April 2010 - our little bundles are here!

[lineky]

Thought I'd start a Post-Natal thread as there are so many of us now sorry about the uninspired name.
Well I am slowly realising the sleepless nights thing is no myth - VERY tired!

HV takes over from day 10 MumNWLondon, so call GP surgery.

Am a slave to BFing so have not posted much.

Billie is 15 days now, and is getting more efficient at feeding, and my boobs are doing really well. Gonna start expressing soon so DH can give her one feed a day, and I can get her used to taking a bottle prior to returning to work, plus build up a stock of milk.

After a couple of nights from hell, she seems to be waking twice now, and a routine is beginning to emerge.

DD1 was very unsettled first week or so, but is adjusting well, and playing nicely on her own if I am busy with Billie.

I am so grateful for this thread... it so helps to know I am not alone, especially hearing about others who have gone from 1 to 2 children.

My RL friends have set up a rota to provide meals for us twice a week for 8 weeks - tonight it is Shepherds pie

DH appears to be developing post natal depression

AdelaideJo Hooray...I'm not alone !! Am only just getting over the guilt that I have been giving Jude between 1 and 2 bottles of powder milk on top of breastfeeding/expressing and then feeding from a bottle. For me, I can't bear to leave him upset, so if I have no expressed milk in the fridge, I will give him powder milk in order for me to be 'available' to both my kids (hehe..still sounds odd!!) and get on with (or try to!!) my chores....I didn't combine breast and bottle with dd1 until she wasabout 4 months, but to be honest, I think the person to give me so much grief is myself!!
Nicnac Jude is 6 weeks today, and has been smiling for 3 days now....but only for the first 20 mins of the morning when he is at his most alert and content...I try with my stupid faces at any other time of the day and he just stares at me or struggles to stay awake. I was worried about his eye contact as well...and was looking back at videos on my fone of dd1 thinking ooh he's not doing what she was bla bla bla, but he is now haha. We make things hard for ourselves without realising I think!!
Jude's not had much of a santa beard lol...dd1 was flaky and red and I used baby oil on her, but I've been a bit skanky with Jude and I never bathed him every day
The last of his flakes went from his head yesterday...after me coating his head in baby oil before bed, and him waking up the next morning with me thinking he'd had a really stressful night and had turned grey!!!

I agree stinkypinky that having this thread is a lifesaver. I got my iPhone just a couple of weeks ago & it has been amazing to be able to check MN or facebook when I am feeding in the middle of the night. Helps me keep in touch with the real world!

DS had a bit of a meltdown at teatime today & showed his first bit of jealousy towards his baby brother. Timing went all wrong with George yelling for a feed when ds was about to start his tea. He wanted me to sit with him while he ate so I fed George in the kitchen, but he decided he wanted me to help him with his food & stArted screaming for me to put George down & trying to climb in top of him onto my lap. Was an awful experience as made me feel totally torn between my two LO's, & I just know that I am going to have to get used to this sort of thing happening esp when dh is back at work. So far I have been really careful to try to keep things normal for ds & not let feeding George etc get in way of usual ds stuff. Hoping things will get a bit easier. My hormones are all over place & feel teary whenever ds gets upset.

i dont think 4 weeks is too young im sure ds was smiling from 3 weeks last time. thats why it makes me worried about kacie still not doing it at 5 weeks. i think ds was a much happier baby than kacie, he was awake a lot of the day but always very peaceful and settled, kacie never seems to stop grunting and wriggling when she's awake. ds was 11 days late and kacie 8 days early so i wonder if that makes a difference.

kacie shed a layer of skin too ha. i didnt put anything on it, it went away on its own. have only just started using baby cream on her now after the bath. the midwife told me not to bath her more than twice a week though, dont know if thats just for newborns or still applies now.

ds would self soothe like a dream, i would always put him down awake and he would just drift off to sleep himself but no such luck this time. i wonder if that was because he was so calm when awake.

Hazel still not smiling and will be 6 weeks on Sunday - maybe todays the day! She does seem to be trying.
helenwombat she doesn't self settle either and seems quite similar to Noah although she is getting better and we are managing to get her off a wee bit easier so hopefully it will improve for you soon too.
I am using the wilkinet sling but it is a 'front loader' which may not suit you but I really like it.
Natural Baby shower web site has quite a good selection.

Princess I tried again yesterday and am positive Erin latched on properly - I could see no areola at all and she was sucking really well. About an hour afterwards my nipples started to burn up again...yet my midwife sat in my lounge yesterday and said that shouldn't happen if i'm doing it right.
She took a bottle as normal in the evening so I don't think i've confused her too much. I really am torn about what to do as DP is back to work on Monday and I just don't think I can look after DS and spend up to 3 hours per session b'feeding (which is how it was). I'm sure this is all gong to make me very paranoid, posting about it .

Stinky sorry to hear that your DH might be suffering a bit...I found my HV was brilliant for this when we had DS and she kept coming to see us way beyond the requisite time period.

Thank you AdelaideJo

Ladies, remember all babies are different - try not to worry about things your latest offspring are or are not doing that previous ones did. The other day I found myself wondering if DD1 had been damaged during birth as Billie seems so advanced in comparison. Totally daft! Of course it is natural to compare as we are trying to raise children without an instruction manual, and constantly doubting ourselves, and worrying is an innate part of being a mummy.... but all children are different

Has anyone moved baby to the nursery yet? Billie has been in there since 12 days old as DH was waking her with his snoring. Tempting to join her actually.

helenwomabat Valentin seems to be the same, he won't settle until after a poo. I've been giving him a little water every day as well because he seemed to be struggling to poo, really straining and getting upset. The midwife and health visitor said it's normal for new babies but I can't stand to see him all distressed and it doesn't 'feel' normal. Now he's having one poo every day he's such a chilled out baby.
I'm not sure but I think when I walk him in his pram it helps him poo... Go for a good bumpy walk with baby and see if it makes a difference! It may be my imagination!
I also don't know how people are coping with more than one child! I have a friend who is a single mum with 3 small ones and before I never gave it any thought - now I am sure she is Superwoman! I am now stocked up on condoms and contraceptive pills!!

Great to hear I'm not alone in struggling with two.It's bloody hard isn't it? Especially when DD2 wants held all the time

Helenwombat try the close baby carrier.I really like it.

My biggest struggle seems to be the potty training/newborn juggling act. Ended up yesterday covered in sick almost from head to toe as poor old Alexander threw up all over me, at the same time as scrubbing poo out of pants AGAIN as DD refused to stay on the potty long enough to do a poo in the potty instead of in her pants. I keep telling myself, she'll learn, she'll learn...

Ha Dwayne I didn't do it on purpose it's just that she decided if her best friend was wearing pants, she was too. She's fine telling me she needs a wee but the poo situation is disastrous. Two accidents already today, one ended up on the carpet but also for her. I don't feel we can go back to nappies now, I'm not sure what to do. Stick at it I guess. I'm not using bribery as I'm not a fan of it in general but I may relent. And DD doesn't like chocolate buttons - odd child. I may wander over to the potty training threads for inspiration.

Pasta Jar? Am I being thick... cos I have no idea what you mean Dwayne!

My DD has regressed somewhat, so also scrubbing pooey pants frequently. I am guessing this is how her stress is coming out.

I miss DD1 too - trying to get out each day for some quality time with her - hard with BF, but so worth it. Also trying to get Billie in bed before her so I can do the bedtime routine.

Started expressing today - got 100mls sitting in fridge

bettysmum, I have to confess to using bribery for potty training ds. We tackled it just after Christmas and used some left over chocolate mini santas as rewards every time he went on the potty. It worked really well esp for getting him to tell me when he needed to go rather than me just constantly asking or reminding him
. He got wise to it in the end and started to sit on potty, squeeze out 2 drips and then demand a treat . But by that stage he had pretty much cracked the potty training.

Another option is a sticker chart?

Hello everyone!! Well done Stinkypinky My cousin got excited about seeing my milk in the fridge at my mum's house...she's 28 lol!!!! Strangely though..it made me feel very proud haha
I had a really stressful day yesterday..Jude had a really unsettled night, as well as being really sad and unable to sleep through the day as well, and dd1 decided that was the same day she'd be uncooperative. A few tears were shed..Mine as well! I felt frustrated at having to leave Jude to cry whilst sorting Makenzi, and then frustrated when Makenzi was obviously craving the attention whilst sorting Jude. Today's a new day, today's a new day!!!!!!!!
Hope the potty training picks up Bettysmum Keep at it..you'll soon master it. Lots of over enthusiastics yays, being sent your way My dd has started stammering I've been aware of a really slight 'muddle' for a while, but in the last 2 months it's become worse...speech therapist from SureStart has told me to wait til Aug, and see if it gets better, by then she'll send me to the 'real' people...but it's quite common with 2-4 year olds, common in children that are quite 'bright' and have a lot to say, and of course the arrival of Jude may have contributed as well The most hearbreaking thing I ever heard was when she couldn't get her sentence out at all, and looked at me and said 'I can't listen mummy...you tell me.' That's only happened 3 times, but it breaks my heart every time

Zeeky just noticed the time you posted!!! Hope it wasn't a really bad night for you xx

Gonna do a pasta jar for DD and DH me thinks!

DD up last night with high temp - seems ok now, but could have done without it. DH sleeps through anything, and if I do wake him, he goes straight back to sleep.

My DD sometimes stutters and my theory is her speech cannot keep up with her brain. Agree it is a sign of a bright child.

Haven't had time to post here recently. Just had a quick look at the antenatal thread and I can't believe that there are still some overdue mums to be! I really feel for them as I found it so hard going over.

Apart from the feeding everything is going well our end. I am really enjoying being a mum of two and I love not being pregnant anymore. Recovering from the section has been fine and nowhere near as difficult as being pregnant. I love being able to turn over in bed without needing a crane and it is great not having to get up 500 times in the night for a wee!

Rory is adorable and I could sit with him in my arms all day, it is lovely watching him with ds1 as well, ds1 has been a little star and is so gentle with him it makes my heart melt. We are still mixed feeding as he won't take much from the breast and sometimes refuses to feed from the breast completely. I think the problem is me rather than him, I don't think I am positioning him correctly, I have seen bfing counsellors and they have been great but as soon as they have gone I struggle to get it right again. I have dyspraxia and I tend to make simple everyday tasks hard work for myself and I find bfing is like learning to drive, I am making it far more complicated than it actually should be!

Hope everyone else is well and I look forward to seeing some more of the overdue mums on here shortly.