May 2017 #16 Sleep deprivation, mumnesia and first smiles

[crazyzooo]

New thread to celebrate the small things (like first smiles and eating steak with one hand), commiserate over the less fabulous stuff (poonamies, vomit eruptions and wind spring to mind) and someone to talk to at 4am

La Leche League. Not being rude but aren't those meetings going to attract mums who are into natural/long term breastfeeding, co-sleeping, sling users, attachment parenting etc? They are unlikely to be doing sleep training or using bottles at night or anything like that so maybe their sleep is a bit worse?

@teainbed hence not sure it's for me

Baby Rocky has been feeding every 3 hours for the last day, which is a drastic change to the usual every hour or two. Then last night she slept from 8 til 2am and since then has only been awake twice. I feel like I should be worried... her sleeps haven't been interrupted either - full on deep sleeps. Is this normal?! How has this happened?! I'm thinking maybe a growth spurt is taking place.

@mrsjw it especially doesn't count if you get your husband to pay

@rustler that's such a shame - pretty low (and gross) to take someone else's changing mat!

@claire our postman is always in such a huff. He's actually started leaving them in our 'safe' place and putting a card through the door so he doesn't have to ring the doorbell!

Ah I see @Rustler74

@Rockyroad17 you sometimes get a sleepy day or two before or after a growth spurt or a leap. Or maybe just getting bigger and managing to space feeds a bit better?

I've been reading along with this thread but haven't managed to post on my phone, big fingers one-handed doesn't seem to type well, but I've made it to the computer now.

Interested in the cranial osteopathy, though slightly sceptical. Sleep seems to vary enormously here so I can see how it'd be easy to attribute the change to the therapy but I'm keeping an open mind and may give it a go. Baby Peach slept a mahoosive 6 hours last night, though I did not! She was so noisy so woke me up thinking she wanted feeding. Before I knew it I had slept an hour, then another, etc. Nice, but hardly refreshing.

We are now 6 weeks pp exactly, so I guess I should start some exercise but unsure what to begin with?

Rise I'm jealous! Baby W slept really well 12-5.30am but then refused to go back to sleep after. She's slept most of today though - no idea what impact that will have on tonight!

Breast pads - how often do you change them? I totally under-estimated how many I'd need to take for one night at mums! But I seemed to be particularly leaky or she was particularly dribbly last night.

@teainbedthink you've described me

Although I think I have better sleep than most of you

peach re exercise personally I'd get checked first by (eg) physio / pilates person re your abs. I'll be starting with postnatal specific fitness class. Around here there are also classes where you dance with baby in a sling (with a bit of exercises thrown in)

For those asking about cranial osteopathy, we started on Tuesday. It does look like they aren't doing anything but I'm hopeful and have heard good things. She picked up tongue tie which has gone unnoticed by anyone for six weeks despite being checked. Got that done today so quietly hoping feeding will improve and therefore sleep! I've got my hopes up before though so not putting too much pressure on!

Ha, the description of LLL sounds just like me too, maybe I should see if there's any groups here.

It's so cold! Winter duvet back on and using a grobag for the first time. Crazy that a week ago the bedroom was 10 degrees warmer! Prompting me to look at warm holidays but I can't help but feel it'll just be a stressful nightmare. The baby will be fine - it's the unruly 2yo that's the problem

5am feeding time at the zoo! Shouldn't moan, Molly has been asleep since 10.30 last night.

@jennymac31 I'm pleased you guys had a chat and sorted things out. I sometimes think OHs don't understand that being a mummy is a full time job in itself!

@dreamofhungarianlanterns as much as Molly sleeps 'well' she too thrashes about like a fish out of water and takes massive gulps of air as if she's struggling to breath which freaks me out!

@EsmesBees I hope she settles into her new nursery. Things are still new and I've no doubt she'll become a doting sister before you know it!

I can't wait to have a bath! How long have you ladies waited post EMCS? My MW said it's fine but I get weary of soaking a scar that's still a bit scabby and I'm not sure if it's healing well? Pic below FYI

@Rockyroad17 we were having the dinner time kick off session too. I've finally (reluctantly) got her to take a dummy and it makes so much difference for half an hours Leave to eat together!

@newbieho I've just noticed your appointment with the Osteopath is the same day as us. We're there at 3pm how about you?

@1004Rise I know the feeling about the top half size struggles! I went to put on a pre pregnancy shirt yesterday in a size 8/10... 😂 I then purchased a new one... in a size 14/16 I'm swimming in it, but I can get it done up!

@teainbed and @EsmesBees out of interest - what's the longest you've roomshared for?

@MrsJW15 I change mine a few times through the day and only once at night.

We popped out for coffee with some of the other girls from our NCT group yesterday which was lovely! Having a proper little reunion with them all next month plus babies and daddies!

Ive been quite good with online shopping, we've been so busy that I get as far as adding a few bits in my basket and then never get round to paying for them! DHs bank balance is delighted! 🙈

DH and I also decided to take a few newborn photos ourself rather than book a proper session (as much as I wanted to I couldn't justify the money)... Will be nice to have some nice pictures rather than just snaps!

Feeding time here too @RasperryInAMelon! She's had a good 5 hour stretch so can't complain, even if I had to pop her dummy back in at one point. I'm not a huge fan either but I knew it was too early for her to actually be hungry and I love sleep!

I'm no expert but your scar looks good to me! I had my first bath at 3 weeks PP. Midwife said it was fine but not to stay in more than 15 mins. I've only had a couple but they were lovely.

@RasperryInAMelon I agree your scar looks good from that picture. I'm also jealous of your nights sleep. My LO is back to not letting us put him down. He wakes within 2 mins of being put down so me and DH have barely slept.

@RasperryInAMelon Your scar looks good and has made me feel more relived about mine. 5 weeks on and just above my scar for the last couple of days has felt tender, like I've been punched a few times. Hopefully it's just part of everything knitting together again.

@BouncingBlueberry I have aches and pains too and my tummy is still very numb which I hear most women never regain feeling following CS 😔

raspberry your scar looks great. I've got a great wad of flab & stretchmarks hanging over mine! And mine feels numb too, and the belly around it.

@Sipperskipper @RasperryInAMelon I've got exactly the same numbness and aches/pains. I was getting worried as at times I've had to use pain relief to hello the aches and pains and was worried something was going wrong.

@rasberry we have also decided to try and take some proper snaps of our own for the same reason. But also because when I looked into getting professional ones I discovered most people book them before they've even had the baby... I guess you live and learn

Having said that, if anyone has recommendations for decent photographers please do share!

I have a question regarding the next step after moses. We are yet to buy any nursery furniture and I wondered what others might recommend as the best next step? I want to keep baby Rocky in with us, we have plenty of space around the bed we have a sleepyhead too... I'm pretty clueless about nursery furniture - apart from choosing based on what it looks like!

@RasperryInAMelon I had my first bath yesterday (6+5 pp) but I waited til I could have a good soak to enjoy it.

For those of you still feeling numb sore around your scar mine is definitely coming back, and it's less sore. I went from feeling like someone had taken a scrubbing brush to my stomach, I kept thinking that it would look red raw, and it was sore to the touch. Now it feels like when you've burned the tip of your finger and you can sort of feel that you're touching something but not quite (does that make any sense?) It's not sore enough to need pain killers anymore. So it does get better I just think it's going to take a while!

No 5 hr sleeping last night just a few blocks of 2 hours but she was really noisy last night and kept waking me up 😳 She did sleep in the next2me for about 30% of the night though so I'm taking that as a positive!

Hi all Baby vanilla is finally above birth weight  however he woke every two hours or less last night! feeling rather drained today.

@RasperryInAMelon your scar looks good. I have had one bath and it felt great! Might have another one today.
@Sipperskipper mines the same- tummy overhang on mine
Also getting some pains and most of all my lower back has been really sore this last week, and only relief I'm getting is from a hot water bottle.

Off to lakeside today to have a look in the sales, I really need some breastfeeding friendly tops.

Hi all, long time since last posting! Have been reading during the night feeds but haven't had enough brain cells to string sentences together!
C section here (2weeks 5 days ago) and still quite numb in belly overhang area, numbness/aches from where the epidural went in is gradually going but I don't seem to feel any improvement in the belly numbness! Hoping it does come back at some point.
X

@Sipperskipper don't be fooled! From the side I have an overhang too and have started development by stretch marks since she arrived annoyingly. Really brought me down but just one of those things I'm going to have to get used to. I guess my skimpy bikini days are over at 29... #MummyTummy

@1004Rise 6 weeks is a good time scale, I'm a soaker too so would rather hold out and be able to enjoy it for at least half an hour. During pregnancy I was known to spend 3 hours in the tub!

@vanilla8 I spent yesterday in Bexleyheath looking for appropriate BF tops and got a shirt... might go to either Bluewater or Westfield over the weekend...

@RasperryInAMelon it also gave me time to get a bit of my core back so I could actually get out as well 🤔😜

Yeay for baby vanilla's weight gain @vanilla8

raspberry well the other day I was getting up from the sofa, and my top rode up a bit. My lovely Dad exclaimed 'cor, that scar is big isn't it!'....and I had to point out that it was just one of my many stretchmarks!

Sorry. This is nothing but a rant! I'm tearing my hair out. I'm desperately trying to pack and organise for holiday (leaving at 7am tomorrow...) and have been all day. DP had the day off so I wasn't even worried. I figured with a second pair of hands to at least hold the baby (and maybe, just possibly, help?!) I could get things done. Well, after a strong start (he washed up his own breakfast things) the day fell apart. He invited his friend over with her 5 month old (gorgeous little guy) so a couple of hours wasted drinking tea. He then buggers off to "pick up some bits" from town. At 4.30 he goes for a lie down as he's tired (at this point he's not even picked up his son all day) at 7.30 he reappears and makes himself a sandwich. I asked him then to please take the baby and I had 10 minutes to gulp down a cold pasta salad. He's been in bed since 9pm. I was wearing DS most of the day whenever possible and feeding him until 10.30, managed to get him down by 11 (he, at least, has been a star today! Proud mummy) and am now frantically trying to pack baby things and an outfit or two for myself......
Thank god we're not needing to catch a flight tomorrow as I fear timings may not go to plan!! Roll on next week, my mum and gran are part of the holiday gang, I might just get the tiniest bit of help!! Sometimes I despair. I've asked him for help on numerous occasions (he's not been up in the night since the baby was 3 days old. He's now 6.5 weeks) and he says he'll try harder and everyday starts with him saying he appreciates all I do with the baby and I'm great with him etc but no help materialises! Gah. I know ranting to you guys won't help but it does feel good to hammer it all out on a keypad!! :)