***December Snowflakes 2012 Parenting***

[LillyLee]

Advice needed! I'm calling the doc in a few hours when they open but figured I would see if anyone else has felt this.

I'm getting a tremendous amount of pressure in the area surrounding my lady bits. So labia maybe? It just feels completely swollen and full, almost like I've been riding a bicycle for too long. I'm hoping its not a UTI but nothing in my bladder or upwards seems to hurt. It's a weird dull achy pressure feeling and I don't like it. I don't know if everything is just still swollen and healing or something else altogether.

UPDATE: apparently when you have to use the bathroom and haven't been able to go in a few days and your pelvic floor muscles are still weak it creates the pressure I was feeling. All is well now though. LOL.

 

[bbygurl719]

Hey all finally on the computer to were i can she pics!! the first pic is just after midnight on new years. 2nd is my two lil girls. 3rd is at hospital n 4th is xmas day

 

[Chloe597]

Jules, your DD's are so cute! They look alike..same eyes And my DD poops ALL THE TIME!! every single diaper. I want to switch to cloth by the thought of doing all of that laundry is overwhelming considering i can barely manage my time as it is.

imsotired, my pediatrician said its very possible baby will sleep 6 hour stretches, so as long as they are gaining weight ok, then there is no need to wake them. They will tell you when they are hungry So enjoy it if she is sleeping!

bbgurl, such a cute tiny baby!

Lilly, men suck I hope he starts helping out more and gets the hint! I had a few of those moments with my DH and i think they all ended with me crying and him looking panicked so he did whatever i asked. Its getting easier now, as DH likes to walk around with her at night to soothe her while i just lay in bed gearing up to BF. And glad you found out the cause of your lady parts issue!! Sounds upleasant.

DD gave me 2 wonderful nights!! NYE, she slept 5 hours straight, although those hours were spent on DH, but last night she slept from 2am to 8am!! I feel so well rested, although my boobs were giant rocks when i woke up which wasn't so nice. But i'll take that if she gives me 6 hours. I am trying not to get my hopes up tho cuz i'm bound to be disappointed sooner or later when she has a 2 hour stretch at night.

 

[Fifipots]

Just got back from a great New Years break, spent most of NYE on the dance floor, can't believe I'd only given birth a week earlier!! Did ache a bit the next day though, but it was so nice to feel normal again, DD was a dream, don't want to tempt fate but she is a very chilled little girl and most of the time you don't realise she's there!!

Hope everyone had good new year celebrations and are looking forward to the exciting milestones our babies will make during 2013 xx

 

[stark18]

My baby girl doesn't like tummy time all that much so yesterday she decided she wasn't having it anymore and rolled over. I was surprised she is already rolling over.

I have to go back to work next week. I'm really NOT looking forward to leaving her. My mom is our babysitter though so I know she is well looked after.

 

[Fifipots]

My baby girl doesn't like tummy time all that much so yesterday she decided she wasn't having it anymore and rolled over. I was surprised she is already rolling over.

I have to go back to work next week. I'm really NOT looking forward to leaving her. My mom is our babysitter though so I know she is well looked after.

Wow, going back to work so soon, that's not much maternity leave at all, I feel for you x

 

[munch]

I have gastro .... Am praying and hoping I don't pass it to baby and that my breast milk is producing some kick ass antibodies already! It's going to be 41 degrees here today which doesn't help! Hopefully DH can get off work early to help with other children! Feeling miserable.... Oh 41 degrees is 106F!

 

[Bay]

Bbygurl - beautiful girls

Stark - wow back to work so soon. Is that the normal length of time for mat leave there?

Munch - that sux. Tummy bugs are the worst. Hope you get well soon and your lo doesn't catch it. And i hear ya on the heat ... Isn't it brutal? Though we're only tops of 30c today ... Forecasted to be 38c next week, ewwww. Thank goodness for air con or we'd all be melting here.

I just have to share ... Last night baby was so loud with his grunting i couldn't sleep so i rub his belly then push his knees up toward his chest and instant relief, lots of phwarts. After many farts he's happily dreaming and smiling haha. All three sessions he smiled for me, so cute.

 

[stark18]

I would be able to take up to 12 weeks but none of it is paid so I'm only taking 6 weeks. It sucks having to go back so soon but I have to.

 

[GenYsuperlady]

Stark - sending hugs...I get 12 weeks leave, have 5 left, and
I'm already dreading it! I wish you luck!!!

 

[daydream]

We've got quite the fussy baby over here last night and now again tonight. I'm in the middle of a cluster feed been up since 3am :/ I know there's a growth spurt at 3 weeks, we're at 2 weeks 2 days. I'm hoping its just the growth spurt a little early bc I don't want to do this all over again next week!

 

[samj732]

Stark I feel ya, I only get 6 weeks off myself. Halfway thru that already

 

[Chloe597]

Daydream, i think the growth spurts are 7-10 days, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, and beyond that i can't quite remember. I've also heard these spurts can last anywhere from 24 hrs to a week! My LO was eating all the time for the first 3 weeks, and then very regularly at 2 hr intervals until just recently. Now she is 5 weeks and went for a 7 hour stretch overnight without eating, but then makes up for it during the day by eating every 1.5-3 hours, depending on how deep of a sleep she is in during her naps.

Question for those who have breastfed other children...what do you do at night when LO starts sleeping longer? I woke up this morning with 2 giant rocks on my chest and it hurt!! do you set your alarm to pump, or does your body just adjust to the long stretches at night?

 

[LillyLee]

I have to go back to work pretty quickly too. I'm super excited because today I bought my breastpump! (Sad that things like this are what excite me now lol). I've been using an old medela for the past week and I was under the impression I was getting one paid for by my insurance company but the medical supply people are being a**holes about filling the prescription. Saying I need a medically necessary diagnosis code to receive a pump. I don't. The new affordable healthcare plan fixed that. I've been on the phone all day with insurance and equipment company. DH and I just decided it was best to buy my own that way if I do get one filled I can have one at home and one at work. But what a pain to get to this point. Oh well it will all be worth it in the end when I can send LO to daycare with breastmilk.

On a high note I'm getting anywhere from 4-6 oz per pump which for 10 days post partum I think is fantastic. My freezer stash is growing fast! Whoo hoo!!!

 

[Beanonorder]

Stark big hugs to you. Originally I was going to go back to work after 6 weeks and now I'm so glad that I changed it. Even though its unpaid I'm so grateful I am able to take the time. I would feel a lot better though if it was my mom who was going to be taking care of the baby!

Munch I hope you are feeling better and the LO didn't catch the bug too!

Things are going well here. Amber is feeding and sleeping well. Took her to the hospital yesterday and her jaundice is coming down nicely and she is gaining weight. She is struggling a lot with her winds - we think this is because of jaundice medicine she has to take. Only a week left of it so really hoping it isn't as bad afterwards.

I have a latching question for those more experienced. Once Amber is latched its all fine and no pain or anything. But often I am struggling to get her to actually latch properly. Its like she's playing 'I'm a goldfish!' I've tried tickling her top lip with my nipple but doesn't really help. Any advice? Unfortunately a lactation consultant isn't an option so can't get help there.

 

[ocean_pearl]

I put my nipple under his nose to get Oliver to open his mouth really wide x

 

[Bay]

Bean - sounds like she is latching well if there sn't pain. Does it sound like she's getting good flow of milk and swallowing? From what you describe it sounds as though she just takes a while to latch and get things started? My boys were/are like that and they did/are doing well. They just needed some time to perfect their latch (more like mould my nipples to their liking haha). Toddler used to kind of shake his head left and right over the nipple until he's happy with it and then he'd latch. With ths one, he'll sort of gum my nipple and test it until he's happy with it and latch then ... He used to chomp down hard to flatten it at a certain angle before but he's stopped that now.

If you can find out how she likes her boob, try and replicate that to speed things along for her, like position she's in during a feed, angle of your breast/nipple.

I am by no means a lactation expert, but hope that helps.

 

[Bay]

This question is more for ladies who pump (but pls chime in if you know the answer). How to tell if one breast makes more milk than the other?

 

[LillyLee]

My left seems to always outpace my right. I keep a log of what time I pump, duration, amount from each and amount total so I can track progress.

 

[mummyof2girlz]

ive not been on here for ages!! ive been so tired i feel like a zombie my little man just wants to feed all night and sleep all day and i just can not sleep during the day... he is a proper little porker now..
aww so cute bby girl lovely pics of your lo