February 2016 - our babies are here!

[IslaMann]

New group for those graduating the ante-natal thread

Ds1 is nearly 3 so is easier to entertain out of the house with plenty of space to burn energy... and dh was there to keep him occupied. Which just left me with ds2 to deal with. And poor dh is having a rotten time at work so quality family time seemed like a good antidote!

Blimey mawsy sounds like you've had everything going on bar a dose of Ebola! Hopefully there is a little light at the end of the tunnel now?
And I echo what others say, come online for support- you can talk about the annoying, the TMI, the crap and so on here, and you'll get support and probably some saying they're going through the same thing too!

www.mummypages.co.uk/public-health-england-issues-stark-warning-to-parents-in-the-uk-

Sorry for the bite sized chunks, am on phone...
That sounds tough maisie. Clearly DC will be fine if you move onto formula, and it may well be that it's the best thing for you and your family as a whole. However if you want to keep going with bf, would it be worth speaking with your HV, or specialists like La Leche to work out a schedule of feeding to boost supply, perhaps slowly dropping a ff every few days?

clumsy my understanding is that the MWs retain responsibility for you legally for 28 days after the birth, so given you're so close I'm sure they'd be happy to talk to you. If not, HV or GP- you'll be due your six week check up so it could be covered in that?

Had our 5 day check up today and DS had dropped just 1% of birth weight so was really happy as spent the last 2 days as an emotional wreck and crying all the time and I am not someone that cries ever, felt like I wasn't doing a good job with DS and didn't know what I was doing. Got told today by MW that it is the baby blues and perfectly normal, do feel a lot better today although my milk has come in so boobs are enormous and rock hard!

Not sure who said it up post but agree that we need to write the good and bad times on here as it definitely helps to talk to others and know your not the only one sometimes feeling poop etc.

On a positive am taking DS out in his new pushchair today!!

that all sounds positive MaryEllen - it's so weird when you can't stop crying though! I had a really condensed version this time, about two hours on day two- then looked down and realised my boobs had tripled in size and my milk was in!

DD has done well too- 7'4 at birth, down to just below 7 on day 5, then 7'10 on day 11 so discharged from MW.

Yay MaryEllen! We had our 5-day check today too and DS has dropped 6.2%- he feeds really infrequently and can happily go 6 hours between feeds, was really worried, but it seems he's getting enough even if it's leaving my boobs full still. Tried bra shopping this afternoon but M&S doesn't do a bra big enough! My back's killing me!

Been a bit quiet sorry, but have been reading through. Congrats to new arrivals!!

handbag and troika really glad to hear you're both back at home and everything's ok.

mawsy that sounds utterly hardcore, thinking of you!

maryellen and chinchilla I had awful baby blues - couldn't fathom how I'd get through the next hour let alone rest of my life with the baby! Thankfully it only lasted a few days and I feel better mentally than I've felt since ds died. It's wonderful.

Bubs was weighed yesterday (18 days old) and he is now 10lb 7oz, a whole 1lb 7oz heavier than he was at birth!! He's huge! Feeding loads as well still, we're constantly glued to each other, but luckily the feeds are getting shorter. We went out to a sling library today and have borrowed a stretchy wrap so hopefully that'll save our arms during the day. He's so blooming heavy!

How're things going maisie?

Thanks for the warning rufus

Haquoi I can't wait till DD hits the magic 8lbs and I can get her in my Moby wrap sling. It was the best thing ever when DS was little- if he were grumpy, I'd pop him in and walk round the block and he'd be asleep. He'd sleep for hours in it and I could get so much done going on MN total godsend!

Hello all! Hope everyone's ok.

We got discharged from midwife care yesterday - I'm feeling good and DS is over his birth weight at 10 days old and dismally feeding well. We're giving him formula and breastmilk and hoping we can sort out his latch with a bit of support so we can drop the pumping which is boring and so inconvenient!

He's 11 days old today and still has his cord attached - really looking forward to it dropping off. Hopefully in the next day or two.

Did anyone else's baby get sucking blisters on their lips? Midwife says it's normal but I don't want him sore and suffering. Any idea how long it takes them to toughen up?

Finally not dismally!

Marking place as I've dropped off the thread and want to get back on. Glad you've been discharged handbag, you've been in for so long!

We're still not back up to birth weight here. There have been some complications health wise but we're still not discharged. I'm finding it depressing the amount in feeding and her weight just never goes up! It's stopped going down but only increases by 100g at a time which is nothing really.

I've been struggling with dds feeding routine as well since leaving hospital. Being used to feeding on demand I find the three hourly feeds alone a bit of a pita, let alone having to pump and top up. Also dd really doesn't want most of the top ups now my milk is in. She could easily sleep for 4/5 hours at night if left to it but I'm having to wake her and then she struggles to settle again.
She lost 30g the first day back at home, but had put it back on yesterday. Fingers crossed she continues to gain, a 15% loss is huge.
Apart from the weight issues so far she is a pretty chilled and contented baby (except when I'm knackered and desperate for sleep and then she just won't settle in her crib and wants to be held-have fallen asleep twice now with her on my chest in bed ) Just wish dp had had paternity leave really so he could help with some of the night cuddles and top ups.

Just checking in while feeding in nursery's car park!

We have a sucking blister too. Seems to come and go and doesn't look painful... no idea how long it will take to go. We also have a blocked tear duct and gungy eye. Lovely!

Sorry that weight and health issues are still causing trouble. I've fallen asleep with baby on me too and always feel dreadful when i wake up and realise. He is getting better at settling at night though so hopefully I won't do it again... also wish that dh was able to help a bit in the evenings and overnight but he's just too busy with work.

I hadn't realised it is mothers day on Sunday. Going to have to brave town later to buy cards for both our parents. Might try and check out bras while i'm there...

Hope everyone has a good day...

Sorry to hear about feeding issues troika and fox.

Bubs is 3 weeks today and feeding well (argh every 30 minutes to an hour yesterday evening) but my nipples are still sore and the left isn't happy at all. I think it's a bit damaged. Should I be out of sore nipple stage now? My boobs are also sore, like they were during puberty! Is that normal?

Also I think I have thrush. When can I stick a pessary up there or do I have to just use cream? Suppose I could head to the pharmacist.

On a more positive note bubs and I had a bath together with DH helping last night and he absolutely loved it! It was really lovely. Cue screaming the house down when we got him out!

I was told to wake DS to feed every 3 hours too, but in all honesty haven't been doing it- he really doesn't want to feed when he's not interested, so it just stresses us both out. We've been feeding on demand instead which is anywhere between 30mins and 6 hours, will see at Saturday's Day 10 weigh-in (feels like The Biggest Loser in reverse) how it's working for us...

Bath sounds lovely haq not sure about he soreness though. 3 weeks in and i'm ok but think it took longer with ds1. Lansinoh is good!

Hope weigh in goes well on Saturday monk

Is anyone else's baby really silly with feeding? Mine seems to think that all tummy trouble is hunger, resulting in lots of sick on me just as he goes to latch then when he actually is hungry he spends ages fussing and head waggling before actually feeding. Daft creature!

cud my DS is exactly the same! He was sick out of his nose whilst feeding earlier. and he sucks and spits the milk out at the same time when he is full I get absolutely soaking! My sister gave me some burp cloths and I am using them as booby bibs as they are made from towel and are thicker than muslin cloths.

haq my boobs have been fine for ages but are very sore today for some reason?! DS is 5 weeks now.

hacquoi it shouldn't be hurting at all really. In the first few days my midwife showed me that it's really important to make sure you're holding the baby up to you and not going down to them so they are ever so slightly dragging on you. I think it's something that it's easy to do without realising, so wonder ifvitscthat?

We had a 15% weight loss too troika and were rushed into hospiral. It was good in our case as the observation revealed a health condition unrelated to feeding but feeding is still probing an issue. I'm hoping now she's getting more awake...but we'll see. It's stressful!

Well, we managed the 300 mile trip to see family yesterday- somewhat stressful. First 100 or so miles we had to stop repeatedly, as DD was not a happy traveller. I then gave her both barrels, so to speak, parked up in a park in Solihull and she then slept the rest of the way. It's now snowing here....

Haquoi, it took my nipples a couple of weeks to harden off first time round, but from what you say ref damage, I'd get them checked out. The aching boobs sounds more normal, just the weird feeling of them being full of milk, but again would check - do you have a good HV or bf professional to run it past?

That does sound a total pita troika, I would have been tempted to sack it off by now, especially if it were messing with DC's sleeping...

DD is officially the average baby! Each and every one of her measurements is on the 50th centile We've also done the first cutting of the fingernails, and all fingers remain attached!

I'm good, thanks haq

Breastfeeding is still going wrong though. I'm down to just a couple of feeds a day, if even. I'd say I have another week left max

Thanks cud, clumsy, fox and chinchilla. I've been mixing up the lansinoh and that lovely jelonet (?) on the gauze stuff which helps but my left nipple isn't right really... Not really sure who I can contact about it, can't say the advice I've had so far has been so that great really, I've been working it out for myself. There's a breastfeeding group on Tuesdays so I'm planning on going to that and apparently there's a consultant about an hour away so might contact them. But it's a pita really. I thought we'd cracked it!

clumsy laughed my arse off at your boob bib! What a great idea though, I refastened my bra earlier and discovered too late he'd been sick in it...

fox sorry to hear baby isn't well, but fantastic it's been picked up on. I can't remember, are you still in hospital?

chinchilla kudos for driving 300 miles!! We're about to attempt 150 (to Solihull actually) and are both freaking out about it. Actually to be fair my grandparents aren't well so we would be going there and back in a day, but have solved the issue by booking a travelodge. New parent woes, hopefully we'll toughen up soon.

maisie sorry to hear about the feeding.

I got a money off voucher while pregnant for a newborn photoshoot do we did that today. Bubs was doing the frog legs and displaying his willy for all to see (hilarious, he just wouldn't bend his legs to hide it) and was amazingly calm and alert despite being naked. So proud. (I'm proud of everything - you pooed! Well done!)

clumsy boob bib sounds a great idea!

hacquoi we had a photoshoot today as well, my work paid for it as a gift. I just know it's going to cost me a fortune as I bet I'll want every photo lol

My DS pooped on my mum yesterday it really made me giggle and especially when Fanjo area is still a bit tender laughing hard is not a good idea!!

Hmmm perhaps me and my dsis should go into business...

Haven't checked in a while but just to say hope feeding issues are sorting. Breastfeeding on demand is so hard. My LO often seems to Want constant feeding it is so frustrating! My first born was similar though but it's still hard going through it. We got discharged from hospital today. Been in 3 nights for DS had two infected toes - so random but dr sent us to children's hospital and they wanted to keep us in to give IV drip antibiotics through canula. We now sent home with oral antibiotics though as toes seem to be getting better - still worried infection will come back though. DS seems to sleep a few 3 hour stretches at night now (just over 3 weeks old) and I've expressed some milk so my husband can do a night feed as I'm shattered! Having a newborn is the most knackering thing ever! X