July 2023 babies

[Summermeadowflowers]

Hello everyone! So this is a continuation of the pregnancy thread(s) as we’re almost full.

DD was born by elective section on July 18th. Her older brother was born following an emergency section after a failed induction in December 2020 and I didn’t want to go through that again! It was a lovely chilled experience and I was a bit nervous waiting but felt like I was in good hands. I was also home the next day.

Feeding has been tricky for us. I really wanted to breastfeed but as with DS, DD hasn’t taken easily to it and struggles to latch. Nipple shields help to an extent although are not a cure all but she doesn’t get much milk and ends up frustrated anyway. I’ve mostly been expressing for her but realistically don’t know how long I can keep it up. It’s a shame as I do really want to breastfeed but it isn’t happening!

Oh and my wound is infected … lovely!

How is everyone else?

I’ve bled quite a lot but it has mostly stopped now. I am feeling more like myself now apart from exhaustion! Scar isn’t hurting, bleeding has stopped. My appetite is still very poor though.

Had DS and DD today, but so much easier with DH in the office.

Breastfeeding still isn’t happening here and I think I’ve given up now. I’m a bit annoyed - in fact I’m really annoyed but appreciate I’m overreacting - we ordered a breast pump to rent, a hospital grade one, and the delivery is rubbish. They’ve gone to the wrong address and then send emails that it was unable to be delivered but you can’t add instructions for delivery. I just really hoped I’d have it today as pumping for three hours overnight is killing me.

Hi all.

Arthur has been prescribed infant gaviscon today by the GP and I've been told to give him one sachet up to 6 times a day. I'm anxious about doing this due to constipation risk, but will try it.

I struggle with expressing, so mixing it with expressed milk will be quite tricky as I only express for one bottle a day as I find it so much faff and don't get much each time.

It says to mix the sachet with 5ml cooled boiled water to form a paste and then another 10ml cooled boiled water and to give it to him from a spoon.

I 'sterilised' a medicine spoon in boiling water and then made the gaviscon up as per the instructions. It was quite runny, but I then used the medicine spoon to give it to Arthur, it was about 3 5ml spoonfuls, he took it well before I then latched him on. I'm now worrying. Can babies his age (7 weeks tomorrow) have cooled boiled water?!? Should I have done that with my milk? I don't want to make him more ill. And should I be sterilising the container that I mix it in? I mixed it in one of our little bowls that we use for sauces, but it wasn't sterilised. And do you let the water cool down in the kettle? I poured it into a pyrex jug and when it was still warm, but not boiling, spooned out the water.

Sorry for what are probably silly questions, I just worry about making him worse by doing it wrong!

Just got our first couple of proper, non windy smiles tonight at 4 weeks and a day. Makes all the hard moments worth it! ❤️

It sounds as if you’re doing everything right @AnxiousAnnie94 but do call your GP to check. DS had Gaviscon - thus far DD hasn’t been a refluxy baby which I am grateful for!

I am attached to a pump, but it is a double so I am able to reduce the time spent expressing, which is good. I’m not certain but I’m wondering if my periods are back as I had a tiny bit of bleeding this morning? DD is only just a month old and I’m breastfeeding (of sorts - you know what I mean!) but I think I have a bit of a cramp. I’m gutted if so!

Also had some lovely smiles this week @rach971 ! Baby had dimples which are doubly adorable. 5 weeks old today. Mostly he smiles when he sees my boobs… 😅

After saying the smiles make all the hard moments worth it, I've had an awful few hours through the night 😂😫

She wouldn't sleep, which was fine at first because she was really content for about 20 minutes just kicking around, until all hell broke loose... She just started getting really grouchy and upset. Wouldn't settle no matter what I tried. Even after her bottles she wouldn't settle and sleep. She'd just cry and thrash around. I ended up crying too and partner woke up and took her 🙈 She settles on his chest sometimes but I can't lie on my back with her like he does, I find it far too uncomfortable. She eventually went to sleep on him but even then she'd stir quite a bit. Now he's out at work all day, I've got bottles to wash, sterilise, I can't even eat lunch usually without holding her. Plus she goes from asleep, to stirring, to full on screaming the place down for a bottle in all of about two minutes so it gives me no chance to get the bottle ready before she's hysterical. Also my 8 year old is off school for the summer so I have her here slamming doors when Tilly cries and coming into the room saying 'Tilly will you just shut up!'. Thank god partner has two weeks off work after today because I'm going mad.

Rant over! 🙈

Sorry to hear of your struggles @rach971

I like to think gaviscon is helping a bit (maybe). I had a much more content little boy yesterday, he slept so much, so much so I was worried because he wasn't awake and crying and he didn't wake himself up in his day time naps with tummy pain. He went 4 hours between his bedtime feed and his next feed which was amazing (and then every hour after that...)
But today, when he's awake, his tummy is clearly sore again as he keeps crying out in pain and arching his back. So I don't know. He seems easier to settle, maybe.

We are going out for a meal later, the first time I gave dared take him anywhere that involves me needing to sit down near others. I am so anxious. I know he is going to cry, he won't stay in his buggy if we stop pushing it, a gentle rock doesn't fool him. What do I do if he's crying and I can't settle him quickly? I am so worried about what others eating their food around us are going to think. I can picture the disgusted looks already.

Also, do not feel comfortable breastfeeding in public so am going to take a bottle of expressed milk with us. I've never done this before, so anxious about keeping the milk safe and not poisoning DS too! I know they say 4 hours out of the fridge is fine, but it's a hot day, so think I will put a cool pack in the bottle bag, but then it will be too cold for him. The struggles!

One more thing. To anyone breastfeeding, have you had an alcoholic drink? I haven't dared yet, but think I deserve one 🤣 but don't want to make DS drunk when he goes on the boob, there's so much conflicting advice online...

@habiller only just seen your post, we must have been typing at the same time. Thanks for thinking of us :)

We’ve had a complete change over the last 3 or 4 days. DC2 has suddenly started doing 5 or 6 hours at the start of the night followed by another 3 or 4 afterwards. Which don’t get me wrong is lovely. But. Will now only nap for 15 or 20 minutes at a time multiple times a day, requiring a lot of effort to achieve each 15 or 20 minutes. Not ideal when you are also trying to entertain a 3 yo. Trying to persuade him a 3rd buggy board ride of the day is a good idea right now 🙃

Newborns. Naps or night sleep. Pick one only!

Top drinking tip @habiller ! The lactation consultant on our NCT class said it was fine to drink a glass of something. I have had the odd small glass of wine, small because I didn’t want to add drunken grogginess to general sleep deprivation grogginess. Wine tasted amazing after 9 months! 😂
Apparently beer can impede lactation so, y’know, stick to the hard stuff!

I’ve been to cafes and breastfed/bottle fed, no one bats an eyelid @AnxiousAnnie94 . As long as baby is fed they are more likely to be placed- try and feed them not long after ordering so they will be chill by the time your food arrives! I have had baby refusing my carefully expressed milk with a clear ‘No, I want it from the source’ look though… be prepared for that scenario 😂 Hope you have a lovely meal.

Well I bit the bullet and we went out for a meal and DS was so good! Of course there were times of crying and he DID NOT want to be in his pushchair, but we held him, we bounced him, I ate with one hand and he was so much more chilled than he is at home. He was just so alert looking around!
He took his bottle and drank 4oz which I gave him when we ordered and after a bit of crying when he had finished (which he always does) , he was calm whilst eating. I am so proud of him and of me for getting out.
I also had two Shandy's 😅🤣

Well done @AnxiousAnnie94 !

Brava, @AnxiousAnnie94 ! It’s such a boost to be able to do something normal, isn’t it?

That’s great @AnxiousAnnie94

i have broken DD and she won’t nap!

My dd is exactly the same! Usually a feed around 1am and then 4-5am and then awake from 7am ish. Has a nap in the afternoon but not for long lol. She's 7 weeks. Having the '6 week check' at the GP soon. Not entirely sure what to expect.

I feel your pain. We are still stuck on 30 minute naps max wether on boob or in pram/car seat/sling. It’s so frustrating and so much work!

Well done @AnxiousAnnie94 it really feels like an achievement when you get out with your LO doesn’t it :)
DD is on 2 hours of sleep before waking up for a feed through the night and I am so tired but annoyingly she will sleep 3/4 hours in the day ! My DH slept for 8hrs straight last night and is going away for work all day tomorrow so I’m green with envy and dreading a full day of both toddler and newborn alone :(
In addition to this I am particularly sad because my mother in law, who was amazing and my go to person for help and support passed away at the end of July after we nursed her in our home through the final stages of brain cancer. I really miss her especially as she would’ve been here in a heart beat to help with the children and I know we would’ve had some lovely days together while DH is away. I think the sadness and tiredness is getting to me a little this week

Sending lots of love @Loveteathebest. I am so sorry for your loss.