we did it, we did it, the babies are here, now come and join us and we will give you a cheer!!!!

[Dozymare]

Hope this works

thought i would start a thread for those of us already in the heady World of motherhood, so we can share the trials and tribulations of the early days....

I shall start with my birth story and hope other's follow and I haven't started a dud thread

As you know I was dreading a 3rd CS, almost to the point where I was having panic attacks - we went in on the Thursday and after waiting for an EMC we were taken to theatre where I was DELIGHTED to recognise the aneathatist (sp!!) who helped deliver DS2. Now, one of my major fears about a 3rd CS was the fact that having had a "perfect" excperience with DS2, it6 wouldn't be possible to experience the same thing again...I was wroing, it was better The whole thing was started at 1315 and Tallulah was born at 1344 weighing 7lbs 2oz. She has a shock of dark hair but seems so small compared to the boys who were 9 and 10lbs respectively. The care I recieved was absolutely 2nd to none - no complaints or gripes.........So far so good.........

HOWEVER.........my god, do you forget the pain of breastfeeding before the milk comes in - I am in absolute agony and have had to top up with aptamil as the poor wee thing is so, so hungry...I am literally BF for up to 2 hours (the point of pain in both udders ) and then topping up with Aptamil. She guzzles 30ml and then settles.......As for sleep - sleep is for wimps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi all

Obs so sorry to hear you are having such a tough time - I think your feelings are entirely normal, sleep deprivation is such a powerful thing and it really drains you of all energy. I hope things get better for you soon!

Hugs to you too vbab.

I am waiting 10 more mins to see if my LO has settled (been trying since 11.30) before attempting a nap - fingers crossed!!

DD and DS napping for the moment so thought I would take the chance to tell my birth story, think it will probably help me to switch off from it once its all off my chest!!

BIRTH STORY

Was admitted at 11am on the friday to be induced but the labour ward was full so they put me on a maternity ward to wait until there was space for the induction to start, by 10pm they still hadnt started the induction so send DH home for the night.

Around midnight I started with contractions, very mild at first but by 5.30am they were strong and every 5 mins so I asked MW to check what was happening, I was already at 5cm so they moved me to the labour ward and I phoned DH to come. The contraction were getting more painful and about every 3 mins but G&A was making me feel really sick so was managing without any pain relief.

By 11.45am I was ready to push, I was amazed at the change in contraction and that they actually make you push I never had that feeling with DD as had epidural and was really pleased that it had gone so smoothly this time, BUT I was wrong!!!!!!!

I was pushing but not getting anywhere, by 2.30pm the MW fetched a senior MW to have a look and she suggested different positions to try and help baby move down as it just wasnt coming any further. That didnt work so they then got a doctor (who was in theatre at the time so had to wait) she said the baby was sideways which is why he was stuck so they would attempt to get him out using forceps but as he was still so high up they wanted to prepare me for a CS incase it didnt work as baby would be distressed. They got me ready for theatre - shaved me , catheter (spelling?), drip etc and DH was dressed in his scrubs . Was given a spinal block once in theatre and DS was born at 3.35pm with the help of forceps and an episiotomy.

All the usual happened weighing him etc then DH was told he could go and get changed while I was being stitched up, BUT they then put a screen up (like they do with a CS) and kept asking if I was ok while adding extra drips, I then was told I was bleeding heavily and they werent sure if there was some placenta left behind. I was in theatre for a further 1 .5 hours while they sorted the bleeding, stitched me up and made sure I was ok. During this time poor DH was left waiting in the High Dependancy Unit not knowing why he was there and didnt get an update until they knew I was ok. I had lost 2 litres of blood and had 3 blood tests over the next 24 hours as they thought I would need a blood transfusion but luckily I was ok.

I wasnt allowed home until wed as DS was also jaundice so has to spend a night under a phototherapy light, but we are both home now and are both doing well

Sorry its so long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

just had a quick read of most recent posts as just dont have time to keep up!!!

hugs to obs sorry cant offer much advice but sure it will improve for you, and vbab I am feeling really sorry for DD at the moment too, as I ended up staying in hospital for 5 nights DD was upset every day as she wanted her mummy to come home she now wont go anywhere without me and wants my constant attention which is so difficult!!!!!!!!

Advice please - DS has taken to bf really well right from the start, latching well and i'm not sore at all BUT as well as cluster feeding in the evening which is fine he also wants to feed constantly in the morning, which is fine at the moment as DH still at home but only until the end of the week and then I dont know how I will manage to do this and look after a toddler, get her breakfast, washed, dressed etc I can see we wont be doing anything until lunchtime!!!!!!!!!

dozy/chocO I too wanted to roughly follow GF as although I started later with DD a routine really helped both of us, but because of what I have said above the feeding isnt following any pattern at all, how are you getting DC settled after feeding until roughly the next feed time?? I only want to follow roughly the feed/sleep timings not the whole thing!!

mum2becks on feeding the thing I have found most successful is trying to make sure he feeds for a good 30 mins each time, every time he only feeds for 10-15 mins then he wants to feed again in an hour but if i get him to feed for 30 mins he'll sleep for 2-3 hours. Also at the gf 10pm routine he feeds for almost an hour and then sleeps for up to 4.5hrs.

the biggest problem is keeping him awake to feed for that long and I try anything to keep him awake - taking off his top babygro so he's not too warm, blowing on him, stroking his cheek, tickling his feet, putting him on his playmat and last night I took off his nappy and put a cold babywipe on his bum - drastic but he then fed for another 15 mins and slept for 3 hrs!!

Obs and Vbab; sending hugs your way; you both sound like you are really going through it.

Obs, I saw your thread and that you had had some good advice on there. I hope things settle down soon for you. It is hard with two to deal with the baby and give the older one the attention they need/deserve, and this is even harder with sleep deprivation. I would try and go with it at the minute, try the dummy and see if that works and then get back to bed in the day as much as possible. I had an hour long nap yesterday afternoon and although we didn't have a good night with DS feeding every two hours for half an hour until 5am, I felt so much better today.

We did our photo session this afternoon. It was really good fun, the kids had a blast and hopefully they got some decent shots out of it. The prints are flipping expensive though; starting at £125 for a 7x5 print . We get a free 8x5 print as part of the deal we had, or can put the cost of that towards a bigger print. We are going back tomorrow for a preview of the shots. We got one of all three kids lying in amongst a big pile of cuddly toys that we took with us. Fingers crossed it has turned out OK.

Question Am I ever going to get a few hours all to myself uninterrupted and without worrying about anyone else ever again?!?!?

not likely ChocO; there is always something to worry you where kids are concerned.....but when this stage is past and they become fun, little people with their own quirks and personalities, it is the most rewarding thing in the world and makes up for all the worry they cause.

oh, and you'll get the time to yourself shortly; hang in there. This baby stage last such a very short time. So much so that I'm quite happy sitting on the sofa cuddling Fin all day; give him a few months and he'll be wriggling out of my arms!

Mum2Becks I bet your poor DH was in pieces stuck in the high dependency unit without explanations! Glad it was all ok in the end though - I just loved the shaving bit when I had both my c-sections - nowt like a dry razor to do a proper job

Choc you will never stop worrying about Mack but it really really does get much easier and you do start to have periods of time to yourself - once he is in a routine, you will know when his naps are etc and plan your stuff around that.

Daisy I really hope you did get some good photos - what a lovely keepsake they would be. I was quite upset that DS1's nursery photo session was a couple of weeks ago - if only it had been this week or next week, I could have got a professional photo of them both together!

Sam is a bit of lazy feeder - the MW said it was important to make sure he was eating enough (apparently what he was having wasn't enough for his size) to help his jaundice. However, he never really cries with hunger so I am going for 3-hourly feeds and then stops feeding after a couple of ounces and will not start again or he falls asleep! I don't really know how I can get more in him I will see what the MW says tomorrow.

Also, he hasn't had a poo since yesterday - is this quite common?

Am sorry to ask all these questions but I suspect you all had these problems a couple of weeks ago so are now experienced in these matters

Have had a lovely day today - DS1 has been an angel No naughty behaviour, no tantrums, he has asked me to carry him a couple of times but totally accepted it when I told him no, and if he wanted carrying, daddy would have to do it (this has been the main problem over the weekend) and he has been so caring towards Sam - constantly stroking his head and kissing him. DH printed off a photo of them together for him and he wandered round with it all afternoon and took it to bed with him!!

ceebee I think M didn't do a poo on Day 2/3 from memory - it was the in between period just after the meconium ones - he soon started making up for it though!

I can't believe how much hard work motherhood is - I totally underestimated it!! 12 hour days in the city will be a breeze after this!!

And what an emotional rollercoaster - I have never been so up and down in all my life.

ceebee, not sure on the poo front; DS poos constantly (ie after every feed) but this is often the case with BF babies, at least in the first weeks. Not sure how FF newborns work, but iirc when DS1 was little (FF from 6 weeks) he had three a day, but I think this is unusual in a FF baby.

oops, realised how odd that sounds...obviously they "work" the same way as BF babies, but you know what I mean

ChocO, remember your hormones are still all over the place, that usually settles by around six weeks as well.

hi ladies. thanks for your support. Well if at all possible I feel 10x worse than previous as been through the mill today with Alyssa in hospital .

The day started with DH taking DS to his half day nursery so nice and relaxed. Then the midwife came just before I was going for my hair cut with mum . We fetched Alyssa from her nap. Midwife took one look at Alyssa and said "get her to the doctor". During her nap her left eye had started leaking yellow stuff like her right had but a lot of it and Alyssa was coughing and breathing like a tractor.

Phoned doctor, rushed Alyssa there with DH, DH went into appointment, I went to get mum and dropped her at hairdressers, went back to doctors, DH said she needs to get checked at hospital but dont worry no need to rush there get your hair cut (just a trim). Then hair cut, rush home get Alyssa overnight things, get DS early from nursery, drop DS and mum at mum's, go to hospital. BREATHE.

After a couple of swabs and Alyssa being poked and prodded by numerous people and tube down her nose to clear it turned out she has bronchiolitis. But luckily as she is still able to feed she has been allowed home.

But if this roller coaster wasnt enough we were at the hospital 1pm-7.45pm and from 3ish was because we were waiting for the drops from the hospital for her eyes and nose!!!! Cried my eyes out many times because only seen DS for half hour this morn and 5 mins when i picked him up. Missed his bedtime .

Also fed up with people, my mum is worst, saying Alyssa wrong! pronounced ah-LISS-ah.

First of all, GIANT hugs to Obs. I wish I had some advice

Ceebee, Zack didn't poo at all from before he was born (he passed ALL the meconium in utero) on Friday evening until Monday morning. I was told that it wasn't too much to worry about as he had such a good clear out and it takes time for more to build up in thier bowels. Not sure if the the same "rules" apply between BF & FF babies though.

Choco, I am with Lacks (loving the new name BTW!) on this one, the newborn/baby phase is over sooo quickly that I too am just enjoying spending lots of time just sitting and snuggling with my little cuddly one. I know it doesn't feel like it right now, but as soon as they are mobile, they will be trying to wriggle their way out of your arms. Mind you, this could be my LBS (last baby syndrome!) talking, lol!

Right, think Zack has had enough of nappy free time, time to get him changed into his sleepsuit as ....gasp!.... I actually dressed him in clothes today

Vbab how awful for you - no wonder you feel so Alyssa is so young to have to deal with bronchiolitis - really hope she recovers soon and you can get your life back on track again.

HM2J Sam had a huge clearout on his first day - he did 4 big meconium poos (which was a shame as I couldn't get up and change them so the MW's had to do them ). He has been pooing grainy green stuff since then but really small amounts but not since last night. Maybe it is just building up ready for one big one tomorrow

Lol at you actually dressing him today - I didn't dress him in hopsital but he was in a proper 'day' outfit as from yesterday and will be dressed everyday from now on - am sure the MW who came to see me yesterday thought I was a bit loopy (probably not far wrong )

Oh Vbab I am so sorry to hear about your day, sound utterly horrible. I hope thay Alyssa (and in my head I pronounced it the was you typed it out... never crossed my mind there was a different pronounciation) is feeling better soon, poor little poppet. Big hugs for you, I am sure you could use some. I hope tomorrow is a better day.

Oh vbab

Poor Alyssa; I hope she is better soon.

you'll make it up to DS as well, try not to worry about it. Can you spend some one to one time with him tomorrow to make up for today? or do something with just the two of you at the weekend when DH is around to look after the baby?

Just keep correcting them on the pronunciation vbab; they'll get it eventually.

heartmum.....i think there is an elemant of LBS in the cuddles as well. Poor DS2 will be trying to get out on a date when he is 17 and i'll be hanging onto his ankles

ChocO I know where you are coming from - I've had one of those days today where I just want 5 minuted to myself and everytime I go to do something one of the kids needs me. grrrrr.

DH asked what was wrong today so I told him 'I've just given birth, am sore all the way down my front (boobs / belly) have loads of weight to lose, hormones flying everywhere, can't get out and about, am jealous of you being able to pop here and there and next week you will be off back to work leaving me to deal with all this!' Think maybe have a bit of baby blues today!

Ceebee I had the same problem with Henry being a slow feeder - 2ozs at the most before stopping plus he takes in so much wind. The midwife recommended changing the teat to a Latex Orthpdontic. This has a better flow for 'lazy' suckers.

LOL at "lazy suckers"

Oh Vbab, , big hugs to you.
How is Alyssa now ?
How are YOU ?

Please try not to worry about ds. Nothing that big cuddles, favoutite dvd/toy/a dn a cholctae biscuit/ some such treat , with mummy, won't fix.

Love to you Vbab.

We had betetr night. I did post thread. Thanks to misdee and others. feel alot better today. off to cranial oestopath.

vbab, I hope Alyssa is better this morning, and that you are doing allright. much hugs.

Obs, glad you had a better night. I wish I could say the same . last feed finished by 10.45, i went straight to bed. DH brought him to me at 2am.....three hours sleep, longest ever since he was born in one stretch. So far so good. fed at 2 for 20mins, fell asleep with him on my chest. He fed again at 3am, and then awake and writhing in pain until 6am. he had a couple of feeds in that time but only wee ones as not interested. He hasn't had a poo since yesterday and it's this that seems to be causing him the discomfort. He has napped since then but is still in lots of pain and discomfort. Wondering whether to give him some cooled boiled water, but BF babies shouldn't need any. Horrible when he cries and I can;t do anything for him

and it seems i am the victim of credit card fraud . Someone has been trying to use my debit card to the tune of at least £1500 . I'm waiting ont the bank calling back. It was an automated call from them so I don't know the full extent or whether it was just attempted or successful. ARSE!!

News from Barbareeba (another whopper baby!)

"William James was born at 2.20pm yesterday. 9lb 7oz. Long labour - started sat nite, he was back 2 back, failed ventouse, forceps delivery - yowch! Mummy and daddy v proud and are completely in love with their beautiful boy."

She sounds very happy, but eeeek, that's a big first baby...

Sorry, not had time to catch up on posts... Busy weekend (by my standards!) and dh hogging computer all the time to revise for an exam. Definitely feeling STRESSED. Supposed to come and stay with my Mum (Dad away) this week, but threw a wobbly about driving here and then me not getting my 2 hr evening sleep (9-11) as Mum cannot cope with 2 babies like dh can, so dh has come too . Not sure how much is tiredness or if there is any PND in there, but feel like I am on a tightrope and when anything wobbles it, I lose it . Will see how it goes, talk to doc at 6 or 8 week check. Not getting a lot of sleep at the moment...feel like I need to get babies in routine, but a) I hate them and b) I am at a loss how to do it. They are waking every 2.5hrs in the night and then it takes a couple of hours to feed and wind them both, so only grabbing short naps between feeds. Feed them lying down and then they fall asleep nicely - only to be rudely woken for burping (if I don't burp then sick all over bed). Colief not worked for past 2 nights, so maybe it was a fluke that it worked the first time.

ps. i don't hate babies, I hate routines!

Grrrrrrrrrr - just typed long post to you all and then pressed a duff button on the laptop which lost it and now I want to grab a quick nap so no time to rewrite

General gist....

Hugs to vbab and merry and any other mummies in need.

Sorry!!