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??

Choc - and that's really why i didn't join the nct!!! My friend said her lot were very 'gung ho' about natural childbirth and even scared the bejeezus out of everyone about c-sections, almost making them out to be the devils work. SHe herself went on to have a c-section through her lo being breech and went back to the group to talk about it as she said it was a fantastic delivery.She was so scared about what she was going to face apparently when her lo was born she said 'that was great, I could do that again!' The consultant put it down to the drugs

ollie off to creche whilst i read the paper at the gym with henry. might be brave enough to go to a breast feeding group later but not sure.... i still get quite anxious about new things but ho hum, may surprise myself and point the car in that direction!

have a good day all
x

Miussbumpy - sorry your dd was poorly - hope she's better soon. ALso hope your dh realises life has changed now and he needs to be a bit more supportive.

Ejt - sorry about C - in some ways its probably a huge relief but that doesn't mean its not very sad at the same time. Thinking of you and your dh...

Got your email Choc and have replied - have fun this afternoon! at the stupid cow at your NCT reunion! I guess she would have preferred you to have your 'proper' birth and not have a healthy daughter? This sort of attitude makes me really cross. I can fully understand people believing you should aim for a natural birth if all is well but your section probably saved Rebecca's life. Have to say my NCT lot were all much more down to earth and we only had 2 normal deliveries out of 8 and 4 sections!

Umm - Can't remember anything else and being rammed with a shopping trolley by a giggling Sam so best go!!! May be on later...

muppet of your nice chilled morning with the papers! Enjoy! x

Morning all.

So sorry to hear about your loss ejt - thinking of you.

MissB - what is it with them? I know they are busy and under pressure but so are we - a lot more than they seem to realise. I feel the same way as you - if he has spare time I think he should be here. I don't get to go out for a break ever. Having said that he slept on the sofa bed again last night so at least I got some sleep!

Choc - people like that women make me mad. How dare she have a dig about your birth. People can be so arrogant. No one can know what a birth is like unless they have experienced it themselves. Just because she managed to have a natural birth doesn't give her the right to judge others. I would say she is the one that had the easier time of it. Surely all that matters is that you get a healthy baby at the end of it. It's just another way of making other people feel crap and guilty and of showing off.

Polar - I am always worrying if Dareh is sleeping too much or not enough! I never seem happy! I wish I could read his mind so I could know what he wants. Sometimes I think they just need to sleep more to let their bodies grow or something. Dareh is a bloody great sleeper though - I am very lucky! He went from 12-8 last night! I am so thankful as I don't think I could cope with the pain of breast feeding and no sleep.

Muppetgirl - I am the same as you about doing new things right now. Actually about doing anything at all that involves going out! Just do what feels right and don't put yourself under pressure.

MissB - forgot to say I am so sorry your LO is sick. I hope she gets better soon and that you are looking after yourself.

I have my six week check this afternoon. Nervous about having the check up and about going out with Dareh.

Choc I am at that person in your NCT class I don't think I would have taken it well at all, well done to you for even thinking it could be amusing. I had an emergency section as well and it did literally save Zoe's life, I was told by the consultant how lucky I was to have her. I feel I missed out on Zoe's birth as I was under GA so I think I might have had a few things to say to that woman!!! Breathing indeed (ok rant over )

How is everyone this morning? I hope you all had a good night last night. Zoe slept well all weekend when DH was here to help but didn't sleep well last night! Typical I just keep reminding myself that I am lucky to have the sleepless nights and that not everyone is as blessed.

Stefka good luck with your checkup I am sure it will all go well for you and it might be good to get out with Dareh, help to build your confidence

Muppet if you decided to go to the breast feeding group I hope you enjoyed it and didn't find it too stressful

EJT; deepest sympathy to you, your Dh and family. I'm so sorry for your loss, we have been there so often in the last 12 months I really understand how you feel.

Miss Bumpy; Sorry for you and your lo, I hope she is better soon..it is so frightening seeing them so small and poorly.

Stefka- Good luck with the check and going out with Dareh.I finally got my 6 week check today (it will be 10 weeks on wednesday!)we kept having to put it off because (sorry tmi following)I have only just stopped "losing" having bled for 4/5 weeks after the birth I then got my first period at 5 weeks which had barely stopped when I had another at 8 weeks which in turn has only just stopped...she put me on Cerazette 3 weeks ago and I'll have a mirena coil fitted in January. The worst thing about the whole business was she locked Alex in her consulting room while she took me to the examination room next door...though he was asleep I was tense because I couldnt hear/see him for those few minutes...in January I'll make sure I've got my Mum here to sit with him.

I hope they don't do that with me! I have to take Dareh with me as I have no one around to help me. I hope it is ok with the surgery. Well it will just have to be I suppose!

I'm sure they wont..this is a fairly new doctor to me (never had a smear done by her before..the last one was with my previous doc before we moved last year)and I didnt realise that she did examinations in the next room..most do it in their consulting room...she was fine about it, in fact dissapointed that Alex was asleep, it was me being over protective...I hate to leave him for even a second, I dont even trust the baby monitor! But he was still asleep when it was all over (only took 3 mins)I'm sure you will be just fine (wish I hadn't mentioned it and given you something to worry about now[blush[)

Morning all,

Sorry, not read sall the posts.

just wanted a quick boast about Shula. At 9.30 I fed her and changed her nappy (which she filled within 30 minutes. Gave her a fresh nappy about 10.30 and another feed. She then fell asleep, but obiously not a deep sleep as she opened her eyes when I put her in her AmbyNest at 11pm. I stayed in bthe room for 10-15 minutes incase she wanted more food, but she soon fell asleep. i did not hear a sound from her until 7am this morning.

Good luck this afternoon Stefka. Sure the worrying about it will be worse than the event. Take care xxx

Section girls if we have to encounter anyone like the girl from Choc's NCT class we should just breezily say that we had the section because we were too posh to push and wanted a tummy tuck at the same time! Shouldn't have to justify why we had a section anymore than a natural birth!! Stefka you are spot on about it not being a competition and that the important thing is a healthy baby. Fair enough to be disappointed for yourself if thats the case but everyone else should butt out!

Well dh left work at 9.30 to spend the day with us. We have had a challenging weekend with Adam and he got to work and realised he didn't have much on so took it off. What a star! I am very lucky...

Quick question, those of you who are NOT bf'ing have you had your first period yet? It has been just over 8 weeks since I had Ben and I still haven't had a period yet, is this normal? I'm having a coil fitted tomorrow, sods law I'll start in the morning

Winnie !Alex loves his Amby but still demands 3 hourly feeds.
Last night was;
9.30pm (good guzzle, thanks Mum),
10.30pm(just a top up to get me through Mum),
1.30am (I'll take 2oz of this bottled ebm to keep you happy Dad but dont expect me to have the usual 6oz or even like it from the bottle),
4.30am (ah good back on draught, thanks Mum. what do you mean you dont want to play?)and
7.30am (I'll just quench my thirst thanks, after all this is your usuall getting up to see Dad off time even if he does seem to be having a lie in today, I think now you are awake I'll do like Dad and sleep on, ta!)

Don't worry about mentioning it. Forewarned is forearmed!

Winnie - what a great night! I loved the look of those nests - bit out of our price range.

Going to grab some soup and then begin the journey to town!

Hi all,

Winnie - well done your lo!!! We love it when they sleep

Floria - Henry's sleep patterns are a lot like that but am hoping the routine will start to help with maybe getting 4 hrs in between feeds. Might not but hey, worth ago!

Stefka - hope your 6 week check went okay and I'm feeling really brave for going out but also very empowered...start with something small and then work your way up x

Mrs Fish - I think my periods returned 12 weeks ish? after Ollie (no 1) I breast/mixed fed till he was 6 weeks.

Well, we went to the gym and ollie creched and I read the paper and then met a friend for coffee. I fed Henry, got ollie and we had lunch there. I then decided we would go to the breastfeeding group... There was only one other woman there + the (NCT counsellor Oh no!) b/f counsellor and a hv but they all said normally there were a lot more. The other lady had a four year old so Ollie enjoyed himself running around like a nutter so I think I will go again.

The counsellor was very nice but a little at me giving Henry a bottle of formula at 10pm but I just said it works for us so we'll keep doing it. I was surprised at myself at being confident in what I/we are doing but if it ain't broke, don't fix it! (She was also [shocked] at the hospital telling me I'd run out of colostrum and that it would take 2hrs ish to make more. Not sure who to believe but I still feel I made the right decision in giving him f/f at that time.) Still she was a nice lady and she gives her time for free and makes great cakes

I have to say I do find it really hard when people criticise the way we deliver/feed our babies. I feel we are treated, by some at least, as though we have never read anything, asked anyone's opinion or listened to anything we have ever been told about babies. I made the decisions I did after careful consideration and as part of a long term plan. This has worked and I am more than happy, and a little amazed, that I am still b/f, it's not hurting and I'm enjoying it. That awful NCT woman of Choc's could say I didn't have a natural childbirth but I felt very much in control and came out with a gorgeous baby boy, he was stuck and I thank god for the interventions I received as, perhaps, 100 years ago I probably would have died. WOuld that have made her happier??? I will never understand why people feel it's rude to ask how much people earn, how old old ladies are but see fit to have an opinion, and share it with you!!!, about childbirth/feeding.

We are marvelous ladies because above all we CARE about our baby's and every decision we make is based around the welfare of them. I am a proud mummy who is a GOOD mummy and so are you lovely ladies.

....put that in the pipe of the bl**dy NCT and smoke it!!! (Alice, I know your lot were lovely }

Hello

Big hug to ejt. Sorry for your loss.

After all the trauma of a night in hospital, it's starting to look like DD's mystery illness is a common cold! It's still pretty scary when they're so small though to see them so ill. The poor little thing doesn't know what's happening to her and doesn't understand why she's struggling to breathe and why she's coughing She woke up this morning with a really blocked nose and really struggling to breathe as well as a hacking cough. The plus side (if there can be a plus side to my darling baby being ill ?) is that she's sleeping a lot which means I've finally caught up on a bit of sleep.

Fingers crossed she'll get well soon. In the meantime I'm cancelling all plans and vistors and just spending the next few days cuddling her in bed

If any of you who've already been there and done that have got any tips on how to look after a 7 week old baby with a nasty cold, please let me know!

Glad it's just a cold Miss Bumpy - I think Alice's Adam had a cold a while back - she may have advice.

Muppet, I hate the sanctimoniousness too. We don't make decisions solely for one baby or for a selfish mother - they are made for the good of the whole family, and we make them fully aware that we can't make a perfect decision. We don't need other people to make us feel guilty! FWIW I think you're doing a fantastic job with the 2 boys - I admire how well you're doing.

The hugabub is a MARVELLOUS invention! Insomniac daughter nodded off in it happily just now! She catnaps really but it's better than being awake nonstop...

Choc - really glad the hugabug works for you. It's been great for us. Even the dogs now get excited when it goes on as it means 'walkies!'

Miss Bumpy; so relieved that it is "just" a cold. Alex had one at 5 weeks and I was worried sick the whole time. Things that helped...
taking him into the bathroom with the shower going to let him breathe the steam...
dripping a drop of saline solution in his nostrils to make him sneeze/help clear his nose (just 1 pint of boiled water to 1 tspn salt and use when at room temperature)..
putting a little vaseline round his nostrils to stop them chapping and getting sore..
a quarter of a teaspoon of 2month+ calpol, my doctor said the danger of using paracetamol under 2 months was less than the danger of fever...
propping him up a little when sleeping..we put a rolled up towel under his crib in the living room and hooked up the top end of his Amby nest at night...
and making sure he had plenty of fluids... boiled water if he wouldnt take his feed

I do hope she is better soon

Stefka; hope all is ok

Well the check up is all done. Not what I expected. I was only in there for five minutes. I thought they would check you down below but they didn't. It was bloody stressful though because they kept me waiting for forty minutes! Annoying enough at the best of times but not nice when you have a baby who is starting to get grumpy. I really needed the loo too but I couldn't go with the pram and didn't want to leave Dareh obviously. Anyway it is done now.

Glad it is just a cold MissB - hope she gets better soon.

I had a good experience with the NCT. I went to their classes and the women was pro natural birth but she also said that you do what you have to do and at the end of the day your birth is one day in your life and what matters is that you have the rest of your life with your LO. I thought it was a nice attitude.

Hey everyone, missb -sorry to hear your lo has a cold, any kind of illness is worrying when they're so small isn't it? Hope it clears up soon . Stefka- glad your check up is over and went ok, hope you feel good for managing to get out of the house, hope the bf os not going too badly. I managed to put ds to the breast today and he fed for about 10 mins on the good one so must have got some milk! been expressing everytime he has a bottle too, still getting tiny amounts but slowly increasing . I'm seriously considering giving in to the hugabub craze, even if it just helps me get some jobs done whilst dh not here, someone remind me where the best place to get one is? can you get them 2nd hand? is it adviseable or better to just get a new one? a bit skint at the mo with xmas coming up. muppet - well done for making it to the bf club, things like that seem like a huge mission to me, it's all i can do to leave the house before it gets dark lately..., i too am sick of people oppinions on feeding/giving birth or indeed any aspect of bringing our lo's up, people should butt out and keep thier thoughts to themselves !
winnie - at your lo's sleeping, mind you i can't complain, ds only wakes twice during the night . Anyway catch ya all later

Hello all

Muppet loved your little spiel about how we're all doing a fab job and how it doesn't matter how you give birth / feed your baby etc. Couldn't have worded it better myself. A round of Applause for you!

Have to say that this stereotype of the NCT almost stopped me going. Really glad I did as I have made some lifelong friends and our lot were similar to Stefka's it sounds. Its awful though how some can be - to someone who is coping less well and less of a strong person than Choc they could have been tipped over the edge into PND feeling as though they had failed. What a load of crap!

Stefka well done with coping with 6 week check! Hope it gives you the confidence to go out again but do it when you're ready not because you feel you have to.

Missbumpy can echo what Floria said about colds. I found putting a couple of drops of cooled boiled water up each nostril before a feed helped - this cleared Adam's nose and meant he could have a proper feed - this made him a lot happier immediately as I think before that he was just really hungry but couldn't latchon properly and suck with a blocked nose (was bf then). Also you can give 15mg of Calpol per kg of your baby's weight which is 2.5mls of standard calpol for a 4kg baby. This was all advice from a paediatric registrar I spoke to at the hospital - I was a bit cheeky and phoned for advice!

Dal - you can get hugabubs on ebay second hand but they tend to sell for only a little less than the full price so I couldn't be bothered for that small saving. Other than that there is no need to have a new one - all it is is one massive long bit of cloth that you tie round yourself. I got mine from ebay seller sophusamicus but she has sold out now (I contacted her to buy another as the thought of not having mine while I washed it or if Adam was sick on it is enough to bring me out in a cold sweat at the mo as its the only place he settles for long in the day). She is getting more in at the end of the week though. But put hugabub into google and you will find places that sell them. There are other similar makes though - 'calin bleu' and 'kari me' to name 2 (think mump and ejt have these) - that I think are cheaper.

Choc will know after lunch prob if dh is working Thurs or not and will get back to your email later. Glad Rebecca is sleeping in her hugabub though!

Anyway we're off to meet dh for lunch so better go get our paraphernalia together - hope to be back on later! Oh and Adam was a little more settle in the night so hoping the last few crap ones are a jab induced blip!

Oh and MrsFish my periods haven't come back yet but I am taking Cerazette so they might not. I too am having a coil fitted on 19th Dec - how was it?

Although frankly at the mo Adam is proving to be very effective contraception! Would be up for it but dh and I are both pretty lazy and by the time we get the boys to bed these days we are both too tired to be bothered! A bit of a rubbish attitude really but at least one that is shared by us both! Hopefully when Adam starts sleeping a bit more we'll get our act together!

hi all...
not been around much ...and am 1 handed typing still as himself doesn't like being put down... but tbqh I love holding him! He's a chunky, bonny sausage, and am really enjoying him.
Haven't got any routine, and doing everything I shouldn't - but I don't care!!
I won't be having any more babes - far too old now- so am just relaxing this time round, and not getting so worried about the rights and wrongs, shoulds or shouldn'ts.
Floria your post made me laugh... I am feeding non stop - or it feels like it... but it won't last forever, so am just going with flow.
Have taken R to a cranial osteopath which he really enjoyed,.. have a couple more sessions booked, would recommend to anyone with fractious babes.
Anyway, hope everyone is well, and when I have both arms back I will spend a bit more time here!

Hi all,

well Dareh has a cold today. He woke up all wheezy and crying and his wee nose is red. He looks like he's been on the sherry. He's feeding for longer - I guess for comfort or perhaps for his immune system but whatever the reason it means extra pain for me.

HV was round today - she did the post natal depression test and said my score was borderline. I am not really surprised though given the last few weeks.

I was meant to go see my aunt today but I don't want to disturb Dareh as he's really unsettled so I have canceled. I don't feel like going out today anyway.