Babies Born April 2008

Danielle, The lactation consultant gave me this advise - use lanilon like Lansinoh on your nipples to help them heal, it can stay on when DS feeds. Avoid using soap when you shower. If they don't heal into 2 to 3 days try cold sore cream, but wash it off before feeding. When attaching use the hand closest to the breast to "squash" the nipple upwards place it close to his nose and when he gets a mouth full of the areola push the nipple forward into his mouth. If it hurts beyond that initial sting because you are already sore, use your little finger to break the suction remove him and try again. Also make sure youkeep pressure on his back whilst he is feeding so he doesn't slip.

CHN just visited again - I made her weigh DD, even though she said she didn't need to now that we weren't having feeding issues and she gained 322gms this week - that's 10% of her weight - well above the CHN's expectations. She has jumped from the 10th percentile to between the 25th and 50th now. We are also moving out of the five 0s to the four 0s this week - Yippee my little girl is getting bigger!!

Welcome Danielle - our babies share a birthday!

Janine - I'm with you. I'm sure my little man smiles at me! I can see it in his eyes. Baloney about the wind thing... I need to express now, but will try to read your story later.

Lucky me, I'm still in PJ's and have had extra sleeps today. Still tired though! Will try to get an early night in too, but Liam has fussy evenings, so it's not always possible. On the other hand, I haven't gotten ANYTHING else done today! Bugger the washing & dishes... I need sleep!!

:hug: to everyone else!

Hi all

Had Baxter weighed today, he put on 100gms this week, so an improvement from the 80gms he put on the week before. I've started on the fenugreek and I have milk everywhere!

MCHN has made a GP appt for Baxter on Thursday to check that he doesn't have a possible UTI and therefore isn't gaining as much as he should. His fontanelle is tiny bit sunken too so she is concerned about that.

We feed about 8 times a day and he very alert when he is awake so I'm not too worried.

Welcome Danielle, we are a small but friendly group, I'm sure you'll find lots of advice and support.

Nelle - DH says he got a smile last night, not sure if he was winding me up or not....!

Janine - thanks for posting your birth story, and the photos too.

PS - where is Steph?

SG
xo

I was of the belief that babies smiles are not expressions of emotion until their 2nd or 3rd month.
"Smiles while awake are reflexive reactions to a face or voice rather than an emotional response. However, during the second month, your baby's smiles are a genuine sign of pleasure or friendliness. "
It may not be wind, but it isn't an interactive smile which is what i was getting at - I am looking forward to the point in time where there is genuine interaction.

thanks Grubi, Ill try what you said about the BF issues I really dont want to give up, I have been using lanolin cream since I started feeding in hossy too,

My baby smiles at me with a wide opened mouth not just a grin, and his eyes look like they are smiling too, but I still doubt weather he is smiling for real yet, but then again he rolled over when he was born on the scales, and he lifts and turns his head as he pleases when someone talks in the room, but he is very very strong being born such a big baby, he is imortal sometimes I think. But I never have these little cute newborn babies hehe my last one was the same!

Thanks for the warm welcome girls I look forward to getting to know everyone else in here too!

There are too many posts for me to try to catch up and do personals to everyone, so just a general hello from me tonight, we where without internet over the weekend due to vandals cutting a cable in our area and it took them all weekend to fix.

so, this is me kind of just checking in and letting you all know that i am still around.

Oliver will be getting weighed this Friday, which is his first since leaving the hospital, I am guessing that he will be over 5kg because he is a little piggly wiggly.

Shoegal, hope everything turns out to be OK with Baxter, it must be worrying for you :hug:

Shoegal Sorry to hear that Baxter hasn't been thriving as much as he should. You need some of Greer's weight gain - Sharon you think Oliver is a piggly wiggly.... Greer's weight gain is definitely piggly wiggly since we left hospital she has put on over half a kilo.
I hope Baxter doesn't have any major problems. We have an appointment with the pediatrician next Tuesday for Greer to see about her tongue-tie. I've also noticed that she has some irratic breathing so I might ask about that too.
Nettie I had an all day PJ day yesterday - I try not to do it, but yesterday I just didn't feel like making the effort.
Well DD is sleeping so I'm going to try to get DS to go to bed now so I can get some much needed sleep since we haven't had any today with all the interuptions and short sleeps cycles.

grubi I am just guessing about Oliver's weight gain, he will be 2.5 weeks on Friday so will be interesting. He has been on 100ml of formula since he was 4 days old, and today we have increased that to 150ml as he was sucking his bottles dry, adminittedly not every one, but enough for me to think he needs more, especially since he would be very unsettled and still wanting to suck the times he did empty bottle.
sarah so far I have been lucky and Oliver hasn't had a 'nighttime' unsettled period, I usually change his bum before his feed at night as sometimes he will fall off to sleep at the end of his bottle, most nights though I manage to cuddle him till he's nearly asleep (but not quite) then put him in his bassinette and he will get himself off to sleep, which is great, if he does have an unsettled period it is usually between 5pm and 7pm or sometime in the morning. I seem to be emotional even when i'm not tired lately.
Nelle I have had a few 'pretend' smiles from Oliver, Jordan was about 5 weeks when I got his first 'happy to see me' smile and it just melts your heart, so I can't wait for Oliver to start smiling at me.

Wow Sharon - my Liam is 5 days older than your Oliver, but he only takes around 80 mls a feed! Around every 3 hours. I'd think I'm not feeding him enough, but he refuses any more...

For those of you taking fenugreek, how much are you taking? The bottle I got doesn't even mention using it for breastmilk (only respiratory congestion) and suggests 1 tablet 3 times a day...??

Having trouble with Liam spitting up lately but it doesn't seem to be milk - seems to be like phlegm?? Anyone else have this issue? He gets really upset when it happens..

Still in PJ's... tomorrow will be a 'get dressed' day!

Danielle, I recommend an ABA counsellor or professional lactation consultant. I wish I'd used one for my first baby, because it really does become an amazing experience once problems are sorted. A pro will cost money but it is totally worth it. My ds latches on by sucking my nipple into his mouth. He unlatches by reefing his mouth off. This was a major issue and I had sore nipples and tried for days, every single feed, to unlatch and then relatch trying to train him to not use certain behaviours. But oddly, he still does it but I'm not sore anymore. His attachment while feeding is fine, it's just the on/off bits that were a concern and I worried I'd be in pain for the years I wish to feed. But as long as your attachment while feeding is good, it may be a case of hold on for a couple of weeks more until it balances out. But I would certainly find out for sure if he needs correction or if it is a wait it out situation. Nothing beats hands on advice. Good luck to you and welcome, btw.

Janine - just read your birth story. Well done girl. You have a gift at storytelling.

I can't imagine the torture & heartbreak of your labour. You are an exceptional person for coming through that with faith & positivity. :clap:

Well done.

Morning all,

How is everyone this morning...

Grubi: I see Kat and Lulu still haven't gone yet. Maybe today...

Sharon:LMAO to your little Oliver farting his way off to sleep. I only change Wyatts bum before a feed, otherwise it will wake him up more. Unless he does a poo and I can usually smell them.

Nettie: I had a PJ day the other day. It was great, but by then end of the day all I wanted to do was get shower. 'Cos my PJ day normal is a cleaning day as well. Got all washing and ironing done.

Well am off to take DS to playgroup. Wyatt asleep at moment in pram let just hope he stays that way for next 2 hrs. PLEASE so I can do stuff with DS...

Cheers All

I take my hat off to all of you that are managing a new bub and other children at the same time. I can't do it - DS either goes to daycare or Nana's house otherwise I end up growling at him most of the day.
Sarah hope Wyatt is good for you so you get some time with Landon. I know DS loves the time we get, even though it isn't that much.
I'm only just starting to be able to do some of the household chores, but having to clean the power chuck off the floor this morning caused some pain again.
Noticed this morning that i have one D cup and one DD cup breast - really feeling all out of shape with that and my tummy seems to have a bulge where DS poked her head up all the time when she was breech - hope that settles.

Grubi- its hard dealing with more then one. My older two are so demanding lately since Mj has been born. I live for tuesday when they are at day care.

I think i have a bloocked doct, the back of my breast os so so sore atm, feels a little hard so i am sitting here with a heat pack on it. seems to be releaving the pressure a little bit and its not as hard anymore.

Sarah- hope playgroup went well

Nettie- i take two tablets three times a day

man annika is screaming again. she is going to wake up MJ when i fianlly have her settled in her cot

Hi Everyone

I have been MIA for a while - so sorry. I have been reading everyone's posts but didn't really have much to contribute. But I just wanted to say thanks for all the advice and sharing cause it has helped me out enormously over the last week or so.

Charlotte is still taking Gripe Water to help her bring up her wind (once it gets to her bowel, we are in for a lot of screaming - have tried massage and bicycle legs but it doesn't seem to help her much). So still struggling with that. Slept all night on the recliner with her on my chest last night. After trying to put her down unsuccessfully for about 2 hours, I just gave up. I forget who asked, but I give her the Gripe Water before the feed - I am only giving her about 1ml (can give 2.5ml) but it doesn't take much to get things moving.

My next step is to work out what foods are making the problem worse. I have heard that chocolate and coffee and cabbage are bad?? Any others that I should try and avoid??? I would like to get her off the Gripe Water before she becomes addicted (if she isn't already).

I am also taking fenugreek now (thanks so much whoever mentioned it on here). My milk supply practically dried up last week. Charlotte was draining both boobs and still wanting more (normally she only feeds on one side and that is more than she can handle) anyway I couldn't keep up. But have only been taking the fenugreek 3 x per day (and drinking loads of water) and am now back to my plentiful supply (running out of my boobs and wetting my lap while I burp her, squirting her in the nose while we try and attach - oh the joy of it). Ironically, we did not have any wind issues whilst my supply was low - but I would rather know that she is getting enough.

Charlotte is ready to join the piggly wiggly club. She is 3 weeks old today and has gained 760 grams on her birth weight!!

Danielle - I am same as Fire - Charlotte doesn't attach the way she is supposed to (ie. nipple in last) - she sucks the nipple in first too which is a bit ouchy for about 4-5 sucks but then is all good and she makes a nice 'special k' shape with her lips. Also, because my boobs are sooo big, I have to support her head/neck with one hand and my boob with the other or she detaches. So I am fairly limited in what I can do whilst BFing (I just watch tv normally). I think you need to get ONE person to work with you until you find a suitable solution. I got so sick of being told different things by MWs in hospital that I stopped calling them in and just did my own thing until I got it right. I found that what they showed me worked great for colostrum feeds but then when my milk came in, I had these huge, hard boobs and had big troubles getting her attached (lots of tears and holding breathe). But we have our own little arrangement now and it might not be textbook but it works for bub and me. Good Luck with it!!

I was thinking, since most of the last of the late April group have had their babies (still waiting on 2), it would be nice for us all to share our details so that we know about one another. In our Belly Buddies group, we had a post with everyone's name and what/when they were expecting. Maybe we could have a post with our names and what children we have.??? (Sort of like a 'members list'). If everyone wants to PM me their details, I can do the post on the first page of the new thread (which will be coming any time now). Eg.

Tarnee - DD Charlotte - born 16/04/08

(Obviously if you have other kids, you would include their details too - I only have the one).

Sorry for the long post - Charlotte is sleeping very well!!

Talk soon.

Nettie I think Oliver drinks so much of his bottle because he was/is a big boy, but he doesn't always drink over the 100ml it is normally around 90-100ml. How big was Liam when he was born?
sarah I always change Oliver's bum before a feed, or like you if he poos in the the middle of a feed.
grubi I didn't handle the last week of the school holidays very well, I found that Jordan had a touch of the 'green eyed monster' in him, which is understandable, be even now when he is home he still doesn't seem to understand that he needs a bit of patience when I am doing things with Oliver, I try to get him to help but it doesn't always work either.
Beatrix your blocked duct sounds painful, I hope that the heat pack helps to unblock it for you.
Tarnee sounds like you are having a tough time with Charlotte and her wind, Jordan was a bugger too, but 'touch wood' Oliver seems to go really well. Great idea about having a post with all of us on it at the beginning of each thread, at least until we all really get to know each other more, will PM you my details :)

Well, I have to get going and pick up Jordan from school, will try and log back on again some time tonight, otherwise I will see you all tomorrow.

double post... oops

Good idea, Tarnee. I'll pm you shortly.

Danielle, I was sent this for my oversupply issue (the Le Leche League of the US), and saw this (and thought of your biting problem):

:

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Strategies to Reduce Milk Ejection Force

When a mother produces a large volume of milk, her milk ejection reflex will be stronger. All that milk rushing down the ducts may be more than baby can handle. It's like trying to drink from a garden hose that is turned on full-blast, while lying down on your back. In addition to choking, sputtering, and coughing when the milk comes out, baby may try to control the milk flow by pulling away and adapting a shallow latch. Shallow latching can be very painful for a mother. Or he may simply clamp down in an attempt to slow the flow, resulting in a "biting" sensation. Baby may also scream and arch his back to let you know that something needs to be changed.

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LLLI | Oversupply

ETA - I esp think it may be a forceful letdown for you because he does it when he first gets on (the most forceful letdown is the first one).

Has anyone noticed that when you do a link these days, the computer auto changes it to a worded link? I just copied the link address and it made that cute little link title.