February 2019 babies - thread 1

[Celebelly]

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

@detachablehoof - we had one of those monitors for my son and loved it. We ended up moving him into his own room at 4 months as he was just so loud. X

@Yakadee that's good to know. Was it an Angelcare one? The reviews are so mixed!

We have a Nanny breathing monitor. It's really good. Emma is very grunty and noisy but with her white noise bear and earplugs when needed it's fine. Also I've gone from being a light sleeper unable to get to sleep with any noise to being able to sleep anywhere!

@detachablehoof - Yeah we have that one. We've found it to be great. Only trouble is when he got older and could move away from the sensor pad it went off. We have a camera too though which I wouldn't be without now x

Argh!! I've sold my house! We've put an offer in on a house we absolutely love so just waiting to see if they accept.

We're crazy! X

@detachablehoof we have a angelcare and I love it for peace of mind. Although must remember to move the pad up with them as the get longer as I forgot and the alarm scared the shit out of me the other day.

Nice little half an hour sleep teaser got me feeling awfulllllll never had that before so seriously feel for those who do as I feel awful. Wish I never slept!

Definitely recommend the Angelcare monitor.

Have really struggled the last two evenings as DS2 has cluster fed until late (by my standards anyway as I'm knackered so early!) and been hard to put down, ie he goes down ok eventually but after 20 mins is looking for more.

So we moved his nightly bottle of formula (DH usually gives this after midnight) to 10:30pm and he fell asleep instantly and slept for over 4 hours - his longest stint yet. I'm just up bfing him now.

Cried myself to sleep as I don't want to stop BF yet (I was hoping to combi feed at least until 2 or 3 months) but it's starting to make me miserable again.

@Lookingforadvice123 - I know where you're coming from but don't make yourself miserable. You have to do what's right for you x

@Lookingforadvice123 I'd echo Yakkadee. You've done really well with feeding so far and I can understand not wanting to stop. If you don't want to or can't feed any more that's fine too. Whatever you do has to work for you and your family. You've also got a toddler to think about this time. Sending hugs.

Thanks both. With DS1 it was a relief to stop but I'm just not ready this time and would be really sad that it hasn't worked. I don't even have long term goals with it, if I got to 2 months I'd be happy.

Would it help you to introduce another bottle of formula (either regularly or occasionally)? Do whatever you need to keep yourself happy and healthy. If one night of extra sleep will make a difference then you could use your dh over the weekend to do an extra night feed or the morning feed if he can manage both boys at breakfast time.

I definitely didn't appreciate how hard and time consuming bf could be last time. I was so wrapped up and upset about not having been able to bf dd. The other thing I've underestimated is having to balance two small people and see to both their needs, especially when ds wants to feed when I need to be sorting out dd and he's still on a feeding plan so we're trying to cram in expressing and bottle top ups too.

Just had him weighed and he's STILL not back to birth weight, and has only gained 1 measly ounce in a week! Despite being on the boob constantly and having 3-3.5oz of formula once a day for nearly a week. I think something's definitely not right with his latch as he never seems satisfied after a BF, he's on the boob all day (not just wanting to be held, which would be fine! But actually latched on a suckling) and just tops up all night so he'll feed for 10-15 mins and doze off, then wake after an hour (sometimes 2 if I'm lucky!).

I think I'll try and get to the BF clinic on Tuesday as the HVs weren't helpful at all as he's alert, pooing and weeing. But the weight gain (or lack of!) has really bothered me. All that work for one ounce!

How are you getting on lanalawr? Good to see that DS has gained weight last time has your DH gone back to work?

To follow on from my last post about feeding..

The HV has been here today for his 12 day check. He weighed 10lb 10oz two days ago, he is now 11lb 10oz... a whole pound in two days!!

I’ve bred a monster! 😂

Thanks for asking @Lookingforadvice123. Ds was weighed today and is now back at birthweight - it's been a long four and a half weeks trying to get to this point. The clinic is really good too. It's a bit late now but they also run one on a Friday afternoon (different location but same people). I'll still be going because we're now going to try to reduce the top ups.

Fab work @NotAsGreenAsCabbageLooking !

Glad to hear lanalawr I'll definitely get there on Tuesday, even if I end up stopping in a week or two, I'd like to see if there is a problem or not. Great to hear your DS is back at his birth weight too, that's fantastic news. Let me know if you goto the Tuesday clinic next week, I might see you there!

Notasgreenascabbagelooking wow what a big boy, that's great! Are you exclusively expressing? I have barely expressed at all but feel like maybe I should try...

@lanalawr thank you, it’s sll him though... I can’t take the credit. He’s so chilled!
Glad your baby is getting there.. they’re sent to worry us!

@Lookingforadvice123 not 100% exclusive, he’s been on EBM exclusively for the last 4-5 days, but today I couldn’t keep up, so he’s had 4oz of formula this afternoon. I’ve learnt via my other two sons that it does absolutely no good to dwell too much on what you ‘should’ do. If expressing is not working for you.. then formula is not evil. Breast is only best on a strictly nutritional level, there are many other factors involved that are equally valid.

Wow that's still impressive expressing though notasgreenascabbagelooking! And in such a short period of time. Good work and dedication, fair play to you.

No I definitely have nothing against formula, DS1 thrived on it after the first month of BF, his weight picked up, he was never ill, and now at 3 his speech is the same as a 4 year old! I was just hoping to do longer this time, but if DS2's weight gain doesn't pick up I think I'll stop after a month again. I was certainly much happier when I stopped with DS1!

I'm exclusively expressing (bar maybe one breastfeed a day where she mainly just comfort sucks as her latch is awful and causes me a lot of pain). It's bloody hard work but I'm just about able to keep up with her demand. We maybe supplement with 100ml of formula every couple of days, but it's such a mental boost to know that it's sitting down there in the kitchen if we need it.

I'm hoping as she gets bigger and her mouth gets bigger her latch will improve, as I don't really want to express for the next six months or so! But there are benefits to it as it means DP can give her a bottle and she's a good sleeper as we haven't really had any cluster feeding - she just takes her bottle and goes to sleep. I'd like the bonding aspect of breastfeeding as I do enjoy our one feed a day, despite the pain, but at the end of the day, as long as she's fed and happy then I'm not going to stress.

I'm sick of clogged breast ducts though. Had another horrendously painful one tonight. Had to sit in scalding bath and work it out for about 15 mins all because I fell asleep for 45 mins on sofa with my bra on and it pressed into me a bit.

Those expressing breast milk and giving in a bottle.... how much do you give? I expressed for the first time yesterday to freeze for future weaning porridge etc and didn't get as much as I thought. And I bought a medla.

I get about 100-120ml a session during day and 150-170ml overnight. She takes anywhere from 90-130ml a feed at the moment, so it works out OK generally as I usually build up a little surplus overnight.

@Lookingforadvice123 I won't be at the next Tuesday clinic but will be at the one after. If you haven't been discharged by the midwives and want support before then, you can ring the number on the front of your notes. We've also been having someone come to the house regularly until now.

@Celebelly that's great! How long do you express at each session? Those are really good amounts!

@babyp160 not everyone is able to express and it's no indication of what your baby is able to get from you. I'm getting 30-40ml each session. That's using a double medela pump too.

I think I got 90ml in 20 mins so maybe my expectations were too high.

Thank you.