NOV 09 - once the lights are out and the last baby has arrived safe and fine, see you here on cloud nine!

[Broodzilla]

I've just realized we're now under the "being a parent" header. I've got stage freight!

Fruit there's some great info on fast letdown on www.kellymom.com if you can't find the right pages then shout and I'll do some looking for you. We have the same issue, and there are great positions you can use until your DS learns to take the speed of it. Plenty of winding is needed too I'm afraid!

Better night ish here. Gave a bottle of ebm at 10 and he drank it well and slept until 3am. Woke then though every two hours as the feeds are too short. 5 mins at 3am then 7 mins at 5am. I should have changed his nappy to wake him up more at 3am. Must do that tonight.
Feel better today though so off into town to try and get some bf clothes as living in 3 strappy tops and 3 jumpers here and it's driving me mad. Will go to Primarche and see if they have some cheapy stuff

Heaps of wrapping left to do here too, sigh, not sure when I'll manage to get that done. Might try and sneak an hour or two this afternoon in to do it if I can keep the dc's occupied downstairs!

Haven't done our food shopping yet either!!

Oh my god is it really Christmas the day after tomorrow? We still have to buy DS1 a present!!! I'm just not in the mood for Christmas this year ... bah humbug. Just too tired! Does anyone remember me saying a few months ago 'imagine what Christmas will be like, feeding our babies to the sparkly fairy lights on the Christmas tree?' I do enjoy that I must admit.

Oh and another thing: do you remember that weird Chinese gender predicting thing? Was anyone's prediction spot on? Mine was wrong, said a girl!

BBL I remember you talking about feeding and singing to the baby under the sparkly fairy lights - in fact I think about it all the time! Hmm, yes... more like feeding a grizzly baby under the nightlight, half asleep, listening to the shipping forecast so don't nod off and suffocate her... but aim high and all that!

I am aware this was discussed weeks ago by all you mummies ahead of us, but I am considering the dummy debate now. Was really surprised to see a booklet my HV gave me reocmmended 'settle your baby to sleep with a dummy' as I was brought up to think they were the spawn of satan ! But I think Rosa might need the comfort - at the end of a feed I am sure she is just suckling for ages and when she was rooting grumpily today she sucked my finger for a while. When that wasn't enough and I put her on the boob she seemed happy but then vomited most of it back up, therefore I assume she didn't 'need' it and just wanted to comfort suck. Any thoughts?

Hi all,

bbl I can't remember what the chinese gender predictor said, would be interested to know if it was right though.

I started the mammoth task of present wrapping today, onlt to run out of sellotape halfway through, aarrghh! Really can't be bothered to go out again so think i'll send dh out later!

sass you've had some great advice already so i'll just echo what everyone else says, it does get easier I promise! The first 6 weeks are the toughest but as time goes on you'll get more into a routine and slowly your old life will return, well some of it anyway! Think ds was about 10 weeks old when I finally felt like I was enjoying him and feeling less anxious about things. I like to think of it as starting a brand new job, you don't know what the hell you are doing at first but once you've been doing it for a while it's all second nature!

Millie has slept through the past few nights and ds is getting better at night too. Last night was the best nights sleep ive had in ages so why do I feel so tired? Think we've all got a lot of zzzzzzz to catch up on, maybe santa will bring us some for Christmas!

If I don't get a chance to pop on again before the day i'd just like to wish you all a happy christmas with the new babies

People wrestling with the fast letdown issue, just wanted to say that this was our bugbear for the first six or seven weeks but I've noticed recently (at nine weeks) that it's really improved. Winding the baby no longer takes twenty to thirty minutes in the middle of the night; I sit him up, he burps, he goes back to sleep (and without the thrashing and gurning). Hallelujah.

Sass, I hope it's some comfort that you guys aren't the only ones to struggle with the arrival of a new baby - it's a huge strain on any relationship, and some blokes adapt quicker than others.

We're just got back from a hellish trip into Marlborough to do the Christmas shop. The roads are half-gritted, but there are still treacherous patches of black ice - the village canal is frozen over, and all the pavements are terribly slippery. Massive pileup just outside Marlborough, so it took us three times as long to get there as usual - and when we got there, Waitrose was a zoo (albeit one stocked by preternaturally polite and groomed attendants). The only way we could keep DS 1 from melting down in the line was to chase around the Waitrose girl handing out chocolates and feed him one after another. However, we got the very LAST container of whole cloves in town.

Haven't wrapped any presents though. Go me.

raggie use a dummy here for the same reasons and it's fine. Try stroking the cheek with it as if you put it in then they can gag as they don't move their tongues out the way.

Still have wrapping to do here and food shopping although dh has just said he'd do that tomorrow. Think I've finally bought everything though!

bbl my prediction was spot on.

Well, went to Chippy and the latch seems OK, it only hurts like hellish hell of a hell at initial clamp down. Got told to count to ten and it should ease and it indeed does. But she dropped a tiny bit in weight again! The milk supply isn't an issue, as I'm dripping in the morning, she feeds for long stretches, I just don't know what's going on. DH says that she maybe growing in length, her head is 1cm bigger, but I want a chubby baby! Got told not to worry about it too much, as she looks fine, pink, alert, clear-eyed, so I'll just plug away at it and see.

sass I'm sure your dh will bond with the Bean soon, it can apparently take some blokes much longer. Just enjoy the process of observation of all the subtle changes that do happen every day. Day by day they're getting more alert, more aware. But it is so lovely to just watch them sleep with no care in the world, unaware of the cold and horrible weather, happy in their mum's or dad's arms. Safe and protected, vulnerable but somehow rich and mysterious with all the potential and all the paths before them. This is such a short and precious time, your dh will learn to enjoy it.

DH has just come back with the last bits of shopping. Apparently Banbury is hell on earth. Not only the shops are going to be CLOSED FOR A WHOLE ONE DAY, the population is also probably going to get snowed in for the next six months, armageddon, doom and general misery. He couldn't even get in to the carpark of one supermarket and it took him a long time driving around the carpark of another to be able to find a space. I hate shopping at this time of the year. Remember a few years ago I had a brilliant idea to go to Tesco at midnight, Problem was half of the bloody town had exactly the same brilliant idea!

skorpion I love that description - hellish hell of a hell -and I have that as well but only on left side. I've tried the rugby ball position which has allowed my nipple to heal somewhat. Bizarrely the midwifes were pushing this position while I was in hospital and DS was having none of it so the fact that it works now shows how much he's learned in 3 weeks! DS definitely is guilty of comfort sucking so I've start to unlatch him when I think he's slowing down or pulling off slightly and you can see whether there is milk around their mouth or not.

raggie I've tried a dummy over the past couple of days as Ethan has been very unsettled at night but it makes him scream even louder so I don't think he will take it. May try again though. I too wanted to avoid using dummies but one came with the steriliser & I couldn't resist trying it in the wee small hours.

BBL Chinese predictor was right for me!

sass We've been very lucky in that our baby has only really cried over the past two nights so, as much as DP doesn't do as much as I'd like, he has had some nice hugs and definitely bonded with our baby. Could you pass a sleepy or sleeping baby to your other half to have a nice peaceful cuddle?

I'm not sure DP & DS are on speaking terms today, DS didn't sleep, other than one 20m nap, between 10pm and 6am last night. I'm worried this is a sign of things to come so DP is picking up Infacol today just in case. Fingers crossed he will sleep tonight!

I expressed 5oz this morning!! It's amazing to see, makes me very proud! Not sure when to try it as he hasn't had a bottle yet but DP finishes work today for the holidays and it would be lovely to have an early night and leave him with the bedtime routine.

Sorry haven't read posts for a few days as I've had family visiting. Hope everyone's doing well. I'm going to go back and read through.

I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself. I've had incredibly sore nipples for a few days and was at the point of giving up except that I've now got some nipple shields which are helping (although I am now worried my supply will diminish). James has got oral thrush, so I think it's transferred to me, but the GP will only treat him as she says if she treated me I'd have to stop feeding . As well as the GP I've spoken to 2 midwives, a pharmacist and a health visitor about this over the past 2 days and nobody seems to be helping me.

My brother and sister-in-law had been staying and were due to leave yesterday, but I was obviously struggling so they stayed on. They left a few hours ago and suddenly I feel so far away from my family. It's hard work isn't it??

We're also not at all prepared for xmas. DH wanted to buy food tonight but I feel like I need him here asap, so I'll have to hope they have something vaguely festive left in the supermarket tomorrow.

Sorry that was all me me me, I just needed to get it out! Off to read about everyone else...

I've just read back the pages that I missed. Congratulations Sass and Grace! It's great to see you over here at last . I hope things are improving Sass - the first few weeks are HARD, but you will be learning so much so fast and in a few weeks loads of things you are worrying about will feel like second nature. I wish I could take that advice myself - are any other second-timers feeling a bit stupid that they expected things to be easier this time? I feel like a complete novice all over again and I think I'd forgotten how tough the first few weeks are.

James is also not gaining as much weight as I'd like. He is just 4oz over his birth weight and is 3 weeks on Friday. HV said this was fine, but it doesn't seem much to me. Maybe I just like to worry.

laugs ethan was 3oz over his birth weight at 16 days so I wouldn't worry about it. As long as it's going up I'd imagine it's ok. Have you read my post about trying different positions? Also I've been using lansinoh after every feed as at first I was only really putting it on at night.

It is hard, we've had 2 really difficult days but I keep telling myself we're another day closer to a routine and things settling down. Hang in there.

Skorpion I had the same problem with feeding - hellish of a hell hell of pain squared and everyone said latch was fine but no weight gain either, with DS2 they were really worried at the amount he lost in first week. No idea what was going wrong. Hurt like nothing on earth - worse than childbirth! I feel for you as I've been there with all three of mine.
Hang on in there though if you can. I hated giving up, still cry about it now every now and then.

I've just finished my Christmas shopping! Yeah! Town wasn't too bad but then we've had no snow here, not even one flake

Oh, laugs, I sympathise. I have a little cry at least once a day about this. Still sore and worried about the way I'm coping. The fact that Lucy's not gaining weight just makes it worse. Hang in there. I don't think your supply would diminish with using sheilds, it may take a bit longer to feed, as they have to work harder for their food. Fwiw my sis bf'd two of her boys using them and the last one was bf'd for a year. Is there any specific bf help offered anywhere you are?

claire I think we're similar to you with positions. He is better on the left, so we're doing the normal position (whatever that's called) on the left, then the rugby hold on the right to confuse him into thinking he's still on the left. It's an improvement I think, but I'm still dreading every feed.

You're right, we're definitely closer to things settling down. I keep forgetting that most people on this thread's babies are a few weeks older, so of course they have more of a routine etc. Next time (ha!) I get pregnant it will be at the beginning of the month

Laugs, I think your GP is batty -everything I've read or been told about thrush says that you need to treat the mother for thrush as well as the child or you'll keep giving it back to the baby. My friend had this problem with her newborn only a few months ago, and our doc was careful to treat both of them. La Leche League says on their official website:

"Thrush can be very difficult to treat. It is essential for both you and your baby to be treated for thrush as not only is it easily spread but it also thrives in warm moist environments such as your baby's mouth and your nipples."

www.llli.org/FAQ/thrush.html

If I were you, I would request to see another GP or ring your local hospital to see if they can recommend a lactation consultant or something. This SHOULD be fixable, and I'm so sorry that you're having such a hard time getting help!

Thanks bbl for your kind words.

Also wanted to add that the breastfeeding forum here might be of more help in suggesting stuff..?

Well if it's any help today's feeding has been a breeze and baby is now 3wks 3days so hopefully you'll be over the worst soon!

Thanks Tamlin. I think she is too, considering she came out with gems like 'you could just stop breastfeeding until the thrush clears up and then start again'. When he is only 2.5 weeks old? Not likely. Unfortunately the hospital agrees with her about the medicine. It seems the medication that is prescribed for babies is contraindicated in/for BF women? I am going to try the vinegar solution which was on that LLL site and natural yogurt... fingers crossed.

I now have an early New Year's Resolution, which is that I will BF until New Year's Day, when James will be 4 weeks exactly. Obviously I'm hoping it will be for longer than that, but this gives me something to aim for.

Oh, I have a thread here

Glad things are looking up Claire!

Laugs like I said on the other thread, you'll just keep reinfecting each other unless both of you are treated. Afraid I agree with Tamlin in that your GP is obviously a sandwich short of a picnic, esp with her stop then start bf comments!
The amount that baby would take from your treatment would be less concentrated than is prescribed for them, and you're only talking a thin layer from your nipple that was left over from the last feed.
It really is worth searching the bf forum for thrush threads as there are quite a few with lots of advice on from other mn-ers who've been through it. I found some great stuff last week when I thought I had it.

To all the new mummies bf and still in the first few weeks - do hang on in there if you can as it really does get easier and more patterened after 4 weeks. Ioan is now 6 weeks old and it's a breeze and pain free. I have no hassles in going out trying to remember bottles, or in being out later than planned and not having enough milk.
Try and see the first few weeks as forcing you to rest up and recover from the birth. Grab your laptop/remote/book/etc and wallow in feeding nirvana whilst gritting your teeth for the first minute or so of the feed whilst your nips get used to being gummed several times a day!!!

laugs, scarlotti - that's good thinking. Short term goals is the way forward.

It's snowing!!!!!!!!!

PS I think you are both coping tremendously well Laugs and Scorpion. Better than me I lasted a week with feeding