This thread is for parents whose baby was born 16th ~ 31st December 2008
Your moderators for this forum are as follows- Astrolady ~ Administrator Trillian ~ Senior Moderator Dachlostar ~ Senior Moderator MistyFying
There are many issues that you will encounter as a new parent. We have put together this list of useful articles and threads in order to assist you with some common questions or issues you may have, and to provide you with bit of extra support that we all need as new parents:
Please contact the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) or a Lactation Consultant if you are concerned that you may have breastfeeding and/or supply problems, and before the introduction of solids or formula.
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Byron is going well, we all are. His sleeping has improved and he now sleeps longer in the night with quick feeds inbetween and is awake more during the day. I looked at him yesterday and realised that he is no longer a newborn baby. He is only 15 days old but already is changing everday and growing so fast.
I still miss being pregnant - which is weird considering i had such an awful and painful pregnancy during the final months!
Hi there - I'm going to jump in here too as my little April arrived during this time. So glad to see you in here Kristy and glad to hear all is going well with little Byron. April is only 10 days old today and we are basically living around feeds and sleeps but for some reason 2nd time around is a little easier. I think April is a calmer baby and her mum is more relaxed this time too. Hope everyone else is going ok.
Jacquie arrived on 22 December, so I'm in this group.
So far we've had a couple of challenges with breast feeding (I don't seem to be producing enough milk), but she's healthy and I know I can't complain.
I don't know about anyone else whose baby arrived around this time, but I can't even remember Xmas. It was such a blur, although I'm now greatful that the family have headed home and we can just relax and start working out our own routine. DH headed back to work this week too, so might find me lurking around BB a little this week as I get used to being home alone (with bubs).
Cheers
Bec
Samuel arrived on the 19th of December, 4 weeks early. We spent Christmas day in hospital and it only stands out because the food was different!
10 days in special care (and they managed to keep me in with him the whole time!), but we never got the BFing thing established - he's fully formula fed, but doing really well and still sticks pretty closely to the 4 hourly feed routine that SCN established.
Hi all you lovely mummy's
I hope it is alright if i join this group although my little boy was born the 15th Dec, as i travelled the pregnancy path with all you girls and it would just feel too weird leaving you all behind.
Jaxon is doing well, we currently have him on the bottle fulltime much to my disappointment, i so wanted Bfeeding to work out this time round he was just so demanding and when i needed the help it was over the Christmas NY period and there just wasn't any local help. I have thought about trying to relactated as it has only been a week off the boob, but i would feel too guilty i think because DP has taken this week off work as well to help me out as i was getting very little sleep and poor Jaxon just wasn't getting what he wanted as he was on there almost 24hrs in a day, after the inital 1.5 wks where it all seemed to be working just fine. Ahhhhh enough of my ramble, i hope everyone else is cruising along just fine.
If this group is anything like our Belly Buddies it will be nice and slow! Seems to be like that already which is good as i am sure that we all dont have that much free time atm.
DanniM - i am sorry that bf was established fully for you, please dont feel guilty about it. It is hard finding support over the Christmas break. I came home from hospital with a very painful cracked nipple and it was just lucky for me that at my wits end i rang the hossy and the LC was there (and standing at the desk) and i got to speak to her until i felt confident in what i was doing and had a plan to follow.
Its tough having a baby attached to your breast for what feels like 24/7 it IS very exhausting. Good rest is one thing that's needed to keep up your milk supply, so it probably wasnt helping that you couldnt get any. Its good to have you here in this group with us
BW Congrats on the birth of little Samuel - i was shocked to see that he arrived 4 weeks early when i came home from hospital but pleasently suprised that our little boys share the same b'day!
That's wonderful you got to stay will him in SC for the whole time.
Bec Christmas and New Year were a blur for us too, i still dont know what day it is - esp with Dh home!
PLC Glad things are going smoothly with April and its all good for the 2nd time around Looking forward to hearing more about your princess.
As for us, Byron is just growing and growing and growing! Cant believe how much he changes everyday. He is stacking on the weight which am very proud of and his little personality (or big personality) is showing more and more.
B'feeding is still going well for us. Some days i feel as if that's all i do but his feeds are getting shorter and shorter - down from 45 mins ecah side to 10-15 each side. He still wakes up screaming for a feed so i am never too far away.
As for the sleeping, night is night and day is day!! Woohoo - he finally figured it out! Our unsettled period is from about 4pm-10pm, we are wide awake and can go from smiley to screaming in 0.4 seconds for no apparent reason. I am so greatful to have dh here - as you an see its arsenic hour now and i am on BB lol.
Dh is off for one more week then its bak to work and i am so going to miss him - we have been getting out most days so that when its just Byron and myself i will have the confidence to do it by myself.
That's about it for us, hope you and your bubs are all happy and healthy, mwah xx
Hey girls!! Nice to see you all in here Isn't it incredible to think that those big tummies we all had just a few weeks ago have now turned into the gorgeous little bundles we are holding in our arms..something I still find absolutely amazing!
Well, we had a little boy on the 16th. My labour started with my ob breaking my waters as at my routine ob app prior to this, the u/s seemed to show that there wasn't a whole lot of fluid anymore and movements had dropped off. So that afternoon we were admitted. Luckily enough though, when he did a VE at the app I was already 3 cm! So breaking my waters seemed a good option to follow. I must admit I was so scared!! I think because I wasn't expecting things to go that way, I just thought I'd go into labour one night naturally! Anyway, 3.5 hours later my young man was born naturally. Weighing at almost 4 kgs and I'm tiny! so I'm quite proud
Hi Kristy! Byron looks like an absolute hunny!!! Sounds as if you are cruising along! Hey how are the cloth nappies going? Our man is pretty much grown out of newborn cloth now- amazing!
Hi Danni! Jaxon is 1 day older then our fella!..Good choice in name too, gorgeous little boys name. Don't beat yourself up too much matey re. bf'ing. You are so right in saying help and support is so important and if it's not there then it can be so so hard. Feeding a NB is so tough, but it does most definitely get easier. Anyway, you do what's right for you hun, don't worry about anything else
Hi BW! Welcome! You sure have been through an incredible journey, I think your strength throughout it all has been absolutely amazing. I can't wait to share your (and baby Samuel's) journey over the next few months and beyond
Hi Bec! Yep, pretty much a blur to us as well even though our bub was born a few days before yours. It's all just flown by! How have you been with DH back at work? That's me this week eeek!.. I'm a bit scared!
Hi plc! Nice to 'see' you again! Congrats on baby April! Yes, things are a lot calmer here too second time round! But the trade off is that it's a whole lot busier too!!
Kristy, I have to admit that I was pretty surprised to find Samuel arriving 4 weeks early, too!
DanniiM, I too am formula feeding. Please don't beat up on yourself over it - it's much more important that your baby is fed and happy rather than starving and grumpy and you not coping. I still sometimes wonder if we'd have got the BF thing happening if Samuel had arrived on time and not on top of Christmas, but it's not like we can go back and change things... we can just accept and move on, and perhaps learn for next time (IF there is a next time! I'm still pretty convinced there won't be!)
Lee, I have to admit that I don't feel amazing... I just cope with what life throws at me as I don't have much choice in the matter! You had a very quick labour there... I was thinking mine was fast... probably would have been if we hadn't started out posterior, but the important thing is that our babies are here. Well done on birthing such a big baby naturally! I struggled with my little 2.5kg bub...
Looking forward to getting to know everyone more and more in the days, weeks, months ahead... I'm already surprised at just how much more alert Samuel is now than he was a few weeks ago. Working on the neck control and just quietly taking in the world... he's had a big day today (out to church and then lunch with friends) and I've been having to wake him for feeds and he's just about falling asleep on the bottle by the end. Hoping this continues through the night, too and we don't end up with him decided that 2am is party time!
Great to "see" you all ladies! and read about everyone's experiences. I'm thinking I am going to be hopeless on personals - something I prided myself on not so long ago - I will try to keep up as best possible.
I hear you about the whole bfing / formula feeding stuff. With my DS I really tried so hard to bf but it wasn't to be whether due to a lack of supply or bad technique or whether lack of rest, being too anxious, etc. may have contributed to lack of milk. This time being more relaxed I have had more success but only just and not counting myself as a total success just yet. We have been on the whole bfing, ebm, formula and then expressing routine (about an hour and half each time) 6 times a day (inc. twice at night). Up until Thursday, then I dropped the formula and was just expressing and ebming with the bfing. I was also taking fenugreek to boost my milk supply which worked!! Then I stopped taking the fenugreek when my pee was smelling like maple syrup (that was the instruction) and stopped expressing to just see if my bfing was enough. Well, I don't think it is. I have been feeding every 2 hours or so and the poor little thing is not getting enough sleep in between. So at 6pm, I gave her 60ml of ebm and 60ml of formula (not all at once, just based on demand) and after all of that she has been sleeping for 2 hrs now. Poor love!! I think I need to go back to the bfing, ebm, formula feed, then express for a little bit longer. Bfing is cheaper and simpler (apart from the whole argument about antibodies etc) but formula feeding sure does mean they get their rest in between (for mummy too!). Boy - that was a rant - must have needed to get that one out!!
How are you coping with the sleep aspect Kristy (both for you and for bub)?
I wouldn't worry Dannii and Butterfly re formula - tho I can understand your disappointment.
Lee I also take my hat off to you re birthing a big bub naturally. April at almost 4.2kgs was almost going to be a vbac bub but after much thought and research I decided elective c-s was better for my circumstance.
Welcome Bec - good luck with the bfing - let us know how you go!
Hi Lee, good to see you here, was just remembering when it was just you and me in the Belly buddies group! We had to wit a while before anyone else joined us - and here we are now with bubs safely arrived! Cloth is going well for us, Byron is still fitting into his n.b sizes but i have just ordered some small sizes as i can tell he will out grow them in a few weeks. Cloth is easier than i thought but i also am a person who is pretty laid back and does what needs to be done so the extra work doesnt really bother me - although i am suprised by how much other washing the little boy seems to create!
plc Sounds like you have the feeding all sorted for now - i know what you mean about how things can change. I dont want to get to confident that i have it all worked out for us as i know that what is working for us now might change without any warning. Byrons sleep is heaps better now thanks, typical newborn patterns of anywhere between 2-3.5 hours during the night - last night he slept for just over 4 hours solid! Couldnt believe it when i saw the time, then the next sleep was 3 hours - i hope it wasnt a one off!!
BW I have noticed the alertness too. Have you got any smiles yet? Byron will try to copy our facial expressions, its so cute. I finally got him on video giving me big goofy smiles.
All yu ladies with your short labours - i kinda jelous! My active labour alone was 17 hours! Total time in labour 32 hours. Still trying to write my birth story, its going to be quite long, already a few pages into it.
Hi ladies
Wow been off for a couple of days and look at all the reading i had to do to catch up.
I had been crying everyday for the last week and yesterday i finally decided to call the Child Health Nurse who is also a Lac Consultant, anyway she is coming out in the next hour or so to see me regarding re-lactating so i am going to need all the strength, determination and support i can gather. I haven't talked to DP about re-lactating yet so i am hoping that he understands why i want to do it
He had a whole week off last week just to help me as he could see i wasn't coping, funnily enough he could see i wasn't coping more than i could see it myself...i love him so much for just being by my side when i need it most. I just really feel as though i need to try one last time as this may be my last bub and i will always wonder what if IYKWIM.
LEE great to see you had a nice short labour, mine was only 3.5hrs as well....i couldn't believe it went so quick, too the point he was nearly born me standing in the corridor between the two birth suite and poor DP holding me up and trying to get to the nearest nurses buzzer as bub was crowning then and there. A far cry from me having to push for 1.5hrs before my first DS was born. I was told if i have another one i might want to go to the hospital fairly quick.
Anyway i am off as Jaxon is due for a feed any minute now.
Jaxon is sleeping again so i thought i would post again to update my visit from the lac consultant.
She has given me strict instructions to follow and to start with i have just made an appointment with the GP tomorrow to get a prescription for medication to make my milk supply to come in again and to give it up to 5 days to work. In the mean time i am to put him to the breast as much as possible before giving him a bottle and even when he stirs between feeds to get as much stimulation as possible and to limit the dummy as much as i can and instead put him on the boobie. Then 1-1.5hrs after feeding i am to express, i am going to be a busy girl for the next month with this and she thinks the plan should be that i can drop one bottle every week until he is fully on the boobie again. One really good thing is that he hasn't lost his interest in the boobie either now i just need to ignore any negative breastfeeding comments and just stay focased on the job ahead.
Oh i have just noticed my platinum membership has expired, i had better mix that asap.
That's wonderful new Danni, i'm really happy that your happy with the decision you have made. Yes it is going to be alot of hard word and if you ever need any support pease dont hessitate to contact me. I'm not an expert in anything baby related but i am a good listener and have opinions!
Danni, I just want to wish you the very best of luck with relactating... I seriously don't think I could to it. Apart from realising that the amount of medication I'm currently taking would probably mean that breastfeeding Samuel would likely be poisoning him... so we're sticking with formula. I think that if my arthritis hadn't flared after birth I'd have been able to cope with the pain of pumping, but not with all the other pain I was in - it was just too much. We had Samuel weighed today - he's now over 3kg, which means he's gained 500g from birth... he's obviously doing really well, so we're pretty happy with how he's going and the decision we made.
Hey Dannii - way to go with your lac cons and the plan to keep bfing. Good for you hun for giving it a red hot go!! I have a lac cons appt tomorrow actually.
After my mat nurse appt yesterday, we figured that April's lack of interest at the breast could be due to her being a little weary with not being totally over the jaundice. So we'll see how all of that goes after the appt tomorrow.
Re the rest of the appt, April is now 4220g (40g over her birthweight) and doing all the right developmental things.
Oh to have a full night sleep........
Thanks ladies for all your words of encouragement and thanks Kristy i might just need you for when i have those extra bad days ahead of me. Well off to the Dr's in just a few wee hrs so i should really get some sleep now that my little man is in bed asleep.
I was just looking through the posts and i was thinking why are they all saying that i posted yesterday when i was sure it was earlier this arvo......ahh derr it is after midnight.....major baby brain!
I've been a little bit slow to come and post in here myself. Emily is 4 weeks old tomorrow!
I'm like Kristy - a little jealous hearing about those who've had shorter labours - my waters broke and 32 hours later (with no sleep) I had to be augmented as labour was not progressing enough. Another 8 hours later and I still hadn't dilated past 3cm and it was in for the caesarean!
DanniiM - my hat's off to you for your attitude and determination to relactate. That's fantastic. I wish you all the best with it, and you have my support and an ear here too if you need it!
Kristy - really glad to hear Byron is going so well and the BFing is going well for you. He sounds so alert! It's lovely when there's longer stretches between feeds, isn't it? Emily can sometimes go 5-6 hours at night when we finally get her settled (which can take 3-6 hours some nights, up to 3am!) But she still has a tendency to cluster feed at least once during the day/evening (inclduing those 3-6 hour stretches in the middle of the night), so we can go only an hour or two between feeds immediately after a big 4+ hour stretch. It's hard not having a routine yet, but the longer stretches make me realise what we have to look forward to more often down the track!
Paula - Awesome to hear that April has put weight back on now plus more! I've realised now too that Emily was doing the whole sleepy thing due to the jaundice (which took over 2 weeks to clear up) - but now she seems to do the opposite - she's wide awake at the end of a feed very often (even at 4am - argh!) so I'm hoping little April will be more awake and alert during her feeds once the jaundice clears properly, so that will help you with the BFing more. You're doing really well, hun.
BW - sounds like Samuel is really doing brilliantly! I hope his feeds are continuing to go well and it's great to here he's putting on weight so well. How is the arthritis for you at the moment? I hope it's not giving you too much trouble and settling a little more. Do you think the flare could be related to the change in hormones after birth?
Lee - I hope everything is going well for you
Bec - how are you managing with DH back at work?
AFM - I'm up and down a lot at the moment with anxieties. We are BFing, and all is going so well with that - Emily is thriving - she was weighed today and she's now over 1kg heavier than birth, and has put on around 1.2kg since her initial weight loss (She was 3.45kg on day 3 and is now 4.62kg). Emily has a lot of wind (both ends) that makes her very uncomfortable and it's hard not to feel like it's something I'm doing as she is getting wind when she feeds, even though our attachment is great. I have tried lots of things and now just have to realise that I've done everything I can, and she will get better as she gets older and as her digestion matures. Trying not to think it's something I'm doing wrong, and I'm focusing on the fact that she is doing so well and thriving. She's not the best sleeper as she's often in discomfort, but we are managing day to day, as I know everyone here is, I'm sure!
Take care everyone. Hope you get some time to rest and relax.
Babies Born December 16th ~ 31st 2008
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it IS very exhausting. Good rest is one thing that's needed to keep up your milk supply, so it probably wasnt helping that you couldnt get any. Its good to have you here in this group with us 
and I'm tiny! so I'm quite proud 
now i just need to ignore any negative breastfeeding comments and just stay focased on the job ahead.
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