August 2016 - early arrivals to the newborn cuddles & graveyard feeding shifts

[rumisyum]

So many August bus babies have arrived already! Anyone else fancy a chat during night feeds or wondering what to make of the contents of tiny nappies? Might as well get comfortable...

Well done, your bbs, biscuits! And your champion little boober! I think that definitely deserves cake.

And I'm so impressed, Coco! Bloody well done surviving your first day with two so far! I am basically trying to put off that eventuality for as long as possible - my DH is taking a month off & then my parents are coming for (hopefully) 2 months. And then I might be flying out to theirs. Basically trying to see if I can get to4 or 5 months without solo parenting for any substantial length of time.

That's impressive tactical planning Rum :) I have had 45mins of solo parenting so far. That was fine! Though as DH acknowledged this weekend, entire days will be challenging and frankly my wish will be his command at the end of a solo day ;)

All too right, biscuits! He will have to treat you like a queen every evening.

My DS was a proper Velcro baby as a newborn, with reflux & colic & day long cluster feeds & that "high needs" jazz, so I expected another one & anyway DS is only 18 months, so barely a baby himself, hence I called in all the troops for support! So far DD is actually proving a much easier newborn, but that may well change. Anyway, my parents live overseas & DS doesn't get to see them often, so it's a treat for everyone involved.

Sounds ideal Rum :) I wasn't judging...just admiring of your planning!

I hope you dodge the reflux card this time around. Our DS had reflux too and was on reflux meds until after his 2nd birthday...touch wood, DD isn't yet demonstrating any symptoms...

It's the one thing I managed to get organised before DD turned up.

Here's hoping we both dodge the reflux bullet this time!

Can I be nosy/gross and ask how everyone's bleeding is? I'm day 13 now and until Monday I would describe mine as a medium period. I then passed a clot about the size of a 20p piece and my flow immediately reduced to almost nothing and is only pink when I wipe. I'm a bit surprised about how quickly it changed!

Hi all, thought I would pop over and join you here on my first night at home! We had a really good feed earlier in the night but she only did 10mins now and seems to just want to lie on me. I lf I try to get her to latch she screams!
It's hard to know what to do

Am day 21 now and my bleeding is sporadic and watery. But every day there will be a bit of bleeding - just not v much. Last time it went on for ages but this seems quicker to sort itself out.

Alfie welcome home :) Sounds like she just wants to chill on you for a bit. She can get quite a lot of milk in 10mins remember...

Glad you asked hgl, been wondering about this myself! Am day 12 now and bleeding has tailed off to mostly spotting, but I'm having one small gush every day - usually in the night/first thing in the morning so I think it's where blood is pooling (sorry tmi!) - with DD I bled for about 3 months so this feels very manageable in comparison!
Alfie sounds totally normal, the first 2-3 days (until milk came in basically) DS just wanted to be on me, with a boob available! I'd recommend getting yourself comfy in bed/on the sofa, something decent on the telly or to read, skin to skin and enjoy the cuddles! All she's known for her entire existence is being close to you - she's happiest that way, at least while she's still getting used to being out in the world. And 10 mins feeding is fine - could be she just needed a top-up, or is a very efficient feeder. Sounds like you're doing fab 👍

All happy here, tiredness is kicking in though! DS feeds every 3hrs through the night which is pretty good going, but still fairly knackering. He has a long stretch in the middle of the day when he goes about 4-5 hours between feeds so we just need to switch that to night-time and we'll be grand.
Saw mw yesterday and she wants to see us again on Friday as DS is still a tiny tinge jaundiced. REALLY hoping it's gone by fri or it's a trek out to the hospital (miles away!) for us. Need the sun to come out and give me a hand!

Hope the jaundice clears Coco. DD is still shaking hers off too. We're day 22 now - the cut off for being referred back to neonatal. HV is coming today so she will decide what needs doing (I hope!)

Also going to ask HV to measure DD; our slightly dopey hospital midwife never recorded the length and head circumference when she was born. This, on the back of a succession of other slightly odd behaviour from the hospital midwife means that we have been advised to write a letter of feedback to the midwife supervisor.

Thanks for the reassurance ladies. It's all a bit confusing to start with isn't it. She did actually take the other boob in the end and then went down until 7. Glad to hear everybody is well and hope that last bit of jaundice clears up biscuits and coco

Glad she settled down in the end Alfie. :)
Hope the jaundice clears up for both of them Biscuits and Coco.
We've got (what's hopefully) our final midwife visit on Friday morning, followed by the first visit from the Health Visitor immediately afterwards - slight overkill methinks!
hg I'm day 8 now and mine reduced to almost nothing 2-3 days ago. I could have got away with just a panty liner but, thank goodness, I erred on the side of caution and have been using pads. This afternoon I suddenly started going through a pad every couple of hours. I was almost at the point of calling the doctor/ midwife but it's slowed down again now. From what I remember, pretty much anything is normal as long as it doesn't smell and you don't pass any clots bigger than a 50 pence piece.
I think mine lasted around 6 weeks last time around. I'm hoping it should be quicker this time as they apparently try and clean you out as much as possible during a c-section.

That does seem a bit OTT Listener ! We had our first HV visit yesterday. It was fine, if a bit superficial. But no matter.

Am totally knackered this afternoon. DD is doing brilliantly but feeds so much. Tomorrow I have both children on my own for c10hrs. I've planned to meet a friend in the morning who has a son the same age as DS - they play well together. The afternoon may involve cracking open the Thomas sticker book that's currently hidden and watching a Thomas Tank Engine film. But goodness me it will be a tiring day.

DH wants to find a way to celebrate DD's due date on Saturday - dunno what that will entail but I like the idea in principle :)

Hope everyone is doing okay

Love the idea of celebrating the due date, biscuits! I'm planning to bake a welcoming cake for DD on hers. And good luck tomorrow! I hope you have wine ready for the evening.

Hope the jaundiced bubs settle down asap (& a bit of sunshine comes out to help things along!)

How was your 2nd day at home together, Alfie? Hope it's going well!

I'm 10 days out & my bleeding seems to have tailed right down already, apart from the occasional gush. Which is nice as it went on for ages last time & them my periods restarted pretty much straight away at 8 weeks. I hope I get a longer period-free interval this time!

Been a bit knackered here today as DS woke about every hour last night. We figured out that he's probably wanting more mummy time, cause he settled beautifully the other night after our first joint bath time (which was so lovely). So I did his bath & bedtime tonight & he settled really well; fingers crossed that holds all night. DD seems a bit under the weather though - bit sleepier than usual & she was a bit cold earlier on. Think it might be the wretched cold DS got the same day she was born - horrid timing! Been keep her skin to skin & both of us warmly wrapped & waking her regularly for feeds though & that's perked her up, but it means a bit of a long, tiring night for me. Never mind! Probably a good reminder to stay hunkered down at home a bit longer - we had our first day out in town yesterday & while it was lovely, it was quite tiring! Still mostly prefer being snuggled on the sofa with the bub.

The midwives locally seem really stretched - every time they're supposed to come round, I get a call about how understaffed they are & can things be rearranged. So DD didn't have her 10 day check today & we're going to clinic on Sunday instead. Which is fine as we're doing fine, but it must be pretty awful if you're struggling a bit & it was very annoying around my labour. While I was on the assessment unit, the midwife booking me in for induction was talking about leaving the profession cause of how awful it was, & how bad the politics was in that unit, etc. Exactly what you want to hear when you're about to go in & give birth...

The HVs are alright though. I have the same one that I did for my son, so it's nice to see the same person again. Even if it is generally not that hugely useful.

Checking in - baby boy Dots arrived at 9pm exactly on 04/08/16 weighing 8 lb 9oz and doing well. Long day for me, woke with contractions at 2am that were 2 mins apart by 530 am, and then slowed down once at hospital. Long 1st stage, but got there in the end and every midwife I had dealings with was absolutely fantastic. Didn't get in the pool, as they were all taken before I was in labour suite, but by that point I didn't care!

Hoping for some sleep soon, once this new little person has finished feeding!

Congratulations, Lots! Hope you're getting some rest by now after a very exciting day!

Well I've done it! :) First solo day and actually it was fine. Things that made it easier were - being out of the house for a good 4hrs so that DS could charge around and let off steam (& doing that in a place that was essentially enclosed and safe) Exploiting Netflix and its endless offerings of cartoons that are reliable for when any of us needed chill out time. And meeting friends at the park meant there was an extra set of hands for when DS needed a wee, etc.

What I need to find a way of doing is streamlining all the bags - one for each child (DS is still toilet training so needs changes of clothes, as well as inevitable toddler snacks) seems a tad ridiculous. Those of you with multiple children, how are you managing that?

When my elder 2 were at a similar age biscuits I had a skip hop bag that was called a duo or something - meant for two children. It was great. Well done you for getting today done. I am not looking forward to my first day with all 3 when DH is working the weekend - he's due to work in 3 weekends time, hoping that Granny will come to the rescue!

Skip hop duo double it was called. Designed to fit for a double pram, but also fitted on the back of my bugaboo once I wasn't using the double.

So in continued breastfeeding woes, I have mastitis Lady at the breastfeeding clinic told me how to clear it up, and it's good to know why I've been feeling so dreadful for the last few days, but I'm finding it really difficult to drain the breast. DD gets frustrated because it's not producing anything. Managed to get a wee bit out with the pump, but it's really tough.

After almost a week of bedsharing, because DD wouldn't sleep in her crib, our baby nest arrived today and she is happily snoozing away.

Being at home is going well rum feeding feeding and more feeding. I've had a touch of the baby blues yesterday and today just feeling a teary about wee things!
My mum and dad came through today and have been very helpful which is good.
My stitches are still v tender - anybody else have and how long did it take to feel a bit more comfy?
Congrats lots so excite all these babies arriving.
hg sorry to hear about mastitis - I managed to express a bit odd mine while in a warm shower - might help?

Rotten luck about the mastitis, hgleslie! I also find expressing easier in a warm bath, having given the boobs a bit of a massage first. Hope it clears up soon - no wonder you've been feeling awful!

I've been having the same thoughts about bags, biscuits, cause my elder is only 19 months, so still in nappies. I've been carrying regular (large) handbags with a waterproof bag for change mat/nappies/wipes/change of clothes for a while now, but it needs to be a MASSIVE bag to fit 2 of those... so I've ordered a new nappy bag, will have to see how it works out before I can recommend though.

And well done on aceing the solo parenting day! I bow down to you! And take notes.

Alfie maybe your milk is coming in? I cried all morning for little reason the day mine came in. Hormones! Glad your parents are being helpful though. I haven't any tips about stitches as I managed to escape those both times, but I hope the discomfort settles soon.

Will look up the Skip Hop. Which bag did you get Rum? DH agrees with me that a bag per child is bonkers but is also the opinion that we just need to streamline the clobber that gets packed in the first place. We're planning a family day out tomorrow so will see if we actually can fit everything in one bag!

Ouch to mastitis HG I've never had it but lots of sympathy to you. I hope it clears up pronto. Co sleeper cribs are the bees knees though!