Due Dec 2023 - part 6

[Nclktnntt]

Follow-on from part 5 heading into delivery and motherhood.

I am definitely going for swimming too. Where I live, swimming lessons/classes seem to start from when babies are 3 months but wondering if I should take her myself first to get her used to the water.

Not sure if chlorine will be ok on her skin before the 3 months?

@chloesl1808 have a look at water babies, they cover most areas I think and take them from just weeks old. They called me the other day to see if I wanted to enrol him but I explained it'll be longer than hoped due to C-section. So they're calling me in a few more weeks time

Has anyone tried expressing a bottle yet? I've expressed 60ml twice but it just seems to be gone very quickly so I end up topping up on breast just in case. Breast feeds can last up to 45 mins with my baby so I'm wondering if he's drinking it too quickly or if I've not expressed enough? Anyone have any wisdom to share? Would love to get him used to one bottle a day!

How old is baby? If baby was having formula it would be 60-90ml every 2-3 hours, increasing as they grow. So 60ml is already on smaller side for a baby. If baby has more at breast then they're still hungry and need more - breastfeeding is effort so they don't do it unless need it. Put the bottle on a shallower angle to help it last longer. I expressed a couple ounces trying to get rid of a blocked duct and mine took it no problem but he was definitely still hungry after and had another 10 min feed from my breasts after.

@Charlielechat I’ve expressed a bit so DH can do the odd feed to give me a break. I aim for around 100ml - we’ve given her a couple of formula bottles and she’ll have anywhere between 50ml - 120ml with those so I really need to build up a proper stash of breast milk if I ever want to go out!

@Mushroo @FlyingHighFlyingLow Thanks for the advice! He is 4 weeks tomorrow but he had a bottle at 2 weeks and one at 3 weeks. I'll maybe try and express more then, and will try keep him more upright for bottle feeds.

Anyone who had a C-section - did you have any problems with the base of your ribs in your back? I'm struggling to breath in (10 days post op) I'm taking peppermint capsules and drinking peppermint teas, I don't feel like it's trapped wind, I was / am constipated but managed to pass this morning and yesterday (taking lactulose for that). I don't know if I have a slight water infection either as sometimes I have to really concentrate, it's like my body refuses to go sometimes. Not always.

I've been on antibiotics though so if I have an infection it's hard to know. They finished yeasterday which is when the pain/ribs issue started. I've googled the frozen shoulder symptoms but they don't match up, I can move my arm & shoulder. Just wondering if this is a thing or if I need to go doc's.

@Nclktnntt I haven't had any symptoms like that after my section. I've just finished 3rd round of antibiotics and been seeing nurse regularly to dress my wound which was infected (I didn't realise it was infected until quite late which is why it's taken a while to fight it!). I did struggle with pain but that was lower left of my stomach when I moved, appeared about 10 days post section and lasted 10 days. I would speak to doctor about your symptom just to check it over. X

@Flowersandfloral thank you, I am seeing the midwife tomorrow for his 10 day check up so I'll speak to her and see what she says. It's just odd how I can't take much of a breath in and my side tenses/contorts on its own.

My back really hurt as my milk production ramped up. It calmed down around day 15

Hey all, just wanted to check in and see how everyone is getting on?
my lo will be 5 weeks tomorrow! I can’t believe how quickly time is going!!

@SMG1992 its crazy how fast it has gone! My LO is nearly 6 weeks but it feels like yesterday. We seem to have settled into a nice little bedtime routine, waking at 1, 4 and 7 so I can’t complain too much haha

how are you getting on?

@FirstMondayInMay We have a very similar sleep routine actually and it’s honestly not too bad. Crazy how you change and 6 hours of broken sleep is a good night 😅

@SMG1992 haha honestly can relate! Nights are a bit difficult but we are trying to stick to a routine of 8, 12, 4, 8. My husband goes back to work in a few weeks and trying to work out a fair way to split feeding once he does! We currently each do a shift at night- one person does the 8pm and 12pm feed and the other does 4am and 8am and we switch over (one of us sleeps in the spare room) at 3:30am just interested in how everyone is splitting feeding with their partner?

@gurlwhaat my husband has been back at work for 3 weeks now as only had the first week off. We are doing similar, baby feeds at 7/730. Husband stays up and does the 1130 feed. I then do the 330 and 730 am. Husband gets up for work between 630-7 and will help getting the bottle ready and getting our toddler sorted while I'm getting up and sorted for the day. It works for us. He then had layins at the weekend to catch up. We don't have a spare room so are often both being woken up.

Very jealous of those with good night time routines! My baby wakes after an hour and a half these days! When you include feeding and changing it's 2 or 3 wake ups overnight, but would love him to stretch to 3 hours sleeps 🥲

Night time ain't so settled for us yet either. Just keep trying different things and telling myself it isn't forever lol.

How often are you giving your little ones a bath? My daughter will be 5 weeks on Monday and is still just having a bath once a week.

@chloesl1808 we are still bathing once a week, and I’ll give baby’s face, neck, hands and nappy area a quick wipe down with water and cotton wool every morning.

How are the breastfed babies on the thread doing in terms of night sleep? (as they tend to wake more frequently on average!). My LO is currently waking every 1.5 hours of a night - I can’t remember whether DD1 woke as frequently when she was a baby.

LO is also going through quite a severe bout of baby acne, which I definitely remember DD1 also going through, but again I can’t remember how long it lasted!

@LittleButtercup I'm also breastfeeding and baby is also waking every 1.5/2hrs in the night. It's exhausting isn't it! Last night though I gave him a dummy when he woke and he somehow slept on for another 2.5hrs! I couldn't believe it! Probably just a fluke 😂 I've started giving him an expressed bottle in the evenings for DH to feed him too.
Have also noticed a bit of acne in him too. I read breastmilk can help with that but not sure I'd want to cover him in milk as it just doesn't seem very clean!

I'm breastfeeding. From weeks 3-5 settled into roughly 11pm, 2, 4, 7 as wake ups. Then at 5 weeks went to hell for a week - likely 6 week regression. Clingy, wanting food constantly to the extent I was worried about my milk supply, awake every hour at night for food, refusing to sleep in the crib he'd been happy to sleep in. Just as suddenly as it started it stopped. Next night back to usual in crib, then night after slept midnight until 3:30 then slept again until 8am! Has done that a few nights now. Hopefully it lasts but not expecting it to 😂

We’ve settled into a bit of a routine but doesn’t always work, I’d say we can do the below 2 nights in a row and the third will be more unsettled.

But on the good nights we’ll feed at 11pm, between 2am and 3am, between 5am and 6am and then she’ll lie in until about 10am.

it helps a lot she’s an only and I can sleep in until 10 with her!

Also breastfeeding. This little one seems to be mainly falling asleep between 8/8.30 and then wakes at around 2 and 5ish. After 5 we cosleep/end up holding him till we get up with toddler at around 7. Often has a dream feed at 10.30ish when he stirs while I put his sleeping bag on taking him upstairs. He sleeps on us in the evenings till we go to bed. Overall would say better than DS1 currently who woke pretty much every 2 hours till around 18 months.

Biggest thing I’ll say is I expect it all to change. My first taught me just when you think there’s a routine or a plan or you’re getting the hang of it all they mix it up. Which I found frustrating at first. Much more easy going about it all this time round. It really flies by and when it comes to sleep I do what ever helps me survive 😂.

Hi ladies, hope you are all mentally and emotionally doing well.
my little boy is now 6 weeks and we have been through it. at 3 weeks he was hospitalised so spent a week in hospital over new years. he has recovered but was so traumatising as a parent. now he has a cold so really frustrating as he is really struggling. my 3 year old unfortunately caught this at nursery and then baby. the hospital experience was so traumatising I've not decided to keep my daughter out of nursery until March when the weather gets better. sounds dramatic but i can't risk my little one getting virus's and ending up in hospital.
Regarding a routine, 6 weeks in and we still don't have a routine. he wakes up very 1.5 hours. the breast if for soothing as my supply isnt great so 90% on formula. nights are the worst as my partner works night shifts. i just can't seem to get into a routine.

For those breastfeeding, does your little one bring up much milk after feeds? Mine has started getting unsettled after some feeds in the last few days and bringing up a lot of milk 😞 He's still peeing and pooing normally ATM but just worry he's not getting enough nutrients!

I am also breastfeeding, no set routine here yet. The wee lass is 1 month old today. Where did that month go?

She usually wakes 2/3 times a night around 1am, 3am, and 6am but last night she gifted us with a sleep from 3am until 8am - glorious.

My first child slept really really well (think breastfed but sleeping through at one month old) until he was 12 weeks old, and has remained a horrendous sleeper since (he is almost 5 years old now and still gets up more in the night than his baby sister does). So i am cautious about telling anyone that our one month old is a 'good' sleeper, as this can change quickly (regressions, growth spurts, teething when that starts, etc).

@Charlielechat she brings up what looks like a fair amount between 10-40 minutes after a feed, but is gaining weight and pooing/peeing plenty so I am not concerned. I think it just means that she swallowed too quickly/gulped down air which pushes some of the milk back up. The amount she brings up might fill a shot glass, but seems like more at the time as it is spilling out and she is small. Baby reflux is fairly common - which is why we have a small army's worth of muslin cloths for burping and wiping with!

https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/baby/feeding-your-baby/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-challenges/reflux/

@RG84 That sounds like a really tough time in a short space of time for you all. Is a cold likely to mean re-hospitalisation? That sounds tricky to navigate as kids pick up lots of bugs (as do we as adults). I wish you all the best of luck.