I'm just expressing at the moment and thought I would try and do a quick post, so sorry for no personals but typing with one hand is a little tricky
It's good to hear that everyone seems to be doing so well. We're also starting to feel a bit more on top of things, but I must admit our visit with the MCHN today has left me a little bit flat... We saw here for the first time on Monday, where according to her scales Ashley had only put on 10 grams since we left hospital on saturday. She left me feeling absolutely miserable and like a bit of a failure (I'm sure the hormones were playing their part too though). After not being able to birth my baby the last thing that I want to confront is the possibility that my body may not be up to feeding him either...
Anyway, we had an appointment on Tuesday with the LC at the hospital. When they weighed Ash (again with an empty stomach) on the same scales that his birth and discharge weights were taken, it showed that he had actually put on 60 grams since his discharge (3.5 days earlier). The LC reassured me that there was nothing to worry about and that while it was a little bit below the benchmark 25 grams a day every baby was different. So I left there feeling much much better about everything.
So today we went to see the MCHN for another weigh in and I talked her through the weights that the hospital had taken, of which she was quite dismissive... Anyway, she weighed him herself and he had put on 40 grams since Monday (2.5 days). Rather than being encouraging and telling me that it was a big improvement, but that we would need to keep working at it etc, she instead told me that it was still not enough and that we should be concerned because they need to be putting on 25 grams a day etc.
Now I get that it is her job to do that and that she needs to keep us on our toes etc, but when you are dealing with a first time mother who really wanted a natural labour, but had to be induced and then ended up with an emergency C section 12 hours later I think you need to be a bit more sensitive to their feelings and encouraging. I again left the appointment feeling really discouraged and disappointed in body. Luckily I have a wonderful husband who reminded me of everything the LC said, how well we are doing and that based on the hospital weights and her weights it looks like Ashley is putting on about 20 grams a day.
TBH I really don't want to go back to see her. I know it is silly, but I'm almost tempted to feed Ash before the appointment next week so that he is heavier. I've been really careful about making sure he has an empty tummy etc so that we get the most accurate figures, but when seeing her leaves me feeling so down I wonder if it is better for Ash and I to fudge things just a little... (probably not )
Anyway, that's me unloading for today, thanks so much for listening. Hope all is well with everyone else and I will be back with personals soon. xoxo
Miss excited - if you arn't comfortable with your MCHN then find another...
When I had my first I saw 4 different MCHN's before I found one I was comfortable with and happy with...
Don't let her spoil the first weeks for you - they are hard enough without someone so discouraging.
The fact he is gaining weight despite the figures is what counts - it sounds as though you are doing everything you can and you should be proud of that!
Hi Miss E - I agree with Miss Bec - get another MCHN. Mine actually made a point of explaining that I didn't have to keep seeing her if I didn't feel comfortable with her, which was very good of her I think.
I've got kind of the reverse situation in a way - Zac has been stacking on the weight, and my LC is suggesting that I've been overfeeding him (since we're still working on building up my supply and he is being comped), but the MCHN yesterday said that his weight gain is 'really good' plus he has grown 3 cm since birth so obviously he needs it. It's so frustrating to have people try to apply some sort of rule to what your baby is doing - we all know that each little one is completely unique and will do things differently to every other baby. As if we're not dealing with enough feelings of our own without the 'professionals' saying/implying that we're inadequate!
I keep reminding myself that they must see some people who are just truly unsuitable to be parents, so maybe they're a bit jaded...
MissE - Change your MCN. A gain is a gain hon and no 2 babies put on weight at the same rate. If you are struggling with your birth experience I would seek some advice from the hospital, maybe a councelor. You don't need the extra burden of feeling let down atm. I never knew you had to weigh bub on an empty stomach..You learn some thing new every day. Good luck and hugs. You are doing a great job.
I will come back soon!!! I am trying to find time to post but there is not much atm.
missbec - bub's details are: "Hayley Anne" 12/07/09 3.48 kg
Woke up sick this morning...had a touch of the runs and felt so sick. Palmed off Hayley to DF who was still half asleep in bed (neither of us got much sleep last night...little miss was quite restless, she needs to sort out the difference between day and night! During the day she sleeps like a log but at night just wants to be cuddled) and had a few choice sentences snapped at me...2 showers later and a tiny bit of breakfast and I'm feeling much better. So hopefully it was a once-off thing as I don't know where I would have picked up a tummy bug from.
I have kind of given up on trying to get her to breastfeed and have just been expressing instead then topping up with formula. Almost expressing a full feed for her each time so hopefully my supply continues to increase. I think she's a little lazy and it's just so much easier to drink from a bottle than go to the effort of latching on and sucking. Lol.
Better dash and hang some washing out while it's nice and sunny.
ss_storm - I hope it was just a once off thing. That's the last thing you need with a newborn!
Bek - that is so fantastic that the BF is working out for you.
Miss excited - you did so well to type all that one handed. I agree with the others about the MCHN. You have to be comfortable with who you are seeing.
Amelia sleeps like a log during the day too but is getting a bit better overnight. I gave her a dummy last night which I really didn't want to do since we are still trying to wean DD1 off it for sleeping but Amelia just wants to suck and suck. My nipples are really worse for wear with all her sucking. We also discovered she had oral thrush and so we gave her two doses of NIlstat over two days which has cleared it up completely. I think I might have had a slight case of it on my nipples too.
I had a little woohoo this morning as I found a pair of jeans in my cupboard that I could squeeze into lol. It feels sooooo good not wearing maternity pants.
Ooop, little miss is stirring and my boobs are tingling so must be feeding time soon.
ooops sorry the last post was so quick - i started to type it, got interrupted and didnt realised i had sent it!!
sorry have been such a bad buddy - i just cant find the time to get on here much... i try to read t see how everyone is and by then i need to log off to feed or do something with DS1 or whatever. we have the naming tomorrow - about 60-80 guests expected at our place... will be a relief when that is over!
My little man is doing so well - he is just delicious. he is still sleeping a lot, i forgot how much they sleep at first, sounds like all yours are too so i wont worry about it. he sleeps pretty well at night at the moment (touch wood) - waking ever 2.5 hrs or so for a feed. has a good sleep or 2 during the day, so i cant complain. he is a really good feeder, seems to bring up some of the milk after each feed but i know i have good supply so i am thinking he is just taking in more than his little tum can hold. he doesnt get upset about it.
i have my 1st MACHnurse visit on monday - last timei gave up on them at about 4 months as i found they always made me feel worse not better and everything was going well - so interesting to see how this goes. i just really want to know that he is gaining weight - i think so judging from clothes but hes tilll seems sooooo teeny that i want to see the numbers.
Miss E - i agree with the others try a diff nurse... i think that for us mums we need someone to support us not make us feel worse re choices or progress esp when things are going well (as it sounds like they are).
Bek - sounds like things going well with Miss E!
Storm - hope it was a once off for you! tyou are right a tummy bug is not what you need. how are you finding the expressing?
Tinsel - how are you going with having the 2 of them - quite an adjustment hey! is M in childcare at all or do you have them both with you all the time?
Jess - glad you feel good about your feeding choices. how is the engorgement going - hope you are not in pain! is your mum still with you?
Hi to everyone else - will try to be a better buddy with more personals next time! xxx
While I have the computer, without DD1 trying to use it and DD2 trying to feed, I thought I would send you all a quick post. Things are going well. Grace is feeding well and sleeping well as well. As long as I let her drain one breast each feed she sleeps well after the feed so at night things have been pretty good. She does have some nappy rash that we have been trying to get rid of for a week now and it is driving me nuts! poor little thing has a very red tushy...
However need to go, DD1 isn't getting into bed and DD2 is now wanting a feed... so I'll try to come back on for a full post in a little while.
Once agin I'm expressing and typing one handed (seems to be the only time I get a chance to get online at the moment). Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their support re the mchn. I emailed a couple of my neighbours who go to the same centre and have got the name of a nurse who they like, so am going to call on monday and see if I can reschedule next weeks appt.
Hope everyone is doing well. I hope to get back later and do some personals (providing little Ash lets me) xoxo
Hi Ladies,
Sorry I haven't been on much, I've been lurking but it seems everytime I actually go to reply, I'm interupted.
We're doing ok. Oliver feeds well (he'd gained 430gms at his 12day appointment {was 200gm above his birth weight}) and is sleeping *slightly* better. I know I shouldn't complain, he sleeps well at night, provided he's in bed with us. Trying to work on days though, would be nice if I could actually put him down. I'm finding it a bit stressful trying to actuaqlly get anything done. Our extension *still* isn't completed and it's all just a bit much stress atm!
How are the other MCN using mums going? We're doing well, up until last night Ollie had been in cloth exclusively. I ended up buying some sposies yesterday, because, as I'm feeding Oliver in bed, I've found I've fallen asleep a few times before changing his nappy. Rather he wasn't in a wet cloth nappy for 7 hours, so have decided I'll use sposies at night just incase.
I have to say, all you first time mummies, totally take a nap when your baby does.
I still have not been able to have even one nap since Oliver was born and I'm hanging out for one!
Just wondering if i could still be apart of this fabulous group....as you know Blake was a june baby but was due 3rd July...here is his details
Blake Allan
15th June 09
15.22pm
6lb7oz (2.940g)
33.5cm head
49cm long
Hes now coming 5weeks old...breast feed...weighing in at 3.6kgs...52cm long and 35cm head...
Hes been in and out of hospital with jaundice...and has had his first cold....but happy to say hes a good baby and slowly getting into a good routine...well a ok one for the moment
Chrissy of course you can be part of our group, must say we've missed you! Glad to hear Blake is doing well. I know how stressful it can be with the jaundice, Ash had it in hospital, but it must be hard when it keeps coming and going. But by the sounds of his weight he's doing well though despite the jaundice
Chrissy - would love to have you here! Glad to hear that breast feeding is going well and Blake is putting on weight. Poor thing with a cold, hope he got over it really quickly.
LF - we're doing MCN as well. No sposies since we came home from hossy just washing everyday which is pretty easy, but the tumble dryer has been getting a work out cause it keeps raining here in SA - which I am happy about but my nappies need sun! I put a BBH fitted nappy and use a cover at the 11pm feed and then don't change her at the next feed. Seems to be working well so far
ME - good luck with the MCHN
Pregagainpan - hope the naming went well - Grace also does the same thing with feeds over night, lets hope this stays the same or the sleeps get longer!
Tinsel - how exciting to find a pair of non maternity pants that fit! I fit into my trackies but I don't think they count... How has the dummy gone? Has it interfered with the BFing? I was thinking of getting one for grace for the same reason...
SS - glad to hear that you are able to express enough for Hayley, even if she isn't getting it from the source, she is still getting the EBM. Hope that the bug was a one off and it has gone away.
Lovelycate - great to hear that your little one is stacking on the weight.
Ok, I think someone is hungry - I just can't believe I was able to be on here so long before I was interrupted!
hi everyone
sorry i havent been on in a while, but how is everyone and there bubs going???
amiteal is great she has a few problems with wind but other than that she is a very very easy bub im very lucky, during the day she feeds every 3 hours but or a night its every 5!!!!
and she is finally the size of a normal new born lol she is 4 weeks old tomorrow and weighs 3.3kg!!!! lol she is still sooooo small ppl ask me how many days old she is!!!!! hehehe.
well i have finally got a chance to post something in here.
Antone Jack was born on the 13th of july 11 days over weighing 10 pound at 5.41pm he is now a week old. he has gone to feeding every 30 min at night before my milk came to feeding every 3-4 hours since my milk came
My "bug" seemed to be just a once off thing thankfully...who knows what/how/why!
Midwife came to visit this morning, and we are now officially discharged from hospital! Hayley now weighs 3.51 kg, so not quite 200g over her birth weight. The midwife was happy with that, considering she has put on about 100g over the weekend. little fatty!! We have had to up her feeds as she seemed to always be hungry, particularly at night and won't settle.
Saturday night she slept beautifully but then we paid for it last night..lol. I feel like we're starting to get into some form of routine, although I still need to fit in some daytime naps...the time just seems to fly and before I know it it's time for her next feed again.
She won't b'feed...have tried a few times and she just doesn't open her mouth wide enough or poke her tongue out enough then gets upset that it's not working so all she does is cry and make everything worse...nothing worse than a screaming baby who is trying to feed but won't/can't and I have milk dripping everywhere! Makes for a soggy mess...so I think I'll just give up on trying to b'feed and just express as much as I can for her and top up with formula as required.
SS_storm - I had massive problems with bfing DD1 due to a tied tongue and her not being able to open her mouth wide enough to latch. Hugs sweets, I know how stressful it can be.
Gald to hear all the bubs are putting on weight.
I took Eva to the doctors today and she is back to birth weight. I am happy with that and so is the doctor. Eva is a dream through out the day but she is still a little unsettled during the early hours of the morning and late at night. I have taken to putting her in bed with me just so I can get some sleep. Her feed times are getting shorter thankfully, but she still likes to cluster feed from time to time. We had a really bad windy, spewy and pooey day but that seems to have passed thankfully.
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I put a BBH fitted nappy and use a cover at the 11pm feed and then don't change her at the next feed. Seems to be working well so far
she has a few problems with wind but other than that she is a very very easy bub im very lucky, during the day she feeds every 3 hours but or a night its every 5!!!!
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