Babies Born March 2008 #2

[prama]

thanks trina - paed said everyone uses the same graph. he also said he could be slow then pickup, and that he shouldnt necessarily be on the lower end of the spectrum cos steve's big. so will see.
who plays soccer? sorry, trina, you've mentioned before but i cant remember who;s the oldest, was it Paige?
Lakshman stinks so bad too. i dont know what in my diet that makes him do stinky rumbles.. sometimes it sounds like a tropical thunderstorm in there!

we're using bbhs at home but disposables when we go out. because he's tiny, his bum looks gigantic with the nappies on.

i went for a swim today, and it felt good, i was surprised how quick i got out of shape. im so tired, i zonked out just now. road to losing weight, im sure i will as mum leaves tomorrow, she;s been feeding me senseless. i'll so miss her.... i hope lakshman will love his mummy lots too, and i can be a good a mother as my mum is..

[danniellabella]

Well, once again in the past hour I've fed Jazz about 15 mins on each boob TWICE and she still wants more. Maybe I'm not making enough milk to feed 3 hourly. I'm making a couple of bottles up for her tonight. I don't even feel full any more when it's time for her feed. Probably using the nipple shield all the time has affected my production (I've been told that can happen coz the boobs aren't properly stimulated). I do keep trying her without the shield but she just wont attach. I was meant to have a midwife appointment yesterday but I cancelled because at the last minute I had to go to the other side of town to pay a deposit on our new car. She's going to ring me on Monday. I've also got the Child & Youth Health nurse coming out on Monday afternoon. I'll have to ask them all about the milk.

[Reenie]

Hey ladies. Still getting used to how busy it is in here compared to belly buddies. Takes me ages to catch up lol. Long Post Warning:

For all of you who are concerned with baby's feeding habits. I took DD2 to docs yesterday just for a check up. Find it helps to clear up any questions. I was actually concerned about her umb. stump but goey and bloody is normal. Phew.
Anyways, I was also concerned because she mucks around with feeding. Sometimes, she has a suck and detaches and then re attaches and basically just mucks around a lot. Then she will feed and want more less then an hour later. She is all over the place too. I don't remember DD1 being this all over the place. Plus DD2 has severe wind. She is non start farty bum!! Even in her sleep. I of course did the normal thing and blamed my diet for her bum screams, and thought i wasn't producing enough milk. However doc allayed my fears and said that all babies muck around like that for the first few weeks, sometimes even up to 2 months. He said it will take them a while to sort themselves out on the breast. 9 times out ten it is NOT the breast milk. As long as they are healthy there is no cause for alarm. Just have to stick it out with them until they work out day and night and start and finish.
DanielaBela- If you want to know baby is getting enough milk, 5-6 soaking wet nappies a day is a good indication. To make sure I am producing well while baby is still settling in is, I express BM and store in fridge for next feed. I pump 60mls per feed which she generally almost finishes. I do it while she sleeps, about half an hour after she goes down. I know this is hard if she is waking up all the time but you can at least get one breast pumped in the time it takes for them to have a nap. Pumping of course has been helping me produce good amounts at regular intervals. Plus I can see how much she is drinking. And I know she is getting the fatty hind milk which is important for weight gain. Word to the wise, Once you start using formula, you will end up giving up on BF all together. Of course it doesn't apply to everyone. But once you see how much easier it is, you tend to go "Blow it, this is better. Baby is happy." And there is nothing wrong with that! But if you are really wanting to BF, try and hang in there because more often then not, its just a transitionary period. Maybe try pumping first to see for yourself to see how much you are producing? It worked a treat for me this time around. I ended up giving up and formula feeding DD1. As soon as I stopped BF she got life threatening allergies and terrible asthma and excema. Fingers crossed I can keep it up this time! All well so far. Also feeding in public. I could not agree with you more!! It was another reason I gave up BF with DD1. So this time I bought wonderful things called breast feeding blankets. Made from cotton and specifically designed to hide everything and your baby while you feed. Nursing Blankets, Nursing Covers, Breastfeeding Privacy Nursing Blanket, Breast Feeding Cover Shawl - Easy Feed Breastfeeding Blankets Also I pump now before I go out so I can feed bubs BM on the go. I don't know why I didn't think of that before with DD1. It makes it so much easier. I remember I would be half way through a grocery shop and DD1 would wake up for a feed!! I would have to dump everything and leave it to go and feed her. I have DD1 in the trolley next to DD2 now so I can't do that anymore. I just whip out the bottle and feed DD2. So much easier!!

Will try and get hold of white noise cd. I do like to keep it noisy so she settles better. TV and Music what not. There are days where she just wants to cuddle too!! I got more smiles out of her today. She is so alert for a almost 2 weeker. She actually returned a real smile at me at one week old. I don't believe in the gas smile theory. In my opinion, if they can smile in the womb, then why not after??

Family dramas are dying down, with an awful peak last night. Rang my MIL to see if DH was there hiding out from my mum as he volunteered to leave while my mum was up until Monday to help. She of course wanted to know what was going on and blamed everything on my mother being up. They had a falling out a year ago. Won't bore you all with details. She then went on to tell me to send my mother home and tell her to keep her mouth shut. I only rang up to see where DH was and she gets on the band wagon. I ripped shreds off her. I officially reached boiling point and could hold my tongue no more. My MIL is one of those MIL's that only does things for you to remind you of how wonderful she is as a person, and to make you feel obligated for all the things she does. She brought up totally irrellevant things last night, and made her son out to be golden boy. She attacked my family and totally butt her nose in. It was disgusting and petty. I basically told her to take her own advice and keep her mouth shut. Let DH and I sort it out for ourselves. She thinks she needs to come and in 'fix' everything. Told DH via email what had happened. He then abused her this morning, told her exactly what he thinks of her (and it isn't much, much to her suprise). He also told her he didn't want to have anything to do with her and handed the keys back to their house. (Which was a bit harsh). We live in one of their rental properties, and now we are moving out in the next 2 weeks. Can you believe all of this? From one comment taken the wrong way. Argh. MIL has been messaging me all day playing the victim and forwarded messages from her daughter that tells her shes a queen and a saint. Makes me sick to think about it!! Such BS dramas. I feel like writing a script and sending it into a Spelling Production. Argh These are people with too much money and not enough brain cells to rub together between them. It has been such a draining and depressing week here. I am caught in the middle of my mum and DH's dislike for one another and now this. We now have to move to the other side of town and cut ourselves off for a while just to get some peace and distance. I really love the timing too. No one seems to care that I have just had a baby cut out of me and am trying to recover, physically and emotionally. It has really wiped me out. Sorry for the depressing rant, but it helps to vent. To top it off, Its hindering me being able to relax and enjoy my darling new infant and my toddler. It was also starting to affect my milk supply but I have been pumping even more to keep the milk coming and it seems to be working great so far. Stupid family.
Hope everyone is having a better time then me!! Sorry for the log post. It's been a while!!

[danniellabella]

Well last night I gave Jazz a bottle for her first feed, the boob for her next and then her 3rd feed I woke Matt up, handed him the bottle and said "your turn" and went back to bed!

Sure with bottles and formula there's washing, sterilising, etc involved but I think I prefer it. Jazz fusses on the boob too much now, and I'm too stressed. I just don't have the energy for BF, I don't like the feel of my nipples being sucked, they are too sensitive and it really just annoys me when they are touched by anything or anyone in anyway.

I don't feel guilty or like I've failed or anything for wanting to give up, I actually feel quite relaxed and happy about it, ok, slightly dissappointed that it's been 3 weeks and I'm wanting to give up already, but mostly I feel ok about it.

I will talk to the midwife about it when I see her this week but I know what she'll say.

Mum is coming over this afternoon, I'll talk to her about it also.

The other things I like about formula feeding is:
1. The milk is always the same, whereas with breastmilk it varies depending on what I've eaten
2. I can monitor exactly how much Jazz takes
3. Matt can feed her and I can have a break
4. She settles quicker and for longer so I guess that means she's actually getting enough. With BF she was starting to not settle coz she was always demanding and she would only stay settled for an hour or 2 instead of 3-4 hours. I guess that's an indicator that I wasn't producing enough.

Sorry for the long post, I just need reassurance that I'm doing what's right for me and my daughter.

[prama]

Reenie - so sorry for the dramas at home :hugs:
maybe moving out further and into your new place will give you two some peace and quiet. Then you dont feel like you owe MIL anything and she wont have a hold over you.
And yes, thats insensitive, you just had a baby, what you need most now is lots of TLC, not stress. They should know it will affect their grandchild.

Danni - there's a thread of BF and also on FF, you can get some advise there.Also I just noticed she's 3 wks, she might be going thru a growth spurt, she might go back to normal in a few days

white noise! Poopy slept from 11.30, and started grizzly from almost 6. so at 6.30 I woke up and got the nipple shield ready to feed him, got back to the room and turned our little portable heater which is between me and the bassinette, and Poopy when straight back to sleep, no sound at all and started grizzling again at 7.30. hehe i had an extra hrs sleep. it was a good night!
tho he tends to fall asleep during feeds more often now.
he makes all sorts of sounds in his sleep and i get worried so i keep waking up and taking a peek to make sure he's ok.

[india44]

danni if you are all less stressed and jazz is happy and growing then its right for you.I still top Will up every third feed with 90 ml pf formula and the lc i saw in sydney said if it works then go for it as milk production changes and next week he may not want formula at all.( expressing does not for me at all)I am lucky in that he goe s very easily from both and will also take water for his wind.If you dont enjoy it in any way then you wont produce enough milk and it becomes so hard.Go with your gut and have faith in yourself as a mummy and what feels right for you and your family.You will get varied opinoins but its only yours that counts. I hope it works out for you and you enjoy jazz without the stress.

Bron x

[Sueby]

Hi girls, sorry to crash your thread, I am from the bubs born Feb 08 thread. The girls in my thread have been very quiet so I was just looking at what you guys were up to.
I had to reply to Danni-- I had the same thing happen with my DD and I just wanted to say it is totally your deision. Happy Mum = Happy Bub. My DD has been having FF for 4 weeks now and she is very content and sleeping really well compared to unsettled and not sleeping whilst breastfeeding. They do have a growth spurt at around 3 weeks and 6 weeks but I found my supply dropped off because I was so tired and not getting any rest.
I don't feel guilty and I have time to spend with my other two children and run my house whereas I was constatntly feeding and not able to do anything else.

Anyway I totally get where you are

Good Luck
Sue

[teachmum]

Hi Sueby, feel free to crash at anytime! We accept all comers . It's no fun if you've got noone to chat to. But a word of warning - these girls can talk . You may find you'll need extra time just to catch up on the posts.

Good luck with your decision Danni. Bron is right you have to do what's best for you. I found it takes at least 6 weeks to get bub and me trained up to bf. Paddy is getting better though he's so good at sucking he nearly chokes himself. You really can't tell how much milk you have because once you're feeding regularly they don't tend to become overfull. Babies cluster feed to increase your milk supply for their growth spurts. I think Paddy also likes to use them as a dummy .

I was taking to DH the other day about why Paddy keeps pulling off and on at the start of the feed. He reminded me that when the calves want a feed they suck then detach, headbutt their mum's udder and then reattach. Mmm so I think I'd rather have the hard suck and detaching occassionally than a headbutt in the boob .

Trina I'm going to finish my second box of infant size and then move to cloth. I have to use them up coz Paddy is almost too big for them . I've used my green kid pockets and hautes which are great and fit really well. I'm going to try the BBH this week and see how they go. I lke the pockets coz they have a built in cover and dry quickly though the BBH are supposed to be more absorbent.

Booby call

[slimjadey]

Daniella, are you sure she's hungry? she might just be wanting to suck maybe. Have you tried a dummy? they dont always work and some people don't like using them for fear of future problems but i persoanlly consider it a lifesaver at times.
Either way, absolutely do whats right for you. There are no rules when it comes to having kids you have to do what work for you and your baby, and every child is different.
Just a thought on the possibility of her being allergic to the formula, which one are you using? I wouldn't use the gold varieties because they are heavier and don't always settle too well in newborns. I had the same trouble with Dylan when he was 2 months (he was formula fed from 2 months) also different brand have a slightly different make-up of ingredients so you might try a few different ones til you find one that agrees with her.

Anywho, i've gotta go save Ryan from DH trying to use controlled crying on him.....

[Sammiejane]

Hi all,

What a weekend, DH sister flew down for the funeral (which is today) yesterday so we drove to the other side of the city to catch up with her as we havent seen her in about 5 years and a funeral is no place for catching up... feel like the weekend has just disappeared and there is still things that i have to get done before the funeral as we are helping out... Molly Jane is having a sleep ATM so when she wakes i have to dash out with her (have to drive this week - but 4 weeks of healing should be ok - i hope)
People are meeting at our place and then driving down to the funeral place all together, it starts at 3 and the wake is in a RSL and finishes at 10pm tonight (U,Steve was a muso so they are having a jam for the wake). I volunteered to make a DVD in memory of him, so will be taking pics during the wake... My god it is like pulling teeth trying to get people to lend me photos so that i can scan them for the DVD - even with a promise of a copy - selfish people

Reenie - sorry that you are having such a hard time, moving with a 2 week old - i cant believe all concerned are so inconsiderate, i would have done my naana too! tell them all to grow up! Hugs for you thou, please feel free to vent in here as much as you like, we all need to whinge at times!

Danni - I was also thinking that Jazz may just want tosuch, the thread that Prama started asking for BF questions that Barb answered gave some good info as to the things that Bubs do when they are tired, they are really similar to a hungry baby and they really just want settling.
I know that with Molly, if she has had a feed and we are sure that she just wants a comfort suck, DH will offer his finger knuckle, she will such then detatch, he will burp her (the motions of a feed) and she will settle... maybe worth a try?

Also for the boobs - i have no idea how much i am producing as i havent been expressing (though have to get a stcok up in the fridge JIC) sometimes i feel empty and soft but there is milk in there as when she feeds she dribles and will spew a bit up at the end... i think that the hard sore boobs settle after a while when we adjust to the feeding (am i right mummys eho have done this before) so dont always stay hard.

Also Molly Jane has been demanding more feeds, but i think that she is going into a growth sput, i have heard that around this time they demand more to increase the supply as they are going to need it in the next few days.

Trina - cant believe you got a full night, lucky you, Molly Jane was awake at 12.30, 4am and 6am wanting a feed.

I have found that if i dont wrap her tightly and she gets out, she is more likely to wake up early - anyone else?

Gotta go, she is awake again

[danniellabella]

I've tried the dummy instead of offering the boob but usually she refuses the dummy, and anything else given to her to suck except the boob or a bottle.

As for type of formula, I'm using Heinz. Mum suggested she may have thrown up just because it comes out of the bottle quicker than milk coming from the boob. She had another bottle last night and was fine, no chuck.

[teachmum]

Trina I've only used the GK a couple of times and am going to experiment with different types of inserts to see which are more aborbent. I like the coz you don't need a cover, they're made in Aust and osfa. I'm too much of a cheapskate to buy different sizes. NB poo washes right off (it was a mega one and been there 2 days!) Still getting the hang of using them and have been stalking the nappy threads for more info.

SJ you're right about boobs. They are much softer once you're regularly feeding. They become firmer if you've missed a feed or bubs sleeps longer (wishful thinking). You can't be emptied like a bottle.

Don't about the rest of the bubs but Paddy is just growing like a weed. Can't do Bonds 000 wondersuits at all!Going to take him to get weighed this week.

[prama]

Danni - the hossy recommended Nan HA1. they said it's the closest to breastmilk in terms of molecule size.

SJ - will be thinking of you today..

gotta go, mum's gone home, just had brekky at 11.45. going to have leftovers for lunch while Poopy sleeps before he wakes for his feed at 12.30.
be back soon

[prama]

Danni - the hossy recommended Nan HA1. they said it's the closest to breastmilk in terms of molecule size.

SJ - will be thinking of you today..

gotta go, mum's gone home, just had brekky at 11.45. going to have leftovers for lunch while Poopy sleeps before he wakes for his feed at 12.30.
be back soon

[Lisaqg]

gosh, Jake is still in 0000 jump suits and won't grow out of them for a while!!!

[danniellabella]

gosh, Jake is still in 0000 jump suits and won't grow out of them for a while!!!

That's fine, as far as length goes Jazz should be in 000 but as far as weight goes she should be in 00000.

0000 is too small sometimes but too big most of the time. We got her a cute outfit with trackies and a zip up jacket in 0000. The jacket goes down to her ankles and will probably fit her for several months.