New mummies - August 2013

[ZooMa]

V had her 1 week check up today. She's back to birth weight and in fact gained 10.5 oz (300 g) in 3.5 days! I wonder how she gained so much - could be a slight difference in scales of course. She is eating a lot, though, including every hour for four hours this am. Ugh. But then she slept a lot. She's spitting up a lot of her feed during or immediately after nursing. Dr says to "pace her". Yeah, right! She complains so much she ends up swallowing more air. I see the lactation consultant on Monday and hopefully she'll have some more advice. In the meantime, we have three days to practice -- which is the same amount of time we've been home from the hospital. Wow.

 

[aimee-lou]

Morning mummies - just a quick check in before Charlie wakes up for the day. He's actually sleeping better than the other 2 combined at the moment - Eddy is teething and Earl is having growing pains

Good day yesterday - I swear Charlie has expanded (I know they do that but it always shocks me by how much lol) and he feels considerably heavier. Have his 7 day check tomorrow up at the hospital - heel prick and all that jazz but I have no-one to have the kids and no double pushchair yet either. Not quite sure how I'm going to manage but we'll be fine I'm sure. May just park directly outside the door in the 'drop off' bay and have Eddy in his pushchair, Charlie in car seat and ferry us in in shifts lol. I did try to tell them that it's better if they come to me...... guess they need to be taught that lesson rather than listen to me! lol

Good night last night too. Charlie has 11oz of milk between 5 and 11 - I've had to up his bottles to 4oz and he's virtually polishing them off!! He's a really good eater though so I shouldn't complain. He then slept 11-3.30 again and then was back down by 4 and is still there! I can hear him snuffling upstairs though so I think we're waking up soon.....gotta love the power of a good swaddle

Nothing much planned for today as still slightly housebound without pushchair but good news is it's payday today which means I can order it. and then collect/take delivery tomorrow. Finally!!!!! Been wanting/needing to do this since May!!! Retail therapy here I come.

Oh and the baby blues has eased today. Had a good weep on hubby last night and explained how I was feeling and he was really good as always. Very lucky to have such a lovely family..... boys were stars yesterday and apart from the witching hour (5-6) where it always gets a bit fraught as they're both tired and getting a bit sick of one another, I really do not give them enough credit.

 

[jjbump]

Nothing much planned for today as still slightly housebound without pushchair but good news is it's payday today which means I can order it. and then collect/take delivery tomorrow. Finally!!!!! Been wanting/needing to do this since May!!! Retail therapy here I come.

Hi Aimee-Lou - what pushchair are you going to buy? We spent months trying to decide what to buy and in the end settled for a Phil & Ted's. They are bloody expensive, but the others just seemed so bulky. I hope to God my 2 year old likes sitting in it as it'll be an expensive lesson otherwise!

 

[aimee-lou]

Cosatto Duet Lite - it's an umbrella folding in-line tandem and since I tested it I've wanted it but the funds just haven't been there or the shops haven't had it in stock....today we had the money and it was in stock so I bought. I have to collect it over the weekend from the store and I'm so excited.

I hated shopping for a double though - it was so tedious as there isn't actually a single one that ticked all my boxes. I had to compromise on a couple of things, but mostly I'm very happy with it! Remains to be seen how it copes with the rigours that my old 3D kept up with though lol

 

[CordeliaJ]

Been exhausted today as we spent most of last night in a&e. Ollie's crying got so bad we thought something was seriously wrong, couldn't console him no matter what. Of course they told us it was just wind, and possibly even the beginnings of colic. I feel like I'm losing my mind, I can't help him & I can hear him swallowing so much air. I think the latch is pretty good now, but wondering if maybe I have an over active letdown. Been using just one breast most of today to check, and there seems to be a little less crying than yesterday, although not a whole lot. Sorry I know you ladies can't help but it's good to get it off my chest! X

 

[aimee-lou]

Been exhausted today as we spent most of last night in a&e. Ollie's crying got so bad we thought something was seriously wrong, couldn't console him no matter what. Of course they told us it was just wind, and possibly even the beginnings of colic. I feel like I'm losing my mind, I can't help him & I can hear him swallowing so much air. I think the latch is pretty good now, but wondering if maybe I have an over active letdown. Been using just one breast most of today to check, and there seems to be a little less crying than yesterday, although not a whole lot. Sorry I know you ladies can't help but it's good to get it off my chest! X

So sorry to hear it's gotten bad for you. I'm also sorry I can't help. Feel free to vent all you need to, and try to rest when you can hun xxxx

 

[jjbump]

Been exhausted today as we spent most of last night in a&e. Ollie's crying got so bad we thought something was seriously wrong, couldn't console him no matter what. Of course they told us it was just wind, and possibly even the beginnings of colic. I feel like I'm losing my mind, I can't help him & I can hear him swallowing so much air. I think the latch is pretty good now, but wondering if maybe I have an over active letdown. Been using just one breast most of today to check, and there seems to be a little less crying than yesterday, although not a whole lot. Sorry I know you ladies can't help but it's good to get it off my chest! X

Huge hugs, Cordelia. So sorry to hear about A&E. I'm quite ignorant when it comes to breastfeeding, but could you express and then use a bottle to feed him? Some bottles are supposed to be better than others in preventing wind. We still have the same problem as you - we are unable to console our LO, but the pain seems to come and go during the day. We've noticed a pattern - if we're unsuccessful winding after a feed, she'll have a bout of crying roughly 3 hours later. The crying will last on and off for an hour. We're now spending at least 20 mins winding her.

Did you get some Infacol? We think it may be helping, but it's difficult to know.

 

[beccybobeccy]

Been exhausted today as we spent most of last night in a&e. Ollie's crying got so bad we thought something was seriously wrong, couldn't console him no matter what. Of course they told us it was just wind, and possibly even the beginnings of colic. I feel like I'm losing my mind, I can't help him & I can hear him swallowing so much air. I think the latch is pretty good now, but wondering if maybe I have an over active letdown. Been using just one breast most of today to check, and there seems to be a little less crying than yesterday, although not a whole lot. Sorry I know you ladies can't help but it's good to get it off my chest! X

Huge hugs, Cordelia. So sorry to hear about A&E. I'm quite ignorant when it comes to breastfeeding, but could you express and then use a bottle to feed him? Some bottles are supposed to be better than others in preventing wind. We still have the same problem as you - we are unable to console our LO, but the pain seems to come and go during the day. We've noticed a pattern - if we're unsuccessful winding after a feed, she'll have a bout of crying roughly 3 hours later. The crying will last on and off for an hour. We're now spending at least 20 mins winding her.

Did you get some Infacol? We think it may be helping, but it's difficult to know.

Ditto. Huge hugs. Everything is such a worry at this time, having this little person just turns everything on its head.

We've had a rough few days with feeding. I've had the same problems I had with Sofia - with nothing more than colostrum coming through and in essence my milk not coming in. There is still time apparently for that so I've continued to feed on the boob and pump to build supply but as she fusses after 10 mins, still hungry and the pump only gets off 2.5ml we've had to supplement with formula otherwise they wanted to send us back to the hospital as she lost over 9% of her birth weight! I am really disappointed but I think I just don't physically have the capability to feed her myself - or at least not to still remain sane and look after a 2.5year old too.

I feel much happier now we are supplementing as it means I know Florence is getting what she needs, she is sleeping more so I am sleeping more and am better able to keep the house running and Sofia happy!

Midwife coming again tomorrow to reweigh... I will carry on with the combo feeding and see how long that lasts... Some of my milk is better than none I suppose.

Funny thing happened today. The next series of One born every minute is being filmed in Bristol and there was a casting guy waiting to jump on pregnant women coming out of Mothercare. He said to me "has anyone spoken to you about OBEM?" I said "You're a bit late!", he said "why?" ...... I pointed at the 4 day old I was pushing in the pram!

What a firgging idiot. Seriously I wonder how many women he offended today? I didn't mind as clearly my uterus is still on the way back but the fact that I was pushing a teeeeeeeny baby should have been a giveaway!

 

[jjbump]

I am really disappointed but I think I just don't physically have the capability to feed her myself - or at least not to still remain sane and look after a 2.5year old too.

I feel much happier now we are supplementing as it means I know Florence is getting what she needs, she is sleeping more so I am sleeping more and am better able to keep the house running and Sofia happy!

Midwife coming again tomorrow to reweigh... I will carry on with the combo feeding and see how long that lasts... Some of my milk is better than none I suppose.

Funny thing happened today. The next series of One born every minute is being filmed in Bristol and there was a casting guy waiting to jump on pregnant women coming out of Mothercare. He said to me "has anyone spoken to you about OBEM?" I said "You're a bit late!", he said "why?" ...... I pointed at the 4 day old I was pushing in the pram!

What a firgging idiot. Seriously I wonder how many women he offended today? I didn't mind as clearly my uterus is still on the way back but the fact that I was pushing a teeeeeeeny baby should have been a giveaway!

I totally agree with you with regards to supplementing. It not easy at all is it?! Hopefully Florence will have put on enough weight. I wanted to breast feed this time around, but I couldn't so I had to switch to formula on day 3.

Shame they didn't start the series of OBEM earlier! I've had people think I'm still pregnant - just yesterday someone asked how overdue I am lol. In fairness though, I didn't have my LO with me and my tummy is still very big. Hee hee.

 

[CordeliaJ]

Thanks all!

Yeah I have started expressing some at the beginning of every feed so he doesn't get this huge overflow of foremilk, the problem is I can't express prior to night feedings because I'm asleep and it's too late by the time he wakes up wanting a feed. I might try to fully express and bottle feed him, but it just seems crazy because other than the wind, everything was going so well with the bfing. I did plan to start expressing and combo feeding at some point, I guess I just didn't think it would only be 10 days in.
I was really bad and gave up with the infacol, because he would cry when I gave it to him & spit it out, I felt like I was making him more upset. Presumably if you are ff you mix it in with the milk? If I start expressing I could do that - will it make the whole bottle of milk taste of orange though?

Beccy so sorry to hear about the bfing, I reckon there is still time for the milk to come in though, but if it doesn't, at least you know she is still being well fed and gaining weight. And that guy from OBEM sounds like he doesn't quite know what happens to the body after birth!! My MIL asked me if it still 'feels weird' having my bump. Frankly I thought it had gone down a lot, so it was quite annoying to be asked that, ugh.

Slightly off topic, but can I just ask if any of you know much about post birth bleeding and how long it lasts etc? Mine was fairly heavy in the beginning, then it tapered off and became light, but it the last 2 days it's gotten really heavy again and my lower abdomen is achey again. Is that normal, can it just come and go? I don't really fancy going to a&e, such bad timing that it's the weekend so no one to call and ask :S

 

[aimee-lou]

Thanks all!

Yeah I have started expressing some at the beginning of every feed so he doesn't get this huge overflow of foremilk, the problem is I can't express prior to night feedings because I'm asleep and it's too late by the time he wakes up wanting a feed. I might try to fully express and bottle feed him, but it just seems crazy because other than the wind, everything was going so well with the bfing. I did plan to start expressing and combo feeding at some point, I guess I just didn't think it would only be 10 days in.
I was really bad and gave up with the infacol, because he would cry when I gave it to him & spit it out, I felt like I was making him more upset. Presumably if you are ff you mix it in with the milk? If I start expressing I could do that - will it make the whole bottle of milk taste of orange though?

Beccy so sorry to hear about the bfing, I reckon there is still time for the milk to come in though, but if it doesn't, at least you know she is still being well fed and gaining weight. And that guy from OBEM sounds like he doesn't quite know what happens to the body after birth!! My MIL asked me if it still 'feels weird' having my bump. Frankly I thought it had gone down a lot, so it was quite annoying to be asked that, ugh.

Slightly off topic, but can I just ask if any of you know much about post birth bleeding and how long it lasts etc? Mine was fairly heavy in the beginning, then it tapered off and became light, but it the last 2 days it's gotten really heavy again and my lower abdomen is achey again. Is that normal, can it just come and go? I don't really fancy going to a&e, such bad timing that it's the weekend so no one to call and ask :S

I don't mix the infacol...just give before each feed. I don't give a full dropper either as I like to give a bit after the feed as well to settle the tummy and bring up any last little bits if I need to. Sounds weird but it works lol.

My bump always shrinks massively but I end up with this kind of pointy lump in the middle of my tummy where the muscles hve parted. Takes about 2 weeks for that to go lol.

My bleeding ALWAYS lasts 3 weeks almost to the day, with a red 'blip' at about day 10. If you've been doing lots of lifting/walking/bending it can often stimulate contractions and force more blood out and make you more achey so if you notice it getting bad just sit down for a bit lol. Totally normal though, so don't worry. I also always get my period back almost 9 weeks to the day. I've always FF'd from day 1 though so I suppose that's what makes it so predictable.

 

[despereaux]

Hi may I join here? My baby is now 7 days old and this is my 3rd baby.

 

[ZooMa]

My heart breaks when she cries. I don't know what to do. The only thing I can soothe her with is the breast, and I can't believe she's hungry every hour at night. Sometimes, yes, but times like now she just wants to be held. She's more awake at night. She needs more frequent diaper changes cause she's getting a rash, but that wakes her up and makes her fuss. And then my heart breaks. As does Hubby's.

Her Nana holds her all day and she sleeps like an angel with that comfort. But then at night when I lay her in her bassinet she fusses and flails until she makes herself upset. It's way too early to "sleep train" but as a FTM I don't know what to do. I am getting enough help that I'm able to sleep during the day, but I still lose it at night.

Well, she's quiet now. Daddy worked some of his magic. I hope it lasts.

I'm so tired. :'(

 

[CordeliaJ]

Of course you can join despereaux, welcome back

Zooma I know how you feel, sometimes I can only calm Ollie by giving him the breast, but I'm so reluctant to do it when I know he's not hungry, because it gives him more wind which is generally what he's crying about.
The last 24 hours he has actually been wanting to feed every hour though, I'm hoping just a growth spurt because last night was absolutely exhausting.

We now have him sleep in a sleepyhead mattress in our bed, because he can't stand being away from people in the big roomy moses basket, and will fuss all night long. I think they just like to be close to people at this early stage which helps them fall asleep.

 

[jjbump]

Hi ladies,

How is everything going? The wind/colic problem is starting to subside with our LO. Not sure if it's down to the Infacol or whether her digestive system is starting to mature.

Cordelia, are you still having the same problem? We give LO the Infacol in a syringe about 5 minutes before feeding. She usually tries to spit it out, but most of it goes down.

Bleeding last time for me ended around 2 - 3 weeks after birth. I am told that breastfeeding can prolong bleeding, but not sure if that's actually true. I am still bleeding now - some days heavier than others, but I've been told to take it easy if it becomes heavy.

 

[CordeliaJ]

Hi ladies,

How is everything going? The wind/colic problem is starting to subside with our LO. Not sure if it's down to the Infacol or whether her digestive system is starting to mature.

Cordelia, are you still having the same problem? We give LO the Infacol in a syringe about 5 minutes before feeding. She usually tries to spit it out, but most of it goes down.

Bleeding last time for me ended around 2 - 3 weeks after birth. I am told that breastfeeding can prolong bleeding, but not sure if that's actually true. I am still bleeding now - some days heavier than others, but I've been told to take it easy if it becomes heavy.

Oh glad to hear the wind is subsiding! Ollie seems to cry for shorter periods now, but the problem is still there. It's been a bit less since I now express a little foremilk before feeding him, I think I have an overactive letdown. I gave up on the infacol, but still considering starting it up again. He's not sleeping more than an hour/hour and a half at a time now though, so that's pretty exhausting, and making me very tearful.

Still bleeding fairly heavily, really hope it goes by 4 weeks as that is mine & DH's first wedding anniversary! :S

 

[CordeliaJ]

Oh also, do you know of any mummy-baby groups in the Surrey area, I figured since you have another LO that you may have been to some here before?

 

[jjbump]

My heart breaks when she cries. I don't know what to do. The only thing I can soothe her with is the breast, and I can't believe she's hungry every hour at night. Sometimes, yes, but times like now she just wants to be held. She's more awake at night. She needs more frequent diaper changes cause she's getting a rash, but that wakes her up and makes her fuss. And then my heart breaks. As does Hubby's.

Her Nana holds her all day and she sleeps like an angel with that comfort. But then at night when I lay her in her bassinet she fusses and flails until she makes herself upset. It's way too early to "sleep train" but as a FTM I don't know what to do. I am getting enough help that I'm able to sleep during the day, but I still lose it at night.

Well, she's quiet now. Daddy worked some of his magic. I hope it lasts.

I'm so tired. :'(

ZooMa, I really feel for you. Just know that it'll get better.

Can you use Sudocrem for the nappy rash?

 

[jjbump]

Hi ladies,

How is everything going? The wind/colic problem is starting to subside with our LO. Not sure if it's down to the Infacol or whether her digestive system is starting to mature.

Cordelia, are you still having the same problem? We give LO the Infacol in a syringe about 5 minutes before feeding. She usually tries to spit it out, but most of it goes down.

Bleeding last time for me ended around 2 - 3 weeks after birth. I am told that breastfeeding can prolong bleeding, but not sure if that's actually true. I am still bleeding now - some days heavier than others, but I've been told to take it easy if it becomes heavy.

Oh glad to hear the wind is subsiding! Ollie seems to cry for shorter periods now, but the problem is still there. It's been a bit less since I now express a little foremilk before feeding him, I think I have an overactive letdown. I gave up on the infacol, but still considering starting it up again. He's not sleeping more than an hour/hour and a half at a time now though, so that's pretty exhausting, and making me very tearful.

Still bleeding fairly heavily, really hope it goes by 4 weeks as that is mine & DH's first wedding anniversary! :S

Glad to hear it's getting easier for Ollie. I think the Infacol has a cumulative effect as things didn't improve for us until about 4 - 5 days after taking it. For sleeping, you may want to try background noise and/or a clock ticking close to him. The latter sounds strange, but it was suggested to me some years ago as it reminds the baby of heartbeats.

Do you use a pacifier? Sometimes they just like the sucking.

xx

 

[CordeliaJ]

Hadn't thought of the clock, will see if I can find something to try out. YES to the pacifier! We tried one yesterday and occasionally it seems to really help distract him from being upset.