Hi Everyone, Just wanted to poke my head back in and say I hope I'll be back posting more regularly now. It's been great with most of you having your babies before me that I've had your posts to reassure me that everything Owen is doing is normal (the pimples, sore nipples, nights with lots of feeds followed by nights with few feeds, short feeds, unsettled periods etc.). Basically he's going really really well. At 12 days old today, he is sleeping beautifully right now, and seems super healthy. I am gradually recovering from the birth, and starting to feel closer to normal, which is a big relief after lots of pain until now.
I do have extremely tender nipples, but I'm still trying new things to help me cope with it, and I really love knowing that they are likely to be fine when Owen is around 3-4 weeks old, judging by what happened with DS1. It is amazing to me to have a normal healthy baby who we can usually settle within a reasonable period of time when he cries, even if BF is his favourite settling tool. Such a contrast to DS1 who had multiple food allergies (not that we knew that at the time) and screamed in pain for hours every day from 3 days old. So every day that Owen isn't like that, I am so grateful :-D.

Beatrix, I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your Grandad. I hope you and your family and friends can support and comfort each other through the grief. I'm thinking of you

I used a hammock with DS1, longer than is technically "safe" (I think he was around 14mths old when I stopped), but it was a lifesaver for us, as his severe reflux meant he could not be put down at all in anything other than the hammock, car seat or pram with back fairly upright. I definitely recommend trying them for babies who can't sleep properly anywhere else, as it can save a mother's sanity.