***Jan & Feb Mummy and Baby***

[CARNAT22]

Hi Sorpresa,

I have no words of wisdom but I do have a lot of sympathy!

I never breastfed James (expressed for 6 weeks then gradually moved to formula) so in many respects I am 'first timer' as well.

Bee feeds pretty much on and off all day, thankfully she does go 5 hours at night so I get some sleep but she has cat naps during the day so she is impossible to predict. I feel terrible but some days its just easier to stay in.....

When we do go out I make sure I go somewhere I know I can feed comfortably (so softplay / baby group / visit friends or family). I am lucky that I live very close to a few supermarkets so if she does get restless whilst we are out I know I'm less than 5 minutes from home. She was screaming at the check out the otherday and an old lady came over to tell me 'off' for starving her!!!! Honestly some people.

I just take each day at a time and try not to let feeding the baby rule my life. Yesterday she screamed the whole way to my sisters - about a 20 minute walk - and there was nothing I could do. However once we got there and she had a feed she was all good.

It should get easier but I'm a few weeks ahead of you and I'm still struggling with any kind of real routine.

X

 

[Baby_C]

Mrs T, I'm thinking of you and Dexter, all my love and wishes.

Sorpresa, your mum is probably just concerned about your well being as I can imagine it takes it out of you exclusively breast feeding. Maybe you could try expressing so that hubby could do some feeds and you could chill out without being disturbed for a bit.

 

[jazz1984]

Sorpresa I sympathise, I am bfeeding and currently have two mothers who keep wanting to take baby away and give me time and keep suggesting formula (neither of which I want). She is also my first and I am not ready to leave her quite frankly (even though she is very demanding!). I've also been caught short out and it is so stressful if there is nowhere to feed and they are crying. I have resorted to expressing and use this as my back up (it really takes the pressure off, though I often still bfeed anyway). Not saying it is something you should be doing, just that I sympathise.

 

[jazz1984]

Omg just took Chloe for her jabs and she cried her little heart out . Hubby will be taking her next time!!

 

[mrsjohnson88]

I really sympathise with this aswel. I have a couple of friends without babies who want to meet up for lunch and im stressing about how i will feed my lg as shes unpredictable about when she gets hungry and im nervous about feeding in public.

Thinking of you and dexter today mrst.

Been to see the LC this morning. Shes not convinced baby and I have thrush. Thinks baby's tongue is milk stained and my nipples are red and painful due to poor attachment. She advised to stop treatment and see how it goes. As for the latch she believes its bad because i have such a forceful let down and this is causing baby to pull back a bit, therefore ending up on nipple and causing damage/ pain. She showed me the flipple method and wants me to practice this and also advised me to lean back to prevent milk coming out so quickly. Feeding is not painfree doing this but it seems more bearable. Got a number to ring if things dont improve so at least i know help is there if needed. I honestly didn't think bfing could be this challenging! X

 

[jazz1984]

Ive also got a forceful letdown mrs j and I feed with her lying on top of me x

 

[mrsjohnson88]

Ive also got a forceful letdown mrs j and I feed with her lying on top of me x

Oh really. See this is where i have been going massively wrong because ive been making sure im sitting right up, even leaning forward sometimes thinking this was the best thing to do!

This might be a stupid question but will it always be forceful or can it settle down? Just thinking its not practical to always have to lie or lean back when feeding xx

 

[jazz1984]

Mines always forceful unless I feed regularly. I slouch if im struggling to, but tbh she does still sometimes come up spluttering! Google it, there's tonnes of useful articles! Try kellymom website x

 

[Zoe_helen25]

Thinking of you Mrs t x

 

[tinselcat]

Hope all is well Mrs T xx

Sorpresa - I've no idea when I will get time to myself again! Everything is planned around the baby's feeds (I'm breastfeeding too). I went to the hairdresser last week and expressed milk for that and had my mum look after the baby during the few hours away, but it's hard to find almost half an hour to yourself when baby is sleeping and I find that gets used to do admin chores like putting on baby washing etc!!

 

[CARNAT22]

Bee wont take a bottle so expressing is out for me!

We left her for 4 hours when we took James to A&E, granny managed to [eventually] get her to take an oz of formula from a bottle but she must have been starved and MIL said it was incredibly hard to get her to take it.

MrsT, I hope today went well? I've been stalking for an update

X

 

[sorpresa_bea]

Wow, Nat, that's even tougher on you if she doesn't take the bottle. You really are at her mercy.
Sounds like at least you have some family nearby who can help you a little occasionally. We are expats and our families live a long flight away. So it's tricky.

Currently thrush, raynauds syndrome and early return of my period are all making life pretty miserable. Here's to hoping things improve soon. I don't fancy crying myself to sleep day after day.

 

[CARNAT22]

I can live with the daytime feeding / not taking a bottle because she sleeps at night lol.

She did almost 7 hours last night... I am amazed (and I feel so refreshed.... not had that much sleep in ages - although I did wake up a few times to check on her!)

Now I just need to get her in her crib, which she hates.

X

 

[Rachel11]

Thinking of you Mrs t, will keep looking for updates xxx

 

[TS1982]

Had to post a pic of my little leprechaun yesterday xx

Glad u got a good rest Nat xx

Oisin slept from 8.30 to 6 this morning xx but Tyler woke for cuddles at 4 xx

 

[mrsjohnson88]

Omg 7 hours sleep?! Im soooo jealous lol!! Saying that jessica did a random 6 hour stretch the other night and i felt like id won the lottery. Sadly it was just a one off!

You have 2 little cuties there TS.

Heres my little lady on saturday when she was a month old.

Hope things went well with dexters op MrsT xxx

 

[TS1982]

Aw Mrs Johnson she is a beauty xx

 

[sorpresa_bea]

What gorgeous babies we have in this group!! )))))

Quick question for those who are bf and getting longer sleep spells at night: Rio is also going for about 5 hours in the night and I wake up with super full, leaky boobs. He does not empty them totally as he likes to go back to sleep soon. So I end up expressing to empty my breasts.

How do you guys deal with the nightime engorgement?

 

[Zoe_helen25]

We are getting up every 3 hours Ruby is only 3 weeks so early days for us x

 

[Nicipoo91]

Hey ladies!
Read the last weeks updates and hope everyone is well!

Hope everythings ok MrsT.

I made the decision after speaking to my OH and dad (as we all live together) that im going to attempt to fully BF. I wanted to do this from the start but due to alot of thing that happened early on it didnt happen and Charlie has been on alot of formula. Spoke to a friend of my whos exclusivly BF and shes given me alot of advice and made me buy a Medela pump lol. So really hoping i can kick the formula and do it all by booby!
And the best thing is Charlie likes both boob and bottle so no need to worry about him not taking either, just hope i can do it!

Has anyone been either on a mini break or to someone else house over night with baby?
As weve got alot going on over the next few weekends and im hoping Charlie can keep up xx