Sept 08 - newborns, milk, nappies and all the rest ....

[Sassafrass]

Hope noone minds me starting our post natal thread now that the babies are arriving so quickly.

Arrivals!
28-May - Johnworf ? Katherine, 1lb 8oz
30-June ? KashaSarrasin ? Felix, 1.39kg
26-July - Jenbot - DD, 3lb 6oz
11-Aug - Crabby - Lilah 2.34kg
13-Aug - Sassafrass - Katie Rose, 7lb 2oz
20-Aug - Sunshinemummy - Effy Marilyn, 6lb 3oz
22-Aug - Talia1 - Anna, 6lb 2oz
26-Aug - Jenpet - Samuel, 3.166 kilos (about 6lb10oz?)
28-Aug - Potxola - Lorea, 7lb 6oz
31-Aug - Digitalgirl - Alfredo, 7lbs
1-Sept - Debithescot - Andrew, 8lb 10oz

had a slightly better sleep last night, through the feed-to-sleep-with-moses-basket-on-the-bed technique. i think i got 2 lots of a little under 2 hours and 1 lot of 1 hour, which is a vast improvement on previous nights. i'd be interested to hear how much the rest of you who are having sleep issues are averaging...

teddy is still having issues filling his nappies (lots of wet ones, but no poo for2.5 days), but i'm hoping that things will pick up now that the feeding is improving - he seems to cluster feed in the morning/early afternoon rather than the evening

hopefully re sleep - I try & put Samuel to bed between 7 & 7.30pm, in his cot. Then I wake him up if he doesn't wake first at about 10pm, and give him a really good feed - I try & do half an hour on each side (but he is often too sleepy & ends up with about half that) then I go to bed and hope!! Usually we get through til about 2.30am ish and he takes a little feed with just a nightlight on, then he will sleep for a couple more hours, another feed, then usually we get up between 7 & 8am. He is in his own room in his cot, but I have a bed in there with him, it's not ideal, but it's not bad. I remember with DS1 having a little notepad and trying to mark down how many hours sleep I'd had every night in half hour blocks usually. I'm hoping as his tummy gets bigger he will go for longer each night. Often he takes very little when he does wake up, but he still wakes up. Also, he was very snuffly last night (probably DS1 bringing germs home from school) and his snuffling kept me awake too...

Eandz Just want to reassure you re the weight loss thing. I know you have a lot to lose, but that just means it will come off quicker, especially at the beginning! After DD I had 3 stone to lose and I didn't start trying until she was 5 months, then I just cut out unhealthy snacks and did it through breastfeeding, walking with the pram and healthy eating. I managed to get all but half a stone off by the time I got pregnant with DS (5 months) and the other half stone dropped off during the first 3 months. I too had an emergency c section. My point is you might have to wait a little but once you can start it WILL come off and the breastfeeding will use up lots of calories too. I've actually put ON a few pounds since the birth - we are eating rather too well with the in-laws staying plus I have lots of chocolate cravings which I'm giving in to. I think it's lack of sleep - must need the energy!

Last night we had a better night with Dougie - he fell asleep around 1 for 2.5 hours and actually settled himself when we put him down still awake. He then slept again from 5 till 9 so we feel a bit less dead this morning! HV came and did the hearing test - all fine so that's good to know. He won't get weighed til Sunday so I don't know yet if he's regained his birth weight but the jaundice is clearing and his poos are now bright yellow so that's better!

Thanks everyone for your suggestions re the PIL, and foxy for the link to the breastfed granchildren thing! We had a chat this morning about the inpredictability of a breastfed newborn, and how she needs to be near me pretty much all the time until we establish a feeding routine. I think they have a better grasp of this now, and we also talked about how the evenings are very difficult for us and it is best if we try to do anything social during the day instead. I have also made an effort to adjust perceptions by making sure I am in nightwear when they come over. I think it was a mistake to make the effort be up and dressed when they first arrived, as they probably thought it was life as normal - which it SO is not! I do think they are a bit disappointed they she is always either asleep or feeding, but hey, that's a 2 week old baby for you! They have now gone to Sainsbury's with a big list which is great.

starlight thanks for the list, it does help keep things in perspective for me atleast.

foxy you may have mentioned that you guys were following suit in dec...it's just that i'm getting confused about everything/everyone all the time these days.

jearund
thanks for that, your post makes me feel a thousand times better. i cut out the excess sugar/starch/buttery stuff right after the birth. i'm gonna see what other bad stuff i can cut out as i go along. i just can't wait to start running again though.

Just thinking about weight loss etc - is it just me or is anyone else craving puddings and chocolate etc?? I'm usually a take-it-or-leave-it type, but all I can think of is bread & butter pudding, sponge puddings, anything!!

OMG, i have literally been feeding all day. he's had a total of an hour off the breast, split into 3 lots of 20 mins, since 8am! Someone reassure me that this is normal!! Have been swapping sides around every 40 mins...

jenpet i have been craving (and eating) ice cream, brie and rice pudding.

Is anyone else well and truly fed up of wearing sanitary pads by now? I know bleeding can last 'til 6 weeks (i had DD 3 weeks ago) but I can't bear wearing pants 24/7 .

Weight loss: I think that I must have the most to lose of anyone. I have spent the last four months practically unable to walk, and the last two months in a wheelchair. This has been horrendous for my weight and fitness, and now I have a c-section to recover from, plus instructions from the physio to stay in bed until she approves a post-SPD recovery plan. I have 25 kg to lose (4 stone) and can't even take the buggy for a walk yet.

On the plus side, at least I can breastfeed which will help, and I really feel positive about getting over the SPD and walking small distances again soon. Also I just hopped on the scales and I have lost 2.5 kg in the last week..??! How did that happen?

Great to read encouraging stories too (thanks jearund ). Not quite ready to start being sensible with the food yet though - maybe next week? I was so missing french cheese and real carbonara etc that DH has been spoiling me. Plus it was my birthday 6 days after the birth, so we ordered in a gourmet feast of foie gras, lobster thermidor, and chocolate truffles !! So if I've lost 2.5 kg despite that meal, how much will come off once I eat sensibly?

I am very pleased to hear it meglet (I've just had a huge slice of ginger cake since the last post!)
hopefully it will settle down soon, you must be exhausted. He is taking what he needs right now...

Just realised that last post makes it sound like I am a real pig!

I do love to eat well, but pre-PG this was balanced by plenty of healthy outdoor exercise: lots of hill walking and horse riding. I guess I now need to find a new balance to these things, based on what I can realistically do. No horsies for a long time, I'll bet, and I suppose I won't be allowed to use my cross trainer either, because of the uneven hips thing. I am seeing the physio on Monday so will just have to wait and see what she says.

I have to lose 3-4 stone and dp said if I can stick at it he will pay for the dress I want for his work xmas do, All I want to eat is chocolate and crisps and I haven't had either since I left the hospital! I am V proud of myself.
I have got a gym/fitness membership so I will be going to the gym and aquafit as soon as possiable at least twice a week and Eating very healthy for the next 3 months, whenever i have wanted to lose weight before I have given up stright away but I really feel motivated this time.

I got into my pre-preg clothes a week after having ds2, but my stomach is still flabby and needs to be tucked into my trousers - gross!

I stuck to quite a strict diet during the pg which is why I can fit in my old clothes now, but since having ds2 I have binged on cake, biscuits, stilton, and brie.

Infact, whilst pg I made a fantasy shopping list of all things I couldn't have at the time, then when ds2 arrived we bought everything on the list

I know this must stop, but I'm enjoying myself too much at the moment

foxy - it's Ryedale. What is your interest in Swaledale? We spend a bit of time over that way (walking) but more in Upper Wharfedale / Littondale.

starlight - yeah, I am not kidding myself by trying to target an 'ideal' weight either. Just an acceptable range and not unhealthy is the goal I have set. I actually used to weigh 8 st 7 when I was at uni. Who was that slip of a girl?

I'm eating lots of sugar and carbs too. Seem to be hungry constantly. I don't care though, for the next 5 or 6 months I'll eat what I want and then try to cut down when the bf cuts down as ds2 starts eating food.

Having a major dilemma today. We really want to move back to Scotland but there aren't many jobs there suitable for dh. He has just been offered one but the salary is a reasonable amount less than he's earning now and we don't know if we can afford it. We don't know if another job is likely to come up anytime soon so this could be our only chance for a long time. We don't know what to do.

i think the last time i weighed less than 9st i was about 14... just stood on scales and i've got 2st 2lb to be back at pre preg weight, but tbh i could have done with being a bit slimmer then (10st 10lb at 5'6'').

i think my boob may fall off. am contemplating trying expressing and giving a bottle, as i literally have not been able to leave the bed due to his slow feeding today or yesterday, and can feel myself seizing up - tried breast compression, but can't really get my hand round my enormous post-preg boobs (34F at least, I reckon).

hello all, can I please join you, had a beautiful baby boy on 18th weiging 7lbs 7 onces called Oliver. Two dds are spoiling him rotten we are all completlet thrilled to have a boy in our family.

Had c section in end but went fab then I picked up impetigo and have got that on my face plus a water infection which really hurts as well as a new born getting over a c section and trying to breast feed. Busy days but all good fun and worth every minute.

Hope u are all well and getting to know ur new little ones will try to read back over this thread. Congrats to all of u who have had ur babies and I have missed

moan alert. I am just feeling so blue at the moment. Teddy still hasn't gone down for a nap of more than 10 minutes today (since getting up at 8) and hasn't been off the breast for more than 30 mins at any one time.

I am in such bad pain that it reduces me to tears at least once a day - the nappy rash type thing I have developed is absolute agony, like a million stabbing pains everywhere covered by maternity pad (well worth the effort of getting Natracare chemical free jobbies ).

I cannot even stop feeding long enough to get dressed, never mind actually do something like get downstairs and watch tv while I feed, as every time I move Teddy wakes and wants feeding again.

I'm now worried that he is overtired, as he has started fussing on the breast, pulling off and latching on again.

I really don't know how to solve any of these problems, and am feeling that rather than things improving day by day, they are getting worse.

I am even contemplating formula, just so I can guarantee that he is getting enough feed to enable him to sleep for a few hours, as I just don't see how we're going to progress otherwise.

oh, and no poo for 3 days and counting, so I am really beginning to think that he is not getting everything he needs from the breast at the moment.

hey all and congrats to kel.

Alfredo fed till 12:30 last night then again at 2:30 then 3:30 then 5:30 then 7:30. But I'm getting the hang of swapping sides in bed so it's not so much effort. I just have to get him latched on then I can doze off again. Nipples are a bit sore in the morning though probably from poor latch, but they're not cracked.

There's not much routine to the day yet, although as long as I feed him before taking him out in the buggy I know I'll have at least a couple of hours before his next feed. At home he can demand it hourly.

Took him to get weighed today he's 7lbs 11oz which is spot on his growth curve (9th centile). Hooray, the feeding is working!