February 2007 Post Natal Club

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Hello

I know it's not even February yet, but here is the new thread. Even though Jacob was born in January, I feel he is an honorary Febster!!!

Looking forward to more new bubs coming this way!!!

smudgemum and moosmum - most of your nights we seem to be doing 7pm til 12pmish then 2am 4am and 6am...arrggh, I'm so tired I feel the world is just passing me by in a bit of a haze.

smudgemum - cloth nappies when wet will be wetter than disposables next to the skin because they dont have all the chemical nasties to absorb the wee. Some babies wee for britain and others not as much you'll get used to how long your DS can wear a cloth nappy before it gets soaked...my DS1 only lasted 3hrs at this stage, fleece or disposable liners help. They say that because babies/toddlers in cloth are used to the feeling of being wet they can toilet train slightly earlier . Regarding dry pailing lots of different methods...personally if wet I just chuck nappy staright in nappy bin, if poopy I either sluice in toilet first or if using disposable liners drop poo and liner in toilet, then straight into bin. If worried about smell try we drop of teatree oil. Try looking at threads in the nappy bit on MN and you'll find loads of tips and advice!

I tried dry pailing for a while but found the bucket stunk even with teatree so I've gone back to soaking. I use Boots nappy soak. With the Bambino Mios (DD2's) I can just soak and cold rinse, but with the Fluffles (DD1) I have to wash them as well or they get less absorbant after a while. I could just wash them without the soak but I like to use it to kill the germs.

To those with non-sleepers, have you tried a blackout blind? We put one up yesterday and it seemed to help - even after her long night she went back to sleep again until I disturbed her at 10!

moosma - wow even more now of all the sleeping your lo is doing! We have blackout too and I agree I think it does make a difference...so much so that with DS1 we got so obsessed with making the room dark that in the height of summer when 7pm feels more like 2pm and the sun is streaming in through all the little gaps...we taped black bin bags all over his window so there was NO light coming in (worked though!)

snugglebumnappies - just seen your ad - hope it gets you lots of business.

Hi - very jealous of all the sleeping through little ones. Ruth is waking around 2, 5 and 7am after a going to bed feed around 11pm. The room is quite dark, I think its more a case of her not being awake enough to feed really well and dropping back off too soon, but I'm so sleepy myself that I don't feel like changing her nappy or having the big light on to wake her up more.

Snugglebum, in that case, discount graciously received.

Regarding nappies, haven't used washables yet with dd but with ds I just put the dirty and wet nappies straight into a lidded nappy bin and washed them at 40 degrees whilst he was solely bf. Found that all stains came off and nappies were fresh, so anymore effort was a waste. Post weaning though have found that unless we sluice in the loo the nappies tend to get a bit of build up and we got nappy rash. The bumble has a built in fleece liner so you shouldn't use another fleece liner with it. Two layers of fleece can act to repel water rather than the desired absorbing! It will definitely stay drier than the tots bots nappy imo. Again I didn't bother with liners at all pre weaning, wasn't necessary for us but all los are different!

One tip - if nappies are still a bit stained after being washed, hang them out in the sun an they will go whiter than white. I've no idea why but it does work!

For those searching for bf tops try Sainsburys. Unlikely I know, but I tried on four different styles of double layer tshirts and tops today that would work. Have bought one deep crossover top with a built in cami (pull cami up and top down)and it seems to work quite well. Also v cheap (says skinflint FFT!)

I cant join the 'gloating club' but we usually manage feed at 9ish, then 3ish and then 6 or 7ish. Just a question - ds is restless in the night and mutters - do you wait until they are crying to feed or 'catch' them when they are still partly happy? I reckon I could stretch him out for another hour or so, but then I am awake waiting for him to start fretting. I also worry about him waking his sister as she is a light sleeper and has been known to join me at 6am for feeding!

andyrobo, DS2 is doing about the same as yours - we do a 'dream feed' at 10.30 then he wakes 3/4ish and again at 6:30/7 depending on when DS1 or DH wake. The middle of the night feed is getting gradually later. I tend to get him when he starts to fuss and begin breaking out into a cry but have been gradually trying to make sure that he gets only a minimal feed and straight back to sleep. If I'm lucky we can be done and dusted in 10 or 15 mins. He cd prob do without but I don't fancy mucking about with things just yet.

On shading the pushchair, muslin has been doing the job so far but I intend to get a shade a babe sometime off ebay for when the pushchair is in buggy mode.

Hi everyone, thanks for the advice, took the plunge and posted an advert on the site, thanks to everyone for the input.

As for soaking/dry pailing, well you all already know I am a lazy arse so of course I dty pail, not smelly at the moment as I am washing every day with two in nappies but it can wiff a little if you leave it much longer. One thing I have noticed is that when I was dry pailing and only washing evrey 2-3 days with DD the stains "set" on the nappies and would not shift, now I am washing everyday they come u clean on a 40 degree wash.

Smudgemum, yes your LO will feel a bit damper with a real nappy rather than a reusable but it's not a problem, if you don't like the idea of it then a fleece liner as suggested may help or Motherease do a stay dry liner that is very slim and again wicks away the mouisture from the skin. Did you wash the nappy at leat three times prior to using it? If not this could also be the reason why your LO felt damp, the more you wash it the more absorbant it becomes, no need to dry it between washes during this process

How on earth do you all remember what time your LOs feed? I think DD2 feeds about 4 times in the night, but I only know that as we are cosleeping and I remember moving him over from one side to the other! What time this is and how long he has fed for is anyones guess!!

snugglebum I'm interested about the cosleeping. .. DD and I have been cosleeping most of the time since she was born. Not through choice as such, but because she wants to hold my hand in the night. She will go in the hammock if she isn't too unsettled and I'm trying to get her more used to it.

Anyway, I was wondering... what do you do when they start to roll and crawl?

Snugglebum, the nappy and wraps arrived today. The nappy looks great and very soft, I hope the bamboo lives up to its reputation on the discussion boards! Will be interested comparing tots two styles of wrap too. I was quite happy with the old style when ds was in size 1s and bimbles and muslins but also have a snail wrap in size 2 and that has been a leaky one over MEOS. I guess the leg gussets mean that the binding is a bit further away from clothes too. It's all reminding me of my nappy addiction that I thought I had beaten!

Tennants have moved out of the flat we rent yesterday. I went round this morning and discovered they have left a lot of cleaning behind them. Also some strange items: about 4 small doggy outfits: camoflage, japanese kimono, 'burberry style' jacket and hood, and superdog; and about 50 condoms. I don't want to even think about what's been going on in there! Now have to decide whether to clean or get someone in to decorate! Do you think I can sell the outfits on ebay?

Thanks for the advice re the nappies everyone. I'll give it another go - I did wash them twice before use but now they've been washed again so that might help. DS didn't seem to care at all which is good. Saying that, he was a bit more bulky in the middle so wasn't able to sit quite so well but he'll soon get used to it. If I end up buying more, I'll definitely look to do it through your site snugglebum!
FFT - I would definitely try to sell the items on ebay (unless you think the tenants are going to ask for them back?) You may as well try and make a bit of money. Not sure whether the condoms will sell though
We are having trouble with the tenants in our house at the moment. Bit of a mare because if we have to throw them out, we then don't have their income and we're renting up here so would be in a pickle.
I think I might have gloated too soon with the sleeping. His early morning feed seems to be getting earlier and will soon be night time really Still, even a few nights has made me feel more alive.

Hi all, nothing really to report but just thought I'd check in. I have to admit we are in the co sleeping club too , more by accident than intention.
We have the sniffles at the moment and Maya hasn't been settling well.
Who mentioned a meet up We would be up for it. I might also go to the breast feeding thing on the 19th May but don't want to commit on that thread yet.

DD is in her hammock, in the bedroom, asleep and has been for 2 hours . She's extremely overtired but seems to be self settling every time she gurgles which is great. Took us months to get to this with DS. I bet it's a one off though! And what am I doing with this free time???? Surfing the net as usual . I still had to feed/rock her to sleep but it's a start. We started a routine of bathing her with/before/after DS and settling her in the bedroom a couple of nights ago. Most times she's woken the second we've laid her down but we'll stick with it to see if it works.

I'm a lazy person too... DSs nappies go straight into a dry pail with lid. I wash usually about every day and a half, because that's when the pail gets full. They go on at 50 degrees and get line dried if the weather is up to it, and on a radiator if not. Never had any bother with smells or washing.

Hi ladies. Apologies that I haven't been on here for ages to see how you're all doing. It's pretty hard to get online very often with the little guy around and when I do it tends to be to check my emails rather than surf.

Am hoping someone can advise. I've just started my first period since the birth 7 weeks ago. I'm bottle feeding Kit so started back on the Pill about 3 weeks ago so this is technically a withdrawal bleed. I was on the Pill for many years before coming off it to conceive and my periods (even when TTC) were very light, barely there at all. This period is nothing like my normal periods. It's heavy and when I sat on the loo in the night the blood just dripped out, which really freaked me out. I'm still using pads as I'm not sure when you can start using tampons again, so I guess I'm not used to seeing the menstrual flow and feeling it leave my body. But 'Pill periods' are usually much lighter than normal ones so it's scaring me that I seem to be losing a lot of blood. I had a C-section and am worried that something hasn't healed properly or has ruptured with the beginning of my period. I'm not in any pain though - not even much in the way of dragging cramps. Can anyone reassure me that I'm not going to bleed to death??

Current bun I've just gone back on the pill too and within five days of takeing them I had a period .I had a C section too and My period was quite heavy and I'm still seeing dark discharge (sorry TMI) I thought irt was all linked to the hormones still going slightly crazy. I'm breastfeeding and was well miffed aboutthe period. I keep forgetting to take it too. But the doctor said not to have unprotected sex for a whole cycle. We've not even manged to do the dirty deed yet at all.
I may come off it If I find it too irratating. I used to take my tempreture for contraception and conception so may go back to that
HTH

CurrantBun - I reckon it's just your body settling back down making things a bit more dramatic than usual, but why don't you ring your labour ward/midwife or even NHS Direct just to be sure. Passing large clots seems to be the main thing they worry about. FYI, I had a c-section too (8 weeks ago now) and continue to bleed a bit on and off. I thought I had a period at one point, but it was difficult to tell as mine have always been quite light too. Just trying not to worry about it.

I'm not a gloater yet either... roughly 7pm/1am/5am feeds. Interesting that lots of the babes seem to have a long sleep early part of the night. Our coping strategy is to go to bed at 9ish, which all our friends think is hilarious, but it's saving our lives to get a few extra hours kipping.

Also, wouldn't it be nice if the baby's weight gain and your weight loss were directly linked? While it's nice to have cleavage at the front, I never wanted any on my back.

oh yeah... Countdown/Neighbours/Loose Women.

And Virgin Central is a joy - not sure how I'd have coped with just daytime TV drudgery.

Currentbun - I havent had a period yet - got the Pill also from doc but havent started taking it yet as I wanted to have a'normal' period first! Having said that I feel like I am due to start as I keep getting crampy tum and creamy dischage, but nothing yet - I also had a c-section! I have read that it can take months to come back. If I remember from last time (section also) it was around the 7 - 8 weeks and the first couple were really heavy - like the body was getting back into the swing of it. Really looking forward to that - not!

T is having his jabs this afternoon - not looking forward to that, but I am sure he wil cope fine - he did cry yesterday when I dropped his dummy on his head! Bad Mother smiley!!

Will report back after!

We're off to have jabs later too andyrobo.

It can indeed take a long time to come back, 8 months in my case with DD1, and I gave up bf-ing at 10 weeks!

T's got her jabs on Thursday and she'll be weighed then too

Noah had his jabs yesterday. I was strongly advised by friends to give calpol before and later in day, which I did. Apart from squealing at the time and having a hot head in the evening, he was a real hero and slept as normal last night. I, however, was a bit upset and needed a large glass of wine to calm myself down.

Just been trying to find tops to fit my massive breastfeeding boobs - impossible! You'd think something would fit what with this season's smock/long tunicky things! Grr! No period for me yet, although very snappy - perhaps on its way?! Patrick has broken out in little red spots on his face and neck - it looks like a heat rash to me - anyone else any ideas? He's not unwell at all.