August 2007- More boys than girls? Our beautiful summer babies are arriving at last!

[bananabump]

Thought I'd start a thread to give somewhere for Jem, Washersaurus and Bresha to discuss their little ones and make all those of us waiting impatiently jealous!

Who will be next??????

hi conkertree - my LO is 4 weeks today too. i had an episiotomy with DD1 and i would say that it took me about 6-8weeks to feel 'normal' so i'm really impressed that you tried running after 4 weeks! i'm also on the iron tablets and i hate them! i've got to admit that i've not been taking all 3 each day as it is sore going to the loo. been trying to eat as much fruit and veg as poss and drink loads (but it's not easy...). i find that garlic helps to ease things - so every night we have fresh garlic mixed in with our dinner (no wonder everyone is giving us a wide berth ).

i hope you start to feel better soon - there's lots going on and lots of change for you just now and must be hard being away from home and with you're DH not being there.

Busy thread at the moment... just taking 5 to catch up while madam processes the first half of her feed...we did well with the morning snooze today, went off dead on 9.00am..... but now won't wake up... all v well, but I wanted to go shopping.... and knew if I got to sainsburys shed wake up!

The extra top of formula feed is proving to be a life saver - sod the expressing thing bananabump - she loves her formula, and there have been no problems with "nipple confusion"! I am less stressed, as I know just a few ounces is enough to top her hungry tummy up!!

I'm just pulling all the newborn stuff out, she's 10lb now, and v long, so none of it reliably fits, and therre is nothing worse at 3.00am after a quick puke, to find the babygro doesn't fit, and all the others are in DS's room.

Incidentally, we don't leave him with her either, he shouts at her to wake up from 2 inches away, and constantly pokes her - in a ince way, but just v heavy handed

Uki, so pleased the lump was nothing to worry about - I think it is so good that you were able to get it checked though - you don't need extra stress right now.

right, I'm off to see if she's ready for more milk........she's sneezing so she must be awake!

Morning!

conkertree, have you tried taking lactulose? It's a gentle stool softener, I found it very helpful when I first had my stitches. It comes in a bottle, you take it twice a day mixed with orange juice or squash, doesn't really taste of anything. Haven't had piles but I've heard it's very common after giving birth, have you been to your gp about them? They may be able to make you more comfortable.

Pink, your stitches will feel better sooner than you think, you'll probably just realise you haven't thought about them for a couple of days.

TMI but it's only been 3 1/2 weeks and we had sex last night. I don't know when you're supposed to start again but felt fine and the lochia has stopped so gave it a try and it felt completely fine/normal (to me, anyway- dp reminded me to start doing my kegels afterwards) LOL

Health visitor coming later, hopefully she will tell me that lo has at least got back up to his birth weight, I think he has because he has definitely grown a bit, and feels heavier. Jaundice finally gone too thank god.

Hope everyone is doing ok! Are anyone's babies smiling yet? I'm so looking forward to that proper first smile, it already makes me melt when he does windy accidental ones in his sleep!

hi bagpuss, yeah we're still loving the final topup at night, it keeps us all sane! I tried cutting it out and just feeding him myself for hours but he was up every half an hour crying to be fed until we gave him the topup at 4am! Sod it, it means daddy gets to feed him a bit too and I get some time off to get showered and feel a bit more human!

I think I've finally stopped bleeding. It's been 3 weeks and I'm still wearing sanitary towels as I get the odd spot of blood but most of the time they're clean. Lack of/broken sleep is giving me quite bad headaches but I'm coping at the moment. At least I can take Anadin Xtra again now.

pink - Alex is feeding around the same times at night. I guess that's one good thing about formula feeding. When I had stitches with dd I think it was 2-3 weeks before I felt more normal down there. With your ds1 at school you'll have a chance to nap in the day. Is your dh helping out with feeding at night? Mine is at the moment but he doesn't go back to work until next Tuesday. I'm going to try to get him to do the late evening feed so I can get some extra sleep but there's no way he'll do the middle of the night or early morning feeds.

Conkertree - I had a few days feeling down and (as you know) I was feeling like a really bad mother for giving up bf. I'm sure it's just the hormone levels dropping. I'm sure you'll be feeling brighter soon. The sleep deprivation can't help either. Babies change so quickly so don't worry - you're doing great.

banana - glad james' jaundice has gone. I think most babies start to smile properly at about 8 weeks. I can't wait!

Hi All

Thanks for the messages...
Things are much calmer here, after the worry of last week I'm even getting on with a bit of work for an exhibition!!!

Can't remember which 2 of you have the big bellies still and muscle gaps, but i was told by physio in hospital that doing a gentle breath in with stomach, can help with re sizing it. Mine has gone down lots now after doing this. Also told to do lots of pelvic floor to help repair and strengthen

Conker- I feel for you, I remember with ds I was really stressed about not getting sleep. It made me really anxious and i was jealous of him in a way. This time I just don't care about sleep, and feel so much better, last night i had about 5 hours and although tired I don't feel the same, I guess more relaxed. Not sure if that helps at all, but it is easier this time, as I'm just going with the flow so to speak. Ah sleep how needs it
In fact last night LL was really crying but i wanted to get changed and put him down screaming... after about 2 minutes he stoped and feel straight to sleep, so don't think the crying is about you, sometimes they are just overtired

Hi, a message for pinkranger.
I saw your announcement on the March thread and am so pleased for you. Well done on having a good home birrth, they're just great aren't they?
Enjoy your lovely baby

I typing one handed and doing breathing in with my tummy (thanks for tip uki). Didn't have any tears when dropping off dd for first day of school. But got home and was in floods when dd's friend asked me when the other baby was coming out of my fat tummy. I'm not the thinnest of people any way but feeling hormonally challenged!

DD added to my worries - she asked why I smell like Euan? She said it was a nasty smell but loved me anyway! So I'm fat and smelly - great!

I'm having real problems getting him into his crib - am so tired that can't be bothered to fight him so he's been sleeping in our bed. Have tried putting my t-shirt in, haven't got a hot water bottle.

Conker (I thonk!) - I got some very good cream for piles from gp. Hot baths are meant to help too.

Am getting very technical and have managed to do both a profile and add photos!

thanks for the advice - will ask my GP about it if they havent got better by my 6 week check.

Took ds to the baby clinic here yesterday - get a much better red book than at home - we only get a tiny wee white card thing at home. So the hv gave me a copy to take away and marked all the charts for me which was good (maybe a perk of my dad being a gp there). Also got a book about the types of things you can do with a baby depending on their age - not sure if everyone gets it but is quite interesting. a lot of things you'd do naturally like rocking a newborn, baby massage etc but it explains why these simple things help the baby to develop which i found quite interesting.

Ds slept from 10.00 - 1.00 and 1.30 - 4.30 last night, then sporadically after that but two stints of three hours each really helped me feel more normal today.

anyone got a big baby...11lbs now..and only 6 days old..that doesnt stop feeding and needs top ups..has anyone done it without top ups ..

Got a big baby -10 8 at 18 days - so nothing on yuors Bambi! what a wopper... much as I loved my homebirth...even I have to admi there are times when I'd have bee nglad of hosp help - I think you were in the best place really! But I'm afraid i'm topping up, only 2-3 oz a day, but it does marvels for my sanity.

Snatching 5 minutes of qiet time here, bith DC's have been awful. DD wouldn't sleep, but finally has, in her bouncy chair. DS wouldn't do anything I asked him too, until lunchtime when he turned intot he model child, ate all his lunch and tried ham and pork pie from my lunch! I nearly fell off my chair!

Dh looks at me in the morning when I'm alseep with DD on my front (all night she is the cot, until anything after 5.30 at which point I give in and put ehr on me) as if to say I'm spoilign her, and can I get off my fat arse and do some work. I feel like whenever he walks through the door, I'm feeding the baby, and should be stirring some delicious dinner at the sparkling clean stove.. grrrrrrr. He probably doesn't think that at all...

Hello, thanks for the info about dcs and their reactions to new arrivals, makes my ds sound quite normal. He's doing pretty well coping with less mum time, does make me feel guilty though, had a bit of a weepy session a couple of days ago damn hormones, then full day of sickness and squits yesterday, just what I needed, thank god my mum is still here to help with ds.

So today, I feel well and the sun is shining and ds is at nursery so we get to have sleeps. Hormones and sleep deprivation don't half mess with my moods.

Feeling for those of you with piles, I had some corkers after ds, I remember they gradually went down over a few weeks to virtually nothing, I also used some cream from gp which was nice and soothing.

I hopefully be joining this weekend (still waiting 41wks today), had a sweep today done at the hospital and i am booked in for an induction tomorrow.

I am a bit worried about the size of little one as the consultant said today that it felt abour 8 - 8 1/2 lb. They told me last time was about 7 - 71/2lb and she was 9lb 4oz at 39 weeks.

Good luck Lizziemum - you never know I was 48 hours from induction and POP! Don't worry about DC being big - apart from the risk of shoulder dystocia (which is only really big babes- like Bambis!!) - bigger is usually seen as better - they seem to have more energy to propel themselves into the world!! The down side is def that they seem to feed CONSTANTLY! anyway - you've had one large babe already, you'll be fine. I thnk the weight estimation thing is WILDLY innaccurate anyway.

Good luck Lizziemum - I agree with the weight thing - I was told he would be at least 11lb he was a tiny 9lb 7oz and flew out!

Got him into his crib between 2 feeds last night! realise that been feeling stiff during the day when he's in our bed as I'm too scared to move!

Finding the school run hell (only on day 3!) any one got anytips on co-ordinating everyone? Had to go with a screaming baby this morning as he wouldn't wake up for a feed until 2mins before we has to leave!

Loler - lol at the feeling stiff - I'm the same, I wake up, and forget DD is on my front, and MY BACK!!!!! owwwww. she's rolled off a couple of times luckily towards the middle of the bed, not off the edge !!

tmi i know but someone remind me about the lochia..is it still heavy at day 6 and mostly bright red rather than old brownish blood..i cant remember as it was 6 yrs ago the last one...nice to know as well others are having to do top ups too..makes me feel better...

loler if you have a ring sling you can pop baby in, whip out a boob and feed on the go on the school run (if you walk to school that is) People will just think baby is asleep, if they notice them at all. Most people think my sling is a handbag.

And by the way.. "tiny" 9lb 7oz???? Mine was 7lb 2oz and I still look at him and think "how the feck did I squeeze that whopper out?" lol Bambi I don't know how you did it!!

Bambi yeah that sounds about right, mine was quite bright red for at least a couple of weeks in fact, just the amount tailed off and off until it started looking "older" iyswim. You shouldn't be having big clots or anything though. hth x

thanks..no there arent any clots but still heavy bleeding..thats normal then..o.k! well baby is finally asleep in pram in garden after feeding fo r hours..i ve never watched so much daytime tv. everyday i think im going to accomplish something but then by eves ive done nothing but feed..

I know what you mean regarding the feeding! Yesterday I just fed and fed and fed him all day long, he screamed everytime I put him down. He screamed while I made porridge, he screamed while I had a wee, he screamed while I grabbed the TV remote to change channel.... Very very demanding!

When dp came home at 8.30pm I was still in my dressing gown, the house was an absolute tip and I was fed up and dehydrated. Luckily he has now learnt not to ask what I've been up to all day because he knows it makes my eye twitch. lol

Perhaps we should just leave them with the babes and see how they fare.

I went out last nigh - with Evie, so he only had DS to look after. I left him a quiche, all ready to be assembled and put in the oven. I showed him the recipe, and told him how long to cook it for.... when I came back at 9, DS was screaming (bad dream) and DH was in a strop because he'd read the wrong recipe and cooked the quiche for twice as long (luckily at a lower temp) than it needed to, and had had a v late supper. . served him right for the previous week when DD had cried all evening, puked in her car seat, fed constntly and I hadn't had my tea til 9.30pm.

A friend has taken DS off for the afternoon, so I can "pack for our holiday" - oh good - I'd rather have time off so I can blardy sleep - but never mind... gift horses and all that...

Re: Lochia - I bled for 6 weeks after DS, and didn't dare question it. Now that after 3 weeks mine has nearly stopped I am realising it wasn't right! I didn't help the sex life, or my self confidence one bit.

I bled for 6 weeks with dd - GP said completely normal - everyone is different etc etc... Think it was about 4 weeks with ds. Looking forward to it stopping this time - just don't feel clean, the sex life bit can wait for a while yet!

I've been stuck on the sofa all day too - don't mind in the morning (like homes under the hammer) but total dross on in the afternoon. Hoping this is just a growth spurt and things will calm down again. Haven't been topping up during the day mainly as too lazy to do bottles. But have been giving a huge bottle for last feed before bed.

BB - agree 9lb 7 not tiny but compared with the 11lb predicted and ds he is slight!

Hi everyone, busy on here today. They all seem to be eating for england at the momnet! Tate is the same, 10 days old today so i think he has hit that growth sput!
All a bit hetic in the the pink house at the moment as ds1 started school on wednesday,all a little sad for me but he was fine, didnt even batter an eyelid when he went in, but having to get 3 of us out the door by 8.35 is proving a bit tough!

I have my midwifes both coming to visit me tomorrow ( the one that delivered and the one that see me through my pregnancy) which is nice that they are both coming, hoping that they will discharge me, Tates cord has now fallen off and i feel better, stiches still hurt on and off but they look so much better.

At what point did your health visitor come and see you, i remeber with ds1 that they had made contact by day 5 but nothing at the mo

Sorry for such a long post but have just have wireless fitted so im on dh laptop so im able to sit on my nice big pillow on the sofa!