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

[savagehk]

@1004Rise what position do you feed in? I tend to only ever use the cross cradle and that means you get legs out the way.

[MissMooMoo]

Just had a mammoth catch up read whilst sitting here in my fav cafe which is due to close at the end of this week :(
Baby Moo was 2 months old yesterday! He now has regular big drooly grins for DH which meltss DH heart,previously he just smiled for me.
We had our jabs last Thurs and did have a temp and then 2-3 days of fussy baby but he seems back on form now.
Hope to come to the meet up in August!
Here is a picture of my little moo

[RasperryInAMelon]

@1004Rise DH has told me off for buying clothes in the sales 🙈

@Rockyroad17 my eating is worse than it was while I was pregnant - I'm waiting until September when the new buggy fit classes start locally - I need to hit it hard!

@Barnes79 we have the same here - Molly has started seeing a Cranial Osteopath, which seems to be making an improvement. But she's had a really fractious few days / nights and no poos for a few days now.

Like @Rockyroad17 We're using colief - we use it on all daytime feeds with a small bottle of expressed milk to mix it in and then all night feeds she has infacol. It has also helped getting her used to the odd bottle aswell as we're leaving Molly with Nonna for a day in a few weeks when we go out for our first wedding anniversary.

Good sleeping baby @teainbed We've managed a few 7-8 hour stretches here too now at 7 weeks. It's hit and miss as to if we have it every night but she generally only wakes once in the middle if not.

@MissMooMoo How cheeky is he!! Molly has started smiling too... just melts my heart! Here she is with a gift for a friend who's baby is due soon!

Have filled in the thing for the meetup too - would be lovely to see everyone and some of these delicious babies! 😋

[Barnes79]

Cox we've been to weigh in and he's gained 4oz in 1 week and is just clinging onto the 0.4th centile. We have to go back next week for another weigh in 😕

I'm not sure formula top ups work tbh. He fits in about 4x1oz top ups a day, which the HV said is the equivalent of an extra feed. But he has less frequent feeds when on top ups (so has at least 1 feed less a day from the breast) so I think it it's just making him have larger meals less frequently, but prob eating similar overall. I was too sleep deprived to question the HV about this as I couldn't see the flaw in her logic at the time, but plan to next week.

[savagehk]

@barnes79 can you encourage him to feed longer? what happens when he's 'finished' a feed? are the topups immediately following a feed?

[teainbed]

Would he switch sides @Barnes79 ? He has put on at least so not losing or flattening out.

www.facebook.com/mumsnet/posts/10155580894364025 no idea if this link will work but it's where I am just now!

[Barnes79]

Savage Tea He has one side then the other then is offered a top up. He is switched or offered a top up when either he stops sucking and swallowing or when he falls asleep. Usually the change of position wakes him or, as he often poos during a feed, he has a nappy change to wake him up and is then switched sides etc. I also do compressions on each boob when the sucking/swallows slow down and that often gives him a bit of a wake up. Top ups are straight after a feed. His feeds are often 40 mins on the first side and then anywhere between 0-40 on the second.
As long as he's gaining and his pees/poos are ok I'm not going to panic. Someone's baby has to be on the bottom centile or even just below it...

[1004Rise]

@Barnes79 not panicking is good! The lines are all statistics which means like you said some babies have to be at the top and some at the bottom (I think there probably has to be more at the extremes than in the middle but that might be be baby brain logic). As long as he continues to put weight on, seems happy and has lots of wet nappies you're doing it right

@savagehk cradle hold (and side lying at night which is obvs fine) My arm doesn't seem long enough to do cross cradle.... I must be missing something

[savagehk]

@barnes79 sounds like you're doing everything right. Are you looking after yourself as well - eating well, keeping hydrated etc? As you say, everyone's baby needs to be somewhere on the line (incl top/bottom!). My babies are pretty large and I was as well, but then I am on the small size as an adult (and there was no fat on my mother either although she was reasonably tall), so it changes constantly really.

@1004rise maybe I meant cradle hold (oops) . But the way I hold there's nothing for her legs to push against?

[EsmesBees]

Thanks tea. 12 weeks is only 3.5 weeks away so will try and hang on until then and see how things are. I really don't want to stop breastfeeding as I love it, but what I wouldn't do for a night's sleep...

Barnes I think you can be reassured that it's just how he is if the top ups have not made a difference. Good for you for not worrying about it. I feel a bit silly about my weight related panic yesterday, but think it's mainly exhaustion manifesting itself.

[MrsJW15]

Interesting to see what positions you are all feeding in. We've got side lying sorted but like @1004Rise I don't think my arms are long enough for cross cradle. I have one arm under her head. And really she's too heavy for me not to have her bottom resting on either my knee or the boppy.

[1004Rise]

@savagehk maybe I need to try propping her up more, like @MrsJW15 she's too heavy for me not to have her bum resting on something. I think I'm just battling big baby small me... when she's on my boob her waist is in line with the other side of my body so her legs hinge down the side of me and push off whatever I'm leaning back against..... I have no idea how people cope bf a 6 month old never mind older babies The other option is of course that I just lie down every 2 hours for the next 4 months (not sure that's too bad an idea actually )

[Rockyroad17]

Haha rise that's what I do when I'm at home. Not for the same reason though - Rocky seems to take on less air that way... Or maybe I just like laying down!

[Badgerbird]

I'd love to feed laying down but haven't really mastered it yet. I need to hold her head and my boob to get the 2 together without her clamping shut on my nipple! Pretty stressful when laying down I find. She's only 8 weeks though so I'm hoping we will get there.

Got cranio osteopath this morn :)

[Badgerbird]

Anyone else got horrid rsi in wrists and hands from feeding?

[BouncingBlueberry]

Sorry for the TMI but

Exactly a year since my last one guess what's returned today with vengeance. Least I've found a positive on the section - I can use tampons. Every cloud and all that.

[Barnes79]

Badger there is a common problem new mums get in base of thumbs/wrists. Have a look at the below link to see if this is it - there's exercises to do to improve symptoms too on the same document. I had this and had to change how I held DS when feeding (I asked at bf clinic for advice on holds)

[Barnes79]

Badger forgot the link
www.ouh.nhs.uk/patient-guide/leaflets/files/11303Pdequervains.pdf

[MissMooMoo]

BabyMoo prefers to feed vertically,straddling my leg. At night time we feed lying down but sometimes he likes to lie ontop of me vertically. My mum finds it very strange!

[1004Rise]

@Badgerbird YES, I have to consciously straighten my wrists now and again 😣

@BouncingBlueberry I'm on my second (she's only 10 weeks) !! I thought they were supposed to get less frequent while bf... another myth!!

@MissMooMoo might have to try that one....

[savagehk]

Last bump for London Doodlepoll - will post final date this evening.

[savagehk]

beta.doodle.com/poll/mb34iw29yve3su5i

[teainbed]

@Badgerbird hope it feels better soon! It's very common. Can you use pillows or cushions to prop little Badger up a bit, so you're feeding without holding on so much?

I don't know how to describe how we're feeding. Sort of cross cradle but he's so long now his legs dangle off to the side. He does his own breast compressions! It's very funny, less so when his nails need cut.

[teainbed]

@BouncingBlueberry not yet here but I've been crampy and moody so I wondered if it was on it's way. Hope it's not too bad!

[Rockyroad17]

Oh poor you @blueberry I am not looking forward to that. Anyone who ebf with previous DC got any reassuring stories about them not returning for months and months?!

@missmoomoo that sounds impressive! We used to do cross cradle but have moved on to cradle which I am very happy about because my arms couldn't take it much longer - Rocky is too heavy!

Time to get Dr appointment sorted for 12 week jabs