 2-3 hourly and had tongue tie done.

Speak to your midwife mine were good and out me on a feeding plan. Also midwives kept weighing her after she reached birth weight to check things were ok. X

Thanks cheese phizpop and firsttime - she's being weighed on Wednesday and I've asked our local breastfeeding guru if I can see her tomo and then I'm going to the nct bumps and babies on Tuesday! Hopefully this will all help! I googled compression and that seems to help her on my dodgy boob

DS is now 26 days old (where has the time gone??) and we are STILL struggling with latch. I have watched hours of youtube videos which I would recommend for technique. We are doing everything right but I just can't get him to open his mouth enough. He is gaining weight, the only issues we have is very frequent feeding and every other poo is green.

My bf support lady had me hold him at the neck leaving the head free to latch, however I'm having nore success supporting him behind the ears. Would definitely recommend youtube for some latching help until you can see someone. Hope the sore nips stop soon!

Today I am really struggling with the tiredness.. Nothing has really changed, but for some reason feeling quite low about it..

Man, this stage is tough.. DS2 is lovely, but it is hard.. I feel a bit like I've lost my identity.. I cannot wait to get out a bit.. Day 12 and haven't really got out much yet.. That, and the weather improving!!

I'm the same it's hard.

Does anyone know how to tell if babies are dehydrated. Looked on Google so have an idea. Fontanel seemed visibly dipped but I asked midwife when I was concerned a few weeks ago and see said it was fine.

Just today I've been a bit concerned.

Also how does everyone time feeds. If baby feeds say from 1-3 would you time from end of feed? They say to go from the start but if feeds take ages that seems unreasonable. I've asked the bf support this question before I'm still uncertain about what to do

There are breastfeeding helplines too - www.laleche.org.uk/

It was horribly painful for me initially with both children - cracked, bleeding bruised nipples but the support from the Midwives and the other groups made all the difference. I was crying out in pain. Luckily the pain lasted less than a week in both cases. Its not hard to see why some people give up, especially once they leave the hospital and don't know where to get help.

In other news - I am in reflux HELL. She has it really badly and it gets much worse at night. I spent 5 hours last night trying to settle her and four changes of clothes.

With the breast feeding, do you all find your breasts are quite sore and full inbetween feeds? Is this normal or does it calm down a bit? He's sleeping so I don't want to wake him up !

I've had some problems in regards to pumping as initially I wanted to exclusively express, but I've changed my mind (i'm slowly stopping pumping, just one min per boob to relieve the tension 2-3 times a day at the most)

Oh sorry to hear peoples different problems/hurdles, i guess we all have our little challenges to overcome...

I think it calms down after a while once your body knows what your baby demands

I'm not an expert but I'd assume that you would get less wet nappies if baby was dehydrated? How is nappy output?