Babies Born August 2007

Thanks all 4 the welcome.

Emma has put on 120g in 2 days n now has a belly n cheeks, all we need now is a bum so some poo stays in the nappy! She is also asking 4 food which she wasn't doing b4.

Sconeonamission both my girls have made noises when they get up. sarah is getting deeper n less gurgly as she gets older.

neuri If u express 2 much u will increase ur supply n there4 have so much milk th@ u cant express it all. it is better 2 express till u r comfortable n offer 1 breast @ a time. if u dont allow ur breasts 2 empty wen actually feeding u will end up with blockages which if they remain uncleared will get infected. this is mastitis. ur breasts will regulate within the 1st 2 months n make exactly wot u need 2 get out.

Hi all. Things are going quite well here. We seem to be getting into some sort of a routine with the two girls now. Bailey is getting pretty regular with her feeds and sleep, and I am finding it easier and easier to fit her in around Ardyn. I am amazed with how quickly kids can fall into a routine.

Last night we were a bit late in bathing and feeding her for bed, and geez, did she let us know about it!!! She is pretty much feeding every 3-4 hours and sleeping 2.5 hour stints during the day, and 4 hour stints at night. She is learning to go straight back to sleep during the night, and knows that she can stay awake during the day. Again, it amazes me how quickly these kids learn.

Rhianon, those noises are completely normal. I think that they're really cute, but then again, I don't have her sleeping in my room, so they don't keep me awake. And you're right, it's a great way to be assured that they're breathing!! :lol:

Neuri, I express and I use a Medela electric pump that we hired from the chemist. SOOOOOO much better than a hand pump - quick! I'm usually done in 10-15 minutes, both boobs getting done at once.

I'm a bit concerned about our first health check though. With Ardyn, they were on my doorstep when she was about 10 days old. When I called my local MCHC, they told me that the first available appointment was September 14! Bailey will be almost 4 weeks old when she gets her first check. Work that one out!?!?!?!? I'm not too worried, as we seem to be going okay for now, but doesn't that just seem strange to you? It does to me.

Anyway, on that note I'm going to sign off for tonight, otherwise this post will go forever. Hope everything continues to be well for everyone.

Hugs,

hi all

krist that doesn't sound right to me. my mchn was too busy for our fist visit so she arranged for a different one to see us. perhaps they need more in your area.

I know they need more health nurses in my area coz Jensens first appt is 26 sept, he'll be 5wks old! His 2nd dr appt is the day after. Go figure!

Jensen's been a bit spewy for the last two days... I'm worried that hes not getting enough food. After yesterdays power chuck an subsquent big spew, he settled in for his routine. We bathed him (with his bed time bath- buying shares in that! lol), he slept til 1130 then again til 130 then at 3, he was awake til finally 545 then woke up again at 6 coz the alarm went off.Finally after small mini naps, unsuccesful attempts at feeding, a projectile spew all over the bed (and daddys pillow!) we both had a bath at midday and he's slept right thru! He's still going! Lets hope this doesnt upset him for tonight.

Its good to know other ppls babies make strange noises too!

I was reading in his health record book information, to get a referral to a physio if they prefer a particular side. Jensens seems to be always sleeping on his right side of his head. If i try to change it, even when hes completely out to it, i cant coz theres too much resistance. I'm thinking about calling the midwives and seeing if theres a way they can get me into to see someone. Ijust dont want them to think I'm some sort of idiot, coz every time i called them when i was pg, they seemed like they werent interested in my problem.

Where does your baby sleep? Do you co-sleep, have a bassinet/cradle/cot in your room or are they in their own room, etc? If they are in their own room, at what age did you start them off there?

They are in dire need of nurses all over NSW Bec. That's why I'm going back to Uni to do my nursing degree. I think that it's an honourable profession, and the community needs them.

Rhianon, Bailey sleeps in a bassinet in her own room. I only let her sleep with me (in my bed) if it's the middle of the night, I'm stuffed and she wont settle. And generally I transfer her back to her own bed once she's settled.

We did basically the same with Ardyn.

It certainly sounds like they do need more nurses in NSW.

Rhiannon don't stress too much if they favor one side if in a few weeks he still favors one side and doesn't look around the room etc then you might worry, but most babies grown out of it. Jensen is still quite young.

My niece has a very flat head from not rolling etc, but this will all correct itself as she grows.

Emma got weighed again 2day - 130g in 2 days! should b birthweight by end of week!

U can get special cushions 4 preferred head side 2 correct flat spots, 1 of the boys @ Sarah's playgroup had 2 have 1. ask mchn their opinion.

Hi Everyone

Haven't been on BB much latley as my DH went back to work this week and I have been trying to find time to do anything!! I didn't realise how much time babies took up.

Rhiannon: Sounds like Jensen is keeping you really busy!! Hopefully he will start having longer sleeps soon.

Caitlin slept from 8:30 last night through till 3:00am this morning! It would have been a great oppurtunity for me to get some catch up sleep except I woke up at 1:30am, freaked because she had missed her normal 11:00 feed and spent the next hour and a half constantly checking to make sure she was still breathing and ok.

Re: the health check ups - are they just weigh-in's and measurements? I just had the one MCHN nurse come to my house when Caitlin was one week old and her next official check up is not till she is 6 weeks. But in Canberra you can go to a drop in baby health clinic and ask any questions and get them weighed and measured every week if you wanted to. I have also been told that some pharmacies also have a service where a midwife comes in once a week and does measurements and stuff as well. Maybe there are some in your areas as well.

Better go, from the sound of it I think its lunchtime.

HI all

allisando, congrats on the weight gain. :lol: my little pudding thought he'd get back over birth weight at about day 7 or 10 i think. he really is a gutsa though.

Fig, you really wouldn't think that something so little would take up so much time. but it's like you just finish one thing and then you have to start on another, and then when you do get 5 mins it goes so fast. today Xav slept long enough for me to vacume the house and then woke up. Very generous of him, and our house is not very big.

MCH appts, did you all get a little book to take to your appts. This shold say in it exactly what you should have. diff states and territories could be different though. Vic has 2 and 4 weeks, 6 weeks should be your own gp and then 2 months etc etc. You can usually make an appt earlier and most places have an open time like fig said. This is of course if they are adequately staffed. But the chemists sound like a good idea if all your after is re-assurance that bubs is growing ok. with Xav every time I look down at him he looks bigger lately. last appt i didn't feel like he had grown in length, and he hadn't.

Just wanted to post quickly as Willa is FINALLY asleep and who knows how long that will last for...

Kirst - I didn't know some chemists lease out breast pumps. Def. have to look into that as I don't fancy traveling to Castle Hill to pick one up from the ABA.

And I just wanted to say that without nurses, my experience with the healthcare system would be nightmarish. My DH's aunt is a midwife and she likes to joke that for uncomplicated births, Obgyn's don't so much deliver babies as merely 'catch' them. It's the nurses and the mums that do all the hard work!

Re. baby health checks, we had the MCHN visit in Week 2 to check Willa's weights, etc. But prior to that we had already been to the GP for a similar check due to worrying about that crusty stuff on her eye and some blood in her diaper. Was very glad to know she had exceeded her birth weight at Day 10. I feel like she's getting so long now that her diapers are becoming hipsters lol.

Speaking of my dear Willa, God, its been a hellova week.

Does something change when babies hit Week 3 of life? She's gone from being a relatively cheerful baby in the daytime to not settling whatsoever in the day. Either she's asleep, being fed or screaming with maybe about 5 mins here and there of play and happy-time. Before this I could at least put on a load of laundry, eat a proper meal or have a shower lasting longer than 2 minutes. Now all I do is sit on the couch in my increasingly stale PJs, nursing her. She's abandoned her 3 to 4 hour intervals feeds in favour of cluster feeding.

This morning at 7am, I took her to bed with me and nursed her there to get some sleep. Did the trick. She's in my bed right now from where I nursed her this arvo. Well meaning people keep nagging at me about 'bad habits' and such, but I figure, whatever works, right??

I rang an ABA counselor last night to ask if this constant crying was really due to hunger and was basically told to feed on demand as that was what the baby was probably needing as this stage. But its hard to live in a messy house with a screaming baby and no sleep. I'd really like to go outside at some point!

How do you guys cope?

Neuri

Yeah Neuri, they change. They start to learn that their cries can affect you. Then around 6 weeks they settle again. Just hold one, you'll get there. Try putting her in a sling or carrier when she's grizzly. I find that to keep Bailey close to my body during those times really settles her. I used to do it with Ardyn too. In fact I used to vacuum the house with her on my chest.

As far as the co-sleeping, my opinion is "whatever works". You need to sleep babe, and if that's what it takes, that's what it takes. I took Ardyn to bed with me at times to get her to settle, and she is just fine. I read somewhere recently that you can't 'spoil' a baby under 3 months, as their memory isn't mature enough to remember these things. I live by that rule.

This is also a reason that I like bottle-feeding Bailey. I know exactly how much she's getting, and know if her crying is hunger-related or just grizzling. It's definitely one HUGE avantage. That, and when I'm simply exhausted, DH can do it......*snicker*. I also like the fact that DH gets to bond with his daughter, as did my MIL when she came to visit on the weekend.

Are you looking for Willa's tired signs? Could she be over tired?

Hey Neuri, I just tried to PM you, but it's saying that you're not allwed/don't want to receive PMs. What's the story??

Hi all.

Nueri, babies have a growth spurt around 3 wks n around 6 weeks. this nis usually the cause 4 a hell week.

My older daughter gained her birth weight back in no time but Emma didn't really feed 4 the 1st 10 days.

Don't u just luv bed times! wen the girls have gone 2 bed i have time 2 do stuff 4 myself! cant even scratch myself during the day!

I figure th@ breast pump hire is almost as expensive as buying 1 th@ has battery as well as mains power coz if u hire u have 2 buy all ur own accessories anyway. chemist quoted $60 4 6 month hire plus breast shield etc, which 4 th@ brand was $40! my nuk pump was $105 n i dont have 2 give it bak!

HI all,

Neuri, the cluster feeding at around 3 weeks is perfectly normal, and it will probably happen again before the 6 weeks is up. if you do need a 5 min brake try what krist mentioned and try wearing your bubs. Xavier decided at the start of this week sleeping in your cot was for suckers and so while awake, why not have a boobie in your mouth. that got a little tiresom, so I ended up wearing him in his Hug a bub for a little each day, and he got some good long sleeps. he's a new little man now.

re the breast pump I just got the manual avent isis, it works fine for me. there is another isis that has an electronic memory and learns what motion you like then you hit cruise control and it goes for you. also around the $100 mark. What I found was great though we have a ufs pharmacy here and they give a membership discount. I saved 10-20% off all my avent stuff I have bought so far, cheaper than big w sells it for.

and I agree with krist, nothing wrong with spoiling in the first 3 months. there is a july mummy that just had her 5th child and she has co0slept with all of them until 12 weeks, and they don't have any bad sleeping habits

Ah, thanks for the advice ladies.I had heard about growth spurts but wasn't sure when they started or how they affected baby behaviour.

Becca, I think my DD was doing a Xavier all this week, what with wanting constant boob. I feel like I should know what my baby is trying to tell me when she cries, but I suppose 21 days isn't all that long to get to know all a baby's cues and so many changes take place in that time too.

Today was actually a really good day! Willa ate well at regular intervals and didn't fuss much in between. She napped in the arvo too and as of tonight, I've started a new bath then boob routine which I hope will settle her for her 8 pm put down. So far so quiet! I was going to clean the bathroom now but urgh can't be stuffed :)

And yes, hurrah for slings! I had my eye on the hug a bub from early on after hearing such good things about it but kept putting off buying one. After reading your replies today i went and dug out an old 'snuggli' that DH's cousin had given us and boy did DD love it. I was 10 mins into wiping down the kitchen benches before I realised she had fallen asleep in it.

Kirst- I have no idea about the PM thing. Is there some setting I can play with in the user options? I didn't see it when I had a look. My email is neuswan79@hotmail.com in any case if u need to reach me for any reason.

Hope you guys have a lovely weekend.

Neuri

Hi all,

Neuri they sure do change lots at the moment so you do find you think you are getting used to something and then it all changes again. Glad the snuggli worked well for you.

Well I think this little man has started to put himself into a routine. I've noticed him favoring certain times of the day for feeding, and last night he slept for 7 hours, that's a first, and we are getting more smiles now too.

Well I hope you all have a good weekend, it's lovley and sunny here.

Is everyone too sleep-deprived to post anything??? haha!

Well we're all settling in quite well. Bailey has decided that during the day she won't sleep as well now, but I really do't give a hoot, as she is settling like a dream at night. She even does a 5 hour sleep stint - at 3 weeks!!!!! Yay! Pity it's the 7pm - midnight stint....why can't it be 11pm - 4am (ha!). Time and patience Kirst, time and patience.

So things are generally good after 3 weeks.
How's everyone else going?

Fantastic here Krist :D
No complaints... Somtimes Bonnie will sleep for over 7 hours at night... but it's usually 4-5 hours. She will sometimes have a cluster feed of an evening, which is fine with me, I don't mind giving her extra feeds if that's what she thinks she wants. She is such a good bub, I am sooo lucky (bout time too after a couple of sooky ones). But I really am sure that I am finally getting the hang of this mothering a newborn thing... it really does get easier when you get to your fourth... LOL!! But I am sooo busy!! I'm not really complaining tho, loving it :D

I hope you are all doing well, I am sure things will settle down here soon and I will get more time online...

Tanya