MSE Parent Club - Part 2

ladybirdintheuk

Caz - have a nap. The housework will still be there tomorrow, which is saturday so DH can do some too!

I was planning to blitz our room this afternoon, but Izzy is dozing off on me, so I'm hoping I can put her down and do the same myself when she is properly asleep.

Oh, my friend came to visit this morning with her little girl who is nearly 3. She kept offering Izzy bits of her biscuit, which was very sweet. she also kept shutting the door on us and we thought she was just standing the other side of the door, but I realised after they had gone that she had managed to turn the hot tap on in the bathroom :eek: Our hot water is scalding (need to get DH to turn the thermostat down, but he keeps making excuses ) so she had a lucky escape I think.

Maybe that will be a good enough reason for him to do it now anyway. Now we are socialosing with other families more there will be more kids about. Seeing as the fact I keep scalding myself isn't an important enough reason to get it done!

SusanC_2

Millie's_Mum wrote: »

Can anyone offer any advice on expressing? Feelie if you are around you must be an expert now!

I've expressed before with no problems but now my supply has settled down it's much harder, it took me all day yesterday, expressing for half an hour or so after every feed, to get 3oz.

Any ideas anyone? i do it with ello sat next to me which is supposed to help, I can't do it at the same time as feeding cos ello is a wriggler and i need both hands.

When I used to express, I used to express first thing in the morning before I fed Alice and last thing before I went to bed. (And then OH would stay up to do a bottle at 10/10.30.)

The morning one was really easy and I would get the milk out pretty easily as I was more full in the morning especially after she started sleeping through. OH would bring the pump up and I would express in bed while he got Alice up and dressed and then brought her through to feed. I would express on one side and then feed Alice on the other.

The evening one was always more difficult as her previous feed was more recent so there was less milk and being the end of the day I was more tired. I used to put on a DVD of photos of Alice and OH would make me a cup of tea. I would generally do both sides twice although sometimes I would do it extra if I thought I could get more out.

We also froze any surplus milk which I found helped a lot because it meant that I knew I didn't "need" to express a certain amount as I had backup in the freezer. Not having the pressure of needing a certain amount was a big help.

Another thing I did occasionally when she was still having a night feed was to express after that feed as I only used to give her as much as she needed to go back to bed (whereas with all the other feeds I gave her as much as she would take) so there would generally be more "spare" milk after that feed.

Millie's_Mum

Thanks Susan thats really helpful, I'm sure you are right and it probably would be easier first thing.

I did have some in the freezer but I didn't want to use it because i was only going out for a couple of hours and there was the chance that I would be back before it was needed, i was thinking that if there was some 'fresh' which wasn't used it could then go in the freezer whereas if it was previously frozen and defrosted it would have to be thrown out.

emlou2009

i'm having a nightmare with seth the past couple of days, he just WILL NOT settle! he's started hand chewing, i put him down with the dummy and he flicks it out and chews his hands instead but ends up wide awake and crying, then gets overtired, talk about a vicious circle! the one and only thing i can do is cuddle him off to sleep but i dont want to get into this habit and its driving me mad! especially after a bl00dy long night when he refuses to go back to sleep and it makes a night feed turn into a two hour battle! is there anything i can do?

Sami_Bee

Caz - I wish I could nap!! I don't know how I'm gonna cope with a newborn and no naps :eek: that's gonna be the hardest thing me thinks!

Em - I'd be tempted to just cuddle him to sleep - anything for an easy life - thats me!

emlou2009

after a hour and a half of dummy sticking and basket rocking he went to sleep for less than 5 minutes and woke up kicking and hyper :rolleyes:

SusanC_2

Millie's_Mum wrote: »

I did have some in the freezer but I didn't want to use it because i was only going out for a couple of hours and there was the chance that I would be back before it was needed, i was thinking that if there was some 'fresh' which wasn't used it could then go in the freezer whereas if it was previously frozen and defrosted it would have to be thrown out.

It doesn't take a huge length of time to defrost if you put it in hot water from the tap as long as you've frozen it in small portions. I was defrosting loads last week when Alice randomly wanted milk instead of meals and it only took about 5 minutes to defrost so the stuff in the freezer should be okay for when you're out.

ladybirdintheuk

Izzy worked out how to roll from front to back this aftrnoon. She has forgotten how now but remembers doing it, so is getting cross she can't do it again. (that's what it looks like anyway). I'm sure she will be an expert by the end of the weekend, but right now (well, after this feed) I think it will be time for a different game!

r.mac_2

ladybird that's great - well done Izzy!!

Sami/Caz - what little cheeky boys your have - but they made me laugh (is that bad!!!). When Ananbel was meant to be going to sleep a few nights ago she kept smiling and chatting with me - I eventually had to leave the room and give her to DH as I kept laughing so much!!!

I just had to tell someone - I have just managed to express a whole 5oz. I am soooooooooo pleased with myself. first time I've ever had anything more than 2oz in one go (using both breasts). I think that means I'm entiteld to celebrate with a glass of vino and take away tonight

emlou2009

you enjoy that vino, you've earned it!!