October 2007 - the golden piglets have landed

[Mumpbump]

I couldn't find a postnatal thread - not sure if I am just missing it with post-childbirth brain! Anyone else around??

muppetgirl - Ben loves looking at our ceiling too, which has beams all across it

Hi all ... thanks for your messages of support. I love my GP ... I went in this morning, and cried all over him, described what was happening, so he had a feel of dd's tum (he was concerned about a pyloric stenosis, which is something I'd never heard of!) - that made her wail, so I tried to feed her to calm her - and he got the full effect of dd feeding (it's not fun to watch, let alone do!). He then said he thought it was a combination of a very fast let-down reflex (oversupply), and reflux (dd screams if lying down for a start), so has prescribed her with infant gaviscon. He also suggested that I ge in touch with a bf counsellor, to show me how to feed her so she sits up more, as I've got quite dangly boobs () ...

Anyway, I've used the Gaviscon this afternoon, and it seems to be doing the trick - I'm also trying to feed with her more upright, but have given myself a fierce backache! I think I'll try one of the bf helplines now to see if I can see anybody.

J20 - how do you manage with the gaviscon when you're out? I'm mixing it with a little ebm, and putting it in a syringe, which I've then warmed and sneakily squirted into her mouth while sh'es latched on ... no idea how I'd manage to mix it while I'm out!

Can't remember who asked, but the thrush seemed to clear after about a week - I caught it fairly early, I think ...

Can't remember what anybody else said, sorry! Going to go and give dh a cuddle, then going to express, and take myself to bed!!

Hi all

Struggling to remember what everyone has said - life with a newborn has given me baby brain.

Good for you Ejt and good you have a sympathetic doc!

Inzi, Gemma, I'm scared of when DH goes back to work. He's a natural at parenting and can spend hours entertaining Rebecca. I guess it gets easier though.

Alice, that would be great - it would be good if you could come round for lunch and see us when DH has gone back to work as I might well need support! And it will be good to see you anyway.

Have put photos of Rebecca on my page (I think).... Mrs F, your boys are so cute - and such boys!

OK, the little gannet is calling to be fed... hugs to all.

Hello everyone. How were your nights?? Hope things are getting easier and those who are worried about being on their own are getting a bit more reassured they can cope- we are all superwomen!

I was doing great - apart from the infected scar from hell which 4 courses of antibiotics haven't touched - on the last one now which I think has made a difference. Feeling pretty wiped out by it all though and just want it cleared up so I can not tink about it anymore. Madeleine was settling better and DS seems less fragile. But then my back started playing up and Madeleine seems to have got really bad wind - seems a common occurence reading other posts - I haven't experienced this and had been told it is more often than not ff babies who have issues than bf ones.

Last night was pretty hellish - just cou;dn't do anything for her and of course her crying/screaming woke DS up loads which wasn't good. But taking everyone's advice here and going to get infacol and gripe water this morning. Also, DH comes home tonight and will now be here for a while and home based mostly. Can not tell you how relieved I am - 3 weeks on my own with a toddler and newborn post c section and no help is not something I'll be rushing to do again!!

right -the chemist calls. have a good day everyone and hope you're all feeling a bit brighter today

Ejt - that's a shame that she doesn't like the sling. What type have you got? I think Dareh settles so well in the one I have because it reminds him of being in the womb. I don't know what I would have done without it these last few days.

I am still trying to restemy worst boob and giving a couple of bottles of EBM during the day. The healing seems to be pretty slow going though.

Hello all! Ds1 at nursery and ds2 asleep in his cot. Life is very hectic being at home with ds1 who never stops. We're trying to get out a lot and so I am not making it on here during the day. Joseph seems to have either reflux or colic and has a two hour howling fit most evening at the end of which I normally head for bed so I can't even get on here in the evening either. 2008 should be better as hopefully the colic will have cleared up and my evenings will be easier so hope to catch up properly in the end!

EJT - sorry to read about your baby's reflux. Joseph hasn't got it that badly, but I find it very distressing so you have my sympathies and I am glad to hear that you have found something that helps.

stefka - I'd recommend expressing to rest the boobs - when I had all the problems to start with (skin totally broke down on both nips - ouch!) - the midwife and breastfeeding counsellor said that Moist healing was the way to go - I slahtered my nips in Lansinoh, and put jelnet over them too, and that seemed to help with the healing.

I think I had a breakthrough with the sling last night - I put Mairwen in when she wasn't crying ... and she was fine with it - in fact, nodded off quite happily. I think the problem before was that there was literally no time during the day when she was happy to be able to get her used to the sling - it was just something else I was doing to her ... the Gaviscon seems to be doing the trick - hopefully that'll continue.

She's in bed at the moment - her mattress is propped up to 30 degrees-ish - and she's sleeping soundly ... I was supposed to be going to the post-natal exercise class, but I think Mairwen needs to have her sleep more than I need to go and bounce on a gym ball!

nellie - glad to hear that dh is coming home tonight - congratulations on getting through the past 3 weeks!

hi mumpbump - lovely to see you!!

oh, I can hear somebody stirring ...

I am using jelonet and lansisoh. The Jelonet is great stuff but so hard to get your hands on!

I am expressing the worst side and only letting him feed on it once a day so I don't get engorged or build up to much fear about going on it. I would express for both boobs but I can't seem to get enough milk out for that.

stefka - I have an unopened pack I didn't use ... do you want it?

Email me your address (eirian dot thomas at gmail dot com) and I'll put it in the post for you!

That would be amazing thank you!

hi all

just popping in to say hi, feeling better than i was

oh God, dd1 keeps singing carols to me, arghhhhhhhhhhhhh!! need ear plugs.

can't concentrate on what everyone's said!!

back later hopefully!!

oh by the way is anyone on facebook and want to be my friend? only got 5 friends

OH. MY. GOD.

2 under 2 is somewhat challenging!

Will be back later to catch up properly....

Hi everyone,

Sorry I've been incommunicado for a while. DD's just been quite grumpy and crying a lot so I've found it hard to get a spare minute in the day to get online. I seem to spend every waking minute either feeding her or trying to soothe her at the mo.

Sorry to hear that some of you are still struggling with b/f. I'm still struggling too. After a good few days feeding without nipple shields the pain just became excruciating (did I already write about this last week?...baby brain - I've got no idea what I've already written). I went back to using the nipple shields and I went back to bf support group yesterday. The midwife was really supportive but she couldn't see anything wrong with latch (apart from maybe DD not opening wide enough) and couldn't work out why it was hurting so much. She agreed that tip of nips are looking very bright pink but she doesn't think I've got thrush. Back to square one now. I'm going to just try to feed without nipple shields some of the time and use them the rest of the time.

DP had an accident on his bike yesterday (I know I should be worried about him but I was actually quite angry!) and has now got his arm in a sling which means he's doing even less to help around the house and to share the baby-holding load than usual. I'm feeling a bit like superwoman at the moment. I'm doing literally everything...all the feeding, all the holding crying baby, all the housework, all the cooking and cleaning and shopping etc as well as being the person responsible for bills and general household stuff! I wish someone would give me a medal

Anyway, I'll try to get up to speed with the last few days posts and I'll be back on later.

Hugs to all of you who are having a bad day

Hi all

Go Inzi, go Inzi, go Inzi, go Inzi (said in a rikki lake style) woohoo!

Alice 2 under 2 makes you superwoman in my book!

Have had a massive headache since yesterday and have had 3 nosebleeds today. Got blood everywhere as it starts quickly. Fed Henry through the 2nd one as he was so desperate!

Is anymone else getting the night sweats? How long do they last? I wake up soaking wet as are the bedclothes which is really foul.

Hope you all had a good day, will try to catch up again later (yeah, who am I kidding????)

we are all superwomen!!

Took Mairwen for her chick this afternoon - she now weighs 11lb 2oz (at 7 weeks 2 days) - not bad for one who weighed in at a scrawny 6lb 12oz when born!

Everything else is fine - but I refused to do the PND questionnaire right now, as I know I'm still quite fragile from the screamfest of the past couple of weeks ... my hv is coming to do a home visit in a couple of weeks, and we'll reassess then - if I'm still feeling fragile, then maybe I have got pnd again ...

right, bedtime (M's not mine!!)

Hi all

Miss Bumpy, sorry to hear you're having a hard time. Maybe you need to talk to your DP to try to get him to help more? He mightn't realize you're suffering.

Alice- you are superwoman! Actually I'm reading a book about a yummy mummy with a chic character in it called Alice who is trying to glam up her friend - have you read it? - keep thinking of you appearing in Caffe Nero in a dress...!

Mairwen is clearly a star, well done to her!

Bfeeding: Interesting how this 'natural' process can be so difficult! I've managed to latch Rebecca without nipple shields for the last 24 hours - result. No idea how but it's worked. She does slip off sometimes and I have to sort of shape my nipple (this is not going to work in public!!!) but I'm chuffed with myself for managing better. I'm not letting go of the nipple shields though cos sometimes Rebecca won't latch at all or latches wrong and I get too tired for the performance of trying. Can't believe she's a week old - put her in a dress today that someone bought her (early baby size that fits like a dream despite her coming 2 weeks late..) and she looks so grown up already!

Good luck everyone!

Chocolate - is it called 'The rise and fall of the yummy mummy' or words to that effect? If so I have read it, very good it was too

Feeling quite pleased with myself. Ds1 asleep in bed, ds2 conked out on my lap after his first set of jabs. Dh out so can't take the micky out of me posting on MN!

Muppet - with ds1, I had night sweats for at least a couple of months.

J2O - too much of a technophobe to have either bebo or facebook... Sorry!

EJT - that's a great weight gain. Joe weighed in at 10 1/2 lb yesterday at almost 9 weeks and has just dipped below the 25th percentile... Still ds1 was on 25th percentile for most of the time, but was on the 75th percentile at 20 months so I guess it will all be alright in the end.

Alicet - I SO know what you mean. Have definitely decided that 2 under 2 is enough and we are not going for 3 under 5!! As one of my friends said, the primary goal is to wear the toddler out (without wearing yourself out too much in the process) so you can get some rest!

To those with sore nips, I'm with you. Joe is okay at feeding most of the time, but has a habit of slipping off a bit and ending up chewing. Not good, but fortunately, it hasn't become a problem yet.

I am never going to catch up on all that has happened so will just dip in as and when I can, but it seems that everyone is doing reasonably well on the whole which ain't bad at this stage of the game...

Mump - great to see you again honey! I'm so definately not going for 3 under 5 either!!! Vaguely hysterical tonight after my first day with them both on my own. OK so I know I'm spoilt and sure it will get better but its bloody hard work! Not sure I have ever worked harder in my life even when I first qualified as a doc and we had to do sat am until mon evening on call with no break! Please tell me it gets easier!!!

Choc - you sound like you're doing fab honey. Can't believe its only a week!!!! Would love to come for lunch but only if you promise not to go cooking anything and let me bring it all to you. This early you need to be chilling with your little girl not catering for me! Will let you get in touch when you're ready...

Ejt - sounds like you are much more upbeat today and that your doc appt went well. Here's hoping you get the support you need from the bf place and Mairwen settles now she's got the gaviscon and bf advice... Book is in the post first class this afternoon so hope you get it tomorrow or the next day...

Shit baby brain means I can't remember anything else. Thinking of you All though ladies - you are all doing bloody great and should be dead proud! Big hugs xxxx

Oh and J20 - did you send me an invite to facebook? I'm not on there and don't have time to support ebay, mn AND facebook habits or I would never speak to dh!!! Will be your friend here instead though x

Hi All,

I hope everyone's had a good day. I'm really pleased because for no apparent reason, Jake has suddenly started latching on properly again today and it's made feeding him a much less stressful process!

I couldn't believe it when I woke up this morning...we put him down at 11.30 last night and when I looked at the clock, it was 6am - and he was still asleep! In the end, I woke him myself for his feed at 7am!!! I'm not expecting it to happen again for some time but still one full night's not bad for a 2 and half week old...what a clever boy!

To those with sore nips...I'm sure everyone already knows this, but I've read that breast milk is meant to be one of the best things for them...

Right, off to watch the end of the England match and console my angry DH about them being out of the European Cup (or whatever it is...)

hey everyone, hope you're not feeling too tired/sore, well as i may have already mentioned i'm giving up the breast feeding due to too much pain and moving on to ff, i was going to do it gradually expressing occasionally but i suspected i might have thrush this morning, getting shooting pains and nipples looking white and 'fizzy' in the bath despite having lansinoh on them, called midwife and she said to wait and see and if get any more symptoms to see doc, anyway not happy to give lo my milk if it is thrush so asked midwife and she said might as well just stop bf and expessing all together if ff is my intention as occasionally expressng is just prolonging the pain. So, i'm going cold turkey today and taking paracetamol every 4 hours... hope my boobs don't explode! they feel very full but guess i'll just have to ride it out. will let you all know how it goes anyway. catch ya later