Due May 2024? Part 3

[Sa11yCinnamon]

Just kicking off a new thread, hoping no one else does it at the same time!

@Athena1984 hope all is ok, keep us posted xx

Sounds like everyone is doing pretty well! Sleep wise for us things have improved massively. We give one formula bottle a day about 11pm and she will now go in her crib until about 2, then wakes every 2 hours from then but will sleep in the crib in between. Considering I was having to hold her all night I can live with that 😀

@Mum2b2024 I think a couple of pages back people were talking about bottles out and about. Everyone does it differently but with my first I used to take a flask of boiling water for the powder and then a bottle of cool boiled water. I’d add the powder to a ounce or two of boiling water and then top it up with the cool boiled so it was ready to drink. I know there’s other devices available now to do these things but that worked for us

Hey @Sa11yCinnamon have you checked you won’t end up with oversupply from building up a stash of breast milk? I thought until six weeks you’re meant to feed them the milk the same day you pump it. I’m not an expert so could be wrong but just thought I’d mention it as wouldn’t want you to end up with mastitis or blocked ducts etc

@PeppedUp I'm only pumping once a day, I don't mean a massive stash, more just knowing I can get enough for a bottle a day before I offer the bottle. I spoke to my health visitor about it and she said it's a good time to start. Thank you though 😊

@Mum2b2024 We make up feeds in the house, chill them in the fridge then put them in the cool bag part of our change bag with an ice block and feed as and when required. It's not ideal as it only works on days that aren't hot but it's fine for now.

@Mum2b2024 We take the powder in a little pot already measured out, a sterlised bottle & a flask with boiling water in.
We just have to be a little more prepared when out, to allowed it to cool down before daughter is ready for it.
If we are only leaving the house within an 2 hours of her needing a feed, we will make a bottle up using the prep machine & take it with us.

How are you all getting on? We’re generally doing well but still not quite nailed feeding. She’s back to being sick and not finishing a bottle so I don’t think she’s getting her required minimum amount each day. We’ve got a HV check up and the 6 week GP check up tomorrow so will see what they’re saying. Also still waiting on our tongue tie referral.

I think I’ve ovulated or going to ovulate soon by the looks of discharge! I suppose this means my period is on the way soon so that’s another thing to adjust to! I’m also feeling super paranoid about getting pregnant again 😂 it’s been a while since we’ve used condoms as I was on the pill before we made the decision to get pregnant but I need to trust that they’re doing their job! I can totally see how these very close together babies happen now, libido is through the roof. Please tell me we aren’t the only ones back at it and that this is normal 🙈

@SarahB88 Generally OK here although we are both currently full of cold and poor little mite is slightly congested so we are on day 2 of nothing but feeding & contact naps.

I'm struggling a bit with feeling like a human dummy but I'm scared to introduce a real 1 as I dont want baby having 1 long term like my others but I found it really hard to get rid before.

We dont get a 6 week check here they apparently combine it with 8 week immunisations so we have another couple of weeks to wait.

In regards to being back at it - we are but sadly for me its more out of "duty" at the moment as I'm really not feeling it this time round, no real reason and I know I could say no but it just isnt that easy for me to say and I'm happy enough with the arrangement but my oldest two have an 11 month age gap so am well aware of how easy it is to fall pregnant 🙃

@SarahB88 Same re the ovulating. I got to ten weeks with my son before my period came back and am at seven now so not surprising but annoying none the less. I hate periods 😩

And definitely no sex in our house yet 😂 Far too tired at the end of the day! I think I'll suggest we pick it up again when we're on holiday 😅

@Sa11yCinnamon great that the HV said pumping will be fine - hope it’s going well!

Has anyone else fallen asleep while feeding their baby? I am quite paranoid about safe sleep, but fell asleep with baby in my arms for about 90 minutes last night before my partner woke me.

In terms of libido, I would describe it as almost nonexistent! I only got my periods back at 14 months last time so I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m not ovulating for a while.

@MrsB2005 hope you’re ok and you’ve not been pressured in to anything too soon ☹️

Met my friend for coffee today and she’s expecting again. I’m utterly mad to be thinking I want to go again soon too 🙈 I was told to wait a year after the section though so will do that but we’ve already said we want them close together so we’ll maybe start trying again at the end of next summer.

@PeppedUp I've definitely nodded off while feeding but not for very long... I think!

I'm at five weeks and sex hasn't crossed my mind yet 😂 though we're rarely sharing a bed at the moment so that probably helps/doesnt help depending how you look at it. I'm 40 next year so if we have another they'll need to be fairly close together but definitely not this close!

@SarahB88 thanks Lovely x

@PeppedUp I have nodded off with LO but thankfully not for long although I am more cautious now.

Changing the subject - is anyone using a dummy? We are EBF and I'm worried about effecting that and the issues I had before with weaning off the dummy (I do know where I went "wrong" so potentially wouldnt be so much of an issue).

@MrsB2005 yes we are using a dummy. I was EBF til yesterday, now giving one bottle a day. So far he's managing them all, I realise we may have issues getting him off the dummy but that's a future problem...

I've just had my period return at 5 weeks post partum and my god it's so painful! and so so heavy, currently sitting with a hot water bottle and painkillers
my libido has been high esp during ovulation but i'm way too scared to get pregnant so absolutely not until we have some sort of contraception in place. (we've never used condoms)

Also regarding dummies we have been using just for a little comfort while she's drifting to sleep or in car journeys
we use the bib ones x

We use a dummy but she’s only bottle fed so don’t think it makes a difference as no nipple confusion. She spits it out more often than wanting it now but she is currently lying on me with the dummy as she’s been quite unsettled tonight. She won’t take the dummy to go to sleep now which has its pros and cons!

No sex for us, every time we start to get it on the baby cries and cuts it short! I want to wait a bit longer for my stitches to heal anyway, but it's fun having my sex drive back - it was very up and down in pregnancy (and mostly down).
I have drifted off with the baby on my chest after a feed - he won't go down without a cuddle afterwards. I always wake up with us both in the same position but I am trying some things to help keep me awake, like going downstairs with the lights on when I'm feeling tired and he won't settle, because it makes me uncomfortable.

@MrsB2005 We tried her with a dummy but she just spits it out 🙄 My son was a huge dummy fan until he was two and a half so I find it so strange that she doesn't like it 😂

Thanks Ladies, I've got some MAM dummies currently being sterilised - will wait and see if he takes one.

We are plodding along quite nicely. Had first jabs on Friday so she was a bit miserable over the weekend but much happier now. Still breastfeeding really well, had some issues with cracked nipples but seem to have solved that.
Sleeping wise is very hit and miss. Will go down in her crib after her last feed and sleeps for about 2-3 hours and then it’s a battle of if she finishes feeding before I fall asleep then she goes back in the crib, but sometimes I’m so tired I am falling asleep with her in my arms which isn’t so great - it’s a work in progress!
I have tried dummies a couple of times but she just gags and spits them out so have given up for now. My second is a thumb sucker so I wonder if she will find hers.
And as for intimacy, how anyone has the energy or inclination well you deserve a medal. We are currently in a stand off between abstinence or a vasectomy as I’m not willing to go back on contraception as it doesn’t agree with me. So the balls (quite literally) in his court!!

How’s everyone doing?! How quickly is time flying! Has anyone else’s baby had tongue tie?

@LondonGirl1992 All good here :) M is smiling away and trying to grab things now at 8 weeks. Poor lass had her jabs yesterday so she's been a bit off her routine lately hence a 4am wake up this morning 😵‍💫

I have my son's preschool mixer session today. It's a teddy bear's picnic. Got to make sure M has a bottle right before we leave so I can actually be present and not just sitting down for the whole thing 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️

@LondonGirl1992 All good here!! Although I'm in denial that W is 8 weeks old when he was only born last week 😉

I wont lie - I have started to find some nights hard on little sleep as we are still feeding every 2 hours ish day and night and W hates his next to me (We have also tried a moses basket but that was useless) so he tends to sleep on me, whilst I stay awake untill about 4am when DH takes him till about 6.30 when I have to get up for my other children.

But i know this wont last forever and I will miss the contact naps and his endless snuggles so I'm trying to soak them up as much as possible and our little routine as hard as it is some days, works for us.

Hope everyone else is enioying motherhood

All well with us. I got my mummy MOT at the physio last week, which was interesting to see how my breathing and posture are out of whack from pregnancy and still adjusting from not having to compensate from having a big baby in my tummy.

Went to my first yoga class after getting the all clear from that - had to change nappies and breastfeed so only got a bit of yoga in but was nice to go out for coffee after with other mums (although felt like I was struggling to put sentences together at some points due to sleep deprivation/postpartum brain!)

Baby has been waking and smiling more over the last week or so, which is nice but also gives me less time for napping over the day so am trying to get him in bed a bit earlier as he had been going at midnight.

I got a good review at the physio last week, am more mobile and confident going out and about with the baby and our little man has started smiling and interacting more which is all great. Unfortunately we are under scrutiny (or it feels like it) because his weight gain isn't as expected. Whilst he is gaining he was 9lbs at birth, it took four weeks to hit his birth weight and he is only putting on an average of 10g a day so we've been told to supplement all his breastfeeds with formula. He didn't seem hungry before but he's sleeping loads now on the new regimen, ironically almost too much to fit in all the required feedings. He is being weighed on Friday and if he isn't doing much better by then they'll look at next steps via the paediatrician. I want him to be well above all but he seems perfectly healthy to us and I am a bit sensitive to the idea of medical intervention because he had to go to the special care baby unit when he was one day old for a day and a half and it was quite difficult (although it was only a precaution and he's been totally fine since he was discharged). Anyone else feel under pressure about feeding or can offer any advice?

My daughter had her first jabs today so it’s not been the best day. We’ve also got a tongue tie assessment on Friday afternoon, she dropped 2 percentiles in weight, she did go up 1 and has maintained in that bracket but the gains so as expected so there’s some issues with feeding obviously.

Other than that she’s turned out to be the dream baby. Goes down in her crib straight away and only up between 3-4am for a feed then down for another few hours.