March 2018 newborns

[blinkineckmum]

Not sure if a thread exists already. If so, point me in the right direction.
Here's a place to celebrate our bundles of joy and find support for everything from stitches to breastfeeding, partners and sleep and anything else we may come across in the early days to challenge us!

[HazyDays81]

Hi all, just joining the new post-natal thread now my little one has finally arrived! He’s been very sleepy so far I keep having to wake him for feeds. I hear this can be common in the first 24hrs so not worrying too much. So good to be home, can’t wait to sleep in my bed tonight - barely slept on the ward last night & feel exhausted.

[blinkineckmum]

Wow, huge congratulations new mums! Good to hear of all the safe arrivals. Some sensible decisions re: feeding. It's rarely easy and we need to stay healthy.
Ragdolly, it sounds like you're doing amazingly with your crew! It is indeed harder with other kids. First time mums, try to enjoy all the attention you can lavish on dc1. There are so many good times ahead!
Welcome Smurf, and congrats on your tiny boy. You must be so proud.
Hope everyone's comfortable and the night ahead goes well.

[Smurf123]

@GWeatherwax I think you are right it is far more important for your ds for you to be happy and healthy.
Everyone pages breastfeeding and is very quick to give opinions on what's right and wrong - my wee one has been tube fed, formula bottle fed and now breastfed. And he has a dummy which everyone before he was born said was a big no no. But it works for him and was recommended by nicu when he was there and being tube fed to encourage his suck reflex.
It's important to just do what works best for you and baby.

@HazyDays81 up until the past 3 or 4 days I was still having to wake my ds for most feeds.. Now I still set the alarm for 4 hours during the night but he was woken himself after around 2 or 3 the past few nights. Think it is common for some babies at the beginning.

[Ragdolly81]

Anyone else suffering with post pregnancy swelling my hands and feet are huge and my whole body is swollen really. I feel so uncomfortable and big.

[TheMrs04]

Afternoon all! How is everyone? Day 3 post birth and I feel full of beans! Can't say so much for poor dh! He's woken up today full of cold! So sent him off to bed for the day so me and the kids have been out for a walk and to the park! Some of the locals have called me crazy! But I'll go crazy if I have to stay in the house all the time!

[Ragdolly81]

I am the same full of energy. I think its because I struggled so much near the end of the pregnancy I couldn't walk or anything so since she has beshoehorn i have scrubbed my house and been out every day lol feels great to be able to be out and about again.

[Vickylou78]

Keep saying this you ladies! Just what I need to hear! There will be light at end of this pregnancy tunnel! I’m struggling to walk and went for the slowest walk ever around town and was thinking I cannot wait to be able to walk at a normal speed and tidy the house without sitting down every 10 paces!

[Jjpeston]

@blinkineckmum hey - 15 days in with my boy and already had a horrible bout of mastitis - I also have a real engorgement / oversupply issue. I am in pain with the nipples but it's not terrible - however I've not done any public breastfeeding and have been more or less housebound. The only good thing is I am able to pump a lot (150 ml
In ten mins!) and keep it in the freezer. So that will give me freedom later on but right now he needs constant feeding. Already put on 400g since birth!

[blinkineckmum]

Well done Jjpeston! I am more like you. Glad the others are feeling more sprightly! I fainted in the night, so the midwives have recommended I go to the docs. Dh was supposed to be back at work today but with 3 kids, no car, and poorly... I think he's needed here!
Hope everyone has a good day.

[Drizz]

@Vickylou re: formula feeding. For me it was a hard decision during pregnancy and I asked/got offered lots of advice. A lactation consultant advised me the following: keep magic hour after birth as always: skin to skin and first colostrum feed, then take milk suppressing meds 2 hours after birth and start formula. I did this and took another batch of meds after 48 hours. Milk never came in this way! Labour was fast, so the baby was feeling sick and not keen on feeding initially. He has taken the full two weeks to get above birth weight...

The plan was on all my notes and the midwife was v supportive (but they have my medical notes w the terrible mastitis history). people are often not keen to prescribe the meds cos it doesn't always work, and has side effects. But it did for me and the side effects were not noticeable just after giving birth (stomach ache, headache and dizzyness, all expected 24hours postpartum!)

[Drizz]

@Jjpston be careful with pumping when you already have oversupply and mastitis. Your body needs to turn the crazy milk tap down and taking more out won't help (experience gained painfully here!)

Sorry @blinkinneckmum that sounds tough and your DH is definitely needed at home... Mine is here for six weeks on the days the big kids are home. Thankfully 3 days of nursery too...

[Jjpeston]

@drizz Good advice - thank you. I think now the mastitis is gone I don't need to be so concerned with draining the breast and pumping - I actually need it all to 'calm down' and get back to a normal supply. Poor baby is full of milk and it comes out of his nose and everything each time he feeds. It actually makes me feel a bit bad!

[Jjpeston]

@blinkineckmum The fainting doesn't sound good - dyou think it could be iron problems related to blood loss? Hope it isn't the start of mastitis for you - keep an eye on the boobs!

[Ragdolly81]

Oh dear I hope everyone is ok sounds like a few are having a couple of teething troubles. Hope those who feel unwell feel better soon. I myself felt great up until midnight last night when I started to shake badly even though I was warm and I have bad headaches i just dont feel right. My hamds and feet are swollen light balloons and I just feel like I have a constant buzzing sound in my head

[Jjpeston]

@Ragdolly81 I had the headaches shakes and shivers and it was mastitis. But you want to get that checked out that it isn't anything like a womb infection which could be serious - id call your GP if I was you - even if you can't get an emergency appt they take this stuff seriously and should give you a call back.

[Ragdolly81]

Got a midwife appointment today so going to mention it to her if I dont get any answers I go the doctors thanks. My head just feels so cloudy I am hoping its just a chill as the little one has been unwell last few days.

[HalfStar]

Feck ladies you are all scaring me a bit - please get checked out and for God's sake no tidying the house! Remember you have all just given birth. Please come back and let us know what the docs say.

I'm here rocking the baby to sleep with my foot while breakfast debris still to be cleared and laundry everywhere and dd1 watching telly and dd2 at nursery. I'm feeling mostly fine but visitors coming tomorrow oh well they can help!

Re birth weight, haven't had baby weighed since last week when she was 2 weeks old - she wasn't quite at birth weight then but HV not bothered as was gaining well after tongue tie snip. She's 3 weeks today so am hoping she's there now but no plans to get her weighed as I don't want it to become a fixation (it was with my other 2). Last night she clusterfed for hours all evening but then slept about 5.5 hours in a row. Probably longer than a 3 week old should. Would you guys wake a breastfed baby after 4 hours or leave her? I can safely say I haven't had this dilemma before!

[Vickylou78]

@jpeston @ragdolly81 and @blinkineckmum hope you are all ok sounds nasty and perhaps you all have mastitis. Do keep an eye on it and get docs opinion in case of other birth related issues though. Hope all better soon.

@drizz thanks for advice re feeding. I think I’m going to go with flow anc see what happens, but will combine feed or ff if it’s a nightmare. I’ve heard stories of bf second being different so am keeping open mind at moment. Fingers crossed for no thrush and mastitis this time though!

[Vickylou78]

@halfstar I would think if the long sleep was a one off after a cluster feeding session it’s probably fine as baby would’ve been full and will make up for it next day. but my dd1 I did have to wake her up at 4 hours a few nights as she slept 6 hrs a few nights in a row and wasn’t gaining enough weight. I only had to do it a couple of nights though as she soon reverted to the 3hrly wake ups!

[HalfStar]

Thanks vicky, makes sense. I'll set the alarm for 4 hours tonight I think. She feeds a lot during the day but still 3 weeks is probably too young to be going for long stretxhes regularly.

[Ragdolly81]

Midwife thinks I am fine she said I might just be a chill as my 5 year old has been ill. Got to get a scan on my little girl as she has a sacral dimple they can't visualize the end of. So I am a bit worried about that but hoping she is one of the lucky ones and its turns out fine

[Smurf123]

@HalfStar I asked my midwife about waking baby as I was having to wake my ds every 3 hours for feeds since we got home from hospital (but he did spend time in nicu and was a low birth weight for gestation). He's just over 3 weeks now. Midwife last week said that as he had gained weight I was fine to leave him longer and see did he wake up himself. She said some babies can have one longer sleep period even at this stage of 4 or 5 hours but that it should only be one over 24 hours and that she wouldn't let him go much beyond that. She recommended setting my alarm for something ridiculous (her words) of 5 or 5.5 hours and try it for a day or two to see if he would wake. She said 24 hours to try it wouldn't do him any harm and that actually it might make him wake himself more often if he realises he had to actually wake for feed as opposed to being so used to getting it every 3 hours.
He's still small in my eyes so I still set alarm for every 4 or 4.5 hours during the night but generally speaking he has woke himself after 3 or so hours the past few days. (Sometimes less) in the evening like you he could feed every hour or two.

[Smurf123]

Has anyone got any magical cuts for wind? I can hear and feel my ds tummy rumbling with wind and he seems to struggle to get it out. Only started the past week or so. He can cry out and only settles when he manages to poop or fart it away..
Tried rubbing his tummy but it only gives temporary relief. It seems worse at night.. He is ebf..

[blinkineckmum]

Mine's a urine infection. Back on the antibiotics! Hope you all start to feel better soon x

[RayM]

@blinkineckmum I had diarrhoea on the third night home from hospital and it was just awful! I feel your pain. My boobs wreck too but persevering with the breast feeding as I really love this time with my little girl. Beautiful baby and beautiful clothes!!

@GWeatherwax what a tough time you’ve had. I wish you luck with your breast feeding journey but always remember not to put too much pressure on yourself.

@HalfStar it’s good that everything is back on track now your babies tongue tie is sorted. Hurrah for a sleeper after two who weren’t! Baby girl is my first and tbh I have nearly zero experience of babies in general - and therefore no experience of baby acne, yet! She’s got a lot of funny marks that come and go hourly!!

@Ragdolly81 Oh my! What a beautiful baby! Hope you’re getting on alright. Don’t struggle and accept help whenever offered!

@TheMrs04 😍 little Oliver is a cutie! Hope you’re enjoying being back at home!

@Drizz Well done on making a decision that was best for you and sticking to it. That was your decision to make and you should not feel guilty for a second. Happy belated birthday xx

@Smurf123 Hello and congrats! Gosh sounds like you’ve had a tough journey up until now. Was he a premie?

@HazyDays81 I love my sleep and I spent two nights/days on the ward wide awake. It was amazing to get into my own bed! As far as I know so long as baby is feeding regularly it doesn’t matter who initiates this so early! My little girl is like clock work - every hour and half - in fact she’s calling now right on que!!