The first few weeks

[sasswa]

Hello!

Just have a few little questions about being a new mummy.

- Jakey sleeps every 2-3 hours and I feed him pretty much upon waking. He drinks about 50-70ml's at each feed (about 6 times a day)....is this normal?
- How do you entertain a week old bubba and/or should you? Isn't it a bit early? Just think I should entertain him a bit more when I don't really want him to sleep - particularly around 9pm.
- Haven't bathed him yet....me and OH are planning to do this when his stump falls off - what you reckon?
- is there too many books that you can read? Got Gina Ford's book - taking certain things in but god it's hard. Might try doing a day of her routine when OH goes back to work.
- I'm panicking already about OH going back to work.....anyone else feel like this.
- Had first outing yesterday. He was good as gold but due to the c-section, I'm still not walking great and am very slow. when did you get your confidence to go out on your own?
- Is it normal to feel like, I wish it was just me and OH still?
- I am constantly dreaming of sex - 5 more weeks feels like an age away. I am on that Pill though quick smart....I can't imagine being pregnant again.

Thanks guys and any other tips of survival would be greatly appreciated.

Love Sass
x

 

[weestar21]

Hi hun dont know if this is any good to you but this is what i done

Colby was turning day into night and i sufferd for 3 weeks with no sleep with having a 4 yr old up at 6am and Colby was just settling down it was hard.

So i would keep her awake for 45 mins after a feed and just annoyed her she would be very grumpy due to being tired but it was so hard listening to her cry for 45 mins but its amazing what results i got. So after 45 mins i would put her upstairs into her moses basket and let her sleep for 1 hour then i would bang around and wake her up then i would put her onto her play mat for an hour so by this time it was feeding time again.

By 6pm she wpuld be due fed, she would get fed at 6, bathed at 7.30 and would be crying as she was really tired but we just took turns about annoying her, if she fel asleep i would get a slightly damp flannel and just rub it gently over her face to wake her up and i would just keep doing this to keep her awake untill 9pm by this time she was really sleepy and it was off to bed time for her. She would sleep right through till 7am so at least we were all getting a good nights sleep.

It only took 3 days to get her into this routine and 3 months later shes still into it and its great just having that few extra hours sleep.

Hope ive helped just a little but it worked for me so im not sure if it may work for anyone else.

Take care hun and hope you get your LO into a routine soon pm me if you need to chat

Luv Jean & girls
xxxxx

 

[lauramumof2]

Sasswa, your post is all so familiar to how I felt at first.

That Gina Ford book (sold it on ebay) is good for tit bits but sticking to her routine would be too hard. A routine is good certainly but there was no flexability in hers. I read it religeously before birth and laughed at it after I came home.

Wishing it was just you and dh - perfectly natural, a baby is hard work at first and wishing a little bit of you and him time which is why you are also probably dreaming of sex, its about as intimate as you can get. I was like that, I could hardly wait.

I had a section and my first outing alone (but on my own) was 10 days after the section. Dont be tempted to go too far and dont push your pram for a wee while. You know you have went too far if you feel a tightness in your chest and higher tummy. I thought it would be like pain but its more a tightness.

Entertaining - Sing Look up nursery rhymes, watch tweenies for songs or male your own up and do ones with actions. At first it might seem fruitless but as she gets a wee bit older she will smile when she hears certain ones.

Everything you are feeling is normal, p.m me anytime

 

[LouisecH]

Hi

Just on the bath front - I didnt bath Zara until her stump fell off either. I just top and tailed her with warm water and cotton wool.

Everything you're feeling is normal. You'll be right as rain soon

 

[Duds]

Hi Sass,

Firstly try not to worry it takes time to adapt to being a mummy (im still adapting!)
Dont feel pressured to do things anyway, just do what you feel is right but to answer your questions best I can ....

* Aimee used to feed about 90ml at first but I was BF so difficult to tell, she also slept about every 2hrs & always feed upon waking. I think this is pretty normal

* I dont think you can entertain a 1 week old baby really, they find nothing interesting, just cuddle, talk, sing, take out for walk etc is enought stimulation I think

* We bathed Aimee every 3 days at first but dont think you have to. If you do dont worry too much about keeping cod dry - I forgot & then worried after but nothing happened

* Def too many books you can read, I also found Gina Ford to regimented and it scared me - very ristricting. I also sold on ebay! These books are good for a guide but dont think you have to follow them like clockwork. I used The Baby Whisperer & found it brilliant !

* Def worried about OH going back to work but actually found it easier as could start my own routine

* Didnt have a c-section but was knackered walking 5feet at first ! Took about 1 month before I started to feel a little more confident going out but still worried me for quite a while after

* Think its quite norm to wish just you and OH still as long as you dont resent the baby... its a big life change so your going to miss the old you a bit

* Think the sex thing is probably the hormones, I cant remember being like this but I know I had some wacky dreams!

Hope this might of helped hun & dont worry what you feel is very normal


x

 

[sasswa]

Thank you so much guys for your tips and advice.

I had an absolutely awful day on Thursday - I cried from about 1pm till bedtime. Exhaustion, overwhelming feelings and anxiety.

Midwife was over yesterday and she saw that we were writing down every time he slept, how much he ate, etc etc. She told us to throw it away as we're putting too much pressure on ourselves...blah blah blah. As soon as we did, I feel 100% better and more relaxed.

Like you say....it all comes down to instinct and I think babes is better for it. Dreading the heat this weekend but just another day really.

Gotta run - little man grizzly.

Sass
x

 

[petchy]

Jakey sleeps every 2-3 hours and I feed him pretty much upon waking. He drinks about 50-70ml's at each feed (about 6 times a day)....is this normal?

sounds normal to me - just follow his lead!

How do you entertain a week old bubba and/or should you? Isn't it a bit early? Just think I should entertain him a bit more when I don't really want him to sleep - particularly around 9pm.

maybe just talk to him and sing to him whilst keeping your face close to his so he can see you. babies LOVE to look at faces! a book or toy with high contrast images in black and white is also very stimulating for newbirns to look at!

Haven't bathed him yet....me and OH are planning to do this when his stump falls off - what you reckon?

we gave ruben several baths before the stump came off and itøs fine. just dry it thouroughly afterwards.

is there too many books that you can read? Got Gina Ford's book - taking certain things in but god it's hard. Might try doing a day of her routine when OH goes back to work.

i have the GF book and it worked for ruben for about 3-4 weeks (between 8 weeks and 3 months old) and then it went out the window. i found some good advice in there but i'd recommend reading it with a pinch of salt and just take some of the things she says if the full routine doesn't work out!

I'm panicking already about OH going back to work.....anyone else feel like this.

yup. perfectly normal! but you will cope!

Had first outing yesterday. He was good as gold but due to the c-section, I'm still not walking great and am very slow. when did you get your confidence to go out on your own?

about 2 weeks after the c-section. i went out for the 1st time about 4 days after (the day after i came home) just a VERY slow walk to the shop round the corner. then i slowly built up and by 2 weeks after i was feeling pretty much back to normal. it helped when the staples came out on the 5th day too... i felt like a different woman!

Is it normal to feel like, I wish it was just me and OH still?

yup! i actually felt like i wanted OH to bugger off, not the baby as i felt he was just a nuisance who didn't help out! lol - all of these feelings are normal, but they will pass! talk to the MW if you're worried!

I am constantly dreaming of sex - 5 more weeks feels like an age away. I am on that Pill though quick smart....I can't imagine being pregnant again.

5 more weeks? we only waited 2 weeks! lol
figured because my bits were intact due to the c-section that it would be ok as long as we were careful of my scar! and it was fine!

becoming a mum is a lifechanging event - but one day you will wake up and realise you feel back to your old self again, and you won't even have realised!