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!

we got the social baby book after dd1 - it is fab. the toddler one is not quite as good.

the health vistor came round today (and got a parking ticket). aanyway she is coming back im a month to weigh evie.

I can't believe some of you babies are onlyt awake for 20 minutes. evuie is awake for hours (sorry about typos am bf). treated myself to a posh new changing bag today from john lewis. am wondering wether to treat myself to a new breast pump too...mine has done 2 children and is a little past its best. what ones have you all got?

Can I ask what everybody is doing about bras? This is to those of you who are BF? I need ones in large sizes and got a couple from mothercare, but really struggled to find one big enough and then bought 2 and they are just not supportive. They are maternity bras, rather than BF bras, as I couldn't find any Bf ones big enough. Any suggestions? I don't have much money and I am annoyed to have spent £24 in mothercare on bras that just arn't supportive. But I was desperate.

Also, my breasts seem to change size all the time! there are days when I am bigger than others! Anybody else relate to this?

Have uploaded a few more pics.

Pecka, I'd echo what others have said about expressing to relieve engorgement. You can also store the EBM in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to a month. You can buy sterile plastic bags for this purpose but you do have to sterilise the pump of course.

Bea is starting to be more alert for longer periods - up to an hour. And I'm lucky in that she will entertain herself sitting/lying in her bouncer chair or lying on the sofa for quite long stretches - 15-20 mins sometimes. I bought one of those baby swings on NZ's Ebay equiv 2nd hand and she also sits in that for 10-15 mins sometimes.

I think it helps that I'm starting to get a feel for how much milk she needs and to read the signs between hungry and uncomfortable a bit better.

Question for you. We're Day 9 and I'm having quite heavy bleeding - heavier than anything I've had before even the day she was born. Do you think this is normal? I was kind of expecting it to slowly reduce! I know it can last up to 6 weeks but this seems a bit unfair

AAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH! Why can't ds go back to sleep after night feeds instead of screaming??? Am on my third pacing up and down of the night already. And dd wakes up everytime he does

Buzzy in my postnatal notes it said that bleeding tends to get suddenly heavier between days 7 and 10 before settling down again, hope that's what it is for you

Thanks Clairey that's reassuring. Actually rang MW in the end and she talked to registrar at hospital who recommended I go onto ABs straightaway. I don't have a fever but do feel quite achey and generally blah. Either way hopefully it will get better soon since ATM I daren't go far from a loo!

I feel for you at night. Have been trying strategies myself to prevent a 2 hour period of wakefulness every time Bea wakes for a feed in the night. In fact just purchased a dummy at the pharmacy when I collected the ABs and will try that tonight!

Other suggestions I have had (but have not yet tried) include trying not to change nappy unless absolutely necessary (i.e. poo) and using loads of barrier cream for the wee (this wouldn't work ATM for my DD since she almost always poos - but apparently you get less poo as they get older and more efficient at using the milk), and swaddling.

This week I have been lucky in that DD1 has been staying with her Dad so have not had to worry about waking her. Next week will be another story!

Chloemegjess, Mothercare is rubbish in that department I found, and the staff really rude to me too. Have you tried Bravissimo? www.bravissimo.com/products/lingerie/soft-cup-and-nursing-bras
If you can't get to a shop then they can give you fitting advice over the phone, and you can order several and then return them. That's what I did- and a supportive bra really makes a massive difference!- worth shelling out for.

You could also try the NCT - they have bras in large sizes.

www.nctsales.co.uk/landing.asp?cat=250&scat=250&parent=250&type=1&grp=7&pg=329

I haven't cracked the "my boobs change size all the time" one- am just getting used to the fact that sometimes my bra cup fits fine and sometimes it is a bit wrinkly! Was kind of hoping it would settle down....

Hi all!
A reasonable night here last night, phew (altho isn't it sad when you think 4hrs of sleep is reasonable. And not even 4 in one stretch...!)

Anywy just wanted to say what we're doing at the mo and it seems to be working to fight off the screaming for hours on end after a night feed is...

swaddling tightly in a sheet, lying her on her side in her moses basket, one hand on her back, one finger/knuckle in her mouth (wee so and so won't take a dummy). She will fight it for a while but at the mo it's only taking 10 mins or so to get her off like that. Walking around seems to make it worse, as does having her hands out.

I wonder, are the babies that are awake more during the day for longer the bigger ones? Mine is still less than 7lbs and I thought it might be some catching up growing going on?

Thank you for cup link!!

Also re bras - Emma Jane (get from Figleaves and maybe other places too) are the best ones I've found. Our local NCT group is associated with a lady who runs her own business and will come round to your house, measure you, and then order up bras for you? Might be pricey tho, I haven't used her, but maybe someone similar in your areas?

Good luck for today!! Don't you think it's like handling a bomb - will they go off if I jst setthem down gently here?!! ...

Well, i think last night was possibly the worst night ive ever had with Ethan.
He had a feed about 10.30 last night and i put him down abouot 10.50 when he was done, he was so unsettled.
No matter where i put him he wouldn't go off so i brought him back downstairs about 2 ish so dp could get some sleep, he has to be up at 5.30 for work.
He eventually settled at 4.30 in his pushchair and i got a hour sleep on the sofa before dp got up.
I took him upstairs and fed and changed him and he's still asleep now, but ds1 is awake now so i cant go back to sleep.
The thing is he is so settled most of the time during the day and can sleep for 4 hour stretches without even waking

Sorry for the rant

aaargh fifisworld I feel for you, we've had some of these nights, it's horrendous. Evem worse for you with DS1 to see to as well. Does Ds1 still nap during the day? Good luck today.

caz - DS1 has just gone up for his nap now so im going to try to relax but ive got loads of stuff to do in the house.
The thing is, for the last few weeks ds1 has gone to bed at 6.30 ish and slept until 8/9 am, but since sunday he's been waking up at 6, which is when dp leaves the house.
Its just typical.

Daniel still hasn't much of a recognized pattern, and he won't self settle, he needs either me or DH to get him to sleep before we can put him in his Moses basket, and he still sleeps between us for the first part of the night.
This morning I change his nappy, rubbed him down with olive oil and dressed him and he hardly cried at all! Up until now he screamed the place down when we try to undress him, made me feel like I was torturing him
He is slowly becoming more awake and interested in his surroundings, a friend bought him a wrist rattle, too big for his wrist but he gave it a cuddle
Going to start expressing today!

My bright pink baba sling arrived this morning looks scary...was hoping to be able to get out and BF discreetly in it (but it is luminous pink)....any hints much appreciated??

poor you fifi.

RE wakefulness- millie tends to be awake for a 2-3 hour stretch maybe twice in a 24 hour period- i only hope it is daytime, not nighttime! She has been awake since i fed her at 9am and has been happily sitting porpped up on my lap making faces and getting some tummy time.

Must try and get to the supermarket today, but coordinating the buggy and shopping is a little intimidating! Particularly as i can't or shouldnt lift her and the shopping because of the c section- otherwise i would use my sling.

Suey, I used to walk to the Tesco in Pimlico (I know there is a Sainsbury there now too) and just buy a basket-full which I'd perch ontop of the buggy as I walked around the supermarket - which then filled 2 bags I'd hang from handles on each side of the buggy. Would that work for you? Here people always drive to the supermarket so tend to take whole capsule out of car and put into main body of trolley but that might be hard with the CS scar.

I'm still loosing scary amounts of blood - hope those ABs kick in and work soon. MW wants me to have blood test today to check platelet levels! But am thankful its me with the problem and not Bea.

suey - I thopuhht it was really heavy things you shouldn't lift ier toddlers. I used my sling on day 6 post cs and have used it ever since.

Can i just say i love my DP

He's just booked to take us to eurodisney in April
{grin]

Oooh what a star he is fifi!
Have expressed twice today, one lot in fridge and another dh gave him in a bottle - he took it straight a way. Going to express more later so dh can give him some more tonight.

Wow Fifi what a lovely DP!

Bouncing - glad the expressing went well and that DS took the bottle straight away. I'm curious to try a bottle myself (have frozen EBM that I brought back from hospital) but can't be faffed to get the steriliser out. Think I'll leave it for now and try in a couple of weeks (and hope that DS doesn't refuse the bottle).

Cazzy, I've been slinging as well, the MW told me not to lift anything heavier than my baby but I think Suey means she wont be able to carry baby and bags. I am worried I've done damage from lifting DD a couple of times though - she was in tears and I stupidly gave in. Going to get a Doctors appointment for tomorrow to get checked out. Think half of me was in denial that I'd had the operation though, took me a while to look at the scar and I don't mention the section to anyone when I talk about the birth or DS's arrival. It still seems odd that I didn't labour and wasn't awake for the delivery and that DH wasn't present either, it's like we have to take someone's word for it that DS is our DS IYKWIM? Of course the fact he looks like DD makes me know he is ours but it's all very strange (possible hormones as well).

How's everyone doing today?

Your lucky your DH will feed Your ds.
My dp wont feed ethan, he didnt with ds1 either, he says they are too small and he's really not comfortable feeding them incase they choke.
He fed ds1 from being about 3 months though, so only got a couple more months of doing it myself

i haven't looked at my scar either....and it hurts from where my clothes rub it. ahhhh bloody cs - still bitter about it!

Evening all,

How are you all doing? Sorry no time to read all the posting - finding life with with a toddler and newborn one big juggle. DD2 fine, sleeps mostly for about 1/2 hr each time during the day and she'll have a few 20 mins awake periods. At nigth she is much better and will sleep about 1.5- 2 hrs between feeds - my body clock is getting so used to this that is she sleeps for slightly longer, I wake up anyway.

Fifi - how lovely - it will give you something to look forward to. I don't think we'll be having any holidays abroad until I return to work later on in the year.

We are already going to the dominican in August but we are going with my dad and pil's as well so i was desperate to have some time away on our own.
I think dp was feeling guilty about how much ive been doing and decided to treat us.
It will give me something to focus on.

I think, considering t he lack of sleep i had last night ive managed quite well today. It was my first full day with my 2 ds's and it wasnt as bad as i thought

fifi at your holiday....we have n o money for one!

dh announced yesterday he is off for 6 days to Americca at the end of jan - ahhhhhhh