February 2019 babies - thread 1

[Celebelly]

Let's go ladies! Share your tales of cluster feeding, cracked nipples, poo explosions and sleep deprivation!

@Lookingforadvice123 I thought that as the sleepyheads have been taken off the lullaby trusts safe sleep guide but the midwife in hospital rolled a blanket up and it does help Henry settle.

We've woken up with a red swollen eye that won't stop weeping, we've called the midwife this morning but no answer so I've left a voicemail and waiting for a call back. We've been wiping with cold wet cotton wool as that's what the internet advised. It's not bothering her but it's not getting better either , any advice? Xx

@1stTimeTina sounds like she may have a touch of conjunctivitis which is common in young babies. Are u breastfeeding as apparently a drop of breast milk on the eye will help (not an old wives tale I promise!)

Until you can get a call back, the best things to use are either cooled boiled water or breast milk (if you're bf/expressing). Wipe only once with each cotton wool ball and go from the corner of the eye (by the nose) to the outside.

Thanks , we never got a call back but they're due a visit tomorrow so we'll ask then. I was BF but stopped last Friday xx

The midwife said to me on day 5 20 mins in 3 hours for bf babies @Lookingforadvice123 but he does 10 mins every 1.5 hours. They didn't seem concerned. Said just try to wake him up a bit after a feed to see if he will have more. It's tricky though as he cluster feeds all evening so not a true picture I don't think.

@1stTimeTina you May still have some milk if you hand express

Baby seems to have a bit of a cold. I can hear it in his cry and is sniffly. We have snuffle baby decongestant. He doesn't feel warm. I've also woken a bit snuffly.

Online it says under 3 months to worry but is it online being dramatised?

@babyp160 - my baby seems to have too. I've been to the docs twice because she sounds so phlegmy and seems to really struggle. (I hate it!!!!) both times I've been told, 'it's not on her chest, keep doing what you're doing, it will pass' - it's been weeks now! 😭

@Babyp160 and @Yakadee my son is like this every day. The health visitor came over for his 6 week check yesterday and I mentioned it to her, he’s also had a bit of a raised rash on his neck and chest so she said it may be a dairy allergy as I’m breastfeeding him. She didn’t seem concerned though and just mentioned about cutting back on dairy to see if it improves.

@Yakadee @Wames90 interesting.

I've read that dairy intolerance can lead to colic symptoms too which he has some of. DH was allergic to dairy as a baby too so this would explain a lot. Think I'll get his chest checked tomorrow and cut out dairy which will be tough as I drink LOADS of milk since it was my pregnancy craving it's just stuck 🙈

Thanks both.

I wonder if it is a bug with Emma as she's producing a lot of green mucus! 🤢

Poor kid, sounds like she's got a little cough too now x

Can I please join? Again? I was on the first Feb 2019 antenatal thread but life got over and I stopped posting. I was pregnant with twins but we lost one of them. Nora was born on the 1st Feb at 39 weeks, she is 5 weeks old tomorrow. Time flies. I have another daughter who is 6 and I made real life friends with those who were on the post natal thread here. I remember it was a life saver just to talk about everything with people who went through the same thing.

I exclusively breastfed her up until a week ago but she has not put on much weight so we now top her up with either expressed breast milk or formula. I was advised to go dairy free as she shows signs of allergy so I am now trying my best, really want to feed her for another couple of months.

Does anyone else's baby hate the car seat and the buggy? We can't even go for a walk as she screams her head off. I never had this problem with her sister and it's heartbreaking that we can't enjoy long walks in the park. I use a sling and she is happy in it but my back is killing me by the time we get home.

Morning ladies. Hope everyone is surviving! Anna has developed some spots on her face over the last few days (forehead, cheeks and chin). I’ve not been using any bath products and only wipe the sleep from her eyes with cotton wool or water wipes. Are the spots ‘normal’ or should I be concerned? The health visitor came on Tuesday when she only had one or two spots and said everything was fine. Guess I’m just concerned as more have developed x

It'll be baby acne. Emma has same atm. Perfectly normal, just looks nasty! Dab some breast milk on a few times a day.

Thanks @Celebelly. I did google it and baby acne seemed to flag up but just wanted to be certain it wasn’t anything more serious. Does it go away on its own or does it require treatment?

It just goes away on its own. It's just to do with hormones, but should be gone by about three months. It just looks nasty but doesn't affect them and doesn't scar the skin etc.

I think it's exclusive to breastfed babies as they get hormones from Mum that cause their oil glands to over produce. But breast milk helps with calming it down too!

Oh I’m pleased that it doesn’t leave scarring as that’s what I was worried about @Celebelly! The spots also look quite angry so wasn’t sure if they were painful or not. Glad to hear that she’s not fussed by them!

I’m after a bit of advice ladies.. I’ve got yet another infection and I’m on another course of antibiotics. Last time my milk dried up but I was so dehydrated and barely passing urine so thought this might have been why. My milk returned after 4ish days and had been fine until today (day two of antibiotics). There’s still some milk being produced but I have no idea how much so I’m offering formula as a top up but he has only had 1/2 an ounce of each bottle I’ve given. He’s been pretty unsettled today which I thought was down to hunger but he won’t have anything more than that. Should I be concerned or do you think it’s just that I’m producing more milk than I think I am? He’ll be 7 weeks old tomorrow. He doesn’t have a temperature or anything and I’m probably just being a worried mum for no reason!
Thank you!

@bubblybrit my little girl was back to back so got gashed in my emcs with a scappel. She had a relitively large gash on her face. I was so worried about scaring. But the peadetrician said newborn skin doesnt scar the same. Its soft and more elastic. So I wouldnt worry 😊 i also have a spotty baby. Some of them look so red and angry. But only last day or two. Ive been putting coconut oil on them.

@Notquiteagandt. Oh that sounds awful. You must have gotten a fright after you see the gash. Hope it is healing nicely. I bought coconut oil for her dry skin on her chest and arms. Didn’t realise that it would help with the spots as well.

@Wames90 how is he doing for nappies? Is he getting plenty of wet ones and some dirty ones?
I always find that's a great way of reassuring yourself whether they are getting enough.

Anyone else prepared to admit that they are finding this really hard work? My little girl (20 days old) was pretty easy for the first two weeks but this week has been really hard with lots of colicky crying in the evenings and not sleeping very well.

Hate admitting it, but I am finding motherhood so difficult - husband is back at work full time and has long hours so it does fall to me to look after her most of the time. Plus I always feel like I can calm her down quicker than him although this might not really be the case!

This morning I was so desperate to sleep I ended up asking my mum to come and watch her for a bit and she came and took her away to her house (lives just round the corner) for about 3 hours. I got some sleep but TBH I didn't feel any better when I woke up - I just felt guilty that I wanted my baby to be taken away from me, and didn't really want her to be brought back just yet. I find myself thinking how nice it would be to have a day to myself, actually manage to get dressed and eat proper food and go out to the shops etc. I feel like I should have known I wouldn't enjoy being a mum and maybe this (very much planned and wanted) pregnancy was a mistake. And then I feel guilty because if I loved my baby more then surely I wouldn't find it so draining.

Is this normal or should I be getting help? I have had a couple of "down" days (4 and 10) which coincided with bad nights, but today is the first time that even after a sleep I didn't feel much better :( although she's been asleep most of this afternoon and I've got tidied up, which has made me feel somewhat more positive!

Also - anyone tried cranial osteopathy? My mum thinks I should get her booked in for it. Apparently it can help with the back arching and snuffle problems we're having. If it works I am willing to give it a go but the thought of having to get us both fed and dressed and take her to an appointment for a set time sounds almost impossible and I'm not sure if I could cope!

PS I totally realise that I shouldn't be complaining, but just hoping for some encouragement that it does get easier (please say it does!!) and that what we are going through isn't abnormal...

@detachablehoof - it wouldn't hurt to talk to someone but I can tell you that my favourite time of the day is when my son goes to bed! I love him to absolute bits but I'm shattered at that point and welcome the break.

As time went on I felt like I got more time to myself as he started going to bed at a proper bedtime.

Don't feel bad about needing help. We also need help sometimes and I'm sure your mum loved her time with the baby x

My son had baby acne and it just went on it own and no scaring at all x

@Yakadee ugh yes I cannot wait for my baby to have a proper predictable routine. I don't mind getting up in the night to feed her, it's the endless hours of rocking to sleep / putting in crib / 5 mins later getting crying baby out of crib / rocking to sleep that I'm struggling with!

My mum loves having the baby, but I hate having to have help - really not my scene (too proud!)