I must be getting the hang of motherhood as I've managed to find the time to post in here again! LOL.
Izzy had a really good day yesterday and today. She has been demand feeding during both days (about every 3 hours) so I haven't had to wake her which is a step in the right direction. She had a couple of hours of awake time last night (just in DH's arms staring at him - so cute!) but then fed at 8.30 and slept until 12.30 so that was great. She fed again at 4 then again at 7 then we slept in until 10! She has been brilliant again today so hopefully we'll have a similar night tonight, I could handle that!
DH is back to work tomorrow so a little nervous and worried about how I'll cope by myself but I guess all new mums do it and survive so I'm sure I'll be the same. I'm sure the day will fly by anyway - I have no idea where the time goes now that we have a baby in our lives.
Sanchez - are you draining a boob at each feed? My boobs haven't been engorged since my milk came in and have been pretty soft and back to normal since I've been home. I have had a couple of tender spots which I just apply pressure too while she feeds and it sorts them out (must be slightly blocked ducts). I also feed Izzy on one boob per feed. If she's finished on one side but still wanting more, I offer her the other side but find she'll only do 10 mins max before nodding off. I start on that boob for the next feed as I know it's not drained after only 10 mins. Hope that helps.
Oh, also on the sore nipples. Mine still hurt a bit when Izzy attaches but then it's fine. I think it's meant to settle down a bit within the first month. Ouchies though, hey!
Art - glad DS has returned to his old self. I need to practice using our sling as I tried it for the first time at the shops the other day and stuffed it right up. Izzy was in tears and I wasn't far off it too! We have a Bubba Moe sling which is brilliant when the parents know how to work it! I'm sure we'll all love it as soon as we get the hang of it.
Kosi - great news on Ava's weight gain! Izzy is getting weighed on Tuesday so I can't wait to see if she has gained any - fingers crossed. Oh, and good luck with the ILs! Feel free to vent in here if need be. I'm sure I will be when ours visit in November. MIL means well but is so overbearing at times.
Pooley - thanks for sharing your story and big hugs to you! I would have been distraught if I was you too! You did a stella job and so did your DH by the sounds of things. Can you post the link to your FB photos again? The last link didn't work for some reason. You may need to make the photos available to 'Everyone' - in the privacy settings of the album.
Nicola - had to laugh at your last post - Groundhog Day. Hearing you loud and clear!!! Although I did manage another walk today so that has made me feel a little more sane. I'm also nibbling on cheese and pate at the moment and sipping on a red wine. Yay!
Sangie, Janine and Leanne - hi girls! Thanks for sharing and please share some more - any tips, stories, teary and happy moments!!
Little Isobel is sound asleep so it's time for a bit of adult time with DH. All we seem to talk about is our DD though.
Disaster night. I'm exhausted and so emtional. Izzy has been unsettled since 130. It's now 530 and im attempting to feed her again. Praying she nods off after this feed. Nothing is more upsetting than having no idea what is wrong and no idea how to fix it. I'm a wreck
Taurean Sometimes it is nothing you can fix - this morning A was cranky and kept waking every 5 minutes with a big cry, turns out she had a massive poo on the way lol- now she has been in bed for over an hour. Does she have wind? Have you tried lying her down with nappy off and rotating her legs like cycling? If you push the legs reasonably firmly into her tummy on the up rotation it can help get out farts. Someone also mentioned Infants Friend, that works quite well for some bubs to help get the burps out. Hope she settles for you soon.
Don't be so hard on yourself. We are all still learning. I hate not knowing why Frazer is unsettled but we'll all get the hang of it in the end. Probably doesn't help that you're most likely worried how you'll cope with DH back at work. DH spent Saturday/ Sunday night away from home and didn't get home till 3 this morning. I wont say you'll be fine, but you will cope as you have already shown that you can.
Fingers crossed that you can get some sleep sometime today.
Taurean - It sux when nothing seems to work. You may need to try out different settling techniques and find one that works for you. Are you swaddle wrapping??? I find a tight wrap with both arms inside and then picking up bub and holding them in tight and doing a light rythmic pat on the bum (apparently this simulates the heartbeat in utero) can work, also rocking and rubbing the back. There is nothing wrong with rocking bub to sleep...as they get bigger and heavier it can be a problem..but I read somewhere when someone once complained about having to rock their baby to sleep, They are only little once and when they are big you will look back on your baby days and realise how quickly they went even if they did go by in a hazy fog!!!
Most babies (well all of mine anyway)seem to be the most settled when they are in your arms and being cuddled and then as soon as you put them down they start crying etc so its about finding a way to put them down and keeping them there without crying
N.B - Im using the grobag swaddle this time around - as opposed to muslin and Im finding it great as its harder to get out of.
Taurean - big hugs for you hun! I know exactly how you feel!! Saturday night was my first night by myself and what a shocker it was... E was screaming from about 2pm til 2.30am, only stopping to feed. She slept for an hour and a half and was up again at 4 yesterday morning and carried on all morning. I was in tears most of this time, feeling useless as a mum and stressed out not knowing what was wrong. I rang DF at work a couple of times and cursed him for working away from home and of course made him feel like absolute crap too About 4pm yesterday I could take it no more and went to mums house for dinner so I could have a couple of hours sleep whilst someone else cuddled her shaking, screaming little body. Well would you believe in the car she did this MASSIVE poo, i'm talking world record breaking poo, it was right through her nappy, clothes and into every nook and cranny in her car seat... and she has been sleeping since, only waking to feed twice.
Nicola - The only way I gan get E to sleep sometimes is by putting DFs used shirt on and letting her fall to sleep on me before moving her to her bassinette which also has one of DFs shirt wrapped around it like a sheet... She can smell the milk on me and just cant settle when lying on me sometimes, she just bobs around looking for the boob even if she's just fed. I think DF is secretly flattered this is what works best lol.
I'm back. Emily has been trying out her expressions the last two days, not smiling properly yet, but sometimes if I touch her on the tip of her nose she gives a wide grin --- It seems to be an automatic response rather than a happy response so I think she's just trying out different facial muscles and things. DF will be devo'd if she has starts smiling properly whilst he's away. I feel refreshed after a great sleep last night, I had 6 1/2 hours straight, then a feed, then another 3 1/2 hours so I feel so much better than this time yesterday.
E was only feeding for 11 - 16 mins each feed and has ramped up to 20 - 25mins the last two days --- could this be the 4 - 6 week growth spurt? She's 4weeks + 5days today so I guess she's about due for it.
Kosi, Sanchez and Pooley - I love seeing your baby photos on Facebook, keep up the good work! They're all just gorgeous!
Taurean - sorry you had such a bad night. Sometimes these little ones just need to have unsettled periods, completely normal hun and sorry to say it probably won't be the last. I find just cuddling Ethan and taking him to bed with me often calms him down.
Sorry don't really have time for personals. DH is back at work today so its my first day on my own with a newborn and a toddler. And of course Ethan is having an unsettled day so far, I think he has wind issues.
I'm reading though, just hard to post with a newborn in your arms!
hi everyone thought i should post! my boy came 2 weeks early on sep 1st via emergency c section due to failed 30 hour drug free induction, posterior position and cord around his neck! it was not the birth experience i was looking foward to but he might not have made it had it not turned out this way so im very thankful. He is quite a good bub sleeps 3 hours at a time sometimes 4, is bottle fed, mostly formula due to losing half a kilo in his first 3 days of life, low bsl's and i had no milk til day 6 coz ceaser can sometimes stuff it up.Im feeling like ive let him down but i didnt want him back in hospital and that is what was going to happen if he kept losing weight. He was a wopping 57cm long! and has huge feet and hands! i had a few tears for the first few days but im ok now he is asleep next to me as we speak! he is a guzzler, he has 150 ml bottles about 4 or 5 times a day and 4 at night! also has expressed milk about 50 mls if im lucky! i allready cant wait to try for another!
I've returned to the world of the living - finally. What a crazy few days it has been. Emotionally and physically draining. Yesterday was a terrible day, was certain PND was knocking on my door but I have bounced back overnight and the best news of all...Izzy has put on a bit of weight She gained 40g in 3 days which the health nurse said was a nice gain and she was happy with our progress especially given all the stress I placed upon myself.
The past few days really are a blur and quite depressing to be honest. But we turned the corner last night and I decided to take charge (after getting some fab advice from some of the BB girls!) and let Izzy demand feed as much as she wanted. I also decided to express in between feeds and only when I had time. We had a good hour or so of skin on skin breast feeding in bed this morning which was fantastic for both of us. Everything just seemed so much better! Izzy's attachment was better, my supply seemed better and I just felt a lot happier. And to top it off, my first express for the day which was after a few feeds, was my best so far - 110ml all up. Woohoo! We are back in the game - I think!
I've read your posts but not sure where to start with persies so hopefully now we're heading in the right direction again, I might get a bit more time to pop on here and say hi!
Gotta run. Izzy has just done yet another poo (that's about 6 for today and I'm so happy about it - honestly!) and is ready for another feed. Big hugs to all of you and thanks again for all the support and advice xx
Sometimes it is nothing you can fix - this morning A was cranky and kept waking every 5 minutes with a big cry, turns out she had a massive poo on the way lol- now she has been in bed for over an hour. Does she have wind? Have you tried lying her down with nappy off and rotating her legs like cycling? If you push the legs reasonably firmly into her tummy on the up rotation it can help get out farts. Someone also mentioned Infants Friend, that works quite well for some bubs to help get the burps out. Hope she settles for you soon.
About 4pm yesterday I could take it no more and went to mums house for dinner so I could have a couple of hours sleep whilst someone else cuddled her shaking, screaming little body. Well would you believe in the car she did this MASSIVE poo, i'm talking world record breaking poo, it was right through her nappy, clothes and into every nook and cranny in her car seat... and she has been sleeping since, only waking to feed twice. 
They're all just gorgeous!
the swing is working for you, or at least your DH being home gives you a break. 
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