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...

Olof pear, sorry to hear about the repeat tear. That can't be fun. :( Definitely worth contacting the unit re what happened & getting clarity/closure about that. And yes, my boobs have settled down, thanks! Only about a day or two of that really sore, heavy phase this time, thank goodness. And I'm amazed & impressed that you're thinking of number 3 already! DH is broody for a 3rd, but I need a bit of time before I can entertain that idea!

Biscuits, I think you'd asked me which nappy bag I got? It arrived today & I love it! I got this one, in the large size. Holds everyone's clobber & then some. And is nice enough to keep as a regular bag once I'm done toting nappies everywhere. www.etsy.com/uk/listing/452920798/grey-waxed-canvas-and-toffee-leather?ref=hp_rf

My word, Coco, you're a legend doing all that! And you've reminded me that our bedsheets could really use a change. Happy birthday to your DD! I hope you have a wonderful time with her. I've been putting my son's much amped up boundary testing down to the changes brought by the new sibling. It can be hard to be patient & understanding when you're severely short on sleep, & adjusting yourself to being a mother of two. At least it certainly is for me! Sorry to hear about DS' reflux. My DS was like that - it's why I got so into using slings & carriers, as keeping him upright helped hugely. Hopefully you can get something from the GP that helps sort it.

Shanster, I had to laugh at my misreading of your post. Though I am a bit relieved that you're not about to have your 3rd baby in 2 years! That would be a bit much, to say the least!

I want to go to sleep! Baby is now on round 2 on left breast having already done right, left, right again. He's been at it for hours and won't go to sleep. Do I just stay up all night feeding him?

Biscuits I love your bag a lot!

I'll be back later to type more xx

Sophia wow you're amazing to be feeding that long! I'd probably do a good winding session and get some shut eye!

Oooh thank you for the bag link Rum That's lovely! Now, I wonder if I can justify the 'need'...even to myself

siphia I've just done left right and left again - she seems so hungry st night. I think it's to do with higher levels of prolactin at night so they feed more.

The sleep deprivation is awful! I didn't expect it to hit me so hard, but feel ice had a constant headache for 3 days and I am so teary! We were supposed to start our cloth nappies today but I cried so much at how bulky it makes her look that I've convinced DH to wait a bit longer.
I have been trying to get a nap during the day as well to help make up for it. Although it's not nice I'm glad to hear that it's the same for everybody.

coco I watched mean girls the other night- realise where your name is from!! Enjoy your DDs birthday tomorrow.

fizzy I don't know how your doing the one of you awake shifts - I force DH to go to sleep at night so that somebody is functioning during the day as I have don't nothing in the house for days.

rum I have thought about consleeping but I'm nervous about it. I have a snuzpod at the moment but she doesn't like being out down in it.

Sorry I have missed people I know! Hope everybody gets some sleep in tonight!

Woo, we just had a 2.5 h stretch of sleep between feeds. Longest continuous spell overnight since he was born on Thursday night!

Alfie best film ever so many classic line, and LiLo while she was still a redhead, a normal weight, and awesome. So much to love!
rum all my housework efforts were basically down to the fact it couldn't be put off any longer - DS was 2 weeks last Fri and the bare minimum had been done since right before he was born! In this weather I'm surprised the bedsheets didn't walk off on their own tbh I'm definitely no domestic goddess! Also agree re the boundary testing - you always come across so lovely and calm though while I feel like some sort of panicked, shrieking harpy half the time need to find my zen!
Dots hurray for BabyDots! Hope the rest of the night continued in similar fashion and you're feeling better rested today. And same for you Sophia - we tend to get into a bit of a feed-poo-wind cycle if we're not careful too.

Midwife went brilliantly yesterday, she was happy with his colour and we've been discharged to HV! And she weighed him too - from 7lb13oz born, he'd gone to 9lb2oz on day 17 little guzzly beast.
My big girl's birthday today! Started off well with a major row with DH last night while I tried to sort the house out, wash up, wrap all DD's presents and decorate her birthday cake, with a screaming, moaning baby who refused to be put down or get off the boob - and DH merrily fucked off to bed. I was not impressed. Got everything done in the end. Own my own, natch. Very frosty atmosphere this morning when he rang from work to talk to DD! I think I'm in the right though so won't be apologising unless/until he does I give no fucks anyway, cos me and my gorgeous big baby and my gorgeous little baby are going to have an awesome day! She was so excited this morning when she came in to tell me it was her birthday, it was the best thing ever. My very best girl ❤️

2.5hr stretch sounds pretty good!
DD spent most of the night brewing a poo so was uber grizzly. Which was odd because she has been a prolific poo-er since she was c2 days old...as in 6+ dirty nappies a day. Anyway, she has done her business and is tired and cluster feeding this morning.

I feel bad - an elderly neighbour just popped over with a card and present for DD and I didn't invite her in...because the cluster feeding means that I'm parked on the sofa with boobs out, surrounded by mild chaos.

Oops, cross post. Happy birthday to your DD Coco. Hope you have a happy day and your DH bucks up a bit.

Yes oh yes to the toddlers testing boundaries. I feel bad for our DS. He is coping remarkably well really and is behaving as a typical 3yo. He still worries that mummy might go away again - he keeps checking that I'm not...and was reassuring DD that "mummy and daddy aren't going anywhere" at the weekend. However we, particularly me, have a lot less energy for toddler antics. I know it will get easier but it's a test of all patience.

Hope you & your DD had a lovely day, coco! I hope your DH is very apologetic when he gets home tonight. Well done to you & DS on such good growing! And thanks re zen! My DH would laugh at that one, I'm not sure that would be his top word for describing me. But things don't feel like they've been going too badly over here, so far. All is sleep deprived chaos, but it feels like what I was expecting, at least, so bearable.

Biscuits, I had the same this week, with an elderly neighbour coming round. She actually let herself in (the door was open), but it was helpful cause she'd brought a plant & she found a container to put it in. I was pinned to the sofa, boob out, like "help yourself to tea!" It's all madness round here.

Hurrah for a decent stretch of sleep Lots! Hope it's repeated tonight.

Sophia, I tend to go with it when the bub cluster feeds like that, & watch something on Iplayer or Netflix in bed with headphones in for a bit. It is exhausting though, I hope you got to catch up with some rest today.

Alfie sorry the lack of sleep is hitting so hard. Being teary sounds very normal - I've been most irritable! Re the headache, make sure you're drinking enough. I've been downing vats of water & cordial - breastfeeding is really thirsty work! And keep topped up with snacks too. It makes a big difference to me & how able I feel to cope, at least.

Met another little girl who was born on the same day as DD today at a play date for DS. Glad to know I'm not the only nutter with a 18 month gap between 2.

My nice MW came today, DS had dropped a wee bit of weight when he was weighed on Sunday (7.5%) but he has started gaining again today, hooray! He has done a lot of sleeping between feeds today - hope he's not done all the sleeping he needs to last overnight!

Happy birthday to your DD coco - I'd definitely have been stomping around the house last night as well, hope your DH has seen the error of his ways!

We haven't had any real boundary testing with our DDs yet, but they are 8 and 5.5 and are mainly besotted. The only problem with that is that they are not great at giving me and DS any personal space. However I had the genius idea of booking them into different holiday camps to each other for this week and so far they are both enjoying them and are also enjoying each other's company when they get home - it's the last full week of holidays here so they have been in each other's company a lot for weeks! It's giving me and DH a few hours a day to spend with DS and on doing things around the house and even makes things like waiting in for the MW easier as I haven't got to think of things for the others to do while we wait!

Double poop in a row, feed just finished, just about time to pop on here

We've got the first of our many appointments tomorrow, this one in London to begin investigations into her heart side of things. I've no idea if it's just another assessment type appointment or if it's the MRI/bronchoscopy happening tomorrow. Her cord blood was also sent there for the chromosome testing, they said it'd be about a week, it's been over two now (!) and we've not heard so wondering if we'll find that out tomorrow too...

I'm a mix of really pleased we're getting seen, finally getting some answers, half terrified of what they're going to tell me. Shrodinger's cat scenario going on right here.

I got myself properly upset last night, trying to give her the prescribed little suppository for her bum issues. I couldn't get it in and I just felt fucking awful doing it anyway, she was crying and I was so scared I was hurting her I had a meltdown and just cried. DH kept telling me I'm helping her, that the doctor wouldn't just prescribe it for no reason, and ultimately it's to try and ensure it will grow with her, but Jesus Christ, just horrible. Now I'm getting stressed that this whole bum issue is going to be much more of a daily issue for her than her heart probs. Bahhh sleep deprivation doesn't help me... Or wondering how I'm going to get into London whilst not having cracked discreet breast feeding yet!

Fizzy - best of luck for tomorrow. You're so head strong and doing so well. Be kind to yourself too! I really hope you're seen by lovely doctors and nurses tomorrow to make it all a bit easier!! Let us know how it goes when you're able to xx

Anyone else finding it really hard to read the thread and then remember what and who to reply to on the app?! Would it be easier if I was logged on the website?

Lots - what do you mean when you say hope he's done all the sleeping*? Do they need to sleep a certain amount to sleep well at night then? I'm very envious of your lovely midwife! I don't like any of my midwifes. They're so patronising and uncaring.

I'm seriously struggling with a colicky baby I've resorted to giving a dummy at nighttime and nap time to get me through it Its amazing that DD actually takes a dummy because DS would never even consider it. Plus she won't stop rolling on her side which is the position she was inside me. I knew that this would happen. When the midwife lectured me about how important lying on the back is I forgot to say DS was on his front from week 1 You can't control how a baby wants to lie as they only get cross or revert back to the position they want to actually be in. It's only natural!

Biscuits Yes, the midwifes are constantly asking to look at the latch I hate it. We should have a choice. Surely it's my choice whether I want someone to gawp at my boobs? I do realise that some ladies may need an extra push and shove but I bet that category that I'm thinking of wouldn't want to BF anyway! Surely once I tell a midwife that I BF DS for 22 months, I shouldn't be looked at but trusted that if I say my latch is fine, it's fine. I'm just finding it all so frustrating

I think you're great to politely not invite your neighbours inside. I wish I was like that. My neighbours won't leave me alone They're all retired and keep ringing the doorbell. I actually had to go across the road yesterday to show some of them the baby in hope that they may leave me alone but then one of them mentioned they're "popping" over tomorrow with a present I won't be inviting her in!!!

Alfie do you find paracetamol or ibroprofen works better for pain relief for your stitches? I had some ibroprofen tonight but it did nothing

Anyone else sweating buckets? And feeling slightly fluey after their milk coming in. I was feeling so bad today. Almost had to cancel my sister visiting tonight but when I tried she was already on her way. I do wish that I had demanded more people visited me in hospital when I was pumped with happy hormones and everything was manageable!!

Sorry I'm so negative! Wow I'm really negative! Right...positives! On a positive note I get to have a lovely day cuddling my baby daughter tomorrow because DH has taken the day off to take DS to the farm and they will be out all day. I've encouraged DH to sleep downstairs tonight so that he has energy for that! Positive note 2... It's only 1am so I might actually get another chance to sleep in the next 6 hours! The night is young

Checking in for the night shift! Crazy that a week ago I was in this living room having contractions and using my TENS machine and now I'm here suckling a baby! Have managed to have a couple of decent naps today so not going to be trying to sleep in between feeds tonight as I doubt there will be many gaps.. Have my food station set up and TV on. Anyone else here?

Food station!! Why on earth haven't I thought about eating in the night

I can't seem to find the time or have the appetite during the day (or to shower!) but it's kicking in now- have porridge, cheese crackers, apple rings.. huge jug of water! One epic feed down (for him) - he's absolutely insatiable at minute!

I had awful night sweats last night and the night before my teeth wouldn't stop chattering. Midwife said it was to do with swelling in breasts.

Sophia I think we're birth buddies. My DD was born on the 2nd. I was only just thinking about how this time last week I was being moved from delivery to the ward! The week has flown! I've just taken a video of Dd. Don't know why I always forget to take video footage of the first weeks! I have plenty of sleeping photos I remember now having a great feeding station with DS... I think I'm just too lazy to leave my bed now Apple rings sound very tempting though!

Am here too. DD won't settle unless being held tonight. She did this all day yesterday too. Haven't a clue what's bothering her but am knackered. She's unusually windy & keeps squirming and fussing when laid down.
The HV is coming in the morning - might see if she's worth her salt and ask her about it.

Fizzy I hope the appt goes well xx

Yep, I find it impossible to remember who said what too Pear. I'm on my phone, but on the mobile site rather than app, and it's still hard.

Well all your babies have obviously had a little chat with my LO because she is now feeding for the 3rd time since midnight. Every time I try and put her down she goes sucky fist mad I'm now really wishing the crumpets would jump into the toaster by themselves downstairs. How much would DH kill be if I text him with my food order?!!