MSE Parents Club Part 15

Clive_Woody

threemuttleys wrote: »

yes, I do alternate (but I admit with sleeplessness I have forgotten which one we used last on one or two occasions) I have tried squeezing some out...but makes no difference to him struggling with one or his hunger.

Babies cry (lots sometimes), one thing you don't want him to do is train you to come running at every cry. I am not saying ignore him, but if he is warm, fed, comfy and safe then a few moments alone crying (or longer if you know he needs a sleep) will do no harm.

My wife used to keep a note pad to record the start time of each feed and which side she started on. Both ours are beyond breast feeding, but I know she still has the note pads tucked away (we go through a lot of them).

One bit of advice that worked well for us is not to be afraid to wake the little one up if he dozes off while feeding to make sure they get a proper feed (and avoid snacking) and feeds on both sides each time if possible. Obviously this is variable, but they will go longer between feeds if they have a decent feed each time. Toe tickling worked well with ours to wake them up. Ours were both sleeping through the night from around 6 weeks (I know we were lucky and this will not work for all) and I honestly believe this was down to encouring little ones to have a decent feed everytime they latch on.

Congratualtions and enjoy your time with baby, they grow up so fast.

Chakani

We had this problem at the same age, and the only solution I found was to go cold turkey. I threw all the dummies in the bin, so I couldn't give in. I have very vivid memories of sitting in a chair holding a howling baby while my friend sat with me telling me it was going to be ok, and it would pass. She was right. It took about 2-3 days, and we had no problem after that, but it was hard. I would love to hear if anyone has found an alternative answer that isn't so hard on the ears.

tiamai_d

Congratulations Always!!!!

My hospital is very supportive of VBAC's and it was my chosen meathod of delivering Amber but as things turned out, an elective was better fvor our circumstances (she had to come a bit earlier). Don't google. Ask if your hospital/care team have a VBAC clinic. Mine did with midwives trained for VBAC's and you could go along and talk everything through with them, meet other women who are wanting VBAC's and basically, put you at ease with the whole thing.

More poorlies today, it's not good.

CAFC, sorry you can't come to the meet Anything we can do?

clairec79

If he prefers one side it may be that he prefers to lie on one side - I've known some babies feed cross cradle off one boob and rugby ball on the other (so they are still lying on their right/left side.

My son will only feed lying down off the left breast - I have no idea why, if I'm sitting up he'll take either

All sounds normal though

threemuttleys

thank you for the many replies...am now trying to type on handed...have an Alex!

it was the HV who suggested that a dummy would help (my mum said the same) it does seem to help his Colic, and to settle. She said that as he had put on weight at his weigh in, a dummy wouldnt be a problem and neither would me expressing some milk for him and OH. Also she said that there have been some very recent studies that state that dummies help prevent SIDS. tho I have to admit I really dont like them!

Also..another thing I needed to ask...Oh has a cold, and I think im on the beginning of one...so what can I do to help Alex if he gets it? All the baby meds state they are for 2mos onwards

threemuttleys

I dont have a suggestion, my DS is the same!

honeypop

mrsa wrote: »

I use a hairband on my wrist that reminds me which side to feed frrom first next time. just remember to switch it when you feeding! !

I did this, and it was a sure way never to forget which side was next to go.

Regarding the not wanting to feed on one side, my DS never fed from both sides in one feed. I always offered him the other side at first, but after a while I knew he was never going to have it and gave up. He fed fully from one side at a time. Also, he would feed 'traditional' style from one side, but wouldn't really settle properly like that the other side, so I held him 'rugby hold' style for the other side and he was fine. Maybe he just liked laying on that particular side of his body to feed or something, I don't know, but it ensured he was laying the same way whichever side he fed from and he liked that a lot better.

And as for stimulation, honestly you do enough with him for 4 weeks! As long as my son could see someone or something interesting and could hear music or talking, he was happy. Didn't have to be constantly amused, or picked up all the time, and I am so thankful I didn't fret too much over it in the early days as ever since (still now at 16 months) he has always been happy to entertain himself for a while and loves playing by himself - although is very good at playing with other toddlers too, so didn't turn out the loner some people said he would because he didn't get constant attention!

Don't feel bad about finding him crying and you didn't hear him, if it worries you at all then get a cheapo baby monitor so you can hear when he gets really upset.

Not enough people told me this when I had DS - you're doing just fine!

EDIT: Just read the above posts after I finished posting and got confused as while I was typing it must have got merged in with the parent thread. Thought I'd then posted a random reply to something completely irrelevant! Time for some biscuits to help me feel better...

Glad

threemuttleys wrote: »

Hello all.

Im not sure im putting this in the right place, so please move if it is wrong.

Please be gentle as I am a first time mum

Alex is 4 weeks old tomorrow, everything is (or was) going ok..but im starting to struggle and im hoping some experienced mummies (and daddies can help)

Im finding it difficult to know what to "do" to entertain him when he is awake...im desperate to ensure that he develops properly, but most of the toys that are from birth, arent really suitable for a baby who cannot sit up, or doesnt yet have hand co ordintation. I play music all the time, we have a playgym, I lay him on his tummy for a few mins at a time, we go for walks with the mutts (sling) is there something I am missing?

He also seems to throw up an awful lot, pretty much after every feed, and when I get him up after a nap or sleep, he has puke all down his sleepsuit/clothes. I breast feed, and burp after every feed. On advice of HV he has Infacol (he gets very gripey/colicy) seems to help, and she also suggested a dummy (which we do use, tho he doesnt seem that interested in them)

Also in the afternoons/early evening, he doesnt nothing but feed...im wondering if my boobs are giving him enough? He will feed solidly off one, and then I will offer the other one. Very rarely takes it, so I put him back down (after burping) within mins he is crying to be fed, so ends up with the other one. What am I doing wrong?

Please help xx

Hi and congratulations on your lovely baby

as your thread isn't strictly moneysaving I've merged it into the parent club thread where you'll get lots of advice and support from other mummies

always29

aless02 wrote: »

Always, :eek:! You can't be preggers, you had a baby just before I did! :eek: :eek: How's work going, are they going to freak?

(actually, I'm secretly jealous because if we had the means, I would totally be there with you right now )

I go back to work Jan 4th - have no idea what they'll say (well not to my face anyway!) so not worrying about that yet although knowing hopefully I'll only be there 6 months will make it a LOT easier!

susanc thanks for the links

r.mac the cs last time was the result of an induction that failed to progress after a lot of to-ing and fro-ing about when to induce with my bp issues, in the end I was induced with 2 pessaries and a drip at 40+12 after 3 sweeps, with DS arriving 40 hours after start of induction. He really didn't want to come out!!!

Glad

strawberrypud wrote: »

My 5 month old has a dummy to help her get off to sleep but it is creating more problems than helping. While she is trying to fall asleep she constantly puts her hands to her mouth and knocks it out and she is too strong (and dislikes) being swaddled so I have to keep popping the damn thing back in for daytime naps and nighttime sleep. Also I am up upto 20 times during the night to replace it. I am actually being referred to a physio and am on painkillers for chronic neck/back pain because of this very problem!

I tried putting her down for her nap this afternoon without it and just a favourite toy but she screamed for an hour until I relented and gave her a dummy.

If I carry on with this how old will she be when she stops knocking it out of her mouth/can replace it herself or how do I go about breaking the habit?

Any advice would help x

Hi

as your thread isn't strictly moneysaving I've merged it into the parent club thread where you'll get lots of advice and support from other mummies