July 2007 - yet starting in June!

[Jamantha]

Well, I can't see a post natal July 2007 thread, so will start this, even though Charlotte, my DD was born 4.5 weeks early in June. I'm sure the other July ladies will be along soon enough.

Have had 2 nights at home now. Yesterday afternoon was fairly distressing as Charlotte wouldn't latch on, and if she did she wouldn't suck. But have got loan of electric pump from hospital, and support from midwives and now managing with comination of breast, expressed and formula milk, sometimes all three in the same feed. Finding it quite emotional, with all the issues associated with feeding one's baby, but trying to stay calm as found out yesterday that getting self into a state doesn't help anyone.

Dh has just gone out to get some things we're still missing, and I'm putting my feet up for a bit. Phil & Ted has just arrived so we might try a stroll down to the ante natal class tonight!

Any how, hope there are lots of lovely birth stories to come from July ladies, and that we can swap advice, give each other moral support etc over the coming weeks and months.

Caroline - you and me both with out Phil and Ted's! Mine's bright green and you can see us coming a mile off!

Princess - it won't always be this grim. I can remember nights like that with DD1. At the time I wondered why I ever thought I wanted a baby. It seemed like my life was ruined forever! But then one week you sort of realise that things have settled down without you noticing and then you realise you're not having quite those awful nights. But when you're in the middle of it, it seems like it will go on forever. And don't worry about not doing things in the day - the most important thing is to rest. You're under a lot stress physically and emotionally with a newborn. With my first one, I felt I'd achieved something if I got the dishwasher loaded. That was all I did in a day. Literally.

Where does the day go thats what i want to know? I don't know if i spend too much time just staring at Ds but i have no time to do anything!

Trying not to stress over it though, i am sure it will get done in the end!

Cakehead, I went for conservative navy but loved the bright coloured ones as well. It is a brilliant pushchair just a shame that it can't be used in doubles mode with a car seat.

I've got the red p&t. I love it. Anybody got the panniers?

Didn't get the panniers - what are they for, exactly? Are they for shopping? I love that little red snap-lock. I don't know what that's for either but I clip my handbag onto it when we're out!

Finally gave in tonight and gave LO a dummy. Had gone 8 weeks and although the crying was certainly getting less and she'd learnt to settle herself, her torticollis meant that she's still not turning to look left. The exercises don't really seem to have made much improvement and we might be looking at surgery if things don't pick up. When she has a dummy, she stops trying to reach to the right to chew her fingers, so it's ironing her out a bit. This evening for the first time she's laid in her cot quite happily, with her head propped to the left, so she can see her mobile. She'd never have done that without one! Have nothing against dummies (DD1 had one and still loves it at the age of 2!) but thought I'd try to do without this time.

we've got a p&t, not sure what the snap lock is though?

I have got the panniers - they are brilliant. In doubles mode there is not much space in the bottom for shopping. I also bought the infant car seat to use it as a doubles travel system. I have since buying it found out that it not for use in doubles mode so I have a brand new P&T infant car seat which is of no use to me! The people we bought it from have advised us that they can't refund the money because we threw away the box..... and they are the ones who told us it was possible to use it in doubles mode, we only learnt that this is in fact dangerous (from the P&Ts website). Grrrr. I would recommend the panniers and I love the pushchair though.

How annoying about your carseat, Caroline. I might have to invest in the panniers, particularly as the buggy is going to have to see me through the next three years or so!

The red snap lock thing is under the hood: it's a little red loop that looks like an emerergency cord but has a snap lock end that you can tie together. No idea what it's for, but it holds my handbag in place beautifully! Probably some reason why it's bright red - perhaps it's the ejector seat button!

havent been on for ages - real life too busy!
so "hi" to everyone and your bambinos.

wee question - do any other bf babies feed on and off all day? My LO is constantly on me and when I put her down she'll waken in 10 mins or so with huge bottom burps. Some days it just feels like a bit much and I wonder if Im not doing it right.

HI all- well today is day 4 of screaming and DD not sleeping at all in the day. Last night it was midnight before she finally fell asleep. Really draining me, although I don't think it helps that I came on today. For some reason I thought that you didn't get your monthly visit if you BF??
She is my first so I guess I wasn't really prepared for it!! Oh well- as you say its not forever and one day I'll wake and realise that shes in a routine.

Hope everyone else is doing well.
x

PPS - I thought my period had started last week because my bleeding suddenly went from almost nothing to heavy again, it tailed off again 2 days later though. It co-coincided with LO having a couple of days of wanting to feed all day which must have made my uterus start contracting a bit more than it had been. Fingers crossed it isn't your period, they can start again when you're BFing but the HV told me if I'm exclusively BFing they should hopefully stay away.

I really hope so, I'm looking forward to 6 more period free months. Also I hate pads, and I don't really fancy the idea of using tampons just yet.

PPS, same thing happened to me. I think LO was having a 'growth spurt' (nice way of saying he wanted to feed alllll day!) and my blood loss really ramped up. I asked the HV and she said that it was unlikely to be a period (as exclusive breast feeding keeps them away - hooooray!) and that it was hormonal. Do you have cramps etc?

My LO has been an angel! He slept really well last night and also slept today while I ran round the shops grabbing supplies....now he is sleeping soundly in his moses basket. I just know I'm probably in for a bad night now!

I know this is going to sound mad but it suddenly dawned on me today that I am a Mum and that this wonderful little guy is mine! I know, I need sleep!

Whomping how often is lo feeding. Mine feeds 2 hourly but sometimes will go thruogh phases of every hr. HV said to try and make it 2 hrs instead of one. He is big and very hungry. Just started to supliment with a little formula if needs be.

Just make sure your little one is staying on long enough for each braest she needs to reach the hind milk which can take a while, otherwise she will be just getting a drink each time. If your little ones poos are yellow and not green tho you should be ok. Im pretty sure im correct about this info!!!

Am having cramps although not as bad as they used to be before. FIngers crossed it goes in a couple of days!
Well, LO went to sleep about 9pm. Our method- putting her in the bedroom and letting her cry. This took about an hour but she'd cry for 5 mins or so, realise we weren't coming so stop for about 10 mins where she decided she'd try again. Was VERY hard and I felt awful doing it but it worked and shes still asleep now. Only trouble is its been about 4 hours since last feed, so do I wake her up....

Well- update on screaming child. After her falling asleep by herself after we left her to cry (still feel horrible about that) we woke her up at 11 to change her and feed her (all done with as little interaction and with as little light as possible so she would stay sleepy). She then slept for 4 hours. Had another feed and took about 15 mins to settle. Slept for 3 hours and had another feed. This time took about an hour to settle and is now still asleep! Hurrah! I feel semi-human today!! I am actually washed and dressed without rushing, and, get this, had a HOT cup of tea!! This is the life!
DH is very keen to get her into a routine now. Its hard but it'll be worth it!
Thanks to everyone for their comments

Hope everyone else is well- off for a days shopping with my mum today to get my birthday pressie so its going to be a good one! YEY!! XXXX

feel more human today. Had a brain wave last night. DS seems to sleep well from his 7/8pm feed so after he fell asleep we took him up to our room and left the monitor on. It was nice to have an evening to ourselves again. He woke at 12 and 4am and is now asleep in the pram so I can have breakfast!
Something will go wrong. It can't go swimmingly all day!
When I was breastfeeding James myself he would feed about every hour or two and it made me very sore. That is why I went on to expressing. That way I could see how much he was taking. I much prefer it this way. I admire all of you that are exclusively Bf'd. I'd love to be able to do it but I find in TOO demanding. Some people are still bf'd when the children are 18 months or so. So I presume it must get easier at some point.

PPS I know how you feel. When I was trying to get DD to establish a bedtime I'd put her in her room at 7pm and she would scream for about an hour. I felt like the worlds worst parent. Would sit on the stairs and cry myself. Glad I did it now tho. Not looking forward to doing that again!

Typhoonsmum- nice to know it gets easier!
Am currently exclusively BF and TBH I don't enjoy it at all. Am expressing a bit but LO hates the bottle at the moment. I am trying to get her to take it but in the meantime building up a stock in the freezer! Hopefully she'll take it soon. Shes 5 weeks old now and I'd love to have a night where DH gets up and does all the feeds!!

James sounds like hes been a little gem! Its funny that when they are good our first instinct is to think that they will be extra bad later and we wait with baited breath for them to start!

X

emmab - lo feeding during the day probably every 2 hours though sometimes less. Problem is when I set her down she wakens everytime with wind no matter how hard I try to wind her. I wonder is it something Im eating.

princesspowersparkle - how was your birth? I seem to remember you did hynpobirthing as well. I missed your birth story.

Off to France today for two nights to stay with best friend's parents in a watermill. Gorgeous food ahoy! Last time we went I couldn't eat the cheese and pate - gutted. There'll be ten adults and one baby, lucky I am bfing or I wouldn't see the baby all weekend.

Have a good bh everyone!

anyone else been told they have pnd? Felt worse when HV told me this, but now DH is being much more helpful around the house and even did the late feed with ebm the other night so I could get some more sleep. I now feel much better about things and more able to cope. And I haven't cried for 36 hrs

DD is 6 1/2 weeks now and I've noticed that she is waking about 3.30/4am for a feed (after 10.30pm feed) then 7am (although she grizzles a bit at 6am then goes back to sleep)! And she isn't that interested in her 7am feed so I guess it might be time to cut back on how much I give her in the night! Hopefully that means she will sleep through the night by the time she is 12 wks .

I am bf'ing and it does seem some days like she is constantly feeding during the day, but I think this is just to increase my milk supply as it usually only lasts a couple of days then she goes back to normal which is every 3-4 hrs.

JAM - I am not a fan of dummies. I just think it is another thing to wean them off later on - so you are sort of deferring the difficulty. At the moment I can stand the frequent waking but I reserve the right to change my mind and will never say never on anything to do with a baby! I feel awful for complaining about him as it seems unfair as he is the most contented and relaxed baby ever, just wakes frequently for feeding at night (ut with little fuss and very easy to resettle). The frequency with feeds at night is getting a little better. 6pm 10pm midnight 3am 6am - completely my fault as during the day I sometimes let him sleep for 5 or even six hours at a stretch!
I am having a proud mummy day today. My 15 y.o. took three GCSEs a year early and got A*s in all..... it is lovely to see him so pleased.

Gosh, well done to him Caroline! And MFO, nice to hear you're getting out and about (with the help of a cooperative LO!).

I've had 2 nights in a row in my own bed! Both times LO has fed to sleep in bed with me (and I have nodded off too) - but OH has then transferred him into his moses basket. He's then woken between 3 and 4 for a feed both nights then slept until 8 yesterday and 6 today. I feel amazing!

I think part of our colickly-type issues are down to him being overtired at night. Doubtless this is because he can't sleep well due to pain, but he seems to get himself so wired he just can't settle. Also, he's looking HUGE in the moses backet already (he gained a pound over 9 days!) and I don't want to wait until he's all snugly fitted in there before moving to the 'big cot', so hopefully tonight or tomorrow we're going to put him in the cot bed from early evening. Doubtless we'll have a bad night for tummy troubles but hey, we can but try. Until now he's been spending his evenings until we go to bed downstairs in his basket next to the TV (and we're suprised that he wasn't sleeping ... ).

What does everyone else do re bedtimes? I hate having him separate from us so I'd never even considered putting him to bed before us, but I suspect he needs more rest than he's getting. We've got a baby monitor I could set up so we can sit downstairs and have some 'us time' once he's gone to bed. I just feel like he's so tiny to be all alone! But logically he's not going to miss me if he's asleep, is he ... gosh, that's one huge big 'if'!

better go - lo has woken himself up with a man-size fart and is now starving ... so like his father ...

Hi all, Just a quick oje to let you all know we are out of hospital. he has to go back on monday to get the steri strips off, as they dont stich the outside only internal stitches to minimise scarring. poor little man, but he is doing really well.

My mam also had her masectomy last friday.. (so i had the pair of them in theatre on the same day!! what a day!!) she is doing fine also.

Will catch up properly later.

Take care all and I hope everything is ok with everyone.
xx