The March-ers 2019 - Baby Talk #2

[Angelmiracle]

Thread 2 for all our newborns ❤🤗👣

Little man has his 8 week jabs this morning - he's literally slept ever apart from 10 minute wake ups here and there. He's probably been awake for about 2 hours total today. (Still fed and stuff just less since the jabs which I know is normal).

To people that have been through this - am i about to have a horrible night because he's slept so much or will he more than likely carry on sleeping?

Worried that all my good luck with a sleeping baby is about to go out the window haha

@WhatALearningCurve 2 of my friends babies had their jabs last week. One slept all day and night the other was up all night with her baby cos her temperature.
Hopefully your little one sleeps for you

@kee80 😂😂 I'll let you know how the coin toss goes

@WhatALearningCurve hope you are having a good night. When dd has hers she slept ok at night even though she had slept loads in the day.

@whatalearningcurve my baby slept loads too and the following day he pretty much only fed and slept too. He didn't really cry much other than he was desperately trying to poo so kept farting and crying about that when he remembered, and then did a massive massive runny poo just before we were going to bed which was great for his discomfort but meant we had to get the bath out as it was so awful.

@squirtlesmumagain thinking of you and your family at this tragic time, hope it goes as well as it can do.

@WhatALearningCurve haha hope you had a good night

@kee80 @cardboard33 @Wineandchoccy he was great! Slept through from about 8 till 5am! Fed him and he's just woken up again

However I woke up at 3am and couldn't get back to sleep till half 5 ha

@Whatalearningcurve nine hours! Wow! Sod's law that you woke up though! We have our vaccinations next week. I remember with DS1 I was so focused on giving him calpol in the car after one lot of jabs that I forgot to strap him in the car seat for the drive home from the surgery!

I had a major success with DS1 yesterday in that he asked to go for a poo on a grown up toilet rather than in his potty. I loathe cleaning poo out of a potty so this was to be seriously celebrated! I was worried for months about potty training DS1 while having a newborn (I just knew the two would coincide!) but it has honestly been a breeze, because he was ready. And I am delighted to only have one child's nappies to change in the daytime!

My husband is taking DS1 away on a trip for a couple of nights tonight, so it's just me and the babe. I am looking forward to it - looking after one human plus me is much easier than looking after three! Planning on having a big tidy up this morning and then revelling in a clean house that nobody else is going to mess up for 48 hours!

@SquirtlesMumAgain I hope you're aswell as can be, have been thinking of you and you're family. I hope Monday is a beautiful send off for your mum xx

@WhatALearningCurve it's typical isn't it when they sleep and yourbawake so frustrating! But glad your LO seemed alright with the jabs and was sleepy instead of upset for long period of time!
We have ours in 2 weeks time 

@BadBadBeans wow that's really something to be celebrated well done to your DS. Will be so much easier for you if this now is a regular occurrence with him!!
Wow yes enjoy you're 48 hours of just you and LO and a clean house!! I swear the men make more mess than the children haha!!

Regarding child benefits -
Do we have to send birth certificate off with it?
Do we have to put a pre stamped and addressed envelope in with the forms so they can send it back, or do they just send it back and we don't have to put a pre stamped envelope in? If that makes sense.

The forms are so confusing or i just have severe baby brain

@shiny888 no we didn't have to send off the birth certificate, we just had to write down a number from the birth certificate. It is different if you live in Scotland though- then I think you have to send it off. My advice is to read all the boring small print on the child benefit application form as it does tell you everything, just not very obviously!
Haha yep my man certainly makes a lot of mess. He trod mud upstairs just before he left- I reminded him where the Hoover lives and he cleaned it up!

@shiny888 It's not just you, the form made me feel stupid, too. I struggled big time with what address to send it to. It's so unclear on the form and there's nothing online (or at least I didn't find it).
Depending on where you're registered you don't need to send the certificate. All England is OK - you just need to put in the registration number.

@BadBadBeans I read it maybe 5 times but some parts said to send it another said don't so I was just mega confused and probably just being Abit thick 😂. Thank you though!
Haha nice subtle hint! Glad he cleaned it up though! Was your DS excited about going away?

@Sheeni yes the bloody address I just presume it's the one on the last page where it says if you don't have an envelope send this form to blah blah blah, is that right?
They don't word it very well do they? It's ridiculous!

Anyone have any experience with cows milk allergy?
Just got back from the doctors as little one has been having really wet poos during every feed (every 2 hours) for the past week and I've also noticed dried skin behind her ears. Doctor says it's eczema behind her ears and it's sounds like she could have an allergy to the milk, the reason for the watery poos and eczema. She's been prescribed aptimal pepti 1 milk.

Sorry got to add. Anyone with any advice on this?

@shiny888 I sent off the birth certificate. Got it back in the post today saying they'll be in touch with the decision on my claim. Not sure if they've sent it back now because they didn't need it though!

We've got our 6 week check up today. Really looking forward to getting him weighed (I'm assuming they weigh him!) as we traipsed to our local clinic last week and the person who runs it didn't turn up so it wasn't running. I still can't drive after my c section so I didn't appreciate having to walk 2 miles just to be sent home. ☹️😂

Sorry, I've been reading during night feeds and then not having the hands or the brain power to respond.

Baby is 7 weeks old tomorrow and had his check with HV today. Now weighing 11lb 14 (bit of a chunk) and on the 75th centile for weight and height. HV said he needs to be weighed again at 12 and 16 weeks and then doesn't really need to be weighed after that - anyone else's said the same?

Also are breastfeeding mummies taking vitamin D themselves or using drops for baby?

@BadBadBeans I'm so jealous of the potty training. My boy has been dry in the day for months and had a total regression since DS2 was born. He's never pooed in the potty or toilet though and always asks for a nappy or else he holds it until he becomes constipated. Now he's wetting himself during the day and doesn't even mention it, it's been awful.

Hi all,
Sorry to always be such a downer here. I don't really have much of a support network around me and I can see my husband is finding it hard to support me at this point, too.
I'm finding the motherhood really hard. I don't really know what to do with the baby and feel like I'm not doing enough for his development. He's a cranky child thanks to his reflux and it's really hard to find a bright moment when we can have a chat, do tummy time or anything else.
He's 7 weeks tomorrow and he wants to be on the nipple constantly today. I don't think there's another growth spurt he's supposed to go through right now. I have no idea what's going on.
I feel like we're making one step forward and two steps back constantly. I can't get him to sleep in his cot at night anymore due to reflux most likely, he's struggling to latch (although hopefully improving) since his tongue tie was cut and he's just generally grumpy most of the time. He's not doing that well post tongue tie division either - still not poking his tongue out to mimic us or when we do the exercises.
I can't ask my mom or MIL as their parenting notions are from decades ago when feeding on demand or fourth trimester was not a thing. And they just keep telling me to toughen up, which I'm finding hard.
How are all the other FTMs coping? Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to get on the right track?

@Sheeni there's supposed to be a leap at 8 weeks so could be something to do with that or maybe just an extra hungry day. Mine did a lot of sleeping yesterday and more feeding today (although not constantly - yet!)

I'm sorry you don't have the support, that makes it so much harder. We've been lucky with DS2 but found the first 10 (or more) weeks really tough with DS1. Once I asked for more support, I got it (grandparents took him for walks etc) which was my biggest help. Do you have any friends or other family who could take baby for an hour to give you a break?

DS2 had his tongue tie cut at 4 days old and his latch improved over the week but he didn't stick his tongue out properly until last week and still refuses to do it to copy us. I don't know about exercises or how else to get them to fix things - could you get to a breastfeeding group to talk about his latch?

DS2 is also a very sleepy baby so I find he has very little time most days where he's chatting or sitting happily. If he's awake, he's being changed or feeding (some days he does have an hour here and there but other days he just sleeps or feeds all day) so we also don't have much tummy time, I'm pretty sure he'll develop just fine (obviously not a health care professional though!!)

Are you happy with letting him sleep on you during the day (does that help?) And is it just the nights that make it so hard? I definitely recommend just letting him sleep on you during the day, put your feet up and watch some TV and relax. Same with feeds, it's difficult when they're attached so much but if you don't have anything you HAVE to do, just roll with it and don't think of housework or anything. You're growing your baby still and that's your only duty, nothing else (really) matters.

Thank you for your response and kind words @Jenfur He doesn't fall asleep after feeding during the day anymore. He snoozes while feeding (comfort sucking), then wakes up due to wind. And he's super difficult to get back to sleep. I'm honestly jealous of your sleepy baby - at least you get to do other things than just hold a baby nonstop.
I let him sleep on me at night last 3 nights, as otherwise I'd not get any sleep at all.
We only really have one friend who's able to help with walks, but she's got a toddler as well, so I can't really ask her for help a lot. All of our family (and most of our friends) are in a different country.

Good to know re: tongue tie and poking the tongue out. Hopefully it won't be as bad as I think.

@WhatALearningCurve sounds like a great nights sleep, even with the 3am wake up!

@BadBadBeans congratulations on the potty training!

@Sheeni I'm sorry you're finding it hard. I remember phoning my Mum about this time with my first as I just didn't know how to play with a newborn. To be honest just keep talking to him through the day and when those bright moments do turn up, take advantage. With regards to tummy time you should be fine with baby on your chest / shoulder as that encourages them to lift their head too. Don't be too hard on yourself, the most important development at this age is with their senses and basic interactions are all you need.

Had our 8week HV appointment today and little lady is 10lb exactly. Such a little doot bless her. I find it crazy that some babies are born this size or even bigger! Also saw the doc this afternoon for my postnatal check and he confirmed that my episiotomy hasn't fully closed. It's all healed and healthy but about half an inch of the cut hasn't joined back together. He suggested we try sex and see if it causes a problem, in which case it's a recut and stitch. 🤦🏼‍♀️

@Sheeni I'm sorry you're finding it like this! are you able to try any groups or anything? Baby massage is good for wind and reflux. Do you have a carrier or anything for the day that you could carry him round in so you could chat to him whilst he's on your chest and seeing things at your level? Where abouts are you?

@Sheeni DS2 has a dummy, would that help for comfort, if you don't use already?

Mine sleeps but only on you - if you put him down during the day, he wakes up within 10 minutes and then I end up feeding him and starting the process over again so I've ended up just keeping hold of him where possible. It means I don't get a lot else done but I figure as long as I get DS1 to and from nursery on time, I'm happy!

I have no help re reflux but we bought a sleepyhead for DS1 which I think helped him sleep through the night more without us holding him.

That's a shame that you don't have many people around for help. Does your DS sleep in the car or pram? At least driving around or taking a walk gets you out of the house and makes you feel like you're doing something different.

@Sheeni I have also been struggling with motherhood being a FTM which I find hard as I'm a nanny so should know exactly what a baby wants. But I'm struggling. Last Friday I wanted to drown because I was struggling so bad. My LO also has bad reflux and has been attached to my nipple for the last 3 days.
Buts here's some tips on how Iv started to feel a little normal and have some head space again which has in turn helped with feeling like I know what I'm doing with LO, so I hope it can help you also!
Iv started expressing so my DP can do a night feed so I can get some sleep.
Iv been co sleeping which has made her settled with her reflux because she's getting non stop comfort from me.
Iv been keeping her upright continuously all day - it's hard but Iv noticed the difference in her.
I just want you to know your not alone and we are here for you!

@shiny888 no it's not you; it's a hideous form to give someone with guaranteed sleep deprivation! Definitely could do with simplifying! Haha yes DH cleaned up but notably only did that bit of carpet. Standard man! DS was excited yes. Had a WhatsApp call tonight from him and his cousin in the bath. Super cute!

@kee80 no experience I'm afraid. Would it be worth speaking to the HV?

@AssumeItWasSomethingClever hope the check went well!

@Jenfur J weighed very similar at 6.5 weeks; funny because I hadn't realised how much he had grown! I haven't been told about needing further weighs. With DS1 I used to walk down to the clinic each month - to be honest I enjoyed checking in with the HV who was a real motherly type and gave me a lot of support. The clinic here is a drive away and is going to be a faff to get
to with two kids - I can't see myself going but I wonder if I should?!
Sorry you are having a mare with potty training. DS1 is still having wee accidents so don't imagine it's perfect over here! I think the poo thing is a major hurdle. He cried whenever I mentioned the potty for months so I just stopped mentioning it and waited for him to be interested. Bribed him with a couple of chocolate coins saved from Christmas at first, then moved on to raisins. Poor deprived child would jump through flaming hoops for a raisin!
I had forgotten about supplements but coincidentally bought myself pregnacare breastfeeding tablets today. I used the free D Drops for baby that came in the bounty pack but haven't found a shop locally with them for sale. Going to try boots tomorrow as I have been feeling guilty about not giving J vitamins!

@Sheeni huge hugs to you. Honestly newborns just aren't as exciting as people imagine. Mine is 8 weeks now and I am just starting to enjoy him. It's not like having a kitten or a puppy that wants to snuggle and be stroked - babies are little wiggly cross demanding people who aren't very relaxing! Mine only likes to be cuddled in positions that make my arms ache so I can't really enjoy it! He has been smiling a little bit since six weeks but has only just started doing the odd big smile, and it has made me feel so much more connected to him. Is yours smiling yet? Honestly it is a game changer for me. Don't worry about his development - just chat to him a bit, maybe sing songs while you are getting on with other tasks so he has some stimulation, show him the odd thing and get him to touch it while you talk about it. I have been feeling guilty that I don't do enough with J but when I try different things, all he really wants is to hear my voice and have a bit of eye contact. It gets way easier as they get bigger and can hold things and show an interest. I promise!

@HidCat augh! Hope trying sex goes okay- that has made me wince!

Baby J had a huge awake period this afternoon from 2pm till about 8.30pm. Dozed a bit while feeding but otherwise wide awake. He cried a lot this evening- I think he was knackered. Fed three times in three hours from both sides - my poor boobs! I've got silverette nipple cups arriving tomorrow in a desperate attempt to heal the crack on the left side. They were bloody expensive at £40 but I have spent very little on this baby and I feel like it's worth a shot at this point.