****October Bumpkins 2010 - Parenting Thread****

[Steffyxx]

Oh ryt i suppose i better just ring them to make sure , i suppose the longer i wait for the benefits the more i get bckdated which would be a bonus in time for xmas !

I dont know about yous but i am going through an insane amount of nappys like 80 a week i suppose i do change him every time he has a wet nappy and he pees LOADS ! but if i didnt i would feel so guilty ! lol

 

[buttonnose82]

hope everyone is doing well!

Little man is wonderful as always, last night he slept AMAZING!

he was asleep by 8.30pm, he woke at 2.45 for a feed (was up 45 mins) then slept till 8.45am!

 

[Steffyxx]

WOW UR LUCKY lol

 

[veganmum2be]

omg i wish mine would sleep that much :lol;
i buzz if he goes 2 n a half hours.

 

[Steffyxx]

lol vegan same here im lucky to get over an hour the way things are going he istaking over an hour ti finish bottle and then hour to settle and wakes every 3 hours !

 

[MommyKC]

buttonnose, wow that's amazing!

BB - Don't worry about Tristan not smiling, most babies don't start smiling until 6 weeks or so.

Steffy - Alora is the same sometimes, she can down a bottle in 10 minutes... or sometimes poke around on it for 30+ minutes... it almost feels like I'm still breastfeeding sometimes with how slow she is!!! BUT, I am lucky because she does usually settle pretty good *knock on wood* and sleeps for about 3 hours afterwards between feeds.

 

[Serenity81]

BB ~ Most babies don't smile until about 5 or 6 weeks and some even later. Alexis was doing little smiles at just over 4 weeks and by week 6 was doing huge big gummy smiles. It's so cute now when she makes all her gurgling noises and the cute little faces she makes...so adorable. Can't believe she is two months old next week, time really does go way too fast. Did you get any response yet about the photo uploader? I really want to post some recent pics but it still isn't working for me


I had to fill out a form to register Alexis with the doctor, the health visitor gave it to me on her first visit and her child benefit was sorted out within a week and a half of me sending off the forms, but don't even get me started on the problems I have had with the tax credit people She is almost 2 months old and it is nowhere even close to being sorted as they claim now that they cannot find my claim
Green poo in a formula fed baby is normal hun, it's just in breastfed babies that it could indicate a problem so don't worry xx

 

[Newt4]

Anna has been giving me big gummy smiles every morning this week. She also has almost full control of her neck. During tummy time she can lift her head up and keep it up for a long time.

 

[BeanieBaby]

Thanks BeanieBaby, I just panicked a bit when I saw the dark green poo as I vaguely remembered being told before that it was a sign something may be not quite right. Then last night I googled it and the milk imbalance came up but I really didn't think it could be that because she feeds from the same breast for ages, sometimes it feels like she's sucked me dry I think us mummies are very hard on ourselves when we've no need to be I was wincing at the computer screen as I read what you had said, I could only imagine how painful that must have been for you. Well done you for managing to express for two weeks, I just couldn't get the hang of expressing at all, could be at it for hours and only get the tiniest amount! I have total admiration for women who express, I just found it so hard. I've noticed that Alexis is also having more "happy awake time" where she will lie and have a good kick and wave of her little handies while she's lying on her playmat. And she's gurgling loads aswell, it is so so cute. Her smiling is also becoming more and more frequent now too. It's amazing watching them develop and grow infront of your eyes, no better feeling in the world. xx

You're so right we're all so hard on ourselves. I have spent the eve in floods of as since Bella was at nursery today I thought i'd use the time to try and introduce Sophia back onto my right boob as the cracks and blister looked healed this morning apart from one speck remaining of a blood blister. Well looks like i've spent 2 wks expressing to give it time to heal for nothing as after about 30 mins on the right boob this morning and then another 15 mins this afternoon (had to take her off as too painful in the end!), looks like the damage is resurfacing as the speck of blood blister is now 10x the size and I can see the outlines of where the cracks were and looks like they're resurfacing. I think the damage on the surface must have healed but not fully beneath the surface. I am just so gutted as one of the reasons I was desperate to latch her back on is because the friction blister on the left is so bad now its starting to get really painful feeding off there so I was hoping to swap things round and feed from the right and start expressing off the left to give that one time to heal. Both boobs are now aching and i'm really not looking forward to feeding or expressing but have to do one of the other otherwise i'll get engorged or worse still mastitis! Sent my OH out to get a load of formula as have resided myself to the fact i'm gonna have to start weaning her off, am just so gutted and emotional about it. Why can't I stop being so hard on myself?! Sorry to keep moaning on here.

Alexis sounds adorable by the way!

xxx

 

[Serenity81]

Thanks BeanieBaby, I just panicked a bit when I saw the dark green poo as I vaguely remembered being told before that it was a sign something may be not quite right. Then last night I googled it and the milk imbalance came up but I really didn't think it could be that because she feeds from the same breast for ages, sometimes it feels like she's sucked me dry I think us mummies are very hard on ourselves when we've no need to be I was wincing at the computer screen as I read what you had said, I could only imagine how painful that must have been for you. Well done you for managing to express for two weeks, I just couldn't get the hang of expressing at all, could be at it for hours and only get the tiniest amount! I have total admiration for women who express, I just found it so hard. I've noticed that Alexis is also having more "happy awake time" where she will lie and have a good kick and wave of her little handies while she's lying on her playmat. And she's gurgling loads aswell, it is so so cute. Her smiling is also becoming more and more frequent now too. It's amazing watching them develop and grow infront of your eyes, no better feeling in the world. xx

You're so right we're all so hard on ourselves. I have spent the eve in floods of as since Bella was at nursery today I thought i'd use the time to try and introduce Sophia back onto my right boob as the cracks and blister looked healed this morning apart from one speck remaining of a blood blister. Well looks like i've spent 2 wks expressing to give it time to heal for nothing as after about 30 mins on the right boob this morning and then another 15 mins this afternoon (had to take her off as too painful in the end!), looks like the damage is resurfacing as the speck of blood blister is now 10x the size and I can see the outlines of where the cracks were and looks like they're resurfacing. I think the damage on the surface must have healed but not fully beneath the surface. I am just so gutted as one of the reasons I was desperate to latch her back on is because the friction blister on the left is so bad now its starting to get really painful feeding off there so I was hoping to swap things round and feed from the right and start expressing off the left to give that one time to heal. Both boobs are now aching and i'm really not looking forward to feeding or expressing but have to do one of the other otherwise i'll get engorged or worse still mastitis! Sent my OH out to get a load of formula as have resided myself to the fact i'm gonna have to start weaning her off, am just so gutted and emotional about it. Why can't I stop being so hard on myself?! Sorry to keep moaning on here.

Alexis sounds adorable by the way!

xxx

Aww, huge hugs to you, I was wincing again as I read your post, it just sounds so unbearably painful for you. I had one cracked nipple and a small blister and I thought that was bad! It does sound like the damage underneath hasn't healed yet and who knows how long that might take As I said in my last post to you, I completely admire you for even managing to express for this long as I found it impossible to do, and it must be very time consuming for you aswell. At the end of the day sweetie Sophia and Bella just want a happy mummy and if you carry on like this it's going to make you miserable. You have done the absolute best for your baby girl, you have struggled on through your own unbearable pain to give her the best start in life, and by god no-one can say you haven't tried but maybe now enough is enough Stop being so hard on yourself, I understand you feel guilty as I went through the same emotions when I had to stop breastfeeding my last two children but eventually I realised that I TRIED my damn hardest and it was much more important for me and my baby to be happy than do something that was almost impossible. So you can stop beating yourself up about it, it's just one very small part of Sophia's life and she isn't even going to remember it, you have done a fab job and don't let anyone say otherwise! And thankyou, that is a lovely thing to say, she is just the most precious, adorable little girl. I wish I could get my photo's to upload but the uploader still isn't working for me xxx

 

[Serenity81]

It is only uploading this one, I am going to try and use photobucket instead if I can figure out how to do it xx

 

[Serenity81]

https://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae82/Serenity81_photos/DSCF0410.jpg

https://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae82/Serenity81_photos/DSCF0385.jpg

https://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae82/Serenity81_photos/DSCF0412.jpg

https://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae82/Serenity81_photos/DSCF0413.jpg

Yay, photobucket works xx

 

[StonesWife]

Athena has been awake since noon today! Its now six pm... Wow...

 

[MommyKC]

Serenity - She is just gorgeous!

Beaniebaby - don't beat yourself up. we all do what we have to do in order to feed our babies and in my opinion, formula is just as good as breastmilk if it's the decision we make for our own health (and theirs). I promised myself this time around I wouldn't pressure myself, because I beat myself up when I couldn't continue with my first daughter... I cried and cried, and felt horrible... well this time, I refused to do that to myself. I gave it another try and ended up with cracked, bleeding nipples all over again. I think my skin is just super sensitive because her latch was great, but my nipples just got worse and worse everyday, just like they did with Kyree. And I've weaned Alora over the last 5 days. It sucks, and it still bothers me... but I also know that I did what I had to do for my sanity... and a happy mommy = happy baby. Since I switched Alora, she is going longer periods between feeds, sleeps longer... it has been great. When I was BFing I was feeding her every hour, NOT kidding. And I know she's still getting everything she needs, formula or no formula. Just remember, you're a great mommy and your little girl will be perfect regardless of what she's fed!

 

[MommyKC]

Here is my little peanut...

 

[newmommy23]

I took Molly to the dr today and they said she needs vitamin d because shes breastfed??? I've never heard that before is that true?

 

[Newt4]

Yup its true. Formula has vid D added and if you live in a northern climate than you need to give it to your baby. You can buy it in drop form and made specifically for infants.

Here is some of my sweet pea when she was 2 weeks old

https://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r278/newtabix/4.jpg


https://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r278/newtabix/5.jpg

 

[juless]

So many beautiful babies!! I'm going to make an appointment to get Rose's photos done since I want some nice ones to send in thank you cards to my nurses and doctor at the hospital. They were all so lovely to us! About the vitamin D, at hospital I was given a small bottle of "D Drops" and bought a larger bottle. Giving Rose a drop a day - but I do top her up with formula too. I hope she's not getting too much vitamin D...

Also, Rosalina seems to be getting more satisfied with breastmilk. She hasn't had any formula since last night. I breastfed her when she woke at 3:00, 5:30, and again at 9:00 and she's been sleeping great in between. I'm hoping to eventually have her completely on breastmilk, although I have to admit it's a bit scary.. I do enjoy the fact that I can pack a bottle of formula when going to town or something, but I suppose I can pump for that too, it's just harder sometimes to pump enough to fill a bottle. We'll see how it goes! Also, breastfeeding can be easier, since you don't have to prepare the bottle, but I'm not loving it. I find it somewhat stressful and it still hurts when she latches on at times. I am sticking with it as I want her to have the best I can give her, but switching to formula is pretty tempting sometimes!

 

[Serenity81]

MOMMYKC and Newt 4 your baby girls are beautiful, we all make such gorgeous babies xx

Newmommy I live in Scotland, Uk and I have never heard of giving vitamin d to a baby, it's certainly something we've never been told about but I am going to ask my health visitor the next time I see her and I will be annoyed if it's something she should have mentioned but didn't xx

 

[BeanieBaby]

Newt and Serenity, your pics are both gorgeous, thanks so much for sharing!

Thanks also Serenity and MommyKC for your kind words of reassurance, it really helps. I'm feeling a bit better today, maybe I just needed an eve of to get it all off my chest! It is my first day today not breastfeeding, i'm just expressing both sides now and topping up with formula. I am really sad about it but I can see how its not fair on my older daughter or my OH to see me going through this pain and upset any further. I do feel like a weight's been lifted now i've made that final decision and that it was somewhat out of my control as I can't help having such sore nipples. Its not as if I haven't tried to heal them, i've been trying everything since the damage was done on day 2 but enough is enough! Wincing and crying through feeds in front of my 3 yr old is also not something I want to do and its becoming increasingly hard to hide it from her. She has picked up on it a bit as goes to 'breast'feed her baby annabel and says "ouch, ouch, ouch..." as she puts her to her nipple! Breaks my heart!

Its funny how in some ways feeding this time was more successful than with my first, but not enough for me to see it through. Its so frustrating as this time I had a better milk supply and Sophia fed more effeciently/quicker than Bella ever did and its clear she's been enjoying her feeding sessions, but perhaps my nipples are more sensitive this time and are not compatible with Sophia's pallete/strong suck/latch. I never used to believe it when people said it depends on the baby as with my first I just thought people didn't persevere through the pain enough to get into the good phase, but this time I can see that all babies feed v. v. differently and sometimes you just have to admit defeat.

MommyKC, if you have any tips on weaning off let me know. If I continue pumping as Sophia's not physically latching on will my supply just gradually die down by itsself?

xxx