*****May Bluebells 2012 ***** So far 23 Pink 17 Blue and 12 Yellow!!!

[vespersonicca]

I was just coming to say that we FINALLY managed to get teddy on the boob today!! 3 times so far before his formula feeds and he's latched on perfectly I'd given up hope of him doing it again but he has and I'm so proud! Im not sure where we go from here but I'm happy anyway x

 

[vespersonicca]

Mommies of 2(+), how are you finding it to divide your attention? Emery is at the breast so often that I get very little time to spend only with my toddler. Right now daddy is home and dedicates himself to that task but when he goes back to work in 2 weeks then I'll have to manage the 2 in the days alone. I can't see how I can possibly give Asher as much attention as he needs.

 

[Nits]

Aimee, any updates????

Becki, that's great news

I'm glad you also related to the comment I made. I was actually so preoccupied about the recovery fears from a c-section that I didn't even stop to think about the feeling of having "given birth." I imagine I would have the same struggle in my mind since a surgical birth eliminates a lot of what we associate with childbirth. I'd love to hear what some of the other c-section mommies feel about this.

There is certainly no doubt in my mind that I birthed my babies into this world!!! It was the hardest thing I've ever experienced and the most painful, even with an epi. The experiences were both very different though. I was in a lot of pain and had a long recovery with my first and was up and about with my second. Thank goodness I had the experiences in that order!!! A painful drawn out recovery with a toddler about would be SO hard!

I think it's a matter of rethinking what we understand as birthing, like you said. I may not have had the pain of labor but there's plenty of pain that comes afterwards. I don't feel less of a mother at all but I also didn't feel her come out of me. I think that's what bothers me. I felt the pulling and tugging but I didn't feel her or see her coming out.
It hasn't stopped me from bonding with her but it would have been nice. I guess there's always next time =)

 

[FlowerFairy]

Yay Aimee! Another May baby on the way!!

Not got caught up but just seen your post Aimee !!!! Good luck!

I was just coming to say that we FINALLY managed to get teddy on the boob today!! 3 times so far before his formula feeds and he's latched on perfectly I'd given up hope of him doing it again but he has and I'm so proud! Im not sure where we go from here but I'm happy anyway x

Mommies of 2(+), how are you finding it to divide your attention? Emery is at the breast so often that I get very little time to spend only with my toddler. Right now daddy is home and dedicates himself to that task but when he goes back to work in 2 weeks then I'll have to manage the 2 in the days alone. I can't see how I can possibly give Asher as much attention as he needs.

Good luck Aimee!!!!!!!!hope everything goes Well and quickly for you!!
Well done Beckington!!! Thats fab news.
My husband only had one week off and im glad really because its meant we had to just get back to our routine. I have to explain to Noah sometimes that he has to wait for my attention and he does find it hard but we're getting there on ipad thing one handed so sorry. For crap reply xxxx

 

[Nits]

i can't wait to get back to a normal routine. Me being home all the time is taking a bit of a toll on our relationship with Dh. Not to mention we have my mom living with us...
We had a talk with DH today, it was good. It's difficult to explain how a baby changes your life.

OT this is Amy's favorite sleeping position

 

[Boothh]

My DH goes back to work on Monday so I'm getting nervous now about having them both together but I'm sure we'll get the hang of it after a few days! I'm anxious to get back into a routine too, having DH around has really messed jesses routine and I'm sure that's partly why he's been acting up! Teddy decided he wanted feeding at 3am today after a week nearly of sleeping through! I'm so tired!!

 

[Nits]

DH didn't get any time off. He was able to take a couple of days (literally) to be with me at the hospital, but the night we came home he had to go to work.
I wish he could stay home, I miss him =(
My hormones aren't helping.

For those of you with two kids or more, how was the transition from being a couple to being a couple AND parents? I find it is causing me a lot of stress. Everything is so new and it seems like, all of a sudden, we don't know how to be a couple anymore.
I know it's only been a week but I love him so much, I don't want to lose what we have. I know the relationship will be different, I just want it to be a good different.

 

[KendraNoell]

My LO won't sleep in the crib or bassinet but will sleep in the bouncer- I believe because he is surrounded with padding in the bouncer and it simulates the womb. I bought a sleep positioner and have seen the horrible reviews of it because of babies that are able to turn over in their sleep suffocating with them. I don't intend to use it longer than a couple weeks to get him used to sleeping in the bassinet and since he can't roll over yet I am hoping its ok... I just don't know how else to get him to sleep in the bassinet. I've tried rolled up receiving blankets, and swaddling him (he breaks out of it, doesn't like to be tightly swaddled anymore), so I don't know what else to do. But if you google sleep positioner there is nothing but horrible articles and warnings about them

 

[vespersonicca]

DH didn't get any time off. He was able to take a couple of days (literally) to be with me at the hospital, but the night we came home he had to go to work.
I wish he could stay home, I miss him =(
My hormones aren't helping.

For those of you with two kids or more, how was the transition from being a couple to being a couple AND parents? I find it is causing me a lot of stress. Everything is so new and it seems like, all of a sudden, we don't know how to be a couple anymore.
I know it's only been a week but I love him so much, I don't want to lose what we have. I know the relationship will be different, I just want it to be a good different.

Babies affect every couple differently of course but the transition is hard on everyone. We speak very openly about our needs from each other. Ex: (and I am so serious) Are you getting enough sex? Do you feel like our housework load is fair to each other right now? Have you had enough of your own time? Do you need a hug?

We often say out loud that this phase of having little to no time for each other is just temporary (and it is). Once you develop some semblance of a routine (which will constantly be adjusted as Amy changes) you will feel more experienced, less stressed/more relaxed, and able to concentrate on other things. A happy mommy and daddy make better parents ALWAYS! I consciously make a point of going and hugging or sitting on DHs lap for a cuddle for no apparent reason pretty much everyday. He really seems to appreciate it and see that I am making a small gesture just for him to show him I see him and recognize he is there too. I know that praise is important for my dh so I also make a point of thanking him very specifically for work he does. All of these gestures/words/actions help us feel connected and respectful of each other during this tired time.

I remember the first time around really feeling like I fell in love with dh all over again because I got to see him grow into a father. I had only seen him as a friend, lover, man, etc before. We often feel bonded and smile at each other when we see our kids do something new, grow, joke, etc. That has helped a lot too.

My LO won't sleep in the crib or bassinet but will sleep in the bouncer- I believe because he is surrounded with padding in the bouncer and it simulates the womb. I bought a sleep positioner and have seen the horrible reviews of it because of babies that are able to turn over in their sleep suffocating with them. I don't intend to use it longer than a couple weeks to get him used to sleeping in the bassinet and since he can't roll over yet I am hoping its ok... I just don't know how else to get him to sleep in the bassinet. I've tried rolled up receiving blankets, and swaddling him (he breaks out of it, doesn't like to be tightly swaddled anymore), so I don't know what else to do. But if you google sleep positioner there is nothing but horrible articles and warnings about them

Good luck! Personally, I'm a co-sleeper. I didn't plan it that way with ds1 but I had such a hard birth and couldn't get out of bed for the first couple days that it made the most sense to have the baby next to me at night. We slept tummy to tummy. It turned out to be one of the best unplanned turns we took. I co-sleep now with ds2 and he sleeps soundly and happily with his face on my boob. Not everyone feels comfortable with it but if nothing else works for you then I whole heartedly suggest you give it a try so you can rest! I'm here to answer any questions or offer experience/tips if you want.

 

[bumpin2012]

Well said Monique!

OH has a great work schedule right now, he works 4 12 hour shifts and then is home for 6 days. Its so hard to find time to focus on each other right now, thankfully, we have great friend willing to take Gabe for an hour or 2 so we can have some couples time.

I never tonight I would be able to Co sleep, and usually we don't, but there are some nights its the only way I'm getting any sleep! Our sub conscious is amazing! I'm always afraid I'm going to roll on him, but I don't even move! Give it a try Kendra if you haven't already!

 

[vespersonicca]

What I found most comforting as a new (co-sleeping) mother the first time around was that a mother's breathing helps regulate the baby's. Surely you've noticed how fast and then slow they can breath at times. I found it reassuring to know that if he stopped breathing for some reason, my movements would help him. I also always sleep with my hand on my babies so I don't even need to look, just feel, that they are breathing! I still go check on my toddler in his room very occasionally in the night.

On another note, who else is loving the scale right now? I get on every morning and seem to be having the same experience as last time! I was about 120kg when Emery was born and now I'm down to 107! My starting weight was 93kg. At this rate I'll hit it again! YAY! I imagine this tandem nursing is also helping... lol

Another couple random bits I'll just edit into this post, Emery's belly button fell off today. Also, we've got our first post-partum midwife visit tomorrow. Yay!

 

[Boothh]

Nits - it takes time, you will get there, it's hard to switch from being mummy and daddy all day to suddenly being husband and wife at night, just try to make time to do things together like dinner when the baby is in bed, just spending time together and if you can get a baby sitter and go out on your own for a few hours even better, just be patient and make sure you keep talking to each other xx

Kendra - best thing to do us not google. Google will never be you're friend when it comes to parenting advice, trust your instincts and if you think it will work go for it x

Vesper - we also co sleep, more so with jess as teddy actually likes his own space and sleeps more soundly in his basket, I bring him in with us though when I'm doing my feeds haha DH doesn't as he only puts up with the co sleeping rather than enjoying it like I do, it's always been more my idea haha xx

I've lost 21lbs since teddy was born making me 7lbs under pre pregnancy weight it's still dropping every few days at the moment too, x

 

[Nits]

Thanks for the replies. We do talk a lot, I am the kind of person who needs to talk things out when something is bothering me. He listens to me. We are going to visit some friends of ours today, with the baby. I am really bad at being home all day, so going out actually puts me in a better mood.
We do tell each other i love you everyday, and i make sure to show him my feelings for him haven't decreased just because we have Amy now. I think we just need to be more patient

Monique, I am loving the scale as well. I am down 22 lbs (10 kg) in 9 days. Because I was a little piggy, I still have 28 lbs to go (12 kg) to get to my prepregnancy weight. I started at 147 (66 kg) and was 197 (89 kg) the morning I went in for my csection. However, I swear my body looks almost as good as it did before. My belly is almost flat, my butt is a different matter
I'd love to get to 140 lbs but 147 was a good weight for me. I am looking forward to going back to the gym, not to lose weight but because I really enjoy it, it's a nice time just for myself and it puts me in a really good mood afterwards.

 

[aimee-lou]

Hi all,

quickie update from me.

Edward Stewart was born at 4.24am this morning, weighing 10lb14oz!

I was in active labour for a grand total of 5 hours and 10 minutes, and had only gas and air.

I will post a full birth story when I get a chance to get my facts straight with hubby (who is currently asleep after having had little/no sleep since 6am yesterday!)

Hope we're all ok xxx

 

[KendraNoell]

holy wow big baby! you're my hero! LOL

 

[KendraNoell]

I dont know if I could co-sleep I am so scared of rolling on him or DH rolling on him. Plus the bed is only a full so its small for even us

 

[Boothh]

Yaaaay Aimee! Im so happy for you! Well done on getting out such a big baby can't wait to see pictures xxx

 

[Boothh]

Nits I feel amazing, my stomach is a lot flatter than before I was pregnant and my legs look nicer haha, and I have bigger boobs, some of my old clothes are actually too big for me

 

[KendraNoell]

Boothh LOL I am the same way! My stomach stuck out a bit more before I was pregnant and now that its "softer" gravity made it tuck into my pants better LOL. My legs look smaller too!

 

[FlowerFairy]

Yay!!! Aimee Well done you xxxxx