June 08 babies - I know there's a few of us about!

[isaidno]

Thought I'd start a thread inbetween breastfeeding, laundry and bossing DH about tyo do stuff!

Let's make a list of members!

ISAIDNO - baby girl; Poppy Elizabeth; born 18 / 6/ 08; 6lb 4oz

I've just spent an hour on the phone with the La Leche league - my GP told me to top up Fraser with formula due to low weight gain. I was really upset and cried at 3am last night because I want to breastfeed and we've a history of milk allergy in the family which means formula is not a good thing for us. However, the La Leche League lady was wonderful and confirmed that Fraser's weight gain is more than acceptable (he's gained 2lbs and 8 oz in two months) and that we can ignore the GP's comments. My lovely little boys are just meant to be small, and I don't think any amount of formula would change that!

Hello to SparklingSarah and Lin06.

whinegums - we've had to let Fraser cry it out a wee bit and it really helped him to learn to go to sleep. It's heartbreaking but when you know they're not hungry and they've had a nappy change, some kids need a bit of crying to release tension. We find it doesn't take Fraser much more than 5 minutes to settle and I can tell instantly if he's going to cry 'down' or cry 'up' (full fledged screamfest - when sleep's not on the cards).

Josie - glad you're home now and sorry you've had such a rough time of it!

deb - I love your night check ins. Don't worry - I'm with you! Fraser slept 830-1230, 1-3, 4-6 (in bed with us). The 3-4 stretch felt like forever as he normally feeds and goes back to sleep within 30 minutes.

penguinproject - I just saw your birth story - how horrible. You definitely deserve unlimited hugs and cups of tea after that experience!

PP So sorry to hear you had such an awful time. You really are doing the right thing by complaining, no one should go through what you did.

PP you must complain. If you don't then the same thing will happen to some other poor woman and no one should have to go through that.

I think that night mw's on post natal wards are an evil breed apart though. My onlu negative experience of mw's was the one on the ward the night after my ds1 was born. She couldn't give a crap, and basically told me it was up to me to deal with him (after 4 days without sleep) nice!

PP - I can't find your thread, help me out someone

Aberdeen - I am so pleased that I am not the only one experiencing a similar night to me!I had one of those 3-4am stretches the other night and I agree it was a killer. Why is it that they can go the 1st 4 hours and then no more long stretches? If you find an answer please keep me informed and I'll do the same.Ethan starts off in his cot, does the 4 hour bit, I feed him in the bedroom sitting up (i.e not in bed - in the hope that he'll take more) put him back in his cot(usually) but when he wakes the next time I take him into bed - it is so much easier! I'll think about you and Fraser when i'm up tonight!!

debs - will think of you too! I have no idea why my boys need so much food in the night but there's nothing I can do about it so I'm trying to just go with the flow. I tried everything with DS1 and nothing worked!

Hi all.
Deb and Aberdeen, Im with you on the night times too.
Isla goes into her cot next to the bed without me there fine at 7-8ish and generally sleeps for 4 hours (after a ff) then not too bad after the 11ish feed and 1/2ish feed, then does a very good wakey baby from 4ish. Not so good with DD getting up at 6ish. Ive been on Go since 4.30 this morn, knackered now
Asked MIL to pick DD up from nursery today as id already done the hour round trip in the morning and got drenched, they couldnt, was gutted!
Have decided tonight that a glass of wine needed to help me chill out a bit. It is helping, but as I type can hear Isla grumbling, about to kick off upstairs.
Went to HV today to get advice on mixed feeding. She was useless. Just kept saying go with what you think. Im looking for advice though! I really want to keep mainly BF, but have found I have literally zero milk at her bedtime. I dont want to mess up the supply, so was asking her for advice re expressing. Think I get more/better advice from you guys
Anyway, will try eat some dinner now before she starts....
Have a good night everyone!
When is it supposed to be it starts levelling out a bit?.......!

Debs did you find it?

PP - That midwife sounds dreadful, no wonder you are upset about it, you should look into complaining.

I have been feeling sorry for myself today, have awful piles, got some ointment from the doctor yesterday but ended up spending today lieing on my side on the sofa with a cold pack on my bum! Hope the ointment does the trick soon!

I also don't wear a bra to sleep, can't sleep with one on and wake up most nights in a massive wet patch. Good excuse to get DH to change LO at night, otherwise he and the change unit get covered in milk!

I was in M&S yesterday and the young checkout girl was having a look at J, asked me how old he was etc, then said "He's so tiny! He's a boy so I'm sure he will soon catch up." I just gave her a very bemused look, he is anything but tiny, came out big and has been putting on weight at a rate of knots, at 5 weeks he's not far off outgrowing his moses basket and pram and often wears 3-6 month clothes!

Fungle - apparently brewers yeast is good for supply, you can add it to orange juice.

Poppy be interested to hear what advice you get re: finishing with expressing. I've decided definitely to start cutting down - I just wont be able to look after S and express 6 times a day when DH goes back to work.

PP - you've done brilliantly to keep on BF. I know what you mean about 'coping', I'm a bit the same. It took me a while to write down my birth story on the ante-natal thread simply because I couldn't bear to think about it.

Re 6 week checks - can I ask who did yours/your baby? I'm sure I was told to make appt with doctor, but when I went to do that today had to really argue with the doctors receptionist who insisted that it should be with the practice nurse. I'm still under MW care as my undercarriage still hasn't repaired itself (my stitches came apart on day 4 and were removed, so my undercarriage is healing au natural ) and I wont be happy until a doctor has had a look.

ktpie - I wear a bravado bra to bed as it's very un-bra like and quite comfy. People have said similar comments about S being tiny - at just over 4 weeks he's 101b 5oz - not tiny at all!

PP, my heart goes out to you. I would def talk to the birth trauma association - I've heard good things about them. I was also v traumatised by the whole experience, but for different reasons. Planning to go and speak to the trauma counsellor at the hospital as I don't want it to come and back and bite me if I'm ever lucky enough to have another baby.

Btw, for all those who've had PND mentioned to them at their 6 week check, my HV said they don't do the PND questionnaire until 3 mths round here now cos the 6 wk check just picked up too many women - alot of whom were not depressed just bloody knackered! By 3 mths more of the tiredness has settled down and then they can more easily identify those who are actually depressed.

ktpie I meant that you spotted the thrush, not that you caught it! ifkwim!

Thanks again everyone - the support on this thread is amazing.

BDQ - My 8 week (not 6 here) is with both nurse and doctor.

Treating myself to an early night whilst DH looks after LO.

PP just read your post on the other thread. That MW's behaviour was disgusting - if you can bear to complain you should, if only so that someone else doesn't have the same experience. But it may also help you to get some 'closure'.
I had a CS and the MWs couldn't have been more helpful and didn't even suggest FF - they spent hours getting LO to BF properly - it doesn't have to be like your experience and you shouldn't stand for it. What a stupid bitch she was!

Thanks for the suggestions re getting Storm to settle. DH gave her a 'third eye' massage this evening after two and a half hours of feeding and she conked out in five mins! Sod's law she was on the sofa, wearing a reusable nappy (after trying for three hours upstairs) so now the sofa's going to get soaked and we can't go to bed. Arrrg!

Still haven't got the guts to let her cry it out aberdeen but am not far off trying. She woke four times in the night, which is most unusual so I am frazzled.

re the 6 week check, I had a check up with the Gynaecologist - an internal and smear test, but nothing else - no questions about anything else - just my bits. Ethan had a check up at the Drs and a hip scan at a specialist but there's no check up on me and how I'm coping, how I'm feeding Ethan , how he's sleeping etc... all those things they talk to you about in the UK. I am so glad that he's my 3rd and most of the time I feel like I know what I'm doing. I would feel so isolated if he was my 1st.

Good luck for tonight everyone, Ethan wasn't in bed until 10.30 so hoping to get 3 hours sleep now. Will be thinking of you Fungle and Aberdeen.

Hi all, Got the HV coming today to check I'm not suicidal after my at risk PND questionnaire. Great. Wish me luck - have been tidying since 6 so she doesn't think I'm on the edge!!

Debs et al, Jamie also does one 4 hour stretch and then only goes 2 hourly. Maybe its more common than we realise. What I find really annoying though is he will feed lots during the night and then wake up in the morning and not really be hungry - so my fab morning boobs are huge and he doesn't want them.

So, definitely post anyone who knows the answer!

Sebastian did a 6.5 hour stretch last night. Pity it was between 7.45pm and 2am.

That's great Sophie - 6.5 hours, I thought Ethan did really well with 5.5 hours - luckily for me though it was 10.30pm - 4.00am!!then 5.30, 6.30, 8.00, he's been awake since 8.00 and has just gone down in his cot for a morning nap - trying to get this established so that when the boys go back to school we'll get some time with no children to supervise to get work done!

It's our wedding anniversary today so we've had a lovely breakfast with croissants bought by ds1 fresh from the bakers. No chance of flowers so I've picked myself some roses from the garden. Busy day ferrying boys to tennis course then we're all off out for tea - no romantic meal for us as we have no babysitters staying at the moment! But at least I'm not cooking.

Have a good day everyone, I am feeling very good this morning after a decent night's sleep.

Hope the hv visit goes well Amber - don't have it too tidy or she'll think you're getting obsessional or putting housework before baby!!

Sybil - hope Jamie goes more than 4 hours tonight for you.

Morning all, its my first day home alone with S! Was planning to go to the local parent/baby group; typically its pouring down with rain and S has just dropped off for a nap. Tempted to stay indoors where its nice and dry and catch up on some housework (ironing!) while he's asleep. However, best to get out and about even if it is raining I think. Christ knows what I'm going to wear - not a single one of my jackets fit me at the mo (and I have a sizeable collection of jackets) apart from my maternity jacket. Suspect pushing pram and holding brolly wont be easy. Tempted to take the car but it is only 10 mins walk...

Amber hope your visit goes ok. Dont stress about the housework too much.

5gomad - so inconsiderate of Sebastian not to have his 6.5 hour stretch during the night . S went from 7pm to 3 am without a feed the other night. He'd fallen asleep at 10pm and wouldnt wake for a feed. Over the last couple of nights he's started taking a lot less at his 3am feed, so maybe he's thinking about dropping it [wishful thinking]

sybil - can you express in the morning so dad can take a turn at the middle of the night feeding?

Deb hope you have a nice anniversary! Mine is coming up soon too, but if I dont get flowers there will be trouble with a capital T! Am still tormenting DH about his complete failure to get me flowers when I provided his son and heir He got me a beautiful necklace, but with the unexpected stay in hospital etc, he kept forgetting to order flowers. When he told me that he was going to get some (over a week after S was born) I pointed out that the moment had passed and it kind of spoiled the effect if someone told you they were going to order flowers for you.

Crikey, the rain's getting worse. Grrrr.

Sod it, I'm taking the car... Have a good day everyone.

GF - 2 1/2 hours of feeding - Wow! Re: CC, I have accidentially let R "cry it out" twice. On both occasions we were leaving the house and I just had to leave him to cry while I got everything we needed and locked up. The first time he fell asleep and although I felt guilty it was a relief. Yesterday however was awful, he'd stopped crying but wouldn't look at me. I think most of this was my own paranoia, but he seemed sulky. When I got a smile about ten mins later I was over the moon!

Amber - Stop clearing up! Ask for a cleaner to be prescribed on the NHS! Wouldn't that be great?

Deb - Happy Wedding Anniversary - how long have you been married?

Sorry Sybil - can't help, like his Dad, R never tires of the boobs.

BDQ - Enjoy your day. I dreaded DH going back to work, bt real;y enjoyed the first day just me and R. I didn't leave the house by myself during the day until Thursday that week though so v impressed at you! I'd have chosen my maternity clothes more carefully if I knew I'd still be wearing them now...

When R was born, DH gave me a necklace and matching earrings. He also bought a lovely bouquet, but left it at home (he showed me a photo on his mobile). By the time I got home 5 days later it was rather wilted. However bringing the flowers into hosp would have been an admission of defeat for us both - I was going to get out of there!!!

Just a quick hello to get it in 'my threads'. Sorry not been about much but my message about friend got read and i felt i should stay away for a bit. Hope you're all ok, will try and catch up at some point.

LT x

Hi, not a bad night here either. Fraser went from 9pm (dream feed) until 3, and then from 3 to 7am. It was brilliant - except that from midnight he was in our bed and we don't want to co-sleep (but I was so tired that I gave in last night). Why wont he sleep in his own bed?

BDQ taking car completely correct decision!

Caitlin gets left to cry it out a lot, just because it often takes me a while to get to her when ds is around and by then she's gone to sleep ... I had just her yesterday and it was much more difficult because I kept going to her when she cried!

We had to do full-on cry it out with Liam when he was 8 months old because he fed every couple of hours through the night till then. Everyone said 'well he's a big boy and takes a lot of feeding', but I think after the first few months he was just in the habit of feeding himself back to sleep on me and had to learn to get back to sleep on his own at the end of a sleep cycle. It had him sleeping through in days, and we were all happier. Obv. I wouldn't use it to force a baby the age of our current lot to sleep through the night, but I do think it's good if they can learn they don't need us to fall asleep. V. hard to do though!!

Fungle how do you know you have zero milk at bedtime? I thought the same for a while as Caitlin feeds constantly in the evening and my boobs feel like deflated inner tubes, but when I really paid attention she was still drinking and milk was still coming out.

Afternoon all.

Happy Anniversary Debs - hope you have a wonderful tea out with your boys later on.

My PIL have taken my toddler to the zoo today as his cousin is visiting so it's just me and Emma which is absolutely bliss, except that I feel slightly guilty about being on here when I should be doing some housework - but I'm sure it will wait for me!

I'm quite lucky because my MIL is pretty reasonable the only problems we have are over food as she likes to feed my toddler lots of biscuits and juice. I don't mind him having stuff as a treat now and again but she's a bit over the top with the treats. So much so that he was a bit sick yesterday afternoon and I am sure it was just that he had a bellyful of juice, cereal bars, youghurt coated biscuits( yeucccch) and who knows what else. Plus while i was in hospital at the weekend my dh discovered that she had been in the habit of giving him a biscuit before his morning milk and breakfast . It's difficult as she has been wonderful with looking after him while I work so I don't want to fall out with her but I just wish she would tone down the treats a bit and give him a piece of toast or some fruit if he needs a snack and save the biscuits/junk for when he's out and about and it's easier.

I think I am finally on the mend as the bleeding seems to be easing off now, the surgeon said that it should stop within a week of them doing the operation but having bled for the last 6 weeks it was hard to believe that it might actually stop this time round so fingers crossed!

I've just had the HV phone to cancel Emma's 6 week check for the second time - I'm beginning to get paranoid that she doesn't want to see us

Must make the most of this sunshine and get off the computer and go and do something outside.

Hello to the newbies too- it's nice to have people still joining us.

Penguin - you should be able to get your notes by putting in a written request to the hospital as we are thinking about doing this as the care I received was very poor.