Anyone able to hand hold on crazy hormone night?

[WhenZogateSuperworm]

Had my little girl early hours Monday morning after a rather traumatic labour and a theatre trip for retained placenta. I’ve been feeling pretty rubbish as I haven’t slept in days but have been home since Monday afternoon.

This evening is crazy hormone time. I remember it from my first and found it tough. So far today i’ve diagnosed myself with DVT, a PE, anemia, and pre-eclampsia. I also had to ring the midwife about passing a large blood clot but they didn’t seem worried. I know it’s my anxiety making me feel dreadful but could do with a hand hold through the night. Little one is cluster feeding and won’t be put down so can’t see me getting any sleep and it’s a long night when you are anxious about everything.

Been trying to get baby to sleep for 2 hours with no luck. She feeds, falls asleep and then wakes as soon as I move then will only settle if allowed to feed again. I remember these nights with my DS and they were horrendous.

Are you able to feed laying down at all? This way you may at least get a spot of rest. Sorry to hear you are in the thick of the hormones and crazy anxiety. congratulations on the birth of your little girl. My 19 month old has woken tonight and I can't get him to settle so starting to feel tired and ready for bed now....😏😏. Any box sets you're in to to stave off some thoughts in the middle of the night? Xx

I didn’t want to read and run. I am past the baby stage but I was exactly the same with mine.

You will get through it. You are doing really well

Congratulations xx

Yes I can feed lying down but she ends up on her side rather than her back to sleep that way. Once rolled to her back she wakes instantly and needs to feed again.

Hang in there Zogate. It’s tough as hell but you can get through it. It will be but a fleeting memory before you know it.

Look after yourself - lots of protein and hydration, ok?

Oh gosh just wanted to say you've got this! This 'really hard - after the birth - exhausted bit' will pass!!
I pretty much camped out on my recliner watching tv and feeding but thankfully after the birth baby will eventually be tired too so fingers crossed the cluster feeding will pass. If you are so exhausted you can carry on (it's ok to give a small bottle of formula if you wanted too - I had such guilt about that! But was all fine!) and after the cluster feeding then is the sleeping woohoo!!

You will feel better tomorrow x x Congratulations too x

Thank you.

We’ve got the swaddle out to try and have a dummy ready to see if we can get her to go down after this feed.

Hey OP - I had my baby girl last night at 6pm. I'm just sat here with her hanging off my very sore breasts. She wakes every time I move her. I've never breast fed before...... this SUCKS!!!

Hi @snowone!

I fed my DS for a year and so thought this time round it would be easy- I was completely wrong! I had forgotten about the pain and the relentless cluster feeding!

Are you home or still in hospital? Ask to see a feeding counsellor who can help you get a good latch. With the right support you can improve the pain loads and I found with DS he was about 2 weeks he improved loads because his mouth was a bit bigger.

We are home. They were happy with her latch in hospital but I am back there on Friday for a check up so will get them to check then.

I FF my first daughter so I didn't have any of this to contend with. I've managed to get her to take a dummy for a couple of stretches but she's not overly keen.

Gosh I am so unbelievably tired.

Hope you manage to roll the hormone wave, I am not looking forward to mine, I suspect Friday will be the day!!

Definitely keep getting it checked. I found the hospital midwives said it was fine but the feeding specialist gave me lots more advice about correct hold that really made a difference. It will be a lot easier in a few weeks when they aren’t so tiny. Does your sure start centre have a breastfeeding group? I found mine really helpful for advice along the way and to talk to some other mums who were breastfeeding.