Sept 08 - Is it day or night?

[lollyheart]

Hope no one minds me starting a new thread?

Ponymum the pain really sounds like it could be Thrush - and if so you'll need something stronger than cream to clear it up. You'll need Flucanazole - it's not licensed for BF but is recommended by the bf counsellors. There's a leaflet that I'm sure Moonlight or Foxy will link to to tell the doctor what to prescribe as you need both the loading and the daily dose. I say this from experience as I had it with dd1 and as I wasn't prescribed the correct dose it didn't go away completely. I would also recomment watching what you eat - avoid bread (yeast), mushrooms, sweet stuff and diary if you can. The way I got rid of my thrush was a complete elimination diet - but it is quite severe.

I've seen grapeseed (??) extract recommended on mumsnet for thrush - if you search in the feeding topic I'm sure you'll find it.

Have you got a bf expert who could check if it is thrush? For me my nipples were shiny which gave it away.

I hope you mamage to get it sorted

just catching up quickly while DD's feeding - sorry if I miss something as I havent read all post...

eandz - when pg with 1st, I put on , well, don't know how much as I stopped weighing myself once I got over 20kg gain (so in total I put on about if not more than half my bodyweight). I got really down about my weight, it just didn't seem to shift, but once I rached about 6 months it suddently started dropping and could get into some of my normal clothes. I think as the baby gets more mobile and independent, you do too. In the end (about 9 months from giving birth) ended up a size smaller than pre-pg (very very active DS!)

This time I put on less weight but weight seems to stay - and feel horrible cos pg clothes look weird on but only wearing tracksuit bottoms (which I'm quickly running out of as DD keeps on throwing up over them). but then again, only exercise I do is the school run (10mins walk each way) as DD is very demanding and seems to be in my arms most of the time and when she isn;t I'm trying to get some washing/cleaning done. Speak to GP etc re your medications, but don't feel too bad, it's only been weeks since you've given birth! (although hating my body atm, I try to cheer myself up as it's the only chance I have to have breasts, normally a 34A and now a 34D )

i agree with fmh, she's so much more sympathetic than me! I don't know what to do with breasts - up from 34B to 32F (I was told yesterday!!)

Hello! Well, no chance of me catching up with the whole thread. I haven't had much chance to use the computer for long. Thought I'd write to show I haven't dissapeared...
All ok here, though very tired!!!
Hope you're all well.

ponymum it sounds like thrush. please call a helpline to confirm. see my post to eandz below. it has a link to the numbers.

if the bfc says it is thrush then you ought to go back to GP to get a prescription for fluconazole for a week as it sounds like it is in your milk ducts too

ponymum - sounds like what I had, slightly red nipples which looked OK but, oh, that excruciating burning nipple pain!
After a day of the antibiotics for mastitis and using Daktarin cream for possible thrush I felt so much better! Think it must have been mastitis.

Still somewhat sore and leaking all over the place, probably bad latching, had bad night last 2 nights with me not sleeping - going over the budget for the sodding loft with MrNC probably had something to do with that. So rather down today but my friend who has been here since last night has been a total star feeding A and taking him off my hands this morning.

Oh my gosh, I have so much to catch up on! Moved house and the internet took aaaaages to get set up again. I have missed so much!

Before I even attempt to catch up, here?s a quick update ? Teddy is definitely a colicky baby, but is a million times better since we put him on a roughly 3 hourly feeding routine, and he is quite often going 5 hours from start of feed to start of feed for one stretch during the night. I?m still breastfeeding exclusively, despite him having a bout of thrush and me getting ridiculously sore as a result. DP?s been back at work for a while, and my mother went home last week, so I have survived all by myself during the day for a week now! I am feeling v proud of myself, and much more positive about the whole thing. It helps that Teddy is just beginning to do smiles that may not actually be related to wind! Well, they probably are wind, but I?m fooling myself?

Can?t wait to have a proper catch up in Teddy?s next nap and see what everyone?s been up to!

how did you get on Iliketoscareyouscareyou last night? We crumbled when ds2 woke shortly after I posted and dh brought him down and he fell asleep on him pretty much straight away. Felt like we'd been conned into getting him up but I really don't want him waking ds1 so can't bring myself to let him cry. During the day if he cries a bit when he's meant to be sleeping I leave him crying for a bit to see if he'll settle which he does sometimes. Hope he's not confused by the mixed messages he's getting.

went to the Science Centre in Bracknell again today. Its the 2nd time ds2 has been and he's only 7 weeks old. He'll be a science geek soon .

Better go, he was sleeping in my arms and is starting to wake up and is trying to feed through my jumper. If he sucks much harder he might manage.

so glad you're back hopefully. Everyone's been worried about you!

Thanks for the concern about me, I?m really touched that you thought of me!

Just having a catch up, but have a few questions if anyone fancies offering their advice?
1 ? the BabyBjorn carrier. Is it true that it?s not great for their hips? Teddy has some kind of reflux (violent vomit noise, but nothing appears), and suffers with his colic, and quite often the only way he will settle is in the Bjorn. I?ve tried other slings, but I think the way that the bjorn holds his back dead straight stops him suffering. On a bad day he?s probably in it for 4 hours or so, most days he has at least 90 mins in it. I don?t want to cause him hip probs, but equally I don?t want to listen to him scream for hours on end!
2 ? sleeping on side. Again, I think this might be linked to the reflux/gut problem, but he will only really settle and stay asleep for any length of time on his side. I?ve stopped worrying so much about the SIDS thing, but should I worry more? Should I try to settle him on his back, even if it means doing so a few times during each nap period, as he wakes himself up bringing his legs up?
3 ? Feeds. He?s still feeding for 45-50 minutes every feed (30 mins on first side, 10-20 on second), but as he?s then going around 2 hours before the next feed, I?m not terribly anxious about this. Should I be? He gets very dozy while feeding, and I have to struggle to keep him awake, but he certainly never pulls himself off, so I assume it?s ok for feeds to last that long?

Ponymum, you poor poor thing. I feel so sorry for you. I was in such agony with the thrush ? perhaps you have an unpleasant combination of thrush and blocked ducts, and they are aggravating one another? Hope that at least if you treat for thrush, you'll be able to isolate any other problems. By the way, the only time I got a blocked duct (so far!) was after expressing for 2 days when my nipple cracked and bled (expressing much less painful for me for some reason, but I don't seem to get a vast amount). I'm sure it's because T is more efficient at 'emptying' a breast than the pump is.

hopefully Don't DO that to us! You were having a rough time the last time you posted and then you disappeared for AGES. I was thinking me or someone here had upset you or worse something had happened!

Glad to see you back due date buddy!

Speaking of which - Ponymum, you need to phone one of the helplines. You sound like things are rough and they should NOT be. You need urgent help. BFing like this is most definately not how it should be. I suspect thrush but I'm just an unqualified random person from the internet who may not be a woman, may not even have a baby and is possibly an Irish Plasterer living in East London, called Dave! Good luck!

Hopefully - tis Starlight here (or Dave as known by my pub mates)

hopefully re sleeping om side - if you read through yesterday's posts, you'll see that many of us have confessed to this! If you're concerned you could prop him in a way so he can't roll onto front.

Also have you tried the wrap slings like the Close. kari-me, moby etc. they're very suppotive and easier on you and baby. I don't think bb sling is dreadful, but hard on your shoulders

So glad to hear all OK hopefully - impressed you managed to bf AND move house! Good to hear things are getting better for you, gives me hope when DD has screamed all day until about now - I confess she is sleeping on her stomach now but only cos she's right beside me and I'm awake.Wouldn;t do it any other time...

My questions for today - I need a baby carrier!! Only have a hugabub from sister and it's a bit crap though DD likes it. Any suggestions? DP is a bit on the large size, as am I, so any ideas for ones to fit fatties?

Also, silly qn, but what do i do with DD if I need to get a taxi? Can I put car seat in taxi - do they allow this? Sorry, but I use my car everywhere and have no idea about this.
Thanks all

hopefully welcome back!

"He?s still feeding for 45-50 minutes every feed (30 mins on first side, 10-20 on second), but as he?s then going around 2 hours before the next feed"

that's exactly the pattern my one is following. Apparently as they get older they become more efficient at sucking and feed quicker. I am jealous of ladies who get it over and done with in 20 mins!

How old is your LO? Diego is 23 days today, so just over 3 weeks.

good to see you back hopefully

thought we upset you.

yes, just by moonlight's typing i can tell he has hairy hands.

Hopefully - good to hear from you at last!

EandZ - do what feels right for you and what will make you feel better....I can sympathise as I struggled into size 16 jeans yesterday (formerly a size 10). Having my hair done tomorrow - might make me feel slightly less disgusting! Is there no medication you could take and still bf??

Awful night with Toby last night - he is such a windy baby - awake between 1-4am On the plus side he had his new born hearing check today and all is well.

Ponymum - you poor thing - get back to the GP pronto!

Can I ask - how many of us are ff?? or mix feeding?? Thanks!

becaroo I'm probably 80-90% ff. DD has a bottle of EBM every other day or so and I also give her a suckle on me before every feed. As she's 5 weeks old, she'll only nurse for 10 mins and I have no idea if she's getting anything out of me but I love it (was always sad bf didn't work) and it helps us bond and gives her comfort at the very least. HTH.

Hopefully, the reason babybjorn and similar carriers are not considered good for the baby is that their weight rests on the pelvis, while in wraps and carriers like ergo, the weight is distributed from knee to knee. Have you tried baby massage for the colick at all? I go to classes and they've taught us a special colick routine.

Now, I have a confession. Katie fell asleep in the cot properly for the first time today, but on her tummy. How bad is it? I'm loathe to move her because she is usually such a bad sleeper. She's almost 3 months now and we have none of the other risk factors for cot death like smoking. I'm feeling a bit torn really.

Becaroo ds2 is mixed fed.
He is staying longer on the breast now and taking less formula, my milk supply is increasing now, my breasts are starting to feel full.
Ds2 emptys one side and takes abit from the other do i need to express the rest off?

I am sooo tired ds1 is teething and has a cold he was up most of the night crying, i think i had about 2 hours sleep.

Hi all,

I am loving the confessions! Makes me feel a bit better. I'm still a nervous first-timer but getting more confident everyday.

Erin is lovely and smiley now which makes my heart melt everytime.

Becaroo I'm kind of mixed feeding with a bit of EBM per day but only half a feed so pretty much FF. I'm still working on getting Erin BF'ing again but so far no good, but here's to keeping on at relactation.

She is five weeks today and a right little rascal

Take care.
KGx

oh, it's like having a newborn all over again! DS is not sleeping in the bedside cot. he suckles and suckles for up to an hour but will not fall asleep unless he is on our mattress. tonight will be Night 3 of us attempting to get him to sleep in it. we're going to use the sleeping bag tonight, a week earlier than we're supposed to (he's 2 months next thursday).

tomorrow we may resort to a dummy even though I really dont want to (yet another thing to wean him off).

For all those that put their babies on their tums to sleep, - personally I wouldn't risk it. It isn't just about head control, it is about falling into a deep sleep, too deep.

However, life is risky and we all make decisions and compromises based on our own judgements and situations.

Crossing the road is very dangerous, but we aren;'t bad mummies for choosing to do it - and I know babies with VERY bad reflux whose parents have been advised to put them on their tums!

Only you can decide the risks you are prepared to take. - Mine is taking DS (22m) and baby Starlight on a 5min free shuttlebus to the zoo without carseats.

Ninja the slings I tried were much more 'sling' like, as in the baby was not supported vertically. Anyone got any thoughts on a sling that would support his back in vertical position - the BB is a bit tiring to wear for hours on end!

Moonlight (or Dave, as you shall henceforth be known), thankyou for your concern! I was going bonkers not being able to ask you all questions about the thrush, the non-pooing, the reflux noises, everything!

Pacita Teddy is 5 weeks, and still feeding for that long, but he is also fairly enormous (9lb 8oz at birth, a little over 10lb now), so I suspect he needs a lot! I actually don't mind the slow feeds, as it means less time trying to figure out how to entertain him (another round of tummy time anyone?) before he's tired out for his nap.

Sass I haven't tried any baby massage, as T had a major aversion to being on his back for any length of time, but now he's improving, I might see if I can find any classes.

In other news, he is also capable of taking a bottle (of expressed milk) with no problems, and is coming round to the idea of a dummy (I have to hold it in, but it's a darn sight better than sticking my finger in his gob all the time), and he's still BF with no problems. I suspect this is just because he's such a greedy pigwig, but it's nice to know I haven't compromised the BF in order to have a slightly easier time of it.

well done lollyheart!

I managed to express 90ml today...getting there. My goal is to be able to express enough for one whole feed in one go.