March 2007 - even though it hasn't actually arrived, some of us have (iyswim)

[CallieNewMum]

Here we go girls - Amie, Kiwi, Dixia, Flannelettepyjamas, we can start comparing motherhood notes on this one and wait for the others to arrive one by one. Although I suspect the other thread will be our home until there's critical mass. To those of you still waiting to join the post-natal people - get a move on!!

chocpenny the rsch should have given you a pamphlet on discharge about a service they run whereby you can phone and discuss with a mw your treatment/experience of birth... i would recommend it... you never really explained what happened but i remember you saying nobody got to you until really late? Had you just been left to get on with it?

rosy at you trampolining and staying continent! I prolly would have had to run to the toilet!

Hugs to everyone having sleepless nights... I'm right there with you ladies!

Foxy it's such a palaver getting out and about... dreading the return of the school run on monday... no idea how i did it b4 the hols.

Rosy - I wouldn't even have attempted the trampoline without a trip to the loo first!

Another good night here with only one middle of the night feed - and that one Toby managed to organise for himself! At the moment we're co-sleeping with him, and I woke up to find that he'd already got himself latched on and feeding without any assistance from me. Now all we need is for him to manage it without waking me and we'll be well away! I can't believe how laidback and easy he is compared to ds1, who didn't feed or sleep well, and by this stage I was almost tearing my hair out.

Toby seems to have suddenly got to the point where he can focus a bit better on things further away too, as he's been really alert and looking round him more since yesterday.

Morning all you baggy eyed new mums

well well, Monti fed at 9.30pm, then slept from 10.30pm until 4.30am - 7 hours between feeds and 6 hours sleep . then we both slept until 8.30am so I awoke feeling shocked that I'd actually had some sleep!!

muast have been the river air from yesterday

Rosy - LOL at you eating chocolate then jumping on trampoline - assuming there is a link between choc consumtion and need to go on trampoline

yes Green and Blacks is fair trade - my friend from Belize explained to me that the chocolate farmers are guaranteed an income by G&Bs irrespective of how much coco they sell

• so green and blacks are actually doing great things in supporting farmers in poor latin american places. Which means that by buying and eating plenty of G&B's you will be doing a good deed ! well that's the way I see it!

haha

ooh must dig out the children's summer clothes - looks like a scorcher today

Lunar x posts - Toby sounds fab!! so you had some sleep too eh?

just remembered - Monti is also doing that "standing" and strecthing legs thing and lifting his head a lot to strengthen his neck.

I remember taking DD to see Finding Nemo with DS1 when she was 10 weeks old. I was hoping she'd feed and then sleep through it but she spent the entire film "standing" on my lap stretching her legs so I had to hold her up and peer around her chubbiness to watch the film!

baggy everything, not just baggy eyed! am about to take ds for a walk, am hoping the fresh air will make him sleepy.... was up every 2 hours last night. the night before he only woke up once

rosy, am v impressed with the trampolining!

hope you all have a nice day in the sun

Lunar, that's a good trick Toby has, latching himself on

I'm tired today, having a relaxing mellow day though...might manage a nap.

During the week when travelling in the car I spent ages reliving the labour in my mind. I think it was theraputic to do that, I had a smooth, positive experience with fantastic care but still need to come to terms with it all....so goodness knows if you have a difficult labour how it must take some getting over.

Fox I'm determined to stay off chocolate, think if I give in I'll be back to scoffing it. I really am a chocoholic, I love it (especially green and blacks...slurp)that's
why it was strange that I went off it in pregnancy...sigh. I could just take it or leave it then and the childrens chocolate was safe....

Oh well, must get some smelly cheese today, a girl needs some pleasures

Hello all, I'll get more of a chance to post next week hopefully.

Hope evryone has a lovely day in the sunshine

Chocpenny, you do need to talk to someone about the birth. It is a huge thing to come to terms with, especially with your first and especially if it was quick.

It very rarely matches our expectations and what with crazy post birth hormones the whole experience can leave us very confused.

Hey, I'm confused and you'd think, infact people DO think I've got it all sussed with no. 6 and so aren't looking after ME at all.

I've 2 cups of tea made for me all week

I think all of us are feeling that we're being put through a mangle. Actually I could do with a bit of that, might iron out the bags and tummy

oh, Kitty... it's such a shame that people are so presumptious - I have to admit that I thought about your comment for a bit before realising that I am probably one of those who thinks people have things under control. The emotion rollercoaster is a wicked ride at the moment - some days are up and lots are down!

Rosy !! Are you training for 2012 already?

Fox - sad thought about animals. Glad you got a great night's sleep. And you too Lunar - with your fabby bubby feeding from you!!

Kate manages to hold her head by herself now and she also does the stretching out thing with her legs as if she is trying to stand. I missed the big milestone this morning when she rolled over all by herself!! Hubs text to let me know but that he caught it. For a couple of days now, he has been convinced that she would be able to do it.

Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine with their families and friends and very contented babies!!

Hi all,

Well, Oliver slept for a straight 6 hour stretch last night It took ds1 over a year to manage that, so I hope it wasn't just a fluke!!

My biggest problem is my tear. I can't sit today, and it hurts to walk/move - seems to be getting worse by the day. I'm day 6 today, 2nd degree tear, anyone know whether it's safe to remove sutures? I think i may have to call the midwife out, as I can't manage like this over the weekend (and they definitely aren't infected-looking, I've checked)

Sorry to read that there's a number of us struggling. I'm sick of people telling me to enjoy this part - I can't, I'm in too much damn pain!!

Take care all x

Ladies, I'm back, at last!!! Will read through everything properly later but... here is the ol' birth announcement!!

Runningal, so sorry about your discomfort .
My 1st three vag deliveries all resulted in second degree tears. The ist two were stitched, the last on left to heal on its own.
I seem to remember that with the ist one the stitches really annoyed me and it was much better once they were removed. The second lot were self disolving.
Perhaps it is the stitches themselves that are irritating you? I would def get a midwife to come and look at them. Lavender in baths is supposed to be good.
When you say they are getting worse what do you mean? That it is getting more sore?

I must say I was amazed that I didn't tear at all this time. It must be that the little man's head is much smaller than the girls!!

If it's any consolation my pelvis is so bad I walk like an old lady .

Kiwi, I'm that Kate is already rolling over and bouncing. How time flies!!!

Am I the only person herre NOT to feel all loved up with my baby? I kind of feel very little atm. It worries me somewhat. Perhaps it will be better once he stops screaming all the time

runningal - it's apparently quite normal for the stitches to get a bit tight and uncomfy as they dry out. My MW recommended frequent baths. I think they usually use dissolvable stitches these days

Kitty - not feeling loved up here, felt the same with DS so not too worried.

Mossy just HAD to make it back for Dr Who didn't she!

runningal - i have memories of my stitches with dd being incredibly tight feeling IYKWIM, they should dissolve though rather than having to have them removed.... obvious tip here but am assuming you know to sit on a rubber ring etc?

Thanks ladies - I've just had a lavender bath (and a couple of beers!) and I'm not in as much pain. I was seriously considering hacking them out myself this afternoon!

I'll see how it is tomorrow morn and may have to get the midwife out

thanks x

congrats again mossie - good to see you back!

kitty, i want a refund on my boy, not loved up at all, but then i am with you in the screaming camp, it has made no frigging difference me coming off the dairy products, he is still the worlds loudest screamer.... and am still not getting any sleep, hes still on every two hrs wanting a feed, and this evening it was almost every hour. I have rammed a dummy in and have sat and held it in so as to get some restbite! i may have to go onto FF if nothing improves soon, i cant go on feeling like a zombie.
Runningal, i had a tightening of my stichs about day 5/6, but they soon got better, keep on with the Lavender baths, i tried to have two a day.
On the subject of 'nether regions' who (if its not to personal) is still having bleeding? Jens will be four weeks on Sunday (cant quite believe that) and i am still bleeding. Not really heavy, but enough not to be able to go without a pad... god pads down below, pads in my bra....bloody leaking at every orifice!

Not sure who was on about the Lansinoh cream? Its prob too late in the day but who ever wanted some, i have a huge tube of it. I was lucky enough to have got away with only using it a couple of times, so i can send it on to whomever wants it, let me know! - better than letting it go to waste.

oh and on a lighter note, something other than screaming babies, i won the Grand National today....had a two poound bet on 'Silver Birch' to win, and he only did! came away with a tasty £82.00

Runningal - try adding Tea Tree Oil to the bath as well.

Jay - if nobody else wants the Lansinoh I'll have it. I've been using it as a preventative measure and have got away without much nipple damage so far - but I've used more than half my tube already and Toby's only 10 days old.

ok i cant catch up yet but i will tomorrow...i have a new pc now (so does dp)for some reason(i dont ask,i just accept).

dp has been very ill with a severe throat infection the past few days so ive been managing on my own alot of the time.all i can say is thank god somebody invented the microwave oven...

dd2 has had a tummy bug and Elsie has had the squits and not been too good,she was only taking 1-2oz per feed yesterday.shes alot better today though.

anyway,im going to go and say a huge CONGRATS TO MOSSIE on the birth announcement thread and catch up with you all properly tomorrow.hope everybody is ok xxx

Diva, poor you. It never rains but it pours. Is everyone getting better now? You must be knackered, you poor thing .

Jay when Ronnie goes on a feeding frenzy he wants boob ALL THE TIME one boob after the other and that can last for an hour.
At other times when he is not so frantic he'll go two hours max.
At dinner time today I found it really hard. Ronnie's screaming, dd3's climbing all over the kitchen table, throwing cutlery on the floor, dd1 and dd2 are fighting. Thank God the older boys are now old enough not to be any problem.

I just managed to sit doen to eat my cold yucky dinner and Ronnie wants feeising again, balh, blah. I know this is going to be a very,very trying time.

Jay excellent news on your win, make sure you spend the money on YOU!!

Runningal, I had a 'string' stitch (i refuse to call it thread it was so thick!) and it fell out itself day five. it did get a bit more painful after a few days but my tear wasn't too bad. I had 2 grazes with dd and that was agony for 2 weeks.

Jay I'm still bleeding lightly 4 weeks 3 days on. I usually don't clear up 4 6 weeks then not a peep for 8/9 months with bfeeding. How fun to win the grand national, I think you deserved that little treat!

Diva i hope things get easier for you soon. it's horrible when everyone is ill.

I actually forgot about dr who last night but caught the last half by chance and it was brilliant. Thought dt looked peaky though, has he lost weight? He needs a couple of hot dinners. I feel the need to feed him up

My house is like musical beds at night theses days, I shall have to subtly get those youngsters back into their old routines.

Hasan is still being a dream baby, I feel so grateful I know I'm really lucky! And he smiles now and his face is getting full of character and he's soooo cute!

Morning postnatalers!

Sounds like some of you have been having a rough time of it, sorry to hear that although Jay your Grand National win must've cheered you a little, you could spend the money on a cleaner and babysitter for a few days to give you some rest!!!

Kitty I can't believe no one is looking after you, I would put a big sign up in the kitchen to say "I have just had a baby, please make me a brew".

Diva you poor thing sounds like it's all come at once. Hope things improve soon for you all.

So is that Lansinoh worth buying then? I am still getting the hang of this bf thing, trying to work out how often to do it, and whether I should wake him to feed him, I hear he should feed between 8-12 times a day but I'm reluctant to wake him if he is asleep... and also if he has fed from one breast and comes off by himself, am I then supposed to move him to the other one? And if I do, is that counted as two feeds? Bit confusing!

Good grief I am so glad to be out of that hospital and home. Over the next few days, when I get knackered and fed up I'm going to remind myself that I'm not there any more!

Sazzy iirc you were induced too? Did they put you on a drip? Bloody horrible thing isn't it! I thought I was bad with the episiotomy, but poor you going through all that and having to have the c-section at the end!

Callie I thought of you when Bertie was in the SCBU for the night, he was in a nursery with very prem (pre 28 weeks) babies, all those machines and equipment, you really must have gone through the wringer, so glad little Jordi's okay.

Ladies I'm sorry to all of you I've missed, Bertie is well and truly asleep now (I made a makeshift sling out of my dressing gown) so I'm going to put him in his moses basket and get a little shut eye myself, hugs to you all and I'll catch up later. XXXX

X posts Rosy... get yer hands off DT

PS Pics are up!!!

Mossie - lovely pics

How often is he waking for a feed?
I had to wake DD up for the first week as she was v sleepy. So I woke her every 3 hours in the day and every 4 between midnight and eight

If they drop off one breast then you should offer the other. Sometimes they'll have more sometimes not. One/two breasts it all counts as one feed I think