Babies Born~September 16th-30th 2009 #1

[Lisa]

Hi girls.

Things are going great here... Anelise is such a precious little bubba who I just can't stop looking at! She is all giggly and cute now... I really love this stage

I am having a dilemma at the moment. I can't breast feed. I just can't. It doesn't work, Anelise hates even trying and pulls herself off my nipple so many times it just leaves me flustered and upset. I feel like I am constantly expressing and that is getting me down so much. I can't have anyone around me when I express as just a tiny bit of stress stops my flow and my nipples end up hurting... I am only able to express 150mls at a time now which is fine as that is how much Anelise has... but what about when she is drinking 250mls at a time? Urgh... I don't want to think about it.

The temptation to switch to formula is so strong right now. I selfishly would love to go back on my diet and lose my baby weight (ok, my 5 baby weight :blush but refuse to do it whilst I am expressing. I want to make it to at least 6 months but I'm not sure I will. I am really upset that breast feeding just isn't working at all for us and there doesn't seem to be anywhere I can turn to for support... I guess I have grieved for my breast feeding days and now I feel ok if I am to turn to formula... but I love knowing my baby girl is thriving on my breast milk! Arghhhhh! See my dilemma?

Annie also has reflux so we're using the karicare thickener stuff... but she seems to be so unsettled afterwards that I think there may be more to it, so I will need to take her to the Dr also.

Annie also gets her first lot of immunisations done tomorrow... I am sooooooooo glad DH will be here to hold my hand when it happens!

[Townsvillegirl]

Hi Everyone

Lisa - sorry I have no advice for you but it sounds devastating. How did Annie's immunisations go? Did the doctor have anything interesting to say about her being unsettled?

MHB - Not thinking about another baby here. After my first I was keen to have another one pretty close. I was pg by the time DD was 4 months old (there is only 12 and a half months between DD1 and DS). It took my body a bit longer to be ready to get pg again after DS. Just be careful not to put too much pressure on yourself to get pg. It can be really difficult for the first few months after giving birth, even if you aren't bfing. It takes everything a while to go back to normal.

Easha - Has your supply settled down now overnight, or is it still pretty full on? I think that supply is meant to settle down around the 6 week mark, if not before. I have found that with every baby, my supply is settling down earlier on though.

AFM - We are doing really well at the moment. Xanthe has an unsettled period each day but nothing too major. I absolutely adore her. I don't think I felt like I bonded with my other 2 babies like I am bonding with her, which is sad. With DD1, I was shell-shocked I think and I bonded very well with DS but this is even better again!

[Lisa]

TG - Apparently she has silent reflux We're to keep an eye on it and if it gets any worse she may need medication. The thickener is helping so much now though so that is great.

[Me+him+bub]

TG - there is no way we are trying for another year at least! also i got my period only 5 weeks after my c section while breastfeeding! just had my 2nd AF 29 days after my 1st so allready spot on! it sucks bigtime!

Lisa - my boy had that and now is on zantac and anti - lact karicare formula and all is better! also no more baby spew at all!


AFM - had a woman die on us in the coronary care unit today, i washed her body and put her in the body bag and watched the family say goodbye, then had a little cry in the staff room ive never felt so emotional before but now i have my son i think life means so much more to me and i had to come home and give him big hugs and kisses!

[Easha]

Hi All,

Lisa - you poor thing, just do what your heart is telling you. If you want to continue breastfeeding maybe call the breastfeeding association or see a LC?? I do understand where you are coming from. I have days were feeding is really hard and then remind myself I have 20 odd weeks of this to go - the next day picks up for me though. I support whatever decision you make - do what is right for you

MHB - yes life is so precious and you stop taking thinks for granted once you have a child I reckon. I see medical shows with sick babies and am so grateful Jaida is healthy. Great to hear the projectiles have ceased Thinking of a new bub already????? Me I remember the pain too vividly to even contemplate a new bub... 2011 is when we might consider trying again. Hopefully the memory has faded by then

Townsville girl - great to hear you have a strong bond with Xanthe. As for my milk - I was wearing a single to bed and although fitted I still had issues with pads moving and bb feeling really heavy. I bought a crop top (you know a sports top/bra thing) and that has atleast eleviated my frustration with repositioning the pads. The engorgement hasn't been that bad but I have also expressed before bed so maybe that's it. I wont express tonight as I am having a wine so will see whether this has made the difference.

AFM - am frustrated with expressing. I read one of you expressing 150 mls - I have expressed for the past 4 days and only have 100mls . It is very disheartening Any suggestions??

Jaida also had her immunisations yesterday and I was a blubbering mess..... she also had a fever the poor little thing. Glad its over for a few months atleast.

Anyway back to me glass of red

[Lisa]

Easha - That's me that expresses 150mls. I usually do 200-250mls though. What are you using to express with? With Harrison, I used an Avent Isis and found I could barely cover the bottom of the cup with milk so this time around DH bought me a Medela Swing pump and it is brilliant. I also (try to) make sure I drink loads of water and I have been drinking Activite and eating the lactation cookies when I remember to make them. Basically the extra water is what seems to work for me... and to limit the amount of stress around me when I am expressing... if my kids come in and whinge or bicker I lose the flow and nothing comes out... when they leave me alone and I just read or watch TV I get a good flow happening and can get out 150mls in around 15-20mins.

[tk1999]

hi all,

Have been reading but haven't gotten around to posting for a while. You all sound like you are doing so well and your bubs experiences are already bringing back memories of DD at that stage... even though it wasn't all that long ago! In some ways I feel like she is going through some of them again and is behaving some days like a baby of her corrected age. The ECHN said that some of it may be true and that I need to take each day as it comes - well der!

Bit of an update on DD... she was just over 5kg at her last weigh in (22nd Oct) and she is over three different sized clothes... some 00000 still fit (pants and tops etc), mostly in 0000 but some of her onesies suits are now 000. She had some gunk in her eye the other day - I did think it was conjunctivitis but now I don't think it was... think it was just some spring pollen or something. I have been squirting BM into the eye to flush it out and it is working wonders. Um can't think of much else... other than DP and I have been very naughty and been DTD with no protection whatsoever... I really have my fingers crossed that breastfeeding is holding back any cycles... and double fingers crossed that my PCOS is still wreaking havoc on any cycle I 'may' have... AF is still at bay but I am wondering if I should get a pg test just to make sure... argh! We now have condoms! We were hoping to have the next one in around 2011 but any earlier will be fine as well... though I would like to wait until DD turns 1 at least.

We are in Cowra at the moment - my sister found out last Monday that her baby grew wings and became an angel so we are up here to help her whilst she recovers from the D&C.

I can't believe my DD will be 3months old in 4 days - my oh my time has flown! DD is still in newborn sposies but we tried her in the infant size today - they do fit but they are so huge on her! The newborn sizes fit much better but I know it won't be long until she fits the infants size! I don't know many 3month olds that still fit into newborn nappies LOL

We are heading back to Sydney tomorrow after spending time with my sister and looking after my niece. I got a glimpse into life with two and it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. I took my niece and my DD down to the shops by myself - I was surprised at how easy it was. I got DD out first and put her into the sling and then got niece out and she walked until we got to the trolleys and then she hoped in there... I am sure it wouldn't always be easy but I was imaging all sorts of horrible moments but none eventuated!

Take care all - big hugs to mums & bubs

[tk1999]

I forgot to say - stellar effort on the expressing Lisa!!

Easha - I found distracting myself (with a book, TV, and sometimes conversation) would help the expressing flow. What type of pump are you using? I also used the medela swing and it was a godsend whilst DD was in hospital.

[Me+him+bub]

tk - my heart goes out to your sis, ive been there before and it is very hard emotionally and the D&C is quite scary, but not painful. i hope she is recovering ok.

AFM- my boy is already 6.2 kilos! and in crawler nappies and is only 2 months old i dont know if they will make nappies big enough for him soon!

[savina]

hi all ,,
jut updating and catching up wow thats a mission...

easha - has your early morning engorgement settled yet? i thought maybe exprss just a bit for comfit to go back to sleep....

rayden is in the 95th percentile for her weight and height .. 5020 gms and 57cms long..

tk1999- wow 3mths old soon how fast has that gone by ..

went to a wedding and 1st time ive left rayden mind you it was only for 2 hrs i just went to the ceremony and mum said she was great ,, although refused the expressed milk she gagged.. thats a prob as eventually i gotta get a job..

well im off to bed im buggered

c ya

[~Leanne~]

Hi all not much to report here.
Joshua had his needles yesterday - slept through them. Katy cried while she watched the dr give it to him, thought he was hurting him. He was a bit unsettled last night, but a dose of panadol fixed him up.
He's just on 6kgs, and today he wore a 00 outfit. He's going to be one tall boy. He's sitting on the 97% band, so we are estimating he'll be around 190cm tall for sure by the time he's 18. Just like daddy (198cm)

Other than that, he's sleeping 6 hours of a night, has settled down heaps now he is on meds and lactose free formula for his reflux. Loves his 1 - 2 boobie feeds a day. um. I think that's it.
My daughter on the other hand.....(that's a different story but won't bore you with it! he he).

I'll try for personals soon

Nite all, have assignments to finish before Tuesday.
Hugs to all

[AngelaK]

Hi All,
Just thought I'd pop in and say 'hi'. Have been reading posts but haven't had much time to reply.
We're still having problems with daytime sleeps - Emily just doesn't want to have a bar of being put down in her cot - screams blue murder!!! DH says she's got me conned coz I'm too soft with her - but it's getting frustrating having to nurse her through all her day sleeps, I can't get anything done!! She sleeps great at nighttime in her cot with no complaints. Any ideas on how to overcome this one??

I also have the same issue with expressing, sometimes it works ok, but other times I'm getting hardly anything - frustrating......

Emily is only on the 10th percentile for weight - 3.96gms at last weigh, she's still so tiny - still in 0000.

Anyway, better go - typing with one hand coz Emily is asleep in my arms

Take care all,
Angela

[Lisa]

Angela - Emily sounds gorgeous! My little Harrison was a tiny little 10th centile bubba for ages! People used to ask me if he was born prem! lol
As for the settling through the day, do you have a silng? I love my HAB for the fact that I can carry Anelise around and still get things done. I don't think there is such a thing as being too soft with your bub when they're this age.. they don't cry to annoy or get attention, they cry because they're needing something (as I am sure you realise )
I always feel terrible when Anelise cries when I put her down as I know she just misses being next to me... afterall, I am all she knew for 9 months so I figure she just wants to be near me and feel something familiar.

I had the crappiest of crappy weekends

I am sure no one will, but I will ask for you all to please not judge me... I have beat myself up big time over what happened

On Saturday, my baby girl had her first and hopefully last ride in an ambulance

We were getting ready to go out to have lunch with my dad, who was visiting from Sydney. He was coming up here to meet Anelise for the first time. My DH, DS1, Harrison & Anelise were all in the loungeroom, which is just off our kitchen. Chooky & I were in the kitchen preparing the little esky with ice packs and bottles of EBM.
DH had put Anelise down on the fold out bit of Harry's flip out foam lounge thingy while he cleaned Harry's face up as he had icing all over it.
Anelise started to have a little sook, so DS1 picked her up. All of a sudden, Anelise started screaming. DH asked if she was due for a feed and I said no as she'd only had one an hour previously.
I went in and took Anelise from DS1 and noticed that when he was holding her, her arm was in a funny position. I worried and stripped her clothes off her. When I got down to her singlet, I noticed her shoulder didn't look right. I have never seen a dislocated shoulder on anyone in real life, but this looked like the dislocations I have seen on TV. I panicked and got DH to call the ambulance as I didn't want to risk moving her arm to put her in her car seat.
While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, we gave DD some EBM, but the 000 operator told us to stop giving it to her. The wait felt like it went forever. The ambulances arrived, 2 of them and the officers looked her over and agreed she should at least go get xrayed. Poor DS1 was beside himself.. crying and feeling so guilty! I felt awful that he was blaming himself. DH cuddled DS1 and then hopped into the ambulance with Anelise. I gathered everything up that I thought we may need and then got DS1 and explained to him that it wasn't his fault, anyone could have done what was done and for him to not blame himself. I gave him a hug and left him here with DD1. My dad was on his way over.
I put Harry in the car and rushed off to the hospital.

The xray woman was horrid. Just plain freaking awful. She yanked Anelise's arm into different positions... Anelise was screaming in pain, my boobs were leaking from hearing her screams and my face was flooded with tears. They had to call DH in to take over as I was an absolute mess. The Xray woman picked Anelise up, didn't support her head or shoulder, and it was like she didn't give 2 hoots that Annie had a sore shoulder at all. Anelise had this great lump on top of her shoulder between her shoulder joint and her neck, so it was obvious there was some kind of injury. Anyway the xray woman got her shots and we were sent into the pediatric emergency section to wait for the results. Annie had a BF and a sleep. After about an hour she was all smiles & giggles.
The xray results came back and they said there were "No gross deformities" so no breaks or dislocations. It seems that she has probably got a muscular injury
I don't know... if Anelise did have a dislocation, I am sure the xray woman would have popped it back in by the way she was yanking on her little arm.

Urgh! Today Anelise is still happy, smiley & giggly but she still has the lump on her shoulder. We're more than likely going to get a 2nd opinion done either this afternoon or tomorrow... Anelise isn't worried by it though and we can easily dress her, she moves her arm around lots and sleeps with her arms above her head as always, but I am still worried. My poor little bubba!

[Easha]

Hi All,

We have fallen off the front page again ......

Thought I would try and post befor Jaida wakes... have tried for 3 days now LOL

This is a response you all as I cant remember who said what
Lisa - Activite?? Do you mean the chocolate drink like milo?? Does that increase supply?? Yes I do have an Avent Isis. Seem to be getting better at expressing but still I am only getting 30-40mls per time. Will look into the Medela. I was very frustrated the other day, I need to go to the city with Jaida and took the expressed bottle and she refused to take it . I spent 4 days getting the 100mls and it was wasted as she refused to take it . I then tried at home thinking the environment of the city was stressing her but she refused again - she tends to push it out with her tongue - any suggestions.

I have now expressed for a few days now until I know she will take the bottle, it just takes to long.

Leanne - how awful to her about the shoulder problem with your girl.... I would have been beside myself as well. I hope your little one is doing much better.

My mum has come to visit which is wonderful - yummy cooked meals, house all clean, what would I do with her.

The engorgment continues. Poor Jaida gets sprayed with milk when she is trying to attach during the first feed of the day. I am not so bothered about the engorgement as it is reasonably easy to fix I am more perplexed by the pain I have in my BB after the feed. A deep burning sensation... Although I go back to bed after the first feed (about 5:30am) I cant sleep due to the pain. This breastfeeding thing is very complex.

Anyhow I am going to try to read the paper now

Hope your all doing well

[tk1999]

You are all doing so well!!

MHB - thank you, my sister is doing as well as can be expected. Wow - 6kgs already... Caitlin is just under 5.5kg!

Savina - that is very good growing Rayden has been doing!

Leanne - wow 6kgs another 6kgs! Glad that the meds and change in formula have settled him down.

Angela - I found my sling to be a godsend during those disrupted day sleeps and I agree with what Lisa said - they aren't crying to con you at that age

Lisa - that definitely sounds like the weekend from hell. Hun, no one would judge you - it is just one of things... it happens . Hope she is all better now (and mummy and DS1 too)

Easha - hope the expressing gets better for you soon

Big hellos to everyone else.

AFU - Caitlin started swimming lessons today!! It was a good day and she slept for 3 hours afterwards . She weighs just under 5.5kg at last weigh in - will go back next week and check. I am hoping we can scrap the fortnightly weigh ins soon. I started going to Mothers Group on 2.11.09 and am enjoying meeting new people. Other than that not much else happening - christmas shopping and all that jazz.

Love and hugs to you all

[Townsvillegirl]

Hi All

Busy busy busy here and not much time to post. DH went back to full time work 2 weeks ago which means I don't sit down all day and if I stop and do anything other than look after kids it all gets on top of me but I think I am coping pretty well. I am really enjoying being with my kids all day and not getting distracted by BellyBelly (I was spending a lot of time on here at the end of my pg because I was soooo tired ).

Lisa - I cried reading your post. What a horrible experience. I would have been just as distressed as you if I had to see my baby go through that and to get very little sympathy from the x-ray lady while she man-handled your baby ... I hope Anelise is okay. Poor little thing and poor you and poor DS.

Easha - I still spray Xanthe in the face during most feeds, especially if she pulls off, which she does sometimes because I think she is being a bit drowned in milk. She also won't take a bottle. Xanthe is a bit of a drama queen and gags if I try to give her a bottle. It is really quite funny. I don't know much about what the pain in your boob could be if it is not your let down reflex. Is your milk draining well during feeds? It wouldn't be mild mastitus? I don't really know, but thought I would ask.

TK - Swimming is magic for getting babies (and kids) to sleep for long periods of time. I wish I had taken my kids to swimming lessons when they were babies, it is a bit hard now with the 3 of them. DH and I are thinking about taking them together on a Saturday morning starting next year. Caitlin sounds like she is growing really well. It is amazing how much bigger she is now than 3 months ago. I can't believe she is 3 months already. Time is just flying by!

Angela - Don't know if this helps but do you still wrap Emily? I stopped wrapping DD1 when she was a couple of weeks old because I thought she hated it but when I took her to a day stay sleep program, they got me to wrap her for her sleeps and she became much easier to settle and put down. Not a magic solution but I found it helps. The day stay I went to with DD1 used the sleep program 'Sleep Right, Sleep Tight' (title of the book) and I swear by it. We have used it for all 3 of our kids and it works great. They recommend just doing what feels right for the first 3 months but we started it with DD1 when she was 7 weeks old because she never slept and always wanted to be held. We were exhausted.

Hello to everyone else.

All the kids are in bed and the kitchen is clean, I am going to try to spend 5 mins with DH before I go to bed. Night all.

[Meadsie]

Hi everyone

I'm a late arrival to the group having seemed to spend most of the last few weeks in the breast feeding problems and support section . My little Sam arrived two weeks early on 22nd September. He was 3.18kg when born and 52cm long and the spitting image of his daddy!

Looking forward to seeing how all his little buddies are getting on and sharing any tips/successes you have had about getting through the little hurdles that are thrown at us.

Cheers Meadsie

[tk1999]

TG - that sounds very busy! I think you are amazing. Yep time is flying by... I have to post the pic of Caitlin compared to her premmie doll. How are you all handling the heat up in Townsville?

Meadsie - welcome! Glad to have you and Sam in the group! Hope the BFing issues are settling down for you. Looking forward to getting to know you both more.

AFU - I think I forgot to mention that we have started going to Mothers Group. I was a bit worried as it sounded scary - babies in another room etc but I enjoy the time and enjoy getting to know the other mums. I went out to lunch with some of them today after Mothers Group at Pancakes On The Rocks near us and mmmmmmm yummo!! Who could ask more than pancakes for lunch!

Hope you are all keeping cool in this heatwave xox