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!

Congrats Neuro, your birth sounds similar to mine, glad everything ended up good for you and your lickle girl.

Grobag arrived today, she?s very cute in it and hopefully will keep her a bit warmer as she loves to kick her covers off.

Has anyone else had breast leakages? The other night sat innocently on the sofa and breast pad mustn?t have been in properly as started dripping from my top, It looked like it was raining!!

I?m suffering from Mummy brain, I feel like I?m going mad, forgetfulness and when you KNOW you?ve just done something or only just put something somewhere and it?s disappeared, it?s driving me insane. I now have to keep a little notebook with me to jot stuff down that I know I?ll forget, I always forget to do something when I?m going out (put the alarm or answering machine on) or take something important, I have a feeling that it won?t improve either as I get older I guess that?s why I love tescos online so when I run out of something, just pop it in my basket until checkout, (instead of me stood in the middle of the supermarket racking my brains!!)

Clairey, I had a routine set in place for when she was born (a little too precise though, a time for everything!) As you all know, that?s a complete joke now, babies just don?t schedule things like they should They are rubbish at time management. I tend to feed on demand during the day which works out every 3-4 hours depending on how much she takes the feed before and how tired she is, but has fallen herself into a good routine at night and we?ve adjusted pretty well to it. I?m finding the 2am feed much easier than the 6am one though, it just kills me.

Hurray it?s the weekend, DH can help in the night now!! Ie, he gets up and brings baby to me and changes her and settles her, whilst I ?queen of sheba? am cosy in bed,

Suey, these are what I found for you;

try this one

or this one

Not sure about the size range though but I picked up a pack of 2 bras from Debenhams for £20, (was £25 but 20% off) .

Suey, you must have a great figure, though don't envy the bra hunt though, I found it bad enough when I was 40dd.

Hi Everyone

Ambi - i have have terrible leaky boobs, go through breast pads like there's no tomorrow nd often get through 3 tops in a day and that's not counting the ones LO then throws up on!!

Want to start trying Kaesha on EMB soon but am totally overwhelmed by range of teats. Really want her to take bottle but also still feed from the boob, does anyone have any tips on the best teats/ones most like the nipple etc?

Thanks in advance!!

Hi all, have not had time to catch up yet but wanted to let you know that Evie May arrived on Tuesday night at 9.32pm weighing 9lbs 15oz!

Birth storyhere for all those interested.

Hope everyone else is okay - will try to catch up with you all over the weekend x

Hi everyone

Wow Suey I am most impressed by your bra size! Hope you get some nice undies soon, always makes everyone feel fab having good fitting pretty stuff.

Melly, me too, unsure when to start some EBM and think I'm actually a bit lazy as it's just so easy to feed DS direct but once DH goes back to work next wk I'm sure I'll be so knackered in the evening that having someone else to give DS a feed whilst I get a couple of hours sleep will be most welcome. I've got a whole bag of teats and bottles from DD but seeing as she's 2 next month I'm not sure if they're too old? FWIW she never actaully took to the bottle so they've all had about 4 sterilising sessions! I've kept them more so to just be able to try DS with the different ones incase he refuses the standard one! I was going to try the closer to nature ones first as they are shaped quite like my boobie/nipple so was hoping it would be a success.

Had a nice wee shop in Glasgow today, got really annoyed at shop's returns policy on sale items but never mind and Ambi I also had new mum brain as had forgotten to take the receipts of the items I wanted to return anyway!

DH took DD to toddlers this morning and brought back the photo of me, DD and santa from 2 days before DS arrived. Oh my goodness what a wake up call at how fat I have become! I don't recognise myself so from Monday I'm starting a healthy eating plan, I think I'll be ok to lose weight steadily if I just cut out my chocolate and biscuit consumption. Whilst we were in hospital it was a lovely comfort but it's got to stop!

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend

Congratulations Neuro and Beckle !!

Have others found their LO goes through days when they feed constantly and other days much less frequently? Beatrix will be 2 weeks tomorrow and it seems to me like she is suddenly feeding more - growth spurt?? So last night awake 10pm, 12.30am, 4.30am, 6.30am and just wouldn't settle after that so no nice morning lie-in relaxing with her in bed beside me

First "big" day out for her/us today. Drove 1.5 hours each way to my great-aunt's 80th birthday lunch. Now feel absolutely knackered - not surprising I guess!! It was 30 degrees too which is exhausting in itself. Having said that she slept the entire way there and most of the afternoon on my mum's lap under the shade of a tree. Was really nice to see her outside getting some fresh air in a relaxed environment.

Couldn't express while I was there tho so my boobs felt ready to explode by the time we got home - but of course had to feed DD1 and get her into bed and settle DD2 as well before I could tend to them - that's the downside of expressing, finding the time and space to do it!!

Loucee - As long as they are not damaged in any way (look for scratches in particular) they should be ok.

Beckle - amazing story, look forward to seeing you hear!

Well trip to PILs was good, FIL was fine with me bfing, apart from wittering on telling us things he has already told us umpteen times before.
Had hairy trip over to dss's mum's, travelled from Rochdale(where ILs live) to Rotherham (where dss lives), decided to avoid the M62 as it would be chocka on a Friday afternoon so went over the tops, rain soon turned to snow making driving conditions rather treacherous! What should have been an hour long trip, ended up taking over an hour and a half. Got to dss's mum's in one piece, she was fine with us being late, and wanted to go out and find the snow . DS got cooed over by dss's mum and had pix taken then we changed and fed him there and then. Luckily she has restricted smoking to only one part of the house (I'm paranoid about fag smoke).
Felt a bit depressed again last night, ds was doing his cluster feeding again and I was struggling to get comfy he was getting frustrated. Got to express more today so I get a break.
Anyway, the weekend is here - though I guess that's fairly meaningless except to you ladies whose dps went back to work last week! Speaking of which, how do you think your first week without your dps have gone? Has it been harder or easier than you thought it would be?
Ooh - pissed off at my dad, he was supposed to be coming over to visit 1st weekend in February, however can't coz his sister-in-law is still with him and SM (Fair enough, that was booked ages ago) but he is now not coming over until end of Feb!! Reason being is that is when the flights from Spain is cheapest. What pisses me off is he brings over loads of fags for sm's family which will pay for his & SM's flight, so even if he went at more expensive time it still wouldn't cost us that much. And though he is not rich he is not exactly poor! I can't help think he is putting money before seeing his only grandchild

I meant cost HIM not US!

Buzzy - 30deg!!! Have to admit (despite my Spanish ancestry) I don't care for the heat. Glad you had a nice time. IKWYM re: expressing, bfing is much less a problem in front of other people than getting turned into a milking machine lol

thanks ambi I ahve the royce bra, but didn't know it came in black. I think i may just order myself a regular underwired bra for nights out. Breasts are comedy- now here is no bump to minimise them i do feel like a walking pair of tits. I can now do up my winter coat around the waist, but no the chst. DH, needless to say is loving it, but confesses to breast envy as millie's needs come first.

hey buzzy- i was given a buzzybee by my NZ best mate- i now know why the monicker!

millie's colic pretty bad have now moved onto gripe water although she is only 3 weeks old she is 4.5kg so i reckon it is worth a go if it works. She was such a happy little baby, now she is mostly unhappy when awake. not good. the thought of this lasting until she is 12 weeks old.

Congratulations NEURO and BECKLE!

Caz10 - posted a reply on your BF thread - the pain in my left breast has returned despite a course of antibiotics.

I know this might sound awful, but I really do HATE bf and am surprised with myself for carrying on this long...

Suey2 - I really feel for you with your dd having colic. Our dd1 had colic real bad for the first 3 mnths too and it was a nightmare...just hold on to the fact that this will pass.

Hi everyone

im having my first hard day since mathilda was born

she hasnt really napped today and seems to want to be latched on permanently

and putting her down awake and allowing her to settle herself to sleep seems to now be impossible.

this is normal right? its day 9 today

Melly ? we?re expressing when I have chance and using the avent bottles ? not like a nipple at all but neither ds?s have had a problem with them

Ambi ? I?m another one would leaks all the time, its costing me a fortune in pads ? tried washable ones but they get so wet they make my top wet!

Congrats beckle and neuro!

Who said they had the calin bleu sling? Mine arrived in post today (am determined to find a sling that works for us!) any top tips?

pecka sorry to hear you're having a bad day, Toby is 4 wks old and no matter how much I persist with putting him down awake he never settles himself - its getting a little harder now is a bit more alert so it sounds normal to me

clairey - about a routine - we're on baby whisperer EASY and Toby seems to be able to go 3 hours ish between feeds but times vary, he already has a little bedtime routine but when he eventually settles depends on his wind/colic

Suey at buzzybee! Had one for DD1 but no idea where it got too. They're pretty iconic in NZ.

Sounds like feeding maniacally in week 2/3 is normal, thanks for that reassurance. Will just keep on producing and hope it eases off a bit soon! Had a better night last night sleep-wise 3-3-2=8 hours in total. I guess after a while you get used to never having more than 3 hours at a stretch

Pecka - I have days like this too!
Suey - sorry to hear about Millie's colic, I think Daniel might have it as well, gets such bad wind and just screams and contorts, do you find it worse in the evening? Going to get some infacol in the morning.

hi, thanks for responses on teats.

buzzy - Kaesha def. varies with her feeding, some days she does long feeds and other days just wants to have short snacks.

Been out to pub this afternoon with my mate who has a 3 week old, we sat and bf side by side in public for the first time and it was fine! i had been so nervous about it, felt great to do something so ordinary and spend time as two couples that have babies, was a good change from the feeding/changing/napping that has dominated our lives the last 4 weeks, did us the world of good, must remember how imp. it is to get out and about esp. when my partner goes back to work on mon.

hi

Melly, it's a liberating feeling doing something so normal in our old lives like going out to the pub for lunch but now with baby. I was more uptight when I had DD maybe due to feeling out of my depth and unsure of a lot of things but this time round I feel much more comfortable bfing in public etc.

Buzzy - DS is 3 wks tomorrow and he's been feeding a lot this wk. He has spells of 3 hours between feeds but last night he seemed to wake every 1.5 hours from 2am.

Yay, my cs wound is much better now, albeit feels a little uncomfortable I can't describe how. Dr wants to see me on Wed when the ABs finish so I'll ask him about it then.

Anyone know when you can go swimming after a CS? Not for exercise but DD loves her Monday toddler swim which just requires me to bounce around with her in the water.

Sorry to hear of babies with colic, am I right in thinking it can start at any time? DD used to cry for a couple of hours in the evening and the only thing to calm her would be walking up and down stairs whilst holding her on our chest.

I MUST get to bed, it's hard tearing myself from the lovely foot rub DH is giving me and watching Shallow Hal - I know I'll regret it tomorrow when I'm sooooo tired though!

Loucee - glad to hear the abs are working.
of your foot rub!
Melly - yep it is important to do the things you did before baby came along, glad to hear you had a good time down the pub!

Hello, i'm Had 2nd bout of mastitis this weekend, only just recovering today..I don't think the first one (2weeks ago) ever went fully as it came back with a vengeance on fri eve luckily i got ab's over the phone from emergency doc and 'script faxed through to nearest asda within 30 mins (god bless the nhs for once!) However I'm now struggling with milk supply issues as ds has had more formula top-ups as feeding was so painful on left side and the fever was making me so weak i couldn't hold him, boob is still the colour of the angry emoticon now. I won't bore you with all the details here but starting a thread to get some help about increasing supply. I don't want to stop feeding, i'll do anything to get it back

On that note, be careful Amani - go and get it sorted sooner rather than later, it makes feeding awful so i know why you're feeling that way but when sorted it'll all be worth it

Buzzy, thanks for your continued support over ds's kidney, i'll let you know what happens at the apt and may have some Q's for your friend. I phoned hospital and they had forgotten us Woman is chasing it up, lucky it wasn't urgent condition....

Massive congratulations Neuro and Beckle!!
Is that everyone over from dec's ante natal thread now?

Sorry to hear about your mastitis flare up Lizzer. Hope it sorts itself soon.

congrats neuro and beckle

BT re colic- millie seems to vary re what time of day. She has been much better today- i have really bullied her into taking more food at once and am winding her much more during and after a feed- haven't used the gripe water since yesterday. But i do understadn that for many babies it is the same time each day.

Hi everyone. New on here so hope you don't mind me joining late.

DD born on 9th December (due date 3rd Dec). We're at 6 weeks now. Not had a particularly easy time since the birth (although it's hard to admit). Generally, when DD's awake she is crying. Health Visitor says it's colic and we've tried so many formulas (currently on colief) but none seem to settle her. She does calm down on the dummy but it's hard work keeping it in her mouth!!

She's sleeping through the night now though - generally from about 10pm/11pm to 6am/7am. So proud of her! I just wish there was more we could do to make her happy when she's awake.

Anyone else suffering the same?

Oh no dd3 has slept all day...hope she is xcoming down with anything...mind you dd2 is full of beans but dd1 is in bed feeling sick (I am hoping it is not the novo virus). When she is not asleep dd3 is so smiley...it is so sweet.

Hi all! nice to hear everyone's news, and glad i am not the only one struggling!! DD quiet just now as she is feeding...again...wizzska your comment re feeling like a dried out rag really struck home with me!

clairybee we were getting into quite a good routine, not at all imposed by us i have to say....about a week or so ago everything was going pretty well...we started putting DD down through in our room after her 7pm ish feed (which came after a bath), lights off etc, it seemed to really settle her. So the day kind of went

Bath 7pm-ish
(in fact ALL times are "ish" so will stop typing it!)
Feed 7.30-8.30
Sleep...wait for it...8.30 - 1.30!!
Feed, change, settle, pace the floor etc until about 3.30am
Sleep 3.30 - 6ish
Feed 6 - 7, then a good sleep till 10ish. She seems oddly the most settled at this time. And if I manage to drag myself out of bed by about 8ish, it's a lovely time to get a shower, tidy up, feel a bit human etc, other days just a great excuse to sleep till 10!

During the day no set routine but generally feeding every 3hrs (altho it still takes an hour each time, are you guys finding it the same?) and content-ish in-between

HOWEVER it all seems to have gone tits up now! I had very bad nipple damage from poor latch on one side, but a bfc had come out to see me, seemed to be improving and healing up. Then i started getting a really bad burning pain between feeds which they reckon is probably thrush which can happen after nipple damage. Then saw BFC again - turns out my latch is STILL crap, so demoralised after tring so hard. NOW don't know if it's because I'm trying to improve my positioning or what, but DD is more or less refusing to latch on, can take up to 45 mins to get her started on a feed

To top it all off, she has now lost a bit of weight, HV wants me to feed her every 2hrs, so I am having to waker her all the time, which is of course screwing up the "routine" we had started!! !!

HV drives me potty anyway, she never undresses DD to weigh her so i am dubious of it's accuracy anyway.

BF really getting me down, and all the advice is so contradictory.

aaaaaaargh moan moan and now she;s crying! just as well she is cute!