DH went back to work yesterday, so it was the first day that I had to organise 5 kids and do the school drop off by myself, managed to do alright I think, we weren't late so that's one thing.
Julian is doing so well, he's only waking once at night and is so settled, it's great. He's also a better sleeper then the other boys and we've only had a few fussy days, I just love watching him and having him sleep on my chest during the day. I'll have to add some more pics to my gallery as well.
Csab: Good to see you made it here. I'm breastfeeding and it's been far from smmooth. The only issue I don't have is attachment, Jude's a natural but after mastitis in week dot I'm now trying to cope with a baby who vomits up the vast majority of what he eats and I'm so worried about him. He was weighed the other day and he gained 400gs, which I'm pleased with since he only weighs a total of 2.8kgs so 400 is significant, but everyday I feel at my wits end with worry. I'm now living on Rescue Remedy.
Hippie: Awesome that you're enjoying the challenge. It's hugely life altering, isn't it? You seem to have taken to it brilliantly.
Tanstar: In what way is James sensitive to what you eat? How can you tell? I don't know if it's screamingly obvious, but I've had serious baby blues. A couple of doctors have suggested I am at risk of PND. Every time my ob visited in hospital I would break down and cry. Every day I have a little cry, I find it all a bit overwhelming because I really don't have a clue what I'm doing and all my family lives in Sydney. I really need my mummy at the moment. But most of the day I'm ok.
SamiH: What babymoon? The inlaws finally left. They would come by every day, move my furniture around and use up all my dishes and glasses and they never once offered to help and do anything productive except P me off completely. I was so glad to see their backs walking out the door last night. Go back to America and stay there!
AmandaJ: Julian sounds like an angel!
The baby bonus finally came but it's been such a big hassle. My husband is American and we applied for a permanent visa 3 years ago but it's taken the govt too long to process, so we had some hassles with the paper work. Finally the govt saw that we were submitting forms for our baby so 7 days after Jude was born guess what, we got the permanent visa granted. Lazy good for nothings. Anyway, I have to chase up the rent assistance because I think it got lost in the heap of paperwork somewhere at centrelink.
Also, on top of everything I have a lump in my boob that developed when I was pregnant and I've been ignoring it until now. The GP said it didn't feel like cancer, maybe a cyst but she's sending me for an ultrasound (not sure why not a mammogram) and so that's just the icing on the cake, isn't it? Bleh. If only I could have a full night's sleep.
Kur - are you breastfeeding? could it be a blocked duct?
I had a 3 cm lump in my breast a few years back. It turned out to be a hormonal lump. They changed my pill and it went away.. hopefully it is the same!
Amanda - can you get julian to have a man to man to ethan re: sleeping over night lol!
PP: I'm hoping it's something like that. it is a 3cm lump like you described. It just appeared overnight a few months back, it didn't grow from a little spot. Also, I did have the GP check my boobs before I got pregnant and she didn't find anything so I'm optimistic, but there's going to be a nagging doubt in the back of my mind until my ultrasound next week.
csab - I am breastfeeding. I had very sore nipples with some grazes when I first started, but since then I haven't been sore. My problem has been that I often have to wake Maya for a feed! Then once she's awake I can't get her to go back to sleep and I have to constantly feed every couple of hours. I've worried about whether she's getting enough to eat actually, because when she's awake for a long time she'll often suck her hands or me, but maybe that's comfort sucking?! I just find it hard to know if I'm doing things right or not. Also I find it takes me about an hour to feed with my routine of feed, change and feed. How long do other people spend breastfeeding?
hippiemummy - Good to hear you are doing so well.
SamiH - I keep not napping during the day.. and every night think 'tomorrow I should have a nap' and then never do! I do need to take your advice to rest up!
Tanstar - I've been going through the same type of thoughts of 'things didn't go to plan'.. I cried for a couple of days when I got home about my c/s experience. I feel like I didn't get to birth my baby, someone else did it! I don't even know what it feels like to start labour - waters breaking, contractions, etc and I feel like I missed out on something. Plus the c/s was so quick and I wasn't even told that they had started. So I was still waiting for them to start, when I heard a baby cry and they showed me a baby saying it was mine. It took me a while to connect that the baby they were showing me was mine, which I find so sad that I didn't know she was mine to begin with. And then I was extremely sick for two days and missed out on the first two days of her life. I have since moved on and know that what matters is that I have my daughter and she is safe and well. But it still upsets me to think I didn't get to experience the labour I wanted.
AmandaJ - Sounds like you are managing well with 5 kids!
kuraiza - I'm finding it really overwhelming too. I have no idea what I'm doing either!! And even though I have family around in Melbourne, they aren't helpful at all (they sound like your in-laws). So I feel like I'm on my own. I found out a mother's group starts here on the 12th November, so I'm really looking forward to that!! I think getting out and meeting other women in the area will be very helpful.
It's Me I'm also feeding Julian for about an hour, and he is sleeping really well, so I wouldn't be worried with that length at this point.
Kuraiza wow that's a bit scary about the lump, hopefully it's nothing to worry about :fingerscross:
Tan I'm also wearing one of the sexy body stockings, but my separation was only 4cms so not as big as yours, did you also get told about wearing those undies that have the higher waist and pull you in like the stockings?
Hey girls... Looks like everyone is settling in nicely with their new bubs.
I just got back from 5 days away with DH & DS. We stayed in a permanent caravan at Lennox Head. It was nice but Byron had his shots on Monday & I think that's unsettled him. He seems to cry all the time & isn't sleeping as well. Now we're home I'm hoping to get him back into his routine & sleeping like a baby again. I'm doing fine though. Just being persistant. I've been tempted to use the dummy but still staying strong!
Byron was weighed & measured on Monday. He's growing so fast. He's now 4.43kg... He's doubled his weight in 8weeks.
I experienced my first up the back poo this morning. Lucky DH was home to help me clean Byron up. I'd heard of these poos but hadn't experienced it. We were amazed how much poop there was. No wonder he was restless this morning. Sleeping perfectly now.
Got the in laws coming tomorrow night & staying till Thursday so I don't think I'll get much BB time. I'll try to catch up with personals a little later...
As Curl previously said there is only curl, belfie, myself and one other lady has popped in once in our baby thread ..... so I am jumping in here and figure we can not worry about the 5 days difference from when Zander was born to 01/10 hehehehe.
Kuraiza - I understand re the visitors - i loved having my sister here a week after he was born, but with her two kids as well, not so great. Her nearly 3 year old is very active (read : nightmare) - or maybe it just felt like it when he got his energy boost at 7pm and I just wanted them all to shut-up! THen a couple of days after she left my MIL came - didn't do anything either around here apart from hang out a couple of loads of washing - and even one day around 4pm I was feeding and my DH said to ME - what are we doing for dinner tonight - I was a bit abrupt and said surely between the two of you you could sort out something for us all to eat without me doing it??!!??!!
Itsme - I am feeling the not napping thing today I tell you - but DD is home and running me ragged as well argh .... much as I love em ..
jump on in samih! I few girls have jumped it. We asked if the groups could be combined but i dont think so... do people want me to post a thread to the mods asking directly?
Anyhow i have the flu feel like poo, dd is getting over HFMD and i worked out DS is crying approx 7-9 hrs a day! omg... atm he is asleep on his belly on my bed. i needed him to sleep and i know it is against the rules but omg! He also has a snotty nose which makes it hard for him to breathe overnight.
So is a litle sucky here atm. thank god it is the weekend tomoz
HAPPY HALLOWEEN to everyone... i have my lollie bags ready for the kidlets inthe street when they start a knockin!!
Aw hi Sami- Im crashing too!!! Bummer about the IL's - I'd be annoyed about dinner, and have to say I've done nothing but rest and feed James since being home. We have been lucky with friends popping over with dinner etc too.
Amanda - Yeah I have a nice tube thing but it gives me a bit of a tummy ache at times so I have been a tad norty and not wearing it every day. I got mum to get me some of those knickers too but I really need them to come up to my ribs - if they sit just above my belly button it hurts and my separation is right above that - ah well - am just being super good with sitting up etc.
Georgi - awww Byron has nearly hit James birth weight of 4560g!!!! I can't wait to get away too but I think it will be a little while away yet! Those shots are nasty - not looking forward to them although I have to say Izzy wasn't tooooo bad with them. I hope Byron settles down soon for you.
PP- Hope you get better soon lovely and Ethan too, nothing worse than being sick really and having to look after sick little ones as well. Our little man wants to sleep on his tummy too - can't wait til he is rolling and he can!
Kuraiza - hun - hang in there, it is such a huge adjustment in the first few weeks but if you are feeling terribly blue let your MCHN know hun. I have good and bad days and on the bad days I know it is literally just lack of sleep that I don't cope with very well - everything seems like the end of the world really and Im still sore from the c/s. Hope you are feeling brighter soon love. As far as the chocolate goes - I know there are a few triggers like chocolate, caffeine, onion etc... and I ate a putt load of it the other day - which coincided with a really bad night so I just put 2 and 2 together. He was drawing his legs up, straining and groaning and generally having a bad time of it all.
Itsme - I know the feeling all too well after my first c/s and now this one. I hate that I will never birth my babies and won't go for a number 3 purely because I can't do another c/s.... I haven't debriefed or really thought about not getting my vbac this time around, but in time I will write a huge boo hoo I think. I did it with Iz and it did make me feel better to get all my feelings about it out. Yes our aim was to get our gorgeous healthy babies that we now have and love, but it is ok to grieve the birth we didn't get.... there is nothing wrong with that at all hun. Don't forget you can go for a vbac with your second too, so may still get the birth you wanted.
That's all the personals I can manage sorry! Our little man LOVES sleeping on us and we manage to alternate him sleeping in his cradle and on daddys chest each day - mine smell too milky so all he wants is more feeds so its up to him for now! Mum made me a HAB too and DH has been loving wearing it while playing with Izzy while I rest! Super easy and only $20 compared to $140 for a real one!
James tends to sleep ok but we have to make sure he has huge burps after a feed and then lots of upright time or else he does little chucks and then gets the hiccups and wakes up. Ok gotta fly ladies - grizzly little guy! to you all!
SAMI I crashed this thread too. I thought it was better for me to be in here as Byron was due Oct 14th and all his milestones should go from his corrected age so if I stayed in the August group I wouldn't be comparing apples with apples IYKWIM
TAN How funny is that.. Byrons not even the weight James was when he was born.. and he's 7 weeks older...
PP I was so glad to read your post saying that Ethan cries 7-9hrs a day. Byron has now started being a normal baby and seems to cry almost all of his awake time. I was hoping it was normal. He seems so much more unsettled to what he use to be. Once he hit that due date he became known.
Miraculously feeling so much better since the useless inlaws left.
Georgi: I love lennox head. That's so cool you had a holiday with Byron. Out of interest, was he named after the Bay? He's gained so much weight! I wish Jude would gain some weight, although my arm muscles need time to adjust. I've been experiencing weird muscle twitches and aches in my arms from supporting him while breastfeeding.
SamiH: I have my sister coming in about a week. Fortunately the 1 good thing about living in a small apartment is that no one can actually stay here, but she's staying in the holiday apartments next door so we should see a lot of them. I can't wait to see my nephew and niece. My 3-year-old nephew told my sister "I love Jude so much, I'm going to gobble him up".
Tanstar: I followed your lead and I've been holding Jude upright after feeds and it's greatly improved his vomitting which is such a relief because I was sooooo worried he wasn't getting enough milk in his belly to grow up big and strong.
Well, Jude is just a sucker for his dummy (pun fully intended). He's an addict, I swear! Although, it's not too bad. When he's tired (which is rare) he spits it out and goes to sleep. He just loves sucking on anything he can fit in his mouth, and the dummy seems like the safest object for him to suck. I'm soooo glad we realised that was one of his primary desires or we'd be going mad trying to figure out how to soothe him. I suspect he'll be saying "dummy" long before he says "mummy". He already says "Burr" after he sneezes. What a clever boy!
Thought I should jump in here, Bethany was born on the 9th Oct...well nearly the 10th since it was 11:44pm. Finally after 2 days! talk about delaying your arrival. It was a c/s in the end. Not the greatest experiance. It was supposed to be a normal easy induction....Anyways I digress. We are bottle feeding since I never had any milk come in. Combination of reasons. She is pretty good at going 4 hours between feeds but at night she still wants play time after a feed! We have started a "night" routine with dimmed lights and the like to help her tell the difference, seems to be working although its only been a few days...
Well I can hear little feed me squeeks...
welcome amy!
your night routine sounds great . i hope your little one learns soon to sleep at night lol
Ethan doesnt want to play at night but doesnt settle as well as during the day go figure!!
Welcome Amy! I follow the same night routine as you.. dim lights, etc. And it seems to work on most occasions.
kuraiza - Good to hear you are feeling better. ohh.. and my DH decided to try giving Maya a dummy to help settle her.. and she won't take one. I dunno if we left it too late or she was never going to like a dummy. It's great that it works well for you!!
Georgi & PP - I'm also glad to read about all the crying. I feel like Maya cries so much when she's awake. I'm glad to know I'm not alone!
Tanstar - I've also got the tube thing and I also find it uncomfortable to wear.. So I must admit I think I've only worn it a couple of times! And thanks for your words of wisdom... I do need to grieve the labour I didn't have.
PP - Hope you are feeling better!
A newbie question: Does anyone have any good tips on breast feeding in public? I feel like I either have too much boob and/or tummy showing and feel self-conscious about that! I've tried using wraps but still feel really awkward with it all. Or maybe I'll just feel awkward until I've done it a few times?
Maya hasn't been putting on enough weight.. I think because I was terribly ill for the first couple of days of her life which meant that my milk took longer to come in. So I've been told I have to wake her and feed her. And it's getting really frustrating because it often takes me ages to get her to sleep and then once she's sleeping I have to wake her for a feed. During the day I feed every 2 to 3 hours. And at night I've been told I can let her sleep longer (up to 5 hours). Normally she has been waking after 3 or 4 hours sleep at night. But last night my DH woke me up because it had been 5 hours and she hadn't woken. I bit his head off because even though 5 hours was bliss and more sleep I've had in ages.. I just wanted to stay sleeping!! Then I felt guilty, so I got up and woke her for her feed and it took me a while to get her to go back to sleep. I just wish I could feed on demand!
itsme~~ I can understand the pain of feeding every 3 hours, Bethany was still pretty jaundice when we came home and the visiting midwife had us feed her every 3 hours and 75mls (which was a good 15mls more than she had been having) it was 2 days of hell! She hated it we hated it. thankfully she put on weight and the midwife signed her out of the home care program and we were about to go back to demand feeding.
Stick with it but remember noone knows your baby like you.
I've been going through the same type of thoughts of 'things didn't go to plan'.. I cried for a couple of days when I got home about my c/s experience. I feel like I didn't get to birth my baby, someone else did it! I don't even know what it feels like to start labour - waters breaking, contractions, etc and I feel like I missed out on something. Plus the c/s was so quick and I wasn't even told that they had started. So I was still waiting for them to start, when I heard a baby cry and they showed me a baby saying it was mine. It took me a while to connect that the baby they were showing me was mine, which I find so sad that I didn't know she was mine to begin with. 
And then I was extremely sick for two days and missed out on the first two days of her life. I have since moved on and know that what matters is that I have my daughter and she is safe and well. But it still upsets me to think I didn't get to experience the labour I wanted.
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