March 09 - The spring babies have sprung

[jollyjoanne]

Thought I'd start us up a post-natal thread for the new mummies of March 09 (or thereabout!)

Corgie Wow you had a fantastic labour!! Congratulations he is a real cutie .

Again i would repeat all the advice that the others have given you. It will get easier little by little. I remember how overwhelmed i was with DD1 i also did the car thing, i would close my eyes when another car got close to her side of the car (DH was driving ). As regards to him not wanting to be put down, this is so like my DD2 was!! me and DH actually had to sleep in shifts, i was like a wreck by the end of the first week. This time round we co slept for the first week and gradually Alex is making his way into his own crib, he will now sleep for most of the night there .

lily

I would say to keep checking you latch however i see from you previous post that you have already done that. Have you tried different positions? try the rugby ball latch or laying down side by side, it might help just to have LO latched onto a different part of your nipple IYSWIM. Have look here im sure it will be just the smallest of adjustment that will make all the difference for you. Good luck with your playdate .

lily my MW advised changing the position you feed the baby at each feed (so feed 1: tummy facing, feed 2: rugby ball, feed 3: side lying) as it helps the nipple to 'rest'. Also Lasinoh or similar religiously applied after each feed.

Hi all -

Okay, your lovely words of support and advice have mademe even more weepy and sentimental.

Slick and Wheely, thanks for the words of encouragement -- I know 1 week is just the beginning, and it's nice to read about a sea change between 6 weeks and 3 months (but oh, my, that sounds a long way away!)

Laumiere, so much good advice! Will check on the Infacol or its equivalent here in Belgium. And the idea of an osteopath wouldn't have occurred to me, but it makes sense that maybe he's SO resistant on the right side due to a painful misalignment somewhere.

More info on the leg rotations, please! When do you do them? After every feed? When he's really upset and colicky? Do his legs need to be straight (if he's upset, they're tucked right up to his chest and good luck to get them down...)

Has anyone used fennel oil drops on colicky babies? Recommended by a friend to aid digestion...

Captain, honestly, the BFing is the only thing keeping us sane and can calm him down (despite the amnesiac meltdowns). The left side is a doddle, but the right side does hurt - think I'll have to keep checking my latch as I don't think he's feeding effectively. I'm also relying on just one hold as the others seem really complicated at this point! Don't think I'm overproducing, either I certainly don't have a violent letdown or anything though it's true he rarely empties a breast, so I'm block feeding as someone suggested.

Meep, your analysis is right on the money -- not dealing too well with the utter loss of control! So nice to know it's not just me...

On the bright side it's a lovely sunny day and we we took Rhys for a two-hour spin in his pram and he slept the entire time. Visited the cheese store, the grocery, the pharmacy and had pizza on a terrace I will probably be trundling up and down our street at 2, 3 and 4 am trying to recreate the calming magic!

Hope everyone's gearing up for a lovely Easter weekend. Hot cross buns (no diaper rash puns intended) for all!

Hey y'all, well I tried Laumiere's advice on the leg rotations and he was burping and farting for scotland! Hurray! Mind, he was doing that before but this def seems to help.

Got baby in left arm and am typing with one hand so will maybe post later.

God, I bet you all can't wait!

Fuck fuck fuck. I think I've just had an epiphany and need to share.

Was browsing on the Sleep thread here on MN, just because a friend I have is posting on there and was checking to see how she was doing with her LO.

And found the following pearl of wisdom:

plus i find going with the flow gives me a chance to rest, chores are overrated and i only have this year at home for baby cuddles, i'll be doing laundry for the rest of my life...

I have a slight case of OCD (or so my DH calls it) and I am a very clean, tidy and organised person. And I love a clean, tidy house with clean sheets and clean clothes etc. And I am forever nagging DH to do more and can't understand why he (and everyone else) aren't more concerned about housework.

But actually, that poster is completely right. What a complete and utter waste of time it all is if it means I missing cuddles with Penelope.

have had too much red wine me thinks. Am getting all teary thinking about how little time I have with Pen already.

Sorry - will catch up on everyone's news now!

xx

boobz I'm so with you on that. Although I see doing the laundry as a type of therapy, to be honest, and I enjoy the normality of cleaning and stuff, if that doesn't sound mad.

Although I have come to realise that sometimes I make work for myself, so over the past few weeks I have relaxed a bit and just sat on the sofa with Lydia rather than putting her on the baby gym / bouncy chair and doing jobs.

Well I've had to wake DD1 every morning this week - and sods law - the one day Lydia sleeps in, DD1 is up at 6am!! ARGH!

ha ha - I have already loaded and put the dishwasher on, put a load of washing on and cleaned the downstairs bathroom this morning! I hate mess!

When dd1 was born we had moved into teh house 2 weeks beforehand and I had to literally sit on my hands to stop me cleaning and unpacking boxes!

Am much more chilled this time round - but am trying to keep on top of things!

aunty my dd does this - it is a toddler conspiracy!

lily how is the bf going. As you know from my previous posts, bf also hurts for me. Different positions did help. Hope it is all going okay.

Well we seem to have an awake Rosie for most of the evening. I head off to bed with her at about 9pm and she will go into her moses basket eventually. She is now waking at around 1/2am then again at around 7am which is bliss as I am getting enough sleep.

I just hate that moment of moving them from a sleepy cuddle into the moses basket and then lying there wondering whether the creature noises are going to turn into full blown wails or whether they will go to sleep. I get soooo tense lying there - think I have to get over it !

Canm anyone remember when the growth spurts are? is there one at around 4 weeks? Just so I can mentally prepare myself!

PS corgi sounds like you are doing great! Very of pizza on a terrace!

hello! just a quick hello! great to read about all your experiences and that we're all in similr boats as it were. I have serious weeps (well not today so far!) have been reassured by mw is tiredness. Baby Charlie is lovely, the nights are a bit hit and miss, if I get a 2hr stretch of sleep it feels amazing! but slowly slowly - that's what i wanted to say to you corgi - it gets ever so slightly easier each day - just tiny things...and definitely try and get out for a little bit each day - fresh air is brill. so far have only made it out to garden myself, but may try a pootle around town tomorrow! am dreading dh going back to work properly next week - i did manage 3 hrs yesterday on my own with them, totally knackered after, and we were just lazing about!
sorry tmi, but anyone getting increased bleeding? this is day 6 for me, seems heavier when i bf, thought it was supposed to calm down a bit? getting through lots of pads...stitches have been checked and are fine. Re. the housework thing, i am obsessed with hoovering at the mo! maybe it's a control thing amid the chaos, did silly hoovering yesterday, maybe i just overdid it so taking it easy today, trying to ignore mountainous piles of things and focus more on kids - hard to divide attention i agree! is lovely to cuddle them without great big bump in the way tho!
where is kanga? take care xxx

aaaaagggghhh - I knew it - my wound is infected. My Dad is off on a mission to collect a prescription for me from the hospital (Easter w/e so all the GP's are shut) - so I'll be on anti-biotics that might make me sick - fab! And because my milk has now dried up and I'm no longer expressing, I was going to have a glass of wine tonight - but I can't now. Boo hoo!

It's all ok guys - have returned to normality now I haven't got red wine clouding my system... have changed cat litter, empried bins, put dish washer on, put whites wash on, changed sheets, taken clean washing upstairs and emptied nappy bin and it's only 10:05. DH has watched super 14s on TV. But then he IS on holiday.

Mum is here, giving Pen cuddles so I thought I might as well get stuff done...

I definitely think the tidying thing is keeping some order amidst chaos. Also maybe the fact we're probably spending more time around the house.

meep - I know what you mean about the moving to moses basket and lying rigid waiting to see waht the noises turn into. That said, I keep waking up to find Lara asleep on me - I am falling asleep midfeed (I sit up in bed feeding) and she just curls up on my tummy afterwards. Am a bit worried about it tbh, from a risk point of view - am thinking of setting my alarm to wake me up and hoping it doesn't wake Lara.

A question for those bf-ing/expressing - prompted by Meep's post re wine. Are you drinking ? I am having a glass a night although it appears to ahve started to make me itch (which is another issue). Its ok to have one with breastfeeding isn't it ??

Sorry to hear about the infection Meep - Mine is stilla bit weepy but I have been forgotten about by the mw's. Haven't been signed off from them yet as Lara ahdn't regained birthweight. They were supposed to be contacting me after HV's last visit -but that was tues and they haven't called ! Have booked 6 week check at doctors for 2 weeks time so guess it will get checked then !

Right, my goals for the weekend - to go into Kingston shopping and to walk down to our high street. What ambition !!

wheely I itch when I drink wine - especially white wine! All started after dd1 was born when my skin was super sensitive. Now it just makes my excema patches flare up (but I struggle through !)

Not sure what the official guidelines say about bf and drinking, but the bf workshop I went to said that if you went out for a big night you really should express your milk teh next morning and dump it as it would be full of alcohol. I don't think one glass of wine constitutes a big night out though!

Out of my bf friends I have those who drink nothing whilst bf and those who drink what they are comfortable with.

That is rubbish that the mw's haven't been in touch wheely. My wound had become very sticky and weepy - sorry tmi coming - I would get sticky stuff on my pants and it had a smell to it (yuck!) so I kind of knew something was up. So look out for that and if you need to give your mw's a kick and get them round. Although I have actually been discharged from their care they are still coming to see me - very nice mw team here.

boobz hope you feel better after your "cleansing" - I always feel better once I've got everything where I wasnt it to be!

ruby I am still bleeding - I think it's stopped then a whole load comes out. When you bf it makes your uterus contract so you will get more - means everything is working well!

Meep How annoying! I hope the AB course is a short one so you can have that glass of wine soon!

It's great to read about how everyone is getting on. I had the weepies in the early days too. I'd cry at the drop of a hat - most memorably at the bus stop on day 2 when a nice lady told me how cute Spike was and how well I looked. Poor woman - she gave me a hug!

On the matter of giving bottles. I gave Spike bottles of EBM toward the end of the first week because of cracked nipples and mastitis. He now switches between the two with no problems.

Just feeding alex so i wont bore you all with my typo's lol

just thought i would post these link about alcohol and co sleeping

co sleeping

alcohol

Morning all

Have uploaded a pic of Lauren, its on my profile

I feel very lucky, she sleeps really well, 8 hours the last 2 nights!!

Will catch up on thread now.

spooky! get your coat!!! sweetie and come back when she starts acting like a proper baby!!

LOL only joking, thrilled to bits for you really >

...

oooooooooo - lovely new baby pics hedge and spooky

Right - my day is going from bad to worse - dh is being sent home with a suspected case of mumps (one of his team has it)!

Dd1 has had her MMR so should be okay - I have had mumps so have hopefully passed some immunity on to Rosie. Still scary though and I am going to be constantly checking both girls for the next few weeks.

Thing is - can dd1 still go to nursery......I suspect not - so it is going to be me and the 2 dd's for the next wee while - with dh banished from coming near them

I want to just go and hibernate under my duvet and not come out!

hi girls,

Here we are!! Cannot believe how quick the days go by.

I have already booked the 6 week check and Jan is feeding like mad. Thank god my nips are healed because he has the barracuda shark style when it comes to latching. It is scary at times; he is so eager to latch on I have to be super careful!!

Weepiness gone away- phew!!! But tiredness settling in. Think the adrenaline of the first weeks is wearing off now and the constant feeding is making me super tired and super hungry! Oh Lord! I am eating like there is no tomorrow at the moment.

We' ve decided to spend Easter on our own- my family wanted to to descend in mass but have told them to hold on as it is just so nice to spend time the four of us and getting to know each other.

Regarding your comments on tidying up, I cannot live with mess hence my getting a cleaner as soon as my first child was born which I think it is a brill investment. Still I tidy up but she does all the cleaning, washing, ironing..etc

Little Jan is very different to my dd- he feeds and sleeps and only cries when we bath him so we cannot complain.

Wishing you a happy easter!

Hi all,

Leg rotations: I hold DS2's legs in the air in the same way as when I change his nappy, but if the babe is squished up you can do it with his knees up. The important thing is the rhythm, and consistent smooth movements and making sure you've got their legs/knees right up as that's what lets the wind out! We did it when DS2 was really upset and in pain, but after each feed is a good idea.

Warm baths/a warmed flannel over his tummy can also help ease pain and encourage the right muscles into action...

After a hellish day yesterday, when Gabe threw upon 8 times (BUCKETS of it) and 10 clothing changes were needed, today is (fingers crossed) going better.

Thanks for the links 3cute - The alcohol one seems to constantly contradict itself many times so not too clear (which means I can interpret it how I want ). ON the co-sleeping thing, what is happening with Lara isn't proper co-sleeping which is what worries me, its just that we both fall asleep with her collapsed on me (usually on her tummy but on me). Hmm.. think Iwill try and stop it. Will stick matchsticks to my eyelids.

Wow Spooky on 8 hours - and your dd is not very old at all is she (not that any of them are obviously but if my befuddled brain remembers correctly she's only a week or two...). I thought we were doing well with the odd 6 hours (and thats only once every tow or three nights). Lovely pictures from you and Hedgewitch meep - thats not good news for your DH. Hope he's ok. I would have thought your dd was ok to go to nursery, surely its only if she has it and as she'd mmr'd up she shouldn't. Fingers crossed for you she can !

Strange on the wine/itching front - I haven't tried white yet. Am hoping it doesn't last . My skin is really really dry which doesn't help which I think is a hormonal thing - it happened after I m/c'd a couple of years ago too so hopefully it'll sort itself out. Will keep an eye out on the scar - no signs of what you mention yet although it may be my unsightly overhang keeping the scar away from my pants .

So, I have crossed off one of my easter weekend ambitions - and have been in shopping in Kingston much to DH's horror. Have bought breastpump and new nursing bras (as others were wrong size) so I have made the decision to press on with breastfeeding but try and express (having said I would never express ever again after dd1 !) a bit to give a bottle once a day.

Wheely Where do you live? I'm close to Kingston too but haven't braved a shopping trip yet. Don't think double buggy will fit through half of the doors!

Nice to have DH home for 4 days but baby F has been a bit tricky today, feeding every 2 hours and not settling well for naps. Only thing that works at the mo is walking round and round with her in the Baby Bjorn. Good thing we have a big sitting room, although suspect the carpet might start to wear out...
Am worrying about bad sleep habits setting in, as was strict with DD1 and she's a great sleeper, but have to do what I can at the moment to stay sane.

meep my wound got infected too - I've just finished my third round of antibiotics. You MUST rest and take it easy, they tried to get me to go back into hospital because it was so bad so try and lie down with the air to it as much as possible. I also cleaned mine about three times a day - and dried it with a hair dryer (on the coolest setting) which I'm sure helped. The third lot of antibiotics were so strong I was advised to stop BF if they upset DD2s tummy (which they did)

DD2 is going through a growth spurt for sure, she's wanting to feed ALL the time (every two hours) and has been well grumpy all afternoon.

I can't believe I've got to 6 weeks (well nearly - on sunday!) It's such a milestone for me - DD1 was sleeping from midnight to 7am at 6 weeks (no such luck with DD2!) and psychologically it was when I bonded with her and started feeling better about being a mum