January 08 - shiny new-year babies!

[Naetha]

Thought I'd start this thread now as I think there's already a couple of people to go on it, and I know there'll be an awful lot more!!

Will update when I get a chance

has mrs mcjnr and ayshireloo had thier babies yet?

afternoon all.
well done toomany for thread for mm
well Marthabpassed hearing test today and hv just been and has no concerns other than her belly button which is sticking out in the middle, i have to take her to clinic next week if no better.
She also has eye drops for her sticky eye as still no better.
Am feeling little anxious at the mo as i have finally managed to make dp see the doc about mole he has had that looks quite nasty. He due home soon so fingers crossed it nothing to worry about! Although he said he has had it for year!
Well i am back in my pre pg jeans and am hoping to go out with few friends to pub on Thurs if i can express enough milk before then, i haven't started yet !
Nicky don't beat yourself up about it but worth posting on here for some bf advice before you give up.
well done on getting out Amani i spoke to hv about baby massage today so hope to do that on Thurs.
Glad everyone else seems ok

HV been and little miss now weighs 7lb 7Oz! Big fatty. lol

I've got MW on Thurs (for last time hopefully) and breastfeeding lady on Friday (she's bringing me a brest pump) does anyone know how I do it? Do I just put it on and away to go or do I have to do when LO is feeding the other one? etc?

Lilyloo - had to get out the house, am getting bored and so is dd1 - I've caught her few times trying to write on the walls and flooring - thank goodness for WD40 to get ri of crayon marks

lucky - how did you find your bfc?

LL - MW phoned her and gave her my number. Had no idea about them till she phoned lol.

Sorry I meant Susie! lol (would blame the pregnancy brain but i'm not allowed anymore so i'll just blame my normal brain!)

Can take a bit of practice Lucky. Don't be surprised if you only get an ounce or two to start with. It depends if Aliyah takes both breasts or not ?
I tend to do it in between feeds. HV said today to ty not to express too much in the first six weeks until supply established. Think this might explain why when did it loads with ds i was going through loads of breast pads and leaking everywhere. But still going to try so i can have couple hours out on Thurs.
Amani lucky dd hasn't done that yet but has been very highly strung and likes to tell me how to parent Martha i don't know how i would manage if she wasn't here to tell me what to do. Have lost count of number of times she has told me the baby is crying she obviously thinks i am deaf

LL - Thats really sweet of your DD.
Thanks for the tips. Aaliyah only seems to eat out of the left boob (mainly cos we couldn't establish her on the other one for nearly a week) was thinking I might just stick her with the left and express from the right to get the flow going?

that sounds good as sometimes it hard to get the let down when baby not near. Although they say if you look at baby or hear baby crying that can help although not too sure how conducive that is too being relaxed to express

LL - When ever Aaliyah cries the left boobs leaks like hell (another reason not to let her cry too long I spose) so maybe there is a little bit of truth in it?

Amani Mrsmc had a little boy but she hasn't been on yet with any details and lolo is bored on the due in Jan thread still waiting!

I used to get big let-down feeling when previous DDs cried - however, this time round I think I'm immune to the sound - though I get the tingling at weird times eg reading a soppy story in a magazine, or watching Torchwood.

DD slept for nearly 5 hours today - I had to wake her up to feed her - why couldn't she do that at night??!! Except that if she did I'd wake in a cold sweat after 4 hours and prod her to check she's OK...

Luckysalem - why not try starting her more often on the right one? Might up production a bit? I find the left easier than the right - perhaps it's cos I'm right handed and usually hold a baby with their head to my left? I much prefer it when it's that side's turn!

Am better at expressing now - I'd forgotten about the "slow sucks" - I was just pumping every second or so, forgot that when the milk starts to drip, pump and hold the handle in for a couple of secs, then you get quite a dribble when you let go, managed to get 2oz rather than my previous 1oz. I just want to express some so she can try a bottle now she's 1 month old - I had a friend who only BF for 4 onths and then her DS refused bottles, she could only feed him expressed milk by faffing about with cups - was v frustrating for her, as she wanted to go back to work part-time, and it was hard work for the childminder.

Hello all

We had our first trip out together (without DH) to the outside world today - went to the Babycafe in Keighley which was quite good fun if a bit intimidating for a first timer! Everyone was lovely though, and they loved Ben (having a hairy baby is such an ice-breaker at these events!)

Made a small breakthrough with the crying today - been using colief in expressed feeds, and although he still gets a bit of discomfort straight after the feed, he doesn't seem to have had the trapped wind as bad, although he had it terribly for 4 hours this morning Also going to try a bit of cranial osteopathy for him as there's a local baby specialist and the first session is free

My tips for expressing btw...when you get the let down in one boob, you usually get it in the other as well, so if you're not feeding at the same time as expressing, have a container to catch the drips from your other boob - I got half an oz this way tonight! Also when you've had your initial let-down and it's dried up, take the pump off and massage your boob from the outside towards the nipple - again, I've often got about another oz after doing this. I am lucky because I have let-down at the drop of a hat (praise the lord for breast pads!) but I guess it's just a case of fooling the boobs into thinking there's a baby there! I'm trying to build up a stash of BM, but Ben keeps on having really hungry evenings where I don't have enough milk for him (he will literally drain both boobs dry) and I've had to give 2-3oz that I've expressed earlier in the day. I'm guessing he's going to be a right porker at his next weigh-in!

DH is settling Ben tonight as we're on an expressed feed last thing (he takes more from a bottle - I think he just gets bored waiting for the let-downs after a while) and last night slept for 4 hours after 4oz EBM. Best of all it gives me a bit of a break though! Even still, should really go to bed!

Good night all xx

well went to clinic and she is tongue tied but have to wait a week before she can be seen - nightmare.

am using shields on one side and expressing from the other - such a faff and very painful still. BF counsellor at kings was lovely but not much to be done really.

Am still on the edge of the formula precipice.

As far as expressing goes its all about rythm 6 short sucks and the sucks of 2-3 seconds so that the milk starts to sqyuirt - am managing about 3-4 oz this way.

Charlie was weighed etc and has put on 7oz since she was born 10 days previously so i reckon thats fairly respectable ( plus she did lose weight in between times)

As far as pre preg clothes - i still have a stone before pre preg weight but i remind myself most of you are a few weeks ahead of me so not tobe to

Now on antibiotics fro vulval infection - so am now trying to avoid getting thrush!!!

motherhood what a joy !!

Hi Naetha - a quick tip re: Colief. I have been using it in expressed milk with Francesca and then the hv mentioned that it is OK just to put the drops on your boob instead ie. no need to mix it in the bottle. Seems to work ok and she can now get it every feed.

Will be interested to see how you go with the cranial osteopath. We're still getting a lot of discomfort after feeds and it seems wrong to be giving her colief and infacol all the time.

Morning all,
Am taking Aliya into work today. Actually feeling quite nervous about meeting everyone, not sure why, maybe because it's been over 3 months since I've last been in...

Only got 5 mins so just wanted to say hello! Hope you're all well and babies are sleeping peacefully!
We're fine - DS still yummy and DD still a delinquent! She is at nursery today so am enjoying the peace and quiet. Will pop back soon for a proper catch up x

HI girls.

I took Cerys into my work yesterday Amani, and it was really lovely actually - enjoyed showing her where Mummy works and my clerks were really lovely and welcoming. I didn't even get freaked out when they talked about the work that they are trying to line up for my return!

Cerys still hasn't poo'd - sorry if you are all becoming as bored as some of my family on this subject but it is now 7 days!!!!!!! Spoke to GP yesterday who said breast fed babies are a law unto themselves and put loads of fibre into me ad not to worry - if she still hasn't gone by the end of the week I can take her into the surgery and they'll check her out.

I am actually a stone and a half lighter than pre-pregnancy weight - but that is cos I was such a porker before. I still have jelly belly overhang, but have bought new jeans that are smaller than pre-preg ones!!! Not what I expected after pregnancy! Love breast feeding for that alone.
I only manage to express an ounce max breast feeding - whether at same time as cerys feeds from other or in between her feeds. Persevering tho'. As housemum says - do NOT want cerys to refuse a bottle later.

Good afternoon ladies. Sounds like your all doing well with your feeding George is going roughly 3 hours ish. Have had a couple of rough days with dh being a p*k. Had a massive row last night. I had a bath and lo was crying and crying and dh shouted at him to shut up so I got straight out and shouted at him and picked lo up who shut up straight away. All came out then that he was stressed/tired blah blah . Anyway the air is cleared now and things seem a bit better today.
Having a bit of trouble putting George down for any amount of time atm. He just wants to be cuddled ALL THE TIME. He can probably feel the tension in the air.
Should realy try with some sort of bed time routine too but then he wont sleep in his moses basket.
I know I should be expert at all this being baby number 5 but then every baby like every pregnancy is different.
Oh well sorry to be so moany.
Thanks for listening.

Excelent Barristermum. Brill isn't it?

Ooh Gingeme it's hard with a baby that won't go down isn't it! Poor you r/e dh hope things a bit better today tiredness is sooo hard on everyone!
Amani hope it goes well at work today!
Barristermum is Cerys happy in herself r/e the not pooing ?
Naetha glad the colief helping but second advice of dropping it on boob less hassle. Let us know how osteopath goes.
Have nice rest toomanyshoes , my dd at nursery tom and Fri !
Glad things ok rockdoctor and housemum !
Nicky sending you lot's of hugs had no experience of tongue tie but am sure feeding will be much easier when sorted am you have to wait week though! Well done on expressing that much!
All ok here Martha slept for 5 hours last night after being unsettled all day so at least not too tired!

Hi all knackered January ladies. just wondered if anyone has a current or previous LO that was a big un? Or have any experience with mixed feeding? The BF threads on here are quite scary as some people are so opinionated that you get shouted down for mixed feeding etc. And if so what kind of routine worked for you?

Aleksander was nearly 11 lb (more than average 8 week old according to chart apparently) and I am having a tough time feeding him - he feeds for an hour at a time and drains both my boobs so am "topping up" and feeling a bit guilty about it. If kept full he is happy enough but when i tried to go 24 hrs on just breast alone he got past himself with hunger and it was so upsetting.

He seems to take teat and boob OK at present but I am so worried about losing my supply or him starting to refuse one or t'other . However I had a conversation with a friend's wife who had a large baby and succesfully mixed fed for 5 months and continued morning and evening BFs after going back to work... I just didn't realise that was possible!

This morning I felt so drained I felt sick and shaky though I topped myself up with milk, biscuits and cake in the night, I have also expressed but can only get about half an once max out at a time...

Toomany shoes in case you don't get my email, will return TENS asap, a bit housebound after my section but will get hubby to post it at w/e if that's OK ... ta v much xxx

PS anyone else find it impossible to "switch off" from the baby when trying to grab naps???

Hi all

congrulations on such a healthy boy Angechica - no advice to offer but i've got a titch. Both sizes seem to have their problems. sounds like you're doing a great job. try counting down from 100 to sleep - wqorks for me to switch off.

gingene - sabela is wanting constant cuddles here too. Maybe the age [ie more wakeful now] not atmosphere. glad air is clerared

hello to everyone else - was going to do a big catch up but sabela wants cuddles again!

so jealous of you ladies in your pre-preg clothes!

Sorry Ange have never mixed fed but if you look it up on net am sure you will find it possible. My friend at work bf until her lo was 2 and she went back to work when he was 6 months so he had formula through day and she fed him when she was at home.
Agree finding it hard to switch off even when you are asleep i am sure it is only a light sleep as you are half listening out for lo!