Babies Born February 2008 #2

[kirsten74]

Hello everyone, sorry I haven't posted for awhile, but I have been lurking and seeing how everybody is doing with their bubs.
The whole BF thing is getting me down a bit and I am starting to wonder if putting Ben onto formula and being done with it would be a better option. My nipples are sore and I have no idea if he is getting enough from me. We have started giving him a formula bottle at about 8pm or so as this gives us a couple of hours sleep before the next feed, which is from the breast. DH then gives him a bottle of EBM in the morning to allow me to catch up on some sleep. I am worried that next week when DH goes back to work that I will be tied permanently to the couch with the older kids running riot. I also feel bad as I am not spending much time with them as I always seem to be feeding/ burping/ holding Ben. He doesn't sleep well during the day in his bassinet and would prefer to be held and cuddled while he sleeps. Night is a bit hit and miss with him settling back to sleep quite easily sometimes, but others lying awake in his bassinet farting and grunting for hours.
Sorry if I am having a bit of a whinge, but my hormones seem to be all over the place again. We have to go to a wedding on Thursday and it is the last thing I want to do with a newborn in tow. Plus my MIL is babysitting the older kids and she has never babysat before....ever! So I am worried about that as my kids can be a handful at the best of times. Just feel like hibernating inside and not going anywhere and just cuddling Ben and crying.
OK whinge is over. GOing to have a shower and a bit of a cry. Hopefully will feel better after that.
THanks for listening.

[danda]

gee Roquen...that sounds tough!! re: the "acting hungry"...have you tried a dummy? i presume you have.
Zoe was doing all that sucking/rooting reflex stuff right after a feed and after three nights (in hospital) of us struggling to settle her the midwife said "have you thought of using a dummy"....we did, and it worked, and now i won't be going back! Good thing is, i don't offer it to her every time she goes to sleep, only when she that little mouth is going for it.

[Esme]

Kirsten - Big ! Ifind it difficult enough with one; let alone three! It is so hard with breastfeeding; you never know how much they are getting... Do you get Ben weighed at all? If he is putting on weight, you can stop worrying about your milk... Maybe contact a lactation consultant? I'm having trouble too with my supply; the paediatrician put me on Motilium (tablets) and now Jasper puts on 250g a week!
Hope you'll be able to find the right support! Otherwise it is not the end of the world to start Ben on formula...

[kirsten74]

Thanks Esme. We went to take Ben to the baby clinic the other day only to find that the lady had quit and they wouldn't be running the clinic for awhile. So weighed him ourselves and he has put on weight. Still worry that he isn't getting enough (I had issues with my first child where the paed. at her 6 week check up said she wan't putting on enough weight and so made me feel like a bad mother etc etc)
I also saw a LC when I was in hospital and she was fantastic, but I just seem to spend so much time feeding Ben, I get nothing else done (it is 5:30pm and I am still in pyjamas!)
I will try to perservere for a bit longer, will try and make it to 6 weeks and then see how I go.

[prama]

kirsten - i hv to type a short msg, im expressing and hv 1 hand free to type.
so sorry abt what ur going thru... i know it's so tough, esp w 2 other kids.
BF is so hard, takes so much time, and there not much to do anything else & it's painful. formula seems so easy..
I'm at that cross road too... waiting to see how 6 weeks goes...bf really gets me down, sometimes i cry myself to sleep....
i dunno what to say.... maybe what the ob/paed says at 6 weeks, they are more rational than LCs..

thinking of you hun....xoxox

[Sueby]

Hi Girls,
We are still here just finding it hard to post between everything thats going on with a 4 and a half year old almost 3 year old and a baby.

Prama -- I feel for you. Please look after yourself. Ultimately the decision is yours. You are doing a fabulous job.

After two weeks of supply probs and visits to MCHN we have put DD on formula fulltime. It was a hard decision but she is so settled and content now. I had trouble breastfeeding both my boys and I guess that made our decision a little easier.
Hi to everyone else -- bub crying got to go!!!
Sue

[Roquen]

Hi Everyone!

Prama - sorry to hear you are still struggling with BF. Its so hard isn't it. I got a bit upset the other day about it, nipples were really sore as I have just about completely weaned Jordan off the shields now. Tried to talk to hubby and he flat out said I have to breastfeed and he won't let me stop! Unless you are doing it, I don't think anyone can understand how draining it can be, and just the whole concept of having to do it every 2 or 3 hours no matter what can be daunting (especially if it is painful). I've been expressing and freezing as I have a huge supply still, and hubby has fed the odd bottle of ebm to Jordan for me so I could duck out to visit my horses etc, have only done it 2 times so far, but its nice to be able to get away and just do something for yourself once in a while, and come back refreshed and better able to cope, maybe that is an option for you?

Jordan had a better night last night, I fed him at 930, then he slept till 1230, then after that feed made it to 3am, then 445am then 8am, which is actually a really good night for us! I got more than 1.5 hours sleep which feels great, I even got up and went for a walk with the pram today, whereas yesterday I didn't even get to go to the loo till lunchtime :-) I'm hoping we have a similar night tonight. He is still a bit unsettled with the wind/colic - I did try a dummy with him this morning as he was rooting around like he was starving after doing a huge feed - he took it and spat it out once asleep, so I'm happy I have that option there if I need to settle him when he thinks he is hungry but isn't :-) I normally just let him suck but I was too sore! I initially didn't want to use a dummy but I think they have their place and if it means we all get some sleep, so be it.

I found last night that if I let him feed off one side (he guzzled for say 10 - 15 mins) then did his nappy change, and put him back on that side, he was more settled - I guess getting more hind/fatty milk that way. Hoping I can work it so he can feed off both sides at each feed again soon as I get so full its painful, but it seems that really making sure he drains one side helps with the wind.

Kirsten - are you having a better day today sweety? Motherhood is damn hard, I knew it would be challenging but this first few weeks, its just so hard! I love it but I know I've had days like you where I just had to have a good cry.

Hope you are all doing ok, I'm glad I have this group to read and post in, has helped me get through some rough patches thats for sure!

hugs to all xoxo