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...

Very interesting to read about your midwife experiences Day, Biscuits and anyone else who responded to my midwife nightmare! I have tried to ring the supervisor of the midwife team at the hospital. Nobody ever picks up. Hopefully I will find someone to talk to at our hospital apt tomorrow. I need to make damn sure that someone knows that I don't want this particular midwife to ever visit my house again! I have since learnt from friends that I'm not alone in experiencing her bully, box ticking and poor advice with little knowledge behaviour!!

My mother saved today and took DS for the day. I basically stayed in bed from 1-4:30pm feeding and sleeping. Arrrrr it was bliss and DD really benefited from it! If she's not out weight on today then I just don't know!! Meanwhile I have been eating like a pig. It's been so hard as I am not hungry at all. I'm forcing myself to eat cakes and things when I'm not interested at all. Really strange as normally I have such a sweet tooth. It must be the tiredness!

Oh and tonight because I had more energy from resting I gave them both a bath together. My DS was so happy to have his little sister in the bath. It was so cute to watch and went really well! Sadly all the moving about has aggravated my stitches and they've been quite sore ever since

Little one has been cluster feeding for 24 hours...

Sounds like a good day Pear :)
That's interesting that bf takes so long to properly establish... It makes sense though.
Good luck at the hospital - hope things are on the up. FWIW, I don't know if this varies across the UK but here we have two midwife supervisors. One for community, one for hospital. (Though am sure one can point you in the direction of the other if necessary)

We have inlaws visiting this weekend. They are lovely but invariably become two more people to look after. I predict knackeredness all round!

coco it just feels a but relentless at the moment. Both my nipples have cracked, ice seen a peer supporter but in not sure how moch it's helped. DD also just will not go down in her cot st night. Do you cosleep? Do you noir your covers over them? And do you kind of sleep on your side with knees up snd your DS in the space inbetween? In tempted to tryout because if iI got some sleep I feel I could handle the feeding issues.

sophia I've been out and about s little bit and it makes me feel a bit better. For your first outing why don't you just go for s walk with the pram? No set time or limits so it's not stressful at all. That's all I've been doing really, I think fresh air helps clear my head.

Biscuits oh isn't just the thought of visitors so exhausting! Two of my sisters have visited on separate days this week and I ended up having to make tea and heat up meals for them They both said "oh we should be doing this" urrrr then why don't you?! They're a lot older so I struggle to boss them around! I've shut the door to anymore visitors. A lot of my friends are asking to visit but I just can't cope with it and this time I honestly don't care...I know they would do the same! I already warned my NCT bunch that I'll be in hiding recovering!

My DD has woken up at better feeding hours tonight. 2:30am and 5am. Sounds a bit more normal doesn't it!

Oh that "we should be doing this" line is so frustrating isn't it?! MIL specialises in trotting that out when something is 95% finished. To be fair she doesn't always realise something needs doing until the last minute but cups of tea don't just make themselves wouldn't that be nice though I hope this visit will be different but as they aren't great at taking initiative, unless we buck up and ask outright then nothing will change.

DH had to be quite assertive with them when they stayed while DD & I were in hospital. The poor love was racing around between visiting us each day & looking after DS & keeping the house ticking over. Inlaws had to make their own cuppas :)

Def keep your visitors under control. An extra wk or so makes sod all difference to them really, but the world of a difference to you!

Back from hospital. DD hasn't gained weight. She remains static How is this bloody possible (sorry to swear but I'm and )!!! I brought up tongue tie again so the midwife asked to check and YES she agrees that it looks like DD has tongue tie. Well, I have been trying to tell everyone that!! So, now we've been booked into seeing a specialist who can treat her on Monday afternoon. Still have to have her weighed daily next week I just want things to improve so desperately so we don't have this stress hanging over our heads.

Also, have been feeling terrible post contractions today. Feels so late to be getting them back again! Anyone else finding that they return with revenge?

Hi guys, just been catching up with this thread. Me and baby are back home now, getting to grips with bf again and trying to convince dd that she wants to sleep in her Moses basket and not on a person!

The initial bf is going OK, I know it will change when the milk comes in and it's spurting out like a fire hose out of a beach ball! Nipples are sore for the latch on, but after that feel OK, usual stuff.

Glad to here some babies are starting to sleep a bit longer at night now. I'm really feeling the tiredness here, especially since I want to spend time with my toddler too.

That sounds stressful peardrop, I guess the positives are that she hasn't lost weight, and you have a plan in place for Monday? Glad someone took you seriously today and they are able to treat her so quickly.

I had some bad after pains yesterday (day 8) much better today though.

Sorry you're having such a tough time pear Have they suggested expressing and feeding from a cup?
I didn't get any initial after pains but think I might be having them on day 10- could be cramps caused by antibiotics though!

Finally managed a walk along the road this evening and little one slept the whole way! My eyes actually found it hard to adjust to bright daylight!

To anyone struggling with nipple grazing and pain, I know they're controversial but I've been using nipple shields so I can feed without pain until mastitis heals, and it's bliss. Really helping me bond with baby as I no longer dread and resent every feed. I know I'll have to wean him off and sort out the latching problem next week but it's been good to have some relief.

Looking forward to some Olympics tonight :-)

Lots you're absolutely spot on. Even though Monday can't come quick enough I am very lucky that the tongue tie clinic has a space for us to be seen on Monday and there is no 6 week waiting list like I experienced with DS.

Glad you can get the tongue tie sorted pronto Pear but gawds, daily weigh ins?? That sounds stressy :(

We have wonky children this evening. DS has a bit of a fever, hasn't really eaten since lunch and basically asked to go to bed before 7pm this evening. So he is calpol-ed and my fingers are crossed.

DD, despite wearing a long sleeved vest, sleepsuit, cardigan & under a blanket (!!!) is cool to touch (hands, cheeks, forehead) - though her neck is okay and she isn't clammy. Took her temp and it seems fine. So will keep a beady eye on her and hope neither of the them become proper poorly. (The house is a fairly normal c19 degrees)

sophia well done for getting out for a walk! I think it helps my mood and baby always sleeps! I'm also on nipple shields for 24 hours to help my nipple cracks heal. I'm not so keen though - struggling to keep them in and get DD latched. But it does take the pain away.

pear is it obvious that she has tongue the? What were the symptoms? I'm thinking of asking to get my DD checked as she slips and pinched my nipple. She's choked a couple of times and is v gassy. But when I look at her tinguevitbdiesntblook like tongue tie.

biscuits sorry to hear that your two are under the weather. All you can do is wait it out and check DD regularly I suppose. Hope it turns out to be nothing.

Aldo TMI but was somebody discussing piles further back? My little ones have gone but ive still got one large one that hurts, wondering if it's worth seeing GP or it they will say it's too soon after birth to worry about it.

Sophia Yes, they want me to express for 20 mins after every feed. I just can't achieve this I don't have the strength, milk or patient toddler to be able to! They haven't mentioned using a cup this time (they did with DS) but DD does take a bottle.

Biscuit yep, super stressful to have daily weight checks I hope your kiddies perk up by the morning?!!

A the obviously sign to me that DD has tongue tie is the feeling of her suck is the same as with DS. She feeds better on one side, not gaining weight, generally not feeding very well even though she wants it.

We spent most of yesterday in children's hospital, we thought he had my chest infection as noisy breathing turns out he has laryngomalacia which is a flappy bit in his throat that causes the noise and he should grow out of it by 2 years old

They dont do anything unless he struggling to feed or not gaining weight

So he was weighted yesterday and between day 5 and 11 had put on 80gr so they happy with that and will just leave him be for it to sort out by itself

Gosh Daytona, how worrying for you! I've never heard of that condition before. What a relief that you have a diagnosis and now have breathing space again and can move forward! I hope you're having a better day today!

You're doing great pear. It's just so tough this breastfeeding lark. Think it's the combination of physical pain, tiredness and emotional frustration. Have you got a breastfeeding support worker visiting?

pear that sounds a lot of work and stress for you. I hope the tongue tie clinic works out for you.

Daytona how worrying for you - hope he's ok.

Goodness Day that must have been frightening. Hope it sorts itself out easily.

DS is still wonky today. He ended up in bed with us last night, perky this am but now the outing with DH and PIL has been curtailed because he is wonky again.
DD is grizzly and clingy today, and feeding near constantly. This avo I am flying solo with both children and my PIL who will try and help but frankly won't be remotely helpful because DH has to be somewhere for a few hrs, and can't reasonably get out of it. If I wasn't so tired I would crack open the gin. As it is, tea will have to suffice!

Biscuits I'm flying solo too today It sucks.

My day is going so badly. My house has literally been bombed by my toddler and baby lol I answered the door to a delivery man and he even looked scared of me. I forgot what I look like today Hair not brushed and bra hanging off shoulder Ds accidentally got my finger stuck in his potty stair thing and there was a point when all 3 of us were crying. Gawd I just have to laugh!!

Wth is going on with my baby?!?!?! She's decided that she wants to feed every hour for like 7 minutes. I haven't had time to express yet. I knew I wouldn't Oh well I've nearly made it half way through the day!

Oh and no...not even heard of a breastfeeding support worker Sophie! The breastfeeding lady at the hospital tomorrow is meant to be a guru!

Omg...just remembered that the health visitor is coming tomorrow

Feeding every hr sounds familiar Pear Hope it works some magic on your DD and your boobs survive to tell the tale!. Am sure expressing can wait for another day

Am now camped on sofa with Thomas film on Netflix, calpol, DS & DD (in her sling). Inlaws are due imminently and they have, for mysterious reasons, planned to have lunch here rather than grabbing something while they were out

Biscuits They will tell me off tomorrow at the hospital for not expressing I can't wait to be in all your camps and feed when I want to without the guilt! Good luck with your in laws. Sounds like my visitors!

You can only do what you can Pear
Inlaws have been tasked with making up mini lego kits for DS from a jumbo box of Lego that I bought this morning. I reckon that will keep everyone quiet for at least an hr!