March Mamas 2012 Baby Group (Closed Group)

[Skadi]

As far as swaddling... Keira hates it! She doesn't mind having the receiving blanket wrapped around her torso but she always wriggles her arms out of the swaddle unless she is very sleepy. That comes from being so premature... she was never really confined the way your babies were. That is also why she is such a mover already!

For the ladies with babies that spit up a lot in bed, I got some spit covers (terry cloth crib savers) for her mattress from babies r us. They are really great and I think I am going to go buy some more. You could also use a towel and make sure you just have it wrapped under the mattress. That way you aren't changing crib sheets 5x a day because of spit up.

Keira decided to cluster feed until 1 am last night but then she slept until 5 am when OH fed her 4 oz bottle in about 15 minutes without any fussing and she was asleep again until 9 when she just wanted a little snack. I feel so rested I could just hug her for it!

My priest is coming over today to visit and talk about her Baptism. I'm thinking of doing it in May when it is nice but not sweltering in the Church.

I can't believe she is an adjusted 4 days now. She acts so much more like her real age when she is wide awake but she is so tiny and sleeps so much it isn't hard to see that she really is just like a week old baby. I'm just so thrilled to have her at home!

 

[MsCrow]

Loo, has she been checked for a tongue tie? I ask because my HV think Edith has a posterior tongue tie and has referred us to the Royal Oldham - the alternative was Stepping Hill. I suspect she's right...if another lactation advisor questions her latch I will punch them. HV said it was fine. Looked at her mouth and listened to me discussing Edith's frustrated very long feeding sessions, the frequency, wind and spit up, the intensity, her crossedness at staying on....and suggested PTT.

It may not be right but I suspect it is. I don't know how I'll make it through the next 4 weeks that referrals take she's been feeding non stop but for an hours break since 8am.

 

[emera35]

MsC do your MWs/ paeditricians not check for tongue tie at the newborn check? They check here as standard, its quite common apparently. Hope they get it sorted for you asap, I know t can make a huge difference to the feeding.

I'm struggling with Freyja today She is feeding really poorly so has justy been on the boob all day and all last night. What she does manage to drink she is sickng up because all the mucus from her blocked nose is upsetting her tummy when she swallows it. Consequently if she's not feeding she's screaming feel so sorry for her!

 

[MsCrow]

Yes, they checked on my request, twice, but apparently posterior tongue ties are harder to spot. I'm do pissed, tongue tie was my private worry.

Sorry about Frejya, worth a trip to the quacks?

 

[emera35]

Annoying MsC! My MW spent a good minute or so looking in F's mouth with a torch to check her tongue. She also watched her closely whilst feeding incase of any signs that she'd missed something. I'd be very dissappointed if she'd missed it. There's really no excuse for letting something so simple slip by when it can make life so hard for mum and baby!
Interestingly, when Roh was born, they didn't check at all or even really take mum's seriously if they sad there was issues, you had to fight to get them checked. So its all a big improvement in my opinion at least Edith's ptt is up for referral now so you are on the way to solving it

I don't think there is much point takng Freyja to the docs really, I know its a cold, as Roh had it and I've got it too so think we'll jus have to wait it out. Only thing I can do for her is the saline to clear her nose and hang out in a steamy room with her. Sucks her being ill when she's so little, but I guess its the hazard faced by a second child, as toddlers are a bit of a biohazard!

 

[waula]

emera - sorry to hear Freyja all snuffly and not feeding very well - and on top of that to be planning your 3rd!!! Yay!!! It's amazing isn't it - despite the sleeplessness, vom/poo/wee/exploding nappies I'd do the whole 70hr labour thing everyday, any day just to meet him... and yes, we keep saying "with the next one" ha!!! madness.

FT - george is so scrummy - lovely pics of FB and so pleased to hear you're home and he's feeding well. looking forward to having you back!!! xx

c3po - hope your hives is better and you managed to get to see someone.

MsC - hope they haven't missed a tongue tie with Edith - Noah certainly not been checked for it but hoping that now things are a bit more settled with feeding that we don't have one!?

hope everyone is ok and has enjoyed another glorious day in the sunshine with the little one's...

I had an another pretty awful night with a huge number of feeds between 11-4am and felt pretty awful this morning (and had more flippin visitors) but headed out to our NCT meet up this afternoon and found it very comforting to know that all of this madness is completely normal. we're all finding BFing much more challenging than expected and for me that was all I needed to know...that we're all in the same boat so left feeling a lot more positive and ready for the night. Bring on the cluster feeds.

 

[Glowstar]

Lozza - LOVE LOVE LOVE the name Zachary was in our top 3

MrsC - sorry that they might not have picked up the tongue tie I hope she hasn't got it

Loo - hope the Dummy worked and fat camp went well

 

[emera35]

Waula - I'm finding BF more challenging than i thought i would being that its second time round for me. However, Freyja isn't Roh and its not the same at all. Well, it is fundamentally, but she's a different baby, so different issues. In fact pretty much opposite issues!! Also, i guess my memory probably mostly has retained the more simple part of BF, like when Roh was 3-4 months old and it was all like clockwork and he just latched himself on when shown a boob etc. Or even when he was 10 months old and i'd dash home from work to be here in time to have a snuggle and a feed before bed. Its kinda different when they are a couple of weeks old! Ah well, at least i have experience that it really does get easier, i don't just have to trust that people aren't lying to me about it! Its all worth it anyway, i'm way too cheap to splash out on formula!

Going to get the pump out later as i want to take Roh to playgroup on his own on Friday morning, so i'll leave Freyja with OH for a couple of hours, just got to check everything is working with the pump since i last used it, and then we'll test F out on a bottle tomorrow, just to check she'll survive 2 hours
Its a bit earlier than i planned to try a bottle, but i feel like Roh really needs some one on one time with me.

 

[loolindley]

Exhausted.

Fat camp went a bit too well. I lost 1stone 2lbs. That's 1st 12.5lbs in 2 weeks which seems a bit too much even considering Dharma. I'm eating 3 meals a day, but I'm just too exhausted to eat big meals or extra calories. It's not like I don't have the weight to lose though, it just seemed like an alarming weight loss.

Dharma has only stopped crying during feeds since 1pm. She is beside herself every time I take her off my breast and won't be settled, not even with cuddles. She has not slept at all. The dummy works until it falls out, but her face is so tiny they come half way up her nose.

Midwife 10 day check tomorrow. Am really hoping that all this feeding will mean she has piled on the ounces. We also need to try and get some answers as to why the constant crying. It's been days and days now (5?). Will definitely mention the tongue MsC, but I just hope we can be told something to try rather than just to be told that babies cry a lot (I know that, but this is something else)

 

[wondertwins]

Loo, I know it's been mentioned before, but add me to the list of people recommending The Happiest Baby on the Block. We got the DVD (since I have no time for reading) and it seems to be really helpful for calming our little ones. I think there are some YouTube videos demonstrating some of the techniques.

Edit to add... One way to help with the pacifier is to gently push down on it as if you are going to take it out. It will cause her to suck harder on it so it will stay in and be more satisfying to her.

 

[Skadi]

My sister just had Keira laying on her chest to help with getting her gas out and Keira woke up and started moving about. Next thing she was motor-boating my sister (She usually does weird things with her head when she has gas)! lol I've never laughed so hard in my life. lol

 

[kymied]

It's amazing how time just gets sucked away when you have a newborn. So many little things like bringing the laundry upstairs, just aren't getting done. We've had a lot of friends and family stopping by this week, lots bringing food. My mom swept the house. I fully expect help to taper off next week.

City - I slowly leaked fluid for an hour before going to the hospital. A pad or two was all I needed. At the hospital I was given ice pack pads, surfboards, huge pads, mesh panties, and witch hazel swabs. The clean up the crime scene that is your first bathroom/shower trip. I took enough extra of the surfboards to last me a couple days, now I'm just on regular pads. (And the witch hazel which is rather nice.) As for baby leakage, I leak more than he does! Cheapo cloth diapers or receiving blankets are great for getting dribbles. I put one under his head and my boob before feeding to catch drips and what ever he leaks. It can sometimes take a couple minutes to get him to latch and if my boob is full it drips all over the place.

We had our first doctor's appointment today. He passed with flying colors. He's up 2 ounces from when we left the hospital (when he was down 10%) Not back at birth weight but gaining so they're happy. The little guy gave surely eat! In the morning both breasts are full and he only empties one so I've started pumping a bit out to take the swollen feeling away. This afternoon he took both breasts for 20 minutes each and then we both took a two hour nap and then did another 15 on each. He also pees like crazy. We were told there should be as many diapers as he is days old. He had 10 on day 4! He gets miserable when he's wet so we have to change him all the time. But he only poos every few days. The nurse said some babies do that and as long as he's not straining or it's hard and dry, he's fine.

I've had two bowel movements since Elliott's birth. I can tell you the anticipation of it is worse than the actual thing. I keep fearing that pushing will tear open my stitches.

I am nowhere near my pre-pregnancy clothes. I haven't stepped on the scale yet either. My belly has a bit of a deflated balloon look to it. And there are stretch marks that weren't there before birth! They're light but unmistakable.

I'm getting better at typing with one hand. And eating! Ah random mommy talents.

 

[citymouse]

Well, with all the extra time I have, I can whip myself up some flannel blankets. Or maybe I'll just grab them from the hospital, like all my friends tell me to do!

Thanks for the advice, lads!

For those of you who aren't keeping up with both threads, I had another unnecessary blood pressure monitoring session today (that's three weeks in a row!) and am going back to the hospital Saturday morning for a NST. We're starting to really get to know the nurses!

 

[loolindley]

Good Luck Mia with her 10 day check today!! I bet she has put that 2% back on!

How did you get on with feeding in public yesterday Mitch/ I know it's something I am going to have to face at some point, but at the moment, it's just easier to go out directly after a feed and make sure I'm back for the next one!

 

[lozza1uk]

Had a slightly better night last night, managed almost two hours in his basket! Every day is getting easier. Mitch, would love to know how youre getting such great nights already! What's your day like in terms of time and order of waking/sleeping/feeding/changing etc? I know they're all different but would be interested to know!

Managed a little walk out today too, would have gone to costa but stitches still a bit sore so I didnt want to sit down! Midwife is here at 2pm for his 5 day check and first weigh in, can't wait to find out! She's also checking my stitches, lucky lady

 

[Glowstar]

Kymie - sounds like all is going really well with Elliott

Loo - I tell you best place to have a go at doing it in public is Costa!! I was in there yesterday and during the week it is like baby brigade gone mad! there were at least 3 newborn babies in there yesterday...plus older ones. They all looked less than 2 weeks old and one girl was sitting behind me BF...at first I just thought she was cuddling baby that's how discreet it was she just picked a seat that was facing away and had her back to everyone.

Mitch - hope Mia's test goes well

Induction for me on Saturday....has another sweep today so hoping I go on my own

 

[SeaThreePeeO]

Afternoon everyone. Just popping in to apologise for not being around much yesterday. I hope you and all your lovely babies are well.

If I could tear my skin off I would be so happy. I am on stronger antihistmines and I have until tomorrow to improve or the next step is steriods. I'm now going to have a cold shower and tackle the tip that is my 6 year olds bedroom. Hope to catch up soon.

 

[waula]

BFing in public...hmmm...we went to the local pub for lunch on sunday and literally ran round there in the pram once Noah had been fed - we normally get at least an hour (!) in between feeds...got ourself settled in the garden and grizzle grizzle...boob time mummy... but we managed and it was fine... i did take my corner pillow with me and i find that's very good at hiding the naked belly. then at our nct meet yesterday we were all at it, boobs everywhere and once you've done it once it makes it a LOT easier. DH didn't really get the stress of it at all until I pointed out how comfy would he be with his willy out in the pub. he now understands a bit more.

So, now feeding both boobs every feed, feel like the nips are up to it and i'm amazed at how much milk they can take!!! and only small amounts of spit up, no vom and he's sleeping 3-3.5hrs so only 2 feeds between 11pm - 8am!!! so we were up, feeling human, showered and walking the dogs by 10am which is my idea of a successful day!!!!!

Having to pack away quite a lot of clothes that don't fit which is a bit scary...now in 0-3months and thank goodness we got a huge bag of clothes from my SIL so actually have something to dress him in!

Any news on the tongue tie MsCrow???

Glowie - you here yet??? all gone quiet from you...fingers crossed all is well and you're cuddling your little man!! xx EDIT - not quite cuddling him - how was your scratch and sniff??? xx

Hope all the new mummies are loving their new job!!!!

Hope all you lads are getting on ok and enjoying this beautiful weather...

xxxx

 

[Glowstar]

Yay for Noah being a great baby Waula - I have posted a more long winded account of todays appt on the other thread

 

[citymouse]

Glowie's not cuddling her little man, she's sitting on him.