Beach Bump Graduates!

[Hann12]

I have annabelle sleep either on me or next to me on the sofa or swing during the day - not in the bedroom so she can distinguish between day and night.

Caz sounds like you have a nice day planned!

Eve - no not pumping at night - earliest I have pumped is 6am and latest is 10.30pm. My supply has still increased from pumping but not caused any issues so far - hopefully!

So my luck with the sleeping stopped last night! She woke every 1.5 hours for 1.5 hours. She is full of cold and when she wasn't crying she was sniffing - she sounded like a little piglet! I have saline spray so hoping that will kick in soon.
So was feeling not good first thing as she was sad from feeling bad and I was exhausted and then Greg came back from work 30 minutes after leaving to tell me he had just been knocked off his bike by an oncoming car who thought it was better to hit him than the car who performed an illegal move in the first place - I don't get that logic that it's better to hit a person than dent another car!! Luckily an ambulance was also at the cross roads and checked him out. Think he is just bruised but it's still scary. The only positive is that he is staying at home this morning and coming with me to the clinic to get annabelle weighed as it's her 4 week birthday. Feeling slightly emotional from it as anything could have happened plus tired fromthe lack of sleep

 

[Aaisrie]

Hann was just really busy seeing people and appt etc!! I don't know if I missed something but just so you know if you're giving expressed milk you're better doing it during the day than at night because nighttime is when your milk supply is most stimulated so by giving expressed at night regularly you can damage your supply...

Eve, quick question - I have noticed a bit of a change with my supply since Hailey has been sleeping through the night...I am obviously engorged when she wakes in the morning to be fed, but as the day goes on it seems that my supply isn't enough for her... so, do you think I be pumping during the night? Or other suggestions?
thanks

A lot of people pump in the night to increase their supply but you shouldn't NEED to as they start sleeping through... what makes you think there's not enough for her?

 

[Aaisrie]

Hope A's weighing goes well Hann!

I've been up since 4am but it's impossible to be mad with the wee fella as he coos and smiles at me!!

 

[Jenni4]

Yay! Just had Max's 4 week appt...wow time flies! 4.54kg! My boobie man!

 

[Aaisrie]

Well done Max/Jenni!! I think it's so funny that Atticus was weighing that at 2w old hahah

 

[caz_hills]

Oh Han so sorry about Greg. Take care of yourselves xx

 

[Jenni4]

Eve...our babies have the same birthday... Max doesn't smile or coo yet? How long has atticus been doing that?

 

[Aaisrie]

Sorry Hann I meant to ask how Greg was but by the time I started typing it fell out of my head [facepalm]

Jenni oh yea I didn't realise that!!! Can't believe they'll be 4w tomorrow!! He started cooing and "babbling" in the last week, the reactive smiling only started the last couple of days but then Saraya started smiling reactively at 3.5w too. It's funny because he hasn't quite grasped how to pull both sides of his mouth up at the same time so it starts off all lopsided with one side up and the other down haha

 

[gw76]

Eve, I'm worried because as the day goes on boobies are more and more jelly like, the never seem full and the past few days she has been crying at the breast (in the evening) and when I have a wee squeeze myself very little or nothing comes out! She has been having about 3oz of formula a day for the past few nights - it has been the only way to please her....????

 

[gw76]

Great weigh in Max! Hann, hope Annabelle's weigh I'm goes well and that Greg is alright...
Was just up for a quick trip to loo, bit now can't get back to sleep! Hubby is off tonight, not use to having him in bed (only happens 2 times a week) I shouldn't say that - I'm not use to his snoring mote like !!!!!
Hope you all had a good night...

 

[Aaisrie]

Eve, I'm worried because as the day goes on boobies are more and more jelly like, the never seem full and the past few days she has been crying at the breast (in the evening) and when I have a wee squeeze myself very little or nothing comes out! She has been having about 3oz of formula a day for the past few nights - it has been the only way to please her....????

Most babies are fussy in the evening regardless of being full etc and your breasts will start to soften as the milk supply regulates to your baby specifically. Also nearly all BF babies will take a bottle even if they're full [I can't remember the reason behind this but have read it a LOT] and the amount you can express is irrelevant to how much you're producing as pumps are not as effective as babies at getting milk out and some women just can't express or aren't good at it or sometimes the pump they have doesn't suit them. By giving her a FF then your supply will naturally decrease also as she will remain fuller from the formula and so won't feed as frequently. If a baby is looking for feeds more frequently they are upping your milk supply by feeding more and the more they suck [even if they aren't swallowing] the more your breasts will produce. If you want to increase your supply put them to the breast more, if they won't settle on the breast you can pump also. Some people will feed and then pump for 5 mins after each feed [even if nothing comes out it stimulates your breast to produce more]. I'm pumping about 4-5oz a day atm just for a 10min pumping and putting it in the freezer to save but it means I find my breasts getting engorged [harder] because they think they need to make more milk and yet he's not drinking it. There are also supplements you can take to help increase your milk supply if the other methods aren't working.
If you're happy with the way you're doing things that's grand but you may find your BF journey ends before you want it to as your supply continues to decrease and especially as babies [Saraya did this when she was put on a special milk in hospital] start to refuse the breast as the bottle is easier to get milk out of so they will refuse to take the breast or take the breast but get frustrated and unlatch because the milk isn't coming out fast enough.
I hope this is the info you were looking for, if not you can pm me here or on FB :]

 

[mummySS]

very helpful Eve thanks - i'm having similar issues. Tbh i think i'm on the slippery slope to exclusively FF... but i'm trying hard to get my supply up by pumping and Bfing as much as i can. Still can't put him to the boob as often as i'd like to cos i'm so sore (the latch is fine but i just need them to heal).

Hann - what a horrible scare, i hope Greg's ok!

We had a weigh in yesterday and Leo is now 9lb 12. my little fatty

 

[Aaisrie]

What're they sore from Simmy? Like cracked or thrush? I am just feeding through the pain because I KNOW it will end I'm also pumping from my right [SORE!] side occasionally just to give me a break. Nighttimes are definitely the most important times, even though they're the hardest!

 

[caz_hills]

Simmy - great news on Leo's weight!

Had a sad meeting with NCT girls. One of them was a bit funny to me - said oh you have ao much help, you see your MIL every day and rest lots. It made me feel like an inadequate Mum and like I'm not being a proper Mum as I have help from my Mum or MIL everyday. I spoke to hubbie about it and he said why be on your own when you can have willing help and support - and who would turn down a nap to rest up? It left me in tears and now I feel like I should be on my own just to prove it. I do sometimes worry that I have too much support and help - I know most people manage on their own.

I know I should be less sensitive but it really upset me. I also know it was only a passing comment from her but it really hurt me.

Sorry to vent here - I know she probably meant it as a joke but it really hit a nerve for me. I feel quite confident now as a mum but just enjoy the company, support and a second pair of hands. Oh well ......



Saying that I'm having a lie down now.

 

[Clareabell]

Fuck her Caz, that is all

 

[Jenni4]

Wss ^^^!!!!

 

[Blue_bear]

Yep, what Claire said. Quite frankly what you do with your child is your decision. I wouldnt turn down the help or company either if i was you. Ive had hubby at home this whole time but doesnt mean i cant do it alone either xx

 

[Hann12]

Caz she was probably a bit jealous that you have support that she doesn't. I'm doing it on my own and would love to have my mum round the corner to help if I needed her but don't have the option. It is hard and by no means do I think I have it harder or that I'm a better mum though because I'm doing it on my own. If anything I'm trying to meet more mums so I have a network to visit during the week so I spend less time on my own. Your hubby is right! Please don't be sad

Eve - thanks for the info! Have you found that atticus is feeding loads today? Since yesterday annabelle has almost permanently been on the boob. She screams when she is taken away - even if she hasn't been feeding for half and hour! I then put her back on and she feeds again like she is starving! Growth spurt?

Had her weighed and she is 7 pounds 15 - so that's an increase of 2 pounds in 4 weeks! Wow!
Well done to Max, Atticus and Leo for their increases too! We are feeding them well aren't we?!

Greg is okay, just trying to work out how bruised he is and whether the insurance company will cover the damage to the bike. We hope they will as the bike could be completely destroyed and he might need to buy a new one so thats thousands of pounds that we now don't have to replace. The important thing is that he is okay though.
Nice to have him home today too especially as I've been so tired!

Just got details through for the nct post baby classes I signed up for and there are 4 people I haven't met before on it. Will be nice to meet new people here to extend my network as my nct girls don't appear to want to meet up much and I'm really missing the company in the day. Hopefully they will be a nice bunch!

 

[Jenni4]

Okay...since we are talking about difficulty breastfeeding I posted a thread in the breastfeeding section today as I was ready to give up on bf'ing and just switch to formula... Maybe you gals can help...Especially Eve...you know a lot about this. max is feeding constantly still....feeding for an hour or so and then off for 1-2 hours....this has been going on for several weeks. I can't stand it anymore...blah blah blah....details in the bf section....anyway....went to midwife today and she said he is just sucking out of habit not hunger. So i am to feed him every two hours for about thirty minutes....until he is naturally satisfied and then once he releases put him on a dummy for comfort sucking. She also said only offer one breast per feed. So...mentioning this on another thread I caught quite a bit of flack for this....apparently that is exactly what I should NOT be doing according to some other people...so what's the deal? You would think a midwife would know...she's a young mom...not a grandma or from the stone age!
Please tell me...is this good advice or bad advice??

 

[Hann12]

Jenni did they say why you shouldn't be doing this?
I have been doing on demand so some days she wants it every 3 hours and some days like yesterday and today she is permanently hungry - literally. I am just lying on the bed with her latching on and off me feeding - have been like this since I got home from the clinic at 11.30. Not sure if I'm doing something wrong but she screams if I try and move away even though she isn't always eating!