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.

will put this in here as well in case you dont spend much time in antenatal anymore!

Hi everyone! Kyte - just read your birth story, sounds like a tough one. just wanted to say it sounds like you are doing really well and hope he gets the hang of the bf soon. big pat on the back to you and nicholas

hi Jamantha - i wouldnt worry too much about trying to entertain her yet... as for settling her in the basket - it takes a few goes to get mine in it, i find standing next to her and calmly "shhhhhhhhing" really helps - but not touching her, which makes her more agitated if she is really tired. With my DD1 we used to say she was allergic to the moses basket she hated it that much but by about 6/7 weeks she finally succumbed, so keep at it! hth

jamantha,

i do mainly chatting with DS, although took him to a baby group yesterday for the first time, where he slept, looked around a bit, fed, nappy change and slept. No crying, and very cute outfit too, so i was a very proud mum. Not much different to home but nice to get out in sunshine and chat to other mums over a cuppa/biscuits! Also nice to push him to sleep rather than spend ages settling him in his moses basket.

He goes in his bouncy chair or playmat at home, mainly when i need a shower/to eat.

HV came today and he has put on 22oz in 2 weeks, so now 10lb 4.5, up 2 lbs since his birth 5 weeks ago. I am sure he has started smiling at me today too.

I was feeling really good about feeling so wonderful after my c-section, and might have overdone it by pushing pushchair up Sheffield's steep hills. I keep getting stomach cramps/back pain, especially when i stand up a few minutes. So i am on the sofa cuddling DS (asleep) whilst parents have taken DD to park.

Oh Kyte! Sorry you seem to have been through the mill. Glad you seem to be recovering. Hope things only get better for you.

Jamantha - nope Heaton Park in Manchester. We didn't go though, we compromised by getting butties from the shop then having a picnic in a park up the road. We were out for 2.5 hours and I'm shattered.
Bryher slept the whole time so we took pictures of the peacocks and things so when she's older she can see what she did on her first trip out.

We don't do much with her either yet, cuddle her a lot, talk and sing to her. We've got a playmat with bars to dangle stuff off but haven't really used it much, and she's too small for her bouncy chair, her arms slip underneath the belt so we have to sit with her while she's in it. I'm lucky DP is at home all the time, Bryher grizzles when she's in her carrycot so we play pass the baby.

Her birthday present to me was being sick for the first time. I managed to catch it on a cloth thankfully and she missed my clothes.

welcome all new babies and mums!!

Myfairone - my DS (now 17 months) kept wetting everywhere and eventually worked out that pampers were the best, but had to be wrapped round tightly and tucked down in so the pee is kept in more effectively. As you're doing, make sure his willy is pointing down. Also needed to change hime more often than with DD1.

Probaby not anything different to what you're doing but can sympathise - and it ALWAYS seemed to happen at night!

My DD2 is either being nursed, cuddled, talked to, poked at by DS, or being coerced into staying in her chair or basket - she's not keen!!

Im totally co-sleeping with DD2 now as its teh only way I can function during teh day by being semi-rested at night. When did anyone break the co-sleeping habit with former babies?

Dewmeadow, I stopped co-sleeping with DD at around 5-6 weeks I think, as I was worried about squashing her etc so didn't sleep very deeply.

However, I am more relaxed with DS although won't do it if DH is in the bed. I generally fall asleep with him in the crook of my arm after feeding lying down, or on my shoulder after winding. Both aren't very comfortable for my shoulders/arms! I managed to move him onto the other side of the bed last night at 4.15, but it took me a while to fall asleep myself as every move I made seemed to affect him, and then he woke at 5 anyway when he'd wriggled out of his swaddle!. But as he'd only just fed at 2.45, I just cuddled him to sleep (he can usually go 3+ hours), and he slept til 7.15. So only one night feed, but lots of awake time for me. He will go in his basket after his 11pm feed though, so I do get a few hours on my own...And DH did bottle feeds throughout the night on Monday night, and it was great (I had a bath, expressed, watched TV in spare bed, slept through til 6.30). The worst bit was my boobs in the morning (and night) which meant I had to lay flat on my back as any movement was painful. I was so grateful for my pump at 6.30! I am hinting to DH that we should make it a weekly occurence, but we'll see if he agrees to it.

wow pula!! 2.45 - 7.15!! the longest my DD2 has gone is 3 hours but shes only 2.5 weeks so I think shes not doing too badly. and a super dh too!! love is....

Jamantha - we sometimes put Orlena under her baby gym where she seems to be obsessed with a monkey! My mum says it's because it has huge black & white eyes, so I've just ordered a couple of black & white toy things from the internet. One of them can be fixed around the inside of a pram or cot and the others are ball type things for when she's a bit older. Other than that, I just chat to her and tell her what I'm doing. No wonder she looks bored!!!

Is anyone else here mainly formula feeding? I was just wondering if the amounts your LO's take in any one feed is erratic - i.e. one feed she'll take 120ml, the next only 50ml? She's only 2 and a half weeks so I am just going with the flow. We are going to the doctors tomorrow about suspected reflux - the hospital gave us Gaviscon to thicken her feeds. Does anyone have any experience of a reflux baby?

Kyte - sounds like you were really pushed to the limit. Well done and hope everything is settling down nicely.

Hello to everyone else and hope you all get a reasonable night's sleep. My DH is doing the first shift then I'll take the remainder of the night. It can be a lonely business, especially when I'm supposed to keep O unpright for 30 mins after feeding, when all I want to do is crawl back into bed!

morning all....can finally type with two hands as Harley is still sleeping (miracle!) last night he slept from 9 - 1! 4 hours of blissful sleep! wooohoooo!

I have had the added complication this week of my Mum and DH having a huge argument, which has resulted in tears and now DH has said she is not welcome around here because she interferes! I need this like a hole in the head!

On a brighter note, I am enjoying having Harley and getting to know him...

Anyone else using a dummy? I am sad to admit that I have but it was a last resort and he was screaming for no reason at all!

Hope all are well and settling in.

am of blissful sleep. Had 2nd badly disturbed night in a row last night and am exhausted now. Thankfully DD has settled in her basket - guess she's tired too - so am about to try for a nap myself now that I'm pretty sure she's settled properly. But was in tears in the night, just so tired I couldn't do a thing with her. Got DH worried. Got myself worried a bit too. Hope today and tonight will be better though.

Jamantha - we've had a couple of poor nights too with plenty of tears from both me and Orlena. I keep consoling myself that this is just a stage that needs to be worked through and I just need to go with the flow. I don't know how anyone does this with other children around. Hopefully you'll get a bit of rest today and all will look better.

Myfairone - at the 4 hours sleep last night!!! Hope your family feud gets resolved soon - it really is the last thing you need with a new baby.

Off to docs now for some reflux information....

Sorry to hear of the unsettled night Jamantha. Believe me, the 4 hours I got last night was the first and was preceeded by a whole 5 days of not sleeping!

Hope all are well and can catch up on some sleep later on today when LO's are napping.

sleep deprivation is Sooooooooooo stressful. Ive definitely felt like that Jam and will again - that overwhelming helplessness and lack of control over this tiny person. you're not on your own and it will get easier!

Im being very lazy and co-sleeping and feeding in bed, which means Im semi - good form for the children during the day. Have to admit though that DD is quite hard to put down - shes just so into cosying in with mum! Ah well... probably last baby so want to enjoy her as much as poss.

Myfairone - I'm right on the brink of giving in on the dummy front. Did so with DD at exactly the same time - 5 weeks. Never regretted it with her, she really needed the extra comfort. Some babies just have a very strong sucking urge, even when they're full. She'd chew on an empty bottle for comfort and swallowed air, which wasn't great, so I gaver her a dummy. Trying to hold out with LO, as she's easier to settle, but I've still got one in the cupboard.

Catstar - we're bottlefeeding and the amount does vary from feed to feed, but does eventually even out...

Very jealous of anyone napping right now. LO will only sleep on me in daylight.

cakehead - I hear ya on the dummy thing but I just had to. He would not settle and seems very sucky. Of course it didnt help that an old lady stopped me in the street and told me I would regret it in the future! Yeah thanks love!

My LO loves to sleep on DH in the day. Its great now but his paternity leave is over next Wednesday and then what am I going to do?

Okay, heres a question: Is anyone else really shaky about going out? My DH took us out to lunch and I shook leaving the house. Gave myself a headache and felt really lightheaded. Not sure if Im just not ready or if this is stress Im putting myself under.

I wouldn't worry about dummies at this age. Babies find sucking very comforting, and it saves your nipples from wear and tear! We also use the dummy to work out if DS is tired rather than hungry.

We weaned DD off her dummy at 5 months and she found her thumb instead.

myfairone- could you have low hb, as thid made me feel very shaky/light-headed when i first went out. It's worth eating some iron-rich food/drinking orange with meals to boost iron levels.

Cakehead are you eating enough? Could be blood sugar.
The first few times I went out though all i wanted to do was get back home I felt a little insecure away from from with lo. After the first couple of times was ok though. Planning a trip to Chester zoo next week, how adventurous is that..!!??

Dont worry about using a dummy if they like them and need them then whats the problem. Its just a cosmetic thing that I have trouble with I just dont like the look of them but it works in the eve and that is a much bigger pro.

LO has slept from 10 ish to 2ish for the last four nights and Dh does the feed at 2 so I actually feel human this week compared to desperate last week. I hope this continues.

LO weighed in at 12lb 1 oz on tues..thats my boy

Hi ladies, just popped over to say hello and congratulations to you all and the lo...hope you are all well, hopefully wont be long until im joining you all...had membrane sweep today, does any of you ladies have any experience of this working??? I had one at 12.30 today, my back is now very sore, also have like period type pain, if this doesnt work, im booked in for Sunday for an induction. Hope you are all well and dont have too many sleepless nights x

I knew I shouldnt have written how well lo waas doing at night. last night was a nightmare!!!

also wouldnt worry about dummies!! for Dd1 she loved her dummy. before she was 1 she only used it for sleep time as we realised she only wanted it if she saw it. completely broke the addiction by 20 months for sleep. If it helps you out, use it - I mean you're not giving her heroin!!!!

pula - sounds like low blood sugar. make sure you are looking after yourself. Psychologically, know what you mean about going out. Ive been out twice with DD2 and felt unprepared and daunted by the whole thing. You'd think no3 would be easy peasy and I do feel a bit more chilled but going out is still a big deal to me.

kyte - all power to you for persevering with the bf. Dont know how to help but just full of admiration, because I know that I would definitely have caved before now.

Kyte- I would really recommend asking if you can have a breastfeeding counsellor come visit to see about working on your DS' latch... Ask your midwife if they have one who could visit, most areas do. Failing that do phone one of the helplines (NCT or La Leche League) as they are wonderful. Have to say we also had lots of probs when DD was in neonatal & we were tube feeding then cup feeding and in the end the only way we have managed to 'successfully' breastfeed is using nipple shields. This really is a last resort but you may want to consider it...
I am very impressed as your perseverence, know how heartbreaking it can be- huge hugs (((( ))))

We are also having some pretty bad nights & am also now co-sleeping with DD for 70-100% of the night! But last night she went 5 hrs between feeds (after a 3 hr feeding frenzy, and followed by another 3hr frenzy!) so at least got some 'decent' sleep! off for a nap now as MIL has kindly arrived to take DS to the park...he has been exhuasting me a bit in the day & DP has been away so was on my last legs yesterday...

Hugs to you all xxxxx

Hello, can I intrude. I had my dd on the 22/07. Breastfeeding, continously and wondered if anyone else has really sore nipples and what helps if anything. Tried Lansinoh, but one nipple is very sore after a savage attack by dd.

Also how are people with other children coping with lack of sleep. I have a 15mth old dd and although dh off work, finding it hard as seem to be feeding all night.

Help !!