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

Great that the link helped Ponymum. I used to live in Richmond and know the area well. My 2 best friends in England are Richmond gals though neither live there now.

i second the good night/bad night theory. Following a relatively good night yesterday, last night was hell. Teddy just fed and fed and fed, and the couple of times DP took him he just screeched - I think I got 3 hours sleep over the whole night, split into 2 chunks. He's now up and feeding again, with no signs of suffering from the lack of sleep. He's only had one long (3 hour) sleep and two sort (90 mins) sleeps over the past 24 hours, the rest of the time he's been on the breast, or dozing for a few minutes on my lap.

I've decided to phone a breastfeeding helpline today, as I'm increasingly thinking that even if I expressed and then fed him, it would still be quicker than the current situation of him just being on the breast all the time. Expressing is definitely my first port of call, am so determined not to give in and give him formula after such a short time.

HOpefully, is there anyone who can take him out in a sling or pushchair today sometime?

Have you done breast compressions?

Helpline is a great idea. NOthing like talking and possibly crying to a real person in teh shape of a breastfeeding counsellor.

Let us know when he poos.

Hugs to you Hopefully.

It's a good idea for you to speak to a bfc. My sis is a bfc for the NCT and she is full of helpful ideas, wisdom and reassurance. I probably would have given up bf both times if it wasn't for her. She's like a morale cheerleader I hope you get to speak to someone just as helpful.

DP managed to have him for nearly an hour, and he spent a few mins half asleep and muttering to himself in the moses basket. I have managed to wash and put clothes on! he is, of course, now back on the breast.

I tried the breast compression, but couldn't quite manage it - will talk to BFC about it when I phone and see if they can give me any tips. Re your other post - I will try swapping sides while he is still actively feeding. For some reason (I think due to MWs advising he could go a whole feed on one side) i keep trying to keep him on one side for as long as possible

Hopefully...im expressing atm as apparantly for some mums its more painful than actual breastfeeding. Have you tried the nips shields as i find that took the edge off abit when i was bf. ive also been slapping on loads of Lansinoh Nipple Cream on my nips before and after expressing which its fab. i need to order more! maybe a massive bulk of it!

OUCH my boobs are sooooooo sore and bigger now and it feels like a pair of bricks on front of me but i can managed.....just about!

Gotta go and express before my mate is coming in the next hour

Also i find its better to BF or express 10-15 mins on each boob. i think i be crippled on for 30 mins each.

(i failed miserably with my DD1 on the breast and was sobbing too....it was too much for me to bear the pain so i put her on the formula on day 2 but this time ive got better support and loads of info)

Do speak to your midwife as they are there to help you lots

hopefully - Have you tried giving Teddy a dummy? When I was in the hospital the Paediatrician said that after feeding for about 20mins on each side it's likely that the rest is self-soothing. This was for when I had colostrum, so don't take any notice of the 20min thing, but the point is that he was right, I gave Elizabeth a dummy after 40min and she never felt the need for more. When I see that she has stopped glugging and is just nibbling etc I take her off and give her the dummy, although now she tends to stop by herself.

A slept for a whole 3 hours last night from 4am! He was feeding and feeding - still glugging every few secs - so it occurred to me to see if I could manage to get up and lie down in bed with him still attached. It worked and then a few minutes later I slid him to the side and we both got some kip.

Could someone give me the real info I need on cosleeping? The HV etc have been simply reciting the NHS guidance recommending sleeping in a cot in my room and that cosleeping is not recommended if 'you are very tired', ie for anyone... I think I've seen you aren't supposed to get a duvet anywhere near them and ensure they can't fall out - anything else I need to know?

Also my nipples are sore after feeding for more than 30 min or so, and for the initial latch, but the rest of the feed feels nice. Is this normal or should I try the lanisoh cream or get more latching advice? Thing is half the time he latches perfectly (confirmed by midwives etc) so it's only the other times I might benefit from advice. Now to nap before my friend tells me off/A wakes up...

The midwives are wrong about keeping him on one side for as long as possible. he may suck from one breast for 5 mins over 30 mins but by switching sides he may suck 2 breasts for a total of 8 mins over 30 mins thereby stimulating both breasts over the same period of time. does that make sense?

please don't time feeds. look at your baby.

one handed typing...

Good day bad day here too...Frank was angel baby yesterday after a fantastic night's sleep. last night we tried to settle him too quickly and he fussed for over an hour with dp.

today, the midwife came round and did the heel prick test. since then, if he hasn't been feeding, i have not been able to take my finger out of his mouth - he is obsessed with suckling - is it for comfort after trauma of heel prick? i like finger suckling (baby saliva such an amazing smell!) but it is actually more disabling then feeding as both hands are busy.

so, i'm thinking dummies. they're sterilised and ready to go but i'm holding back...i'm scared of affecting his latch which is not bad. what do other people think - as latch is pretty good, could i try a dummy?

hopefully - want to reiterate importance of other people saying drink and eat - it can be hard to get enough when you're in bed. you should never be without a full glass of water and a carby snack - even just biscuits or sweets. hope thats not patronising!

Alfredo (3 weeks and 5 days) is also suffering from back-arching wind in the evenings. He won't be put down in the day now. Am thinking of getting a wrap sling as even the pram isn't working anymore - we went for a stroll round the park - usually guaranteed to make him sleep, but he hollered until I picked him up and promptly fell asleep on my shoulder (but woke everytime I tried to put him in the pram again). foxy what's the one you recommend?

Fed him constantly from 8pm to 2:30am last night. Breaking only when DH burped him and I scoffed my dinner down - and again when I got ready for bed. He sleeps when DH holds him, but wakes up and demands a feed as soon as he's handed back to me.

Then eventually after feeding/burping/crying/swapping boobs he eventually fell asleep and I could lie us down to co-sleep. Of course he woke again and latched on, but at least that time he didn't break latch to strain/archback/cry. He fed for 10 minutes every hour till 5:30. Then he slept for two hours till 7:30 when I fed him and handed him over to my mum so I could sleep for another couple of hours. Sigh.

Somehow, I don't feel knackered. But I would like some sort of routine to kick in so I know roughly what to expect each night. Apparently it all changes at 4 weeks. That's this Sunday - I shall let you know if that's true.

Hello all, I've graduated!
My very excellent chum made the announcement on the ante-natal thread last night, so I'll post that here and then add my thoughts!

3:30pmish - I arrive. Carrieon has been contracting with various chums and DH since about 6am. She carries on (no pun intended) for about another 1/2 hour before deciding that actually she wants to be in hospital because it's starting to hurt - she wants gas and air and frankly wants to be in the place she'll deliver sooner rather than later.

4:15 examined after several v painful contractions in hospital to discover that despite all prayers she is only 2 cm. She crumples. Me and DH crumple too. This could be a very long night. Carrieon well aware that 2cm is not official labour and therefore she should by rights be sent home. Beautiful midwife listens to her and takes note of the fact that DD was a fast labour and books her a room on antenatal. Only one birthpartner allowed. Becki's face falls. Midwife says that if I keep my gob shut she'll let me in! Promises of meptid gratefully received.

5:15ish Carrieon waddles round to antenatal. Contractions astonishingly painful if her agreeing to drugs anything to go by. She's still controlling it all with breathing and TENS and seems very very in control although she'll tell you that it wasn't in control in her head! Countdown to drugs still continues. Snacks required. Panic sets in when Haribo cannot be found. Haribo discovered just as new midwife comes in.

6:00 Midwife checks again (despite having said it would be another 4 hours for the next VE - turns out the first midwife could spot a fast labour when she saw one!) Carrieon now 7cm. She and I burst into tears and give thanks in a way never before seen.
6:10 Wheelchaired back to delivery much to the amusement of first midwife. First midwife and Second Midwife lay odds that baby will be out in the hour. Carrieon slips into something more comfortable (the pool and gas and air)
6:25 Fantastic controlled breathing becomes mooing. DH and I tell her to stop and continue breathing. Thankfully MW notices and asks nonchalantly "Are you pushing?" "Mooooooooooooo" says Carrieon, nodding.
She's sure her waters have broken (they hadn't) and gets into comfortable position. All G&A removed because MW feels that she's not concentrating hard enough!
6:37 Waters break as head starts to emerge. Carrieon total trooper and pushing for all she's worth.
6:45 Finlay Joel makes an entrance. Swims happily to the surface without any help (so as not to stimulate breathing before exiting the pool) Happy Carrieon. Happy DH. Tearful chum.

So my take on the whole thing...

It was SOOOOOOO painful!! I remember it being painful last time, but this was something else. I really never want to do it again! I had the two most wonderful birth partners (dh and my chum) who stopped me totally losing it on several occasions, and the most perfect midwife for me, who as chum said, could spot a fast labour when she saw one, and took the time to read my previous notes and believed that this one could be as quick (official time came in at 1hr 45mins).

There were two points where things really sped up - one when dd was taken away for the night at about 2pm, and then once I was admitted to hospital at 5ish. Its as though my body knew it was 'allowed' to progress to the next level (hence 2-7cm in not very long!).

The lowest moment was being told I was only 2cm on arrival at hospital, as the pain was getting unbearable and I was asking for drugs, but policy said I should go home. I later found out the lovely midwife had waited til the head midwife was out of earshot before phoning the ante-natal ward and getting me a bed

Dh and chum were amazing, talking and breathing me through every contraction, letting me lean on them, squeeze them, sit on them, be ever-so-slightly-rude to them! They told me silly stories and jokes, and called me the contractionmaster in reference to that fabulous website someone on here gave us the link to!

Pushing was jolly hard work - with dd my body was doing the pushing and I just went with it, whereas I really pushed for about 20mins yesterday, and have a pile to prove it! Being in the water was amazing as they are totally hands off and let me push when I felt ready - no 'lets check you're 10cm'. It was great having the freedom to move where I wanted and delivering into the water was just wonderful. I was in the best sort of speechless shock when Finn was born and just held him for ages in total wonderment. They let me deliver the placenta in the pool too, which gave me extra time to sit there and just absorb it all.

Chum is uber medical geek and understood what was going on at various points in a way that dh doesn't (and I didn't notice) and gave me really encouraging insights, my favourite being 'the midwife said "pp visible", that means "presenting part visible", i.e. they can see the head, PUSH!' which was exactly what I needed to encourage me to go for it at the stage where you just wanna give up.

Dh and chum also remembered all the things that went wrong last time and took the trouble to remind me that they weren't happening this time, which again was exactly what I needed to hear.

The best bit is that having gone in at 4, I delivered at 6:45, and was at home eating fish and chips at 10pm

Oh, and the fact that dd loves her brother

DG get a stretchy wrap sling from bigmamaslings preferably in a gender neutral colour so dh can also use it even if just around the house.

feeding and cosleeping promotes a better night's sleep for everyone hence why you probably don't feel as tired as getting up to feed does.

Congratulations Carrieon Welcome to the world Joel (lovely name by btw)

Congrats Carrieon, I like that you have 2 birth stories from 2 different perspectives.

I went into work today to show off Andrew and fed him in the staff room. While I was feeding him a teacher I don't know (must have just started this term) came up to me and said well done for feeding him in public. Then she said that she hoped that didn't sound patronising or anything but that she's a breast feeding councilor and she loves it when she sees people feeding. I thought that was really nice of her. It's nice to be praised for doing something so important.

i got my sling from big mamas sling! i got a green calin bleu in green because husband refused any other colors ! i really wanted the pretty blue one.

Congratulations Carrieon, it sounds like you did end up having a very similar labour to me. So much better than the first time!

Tilly is doing really well and is 6 days today. The midwife came to weigh her this morning and she has actually put on weight from her birth weight. Born 3.84kg now weights 3.86. Very reassuring for me anyway. She is feeding well.

Good luck everyone and I hope you are coping with the lack of sleep.

Oh Starlight, it's moments like that that make you think 'what have I done?', but remember this won't last forever. I often find a shite night is followed by a good night. So I'm wishing you a good night tonight xx

Starlight it won't last forever, thank goodness! Your DH is lovely taking her so you can get some decent sleep.

DD is getting a bit colicky / grizzly in the evenings so I have got some newborn dummies as they may help calm her so I can at least eat my dinner in peace. We have a swinging seat that she usually likes and soothes her, but a dummy may buy me a few more minutes of quiet. She is doing really well though, she has chubby little cheeks and is really alert.

I put her in the sling yesterday when we went shopping she wore her in her first proper clothes, cute brown combat pants and a Hello Kitty top.

We also had a bad night last night, but despite minor hysterics at about midnight when I thought he was going down and he decided to feed some more, we're not doing too badly. It helped a lot that he suddenly decided to take 3 hours sleep from 6:30-9:30 am. Bugger trying to start any kind of routine, DP and I just took the chance and slept!!

Today has been more of a feeding marathon, but after speaking briefly to BFC (very busy, but will speak to her again next week if necessary), and trying to take on board some of the words of wisdom from all the clever ladies on here, I feel the feeding is slowly improving. Teddy is now occasionally not just falling asleep on the breast, and is also occasionally going 2 hours from start of feed to start of feed, even if the feed is lasting anything between 10 mins to 1hr 10 mins - I'm figuring as he gets more efficient we might be able to cling on to some of the two hour-ness without the long feeds!