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!

[Crapbags]

Thanks @RayM and @vickylou78 I’ve had a call from GOSH but only to say they don’t have any news for me because it appears that one of the bloods they needed was missing I got quite upset on the phone as I’d psyched myself up to be told today/tomorrow and now it looks like it’ll be at least 2-3 more days. It’s tough because I’m having to treat my baby as if he has the condition which means strictly feeding a minimum of every 3hours night and day so even if he’s being really good and having a nice sleep I have to wake him to feed him ‘just in case’ last night he didn’t want his 12midnight feed which ordinarily would be fantastic because I’d be getting a little more sleep but no I had to try to wake him and get him to feed it took me about 45mins to wake him trying all sorts including taking his clothes off to rouse him and it feels so mean! If he does have the condition I will have to continue to do this but if he doesn’t I can just enjoy the extra sleep!

@vickylou78 your right I do feel super emotional today anyway and I’m sure even without this I’d be crying over something!! Also I think those feelings your having are quite normal I’ve heard that the ‘afterpains’ get worse with each subsequent pregnancy I know I’m really feeling them this time around I’m also feeling really achy and sore around the back/tummy/bum and wondering if it’s also because I’m that much older now too and my body is just not recovering as well?! I’d still speak to the midwife though in case there is anything else going on.

[HazyDays81]

crapbags sorry to hear you’re still waiting for your little one’s test results. I can understand how you feel (we had worries after my 12 week scan & the wait for results was agonising). I hope it is good news & you’re not waiting much longer.

I have been up and down the last few days. Fine one minute then emotional & bursting into tears the next. I’m on day 14 now so thought it would have passed. Vickylou78 made me smile that you cried over a sandwich!

Bizarrely I’m also really missing being pregnant. I love my baby so much & very glad he’s finally here but I think because he’s probably our last I’m sad I won’t ever be going through it all again. Probably my crazy post pregnancy hormones!

[Crapbags]

Thanks @hazydays81 it’s funny you say that about missing being pregnant I’m feeling the same which is crazy because towards the end everyday I was wishing for it to be over!! Now I feel sad that I didn’t appreciate it while I had it sort of thing and yes I think it’s because I know this is my last baby. I keep think oh I’ll never be pregnant again and I get all wistful

[HazyDays81]

Crapbags yes that’s exactly how I’m feeling. Really wish I’d appreciated being pregnant more as I miss it so much now. I love having my little baby here of course & like you I couldn’t wait for pregnancy to be over & for him to arrive. I even said to my DH could we wait & see if we want to have another baby one day. I’m sure these feelings will pass but I feel like it’s on my mind all the time at the moment & I want to enjoy the newborn phase as I know it goes by so quickly.

[TheMrs04]

Morning all. Congratulations on the new babies!
Thanks for all the posts about my mum!
Sorry I've not been posting much! Been staying with my mum whilst she waited for my stepdad to fly home from Saudi!
I'm off to the Drs this morning to be checked out. Was out walking with the kids yesterday and well I had the most awful feeling like I was giving birth all over again with and (TMI MOMENT) an internal chaffing?! If that's the best way to describe it?
Something isn't quite right! The dr this morning spoke about a prolapse 😬 but I guess we shall find out later! The joys of childbirth!
Ds1 has finally come round to ds2 and loves sitting and talking to him! Melts my heart every time I watch them!
Also makes me a little sad that I will not be doing this again. Ds2 was my last pregnancy! Dh is off for the snip! I just had to treasure all the moments!!
Hope everyone is doing good!!
Has anyone heard from @Potteryprincess30 at all??

[Tigger83]

Hi all been lurking for a while. My little man was born on the 22nd and we are having a bit of a battle with feeding, it's just constant cluster feeding at the moment. He has tongue tie but there's a long nhs wait so going to have to go private. His longest feed has been 12 hrs with a couple of naps in the middle and it's breaking me. I'm a first time mum so this is all a bit new to me.

[Crapbags]

Hello @tigger83 congratulations. It sounds like your having a tough time I’m on no.3 baby and I remember feeling just like you with my first she never settled and barely slept it was so tough. Have you tried a sling? I had a wrap type sling and she would settle in that for a while giving me some hands free time. Mine also loved any kind of movement so sometimes I would just put her in the car and drive around so she slept for a bit it wasn’t great as generally as soon as I stopped the car she would wake but even driving round in silence was welcome relief from the seemingly constant crying. She also liked white noise we used to put the hairdryer on full blast (obviously not on her or anything😂) to send her to sleep nowadays you can get apps on your phone for white noise.

Mainly I would say hang in there it does get better/easier and although it doesn’t feel like it now this stage will be over before you know it and you’ll be onto the next stage.... and have different worries😜 but seriously I’m on no.3 and while struggling with no.1 I’d have sworn I’d never have another but here I am! With no.2 and now no.3 things are much easier/relaxed.

@themrs04 how did you get on at the doctors?

I too keep wondering about @potteryprincess31 hope she’s ok

[TheMrs04]

Well saw a different dr to the one I spoke to she tried to do an internal exam but my god it was too pain full! They've put me on a course of antibiotics in case it's an infection but I have to go back in a few weeks for another internal exam. The walk home was excruciating but I'm determined to walk the baby weight off.

[blinkineckmum]

RayM - how are the boobs? Mine calmed down a lot after week 1. I still sleep topless as my nipples are sore though. I express only a little for comfort/ to massage out potential lumps and avoid mastitis. The more milk you use, the more you produce, so don't feel you have to express.
Tigger and VickyLou. Huge congratulations on the babies! You made it! VickyLou, the pain should calm down. Every day is better. Your body has been through a lot!
Tigger. That's a lot of feeding. Well done, you trooper! Make sure you get support from your midwife/ hv/ local support group. My dd fed on/ off for hours last night too. It is so tiring.
Crapbags, I hope you get the results you want. Keep us posted.
TheMrs04 - don't walk if you're in pain! Listen to your body. There's plenty of time to lose baby weight. Now is much too early. Your pelvic floor is so important. Glad you're getting help so early on. That way it might have a chance to recover and go back to normal. Sorry you're going through this. Childbirth can be so tough on us.
I'm getting on fine. Sore nipple on one side only, but the latch is slowly improving. Very tired looking after 3! But my biggest challenge is my dh. He hasn't coped well with 3, struggling to have patience with the older 2. I hate the way he talks to them. He is so negative and shouty, sometimes I think he's a bit of a bully. It makes me wonder if we'll last!
For the record, my kids are great, and I am so proud of how much they love and accept their baby sister.

[Tigger83]

Hi all, had a private practitioner out to review the tongue tie and turns out he had 80 % tongue tie so we had it snipped. Last night however up with colic all night 😴😢 solve one problem for another to emerge hey ho

[RayM]

@blinkineckmum I purchased a Madela swing pump yesterday and today is the first morning I haven’t woken drenched in leaked milk! I’m not sure how I’m going to continue expressing. I’m currently using it as a break every so often until I get some help with getting this latch right - I hurt so damn much! Hope your husband comes up to par soon coz three are there to stay! He may just be taking a little longer to get used to the change, fingers crossed!

@TheMrs04 Look after yourself! Birth is hard work and takes a lot to recover from. I understand about the losing baby weight - we have our first holiday at the end of May which I wanted to be beach ready for. Unfortunately, I think recovering from the c section is going to take much longer until I’m properly mobile again. I’m sure you look great anyway!

@Tigger83 Hello! Ugh, sounds so tough. I’m a first time mum so bit crap with the advice. I too am lead to believe it does get easier! Glad you got the tongue tie sorted even if you did have to go private. Must have been a weight lifted. Oh god, now colic! Make sure you’re looking after yourself too. Do you have family to help?

[HalfStar]

Hi all, sorry not to namecheck people but i can't keep up! Hope you are all having good days today. Anyone in pain MUST rest, i agree one's pelvic floor really needs to be minded in these weeks

Colic is really hard. It can often be reflux masked as 'colic' actually. Tigger does your baby gulp at the boob? Mine had a TT (now cut) but because of her high palate and my fast let down there is still a bit of gulping and less than perfect latch which leads to wind and regurgitation. We're muddling through though. I'm giving her probiotic drops just in case but mostly it's a case of just get through these hard early weeks.

Dcs 1 and 2 are doing after school care for a few weeks which means I'm currently getting quiet days with just myself and the baby. I don't know where the hours go really.

Baby is 5 weeks today/tonight. How much sleep are you guys getting?

[Smurf123]

Half star my son seems to gulp definitely initially anyway.. Seems to eat so far he can make himself cough! We are using infacol as he definitely struggles with the wind.
He is eating almost constantly atm. We get a little break in the middle of the day but I think that may just be because we tend to gp out in the pram. He is now getting a bottle maybe once a day - mainly as I'm still a bit self conscious feeding myself if I'm out in public but I need to get out of the house! He can feed almost every hour so even though I feed him before I leave and never put more than 3 hours inevitably he wants feed as soon as we get out!
Last night he fed almost constantly from 730 to 11pm. I ended up giving him 30ml of formula because after 3 and a half hours I was sore and he was getting really frustrated at the end (I don't know if maybe I had run out or just because he doesn't like it when breasts are soft which they are after that length of time) he ate the formula in minutes.. Saying that he then went and slept from prob 1130 -430! That's the longest he has ever slept in one go. Feed at 430 then slept again from about 530-730 when we started the morning cluster feeding! He was 5 weeks on Monday

[HalfStar]

Yes smurf that sounds familiar to me. I'm on my third reflux/TT baby and it can be quite a slog. Cluster feeding here starts around 5pm, just at the time my older kids need to be fed and bathed and bedtime etc.

Mine have never been the types to gurgle quietly on their mats between feeds, with the result that I still don't really know what to do with them at this point if they've just been fed and are full. I think the trick to give your boobs a break is keep them asleep for a decent length...easier said than done. So far today I've done 2 longish pram naps and now she's asleep in the wrap sling which is an absolute godsend. Maybe try one if you don't have one already.

Sometimes dd gets upset at my boobs in the evening. Kellymom has some good explanations: it's often because they need to burp. Or want to change sides. Or are pissed off at the slower flow! Usually it is a burp here I've found.

for us all, its that time of the afternoon where I'd just kill for a nice long sleep alone!

[Smurf123]

Half star thanks, I do think burping is usually playing a role but he doesn't Like to give up any burps! We have tried rubbing his back, paying back, putting him on our shoulder and gently moving him in a circle while he is sitting - these work some of the time but not all.
I haven't tried a wrap or sling. When he was born he was only 5lb 2 so I want sure if he was too small for them. We do have a local sling library that meets at the end of the month so we might go to that and see if we can find one that works.
Currently ds is sleeping on me.. Every time I try and set him down he wakes and then instantly wants fed so I'm thinking just let him lie here

[HalfStar]

Yes let sleeping babies lie!

My last dd could never get her wind up at all. This one seems to find it a bit easier and does massive man-sounding burps. If you drink fennel tea that can help a bit sometimes but probably it just is what it is. Are you getting your ds weighed regularly now? I'm sure he's doing great thanks to you. I have the kari me wrap sling and although my last 2 weren't quite as small as 5lb, they were small babies and i used it from birth with them.

I'm trying to get dd to take a dummy as they are invaluable IMO for things like car journeys and medical appointments (where you have to strip them and they scream ) but she's not interested much at all. She does like to suck on dh's little finger though which is great as it means i can sneak off for a long hot shower every evening. My few minutes of alone time each day!

[Smurf123]

Yes he is still being followed up by baby clinic at the hospital due to being in nicu after birth so gets weighed there every couple of weeks and also by the health visitor she came on Monday and he is now 7lbs14
He will take the dummy occasionally - we have the Philips soothies so you can put your finger in the middle of it which helps him feel like he has something more and once he has hang of it we can take fingers out and he will keep dummy in for a little while. Or when he is having medical things done by the hospital they put sucrose sugar water on it before giving it to him which he likes (who wouldn't!)

[RayM]

Had a breastfeeding support lady visit me at home today. There were a few tears but feeling more positive with continuing to breastfeed now. Baby has had a referral made at the hospital to investigate tongue tie. Here’s hoping to a happy ending! My boobs just hurt SO bad!

[blinkineckmum]

Hang on in there. You're doing great! Hope the tongue tie gets sorted quickly and you have a good night. My 2 year old is still up! X

[Smurf123]

Can i ask how you can tell or suspect tongue tie?

[Vickylou78]

Hi ladies, hope you are all ok. It’s nice to hear we are not alone with pelvic floor issues, cluster feeding, sore boobs, and sleep deprivation!

My little girl is 6 days old now and is settling in reasonably well, although sleeping is very random and unpredictable! As you all understand!.

I’m at that stage in the evenings where it gets to 9.30-10pmish and I’m knackered and she’s fast asleep on my lap and I’m thinking should I get her upstairs in Moses and try get to sleep? or should I just wait till next feed and then go up straight after.. ?. Sod’s law often means that she has a massive 2hr sleep and I should’ve gone to bed or I’ll go to bed and I am just falling asleep and then she’s awake and demanding a feed straight away! Anyone else struggle with when to go to bed?

I’m having pelvic floor issues and throbby lady parts, constipation and piles and a very tender tummy and sore back. Guess it’s early days yet for me but child birth is quite an ordeal on the body isn’t it! The tender tummy is awful, feel like I’ve been in a terrible accident!

I’ve made difficult decision and stopped bf and am ff now. I have rock hard sore boobs and hoping for them to go down soon!

Hope you all ok x x

[Smurf123]

@Vickylou78 definitely struggle with the when to go to bed...
Also struggling with actually getting him down in his basket without him waking up / screaming. Dh has work in the morning so I'm cautious of baby waking him meaning I take him out of bedroom fairly quickly.. About to try attempt number 3.. And baby is knackered he needs to sleep.

[HalfStar]

Urgh same here. Not settling tonight? It's like she knew i was hoping for an early night

vickylou sorry to hear you're sore all over. My stomach was so sore for about a week after birth. Contractions were so so strong. Dh asked if it felt like I'd done about a thousand sit ups. Pretty much...birth is a brutal business.

smurf if you google tongue tie there's a list of symptoms you could see if any ring a bell. Typing one handed right now but can check in later with more details

[Vickylou78]

Glad to hear I’m not alone!! Alas I started getting ready for bed and then she wakes up so no early night for me. I’m currently doing a feed now and hoping to get her in her basket ASAP!!

And yes definitely feels like done 10000 sit ups! Hoping next week will not be so bad!

[blinkineckmum]

It won't be. Rest when you can.