May 2009 - loved-up new mums and/or sleep-deprived zombies this way please

[pulapula]

Here's a nice new thread for us to share our experiences with our new LOs.

afternoon ladies,

S seems to be very awake today, feeding every 2 hours and not sleeping much in between . He is now asleep on me, but i might try a transfer soon (got jobs to do).

I have found out DD doesnt start school til mid-Sept so i think we will look for a cheap hol in early sept to avoid peak season prices- gives me something to search for on t'internet and to look forward to - we're only thinking centerparcs or filey on the yorkshire coast.

Afternoon ladies.

FiK - glad you are following my chocolate lead... my HV recommended it for BF, so it is professional health advice !

Pula - holiday in early Sept a good move. When you have to go away in School hols it gets stupidly expensive. Hence our caravan. Just don't tell anyone I own one as I am still embarassed by it !

No got much time because it's Half Term but TV is on (again ) so I have 5 minutes to myself.

V. impressed with those thinking about relations. As G was 'unplanned' I am not doing anything until proper contraception is organised !

Am proud of myself today because I took all 3 DC to town on my own to get 2 lots of passport photos done. We have returned in one piece and I didn't have to shout once. Well, maybe once when DD2 (surprise!) kicked off in the one clothes shop I went into to get some summer stuff.

Congrats to MatthewsM and Rosieladie.

Right, need to go wake up G otherwise he wakes in the night.

Just been projectiled on. Need to put a wash on and have a shower. DD2 now sleeping soundly, covered in it. yuk.

tummum, well done for the shopping trip with 3. Harper was a 'surprise' as well so DH getting snip in a month or so. Though I know I'll get broody, i really don't want to go through pregnancy, birth again. saying that, all DDs are worth it !

And just got wee-ed on too.

momino- maybe its different rules in different health authorities, but here they say it takes 12 months for referral for the snip following a birth, so in the interim I need to start taking my minipill next week - all mine were planned but as i got pg in the first month of trying 3 times (DD, mc, DS1) and in the third month last time i can't take any risks!

As for coils, the contraception advisor in hospital recommended the mirena coil as some people find the normal coil leads to heavy/irregular bleeding. Also once i've finished BF, I am thinking of trying a new birth control ring.

pula, you could be right on the referral. DH has a consultant appt in Jun but it's just to have The Chat. if it's a case of 12 months, i'm defn taking measures (or he's not allowed near me lol) as it's the same with us: all conceived 1-2 months ttc or in dd3's case, within 2 mos of period returning (ie we weren't ttc).

aaarrrggghhh this baby just wont wake up ! No sleep 4 me tonight !!

Momino - same here. PG first time every time.

Belgian - Perhaps that's why dd2 isn't as comfortable in either of my slings as I would have thought. She isn't too heavy, but was 60cm at birth. She's LONG.

R and I been asleep for 3 hours this afternoon. Gosh I needed that! Feel so much better. Also have just ordered 2 new tops from Top SHop on line. Also makes me feel better!!!

Not sure what to do about contraception when "relations" resumed. Am def not ruling out another baby and it took 2 years and 3 miscarriages to produce R so it may be best to just not bother with safetly precautions and see what happens.Having said that I would really like to go skiing this winter and can't do that if pg. Hmmmmmmm... may be jumping the gun somewhat as haven't even let DH near me for months and it could be a while till we're back in the saddle anyway depending on the 6 week check on the old stitches.

HAve you heard about the 66 year old who has just given birth???? Still time for me then at the age of 38!

Momino My DH asked GP about vasectomy in October, had counselling appt at FPC on Nov 5th and snip on Dec 17th. In our local authority the Family Planning Clinic make all the arrangements for vasectomy done under local anaesthetic and it's 6 weeks waiting period (more to allow you to change your mind than anything else) but it's a five year waiting list for general!

Also - fairy cakes? I find the trick is to make sure you really beat them, an electric whisk is definitely the way to go because you want to get as much air into the mix as possible. The complete opposite to muffins in fact!

I had the mirena, it came out and lodged in my cervix and I ended up with an abcess. Not a fun time at all. I will never use hormonal contraception again!

Helen Thinking about another one already?! You're brave!!

I fell pregnant with E when N was 6 months old, there's 14 months between them and it was seriously hard going for the first six months but they're brilliant together now and so close

Its strange but I kind of miss being pregnant even though I didn't really enjoy being pregnant. WOuld really love 3. I'm one of three as is DH. So as age not on my side, part of me wants to get cracking!! Not just yet though!

Oh have just put pics on profile page now.

Hi everyone,

Was a busy day here. C's passed her hearing screen and we've been discharged by the CMW. She did tell me to do my pelvic floor excersises a bit more as my vaginal wall is ever so slightly prolapsing

coil I chose to have the copper coil last time, because I dont tend to react very well to hormonal contraception and the mirena contains progesterone. I never had irregular or heavy bleeding, except for some with the copper coil and it worked very well for me.

jenn the hug holds just dont work with C. her head is somewhere around my side. The upright ones work better, but I struggle to pull the fabric up high enough to support her head and neck, IYKWIM. I'm contemplating trying a Mei tai to see if something a bit more structured might work better.

Finally got my phone sorted now. Just a pain that I'll have to redo the phone book manually. It took a whole hour to sort it while ds and dd1 were 'exploring' the shop and getting hungry. Luckily C slept through it all.

C's getting so heavy. I'm slowly getting a permanently achy back and arm from carrying her around all the time.

early waking My 2 oldest are OK, but C seems to be a light sleeper from 4.30, which is when the sun hits our window. From then onwards she keeps me awake with noisy stretches, grunting and snorting noises Maybe a summer baby isn't as nice as I'd imagined

I enjoyed being pregnant, but i feel like i can't put my body through all that again (and a third cs), so this is it for me I'm sure. Once I get my maternity clothes back from my sister in Sept I will start selling them on ebay.

My DD is having her first sleepover at a friends house tomorrow night so just 2 DCs to manage tomorrow. It seems funny to have kids and then be pleased to offload them on other people but i'm sure she'll have a lovely time.

DS2 has been really unsettled today - feeding a lot and then struggling with wind and had green poos (think this can be a sign of wind). Finally managed to put him down for a sleep but he's very restless.

Well, I did it! I took both boys out together today for the first time. DS1 was so good and I was pathetically proud and grateful! I've had a much better day today and I think so long as I can plan activities for DS everyday, we'll be OK.

We spent 5 minutes on the trampoline today and despite my lack of pelvic floor exercises, it was fine!. I really must remember to do them just in case it was a fluke.

DS2 is staying downstairs with us at the moment, and coming upstairs when we go to bed. I'll continue to do that until being downstairs disturbs his sleep. It worked well with DS1 and DS2 is a much better sleeper anyway. I'm looking forward to getting my evenings back though.

Who was thinking about getting pregnant again? I must say, I really could contemplate a 3rd but I'd want to leave it a while. My friend has quite a big gap between her 2nd and 3rd and she says it is almost like being a first time mother again in terms of having lots of time during the day to devote to number 3. She says she gets plenty of help from the other 2 to boot. I like the sound of that!

Having had a c-section and a VBAC I'm ambivalent about the mode of delivery. Recovery is better with the latter but I wasn't fond of the pushing part!

Are you supposed to wait until the 6 week check before sex? I can't remember and no one mentioned it to me. I had a tear internally (I think) so how do I know I'm good to go?

belgian- as i read your post, i started tensing my pelvic floor lol. I'm glad I've stopped leaking wee but still have some weakness there.

Although S seems quite awake when i feed him at 4 or 5am, he goes back to sleep with a cuddle til 8 usually. However, DH is getting fed up as DS1 keeps waking at 6.15 every day and he has to get up with him when in the past we'd bring him into our bed and maybe all get a bit more sleep.

llare That's what we went for, you know 2 and then a bigger gap (5.5Y) and now C. It does feel a bit like having another no1, without the nervousness and anxiety that a first born brings. Ds and Dd1 are pretty independent + are good at entertaining themselves, so the fact that C seems to be glued to me (either feeding or being carried around because she's unsettled) isn't too much of a problem. Only dd1 complains sometimes because I'm less able to help her with things she should be able to do anyway.

Oh and you don't have to wait until the 6 week check to have sex. You can have sex as soon as you feel ready. A tear will have healed after about 1-2 weeks, but don't forget to make sure you've got contraception sorted before it happens if you think it might happen before the 6 week check. I've met a few people in the past with a 10 month gap between dcs , because they didn't think they'd get pregnant that quickly.

pula funnily enough to me my pelvic floor feels stronger than after the other 2. I don't get that heavy feeling like my insides are going to fall out when I stand up. The leaking has stopped too and I've even sneezed with no accidents! Yet I have this prolapse. So gotta continue squeezing. Maybe it's an idea to do it every time C feeds.

belgian- yes my CMW suggested doing pelvic floor exercises during each feed. I generally remember but only because as i'm glued to the sofa for an hour or more i usually need the loo so it reminds me .

Belgian Me too. No leaking. Strong pelvic floor, but I can see something I don't think I should see......Will mention it to the physio when I go for my tummy split appointment.

evening all.

doing my pelvics as i'm reading through posts.

llare, well done for getting out with both DSs.

blotted, re: fairy cakes, air does make sense. guess i'll have to buy an electric wisk.

another baby? i would have another in a heartbeat, i'm so in love with H and don't want her to grow out of the newborn stage. however, i cannot go through 9 mos preg again nor go through labour and birth. Further if I wanted to beat the clock (am 40 this year)we'd have to have another baby soon so age gaps between all children would be 20 mos or less. Can you tell i've already thought of the consequences.

sorry, i've got to go aleady. i'm falling asleep as im typin. very, very tiiirred.

Really should be in bed but been distracted looking at the video clips of H in hospital. He was so tiny! Well, he's still not huge (9lb 2oz a week ago) but has definitely filled out loads.

Contraception - I've gone for the minipill. We always said - or at least, DH has always said - we'd only have one DC and there is not really room for two in this house (for various reasons we really do not want to move). But neither of us feel we could rule out no. 2 absolutely and as I'm 38 I didn't want to choose a long term method of contraception. Apparently the minipill I've got has a 12 hour window for forgetting, whereas most have only 3 hour. So no excuse for mistakes

Just catching up via phone whilst DS has a feed.

HV came for 2nd visit yesterday. She reckons DS' weight has stayed the same as it was a week ago. I was really suprised as I've had 3 people independently comment o how much bigger he seems. I'm sure her scales get checked. & calibrated regularly but can't quite understand no weight gain. HV was quite good about it and said she wasn't too concerned as he was healthy in every other respect and his jaundice was completely clear now.
I was worried DH would suggest FF but he's just convinced there's a problem with the scales and says "he knows" DS has put weight on.
HV coming back Monday so fingers crossed there's a definite shift in the right direction.

Today MIL and SIL arrive from Ireland to stay for the wkend. They're normally petty chilled so hope it will be ok.

Not resumed relations here yet. Bit difficult when DS will only settle on me or co-sleeping or in sling...!

ses think it says in the red boojk somewhere that it is NOT helpful to weigh healthy term babies more frequentlt than once a month....one handed here sorry... to avoid the worry

Ses Don't worry about it, like Jennster says it's not helpful to weigh so frequently. Besides, the lack of weight gain could be down to something as simple as baby having had a poo after being weighed last time and before being weighed this time. His overall persona is a better way of judging his development - if he's happy, feeding & sleeping well and producing plenty of wet nappies then that's the best indicator

Momino I got my electric whisk from Sainsburys and it was only a fiver. Best fiver I've spent!

I know what you mean about having another - age isn't the issue for me, it's being totally incapacitated for five or six months whilst having another four children to care for. I always wanted a big family but I guess four is as big as it's going to be for me