July 2005 babies

[AussieSim]

Welcome all those with fresh new babies. Oh the joys and tribulations. Post the lot here!

I hope I haven't overlooked a previous thread here for us. Anyway, here goes.

DS2 was due 3 July but arrived 29 June, 9lb 6oz. He has been growing nicely and is 4 weeks old today. I am breastfeeding and have already had mastitis and thrush but am pushing on with it. Biggest problem is sometimes he sleeps too long in the day and then wakes up a lot in the night, not that he stays awake for long, just long enough to feed and go back to sleep. The Midwife says that I shouldn't worry about his lack of wakefulness for the moment in the absence of any other issues, and to see how he is going around the 6 week mark. She also said I should wake him up during the day, which I have been reluctant to do, but I think I will have to do. Anyone else got an overly sleepy baby who doesn't seem to be growing out of it quickly enough?

Got the breast shells. It's amazing how much milk leaks from boobs. I'll get the nipple guards tomorrow if my 48 hours of expressing hasn't helped heal the cut. I'm not going to give up on this breastfeeding lark. Did it with dd1 until she was 16 months old. Have to keep reminding myself that it gets better...

Quickie1: Is it just merryberry and myself who are first time parents ?

Quickie2 to the old timers: (probably dumb) is it fairly normal that baby's tummy is really quite a lot larger and rounder and generally much plumper and more sticky outy / deliciously round than the rest of her slim silhouette, IYSWIM ? (She was a little prem, so she is feeding a lot and piling on the weight, but her tum is starting to really look jolly big... just wanted to check that sounds par for the course). Thanks.

Lolasmum: just read a few pages from Chloe Fisher's Bestfeeding re: cracked nipples... advice seemed to be to continue feeding, but to address positioning problems deemed to have caused the problem IYSWIM. Suggested breast milk expressed and then applied after the feed was useful. HTH (but am sure it hurts like stink. )

Morning all

Hi Hub, yes that's normal. They tend to get a more normal shape when they become toddlers .

Lolasmum, good luck with the healing.

Hoxtonchick, I got a black sling in the end. Not very exciting but I wasn't sure that the red (my other choice) was very red or a bit pink and girly.

you will be utterly stylish bagpuss!

Thanks Bagpuss30.

hello everyone

i've not posted for ages just getting over my section and getting used to being a mummy.

hub 2 dee im a first time mum too.

here's a few details chloe was born on the 27th june by section because she was breech she weighed 6lb 2oz but is now a big 8lb 9oz so piling on the weight.

Hello - was just about to do a post but Paul has woken. Just a quick question - does anyone know if you can attach pics to your message or does it have to be done via a link to a specific website?

Thanks.

Ok trying to type while feeding...

Anyone else's dh/partner or you hub2dee getting the Daddy Blues? dh was really upset yesterday and it turns out he feels "redundant" because I am breastfeeding and "giving him life". It's not a seriuous thing and part of him knows its pointless to feel like that but I would have thought these feeling would be quite common in men. You don't tend to hear about it though do you?

I remember him being a bit like that with our first but not our 2nd. anyway he is OK now but it kind of took me by surprise.

Hi pandagirl03 - well, at least there's a few of us trying to figure out what is going on, what is normal, and how things work, LOL ! Glad your dd is doing well.

Eulalia - You can upload an image (up to 18kb) in For Sale or Member Profiles, but not in other topic areas. It's OK for a small, one off image, otherwise uploading images to some private / free Web space might be easiest.

Re: Daddy Blues - I can understand this, esp. if you are bf full time as mum does enjoy extra closeness, but dad can cuddle before / after, do any burping, try for some skin to skin, take care of the nappies etc. We are predominantly bottle feeding (formula + EBM) and I'm doing a large amount of feeding / burping etc., plus I'm at home all day, so I'm feeling suitably involved / knackered etc. but not at all 'blue'. Perhaps you can persuade him he has a role in keeping you sweet ? Special massage ? Bath prep ? etc. Happy mamma = happy baby 'n all that... Could a sling help him have 'close time' to Paul ?

HTH

PS - If you want to, possibly a night feed could be a bottle from dad using expressed milk ?

eulalia - cackle darkly at yr DH and tell himt o just wait there's much fun coming his way with weaning. Also I am soooo gratfeul for what we call 'dad jobs': i ham it up a bit and pretent I can't lift things or go fetch something, and make a big fuss of pleasure when it's done. xx

Oh, mb... you are horrid.

Pants. Pants. Pants. I think dw is coming down with mastitis again. Last one about 2 weeks ago, dd aged 2 weeks. Bugger. Have call out to after hours doc so we can line up some anti-bs should the fever / shakes etc. kick in when all the world is sleeping. We're hitting the pump, doing the hot bath, have started on the homeopathic treatments and I'm gonna be heading off for another cabbage.

Oh Hub, poor you and poor DW. What homeopathic remedy are you using? The one I had is called Lac Can. I was told to use it the first day until the symptoms changed, so I took it until my temp went up again and I came out in a rash, which is when I started the anti-bs!!

DD has found her voice and has the evening shouties. She feeds as though she is starving but keeps coming off and bellowing. She's really tired but will only settle if I am holding her - I love the cuddles but the boys need to be put to bed! Oh well, these phases all pass don't they?

I really hope mastitis doesn't kick in for DW, Hub.

homeo = phytolacca iirc.

gone to late night doc and chemist. anti bs already in progress. boob sore as hell. Not looking good from dw's perspective for long term expressing etc. etc. which I can understand. We'll see how things go. We r acting v. fast, so it might not b as bad as last time.

Yes, 1 handed baby feed in progress.

hub2dee - your poor dw - hats off to her for persevering. How's the wee one feeding - its so much easier when they can take the milk themselves.

Thanks also for your kind words re my dh - its nothing that can be addressed (ie with exprresed b/milk etc) its a kind of deep seated thing). I have said various comforting things like there is more than feeding a baby ie he needs love, cuddles etc and he seems to be a lot happier. Also he started back onto work on the house yesterday so the plumbing jobs have helped.

MrsD - is this your 3rd also? I am losing track. It's hard work isn't it?

Blimey, I've missed loads! hope all are well, apart from the nipple-agonies. I am missing out on all of that as dd just wouldn't take to it at all and it was all getting very traumatic again. So I am going through the whole 'I have failed my daughter' thing and giving her cow and gate, which she is thriving on, but it still makes me feel the terrible guilts.
hub- I am a 1st timer as well, dh and I can't believe how much we have learned in the last 12 days, if only I had applied this level of commitment to my career I might be a lot better off!!
on the wilkinet topic, we have bought the lovely raspberry corduroy one which we do intend to use at some point- I am still terrified that she will fall out of the bottom! I may have to use duct tape the first few times just to make sure...
oh, and thanks for the kind birthday wishes and words of sparkly encouragement for dh (you all know me far too well!) I got a lovely watch (pink of course) and three bars of Green and Blacks and a box of after eights from Dulcie for old times sake!
dh had also made me steak and chips (I have been waiting for a nice rare steak for months) but Dulcie wouldn't settle at all so dh had to cut it all up into little bits so I could eat it whilst cuddling her! She didn't stop me from having a glass of champagne though, oh, it was goo-ood. bye bye wagon. x

glad you had a good birthday harriett - dulcie seems to be an excellent shopper, does she take after mummy ? don't feel bad about the bottles - happy mum=happy baby etc etc (god, i am crap at online sympahty!).

dd's been quite sleepy for the past couple of days, but is currently cooing at her baby gym. and occasionally hitting something by mistake which keeps her entertained. she's still doing pretty well at night, a couple of long stretches in her basket. i have discovered the joys of girls clothes shopping on ebay. poor ds, i used to put a lot of time & effort into his clothes but i fear he's going to be eclipsed now. bad mummy. he & i made jam this morning which i think was a good mummy moment, & dp has taken him over to his cousins this afternoon. so i suppose i should tidy up....

hope all are well. how are those of you with 3 coping??? and the school holidays as WELL. it's mommyd with the smallest age gaps isn't it, notice she hasn't posted for a while!

hi all - having another one is one of our topics of convo at the moment HC, sparked by things like: should we get shot of this piece of kit or keep it for number 2? I don't know: I could handle more than one - if i didn't work, but i love my work - the actual stuff I do, plus i like the people i do it for, they give me loadsa cash (relative this is to when i wasa nurse).

anyway whatever we decide i am sure getting shot of my supersized mama PG clothes. I won't do PG again until I'm a lot lighter: I am 4 stone overweight and suspect it contributed heavily (ha-ha see what i did there) to my pre-eclampsia. so i need to shift that over the next year before we go for it...

is it cool to sell things via mumsnet - anyone done it? or should i use eBay again I wonder? any advice welcome.

i like the sound of your mummy moment HC. we had some proud parents moments when people coo-d over our pram up primrose hill today.

i asked DP what he should yell if he saw jude law around that neighbourhood. (the answer is of course SINNER!)dp said 'nice one mate' so we had a nice tussle over that point for 10 minutes: one of our most extended non-baby related convos in days. it was lovely. also have agreed on a holiday plan - first with baby of course. trepidatious, but exciting!

H2D - i suppose D is feeling too ropey to manage the BF cafe this week. I do i hope i meet her/you there sometime soon.

Eulalia, yes, this is number 3! I really really like it although the tiredness is beginning to catch up with me. I'm ok so far during the day but supper time/bath & bedtime I find quite difficult. I don't know how the people with smaller age gaps cope tho! How are you finding it?

Glad your birthday was nice, Harriett. Lovely pressies

Merryberry - I've been having (vague) thoughts about having another one too, although I certainly won't act on it with my stitches and as long as my boobs are bigger than DD's head!! . You are very brave! Before and during labour DH and I were both saying that we'd never ever do this again.

I hope your DH is feeling a bit better Eulalia. My DH has been snowed under with with work over the last month or so, so I would probably quite welcome him being as emotionally involved as your DH! One day I would like to have a labour when he doesn't bring papers into the delivery room . He's gone very hunter-gatherer about the whole thing, poor love - his way of coping with all the stress etc, I guess.

Hope DW isn't feeling too crummy, Hub.

Thanks mrs, merrycackleberry, Eulalia: dw doing good. I think the very very prompt application of anti bs is the way to go. No fever today, just feeling tired and peeved and rather rouge in the boob department. But she is OK. I think the next bout will definitely be the last, IYSWIM.... kind of 'three strikes and you're out' !

Harriett: Deffo think parentcraft / what to expect classes would be useful, alongside trad NCT-type antenatal classes ! Enjoy the watch and chocs !

merry - if we don't do bf / Talacre etc. then maybe we can do a walk on the heath / Primrose Hill park etc. etc. in maybe a month or two ??? (or much less if any/everyone is feeling particularly brave and the weather is going to be particularly nice) - not sure if there are others who might like to join (maybe even from neighbouring postnatal threads etc. etc.)

Out of interest Hub is Dee still trying Camille at the breast? Now she is bigger she may well get the hang of it. Hope the masitis is clearing.

Hi mears, I think she's basically 'had enough' of the feeling she can't do it, so is more in the 'forget it' camp IYSWIM. Possibly we'll do one last bash (and personally, I'm sure the two of them could sort stuff out given time), but it's her body and her decision and I'll just help out however I can IYSWIM. Happy mamma.... etc.

Can totally understand that. Worth another bash but not till mastitis has gone. She's done really well expressing this long. She's lucky to have a supportive DH like you. Keep it up

If Camille sucks bottle, have you tried nipple shield? It would be nice if Dee could at least enjoy a feed at the breast than connecting with a pump all the time.

We haven't tried a nipple shield (although bought two) incase it made things worse IYSWIM, but I suppose we've got nothing to lose now, so I'll suggest it.

Was thinking about hiring a hospital-grade double pump from NCT so dw only has to sit half as long, plus perhaps the better machines get more hindmilk out. So hoping we can delay any further mastitis... currently using decent little medela hand held, but obviously it is slow and noisy when using full time...

Maybe if we keep occasionally trying dd will surprise us out of the blue in several weeks / months ? !!!

Did something funny tonight: Filled a medela EBM bottle with NUK teat with water, and the same with an AVENT bottle with stage 1 teat and tried to drink 100ml of water through them !!!! (dd is getting windy and burping can be a bit drawn out / hit and miss, so I was trying to figure out if we change bottle / teat first > B Free or if we change formula first from SMA > Aptamil as she doesn't seem to be pooing terribly frequently and her farts STINK - perhaps that just means everything is being absorbed hyper-efficiently !)

Anyways... the sucking water from the bottles was BLOOMIN difficult. The Avent in particular provided a very great resistance. The B Free bottle I believe is vented to avoid this. The NUK teat was OK (it does have a tiny hole IIRC), and the latex was MUCH softer than the silicon, plus the teat is angled up etc. etc.

Do you know your bottles and teats, mears ? LOL

X

Double pump would be a good idea - speeds up process considerably. You certainly have nothing to lose trying nipple shield - Camille may well take to it as it is like a teat and Dee obviously has milk established.

I personally preferred teats that the baby could dictate the flow such as Resolve teats from Maws. They have a slit in them and vent as the baby sucks. The other bottle that is very good for reducing colic is Dr Brown's. Will find a link. Back soon.