Newborn support group anyone?

[CupCupGoose]

Anyone else want to join me for a bit of moral support?

DC3 was born on the 28th February (so pleased he wasn't born on the leap year day!)

He doesn't like being put down so I'm pretty exhausted. DH and I are taking turns to sit up with him at night but as I'm breastfeeding, I'm having to do more. I know it's not forever though.

Milk has just come in so I'm feeling pretty emotional at the moment. Again, I know it will pass!

I'm just about to attempt to put him down in the crib, wish me luck!

Hi everyone!

Thanks @CupCupGoose for setting this up so we have some support with our newborns!

I'm a first time mum with a 2 and a half week old.

I dislike breast feeding too so glad to hear others are in the same boat. Did 2 weeks of breast/expressing and then started combination feeding with formula too for a bit of a break.

Hope everyone got a bit of sleep last night!

@lolalollypop

Hi guys, can i join please?
DD2 born 4th Feb so 4weeks old now. Exclusively breastfeeding, which I'm super proud of cos i just couldn't get DD1 to latch and so our journey didnt go well, although bfeeding makes ne SO paranoid, not to mention exhausted....
How often is everyone's LOs feeding?? I genuinely can't get her past 2hrs between feeds, often nearer the hour. It's so tough when i have quite a demanding two year old too... Feel so guilty!

Hi @MamatobeFeb20 same here! I think I've had max 2 hrs between feeds but it's only been 2 weeks. It's so so tough, I have a 2.5yr old too. Hang in there if you can!! I've been expressing & stashing milk in freezer (when my toddler hasn't found it and chucked it on the floor 🙈) ready to introduce a bottle around 6 weeks, can't wait!!

Just been to clinic and found out he is losing weight.... despite me feeding all the time! Feeling pretty low as I was so pleased bf was working this time (also couldn't get my first to latch)....expressed last night and only got 1/2 ounce in 40 mins.... any tips on increasing supply? Xx

Aww @adag - no wonder you're feeling a bit down! Hopefully just a minor blip! Apparantly the amount you express has no bearing on your milk supply so dont focus too much on that! As far as milk supply, ive heard oats can boost it? Also make sure youre eating and drinking plenty water - bloody hard when you have children. When you're feeding, i was advised to try and feed off both sides each feed or if you have a hakaa pump then pop it on the other boob from what youre feeding to boost it! You could also try contacting breastfeeding support for advice and practical help? Its so bloody tough!

Welcome everyone! @adag, sounds tough, agree with offering both sides at every feed and making sure you are eating and drinking enough.

Sorry if this is a really stupid question but how do you heat up expressed milk? I'm going to see if ds will take a bottle off DH tonight as I only got about 2 hours sleep last night and I'm feeling very teary and emotional from lack of sleep. I'm fed up of crying!

@CupCupGoose I use this for warming up expressed milk. I think there are other ways but this is quite quick

Tommee Tippee Easy Warm Baby Bottle and Food Warmer https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07PPC5SR2/ref=cmswwrcppapiii_q7xyEb8649NRW

Thanks @jldy2020 I've bought one. DH warmed up the bottle in boiling water today but it took ages. And for the first time in 6 days I had 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep! I can't believe how amazing I feel. I'm so pleased ds took the bottle. My boobs are absolutely solid with milk now but it's worth it!

Hi everyone. I had my little boy on 17th Feb. Oliver was born in 50min, it was a ridiculously fast and painful labour He is my second child, I have a DD who is 2.5yrs. My DD was in NICU for the first 2 weeks of life so I've not done the real newborn stage before! It's been an eye opener!

The first 3 days of breastfeeding were hell.. DS was feeding what felt like every 30min and I had no sleep in 3 days. I ended up giving him a bottle of formula which he gobbled down and we both got a few hours sleep. It was the right thing for us! I BF DD too and she didn't have formula til 6 months, but then again I'd had 2 weeks of sleep plus my milk supply was in (I'd been expressing) by the time she came out of hospital.

My milk is fully in now and Oliver is doing really well on the boob. He sometimes latches not that great and my nipples are sore. I'm trying to put on Lanisoh as much as possible to keep them from drying out.

Oliver has some good nights and some not so good. I've been expressing milk so DH can give him a bottle around midnight and i go to bed at 9pm hoping for 4-5hrs sleep! I've had that once... the rest of the time either Oliver hasn't settled after his bottle of like last night, DD had a nightmare at 11.30pm so I was up with her! (Typical). For those worried about nipple confusion, I've had no problems introducing a bottle. My DD took bottle and boob straight away too. I think nipple confusion is quite rare tbh.

I've finally been signed off by the midwide after 2 weeks of high blood pressure. I've never had it before so they were a bit concerned about post partum eclampsia but I saw the doctor and he said probably just tiredness/stress after labour etc.

Oliver has had jaundice too so he's still being checked for that. Just need to keep feeding him and flush it out! He was born at 6lb 11oz and is now 8lb so he's doing well weight wise.

For PP who asked about warming breast milk, if in use milk that's been on the fridge I simply put some hot water in a bowl and stand the bottle in it for a while to warm it up.

To the PP who asked about baby losing weight whilst breast feeding.. are you making sure baby empties each breast? My midwife told me that a newborn should spend 30-40min on each boob to ensure they are getting the hind milk too (the fatty stuff). My baby now does a boob in about 15min. Sometimes he only needs one, sometimes both.

@LolaLollypop wow and I thought my Labour was quick at 2 hours and 40 mins! Have you asked anyone to help you with your latch like a breastfeeding peer supporter ect?

Expressing is hard work! Washing and sterilising all the equipment is such a chore!

For those of you with slightly older newborns, when did you stop getting all emotional? I'm crying constantly and I don't even know why half the time. Every time I think about the birth, I tear up and even though my DS is only a week old today, I'm so sad that it's all going too quickly.

@CupCupGoose I'm so emotional too. Really exhausted today as LO has been irritable and colicky all day. Going to be a long night...

@CupCupGoose I've started to feel a bit better this week (my DD was born on 17th so we share a birthday @LolaLollypop !)
but still have my moments. My hormones were all over the place the first couple of weeks!

Thanks for advice... went to bf clinic today and they were really helpful and encouraging... slightly repositioned his latch so his chin will do more work to stimulate the milk production so hopefully that will help,... they said bf babies can be inconsistent with growth and to keep going for now 🤞will see a gain next week.
Born on the 11th and emotions have pretty much settled now... sometimes exhaustion sets in and I still feel a bit emotional but generally much more stable over the last few days!

Regarding lochia, mine gas been gone for a good few days now. But have started up again. Not majorly but bright red. I had a c section and think I've overdone things the last couple of days. Is this a normal thing to happen? I'm stressing now a bit....

@Lcw29 same here, mostly nothing but if I walk a bit more or pick up Dd then it reappears and I'm 2 weeks post section. If it's not bright red and there's no pain then likely normal but ask your HV if unsure or worried

@hiimmumma

@hazandduck

@Lcw29 I do think that alot of my emotional-Ness is because of tiredness. It's so hard not getting much sleep. Although I shouldn't complain as last night ds slept from 11pm - 3.15am in the cot without waking up! Couldn't believe the time when I checked! He was really fussy all evening with me or DH having to walk him around the house patting his back for about 4 hours so I think he was just exhausted.

I know this probably isn't anything to complain about but is anyone else loosing weight rapidly? Ds is 8 days old and I actually weigh less than my pre pregnancy weight. I'm eating constantly so I don't know how? Not sure if I should be worried.

@CupCupGoose I haven't got scales at mine but my mum tum has almost gone back to pre-baby size already. It a definitely a result of breastfeeding. Although from memory of DD1 I lost a good deal of baby weight straight away but then once baby was eating less (ie not on the boob 24/7) and I started enjoying a few lunches out it crept back up. I think the first few weeks are so manic and your body is being depleted by breastfeeding, the weight does tend to drop off.

I'm still having waves of emotion almost 3 weeks in but nothing like the first week. It's definitely tiredness but with added baby blues in the first week! I am really trying to enjoy and take in every minute as O is my last baby. It does go so fast but these early days are very tough emotionally too, you can't help but wish them away to when it gets easier.

I mean the weight is dropping off but I'm nowhere near where I want to be!! I'm scared I'll always have the c-section overhang AND this time I got stretch marks right above my belly button
Random question, my toddler is 2.5 and hasn't had chickenpox but when I went to have the baby 2 weeks ago she got a couple of spots on her tummy, then today she woke up with a temperature and a couple more spots. Any chance this could be mild chickenpox?! Don't want to be calling 111 if it's not but then don't want to risk newborns health if it is?!

@tinatsarina
@lovesT

I weighed myself after I was home from hospital and had lost just under a stone from baby and fluid ect.... my tummy is shrinking but I know my friends who breastfed lost weight pretty quickly. As long as your making sure your eating as well as baby I think its ok. 😊

@LolaLollypop I did lose the weight with dc1&2 quickly but not as quick as this time round. I thought third time round I'd struggle a bit more. My tummy has nearly gone down to how it was pre pregnancy but still very soft and jelly like. This is my last dc too. I've only ever wanted 3 but these hormones are making me think I want another. I definitely don't!

@anotherexhaustedpidgeon I got stretch marks above my belly button this time too! I had my belly button pierced in my teens so my belly button is a wreck. Did you have a section with your 2 year old too? Oh no, hopefully it's just a mild virus and not chickenpox. Have the spots started to blister? I know all kids are different but one of my friends 2 week old baby had chicken pox and she said it wasn't too bad. The fact the baby couldn't scratch the spots helped too.

Thanks for adding me. My little girl was born on the 23rd so 2 weeks tomorrow. I have a five year old as well I'm finding it hard to give him attention as I'm so tired from breast feeding and lack of sleep. My lg is sleeping atm and I know I should be to but it's the first peace and quiet I've had all day.