The First Timer Scardicats!!!!!

[Banana2012]

Jo, I don't know how we fit both of them in the bed either - it's definitely a tight squeeze! They've not been weighed for a week and a half, but last time Esmé weighed 7lb10 and Eva 7lb4. I can't believe how big they're getting! It's funny though, when we're out and about people will ask how old they are, and when I say almost 9 weeks they look so confused by how small they are, but to us they seem huge! Sorry your first night with Felix in his nursery was so stressful But it sounds like he's adjusting brilliantly, clever Felix!

We're having a bit of a nightmare at the moment, as both girls are really refluxy. Before they were born I used to joke about how two babies would be easier than one baby with reflux whenever people said how hard it would be...and now I have two refluxy babies
Eva is on a few medicines as well as taking gaviscon in her milk, and she's better than she was although still not great. Esmé on the other hand is having a bit of a time of it, she's only on gaviscon and it just isn't working. It's stopped her being sick, but she's still so sore during and after every meal which is horrid to see. She keeps screaming and wriggling about in pain Hoping to get a doctors appointment to try and get her on the same medicines as Eva, but will have to see what the gp is willing to do. Just hoping we can sort it, as we're barely sleeping at the moment due to constantly holding her up and walking around with her.

Hope your weekends have been fun

 

[J04NN4]

Oh no reflux is really miserable. I was tearing my hair out before Felix got diagnosed. Luckily gaviscon seems to keep it pretty much under control but he still has his moments. He did/on a bad day still does the squirming around/screaming/arching his back stuff during a feed. I'm trying to think if there was any advice we were given other than the medication... One thing sounds really silly but we found it helped - change their bums as level as possible Imagine if you had heartburn and then someone yanked your bum up in the air? We perfected changing Felix whilst barely lifting him at all and particularly for mid-feed changes it seemed to help a bit Also I know you say you usually co-sleep but would she sleep in her bed if you elevated the head end a bit? We put a couple of books under the top legs of Felix's basket stand thingy so his head was higher than his body and that helped too. Or maybe try her in her chair/bouncer/swing/whatever it is that you've got. Felix slept in his chair more than his bed to begin with. Also do you have a sling/wrap/carrier? That might help you at least comfort her hands-free! Also we put gripe water in Felix's bottles and that helps him too.

Sorry if you've tried all this but I just thought I'd let you know what helped us as I know how awful reflux can be Good luck!

 

[Banana2012]

Thanks so much Jo It really is miserable, it sounds like such a tiny problem but has such an impact on every day life. We've tried raising the cot etc, but she still screams as soon as she's put down I suspect it's partly because she's in pain and wants cuddles for comfort, rather than just needing to be upright (although that's obviously an issue too), but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with. The nappy changing advice is a new one for me though - thank you! Makes so much sense but just hadn't thought of it! We put her in her bouncing chair a lot, but debating getting a swing too as I've heard they're particularly good for reflux. We also bought a sling last week, and that has been an absolute godsend!

Thanks again for the advice xxx

 

[Banana2012]

Meant to ask too, is gripe water better than infacol? We've tried infacol, but it seemed to make her vomit more, which was the last thing we needed! They're really windy as well as refluxy, so it makes for much easier feeding when we can give them something to get the wind up - otherwise we can spend more than an hour trying to get the bottle down them!

 

[J04NN4]

We tried Dentinox which I think is basically the same as Infacol but a quid cheaper but most of the time it just made him puke. It's so thick and gloopy and when he was little the quantity of one dose was practically as much as his feed! Gripe water is just liquid and I put it in his bottle with his milk. Personally we found it much better and I don't know if there's any evidence for this but we also found it seemed to have a cumulative effect - it got better after a couple of days with it in every bottle rather than it being noticeable after a dose. In fact I started to think it wasn't helping any more, stopped using it and after a couple of days he was angsty again. Again, it took a couple of days of using it again to get back to normal. We use the old school one, I think it's called Woodwards, it's about £3 a bottle but you only need a capful in a bottle. Actually you could probably get away with less than that as they're not eating as much as my little chubster

Also (you probably already do this) but when you feed them are you sitting them as upright as possible? I swear this is why breastfeeding never worked out with Felix as it just hurt him to try and eat lying down

 

[NurseSooz]

Had a breast abscess drained by needle today =( ouch.

 

[Banana2012]

Jo, we bought some Colief today so will see how that goes. If it seems to work we can apparently get it prescribed by the gp. We had a dreadful night last night, so really desperate to see some improvement! I feel the same way about my issues with breastfeeding, Eva was just so uncomfortable. I assumed at the time that was because she wasn't latching properly or getting enough food, but now I can see it was probably the reflux.

Sooz, hope you're feeling ok. Good to know it wasn't anything more sinister

 

[NurseSooz]

Everyone ok ladies?

I had my abscess drained again and hopefully now its been drained it won't return! Apparently it's called a galactocele. I haven't needed antibiotics so can only hope that's it done with!

Heidi is doing grand! Smiling and now at 9lb 15oz! I love being a mum but the sleep deprivation is a total killer. She managed to sleep for 4.5hrs last night and that's been her longest stretch. Urgh its a struggle! Feeding going well but just wish I could get at least 6hrs sleep! Hope you're doing grand on all your journeys. Stay positive!

 

[Mrs.Luvbug]

Yea it's been slightly quiet here lol.

Sooz glad to hear things are going well, and hopefully that abscess doesn't return! I completely agree the sleep deprivation is killer. I feel like I've been in somewhat of a daze the last almost two months lol.

We've been busy busy with family. just hanging out and enjoying time together. I will be returning to work on the 24th- I am having anxiety about this lol. I love being home with my booger. We left him for the first time today ( well I did- dh has been working again for a month now). It was weird and I didnt like it lol, but at least he was with my mom!

Hope you're all doing well!

 

[annaki]

Hello all!

Not been around for a while, little Rowan takes all my time up! He is an impressive 10lb 5oz now and is just over 6 weeks old

Banana...sorry to hear your having troubles with relux/wind...we also went down the infacol/colief route with Rowan. The colief is a nightmare to make up. We were making all the bottles fresh so we had to wait 30mins for bottle to cool then 30mins with colief in. Was a nightmare at 2am with a screaming hungry baby.

And at £12 bottle it wasn't cheap. The GP prescribed it once but wouldn't put it on repeat. When I ran out, I decided to see how he went without it and he has been fine. I don't think he ever had colic. Think it was me being a first time mum reading him wrong!

Does anyone have the tommee tippee perfect prep machine? I treat myself to it has been the best thing I have bought. Makes fresh bottles ready to go in a minute. It's brilliant!

 

[Banana2012]

Glad to hear everyone is doing well! I keep meaning to post but time is really flying at the moment!

Annaki, how have you found the machine? Been debating it for a few weeks now! The colief really is a pain, still persevering but not sure how much of an effect it's really having!

Girls are doing good, still very windy and a bit constipated, but growing well! They were weighed yesterday, , Esmé was 9lb and Eva 8lb13 - they're getting so big! Also starting to sleep through the night, they fed at 11:30pm last night and lasted until 8:30am this morning. ..amazing! Sooz, their sleep improved so quickly, it's like a switch is turned on and suddenly they realise sleep is a good thing after all!

 

[annaki]

Banana...so glad to hear of their sleeping through the night! I dream of this day! At the minute Rowan normally feeds at 8pm then sleeps til 1-2am then wakes again at 5. Then he wants to play! Argh!

I have tried giving his feed a little later but he still woke at 2am. Going to try tonight to give his feed at about 11pm. Are the twins awake when you do this feed? Or do you dream feed? Rowan is normally in a deep sleep at this stage and I worry he won't go back into a deep sleep after this!

Yes with the colief we were kinda a slave to it! I found myself sending hubby to the late pharmacy at 10pm as we had run out and I was so scared he would start with the screaming! I decided it was more me that needed it not Rowan. We didn't wean him off it either like it stated. Just stopped as we ran out one weekend and dr wouldn't prescribe it. Have you tried the comfort milks?

The perfect prep machine is brilliant. I know in reality it is a very expensive kettle, but it takes less than 2 mins to make a bottle ready to give. Best thing we have bought. Didn't pay full price, got it when the offer was on at Amazon

Hope everyone else is going ok xx

 

[annaki]

Also Banana...ask HV about prune juice for constipation. I know someone who has been told by their HV to give it.

 

[Mrs.Luvbug]

Definitely know what you ladies mea about time flying by. I feel like I've been a terrible stalker on here, but Hunter takes up all my time at the moment... especially when DH is sleeping because he worked the night before. So I do stalk, I just might not have the time to write back!

We have our 8 week apt on Thursday, I'm excited to see how much he weighs. Hunter only really wakes one time during the night. He'll go about 6-7 hours between the first feeding after I put him to bed and then next one, then he's usually up between 6-8. He's been on this 2.5 hour feeding schedule during the day the last couple of days.
I go back to work on the 24th, so I am starting my last week of maternity leave this coming week. Its kinda bittersweet, I love my job and want to work, but I am not looking forward to leaving him. I just love being with him all the time.

I hope you ladies are doing well!

 

[Banana2012]

Luvbug, are you back at work now? If so, I hope it's going ok! Did Hunter have his injections at his 8 week appointment?

Annaki, we've persevered with the colief, but also changed their milk. We switched from cow and gate to hipp organic milk, and after a week we're definitely seeing an effect. They're not perfect, but much better. It's also solved their constipation - hurrah! We also bought a baby swing over the weekend which arrived today, and that seems to really be soothing them. Think the rocking motion helps them relax and makes their tummies bother them less.

We've managed to get them into their cot in our room by 9pm tonight, planning on doing a dream feed at about 10:30pm, then hoping they sleep through 'til about 6:30am when OH will feed them with me before getting up for work. It's the first time we've managed to get them to bed so early (they're normally really awake between the feed at 9ish and the feed at 11), so hoping they still sleep well throughout the night!

Hope everyone else is doing well?

 

[annaki]

Banana how did they sleep? Rowan slept from 9pm til 4am this morning. We having real trouble getting him to sleep though. I'm off to buy a blackout blind in a minute! Fingers crossed. Will try anything! Rowan is on Hipp. Been on it since birth. They definately don't suffer from constipation with that stuff! Haha.

 

[Banana2012]

Well done Rowan! The girls were woken at 10:30pm after going to sleep by about 9pm. They fed quickly although not particularly well, and went straight back to sleep. They held out until about 3:30am, then were fed again, then slept through until about 7:30am. We're not sure whether going to bed earlier made them wake up in the middle of the night, as they normally sleep through, or whether it was just a bad night! Going to try doing the dream feed at 11:30pm tonight and see if that makes a difference!

 

[mojo86]

Hi ladies just checking in to say hello. Its been v quiet on this thread. Hope everyone is well. Im still patiently waiting on baby lol xx

 

[mojo86]

Hi ladies just checking in to say hello. Its been v quiet on this thread. Hope everyone is well. Im still patiently waiting on baby lol xx

 

[Miniegg27]

Hi ladies! Lovely to read how you're getting on! It has been very quiet on here recently! Oh mojo, can't believe bubs is still snugg in there. R they going to induce you?

AFM - I had my 16 week check yday and so far so good! I have still been a bit nervous but relaxing a bit more every time I hear that gorgeous little heartbeat!