Babies Born September 2007 #2

[*noni*e*]

MAJOR TMI DNT READ IF UR SQUEEMISH
a quick q that i will probably post elsewhere too my bleeding had slowed down to almost nothing but then last night it started getting really heavy, theres alot kinda like a really heavy period.. i dnt feel pain maybe a few twinges but nothing i didn't have before... is it possible i have my period back already because i am not bf or is this something i should be concerned about??? also i had in labour a tear and a graze and the graze seems to still be bleeding too, not very much (well now i suppose i am not 100 percent sure where this blood is coming from) ughh the glamours as well as that i have the dreaded h word at the other end and theres heaps of blood coming from there when i go to the toilet dp is really concerned but i am really funny about talking to someone about it is there any chance this can be a normal thing or not???

[Ozstar]

Noni it sounds normal but if your worried call the hospital or check it out with your Dr. I hope everything is fine though.

Sherie I am glad the hospital reassured you that the bleeding was ok. I guess all you can do is keep an eye on it and if you get worried go in and see them.

Pregpan I am sure you will do great today without your DH. Logan likes to be awake after his 4 or 5pm feed, which makes getting dinner organised a tad difficult. I agree with Sherie you should try to nap when he sleeps. I feed logan laying down in the mornings so I can snooze while he eats.

Gracie and Queenie sending you huge labour vibes and good luck with your labours.

Reneeay Rory is adorable. Logan is giving us smiles and I am pretty sure I got the beginings of a giggle this morning. He seems to like when i clap his hands together. I nurse Logan to sleep all the time so I wouldnt worry to much just enjoy the cuddles.

Thanks for the advice on his feeding MD and Sherie it all makes perfect sense. I dont mind feeding him often as I enjoy the cuddles. He will only be my tiny little baby for a little while.

[ele_ven27]

Hi everyone...

It's been a while since my last post ...(sounds like confession lol)...but i have been reading the updates from posts via my email. Things have been a bit hectic around here, for various reasons, and for about a week have barely managed a few minutes at the computer.

Welcome to Kerry and any other new people i've missed (still got memory like a sieve!)...you'll find this a great place to chat to other new mums, compare notes, allay concerns and offload your gripes.

Re those girls having "bleeding" issues...those clots sure can put a scare into you...i remember having them a lot with my second birth, but it's good to get reassurance from your Dr or the hospital....you can never be too careful with those kinds of things. Hope all continues to travel ok with you.

Well...i think my wish has been granted in asking for a nice, happy, peaceful, perfect baby, cos little Jasmin is just an angel! She is feeding really well now, not having any more attachment probs, and sleeping exceptionally well. Minimum 4hrs during the day, and anywhere from 4-8hrs at night! When she's fed she often has some lovley quiet alert phases where she happily looks around and takes in her surroundings, has some "playtime" with mum, dad or big sisters and then casually nods back off to sleep when she's ready. I can't believe how lucky i am to have such a dream run so far. My bleeding has completely stopped now as well and boobs are handling everything quite well too. We've had several outings now, some shopping trips, some visiting and a day at the park on the weekend. I'm very fortunate and feel really blessed, and so far no sign of the dreaded PND that i have suffered with after the last 2 births. Fingers crossed that stays the same!

I'm even dipping my toes into work again this week....got a couple of clients booked in, nice easy ones, so i'll see how i go.

Anyway, just wanted to pop in and say hi. Hope everyone is having a great day

[*noni*e*]

well i just passed a pretty big clot and the bleeding seems to have pretty much stopped, i did just have a shower though so not sure if that has anything to do with it.. we are going to the gp today for a check up for Asha since we came out of hospy so early so i will see what he says unless the bleeding starts up heavy again then i guess i will have to call the hospy just incase it is something serious...
well i decided that since milk was pouring out of me i would try breastfeeding again just to see if things got easier.. well it didn't lol poor Asha still couldnt attatch but it was much worse this time coz shed get a few drips going into her mouth coz she was crying and i was leaking making her want it more but she couldnt attatch to actually get any we tried really hard to get her to attatch but we just werent having any success, i felt really emotional and held back from crying coz dp was watching me lol but i feel ok now since midwives couldnt do it after 30 mins of trying and ended up expressing and feeding her by syringe at the hospy.. atleast i know she got some colostrum then atleast coz i know how good it is for them... i just knew if i didn't atleast try again i would be forever thinking what if it was just because she was new and unsettled and we could have done it after all but now that i know i think it puts my mind at ease alot more and i feel alot better knowing that the bottle really is whats best for us... i like the way i feel supported with feeding too coz dp is very involved
well Asha is asleep as she always is at this time in the morning, shes having a sleep with daddy lol hes usually asleep at this time too.. hes been really great though he stays up for her 1amish feed and lets me sleep and then i get up for the 4-5ish feed but he still gets out of bed and makes the bottle for us and then comes back and goes back to sleep same with her 9ish feed and then i usually get up soon after and they stay on bed together
we stayed at home yesterday just had a quiet one lol and she was the most unsettled shes ever been, not sleeping much and a bit grumpy, crying a little more often, can't complain though i have looked after lots of babies and i know that even though it was a bad day for her it really was nothing, especially since she slept at night as normal anyway...
mum is still buying nappies lol idk if we will ever buy them she came to visit the other day and was checking out how many nappies we have and how much formula is left.. so even though sometimes she is unreliable in a time of need (if you remember the whole car breaking down thing) she really is giving us alot of support with things that are important so gotta give her credit for that...
our little dog is getting much better gosh when we brought her home he just winged and tried to jump all over her but now he sleeps under the bed underneath her, hes really protective if he is outside and she cries he has to come in and see that shes ok and if she fusses he starts winging at me to do something about it lol it can get annoying but its pretty cute and i am really happy hes gone that way rather than the jelous spiteful route since he was so spoilt i thought it was gonna go that way but hes been great
gosh this is getting long lol
queenie, gracie and ella, its good to see you popping in wont be long before your sharing this wonderful experience with all of us
sherie - sounds like what happened to you happened to me.. glad the hospy says its normal.. whats bowen therapy??
pregpan - what a clever boy Noah is controlling his head!! ohhh its just all so exciting
renee - i am off to check out your pics asap lucky you with Rory smiling we have a vibrating bouncer thats pretty cool, Asha loves being in it staring up at the toys that hang off it
md - hope the wound heals up asap.. i know its not the same but with things like piercings they always told me to use this anti bacterial wash called phisohex, its for acne mostly but it clears up infections and things without the use of alcohol, u just get it from the chemist maybe they would know if it was suitable???
ozstar - so was logan due in august?? i am a bit slow, gosh the ohotos are out of control i dnt think there is a day we have less than 6 lol and thats a small amount, we are calming down now though lol just reminding myself to enjoy it and not waste all my time taking pics lol..
welcome kerry wow 17hrs u must be a strong woman!!!! cant wait to get to know you
leanne - how are the boys with olivia??? can't believe you have twins and a new bub superwoman!!!!
well better end it here lol sorry if i have forgotton anyone!!!!!

[Leemar]

Good Afternoon Ladies,

Welcome to Kez.
Noni- I would go that far as superwomen although I wouldnt mind having her energy right now. I am so exhausted. The boys are good with olivia although I have to keep watching them.
MD- Dont forget to water the dettol down with warm water. Dont put straight dettol on it.

Well my MIL has just come back from a holiday in America and bought the boys and olivia back some wonderful cloths. So much cheaper than here. I even got a pressie a baby phat hand bag.

Hello to everyone Have a great arvo.

[MamaPan]

way to go leeanne on the handbag!!! i am such a handbag fan tho i have noticed i onlky take the baby chg bag out these days.... although my mum has come to canb for a month now (she is working here) so dh and i can prob head out to dinner a few times (say once a week?) and i can take a normal bag with me lol!
noni - good idea to get the bleeding checked out by the dr. you may as well. sounds like u are going great with asha, i am so glad. dp sounds pretty amazing too!
renee - just checked out your pics, rory is gorgeous!!! he makes noah look like even more tiny though lol!
i am thinking i will take noah to the nurse this week, bc i want him weighed! i want to know some progress lol! my SIL told me today that her bub put on 1kg in 2 wks - wow!!! i cant believe i still havent met him - he is 1 month today.
ok better go, noah is having a little sleep so i may try to as well. then off for our afternoon walk.

[reneenay]

LOL yep Rory is a big boy I couldnt imagine him any other way now though haha. We went shopping last week and there were babies much much older than him and he was still huge compaired to them ha-ha!

[Cally]

We had friends pop in yesterday with their new bub who is 3 wks older than K and he is huge! Made her look like a premmie but she was 3.5kg when born. He's up to 6kg already!

Exploding poo all over the carpet this morning. And me. Not impressed!

Can anyone recommend a good book to read about babies? Have so many pregnancy ones, but noting on post birth!

Unsettled night last night. Needed a top up at 1am, then went through til 4, didn't settle properly after that, little whimpers every 10 minutes, so I didn't really sleep because I thought I was going to have to get up, then another feed at 6:30, then gave her to DH at 8 so I got a bit of a sleep. Hopefully tonight is better.

Big adventure tomorrow, heading into town for a farewell lunch for a workmate. Hopefully it goes well! Will be K's first time in the car after coming home from hospy.

How is everyone going with the inital pain with attachment? My cracks are healing and I just wonder how much is crack pain and how much is just sensitivity? It's usually OK once she's on, except when she shakes her head! Don't like that!

DD has fallen asleep on my chest so I might go and recline until she wants more food.

Hope everyone is going well.

[Trillian]

Cally, check out some of Pinky McKay's books - they are highly recommended by a lot of mums on here.

Noni, hun, sometimes you just have to do what you have to do to get by. If you want to try again with the BF, then that's great - if you find a lactation consultant they will sort out any attachement issues you have, but if you are happy with FF then that is great too. I feel a bit ripped off that my milk didn't even come in to start with so the choice to BF was taken out of my hands kwim? Sounds like you've had the exact same problem as me with the bleeding and the clot - just make sure you keep an eye on it though.

Renee, IKWYM about big babies - Alister looks huge compared to a lot of babies older than him LOL. I quickly weighed him today at the chemist while I was waiting for pics to print and he is 5.095kg already - but I wont 'count' that weight as I will be using different scales at clinic.

I will be back later for more personals - Alister is calling

[AnyDream]

Noni, I hope that's the last of the scary bleeding and it settles down now (like it sounds it is). It's good to ask if you ever have any questions, much better than stewing and worrying, IMO! Like, if I'd asked about my smelly wound last week I wouldn't have worried about it all week...! I'm glad you feel more settled now with your decision to FF - removing that doubt from your mind will let you feel happier about it in the long run.

11 - I'm glad everything is going so well with Jasmin and no sign of the dreaded PND...do you have an "early warning" system - ie things you notice that might indicate the PND is creeping up or did it just hit you all of a sudden? Chances are it will hit a few of the ladies in this thread so no doubt your experience will be valuable to all of us.

Leanne - No straight Dettol would be very ouchy! I didn't have any dettol but scrounged around and found some betadine and started using that - I think it's making a difference already. I asked about it at the hospy today and the Dr said now my wound is (mostly) closed is ok to use it but 2 weeks ago when it was still open it would've been a no-no. Yay for clothes from MIL - i bet they're lovely!

Pregpan, I haven't switched over to my babybag yet cos DH has been carrying his backpack around and I don't go anywhere without him...but I did have a moment in the bag shop the other day where I considered I might need a new one for those few occasions where we get out ALONE! Make the most of having your mum here while you can!

Renee, I showed DH Rory's photos today and you must've cooked him really well cos he doesn't look "newborn babyish" anymore - like my DD1 - never looked "newborny" - in fact when she was born she freaked out the nurses cos she would watch them coming in and out the room! Anyway he's gorgeous. Re your earlier Q, they've said to count 6-8 weeks before my wound is properly healed (*sigh* it seems like such a long way away) so basically the infection has set me back about a fortnight. What about you...you had a uterine infection, has that changed the usual "4-6 weeks" that they talk about recovery?

Cally - I'm sure Katie is a fantastic size and has the exploding poo to prove it LOL! The best baby book I've had is an oldie but a goodie "Baby and Child" by Penelope Leach - she's right into thinking about things from the child's perspective and then meeting their needs that way. Lots of good background info like what to look for with infectious diseases etc. The other one I'm looking out for (as lots of ppl on BB recommend it) is the Wonder Weeks - explains developmental leaps in the first year. HTH Re initial attachment pain - yep still having it, have to breathe thru it and it's only after 30 secs or so that I can start deciding if the attachment's right. It's early days yet hun.

Sherie - I'm reading one of Pinky's books right now! Wow 5 kg already - that's pretty good going there!

[ele_ven27]

Noni...i had some attachment issues as well in the early days and was also on the verge of giving up on BF. Jasmin had a couple of FF while my nipples settled down, and i was able to express once my milk came in and bottle feed her. I was really fortunate in that the community midwife who came to visit me at home was excellent at going through the whole attachment thing with me. She stayed for an hour and a half so she could help me feed Jasmin and was confident that i had the hang of it. I tell you....it made SUCH a difference. This is my 3rd baby, so it just goes to show that you never "know it all" and that every bub is different. It's also indicative of how much conflicting information we receive from people as to how best to do something, whether its BF, settling, or anything else to do with child rearing. Every nurse/midwife told me something different while i was in hospital. So if you feel you WANT to try BF again...then as someone suggested, find a Lactation Consultant in your area and get them to guide you through correct attachment technique....it really makes a difference! You shouldn't be feeling any pain while feeding...tugging and sucking, yes, but not the ouchy razor, stingy sensation of poor attachment. I almost fainted from the pain of it on day 3, which is when i switched to FF for a while...i had blood blisters, cracks and bleeding on my nipples!!

If your happy with FF though and feel its the right choice for you guys, then thats all that matters. My other two babies ended up being FF after a few weeks and i just said to myself, that it had to be, and the most important thing is to maintain the bond with your bub and continue to love and cherish them.

AS for my PND experiences...they were both a bit different. The first time it went undiagnosed and i was in complete denial of it. It ended up being a major factor in my marriage breakdown, which in turn worsened the PND. I became so focused on being the worlds best mother, and demanded super-human feats of myself that i lost sight of who the real ME was. I neglected my self, my husband and in the end my daughter, because i got so messed up. I refused to let people help me, i became suspicious of their motives (??), i had uncontrollable mood-swings, flying into rages over trivial little things. I became very withdrawn, physically and emotinally from my husband and my friends....i was basically operating on auto-pilot. Having said all that though, in retrospect there was a lot of stress and pressure on us that precipitated the onset of the depression and indeed fuelled it. We had got married, had a baby and bought our first home all within the space of a year, then my husband lost his job and i had to go back to work 3 mths after having Rylea and i was the sole income-earner of the household. So really, i never stood a chance!I also didn't have a lot of family support either. Apart from a sister (who had 5 kids and her own business) who lived close by, the rest of my folks live in western NSW or interstate.
Eventually, my husband and i split up, i got really bad before i got better, and ended up going on a months holiday on my own to sort myself out and re-assess my priorities. It killed me to be away from Rylea for so long, by my self-imposed exile was the best thing i ever did. I came back refreshed, focussed and was in a far better position to be the best mum possible to Rylea. I just got on with my life and put the past behind me.

My second experience was also affected highly be external stress factors. I had a HUGE falling out with my mother, and again, i felt compelled to be a super mum and be everything that my mother was not. I got to borderline Post Natal Psychosis this time around, with feelings of self harm, running away, that my kids were better off without me, that i was a failure...I smashed things, screamed a lot and felt detached from my baby. I had no interest in life and couldn't see any pleasure in it. My partner was really good throughout it all.....he gave me tough-love, which is what i needed. He was supportive, but firm in telling me that i MUST seek help or risk making the same mistakes twice. It seems harsh but it encouraged me to stop wallowing and get myself to the Dr's. I was medicated and things got better.

For me, the signs are mood swings, apathy (can't be bothered with anyone or anything), feelings of poor self worth, irrational thoughts, questioning my ability as a parent, and feeling detached...like i'm not really inside my own body, i behave like a robot if you know what i mean. I also felt extremely lethargic, no energy and just wanted to stay in bed away from the world all day, every day.

I think the most important thing, if you do nothing else, is communication with your partner. They are the one person who knows you so intimately and loves you more than anyone else, and if you can bare your soul and share your scariest inner-most thoughts and feelings to them, you're half way there. I never imagined that i could actually say to my partner that i had thoughts of killing myself, or just getting up and walking out the door and never coming back. It was scary as hell to admit it openly, but if he didn't hear that, if he didn't comprehend the magnitude of my problem, he would have trivialised it or not pushed me to get help the way he did. So if people don't know what you're going through, if you keep it tucked up inside, then no one can help you. So as much as it hurts or scares you, open up to SOMEONE!
It's ironic, but the saving grace for me, what stopped me from actually doing the things i was contemplating was that i was scared to death that someone would take away my kids, and not look after them properly, or that they would be broken hearted without their mum. So i thank the little inner voice who kept reminding me of why i was here and why i should stay.

The only other thing i can say is....forget being a Super Mum. Go buy yourself a pair of Wonder Woman undies or something similar and wear them for a bit of fun, but don't assume the role because it will only work against you. Incidentally, i bought a 2-pack of said undies from Jay-Jays for $12, and my husband gets a giggle every time he sees me walking around in them
You can be a great mum without grinding yourself into the ground. In fact you'll be a BETTER mum...and a better partner....and a better friend....and a better YOU! The house won't fall down around you if the floor doesn't get vac'd or mopped for a week...or there's dust on the TV. I used to get frantic cos dinner wasn't on the table by 6pm and the house wasn't spotless when people came to visit.

And make time for yourself and to spend with your partner. It's MUCHO-important to never lose sight that you are a gorgeous, sexy, confident woman...so scoot out for lunch with the girls if you can....have a nice simple, romantic candlelight dessert with hubby after the kids have been settled....run yourself a bubble bath and shut the door for half an hour....paint your nails, get your hair done, book in for a mini facial or something....it doesn't have to take up a lot of time, but it's the quality of that time that matters most. DON'T LOSE YOUR MOJO LADIES!!! It really makes a difference, believe me!

[Leemar]

Morning Girls,

11- Thanks for sharing your PND experience it made me think and cry and feel a little bit stronger.
Noni- I am glad you feel better about FF.

Well its Wednesday and Boys go to Daycare tomorrow and I go shopping. Yippeeee Oh its my Birthday on Sat so I think I will buy myself a pressie. I have already booked in to get a pedicure on sat morning and am looking forward to that.lol....

[Trillian]

Leanne, I think buying yourself a pressie is a great idea, we should all do it more often, whether it's our birthday or not LOL. Have a great day!

11, WOW, my hat goes off to you hun. You have done amazingly well to conquer your demons and get past the darkest days. I am glad then that this time round things are going really well for you - you deserve to have a great experience this time round.

Marydean, he's not really that heavy LOL - I weighed the clothes he had on when I bathed him and they weigh 270grams, so he's only put on 325grams. Glad to hear that the wound is closed over now - are you feeling like it is healing well or do you still have concerns about it? What's this 'going out alone' caper? I don't think DH and I will be going out alone until we're middle aged LOL.

Cally, how did you go last night? I hope Katie was a good girl for you. The lunch today sounds lovely. I'm sure she will be fine in the car trip too - how far away is it.

Pregpan, I am so not a handbag girl. I have had the same one for nearly 9 years - I brought it before we were married LOL. I just can't see the need to have a heap of different ones. I still take my handbag with me when I go out as I don't always take the nappy bag with me if I'm in the supermarket etc.

Alister was so worked up last night. It was quite warm here and poor little guy was just really out of sorts. We went to town yesterday and he was fine, but it was once we came home. He felt really hot and when he was having his last feed for the night he brought up the entire feed and then just went to sleep. He slept for hours too, I thought he'd wake earlier because his tummy was empty but he still went until 4am. He is fine this morning though.

DH showed me this cute little trick he does with Alister. He tickles him just above his hips bones and he just shoots his little legs straight up in the air, stiff as boards LOL - it is hilarious to watch. I can't get him to do it, so it's just a special "daddy and Alister' thing.

[Leemar]

Sherie- Thats so sweet that DH & Alister have there own thing. It hot here as well we have even started putting the air on at night so everyone gets a comfortable night sleep. (not looking forward to the electricity bill)
Pregpan- Oh I just love handbags and shoes..

[MamaPan]

11 thanks so much for sharing your PND stories - I really admire your strength and it was really beautiful to read how you have come out of such difficult times. I am so glad that things are looking better for you this time, and that you know what to look out for. I must admit that PND is one thing that I have been worried about before I had Noah, and I am certainly on the look out for any signs. I really appreciate your openness to share your story with us all.

Sherie - I love that trick your DH has with A. I will def be trying that out on Noah later LOL!

Do any of you have showers with your little ones? I had a shower with Noah on the weekend and he loved it, and DH had one last night with him and he loved that too - it is the happiest I have seen him, i was waiting for himto giggle with delight!!! (Noah not DH LOL). He likes it a lot more than the bath so that could be a tip for any of you whose bub isnt too keen on the bath...

Well Noah was pretty restless yesterday morning and so I have bought a sling so i can carry him around all day, he just seems to want to be held by me. now the next challenge is working out how to use it LOL. It is an ellaroo ring sling, highly recommended to me by my SIL. I;ll get the hang of it soon i guess. Today he is being quite a lot better and last night he slept quite well - 8.30 feed, then 1am, then 4.00am and then 8ish. thats pretty good for him. I took him for a long walk in the late afternoon and evening and then we met DH for dinner out so i think that tired him out.. may try it again tonight. My mum is in canberra at the moment, she is here for all of oct... but she has a lurgy (sore throat etc) so she has quarantined herself and didnt come around last night and wont tonight... i feel sorry for her she is here to spend time with us and Noah and she cant...i hope she is better tomorrow!
Someone asked about books - I have just read the baby whisperer and i liked that a lot. I also have Babylove which i find SO useful to look up things as they happen (more like an encyclopedia)...i have heard pinky's are good too

Leeann - maybe a new bag and shoes in order for your bday!!! that was good in preg that i could still buy bags and shoes!!

[Trillian]

Pregpan, that's no good about your Mum, she must be really keen to beat the lurgy so she can spend time with you. I remember when I had Lindsay and then Erin, Mum and my brother were sick both times so they couldn't come and see us for a few days either and it nearly killed her I think LOL. Slings feel really strange until you get used to them. I always worried that I would tip Paige out when I used it but this time round I am more comfortable with it. Noah is probably coming up to his 3wk growth spurt and that can make them a little more clingy than usual too.

Leanne, I am not a shoe person either LMAO - I seriously only have 5 pairs of shoes, sneakers, masseurs, my RM Williams boots, 'good' shoes and the ones I wear to town - DF supersofts. I also have slippers but I don't count those as shoes. I have wide feet with a high instep so it really is a hassle buying shoes so I stick with what I know.

For those of you wanting the "Wonder Weeks' book, it is scarce as hens teeth, so if you come across a copy - get it! Seek books and amazon would be the best places to try to get it.

[*noni*e*]

hey all hope everyone is well
bleeding seems to have calmed down i didn't end up mentioning iot to the dr coz i wasnt really worried about it since it had gone back to normal, the graze seems to be bleeding less too... everything was fine at the first drs appt shes now 3.49kgs up from 3.240 or less because she lost 60 grams in the first few days.. her head is 3cm bigger too lol...
not much else to report really my eatings not good, only managing one meal a day most days along with a few chocolates ofc lol coz ive been given a few boxes maybe toast in the morning as well but not in the last few days... just dnt feel like eating, its strange i only really get hungry at lunch time now and after that i feel full until lunch the next day its a bit strange....
Asha is doing really well she slept a 5hr block last night after an unsettled afternoon seems mostly her unsettled times are during the day which has been good... shes become a bit of a spewer though lol and i seem to be the only one that gets spewed on!!!! anyways i am off enjoy your day!!!

[Artechim]

Noni, I also had a lack of appetite in the first week or so back at home. I was only eating a couple of snacks during the day and a few bites of dinner at night but I am eating normally again now.

I think we have just had the three week growth spurt. The night before last he would only sleep for 1.5 hours before wanting another feed, then he would go straight back to sleep again. Now he has been asleep all day, which is what I have read happens after the feeding frenzy. The constant feeding certainly built up my milk - boobs are huge today.

Hopefully we can go back to 3 hour sleeps at night now. My mum is coming over from New Zealand for the first time since we moved here. I am quite excited about it. I hope Will cooperates when we do some sight seeing.

Sherie, I also have wide feet - makes it very hard to find any shoes that actually fit. I am also not a shoe/bag person. I wear my shoes until they are well past it because I hate shoe shopping so much.

Pregpan, I have contemplated having a shower with DS but I am scared of dropping him as they are so slippery when wet. Might try it though, since some days he doesn't sleep and I don't like to leave him to have a shower.