May 2005 babies

[fisil]

thought I'd start this up - apologies if anyone already has - for everyone from the dyue May 05 thread to graduate to.

profiles:

me: 31, SW London
baby: Murray (ds2) born 8/5/5 7lb 11oz
family: dp & ds1 (2 1/4)

After 7 weeks of coping with a screaming baby with colic I finally give into a dummy. I never wanted her to have a dummy but my resolve broke and she seems more contented with one.

How many of you are using dummies? Has anyone else given a dummy but not wanted too?

Is anyone else still exclusivly bf? Seems like most of you have introduced formula for at least some feeds. Am I making a rod for my own back by not using formula? Tried one bottle of SMA which made dd very sick so haven't tried since. Is it worth trying her with different formulas or should I just stick to exclusivly bf?

Sorry for all the questions. Just alot on my mind at the moment

Brighteyes - I'm still exclusively breastfeeding. Can't see how you're making a rod for your own back by not using formula. I may try to save milk soon and try a bottle, only because I remember how hard it was for my first daughter to take to a teat.

Re dummies: if they work for you and give you some peace, I wouldn't worry about what you thought of them pre-baby. Lots of views change once teh baby is here

I use dummies.

I think that you can have problems getting babies to take a bottle later on if you don't introduce it earlier. I've heard lots of people say that they exclusively breastfed up to a year and then wanted to stop but the baby wouldn't accept a bottle. It can be nice to be able to hand the baby over to a babysitter with a bottle so that you can go out occasionally too but on the other hand, don't give formula if you don't want to!

i wish dd would take a dummy! she wants to comfort suck all the time and she just spits a dummy out when i give her one. i've tried three different shaped ones with no luck. fortunately she is just starting to find her hands and she sucks on them now rather than on me!

went out saturday night for the first time since dd was born. she was screaming blue murder when i left and i didn't want to go, but dp made me and i'm v. glad i did. it was so lovely to see my friends again and as none of them have babies i could have non child related conversations. it made me feel like a human being again not a big fat milk machine!!

Hi all and what a beautiful day it is!

Brighteyes - i'm still breastfeeding but I have got a pump too so that DH or maybe Ds1 can give Ds2 a bottle. DS2 is 8 weeks tomorrow and we both really enjoy breastfeeding and I have no intention of giving up yet I must admit, I'm proud of myself for making it this far as with DS1 I was in so much pain I gave in after 5 days and put him on formula. Not sure I'd last beyond 6 months tho....

My SIL had the breast to bottle transition problems that some of you have mentioned, up until DN was 6 months she never used a dummy but had to give him one in the end so he would get used to a teat. I on the other hand gave DS2 a dummy because I felt raw because he was using me as a soother. He doesn't always go for it though and I'm happy with that.

Hope all May mums and babies are well and enjoying this beautiful sunshine

Hi All,
Long time since my last post so lots been happening. Water babies is excellent, Daniel loves being in the water but he is still not sure about going under.

I'm still bf but I also express a bottle at least every other day so hopefully I can go out one evening a week for a swim or to the gym. I'm hoping to exclusively bf for the first 6 months. Apart from the health benifits, I like being able to pop a boob out on demand and formula looks too much like hard work. Daniel is piling on the weight though, 2 lb one week and nearly 1 lb every week since, he weighed over 14lb at 7 weeks and only started out at 8 lb 5 oz. Everyone tells me not to worry and that you can't over feed a bf baby but I can't help but be a little concerned that he's putting on too much too quickly. At least the MIL said dh was a porker too and he's not overweight now.

Daniel has a dummy too but I only use it when he just won't settle, most of the time he spits it back out again. When I mentioned to a expectant friend that she should get one just in case she looked horrified but it has kept me sane and calm more than once.

Sympathies for falling out with dms, mine can be hard work even though she means well or maybe I'm just touchy!

Hi all.

Seems ages since I last posted, so much has happened.

Luca is piling on the weight, at his 6 wk check he weighed 13lb 11 1/2 oz, seems to be putting about a pound on each week taking him ti clinic tomorow to get weighed again.
Im using a dummy with Luca just in the mornings because for some reason he just wont settle especially if we are out.He dosent want it any other time. Also for the last 3 nights he has slept thru from 9 30 in the evening till 7 30 next morning, hopefully it will stay this way.

Last week I also decided to redecorate my hall stairs and landing took 3 days but I got there eventually.

And last Thursday was DD1 prom night so that was another hectic day.

thanks for all your responses. I'm not concerned about dd refusing a bottle because she will take a bottle of ebm without any problems.

The only advantage I thought I might be missing out with by not introducing formula is extra sleep in the night. (I believe I'm right in thinking formula takes longer to digest so baby will go longer between feeds)

Brighteyes, I was wary of dummies and although I had bought some prior to the birth of dd I didn't want to use them...But after a few nights screaming dh & I decided it was the best for all of us. I must admit it did upset me to see her sucking on her dummy but like others have said at least thats not me shes sucking away on LOL !
Re: Formula, everyone says that formula babies tend to go longer than bf babies but I have read that this isn't always true. DD is bf & formula fed with alternate feeds and the length between feeds varies, sometimes after formula she only goes a couple of hours.
With formula feeds it is bulkier and takes longer to digest but sometimes dd is stil hungry a few hours later.

At the moment we seem to have fallen into a nightime routine of: Bed at 9pm ish following a formula feed, wake at 4am and she then wakes again at anything between 6.30am-9am...god knows why she doesn't go as long after the 4am feed.!! Sometimes after the 9pm feed she wakes at 12am for another feed...
The same tends to happen during the day. But I think the weather at the moment is playing havoc.?

You are best really trying it for yourself but only do so if you really want to, don't feel pushed into it. I wish now that I had solidly bf but don't know how I would have coped......

Good luck.

I use a dummy too. And Hollya (this sounds terrible!!) - I hold it in for a couple of seconds if she is crying and then she usually starts sucking away and it calms her down - quite often she'll be asleep within a couple of minutes. I'm using the dummy much less often now than I was in the first 3 weeks. But yesterday she started sucking her thumb so wonder whether I should the dummy a bit more often.

dh usually gives dd a formula feed during the night. But it makes no difference to how long she sleeps at all conpared to b/f.

We are getting into a better night time routine now: dd has a feed at 10pm then sleeps on dh's chest in our bed until ~3:30am then has a feed and then goes into her pram to sleep until about 7:30am! It's fantastic compared to how she was.

I have been recommended a chiropracter that treats colicky babies so I am going to try that too.

I assume that most of you have had your Edinburgh test already? I scored a bit high on mine so I am going to have to see my GP about it.

First jabs for dd tomorrow!

What is the Edinburgh Test?

Maddison the edinburgh test is a questionnaire to test for post natal depression.

Sorry to hear you've had such a difficult time logic, I can totally sympathise. DD suffers from colic and cries from 7 till 11 every night and very little helps to console her.

Just trying to stay positive and focusing on getting to three months when I'm told things start to get easier as the baby's digestive system becomes more developed.

best wishes to you.

Totally sympathise with the colic, Brighteyes - how old is your dd now? As I said, dd is 8 weeks now and the colic is definately easing up! I remember from last time that it does get better towards three months. My dd's stomach appears to be less swollen now - I'm sure that it was causing her pain!

I'm still exclusively breastfeeding dd also, but introduced ebm in a bottle a few weeks back as I have started a retraining course once a week, so needed husband to be able feed her. My ds1 was exclusively breastfed for 6 months as he would not take a bottle when we first tried at 12 weeks. I loved breastfeeding, but couldn't even go and get my hair cut without having him with me, and I felt so guilty giving up as it put him through a lot of stress. I would definately recommend expressing every so often or baby may become fussy. This is my advise anyway... I think I may have to stop soon, as she is showing signs of becoming too picky and I need Dad to be able to feed her.

p.s. I've bought the bfree anti-colic bottles, as it's the same feeding action for baby.

Hello,
I'm new to this. I have a May baby (just) 9 days late on 28th, and a nearly 5 year old. I havent caught up on all the other messages yet. My baby is very windy, but shes rubbish at getting it up - meaning we struggle to get more than 3 oz down her, and I think she gets bellyache - but not colic, thankfully. Andy winding tips gratefully received. Tried infacol and gripe. We spent the weekend in hospital with suspected meningitis, but thankfully it wasnt, unfortunately we dont know what it was, but at least it wasnt serious. Still, its a shame she had to spend that time on a drip and being given IV antibiotics - better safe than sorry though. Shes fine now and seems to have suffered no ill effects.

Hi everyone! I haven't read back through all the messages since we went on holiday. We had a lovely holiday - but travelling with a toddler and a newborn isn't easy! It's good to be back. Ds2 is a little unsettled, and when I get a moment (he's not allowing me many) I will read back through - cos it looks like we're not the only ones with squealing about digestive systems! Oh, and we're making the move to the bottle this week. On the good side I have my new job and will start in mid August, and my specialist says I'll come off the ADs in September. Hurrah!

Hi all & welcome to MN LJandJJsmum, we are a friendly bunch here so you are in good company .
Well DD had her first lot of jabs today and screamed the surgery down. I did my best not to cry while she was having them but have to admit I did have a little cry once homw...I felt so bad..I know she needs them for her own good but I felt so helpless watching the nurse inject her especially as I know i'm not that good with injections myself. Suppose this is just the start of being a mum & wanting to protect all the time.

Well dd if now 8 weeks and I haven't had the edinburgh test yet...Didn't even know about it till last week from mn. After seeing the hv with dd today she asked how I was doing which opened the flood gates. She thinks I may have pnd and is arranging for the hv to visit me and to arrange this test. If I have got pnd I don't feel like I have failed even if I need medication (i'm prepared for that) but I just want to know that there is a reason as to why I feel like this. Most days I feel fine but then there as just as many that I feel like such a failure with dd and that she doesn't love me. Its especially bad when I struggle to settle her because she is tired etc and then at other times if she is the same when visitors are here (pil for example) and she settles and coo's for them straight away I feel as though she loves me less. I feel as though others can console her etc more than I can.I also get jealous when anyone else other than dh & I hold her...The time she is not in my arms I miss her so much even though she is on the next seat to me.!
Also my nan died last week so I don't think it has helped me.....Is anyone else feeling the same?...Logic & Fisil how are you doing/feeling?
Sorry to post a downer.

Hi everybody, hope you're all fit and well!

Yep I had the Edinburgh test (where do they get these names from? or is taht another stupid question ) I had it when Ds2 was about 2 - 3 weeks old and I scored okay, thankfully, as I had PND with DS1 - not nice at all.

Welcome to LJandJJsmum - re: wind - our Hv told us that treating wind with infacol is a gradual thing, like the longer you give it the better it works but you must give it before every feed.

And how scary it must have been to think that your baby may have meningitis, glad all is well.

hope the rest of the May mums and babies are doing well

Shhh - sorry to hear that you're feeling down. Maybe your feelings have been escalated by the death of your nan? When is the Hv coming to do the edinburgh test with you?

You're not a failure and I'm sure your DD loves you very much. I suppose we all have days when our little ones won't settle for us, I know I do. But then Bailey gives a huge smile and any worries or doubts I have just melt away....

Hello LJ....!

Sorry to hear that you've feeling down Shhhh. I am having up and down days too. I am supposed to see my GP about the PND but I haven't got time atm.

Shhhh - sorry to hear you're feeling down. I am lucky - I am not feeling like that this time, but as you know I had AND and I know how horrible it is. Do a web search - you can do the Edinburgh test online, and be persistent with your hv/gp. I saw my hv and gp at 21 weeks to say how I was feeling and they were supportive, but I felt they were dismissive. However, when I went back with the same at 24 weeks and then again at 26 weeks I finally got the diagnosis of depression, and then got treatment, and within 10 weeks was back to my normal self. I know that sounds like a long timescale, but I feel lucky to have been able to get better so quickly. In a way I am pleased (with hindsight) that it took me so many visits to get my diagnosis - because it means they took it seriously, and that it was a real thing, not just a moan (why, oh why are we so rubbish that we somehow think it is just us being naughty and moaning - it's a disease fgs!). Good luck and big hugs, it is horrid, isn't it?

shhh I'm sorry to hear you are having problems, hopefully you'll get a quick diagnosis and any help you require.

I'm at breaking point at the moment. Spend alot of time crying and just wanting to get away from everyone including my dd. I don't think its PND (I've suffered from depression before and it was definatly worse than what I'm going through at the moment). Think its just the exhaustion of dealing with a 7 week old baby with colic. Thankfully I'm now getting the support I need from dp and dm after admitting how much I'm struggling.

Shhh sorry to hear you're feeling down - and brighteyes sorry to hear you're struggling. Thinking of you both.

Lj - welcome. Glad to hear your little one is ok. That must have been ever so scary.

I'm having problems with a vomity baby yesterday and today (just about to post a thread about it). I phoned the NCT breastfeeding helpline to see if they had any clever ideas. The counsellor just phoned back and was UTTERLY useless. Just gave me grief about using formula. For a support and advice service, it was seriously lacking in both support and advice.

I'm afraid they were useless for me too ABow. They told me stuff I could have read anywhere which didn't answer my very specific query. It's not on to give you grief!