Cyber Cycle Sisters !! xx

[goddess25]

Ralph is maybe just having a hard time adjusting to baby being here. It's hard going for them especially in the early weeks as baby spends so much time with mummy.

BTW is the Kennedys any good? I have it taped but have not watched it yet. Wasn't sure if I was going to.

 

[kanga]

cheer Jo
How long do your breast feeds last for?

The Kennedys was good. I wouldnt say it was very good but worth watching, I enjoyed it.

I handed Ralph the baby last night at 8 and I have only done pumping since then. He has been doing everything. I'm hoping he will realise how tiring it all is and that 2 hands are better than 1.

 

[cutelou101]

Hi rach,

Length of feeds for Foley are 30 minutes to an hour during the day, then his evening feed is anything from 1 hour 30 to 2 hour 30 (he will have both boobs then, just the one each feed during the day). The first 4 weeks he was more 45 to an hour, but last few weeks he has started some 30 minute ones during day, but most are longer ones. Sometimes he will drift off for 5 minutes or come off for a little while, then want more. I just keep him at same breast each feed (if there has been short 30 min break or less he goes back to same one) to make sure he gets lots of fatty hind milk, unless he seems unsatisified and fussy and/or he has been at the breast longer than 40/45 minutes.

Sorry ralph has been working late and not being as supportive as he could. Glad he is helping out today and hopeforly see how much hard work it is for you. Hoping your feeling a bit better today with a bit more help and the pumping just to do.

What does he do when he has fed for 30 minutes? Does he come off naturally then continue to root and seem hungery? Would he go back on you boob if you tried? It may be he isn't being as effective as he could on the boob, but as he gets older he should become more effective, so may just take longer to get all he needs.

What positions have you tired? I did find laying down helps for longer feeds and just settle on sofa or bed.

As Jo said you could keep perserving and hopeforly he will start to get more effective, or just go to EBM via the bottle to skip out the BF part. Then you could try every now and again to see if he will latch on and feed.

Again as Jo said we are all here for you if you need us, i'm on here most days while feeding or via FB

 

[mrsG5]

Hi Rach,

Feeding Thomas was a nightmare in the beginning and expressing plus breastfeeding nearly killed me but it was worth it because we're nearly at the 8th month mark. I got Simon to do all the bottles at night which was kind of his role but I still found it really hard to give him any real responsibility with Thomas. I think some men including Simon, can find it really hard in the early days when you are breastfeeding because all they seem to do is the crap job like nappies and wahing up.

I tried the breast at every feeding session with Thomas, even just for 2 mins and if he didn't take it I just gave him ebm. I'm still feeding hiim through the night at 3 and sometimes 5 so bf is not all positive. It's really hard to even think about giving up but don't feel guilty if you have those thoughts. If you persevere that's great but bloody hard too. Thomas took the bottle for the first time in 6 months yesterday and I was ecstatic so remember bottles have their pros too.

Thomas feeds for about 15 min max at his feed and I feeding 7am, 2pm, 6.30pm, 10.30pm, then through the night.

Simon i still a pain in the ass and is never home before 9pm so I know how hard it is. T be honest he's only getting hi head round the whole thing now.

I hope things get a bit better, remember every day is different xx

 

[hb1]

Good weight Foley!!!! you seem to have all the naps and sleeping down to a T Lou!! Sleeping is Ollie's difficult point - he won't go down awake and it's so hard - sleep deprivation does not suit me!!

Jo - fab weight for Livi too!!! And Euan going to art class - cute

Rachel - Def tell Ralph how it is for you - you're having a hard time with the feeding and recovering from the birth prob still - he needs to shorten his days def - I always looked forward to OH coming home as it is full on especially the first months. Ollie feeds for about 10 mins - are the bottles EBM? When he comes off will he re-latch? Can they check how much he is taking from the breast - weigh him with nappy on - feed and then re-weigh with same nappy on. You might be surprised!! Also - to encourage the suckling which they can lose on bottles there are bottles that encourage it - the baby whisperer always seems to advise Haberman bottles for this...

Ollie is doing well in his cotbed - but his naps are shorter so hope that he settles or the pupd helps ( we will re-attempt it next weekend - too much going on this weekend )

BLW - we have started on veg and fruit he loooves melon - one "meal" a day - it doen't replace any BF - I feed first and then we give him a piece or fruit or veg ( eg large chunks of melon ) and Ollie does with it as he sees fit - he is doing really well and the next day there is always food items to id in his nappy. We use his bumbo to sit him in - he didn't take to the bumbo as he was always trying to get out of it but it has come into it's own for weaning. We have ordered a book on BLW as we have just started out blind...

 

[goddess25]

Helen - feeds are variable. She fed for awhile when she was young then she really list interest quickly so she wS feeding 5 mins each side every few hours but reckon that was why she wasn't putting on as much weight she wasn't taking enough hind milk. So now I repeatedly switch her from side to side with the little plays in between. She feeds for a good spell in the evening and when we first get up because it's quiet. There are too many distractions in the day time.

 

[goddess25]

Meant to say BF is a real struggle for lots of us but I think it's worth it to keep going. I have thought about giving up many times but determined to make it to 6 months then we will re evaluate hopefully I can keep going.

Helen going to look into the BLW too. Thx.

 

[hb1]

Meant to say BF is a real struggle for lots of us but I think it's worth it to keep going. I have thought about giving up many times but determined to make it to 6 months then we will re evaluate hopefully I can keep going.

Helen going to look into the BLW too. Thx.

I agree - I've had it pretty easy so far ( touch wood! ) and it's still hard - with night feedings, growth spurts, the not knowing how much they are eating etc

BUT I would imagine FF would be harder in the long run - the need to be so organised etc I love the fact that I just pop Ollie done and whip out the old boobage and that's it!! Especially with starting to feed solids and the fun that brings lol

 

[cutelou101]

Meant to say BF is a real struggle for lots of us but I think it's worth it to keep going. I have thought about giving up many times but determined to make it to 6 months then we will re evaluate hopefully I can keep going.

Helen going to look into the BLW too. Thx.

I agree - I've had it pretty easy so far ( touch wood! ) and it's still hard - with night feedings, growth spurts, the not knowing how much they are eating etc

BUT I would imagine FF would be harder in the long run - the need to be so organised etc I love the fact that I just pop Ollie done and whip out the old boobage and that's it!! Especially with starting to feed solids and the fun that brings lol

I agree as well, we've done ok, apart from last weekend - but it is hard with the long evening feeds, long morning feeds (i can never get anywhere fast), cluster feeds, when they are fussy at the boob and you have no idea why. But i feel it is really worth it, and i do love watching him feed.

Thanks Helen, not sure if it's just his nature with the sleep at night, or anything we do. he does like to tank himself up then sleep it off! He woke at 7 this morning, a little shocked by that!

 

[goddess25]

Hope your all having a good weekend. We are about to leave the house and go into the states for the day... we have some visas we need to return.

 

[kanga]

Dee, did Thomas just do it one day and then that was it, it was just bf at each feed (Except the night ebms)?

He did 5-10 mins yesterday twice, and again this morning.

I was going to stop expressing at the weekend, but woke up on Sunday with leaking and lumpy boobs! I guess my milk just wants to keep coming. I had to pump my boobs down. the right one has some lumps in it now, do you think it could be mastitis coming?

H, i got some breastflow bottles. They look like boobies! He sucked all the milk out but didnt know how to swallow it. So 100ml of my ebm ended up on him & me, whoops! I was hoping he would get the hang of it by the end of the feed but obviously not. so i have ditched those bottles.

Its not even like i can say i am bf and that i want to give it up. We are not even bf-ing. I'm expressing and he's having my milk. I would love it if he would bf but i woner if we will ever get there. esp as he is having bottles.

Dee if you could tell me more about how you got it that may help, thank you hun x

 

[goddess25]

I had lumps in my boobs when I had blocked ducts.

 

[cutelou101]

I had lumps with blocked ducts, try massaging them while pumping and in warm shower or bath. It doesnt always go to infection, just need to make sure they get empty when pumping and massage them out. Ive had lumps about 3 times, takes a day it so to go. Sorry your still struggling rach, try to remain positive, good news that he had 5/10 mins, hopeforly it will get more each day as he gets it

Hope you had nice day in the states Jo

Does anyone know of any sensitive skin breastpads? Im getting terrible rash and itchy, I have very sensitive skin, when I tried few days with none it all stopped, then came back the moment I put them in again. Washables are fine but I leak through them quick and have patches in t shirt, not really the look im going for!

 

[hb1]

Gutted about the breast flow bottles - we have those for the occasions that Ollie needs them and he seems ok on them - usually a little retisant at first - and he won't fall asleep on them like he does me. Maybe he has issues doing the sucking and swallowing together Rach? Hope he gets the hang of it.

He is still getting all the good stuff from you which I guess is the main thing but it is important that you are happy and comfortable too - which when it clicks for him I am sure that it will come for you.

I had lumps once and just kept mainly feeding that side till it was gone.

Not sure on the bp's Lou I'm sorry - maybe ask HV?

Hope you had a lovely weekend Jo

I had MIL on Saturday - she's lovely but keeps going on that she doesn't see him much - just keeps dropping it in to every other sentence - she doesn't drive and lives ages away - it's a 3 hour round trip for us!! It annoys me a little as she didn't bother with us before Ollie was here and now she thinks she can demand the time and guilt trip us over it. On Sunday wwe went down to Rugby to see my gran - she is 92 and can't travel - it was the first time she'd seen Ollie. It was ok but towards the end Ollie was getting fractious - it's a long day and he couldn't just do his own thing - nowhere really for him to roll around and he likes his own space!! He slept for the first 45 mins on the way back but then he was awake and upset - I don't know how many times I sang "the wheels on the bus"!! ( he loves it as I sang it alot to him when he was newborn and did the movements on his tummy ). Today we had "fun under one" and then went to my mum's - my sis and nephew were there so that was nice - and Ollie showed off his commando crawling and also started trying to pull himself up on various things - with disasterous consequences in that he fell and his head hit a thomas the tank engine toy but he really is in the mood for standing - also ordered a custom size fire guard ( as our little cottage is so tiny one of those massive nursery guards would stick out too much - space is precious!! ) as he is in to everything now he is on the move!!

hx

 

[groovygrl]

congrats Rach! He's beautiful!!!

hullo CCS's and baby friends

AFM - 29 weeks now YAAAAAY! It's been an ordeal, had a cervical cerclage placed at 20 weeks (immediately after they noticed my foreshortened and funneling cervix at routine 20 week anatomy scan)

I quit work immediately and have been TRYING to be still and very careful ever since. Was in hospital couple days last week because I overdid it (DH and I bought a house and moved last week.) baby and I are fine and just trying to let go of my control issues and let DH organise the new house. My mum and little sister coming out from Canada in Oct. to help with new baby and hopefully they help me re-organise badly designed lay-out and cupboard organisation.Obviously, this is my way of deflecting my frustration of scary pregnancy and inactivity!!!

 

[hb1]

OMG GroovyGirl!!!! YEEEEYYYY I know 2 months prob sounds miles away when you are on bed rest but it is soooo close now!!! and then you won't stop!!!! How exciting - and a new house - I can imagine you'll be itching to sort it out tho!!

Do you know whether it's a pink or blue bump?

So glad for you!

hx

 

[kanga]

I think you're right H, he doeswnt get the sucking & swallowing combo. All the milk ended up covering us!

yaya groovy! congratulations. I hope the last tri flies for you. Gret that youve been able to stop work and concentrate on your health. Are you planning your nursery and baby purchases?!

I have another problem girls. Babies bum is extremely sore. Its been getting worse these last few weeks. It started being red a few weeks ago so i started using sudocrem. last week it went really really red, so i got some bethapnol (not sure how you spell it!). Its now red raw and on the verve of bleeding. the skin has completely worn away in parts. its so sore, i feel awful. i think its starting to hurt him as hes straining with every poo and pump.

i'm going to get his nappy off as much as poss today. any other tips anyone? thank you!

 

[hb1]

Could be thrush? or similar... Ollie had the red rash under his chin and all other mums seem to think a couple of days of bepanthon would sort it but it didn't for Ollie - the Dr prescribed caneston cream and 2 days later it was like it had never been there!! Once it starts healing it'll be quick. I would go to the Dr's as I asked the hv and they kept saying barrier cream and keep it dry, which we did, but if it gets infected ( in this case fungal ) it doesn't heal....

 

[goddess25]

Poor little man - Definitely try and keep his bum to the air as much as possible I find that works for livi when her bum is a bit red. I dont know what creams are in the UK apart from sudo cream but I use this on Livi and it works really well, its organic smells lovely and just creates a nice little barrier, Its called bum bum balm but not sure if its over there.

https://www.dimpleskinsnaturals.com/bbb.htm

 

[goddess25]

Groooovvvvvyyyyy Congratulations on finally being in the 3rd trimester. Glad your off work now so you can take it easy. Glad the cerclage is in. Baby will be here before you know it enjoy the down time now.