Ttc first baby catch up with our babies!

[Fivebyfive2]

Just putting this on in case anyone wants to catch up? We're all at different stages, so might be able to help each other out?

@Delilah7 @RanchoRelaxo @MrsR16 @thumper59 @trashkitten10 @Bostonfern @crossfitgirl sorry I know I'm missing people, I'm blaming newborn brain!

I'll leave the link on the 'pregnancy' catching up thread xxx

[Fivebyfive2]

@MrsC87, amen!! I'm just relieved dh is on the same page as me about it or it could be much worse!

How's everyone 's weekend started? I tried a YouTube white noise video with Joe at 4wm in desperation to get him to settle without being held... Gave us 2.5 hours sleep which is pretty good at the moment! Will try it from the start of bedtime tonight and see how we go. We also tried him in his swingy chair today... He seemed OK but was more interested in making his Hungry Face so he'd get a boob 😂

[Fivebyfive2]

@MrsR16 @MrsC87, found out today in laws are going to their place in Spain in a couple of weeks until sometime in March /April 😀

Can someone help /reassure me on sleep?!! I got up at 1.30 for my shift with Joe and since 2am it's been change, feed, wind, repeat! He has gone down for periods in between but only about 1 hour stretches and for most of those he's been wriggling/grunting/farting... His eyes were shut so I think he was sort of asleep, but probably not properly sleeping?! I didn't get any proper sleep either, too noisy and was just waiting for him to go from little noises to crying! Which actually didn't happen! I picked him a couple of times and then he just slept in my arms until I put him down.. Then more wriggling! I tried the white noise, but wasn't working this time ☹️ Did/does anyone elses baby do this? He does do proper sleep sometimes where he's spark out, so when he's 'sort of' asleep I'm a bit worried he's not getting enough proper rest, although he doesn't seem particularly uncomfortable or distressed?!

[MrsR16]

@Fivebyfive2 thank goodness you'll have some space! 😂 as far as sleep goes, I would say that as Joe's not distressed or worried, let him crack on with what he's doing! Ethan very often makes noises in his sleep where I don't think he's actually sleeping, but he really is! They're getting enough rest - they'd soon create if they weren't 😊

[thumper59]

@Fivebyfive2 Freddie is a real noisy sleeper! As long as his eyes are closed I leave him be until he is awake and persistent then I'll do a feed. Some nights he keeps dropping the 3am one and going until 5-6 but it's not consistent. I put his dummy back in if he wants it and put the white noise on and he usually goes off xx

[Fivebyfive2]

Thanks for the reassurance @MrsR16 @thumper59! He actually slept much better last night, only 2/3 hours at a time still but much more peaceful!

Been on the pregnancy thread, looks like we might have some more grads on here soon 😀

To you lovely where there is no such thing as tmi (we've all shared so much from ttc and pregnancy already!)... how is every one feeling in terms of, ahem, intimate relations?! I made a joke to dh the other night about him never looking at me the same again, post hospital and always with a baby on my boob.... I think he thought I was hinting, he's mentioned a couple of times since about when do I think we'll be 'back on the horse' 🤔😂 I actually feel like it would be nice to have the closeness again soon (things weren't exactly frequent towards the end of being pregnant, for obvious reasons!) but with Joe only settling for very short, very random periods and me not exactly feeling super attractive (I have to plan a shower like a military op!) just not sure?!! Any advice?? Xx

[MrsR16]

@Fivebyfive2 oh that's fantastic news! You're doing a great job, mummy 😊

My DH cannot wait to start having sex again haha! I'm waiting till my 6 week check up just to double check my stitches have healed properly, nothing untoward is going on, etc etc. I'm looking forward to getting back on it too, but have a slight apprehension!

[Fivebyfive2]

@MrsR16, think we're quite similar! I'm also waiting for my 6 week check, think dh will have it marked on the calendar 😂

[MrsR16]

@Fivebyfive2 😂😂 our poor DHs huh? Although I've never felt quite so unattractive as I do at the moment lol so that's probably not helping much! My 6 week check is a week Saturday... the GP surgery couldn't fit me in this Saturday, when Ethan's actually 6 weeks old! 🤦‍♀️

[Fivebyfive2]

@MrsR16, Mine is a week Thursday! He also has his 1st lot of jabs booked for 6th Feb, I'm dreading that one!! 😳

[MrsR16]

@Fivebyfive2 I still haven't had the letter asking to book Ethan's jabs in... 😬 I wonder if we've been missed off the system?

On the plus side of this whole crazy motherhood thing, Ethan started smiling properly today! 😊 perfectly in time for my sister arriving from the states on Sunday to meet him!

[Fivebyfive2]

@MrsR16, that's awesome!! I can't wait for Joe to smile 🙂 I'm wondering if we'll have to wait a bit longer, because of him being 4 weeks early?? Re the jabs, the receptionist just booked us in for them while I was on the phone booking the 6 week check, do maybe Judy give them a bell? Have fun with your sister!! Xx

[Fivebyfive2]

Ladies with little lads... Any tips for changing a nappy and preventing the whizz fountain that often ensues?! If we're too slow to clean Joe up and get his new nappy on, he wees... Understandable and expected, but soooo inconvenient 😂 Especially as he HATES us changing him the best of times! We've tried putting a cloth or even a little sock over it! I've started taking him out of his clothes when at home, so at least if he does wee mid change, I can just clean him up and it doesn't ruin his clothes, making them last a little longer.

Felt a bit upset this morning, not sure why. Just tired, missing dh since he went back to work and we're sleeping in shifts. So! I took Joe to my work to visit the Office Aunties, my mum popped by and now we're snuggled on sofa having cuddles, I'm watching 'don't tell the bride' (so high brow 😂) with ice cream... Feeling better now!

Friday tomorrow ladies! Anyone got weekend plans?? Xx

[MrsR16]

@Fivebyfive2 I use a baby wipe! Tends to "stick" better than anything else I've found 😂 you're allowed down days! Hormones will still be settling down and it's still a massive life adjustment that you're getting used to. DTTB and ice cream is awesome... I've binged the first 4 love island episodes haha! I'm stupidly excited about the weekend - sister is coming home for the week!! 😊 xx

[TrashKitten10]

@stormtrooperjulian Tell me about it! It feels as soon as I've bought new clothes I'm buying the next size up. Thanks for the Facebook group recommendation, vests are our nemesis and the ALDI ones recommended on there (albeit in size 6-12 months 🙈) fit nicely. They also said H&M things are good for cloth bums so I'll try those next :)

@Fivebyfive2 The sock comment made me laugh, wasn't it the red hot chilli peppers who famously performed with socks covering their bits. Maybe Joe is set for rock stardom ☺️ Daisy clearly didn't get the memo about dignified girl wees as she used to wee during nappy changes and fling her legs up in the air to cover her stomach 🤔

[Fivebyfive2]

@trashkitten10, it was, dh has been calling him Flea after their bassist 😂 I'd love for him tut o be a little rocker 😎 Omg that's so funny about Daisy, bless her!

@MrsR16, enjoy sister time, it sounds like you will have an awesome weekend! I tried the wipe, but I was wondering if putting something cold and a bit damp on it was making him wee?!

Joe is in bigger clothes now, feels great to know he's definitely growing 🙂

[MrsR16]

@TrashKitten10 that is hilarious about Daisy! How are you getting on?

@Fivebyfive2 this is true! I got wee'd on earlier... I wasn't quick enough with the wipe! But, in my defence, I thought he'd just finished having a wee 😂 that was fun to clean up - it goes absolutely everywhere doesn't it?!? That's great to see that Joe is growing! Have you had him weighed since birth?

[Fivebyfive2]

@MrsR16, it is like a fountain isn't it?!! Joe was 5.11 when he was born and was 6.3 when I saw the midwife the other week! He's definitely grown since then too, so I'll be interested to see what he is at his check ups next week! He's our little sack of spuds 😀

[MrsR16]

@Fivebyfive2 omg he's so beautiful!! 😍😍😍

[Fivebyfive2]

Need some advice please ladies! At the moment we're sleeping in shifts at night... I go to bed about 8.30 while dh looks after Joe, gives him a bottle or two. I then get up about 1am, he goes to bed until 7. Sometimes I go back to bed for an hour or so before he goes to work, but other days I just stay up. This was OK when Joe was sleeping for a couple of hours between feeds, but this week he's only been going an hour or so in between and he seems really restless; wriggling, grunting etc. I know dh has to get sleep because he has to go to work, but I just feel really down the last few days. He gets 5/6 hours, but I only get about 3/4 hours and am often up from before 1am until after 8pm. We hardly see each other, I'm shattered and worry the longer we do this, the harder it will be to get Joe into a proper routine and to to settle with us upstairs. I don't want to bash dh, he's great with Joe and always makes sure I'm eating etc, does loads around the house. I just don't think he sees that just because the shifts work for him around work, they're really hard on me. He says to sleep during the day, but because little one doesn't settle for long, when he does I usually use the time to get food, have a wash etc. Am I being selfish though, as in if we change things neither of us will get much sleep probably!! I just hope Joe starts sleeping for longer soon! Sorry to ramble on, just feeling a bit all over the place I think 😕

[MrsR16]

@Fivebyfive2 sorry lovely, I don't have much advice! You're doing so well though and you and DH sound like an awesome team! Are you breastfeeding? Sorry, my brain's a bit pants at the moment haha 😂

[stormtrooperjulian]

@Fivebyfive2 the first few weeks with a baby are just about survival I think, you're doing really well. Does the baby need to stay downstairs though? We did similar with the shifts (but I would take the first shift) but we would have the baby upstairs and the person 'on duty' would sit up in bed with him til he settled so when he was asleep and if the transfer to the cot was successful they could have a sleep til the next wake up. Are you keeping the room dark and quiet to help him learn the difference between night and day?

[RanchoRelaxo]

@Fivebyfive2 I know exactly how you feel, that's the same routine we had while freya was tiny, we also kept her downstairs as she would wake up the 'sleeper' when she cried (and it was during the summer heatwave and the living room was the coolest place!)
Dont panic or stress too much about the routine, it will find its place when Joe is a bit older honestly, just take it day by day for now, whatever works for you both and gives you a bit of sleep. It feels like it will last forever but it really wont, you will start getting more sleep again soon (I hope this doesn't sound patronising, I just remember the dread I used to feel when it came to night time, and the panic that I wouldn't sleep)
One thing that did really really help us, was getting a grosnug sleeping bag for Freya, it helped her to stay asleep a little bit longer without being held at night and using this eventually we managed to get her to sleep in our room in her cot at night.

[Fivebyfive2]

@stormtrooperjulian, I'm a bit guilty of not helping myself with the night and day thing... Whoever is on shift stats downstairs so the other can sleep in bed. And when I'm downstairs I know I'm guilty of having the telly on (to help stay awake!) and a small light so I can see OK to pick him up/latch him on etc.

@RanchoRelaxo, not patronising, it's what my mum keeps saying and I know you're right, it will just take time. I think it just feels a bit like it will never end at the moment. Today was the 1dt time in weeks where I've wavered on breastfeeding, it's just so constant ☹️But when it's going well, it goes really well, so I'll probably stick it out a bit longer at least... We have a grow bag that I'm hoping to try him in now he's a little bigger, wish me luck!!

Thank you ladies, I can't tell you how nice it is having this sounding board for support, especially as we've been through it all together from ttc, pregnancy and now parenting! You are all awesome xxx

[stormtrooperjulian]

@Fivebyfive2 I don't think a small light will stop him working out the day/night thing. Do you have headphones you could use for the TV? My DH always watched TV on his shift, with headphones on so he didn't disturb me. As @RanchoRelaxo says, this lack of sleep won't last forever! Just get through it however you can.

How is everyone doing? DH and I went out for dinner last night and left Dex with my SIL. It was lovely but by the time we paid the bill I was pretty much bouncing up and down on my seat ready to go home to see Dex! We took him swimming again yesterday which he loved.... photo attached just because I think he's adorable 😊

[MrsR16]

@stormtrooperjulian oh my word, look at his little face!! 😍 he is super cute! Well done in going out for dinner! I still haven't left Ethan yet... 🙈