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

@BouncingBlueberry I know what you mean I was getting that too, there's a band of muscles just above your hips, tightening them pulls your tummy button towards your back iyswim. Doing that going up and down hills should help

Thanks @1004Rise I'm on a mission to loose weight before his christening so trying to go out walking everyday and going down these hills is awful. I'll try to convince OH to go for a walk tonight and try it out.

Oh god, don't mention losing weight I pretty much lost all the pregnancy weight but have since been eating like a pig. Oh and I'm lazy now. I was so active during pregnancy but no longer have the motivation. I don't think it helps that I am a dresses kind of girl and have struggled to find any bf friendly ones that don't make me look like a massive frump.

Rocky Oasis have some lovely feeding friendly dresses that are not frumpy.

LO has barely slept the past 2 days and nights due to, what I think is, trapped farts. He squirms and cries if put on his back (in a car seat or flat) and only sleeps laid on his front on my chest. He's sleeping in bursts of 60 mins or less (mainly less) and is permanently tired (rubbing his eyes and ears).

We started formula top ups on Sat due to his low weight gain and omeprazole due to possible reflux so am not sure if this is partly the cause (he's had some wind problems for the past few weeks but no where near this bad).

We have a follow up GP appt on Thurs so will ask then if still no improvement but wondered if any of you had come across anything similar or had any suggestions? (Previously tried infacol which had no effect and gripe water which made everything worse and the head of his crib is slightly raised already).

What bottles and formula are you using @Barnes79 ?

@barnes79 can I ask how the formula top ups are going? I am thinking about Pippin's slow weight gain. I almost always have milk left at the end of a feed, he just doesn't want more than his appetite...

Do you have a slow let down @CoxsOrangePippin ? Is wee Pippin sleepy at the end of a feed? Because you can express after and then top up with a bottle at the next feed, sometimes because it takes less effort to extract the milk. Or cup, finger feed, or supplementary system but they look like a right faff.

@Barnes GP suggested colief to us. Not sure if it's more for burps or farts. It was quite impractical for bf and rocky seems better just using infacol but I guess it's worth a try?

Tea we're using a mix of bottles - tommee tippee, mam and NUK (but I've been told by the bf team that farts are more digestion related whilst burps are feeding related). For formula we're using aptamil comfort for colic on our gps recommendation.

Cox I'll let you know tomorrow (if I remember, if I don't, just shout at me 😜) as he gets weighed after 1 week of top ups. To be honest we've been struggling to get them down him as he tends to fall asleep on the boob, I wake him to offer the other one and then struggle to get him to wake for a top up. I've noticed he's having less breastfeeding time though as a result of the top ups (and less feeding time overall), so it'd be a miracle if he's gained more weight than usual.

@teainbed @barnes79, my let-down is rather fast, but he has learnt to nurse efficiently and no longer dribbles or gags, he swallows it down nicely.
He only falls asleep on the breast if I misinterpreted tired as hungry! But he does get a bit sleepy if he has had a full feed. He used to snack-feed sometimres so for the last week if he does that I've been making him feed again 15 mins later after a burp/change/etc, then I can generally get the other half of the feed into him. It hasn't increased his overall nursing time (I track it in an app) but hopefully it means he is getting more hind milk. I did try breast compressions at the end of the feed when it turns into those fluttery last sucks but it made him cross! So like you Barnes I doubt formula would add to his total nursing time or calorie intake. Look forward to hearing the results from the weigh-in!

I know he is thriving in other ways (happy between feeds, looks satisfied at the end of feeds, alert, lots of wet nappies with very nearly clear urine) but I want to be giving him as many calories as possible.

Good choice @Barnes79

Hope the weigh ins go ok. As was said upthread if they're clearly thriving they're just going to be little for now.

I looked at my older DS's red book the other day, he was on the lower centiles and then when he started solid food the line goes almost straight up! Crossed all the lines and suddenly right at the top.

BabyTea has been so much easier in the past few weeks. He goes down easily for most naps with no help needed and sleeps one big stretch at night, last night was 8 until 4.25! During the day he's content in the bouncy chair or babygym and showing a lot more interest in toys. He can bring both hands together and a toy into his mouth. The only tricky time of day I find now is teatime when I'm trying to cook and then get baths and things sorted.

@barnes79 we struggled with wind too - now we use Dr Browns bottles which have some sort of vent system. That, combined with infacol before every feed & strict burping until we get a good burp has really helped.

Did we ever sort a date for the meet up?

No. I've set up a doodle poll here doodle.com/poll/mb34iw29yve3su5i

Can't remember what day of week we were leaning towards so I've only put in Fri / Sat / Sun. Fill in with your MN name :)

Well done savage. I'm your first participant. Not that I'm available much in august, I could come on some of the Fridays but I'd have to bring the toddler and I've not braved a trip to Town with both yet.

Cried all over the health visitor today. Baby Bees has slipped down the percentile chart to between the 25th and 50th (from the 75th at birth). I can't work out why as she seems to be feeding really well, is content, wakes up twice a night but sleeps well in-between. It bought back all my old anxiety about dd1's weight and what a responsibility breastfeeding can feel like. She said she wasn't worried and to review in 6 weeks but not to weigh her before. So am going to try not to worry but find it hard not to get all irrational about it.

Oh and amazing sleeping baby tea. That must feel fabulous. How many weeks is he now? Think things are starting to get easier, but remember 12 weeks being a real turning point last time.

Esme I know they say not to consider the birth weight centile as I think it can be higher due to excess fluids or something at birth. Try not to worry. If they don't want LO weighing for 6wks they clearly aren't worried.

esmes I'll have DS in tow (4.5). I seem to recall Toddler Bees is younger, but so long as she's happy to run around with him they'll entertain eachother.

Re percentiles, it sounds like she's happy and healthy so try not to worry. If you do want to 'do something' make sure you're eating well and include lots of nutrient dense goodies for you - nuts / oats etc.

(baby savage only had her first marked-on-the-chart measurement on Friday when the HV came; the weights up till now haven't been on the chart just recorded in a list, perhaps because it takes a bit to settle down?)

@EsmesBees baby W was weighed today as part of her (delayed) 6 week check. She was on the 75th at birth but was just under 50th today. Previously she was just over 50th. GP said that it was totally normal, and it's why the start of the chart doesn't have a line. Babies find a line a week or two after birth, rather than sticking with the original place.

If she eats well, has dirty and wet nappies is alert and seems happy, she's probably absolutely fine xx

savage she's 2.5, and she'd be more than happy to run around like a loon with him, it's just the idea of getting them both on the tube.

Thanks for all the thoughts on the weight thing. The silly thing is that if there wasn't a chart I wouldn't be worried at all. I am incredibly tired which is making me tearful and irrational. I'm struggling a bit at the moment with insomnia and DH is ill which is not helping. Had my sister around yesterday and had a good cry and we talked about our mum and how sodding hard it is without her, and she's offered to help more with the girls and try and give me an hour to myself at the weekend, which hopefully will help.

Have filled in the poll thing for meet ups. It's a trek on the train for me jut would be lovely to meet people so will do my best! However the closer to Victoria the better for me, as much further just adds to the time I'm travelling which isn't great!

@EsmesBees sometimes you need a good cry to help you feel better again (that and cake 🤔)

Like @savagehk the measurements before our 6 week check were all on a list, we have nothing recorded on the line before six weeks and the HV said not to worry where she went until her 12 week check... I think there is a risk that we get sidetracked by statistics because we're obsessed with measuring everything now 😳

@mightymouse76 incase you're just reading and not posting hope you and mini Mighty are doing ok 🤗

My random question of the day, how to deal with bf a baby that seems to grow an inch over night? She's getting really strong legs so she stretches and pushes herself off my boob. She's only going to get bigger (obviously) so are there other positions we can try?

Big hug for you @EsmesBees insomnia is awful. You sound like you're doing amazingly well despite everything. I'm glad your sister is supportive. You're right about the charts, if they weren't there we wouldn't worry so much! BabyTea is 15 weeks on Friday and the last few weeks have been so much easier so hang in there! I know it won't fix your grief but a bit of a breather with the baby makes a much difference.