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...

Biscuits yeah you're right she's put on oodles of weight but when she drinks she doesn't drink for that long and often will fall asleep from one side. So I wonder if she's drinking enough in one session. I should time it tonight. If she didn't have reflux then I would do a quick nappy change to wake her but I've learnt that really sets her reflux off and since I've stopped changing in the night (thanks to you) that has helped! Although when she's drinking like a fish I did change her 1 in the night.

No, I think it's very unlikely about moving the appointment but now that I've received the letter confirming Nov 2nd I should ring up on Monday and enquire about cancellations. Thanks for sparking that idea! Now that I've started her on Gaviscon in the night I feel like I am controlling the leg crunching pain more now even though it is still very hard to wind... It is possible and thanks to you ladies it helps a lot to settle her on her tummy in bed. I suppose the saving grace is she is at least sleeping despite it being for small amounts! Plus she is still very congested by this cold so maybe that also related to feeding more.

The unfortunate thing for us is DH has to be in London very early most days to avoid commuter traffic which means that he too has to go to bed by 10-11. It's not a 9-5 job. I've definitely struggled with his working hours a lot more second time round and he's definitely not as good on less sleep. Must be the age! He does now clean the kitchen every night after I've gone upstairs and I don't have to ask hooray!

Sorry for moaning again ladies!! I really do love my bundle of joy despite the limited sleep...promise

I hope everyone has lovely weekend plans? I'm hoping to make some sort of baking delight with DS this morning and then I'm visiting my mum with Dd this afternoon. She's promised me a nap but I might take a book or nail varnish with me as I bet I won't be able to sleep at hers. It will be nice "me" time anyway!

pear can you not start expressing again? You mentioned you stopped after her second tongue tie but I'm confused as to why.

I know loads of people swear by Wonder Weeks. I've got it & it explained E's difficult few days last week, as well as my friend's baby who is the same age. I think someone on the FB group used it too.

We have the wonder week app too. It's a good reminder of what the babies are dealing with - and if the thing that makes it okay when their whole world seems bat-shit crazy is extra cuddles and boob then fair enough I guess. Easier by the light of day mind you. And yep, you're right pear about the adjusted age for prems. Easy to forget.

I was giving myself a hard time this week for having found things tough. But in the past 11 wks I have pushed out a baby, spent a wk in hospital because she was early & badly jaundice, NOT finished at work properly, and had 3wks of pneumonia. And technically, DD is only 8 wks old today. So instead I am giving myself a pat on the back for staying sane enough

Oh, and neither ds nor dd have ever really been a two-boob feeder. Unless it's a stupendously long feed that is.

I love painting my nails as downtime because I can't do ANYTHING for 15mins. Deep joy!

Anyone else using baby tracking apps? I'm using the baby connecta app to record feeds and sleep as I often forget what I'm doing with the other 2 about. It allows you to look at graphs which gives you some indication over quantity of sleep, length of feeds in a day and I have been surprised by his consistency even when it's felt that He just won't settle etc.

FWIW DS will only ever take one side in a feed and can take a full feed in 5-10 minutes, they can be incredibly efficient all unique though as my first son would never have managed that.

Sorry it's called baby connect

That sounds good what

I was using the MN one but I didn't find it user friendly at all (I need something which I can go back and input info as I don't always remember whilst I'm feeding etc and the MN one was complicated).

I'll have a look at the baby connect one. Thanks!

Agree with above - E usually just feeds one breast at a time. Anything from 10 to 30 minuteS

Has anyone started expressing and bottlefeeding? I thought I was meant to wait but now being told 8 weeks could be too late! I have to go back to work in January (not 'want to go back' as one of my NCT friends asked ) so I need my partner to be able to feed him. Have no idea how often he should be doing this as practice and breastfeeding said she doesn't know about expressing, which is a bit useless IMO! Also the fact I can't just stay at home and breastfeed him till he weans is making me feel really guilty . It's taken us so long to get to happy breastfeeding part of me doesn't want to interrupt that..

I tried (just because my nipples hurt and I also wanted OH to be able to feed her whilst I slept) but E choked and gagged on the bottles I bought so I have temporarily stopped until I find a bottle she can tolerate.

She had a bottle twice in hospital after her operation (4 weeks old) and didn't have a problem with it, nor to switching back to breast feeding then. Like you, I was told (NCT?) to wait til 6 or 8 weeks but I've since read that sometimes it better to get them in the habit early.

Plimsolls I stopped expressing because I was told Dd should not have any tongue disruption from a dummy or bottle whilst she was learning to BF again and the tongue healed. A dummy or bottle could weigh the tongue down and re attach so I listened and stopped. She refuses a dummy now and I bet she would refuse a bottle too! I find that I don't have enough milk to express because she is feeding so often. I'm not really bothered though. The exact same thing happened with my ds and when I re introduced a bottle he point blank refused. I think I must of spent £100 on different bottles. It was depressing! I won't be going down that route again!

Sophia I really feel for you That's a very tough position to be in and it must be so hard. Have you got a local BF group to ask help from? I know some girls were talking about this at the last group I went to. I understand that the best time to express is the morning as you're meant to have the most milk but I think they depends whether your baby is sleeping!!

Have found it also depends on having a partner who doesn't insist the bottle needs to be fuller or that the milk doesn't need to be warmed because he is obviously a feeding expert

I'm not wasting precious ounces filling a bottle if I'm just going to have to throw them out because he doesn't understand the bottle mechanism. All advice is to go out of house and let partner get on with it but what if he doesn't have a clue what he's doing?! Utterly fed up today.

Sophia that does sound very appealing, no? To leave the house and let him get on with it. I like the sound of that idea as at least then you benefit from something that frustrates you. If you don't want to leave then sleep or paint your nails upstairs

Sophia - I had been expressing when DS was still in hospital so had quite a frozen supply. We were going to wait for a bit to introduce a bottle but ended up having to give cool boiled water because of constipation (caused by anti-reflux meds). So we started introducing a bottle when DS was 5 weeks and he takes it fine as does he still BF well.

I have over done it...again I went to a farm with both children and a childless friend. I walked with a pram and awkward buggy board seat for 30 minutes there and back. What was I thinking My left hip now hurts again and my bits below Ds was an absolute nightmare So embarrassing. He screamed and had tantrum after tantrum. I guess in a way it's my fault as I should know that he's not always at his best in the afternoon. I am finding it impossible to meet earlier then lunchtime because of feeding Dd. Anyway, I won't be doing it again for a long long time. My friend must be thinking that I've totally lost control as she has no kids so she has no idea. I do not enjoy being around people now who make me feel that way! It is so un relaxing I would love to know what she said to her DH after I left

I have physio at the hospital this week. Not looking forward to that and if they ask to examine me I shall be telling them where to jump

Dd still has a cold. It feels like it's lasting forever! It is really disturbing sleep so I'll be very pleased when it decides to go!

Don't give yourself a hard time Pear. Toddler tantrums are inevitable alas. It's hard to remember that things which used to be easier to manage can currently feel 100x more difficult. Hope the snot fest goes away soon.

I was reflecting at the weekend about childless friends. We had a visit from some old friends on Saturday. They originally were due to come at 11.30am - but not staying for lunch. In the end (because of traffic) it was after midday, DS was mid lunch and then too tired to engage so hid on the sofa, DD was squawking loudly until I put her in the sling. Heaven knows what they thought but to be honest I don't really care. Once they had gone, we went out to a local farm for the afternoon and had a lovely time. I don't think my pre children self would have fully understood quite what a challenge it can be to get everything and everyone out of the door to be somewhere. But also, I hope I didn't judge tantruming toddlers!

My unrealistic challenge this morning is to get me and both kiddies out in half an hr. Currently only DS is dressed. DD is feeding. I am in my pjs still. Bag isn't packed...

Thank you Biscuits. Wise words! Sounds like you've had a hectic weekend.

Well we've survived the first lot of jabs. Now enjoying sofa cuddles! Failed to do any washing today

Have been a bit awol, sorry! We had our first jabs today too. DS was unimpressed but settled very quickly after with a quick feed and has been asleep since.

I feel like my little boy is growing up so fast! I put him in a 3-6 month babygro yesterday to give him a bit more leg room as with washable nappy and 91st centile length, his toes were right down at the tips of his 0-3 month one. Also, we have been given literally every item in the M&S 'nick the sausage dog' range in 3-6 month size, so better start wearing them now to get through them all! 😂😂😂

What else have we been up to? - I started weightwatchers yesterday. I used it to lose the weight after DD2 and found it worked really well for me so I am tracking points again. Already feeling the benefit of taking control of my eating! I have almost exactly the same amount of weight to lose as I did with DD so I know I can do it... they give you extra points for breast feeding, I don't think I can actually eat as much as they recommend, now I am off the cakes!

Hi all, have been lurking and keeping up but never manage to post!
pear sorry you're still having such a crap time definitely don't feel bad about not enjoying this stage. DD was such a terrible sleeper, I used to wish it away - dreaming desperately of a time I'd be allowed to sleep again! Hope you've taken it v easy today and feel better now after overdoing it.
Sophia can't believe how out of order your OH was re his apparent bottle expertise! Tell him when he grows his own tits he can do whatever he wants with the milk. Hope he's realised the error of his ways.
Lots totally feel you on the growing up fast! DS is so enormous he's been in 3-6 month stuff since he turned 2 months. Packed up the last of the 0-3 stuff earlier - felt all weepy! Where has my tiny newborn gone?!
Good luck with WW. I'm still half a stone or so up on pre-pregnancy, I know it's a stupid thing to fret about but it's getting me down tbh. Normally I'm one of those bitches that lose weight super fast and easily so last week I cut out my (relatively few) treats, watched portion sizes etc, tried really hard. Lost precisely 0 and was fucking starving to boot. Depressing. Clothes all fit ok though and ran 6k on Sunday so just going to focus on getting fitter again and fuck the scales. Will tell myself it's the giant bf boobs that weigh so much!

Well after weeks of being my little star sleeper, DS has decided sleep is for the weak - he doesn't cry but is either chatting or grunting or fidgeting or something, ALL bloody night. Went to sleep at 11 last night, on the third wake up I checked the time and it was 2am. Bah. I can't nap in the day either (never managed it) and what with having to get up at 7 now DD's at school, I'm needing to stock up on matchsticks I think!
All that said, we're currently tucked up in bed, his eyes are looking heavy so I think I need to take my chance and try and get some sleep before the party starts again!

Ah, the child-free friends! I'm actually ridiculously lucky that our closest 4 friends without children are all AMAZING and adore our 2. Bizarrely the most judgey people around me are people who have children my age. They seem very comfortable in telling me where I'm going wrong!

DH has just done his first night time baby care! Only a nappy change but progress, I feel. DD is having an awake night. She's not crying or feeding, she's just... Awake.

I am in awe of all these babies in 3-6 month clothes! DD is nearly 2 months old and still in newborn! Still, at least we're getting our money's worth out of the clothes.

Went out shopping with DD yesterday and I have to be honest I felt like some sort of freak show. The amount of people that nudge each other and point at DD is mind boggling. I wouldn't mind if they actually spoke to me but mostly I feel like I'm in a zoo with poor gawping at us. She's not THAT small!

Eh Bella?! Why the hell are they staring? Unless it's in a 'look at the lovely baby' sort of a way...

DD is 12w old now and only just into some 0-3m clothes & quite a few newborn and 1month things still fit her. Round 2 of immunisations next week so will be interesting to see what she weighs now.

I am in bed feeding DD. With DH, DS & the cat all asleep next to me. It's only a standard double!!

Biscuits I think they're saying "look at the little baby" but it's always whispered so I can't hear. Sometimes people ask me how old, and I don't mind that. It's the ones that whisper and point at DD but don't even make eye contact with me. She's almost 10lbs now so not tiny!

We get quite a lot of looks and comments Bella but I think it's cause DS is in a sling (and because he's gorgeous of course!) Some children the other day thought he was a doll! I think people are drawn to staring at babies but sometimes feel uncomfortable which may be why they're whispering?

Is anyone else reading the Wonder Weeks? I'm finding it such a comfort! Going through 8 week leap now and DS is super cuddly and finding it really difficult to go to sleep - it's like the world is so exciting he can't bear to miss it. All very good but exhausting for me as he is not sleeping all day then only sleeping for 1.5 hours to 2 hours at night before waking himself up. Was at a group yesterday with some parents who were formula feeding and whose babies were sleeping through the night and did feel rather jealous! But on the other hand I tried feeding him expressed milk with a bottle last night and realised how much I love breastfeeding him. Good news is he learned how to suck on the bottle and was happy doing it for a few minutes- going to build up gradually.

Going for weigh-in today which I always find really motivating- he put on a pound the week before last! Then going for a walk in woods with NCT friends which DS will love as other babies are fascinating at minute!

How was everyone else's night?

Bella I was asked yesterday how old DD is and the woman proceeded to repeat "10 weeks!" and look shocked. She's about 10lb now, so not that little!

After weeks of DD being a fairly cheerful baby, we had a hellish time yesterday evening. I think she had epic trapped wind and screamed for about 2 hours. Thankfully she's a lot happier this morning. She also seems to be discovering her hands - every so often she looks at them in surprise and is almost managing to suck her thumb.