March 2016: the one where Indomitable gives birth...

[vroc81]

I hope I haven't duplicated a new March thread in my sleep deprived state.. Went to reply and found thread was full!..

Thanks for the tips, magpie! I've never taken a tiny baby swimming so they're all useful!

You brave swimming people! I hate getting cold & wet, so avoid swimming as much as I can!

I think DS2 has reflux. We've had a day of unsettledness with a definite increase in milky-sicks and acid-breath. In addition to the fussing st the breast, arching away & general screaming.

He's currently a lot less sicky than DS1 was, but it's only early days! I've basically achieved nothing today with him fussing and cat-napping. Poor little dude.

We did have some gaviscon, but it went out of date last July (it's probably fine, but I'd rather not find out it's not with tiny DS2). On the infacol for now.

I hate swimming too Indom. Well not actually swimming but all the messing around that goes with it - getting changed in horrible tiny changing rooms, the awful chlorine smell, trying to get clothes back on afterwards when you're never completely dry and dry your hair etc. So I only really do it on holiday or in nice spa hotels! DH will be in charge of taking DS swimming while I sit in the cafe I think!

I know it's very early days for bedtime routines still but can anyone else advise on how they time baths in the evening? Do you feed before or after a bath? DS tends to have a feed around 5-6ish so I have been bathing him after that, but then it's difficult to settle him after his baths and I'm wondering if it would be better to do bath, then feed, then bed.

I'd been waiting on the swimming, had presumed they needed to be a bit older, don't know why given some of them appear into water, is there a certain age they don't recommend you go swimming before?

vroc DH made enquiries with a baby swim school the other day and they said 12 weeks or 12lb.

It depends on the swimming school though - waterbabies don't have a minimum age/weight as far as I know. I did water babies with DD1 from when she was 10 weeks. Not going to bother this time I think, DD1 hated it and we did two terms worth and it just got worse and worse.

me we aren't bothering with bath for E yet mostly as its a faff trying to work it around DD1s bath but with DD1 we started bath as part of bedtime when she was 6 weeks old or so. Always fed after the bath but she was bf so not on a feeding routine just fed whenever, so we'd just do her bath when we were ready for bed rather than at a set time. When she got a little older we set a bed time for 7pm and then would do bath followed by feed ing to sleep followed by bed.

I can't decide whether I'm doing a night feed or a really early morning feed.

In the last few days Martha had been breastfeeding, and although I stopped feeding at 6 weeks I carried on expressing and giving her an expressed feed. She was fussing a few days ago so out of desperation I shoved a boob at her and she latched brilliantly. Fully prepared to accept that this may be a blip, but pleased as punch that she's feeding

In other news I may have to borrow some of her gripe water - I have dreadful trapped wind!

paper that's great news (about the feeding, not the wind...)
I'm counting this as a night feed as I fully intend to go straight back to sleep - still an hour and a half til the biggy gets up!

Well done Paper!

I'm up because of my Big (he wet the bed). Little is snoring away next to me (and will probably wake up as soon as I fall asleep).

ILs are visiting today. I fear it will be a long day...

Well done paper that's great news! 😀

Terrible night here- had a great night yesterday so was hoping our run of bad nights was over but looks like E was giving us a mini break 😕. Last night she would settle fine in her cot but then wake up 45mins-an hour later fussing and being sick. in the end DP took her off me and stayed up with her from 4 sleeping in his chest so she could sleep. Then DD1 woke up at half 5 having done a poo so I had to get up and change it as DP was still up with E. Then E wanted feeding and DD1 wanted daddy to lie in bed with her so we swapped children! Gonna be a long day as my dad is visiting today and he's very erm... Difficult. I also have to tell him that me and DP are getting married soon with no guests and I'm not expecting it to go well 😕

marmite we have matching babies atm. We also had a crap night last night with a better night before! Cannot believe Nancy is taking a dummy I can eat breakfast!

Suz DH took M off me at 5.00 so I've had 4 hrs sleep yay!! We're up at my parents with DSIS, BIL and the kids, it's chaos but in a good way

Indom hope it goes well, & for after they've gone.

Marmite the only people who have any cause to comment on your marriage are you and DP. Hope your dad behaves! I will be sitting in my lounge drinking prosecco and wearing a fascinator on the big day

Ooh paper, lucky you!

I'm in a similar boat to marmite and Beautiful so you have my sympathies completely - we've had two fairly good nights in a row with decent 3 hour stretches and very short feeds, then last night I was up half the night feeding again. Boo. Quiet morning for us anyway, dh takes ds to rugby tots so I get a bit of quiet and am currently lying in bed with a snoozing baby on my chest.

I hope it goes ok with your dad marmite, mine came up on Friday and is similarly tricky to talk to. Do you have to tell him your wedding plans? I'm a wimp and would probably not mention it, then casually bring it up another time over the phone or text afterwards saying something in a breezy manner like 'good to see you today, hope the journey back was ok. Completely forgot to mention, getting married on x!!! Just us, going to be great.'

I feel for you too indomitable, it's so much worse when it's the big one getting you up as it feels like an extra wake up that could have been avoided. We had a couple of those last week, one wet bed and a massive nose bleed.dh sleeps right through of course!

Well done Paper on the feeding and your batch of sleep.

Marmite, beaut and Suz, it does seem like you get a good night followed by a bad one. Fx for some 'good' consistency soon. I was blessed with a good night last night, which I'm thrilled at as DP had the night off of baby duty.

Marmite I shall join paper drinking Prosecco on your big day! How exciting. Good luck with your dad today. And good luck with the ILs Indom!

The wedding went well and both boys were fantastically well behaved. Had to field off a few inebriated ladies from grabbing J for a cuddle in the evening, but otherwise a really great day.

Just wondering who has the wonder weeks app? My DSIS mentioned it and I am too lazy to scroll back...any good?

Mmmm prosecco will join the others with a glass and virtual party on your big day marmite .. three sips and we'll all be rolling drunk so good job were in our own lounges

We're also doing one good night one crap, last night I was up 11 - 1 DH did 1 -4 and I did 4 -7 when he got up and I just stayed up.. Really feeling it today! She was so restless and seemed so uncomfortable she was almost beside herself at times arching her back and grumbling away, will be going to docs tmrw or this week if we have another night like that as I don't think it's just normal baby restlessness?

I've got the app Paper. I remember it being fairly accurate with DS1. You don't get as much detail as with the book but there is still a reasonable amount and it's good to know why a grumpy/hard period is happening and how it correlates to their development. I don't think I paid for the app back then so not sure if it's worth paying for it.

I hope it goes ok with your Dad marmite and he behaves himself and remembers the important thing is what you and your DP want!
Thanks to everyone who recommended slings- I've just ordered a Caboo, and can't wait for it to arrive to give it a whirl now!
Eleanor's scan went well and her hips are fine, which is good news. She also seems to have settled into a bit of a routine at night, and will have a bottle around 8.30-9,
then sleep until around 1-1.30,have a bottle, then slept until around 5-5.30. She's done this for the past week and whilst it tends to mean I'm up for the day at 5 as DD1 is usually up at 6, I am able to get a reasonable amount of sleep in between. Don't expect this to last so am appreciating it whilst she's settled!
Expressing is coming to an end as well as my supply can't match her demand any more and my milk is getting less and less. It's a relief in a way as it's just so much hassle, but I do feel sad I can't provide for her any more, and also slightly guilty that I do feel relief that it's stopping, if that makes any sense!

Afternoon all,

ILs are here, I'm bored already!

Glad the wedding went well,Rhu.

Suz, it wasn't so bad. DS2 had slept for nearly 5 hours by that point so my boobs were waking me up anyway. And DS1 tends to default to asking for DH, but as I was waking anyway...

If I were you, marmite, I'd be tempted not to mention it at all. And eventually casually mention "oh, we got married last week. You didn't miss anything, it was just us." which FIL & his DW did

Paper, I looked up the iOS wonder weeks app and it was a couple of £ to download and then more £ for each "leap" (of which there seemed to be very many). Is it worth it?
Oh, read your post Rhu, maybe I'll just download the book?

Ahh, Charley, you've done so well to express. I can understand your mixed feelings.

I need to start going to bed earlier. I've been staying up till 1ish when DS2 settles properly. Sometimes he's slept before then, sometimes he doesn't. I just need to stop wasting time and actually go to bed

paper I use the WW app - I found it helpful with DD1 as it matched up well with periods of fussiness/bad sleep. I also bought the book which was interesting but not sure it was worth buying.

So I told my dad about wedding plans, suz I very nearly bottled it and left it to a phone call but told him just as I was leaving. Was lucky as my nan was there and as DP said afterwards my dad is usually more 'well behaved' when she is around (and in front of DP). My dad was very obviously not happy although he followed my nan and stepmums lead in congratulating us but didn't say much after that and was quite sulky when he left so am expecting a phone call at some point where he will moan about it.. But at least I have done it- I did think about not telling him but would never have heard the end of it if I got married in secret .

Hi all, been lurking and reading but not really had time to eat never mind poSt, just woken up from an accidental 3 hour nap so feeling very fresh now
Ds is 4 weeks now and still feeding every 2.5 hoursish, it's exhausting but he has started to take a bottle of expressed if he feels like it.

Got midwives coming tomorrow to check episiotomy again - fingers crossed it's now healing well enough for them to discharge me, Rory was discharged from them 2 weeks ago.

I'm on android and got the ww all a few days ago after it was mentioned on here - on android you just pay £1.19 and have the full app, no top ups or anything.

Dp came in drunk last night and was feeling 'frisky' I felt awful that I just don't feel like dtd with a not fully closed epi cut roll on being healed.

Sorry I haven't acknowledged all individual posts. Memory like a fish lately. Hope all and your weenies are well.

Hope you are fully healed and can be discharged, Q.

I'm the same, Indom. All three kids are usually asleep at 7.30, yet I am going to sleep much later - I must start turning in earlier to make the most of the first longest stretch.

We had DS1's party today (he turned three on Wednesday). He asked for a Star Wars party, so he dressed as Darth Vader, DD was Chewbacca and Ted was R2-D2 . The 'party' was basically them running around MIL's huge garden with their cousins for hours, coming in for cake and then going back out! We had a whale of a time!

Here is R2-D2, aged six weeks old!

Don't worry Q you're not the only one not feeling ready to DTD! My tear is healed now but I don't want to attempt to sex for a while. Have had a couple of occasions where DP has been horny and I've just helped relieve him in other ways but he knows sex is off the cards till I'm at least 6 weeks pp but more likely 8 weeks or so. Last time with DD1 we tried it after 6 week check and it was so painful for me so I am wary of doing anything soon. If you're breastfeeding I would also say that lube is an absolute must as I think the pain I had was largely down to hormonal changes making sex uncomfortable, though could have been issues with scar tissue too I guess.

Is anyone else struggling with post pregnancy body? I hate my stomach at the moment it's so depressing! I didn't put much weight on in pregnancy but seems like all the fat was all on my massive bump so I still look pregnant. My skin is stretchy and horrible and I still have a gap between my stomach muscles which I'm trying to reduce with core exercises. - it's gotten smaller but is still there. I've been limiting myself to weighing myself once a week buy so far have lost bugger all, maybe a couple of pounds or so. With DD1 I also didn't put much weight on but took ages to drop it off and this time I feel worse, like my stomach is just horrific and I'm never going to lose the fat

marmite I'm with you, no way are we attempting to dtd yet. I don't feel like my episiotomy has quite healed properly - going to get the doctor to check it at my check next week. Even if it has I am really worried about it hurting and will be stocking up on lube! I have helped DH out a few times though! He's been very understanding as its now been well over 6 months since we last had sex I think ...

My post-birth mental breakdown when I didn't really eat for 2 weeks helped me drop most of my weight but my stomach is like jelly so it doesn't look great! I need to start doing exercises to tone it up. I also still have my linea niagra - hoping it will go away soon!

DS has hardly slept today - he has had a couple of cat naps but that's about it. We've been trying to settle him since about 7 and he just will not go to sleep. I'm finding the evenings very stressful - I can remain upbeat during the day but when the evening is getting on, I've had no time to myself all day, there is no sign of him going to sleep, and I know that my night is going to be interrupted at least twice, it's hard to remain positive. DH has taken him for now as I'm feeling quite emotional. DH is away tomorrow night too so I'm going to have to do it by myself then.

mrsben that's the cutest little outfit! He looks adorable.

marmite and me good to know I'm not the only one not feeling remotely sexy.
I'm back to pre pregnancy weight and stomach has sprung back to flat - but is very loose, wobbly, wrinkly and I also still have my linea thingy, when is that supposed to go?

me a bath and a hot cup of tea may help regain your sanity. We have discovered that 8pm Is Rorys time to scream and be unsettled, every night for about an hour so I feel your pain. Hope he settles for you soon