December 2007 - Santa's come early for some of us...

[Housemum]

Thought I'd start off the new thread as I've never started one before - congratulations to those of you who are on here now - hope I'll be joing you in the not-too-distant future!

Buzzy - we went to the doctors about the tum (paranoid mummy that I am!) as the wind seemed to be bothering her too. The Doc didn't seem worried unless she had d&v, it looks weird though almost alien-like doesn't it?

Congrats Pecka, Mathilda born next year? Easy mistake though with sleep deprivation!!! Just read through your story of great birth and made me pretty emotional!!!

Hi again, just a quick hello to furryfox.. I realised I hadn't spoke to you since the AN thread and being 'time twins' (with suey2too) we did a lot of chatting over there! Well you won the longest hanger-on by a whisker eh?!

Fifi, that's crap of your dp, is there nothing you can do to encourage him to pull his finger out?

Clairy - having much better day, we managed to get up at a reasonable hour, and made it for the 10am service at our church, where we were mobbed - we'd had a mention in the notice sheet and Daniel's picture was on the overhead the previous week!!
MIL made me laugh, she asked me yesterday if he was in a routine!!! He's 10 days old .
Actually he is - he eats when he is hungry and sleeps when he is tired!
Pecka - great birth story! And your children are gorgeous
Last night was looking pretty bad - ds was feeding on and off from about 8pm through to midnight! Then he started screaming and contorting, I think he may have colic. We really struggled to calm him down and I was exhausted from the feeding frenzy! So dh took him into the nursery (where we have a double bed still) and worked on calming him down while I got some sleep. Eventually he calmed down around 2am, and was hungry, I was on my side (still asleep) so dh just plonked him on my boob and he fed. I woke up around 4am by ds wanting feeding, and he was in his moses basket! Fed him and he went straight back down, and he woke up again around 6am and then 8am. So I actually felt like i had quite a bit of sleep. Avoided waking dh up to so he 6 hours sleep - which he deserved

Hi everyone - congrats Pecka and all others with new babies, sorry finding it hard to keep up!

Fifi - sorry but what a b*ard your dp is to sleep until after midday!! I am gob-smacked. Sorry, I don't mean to be insenstive but REALLY!

Anyone got any strategies on how to stay awake while feeding at night? I am really struggllng. Think I have hit a bit of a wall with the amount of waking. DD2 is generally a very good baby but she still takes a while to settle and I am mostly still co-sleeping in order to survive (and handing her over at 5am to dh).

I'll be on my own from tomorrow too so will check back in here to compare notes/sympathise. But looking forward to getting back to some sort of normality and catching up with my mum-friends.

By the way BIG TIP for anyone with their first baby: write things down! I really wish I had kept a diary with dd1 as I keep thinking "and when did this happen with Emma" etc etc. And I have NO MEMORY at all of it last time round. Am writing it down this time but not going to have a third so a little pointless!

Well done to your DH bouncing!

Must say DD2 slept for 5 hrs straight from 12am to 5am without waking up for a feed wich was pretty strange (had major leaks from boobs as a results and was in two minds about waking her up from sleep to relieve the 'fullness' feeling). As a result yielded about 2 ounces when expressing this morning (usually get about 0.5 ounces).

Must say after sleeping 5 hrs staright feeling more energetic today and gave the house a quick blitz after living in maddness for the past two weeks and even manged to cooks a simple lunch aswell.....

Congratulations Pecka

Anyone else's toddler going through a little jealousy with the new arrival? Our DD2 recieved lots of toys and clothes and gifts and DD1 open all the packaging on the toys and put them in her toy basket. She's also tried to wear some of the 0-3 months clothes and then threw a major tantrum when she realised they would fit.

whoops would fit = wouldn't fit

I had a good talk with him this afternoon, explained that im exhausted and that he isnt helping out like he should be, he is now feeling very guilty and has not stopped asking me if i need anything done, its quite annoying now.
Im never happy am i?

Hi all - seems we all have same pre-occupations at the mo - sleep (lack of), belly (too much of), nappies (contents of)

Millie has the most disgusting nappies - question for BFers - when did the squitty greeny brown one stop and change to the slightly more solid yellow ones? Milk has come in today so am hoping that will trigger change!

We have had no more than 2 hours sleep the past 2 nights - she would not feed/be easily woken during the day but wanted playtime/feed/cuddles all night. Again am hoping that "proper" milk will help. Also am keeping her awake at the mo as she is alert - her first introduction to the internet here! Perhaps she'll get tired...

Her first social engagement today - a friend's baby's christening. Am impressed we all managed to get changed and out of the house to arrive in time! DH then took DD2 to the panto this afternoon while I took DD1 and DD3 shopping - DD1 got some new tops in H&M & New Look while I bought DD3 some cute stuff in Debenhams 75%off. DD2 is v excited as daddy bought her a CD which she had signed to her and Amelie by Chris Jarvis off CBeebies who was in the panto (shame that I had the camera in my bag and DH doesn't have a camera phone)

housemum we had about a week of black then green sticky poo before the mustard yellow loose stuff arrived.

No night nanny last night or tonight- m hat goes off to all you lot. Millie was playing up a lot- we are now definitely keeping her in her own room all the time- i find it impossible to sleep through all the snuffling and DH's snoring. I am also sticking to the expressed milk overnight- it is so much faster than BF and i know when she has had enough to last 3-4 hours, rather than the 2 she prefers. The whole BF cycle can atke me an hour with all the winding and nappy changing to keep her awake. Giving her EBM means the whole thing is usually over in 20 mins- i am able to express around 150ml after the last and first feeds of the day and if she has at least 100ml she lasts so much longer- and she is so much more inclined to eat more when it is from a bottle. I know i should be more determined and stay awake to give her what she needs but it is so very hard. And i figure it is still breast milk so what's the harm?
I can't believe some of people's DHs/ DPs. Mine is incredibly good- but is going back to work tomorrow. I am sort of looking forward to being able to do my own thing, but also dreading the lack of escape- particularly when nothing consoles her.
First health visitor visit tomorrow morning- we'll see how that goes.

Oh, quick question- is it ok to take the baby shopping etc? or is there an infection risk at this stage?

Thanks Ambi, I'm glad I'm not the only one!! I will wait til I see the MW next on Friday and double check with her. It was just that the paedeatrician in hospital made a comment on her having a big tum but then didn't say anything more kind off left me hanging and now that I look at it properly it does look huge in comparison to the rest of her as she is so skinny!

Suey I have taken Bea out several times now - I figure you've got to have a life. But then it is summer time here so probablt slightly lower risk of infection. IMO the infection risk is probably highest from visitors wanting to hold her!

Anyway off to do some more expressing now. Fairly efficient takes me about 15 mins to get 150ml but must admit that seems like an eternity at 2am.

Mathilda was born at 1.50 on fri morning and the mustard nappies arrived this afternoon

My milk has just come in too - love it ! Much more comfortable than colostrum feeding

HOusemum - nappies should change v soon for you.

LO has been feeding lots and lots, about 1-2 hourly. Feels like all am doing is feeding, winding, changing. He is 10 days today and weight has gone up from 8lb14oz to 9lb8oz so I guess he is getting enough. Was paranoid as he seemed to have short feeds at times.

Stitches were feeling better but are a bit more sore again today. Prob over did it this weekend as wanted to be active mum for ds1 as worried he is feeling a bit neglected.

Pecka huge congratulations. I remember all the worries of the early days so really pleased everything is good and welcome to mathilda

Hailbop - Boy 2 Dec (due 1/12)
Wizzska - Boy, Rory, Due 2nd Dec, arrived 2nd Dec, 8 lb 5
Bimblin - Boy, Alexander, due 14/12, 4th Dec 8lb 2oz
RGPargy Ellie Rose 5 Dec Due (27/11) 8lb 6oz
Loopymumsy Orla, 5 Dec 30/11/07
CHOCOLATEPEANUT Joe 5/12 (due 01/12)
NBG - Ethan 6/12 (due 28/11)
SarahPT Boy 6/12 (due 2/12)
Beanstermummy Girl 6/12 (due 30/11)
VNMum - Caitlin Louise 8/12
Caz10 Ella 9/12 (Due 12/12)
Claireybee Douggie 10/12 (due 10/12)
Claraq Martha Erin 11/12 (Due 01/12)
Shells 12/12/07 - Roisin Eleanor (due 6/12)
Littleoldme 12/12 Thomas James 7lb 9oz Due 28/11)
Fifisworld Ethan 13/12 (Due 17/12)
Mellymooks - 13/12 Kaesha Ophelia (Due 7/12) 7lb3oz
Louise76 - 13/12 (due 9/12) Ailsa 8lb 5.5oz
Mad4Girlsplus1 - 13/12 BOY Zethan 7lb 10oz
Cazzybabs 14/12 Evelyn Mary (Due 30/11)
Skidaddle - 14/12 Milo (due 11/12) 8lb9oz
Insywinsyspider - 16/12 Toby Simon (due 11/12) 8lb5oz
bambino1andbump Charlie 16/12 Due 15/12
Ambi - Louise, 17/12 (Due 4/12) 6lb 4oz
Suey2 Millicent Kate 21/12 (Due 10/12)8lb10oz
BunnyBaby - Michael Peter 21/12 (Due 28/11) 8lb 15oz
Amani 22/12 baby GIRL(Due 30/12)
Lizzer - 22/12 Dexter Robin 10lb4oz (Due 10/12)
FurryFox - 23/12 (Due 10/12) Imogen Holly 7lb 14oz
Lucy/Loucee 23/12 (due 17/12/07) Finlay 8lb 12oz
Thingamajig 25/12 (due 21/12) Matilda Margaret 6lb4oz
Curlygirly 25/12 (due 24/12) Lois Maisy 7lb 14oz
Bouncingturtle 27/12 (due 23/12) Daniel Edward 6lb 6oz
Awen 27/12 (due 31/12) Samuel Owen 8lb 14oz (VBAC)
Macdoodle 28/12 (due 26/12) Lily (no middle name decided yet) 8lb120z planned section for breech
Chloemegjess - 29/12 (due 23/12) Elouise 6lb 6oz
Ozzymoomoo - 30/12 (due 30/12)Ruby Michelle 8lb
Buzzybee 30/12 (due 22/12) Beatrix Amelia, 7lb 11oz
Peckarollover 4.1.08 (due 26.12) Mathilda Alice, 6lb 6oz

Pecdka - just change the year of your dd's birth as said 09 lol. Preg brain doesnt improve after birth. Mine is worse than ever!

Yay, we're home from Hospital, please pray we are home for good and that DS stays in good health.

Ambi - DS was comfort suckling a lot and just falling asleep on boob after a couple of mins so nursery nurser suggested I hand compress my boob to encourage him tot start suckling again. Touch wood it is working and he's taking better feeds.
I might try the Coorie sling out tomorrow, DD loved it but used it from 5wks with her.

Caz, another thing we are doing with DS is to put a rolled up blanket round him from his chest down round his feet then up his back. He had this in intensive care and then in the nursery, think he likes feeling all cosy. Looks like a sausage.

Skidaddle, sorry you're still having trouble with ducts and infections in your boobs. Hope it gets better soon.

Wizzska (?) if you're still having trouble with blocked ducts and engorgement I found lying in a hot bath then massage the inflamed area like you're trying to massage a knot in your back then draw the milk towards the nipple, after a couple of days of feeling really uncomfortable my boobs then went back to being soft and just slightly larger than normal.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend, hugs to those with DH's back at work tomorrow. Like Clairey (?) said, sometimes easier though when they do go back as gives you chance to work your own routine etc.

Suey - question about you feeding expressed milk overnight, when you wake in the morning are your boobs huge and leaking? In time I would like to give 1 overnight bottle of EBM but not sure if I should express just before bed to try and ensure milk supply isn't harmed?

I am thinking about starting to give DD some expressed milk, maybe once a day. I have to leave her for 2 hours at a time, once a week starting in about 2 weeks time. I am not going to like it at all, but if I know she has some expressed milk, incase she needs it, it will make me feel a bit better. Could also get DH to give it to her when he come in from a night shift to give me a bit of extra sleep!

Has anybody got any advice or tips on this? I am really worried about it messing up breastfeeding as she is only 8 days old. If I didn't have to leave her, I wouldn't express yet.

Suey - going out hasn't bothered me - I think you are more at risk from friends and neighbours as mostly people will just look in a pram in shops etc. We enjoyed our shopping trip today! The only place that would concern me would be toddler groups etc if there are vomit bugs around, though I would hope that parents would be sensible enough to keep their kids away if they had a bug - our local pre-school rules were leave it a clear 24 hours before bringing the child back in.

Just adding myself back on the list - and looking at those who have given their weights she is a little porker! Think only Lizzer's son was heavier!

Hailbop - Boy 2 Dec (due 1/12)
Wizzska - Boy, Rory, Due 2nd Dec, arrived 2nd Dec, 8 lb 5
Bimblin - Boy, Alexander, due 14/12, 4th Dec 8lb 2oz
RGPargy Ellie Rose 5 Dec Due (27/11) 8lb 6oz
Loopymumsy Orla, 5 Dec 30/11/07
CHOCOLATEPEANUT Joe 5/12 (due 01/12)
NBG - Ethan 6/12 (due 28/11)
SarahPT Boy 6/12 (due 2/12)
Beanstermummy Girl 6/12 (due 30/11)
VNMum - Caitlin Louise 8/12
Caz10 Ella 9/12 (Due 12/12)
Claireybee Douggie 10/12 (due 10/12)
Claraq Martha Erin 11/12 (Due 01/12)
Shells 12/12/07 - Roisin Eleanor (due 6/12)
Littleoldme 12/12 Thomas James 7lb 9oz Due 28/11)
Fifisworld Ethan 13/12 (Due 17/12)
Mellymooks - 13/12 Kaesha Ophelia (Due 7/12) 7lb3oz
Louise76 - 13/12 (due 9/12) Ailsa 8lb 5.5oz
Mad4Girlsplus1 - 13/12 BOY Zethan 7lb 10oz
Cazzybabs 14/12 Evelyn Mary (Due 30/11)
Skidaddle - 14/12 Milo (due 11/12) 8lb9oz
Insywinsyspider - 16/12 Toby Simon (due 11/12) 8lb5oz
bambino1andbump Charlie 16/12 Due 15/12
Ambi - Louise, 17/12 (Due 4/12) 6lb 4oz
Suey2 Millicent Kate 21/12 (Due 10/12)8lb10oz
BunnyBaby - Michael Peter 21/12 (Due 28/11) 8lb 15oz
Amani 22/12 baby GIRL(Due 30/12)
Lizzer - 22/12 Dexter Robin 10lb4oz (Due 10/12)
FurryFox - 23/12 (Due 10/12) Imogen Holly 7lb 14oz
Lucy/Loucee 23/12 (due 17/12/07) Finlay 8lb 12oz
Thingamajig 25/12 (due 21/12) Matilda Margaret 6lb4oz
Curlygirly 25/12 (due 24/12) Lois Maisy 7lb 14oz
Bouncingturtle 27/12 (due 23/12) Daniel Edward 6lb 6oz
Awen 27/12 (due 31/12) Samuel Owen 8lb 14oz (VBAC)
Macdoodle 28/12 (due 26/12) Lily (no middle name decided yet) 8lb120z planned section for breech
Chloemegjess - 29/12 (due 23/12) Elouise 6lb 6oz
Ozzymoomoo - 30/12 (due 30/12)Ruby Michelle 8lb
Buzzybee 30/12 (due 22/12) Beatrix Amelia, 7lb 11oz
Housemum 3/1/08 (due 29/12) Amelie Rose, 9lb 1oz
Peckarollover 4.1.08 (due 26.12) Mathilda Alice, 6lb 6oz

We've taken ds out a few times, and he has been absolutely fine. However, some people don't always exercise common sense with regards to going out while still infectious (hence all the warnings about people staying at home at least 24 hours after the d&v have passed), so it is wise to be cautious, me thinks.
Not so good a night, ds kept waking up every 15-20 mins between 2am and 5pm wanting feeding, and was difficult to settle so had a broken nights sleep. He woke me up again around 7am and after feeding dh took him downstairs so I could get another hour's kip. Feel fine now.

Morning all, poor you BT, must be awful when you can't settle ds.

We're up, dressed, fed and house tidied (an achievement by 10am for us) Looks like DD is settled in her Moses basket just looking around, she always settles when I have the radio on. The comfort suckling has stopped, My boobs were exhausted (and empty),so I ended up distracting her with a cuddle and her dummy til she slept for another hour or so, it seemed to work.

Suey, we've been out a couple of times, it was generally the ladies in the shops "Is it a girl or a boy?" then "How old is she?" then "What's her name?". It's very odd, I don't usually talk to random strangers and I'm usually pretty cagey about things I tell people so I can't get used to it. (I'm a miserable bugger aren't I?)

Oh well looks like the storm has kicked off again here, (It blew over our wheelie bin last night!) so that's my call to clean this dirty house.

Will try to catch up properly later but just a quickie. Do any other babies not have any contented awake time? If DS is awake he is either grizzling or screaming, know dd was also like this in the beginning but pretty sure that by 4 weeks old she was having some quiet awake time. Seem to spend all my time willing DS to sleep at the moment(or moaning on mn!)

An achievement for me today - first day on my own with DS and managed to get him to the health centre for his hearing test by 9.30am! Took the freedom sling on two bus rides and a tube to get there and managed to deliver him sleeping and perfect for his test. Have been worrying whether I'd manage or not but feel good now I've done it.

Am not too bothered about taking DS out although health centres are usually the places they can pick up bugs. I took a bottle of hand steriliser with me and kept DS curled well up in his sling out of the way of any bugs. Can't be too careful when there's this vomit bug around - especially as am worried about DS's weight. He's not yet back to his birth weight and he's 5 weeks old. I feel awful and depressed about it. Have struggled breastfeeding, have had such pain and soreness and blocked ducts. Have resorted to topping him up with formula this past week, even though its frowned upon. I just can't bear for him to be malnourished because I can't feed him properly. Last week I finally managed to start feeding relatively pain free so I hope we're turning a corner. Still am going to breastfeeding help centre on wednesday to make sure.

Sorry about long rambling paragraph. I guess I need to let some worry out on you guys. .

Morning all - all the DHs back to work today - eek and phew - not sure which I feel!

RE expressing breast milk - I asked my very nice and knowledgeable HV aout when to start etc and she said 2 weeks was ideal as bf would be pretty established but the baby won;t be so hooked on the boob that s/he won;t try anything else. She says the old advice of waiting until 5-6 weeks is outdated.

She also advised not to give expressed milk between 12-3am as that is when the levels of prolactin are highest whoch aids milk production - night feeds at other times are fine.

I have managed to express 5oz and DS takes 4 or a bit more but it takes me nearly an hour to express so I haven;t been bothering recently - I actually think it's less knackering getting up and doing all the feeds... also finding an hour in the day to express with DS and DD to look after is proving challenging...

She also told me feeding every two hours is completely normal for bf babies and the four hour thing is based on bottle-fed babies. She said if your baby feeds less often than every 2 hours you should be very grateful! DS feeds every two hours and not sure that I feel particularly grateful!!

how is everyone getting on today with DHs/DPs gone? I only have DS today as DD is at nursery but am dreading tomorrow when I have them both. I don't know what it is exactly, I just find going out with both of them quite stressful as I don;t know when DS is going to want a feed and then finding somewhere to bf comfortably - still can't do it one-handed or without cushions . Also it is truly excrutiating atm because we have thrush so I find it hard to not yelp out loud which would be quite embarrassing in public. But can't keep poor DD cooped up inside all day... oh dear

Feel like someone out there really doesn't want me to bf - tongue-tie, mastitis, thrush, ABs turning my milk sour... surely nothing else could go wrong...

oh one last thing - how long does everyone else's babies feed for? Milo feeds for 30mins+ and almost always falls asleep so I have to take him off rather than letting him come off himself - does anyone else do this? Feel bad not letting him determine the length of his feeds but after 30 mins at 2am I have had enough!

sorry so long, could go on forever..

hi wizzska - crossed posts - just thinking if your blocked ducts don;t unblock with feeding, could it be mastitis? Is it inflamed and sore? Sounds like you have had an awful time with bf and well done for peresevering - hope the bf advice helps (and well done for getting ds all the way to the health centre!)

clairey - My DS has become a little like yours over the last few days - he is fine in the sling where he sleeps but other than that if I put him down in the day time he will start crying within a few minutes to be picked up - it is exhausting isn;t it? Are you back home now or are you parents still around to help out?

Skidaddle- My ds feeds for up to an hour on one breast. I'm sure some of that time is snoozing but I'm paranoid to take him off because of his weight problems. If I do both boobs, It can take an hour and a half or more. Awful when its sore. One side I just cannot get the latch right. Its usually ok to start off with then it gets sorer, I know it should be the other way round. The other side is painless but then it doesn't feel like I've got as much milk that side.

Am with DS on my own today, he's been lovely so far and sleeping like a dream - hence me being on mumsnet. I think I'll wake him soon though for a good feed.

Well, dp has gone back to work and im getting along just fine without him.
Ds1 woke up not long after dp went to work which was about 7, but i didnt mind as Ethan slept really well last night so i feel much better today.
Ive managed to get most of my housework done (thanks to Cbeebies )
MIL is taking ds1 out after dinner for a few hours so hopefully Ethan will stay settled and i can have a nice soak in the bath

Skid - I've been on the verge of mastitis many times over the past few weeks. Not had a temperature though but have had red hot blockages. Have managed to go through the agony of pumping and feeding and ice packs to stave off full blown mastitis. I've still got lumps but they're less sore.