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...

Hi ladies can I join you all? I was due 31st august so joined September group however dd had other thoughts and came 26th July! However you all seem at similar point to me and 2 week old! Feeding every 2h over night (would have to wake after 3 because of her being prem) but no chance of that... I also have 2 year old ds and dh went back to work yesterday so adjusting to having 2 solo for next 9 months or so!

Just a cut and paste from Facebook update on yesterday for those not on the group..

So our appointment went well, Izzy was SO good, just sucked my finger and I stroked her hair while she had an ecg and a ultrasound of her heart and windpipe, she just stayed chilled and let the docs do their work. They went through the heart thing again, and confirmed she does have a vascular ring around the windpipe (as most do with a right facing arch) but they want to do the MRI and bronchoscopy when she's 3 months to see how tight it is and if it would need surgery or not. I asked how many righties need surgery, he said about half.. I like those odds. I also asked about the chromosome link, as here worried me with their talk of her other probs and how it now wasn't isolated, he said always worth doing the test but he would be "very surprised" if she had it as she doesn't have the "face" or the cleft palate etc. Made me feel a bit more optimistic. Anyway, she did great, even napped while me and DH ate a cheeky Mexican afterwards! (It was DH's birthday after all) had to change an EXPLOSIVE nappy on my lap in a Mini Cooper in a lay by on the way home which was pretty challenging! Starting to wonder if the car is just too small!!!

Also four I spent a lot of the birth yelling about how I was sure the baby was coming out of my butt not my vag and how I was sure I was gonna shit myself. Everyone else found this very amusing, and I didn't poop, but woah, highly unpleasant! Your previous comment about the Incredible Hulk rang very true!
I said to DH my bum hole feels like one of those mini ring doughnuts when I wipe, but he had a look and said it looks normal! I've been on it with my pelvic floor exercises though just to help it along!

Does anyone know if you can request not to see a certain midwife at home visits? I had a very bad experience today Midwife is concerned that DD has not gained weight since Tuesday and requested that I visited the GP. We went to the GP today and 3 doctors ended up discussing why on earth had we been advised to come in as they can see nothing obviously wrong with baby. They asked the health visitor and the health visitor said that normally they wouldn't worry until another week. At one point during the visit the midwife wanted to see me express but after I got the pump from upstairs I decided no! I don't want to pump in front of a stranger in my own house! So I fed her on the other side intend. I am so stressed now. Really very stressed. The same midwife keeps asking if I would consider giving formula but I can't see why that is necessary. She's not screaming out for food. Last night she did really well. Now she's booked me to go back to the hospital on Saturday to be weighed again. My DH only day off at the weekend Oh and another midwife is coming to weigh again on Monday. It's all really upsetting when I have such a healthy but small baby to look after

Your midwife sounds loony Pear. Am sure you could request - your community midwife will have a supervisor, so you probably start there...give feedback and request not to see her again.
Please try not to stress too much. If DD seems well, is peeing and pooing plenty then surely that's the main thing??

When was your DD last weighed, and how old is she now?

Lots of sympathy though. DS started off gaining weight in a "normal" way but then basically stalled for ages, dropped down multiple centiles, etc. We had to go to fortnightly weigh ins for a few months, see a GP regularly, and whilst GP support was excellent (and consistent) a flock of different HVs meant that we had varying quality of advice from them. It was infuriating! Oh, and DS was, and still is, fine. Just small :)

Oh pear I had a similar thing with a midwife at the hospital when I took DD up for another jaundice test. She got it into her head that I was only feeding her half of what I should and using both boobs every time and tried to have me admitted (despite babe putting on 80g in 2 days) she loudly kept saying "I'm not criticising you but" and saying things like "you're obviously not confident or you wouldn't be here". No I'm here because my baby is bright yellow Ffs! She was horrible! I brought it up with my MW and HV who looked at my feeding logs and said I'm doing fine! The MW said she's just a little baby, they're given this arbitrary number they have to meet before they're discharged, she said it's silly. A little small baby won't gain like a 9/10lber will. She said as long as they are healthy, feeding and lots of wet and dirty nappies, she's happy with that!

BF is so much harder this time I thought it was meant to be easier second time!! I expressed both sides at midnight and tried to get as much into DD as possible at the last 12:45 feed thinking that she would wake at 3ish. She's just woken up at 5:30 with hunger signs. I feel bad for not waking up earlier That's too long to in between feeds isn't it? I would be celebrating had she put on weight! I woke up in the biggest pool of sweat too Is that because it was too long?

Biscuits my DD was weighed yesterday (Thursday) at 4lb 12 (same as Tuesday weigh in). She is 10 days old today and weighed 5.1lb at birth.

Fizzy so sorry you've also received unfair treatment

Oh and don't forget that I had DD at 36 weeks pregnant! Surely that has something to do with her sleepiness

Absolutely. DD (born at 36+3) was also v sleepy for ages. I had to wake her for feeds for a while.
The long stretch overnight is prob longer than ideal, but as a one-off is unlikely to be problematic.
I suspect I would have done the same! One of the unlikely perks of being in hospital for a week after DD was born was that a- midwives would wake me to feed DD, and b- because sleeping in hospital is so snatched, it was easier to feed every 2-3hrs anyway. And c- there was nothing to do except feed her! All of that is trickier at home, esp with a toddler too.

Your DD isn't far off her birth weight though - that sounds promising. And she is gaining, albeit slowly. Can you have a chilled out day of offering lots of boob to your DD today?

Crikey Fizzy. What's with the bonkers midwives?! Glad you have more sensible folk around you to balance out the nonsense. But all the same for you and Pear

Pear I always thought you were supposed to feed newborns a maximum of every 3 hours, but I read / heard somewhere recently that it should be every 3 hours during the day and 4 at night - so you weren't that far off feeding her at 5.30.
I'm not sure if you're on the Facebook group, but a lot of people have said the same thing about their July (i.e. early) babies being much sleepier. I know my DS has only really become more alert since what would have been his due date at the weekend.
Like Biscuits says, speak to the supervisor of midwives if you're concerned about your midwife. You should have contact details somewhere among all the paperwork you're given with your booking on appointment I think.

It does sound like you're doing brilliantly though (and possibly that she's being weighed too often and not really being given a chance to put on weight!), so please try not to worry too much

Finally graduated over :)

Will catch up with thread when I can but you can request not to see certain midwifes.. I had an awful one with ds, told my midwife this time to make sure she's not sent again and yesterday she was my first home visit

If she comes today I'm not listening to her and will then ring to have her not visit again. Yesterday I made stuff up I knew she wanted to hear to get her out of the door!

Pear when I was in hospital getting checked over the doctor told me every 4 hours is fine with a maximum of 6 hours between feeds for first few weeks but mostly on demand when baby is looking for food

Has anyone else not been out with baby yet? Since baby was born the only time we've been out is to leave hospital and come home. Being glued to sofa while he cluster feeds has made it impossible. Is that normal? Don't know how we'll ever manage as he is so unpredictable in feed/sleep pattern :-/

It'll get better sophia - how many days old is your baby now? We've managed to go out a couple of times now, on Thursday for lunch and everything!

Sophia just stop to feed when needed, be it the car, cafes etc . Baby and boob are portable, I use a feeding apron as I like a bit of privacy and it makes me feel more confidence to feed most places

I like the one with the wire at the neck to hold it open so you an easily see baby and what your doing

He's 9 days old. Have been having trouble with latching on and mastitis and am now using nipple shields, so not feeling very confident about feeding on the move. Going to try to get to breastfeeding support group next week and need to go register birth too. Finally feeding without pain with the nipple shields- such relief. Going to try again without next week but need to be able to feed easily until mastitis clears.

I'm also still struggling with a bit of pain. Particularly on my left side for some reason. I can't seem to get as good a match. Was a bit of a teary sweaty mess earlier trying to get a good latch. Does it get easier? I really really want to ebf.

Just checking in to the post natal thread (and another one hoping for some wonderous encouragement/pearls of wisdom as far as the breastfeeding goes - my DS is also a very sleepy and jaundiced baby who now apparently has 'breast aversion'! Persevering for the moment but starting to really, really struggle and have added in formula top ups at the insistence of the midwives). Thankfully his respiratory issues have all settled and despite being a 37 weeker is now nearly back at his birthweight of 7lb14oz .

I was out with DS for the first time today sophia but rushed home before he got hungry as the screaming battle to get him to latch on, even with nipple sheilds, can go on for over an hour.

How do I join the Facebook group?

Alfie it does get better. Promise. And you might find that one boob is always easier than the other. DS has a favourite side and it's hit and miss whether he'll take the un-favoured side - if he's properly hungry he's fine, but if he's just snacking/topping up he'll shout and moan until I swap him back to favourite side! Little menace.
Sophia it doesn't matter that you've not been out! I wish I'd spent more time when DD was born just chilling out while I could, and less time rushing around trying to prove (to god knows who) that I was superwoman and could do everything. On the flip side, we do go out most days (although not til early afternoon usually as it takes that long to get everyone sorted and ready!) and DS is actually easier to settle out of the house - being on the move in the sling works for us. But we are 3 weeks in and in a bit more of a pattern so feeding is less of a stress now. Good luck with bf group - they were an absolute godsend for me with DD, hope yours is nice!

Anyone with slightly older babies noticing some little patterns emerging?? DS is 3 weeks today and is starting to have a bit of a routine in his day I think. Sadly he's also developed a witching hour, which starts about 8-9pm and goes on indefinitely (anything from 1-3hrs so far) - he's a grouchy wee sod and impossible to settle. Eventually I get him to sleep and then he's fine again overnight and all the next day - it's just those evenings where he gets aggy! He has slept 5hr stretches the last 2 nights though so I'm absolutely not complaining (and also not expecting that to last)!

Can't remember if I have congratulated recent graduates to this thread - but congratulations!
Not really aware of a pattern yet, other than at some point there will be a cluster feed.

DD was a month old yesterday () but technically is only 1wk old today. I don't know if things like a witching hr or two are still to kick in?

We borrowed a Ewan Dream Sheep from friends this week. (Mostly as an experiment. Am loath to spend 30quid on something that is ineffective) But so far, DD seems to find it soothing.

ickle welcome!

fizzy glad your last appointment went well, what a good girl staying nice and settled. Changing a nappy in a mini should be a new Olympic event! 😝

Posted too soon!
Hope those of you with feeding problems etc get them sorted, once feeding and sleeping are sorted, life gets easier if I remember correctly!

My next hurdle will be the school run as DH is back to work on Monday and school goes back on Wednesday. Not sure how DS is going to feel about there being a time limit on his morning marathon feed.

Sophia DD is 10 days old and I haven't been out yet. I went out wayyyyy too quickly with DS and I learnt my lesson! Stay in for as long as you can manage and enjoy lazy days with your baby at home because when they're older you will be running here, there and everywhere but right now your baby will be just as happy at home and you will be resting too! Enjoy the breastfeeding group...that helped me too last time. I am starting again on Wednesday if I can give my DS to my mother!! I remember what the lady told me last time...on average it takes 12 weeks to establish really good breastfeeding. It took me 6 weeks last time so I know there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Alfie I promise it does get better. It really does. I had a terrible time feeding DS last time (he ended up having reflux) but o I remember the day clearly when everything just clicked around week 6 when we had his tongue tie sorted. TG I have that experience otherwise I would really be struggling with DD now who is not gaining weight quick enough for the midwifes liking I know there is light and I know that feeding DS for 22 months last time was worth every week of pain and hard work at the start! I am looking ahead at the all the amazing days when it's all so easy, comforting, precious and perfectly natural!