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...

Firstly, Dr's Wife sorry that Sophie seems to be unsettled It is very frustrating especially when all you want to do is SLEEP. I realise that I made a big mistake, i didn't sleep when Esme was sleeping during the day and so the evenings just seemed even longer.

Secondly, NORTHERN MEET UP... I am so behind (I need my laptop to work so i can go on MN during day without coming into the office). IS IT HAPPENING??? RUTHO are you there???

Ok thirdly... someone ask me how old I am? Please before midnight? Ok so i'll put you out of yourmisery. "I'm 29" JUST... "i'm still in my 20's"... OK i'm 30 tomorrow AGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (I know, some will not think it is old BUT 25 hit me hard as you round up to nearest whole number which meant 30 was looming and now reality hits, it's tomorrow).

OOh fourthly (can you say that?), I contacted the breast feeding councillor (OMG i can't spell) and she is coming to see me on thursday morning. She mentioned some stange contraption to do with getting Esme to the breast with a tube under my nipple with a bottle attached to get Esme to suck and get milk easily yet stimulate my milk supply. Sounds interesting and to be fair I will try ANYTHING.

Hope everyone is ok. I need to catch up on the news but in the meantim I send lots of love to all those who need it xxx

Hi all!

Hi DrsWife and congratulations on Sophie's birth , I am v impressed with you being here at all, hon. I only just got back on the computer this week in any meaningful way, so well done!

My boy did the same thing in his first week of life and we had one really crap night early on when he had a 12 hour feeding pattern of 2.5 hours sucking, half an hour off, from 9 til 9. I was ready to jump out of a window by the morning. But IT DOES GET BETTER! Tell your MIL from me she can [suggestion removed for reasons of taste]!

I had a lovely coffee with Vbab today at Costa in Meadowhall and Alyssa and Fin got on great and were appropriately cooed at by old dears in the queue. Plus no-one batted an eye at inept public bfing on my part (Helloooo nipples!). I'm looking forward to another meet up next Monday - what time? If we say 10am again I promise I will be on time this time (sorry Vbab), vomit permitting .

Vbab, thanks for a lovely morning, did you get what you wanted in Argos?

I rather embarassingly lost the car park on my way home and subjected poor old Fin to an extra 45 mins in Meadowhall, snarling and weeping at rubberneckers (me) and screaming loudly enough to stop old dears trying to look into the pram (Fin). Eventually a nice behind-the-scenes employee gave me some useful directions and Fin and I found the car and had a weepy cuddle in the passenger seat before coming home with me singing old Fairport Convention songs to Fin to get him to sleep. This worked like a dream, so the poor boy is obviously tone deaf. Or maybe he passed out from screaming.

So the moral is, don't use the ground floor red car park - the lifts to civilisation are broken and that's why I couldn't get to it from the rest of Meadowhall. Also, don't be me. I can't find my arse with an atlas.

On the whole, then, I think the first solo outing with the car was rather a success...

Gah, crossposts - Leaks, commisserations... Fin has been up and down like a mad yoyo all evening.

Pinks, see below! Also, v of your 20s and Happy Birthday for tomorrow. You can spin 29 out for at leat 3 years, you know. 30 is ace, I turned 31 this year and didn't feel it but I got the lady in the Spa shop to card me last year in a moment of weakness. She was very nice about it and demanded to see my driving licence before she would sell me a bottle of red wine. Them were the days [sigh].

Coolkat, careful what you wish for...

coolkat, try just giving her your littlefinger to suck; if she is just being clingy and sucky she'll be happy with that. If not, she'll soon let you know about it so you could try feeding her again.

Pink.....she means one of these. I'm glad you are getting some one-to-one support . I need to call one of my BFing contacts tomorrow and see if I can get help with his latch.

Happy Birthday for tomorrow

Bumba has decided to be really unsettled this evening. Part of me is relishing it as it's usually reserved for the middle of the night with him settling by morning, so it'll hopefully mean that he will settle in a few hours and have a long sleep

Fingers crossed x

On the up-side....

he did his first proper smile at me this evening

boobs needed again

Hello all.
DRswife- good to hear from you! It will get better, honest
You have been through a lot and clearly you are doing very well.Can't really add anymore to what Lacks has said, except that babies do seem very fond of sleeping next to the nipple. Dinky has just nodded off doing just that, exceptr now she's a big girl (5.5weeks!)she can put her arms round my boob, too!

Pinks- that sound v.promising. Friend saw today is home after visiting family in Canada, we were chatting about babies preferring one boob over another, problems with latch etc. and she described that very contraption- apparrently it's routinely used over there, and has helped many women to bfeed who over here would have had to FF.

Oh and happy birthday for tomorrow. It's my b.day on thurs but I will be a fulll 8 years- yes that's right 8 years older than you...sobs..mourns lost youth.. where did the time go.. etc etc.

I will do my level best to meet you at 10am on monday. I will need very clear directions

Okay, I am going to dig DH out of bed so I can get an hour before Fin's late feed. The bugger has been snoring away for 2 hours so I feel it is probably my turn.

Pinky, I will pretty much always be late for everything, including Fin's birth, so don't worry! I can do directions, remind me tomorrow.

Nighty night all. With a bit of luck.

Just popping on before I go to bed - thanks for the responses on the head/neck thing!

Cricri as M doesn't seem to have proper morning or afternoon naps - he just catnaps or has 30 mins I gave up trying to put him in his moses basket in his room so I am now having him nap in the sling (although he will only do so if I'm moving so I either go for a walk or jiggle!). I am sticking to his moses basket for his lunchtime nap and evening sleep (7-10) and at night and he is now fine in his moses basket (when he's sleeping!). Have you tried putting a worn t-shirt of yours on the mattress, I do so for M as its meant to smell of you and make them happier (also means I don't have to change the sheet every day and just the t-shirt as he usually sicks up a little on it )

Gotta go take advantage of DH feeding and get to bed. Night all - and good ones all round I hope!

Just a quickie post to say Happy Birthday to Pinkali - turning 30 really isn't that bad although I did have to book a fancy holiday to Mexico to coincide with mine and help me ease into my 30's

Have a great day and hope Esme buys you a wonderful pressie.

Happy Birthday Pinkali have a fab day

I'm back to being a Zombie today - Oscar a really windy baby and can't seem to get wind up after a feed. Do you think what you eat makes a difference? Anyway, party time from 2-4am

Off to cinema this morning for a session just for mums and babies under one (appropriately named Scream!)i think they are showing that new Angelina Jolie film. Just hope i don't fall asleep in the dark

Hope everybody else had a better night than me.

Rutho you made me choke on my rice crispies!!

Leaks yes BF, gone really well, never thought it would so feel quite pleased this time round.

Rebecca still not had poo and I am sure this is why she is unsettled, can I do anything?

Pinkali happy birthday, my DH is 30 on the 10th. Have a fab day.

Good to see you Hana.

How was last night Drswife after the Cranial lady?

DrsWife, so sorry to hear thta you are having a hard time. I TOTALLY understand. All my previous posts of this thread, have nbeen re our similar situation. I even started another thread. and got great advice. but nothing that really solved the problem.
But if you ar up from 11-4, then you are getting 2 more hours sleep than me. BITCH . Becasue I have been up from 10pm-5am alot of nights. So ner-ner-ner-ner-ner , lets have acompetition to see who is up the most
Can I suggest that you try and keep her awake a little buit more . Hard I know. Like the implausibility/impossible'ness of trying t keep a tired baby awake. But do try. And really get as much milk into her as poss, suring the day.

I have tried EVERYTHING else. And am afraid that I too, have no answers, of how to change the body clock, of a 'night party animal'

We infact had a better night. Yes, It is true. I know this will coem as a shock to you all.

I went to bed at 8pm. Dh did 10pm feed. The little gannett took EBM bottle of 8oz. Yes, the WHOLE bottle. Dh was very proud of himself. "I've dosed him up", he said. Ds2 slept till 1.30am. Yes, its true. and then again at 4.45. Both times I bf and gave him as much EBM as I could get down his throat.

We are still 'very rough Gf'ing. Not getting hung up on exact. But we are making progress.

Mind you, lets not speak too soon. Could be a one off. Please god no, don't tell me that it is a 'one off'.

Happy Birthday Pinkali. BIG 30 ? You old codger ! Oh that was many years ago, for me. I too was recommended that bf contraption thingy, at my bf workshop. Let me know what she says, if you decide to try it.

Glad to see hana is o.k. Don't mind if people don't post becasue they are enjoying/in love. was just concerned that people weren't posting becasue they were overwhelmed.

Love Coolkats checklist. check, check. I still do that.

Cricri, re breaking bad habits. Gos that is one of those impossible q's re paretning. Some say, no do what baby wants. Others think
that bad habits are formed.
I DO blieve that you can/should co-sleep, carry baby in sling, do what baby wants, when baby wants.
BUT, I also beleive that a baby being able to settle themselves, is actually a SKILL> That bay needs to learn. and the sonner the better.
But it can be done , occassioanlly. E.g. baby can sleep anywhere. but maybe once a day, baby should be put into either cot or moses basket, when they are tired (many people including most sleep advcie books and Tracy Hogg, and GF, recommend that you look out for the SIGNS of tiredness), not TOO tired, and thus they learn to settle themselves. which is a SKILL.
That is ONLY my personal opinion on this. Please bear that in mind.

sorry for not checking spelling in my huge post.

Hey Ladies - I have posted a sleep thread about M if you can help its here

sorry to jump in but just noticed that William has little lumps like boobs. Is this normal? I think I've heard of it - has anyone elses boy got them? should I get it checked just in case?

P.s happy birthday pinkali

Barbareebaa Zack had "moobs" almost from birth until he was 3 weeks. I asked his HV who said it is very common, but to make sure you mention it at the babys 6 week check. It is caused by the mums hormones in the babys system.

Pinkali Happy Birthday!! I was 30 in June, so can understand how you feel.

talking of moobs.
ds2 nipples. they have no colour in them. they are the same colour as his skin. i am sure that ds1 they were atleast a tiny bit brown. surely this is not normal ? is it because he is a redhead ?

Happy birthday Pinkali! It's just a number, you are as glam and gorgeous as ever, m'dear!

I woke up MEGA lopsided this morning as I absentmidedly put Fin on the wrong boob last night and he didn't want the other one as well. There was easily a cup size difference, and poor DH didn't know whether to be freaked out or turned on.

Plus he did his Exorcist impression after his late feed last night, so I was loath to overfeed him as there is a limit to the amount of my own dairy products I want to be wearing at night. I HATE it when he spews his tea all over me, it's really irrational but in addition to the gross factor it's also the fact that when he is then inevitably hungry again three minutes afterwards AND a slight feeling of "Hey, I made that milk, do you not like my cooking?". But mostly it's the being covered in warm recycled milk. Groo.

So this morning we are being mostly good and waiting in for Tesco Man, wahsing vommy pj/duvet, having our baths and then going out for coffee later this pm, if it doesn't snow. I am looking out on a cloudless sky so no snow for Sheffield . I want to build a snowman!

Q) DH keeps agreeing to do Fin's bath with me after he gets in from work as it is quite a traumatic experience and then he puts it off for whatever reason (tiredness, usually). Do I a) shout at him till he gets the baby shampoo out b) leave Fin 3 days between baths - he is starting to pong of milk a bit - or c) wash him myself and then feel like I've been conned? I would sponge bath him but feel a bit like this is copping out and Fin needs to get used to being clean (harsh mum).

The other day DH expressed surprise that I had washed Fin several times during the week. I explained that you cannot leave a tiny baby a week without cleaning them properly as fungus starts to grow on the spit-up milk between the chins. I am also having trouble convincing him that nappies need changing at the baby's convenience and cannot just be left until he feels like doing it. Jeeeez. I know boys don't like washing but again, groo.

Sorry, enough with the Kim and Aggie. I am off to get my own wash while Fin is asleep.

Obs, Fin has the same thing and has barely visible nips. I thought he didn't have any for a bit. But then he is relatively ging as well and speaking as someone who is ethnically ginger myself (have mousy reddish hair, not proper Weasley red, but I do freckle, burn easily and never tan. And have a filthy temper) we tend towards paler everything. Don't worry, ging is gorgeous and at least he'll never have that worry about his nips being visible through his shirts when he's older.

Barb, do we know if moobs are heritable? I am worried now.

Morning all

drswife A HUGE, HUGE HUG for you....reading your post reminds me of me when DS1 was born - I literally spent the first 9 weeks in tears as I couldn't settle DS1 and felt like a complte failure. I didn't have PND but I had the baby blues and can remember feeling so bloody useless. DH and I were so overwhelmed. I just want you to know, these feelings are totally normal and help is out there. (I for one, would have LOVED MN as a support!)

My life changed when I read GF in desperation and now I am such a sucker for routine.....I tend to do GF lite which follows the sleeping and feeding patterns, but ignores all the nonsese such as no eye contact with your baby during night feeds! that with a bit of common sense plus Tracey Hogg "dream feed" turned my life around.

I am now on DC3 and the difference with experience is amazing. As choc says, if you nees a bit of a routine/help then it is worth a read. Also 2nding what obs says about feeding as much as possible during the day and keeping LO up definately makes a difference to the night time sleeping.

KEEP POSTING, WE ARe hERE TO HELP/SUPPORT YOU.

pinkali Happy Birthday to you! Hope little Esme gets you something lovely, I still have my "first birthdfay card" from DS1...he was a month at the time

ceebee typical behaviour and I can totally sympathize - was the same for me and in fact, DS2 is definately "playing up" at the moment. Also, don't forget it is their age as well and not all in relation to the arrival of a new brother or sister. 2 and half is definately a trying time!!

cricri I agree with obs learning to fall asleep is definately a skill and a huge problem I had with DS1 who was carried/rocked/fed to sleep ecery night for 9 weeks...he would never settle in his crib/chair/cot and we had to do conrolled crying to get him to settle in his own cot eventually, that WAS hard but worked and so with DS2 and Tiger I have learnt to put them down before they are sparko.......

As for DUMMIES I have always hated them but following on from the FSIDS info I have been using one with Tiger - also really really good at calming her when she isn't hungry/tired/wet/pooy so I am now in the wahtever works camp on that one!!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/postnatal_clubs/659492-Nov-2008-sleepless-nights-and-exploding-poo-dear- oh-dear?rnd=1228303842662

new thread - what a rubbish title, I do apologise!!!

link