New baby / post birth advice

[mg89]

He was on the standard aptamil, his reflux was so bad for about 2 weeks, we went through about 3 outfit changes everyday cause after every feed he’d projectile vomit all down himself! It broke my heart
I’ve heard of kendamil but couldn’t find it anywhere
Is it thickened formula? Or does it contain certain ingredients to prevent it an upset tum?

You can get kendamil on amazon or delivered from their website; if my little one wasn't CMPA it would be what I would give him! no palm and fish oil in, full fat milk etc. Lots of people with babies with reflux find it really helps.

we tried that because my GP refused to put my baby on medication so early on but it didnt work for us as she has silent reflux so it wasn’t much use as she was never sick and just made her constipated. We tried carobel with her normal formula as well which helped a bit for a few days but again as she wasn’t sick there was no point in thickening up her feed when it didnt help.

We’ve finally been given infant gaviscon, which helps sometimes, but some days it wont touch the silent reflux she is much more settled at night though which is a relief

We were on gaviscon as well but did nothing except constipate him! he's now on omeprazole which was much more effective

 

[Stimpii]

The hospital i gave birth with my first two wouldn't let babies leave without first being seen in a car seat.
A friend of mine gave birth at the same hospital and she didn't have a car seat as she and her husband don't drive but they had to borrow one to leave, the hospital told them that even if she is going home via public transport the baby should be in a car seat so they wanted to see that that was in place.
We're in Wales it might be different elsewhere

With my first 2 we didn’t have a car and we were allowed to go home with baby in the pram. I only lived a 5 min walk away from the hospital. I’m in England.

 

[Hbirdette]

Night nappies like pull ups? I wouldn’t, I don’t think they are as good as nappies. If I were you I’d size up for night time, or if they size you’re looking for has a “+” size then get those (I think they start at 4+).

I know what you mean but not pull ups... hmm that’s a good idea I might try that

 

[Cocosilver]

Thank you everyone

 

[Definitelyme]

Thank you so much! It's so hard isn't it. I have a 4 year old too so the mum guilt about not getting him out and about as much as he's used too, is huge. I'm trying to think positive but proving difficult. I have spoken to my midwife about my mood and we are keeping an eye on it. Its not like me to be down!
I completely understand about the sitting etc. I'm just about the house with a dress on trying to get the air to it but not ideal
I'm hoping this second course of antibiotics will help. I also feel bad for moaning as it was my choice to have a section where some people have no choice! Silly probably but crazy what our minds and hormones do. Thank you for replying! One day at a time hey! Xxx


Thank you lovely! So glad you haven't experienced this! I do air dry a lot and that's that's really helps. As soon as I put clothes on it gets irritated and weeps. Very frustrating as I thought I'd be on little walks etc by now. No symptoms of infection which is good but also so scary how it could of been missed! Luckily it was my husband who pushed for me to ring my midwife! Xxx

Your husband is a good one It is so hard when you have an older one not picking them up, and not being able to get out and about. But try to remember this 6 weeks is a relatively short time period (in comparison to the year!) even when it sometimes feels like forever. I had a really low point around the end of week 3, I just was so BORED of being in my house, I felt lonely (even with a toddler at home) and was sore and miserable. I found as well, particularly with my last section, I didn’t get better as quickly as I imagined. I seemed to plateau for a few weeks, then get a bit better, and then stay like that again for a few weeks rather than steadily improving IYKWIM. Fingers crossed you feel better in all respects really soon x

ETA: around this time last week (so I was 4 weeks PP) I found my scar starting to scab and the scans were actually rubbing on the skin and making me very uncomfortable, especially when I bent down. So just watch out for that as well, as my scans caught on my clothes once or twice and it did not feel good

 

[mg89]

Thanks so much ladies, you’ve made me feel a lot better re: dummy. There’s so much unnecessary pressure on mother’s to do things the ‘right’ way, breastfeeding, no dummies, etc

Now the question is, is there a brand of dummy you favour? He’s been on a MAM 0-2 months dummy and has been taking to that, I’ve got a few Tommee Tippee ones but I was looking into those BIBS dummies that are a bit overpriced? Does anyone recommend them? Does it even matter what brand?

We used the MAM ones, the 0-2 at firdt then moved him onto the bigger ones. I tried other brands of bottle and dummy and he just couldn't get the hang of them?! His mouth was like this trying to latch onto them.

Two people told me that the Tesco dummies are basically just the MAM ones but without the price tag!

My son never took to a dummy, I tried a few different brands but just never worked. When he was about 8 months old he really took to comforters and still uses these for bedtime and he's 2! I believe in just doing what you thinks right for you and baby!

Im also in the same board with the pregnancy weight. I'd love to get to manage a walk a day but how do you all manage this with a toddler and newborn? I have a fabric wrap sling but I wouldn't feel safe putting baby in this to go for a walk (I know they're perfectly safe if used correctly but I'm really paranoid and anxious she might fall out or I've not put it on right!). Weve been going a walk more recently when my partners off so it's much easier with the 2 kids

Could you join your local sling library for support with it?
There are also some fab baby wearing facebook groups that you can upload a pic/video to and the admins help with positioning, tips etc. For the Fabric ones I bought the koala one that basically goes on like a t-shirt, not tying it up and worrying if it's on right!

 

[HeyLetsGo]

I totally get that! I’m surprised at how many people use the plates with the different sections in them. I grew up with, let’s say not great eating habits and I always used to separate my food so the idea of one of those plates is really odd to me!

Yeah! I’ve never used those plates for my little girl, and she’s naturally a little bit fussy about having things mixed up on her plate. I’ve always just given her a plate of food the same as ours so no idea where it comes from, but yeah I imagine those divided plates make that sort of thing much worse.

 

[OIM]

When you feel up to it there are sensory classes on YouTube that saved me through lockdown!

Ooh this sounds good. Going to check it out when the youngest is in nursery.

Lockdown has made it much harder to feel like going out I’ve found. I don’t want to be out with a tiny baby that needs feeding and have to sit outside in the cold. With my first I used to spend a lot of time at fiends houses with her and that’s it’s not an option this time round. We do 2 classes a week but basically for my sanity!

 

[Definitelyme]

My son never took to a dummy, I tried a few different brands but just never worked. When he was about 8 months old he really took to comforters and still uses these for bedtime and he's 2! I believe in just doing what you thinks right for you and baby!

Im also in the same board with the pregnancy weight. I'd love to get to manage a walk a day but how do you all manage this with a toddler and newborn? I have a fabric wrap sling but I wouldn't feel safe putting baby in this to go for a walk (I know they're perfectly safe if used correctly but I'm really paranoid and anxious she might fall out or I've not put it on right!). Weve been going a walk more recently when my partners off so it's much easier with the 2 kids

You could use the sling round the house a few times to get used to it and feel more confident. The only problem I find at this time of year is I get so hit and sweaty on a long walk when they are in the sling and it’s so uncomfortable and sticky. So I have baby in the sling and my older kids and my toddler walk, or toddler goes in the buggy if it’s a longer walk (we don’t actually have a pram for the baby, he’s always in the sling) but if she’s walking we don’t go far so not much actual exercise.

 

[Tui]

I didn’t notice any change in my hair in pregnancy so hoping I don’t lose any hair, I will end up bald!! When did you find it started coming out? Currently 8w pp

 

[HoneyBee29]

Hi ladies. Just after a bit of advice did anybody’s period really change after you’d a baby? I’m 4 months pp and have had my period 3 times since and it’s been coming regularly once a month but it’s so heavy it’ll be light the first day and then it’s like a bloodbath for 2 days and I’m having to wear maternity pads it’s that heavy and then starts to slow down on the 3rd day and then completely stops. I don’t want to go to the dr tbh cause they’ll probably just stick me on the pill which I don’t want. I don’t know tbh if my periods are still regulating or what. Did this happen to anybody else and did the flow ever get a bit lighter eventually? I am planning on going on birth control soon but I don’t want the pill, injection or implant as planned to try and get pregnant again within the next 2/3 years. Im planning on trying out the patch but I think you have to go to on the pill to help with period flow I’m not sure if the patch will help with that

 

[Tui]

Just had my first experience of projectile poo all over me and the carpet, I guess that’s good going 20 days in!

I’m also struggling with keeping my sanity and breastfeeding. He’s just constantly on me and when he falls asleep and if I try to put him down in the basket he’ll wake straight away. The past few nights I’ve slept (attempted to) on the sofa in the living room as our bedroom is so warm, it’s just exhausting. I think I’m just missing some independence and sleep!

I’m thinking of starting combi feeding, at least introducing one formula bottle (for some reason I’m just not able to express!) in the morning so my partner can do a morning feed and I can have an hour or so sleep, but I don’t know why, I just feel so bad and guilty for it??? I’ve always said I wouldn’t put pressure on myself when it came to breastfeeding but for some reason I just have guilt when it comes to introducing one bottle feed!

I’ve asked the midwives tips on introducing a bottle, I don’t even know how many oz would be enough for one bottle feed at 3 weeks, but they’ve been so clueless and not very helpful.

He also isn’t at his birth weight yet, very slowly gaining, midwives aren’t too concerned. They said csection babies who have had a traumatic birth can slowly gain? But I’d hope a formula bottle would help with that.

I understand the feeling of wanting to give a bottle but feeling guilty. I’ve resisted it so far (which isn’t the right terminology as nothing wrong with combi or bottle feeding yet I feel guilty for even wanting to give him a bottle of expressed milk). I don’t really know what I want. I see friends whose baby takes a bottle and they can go out to the pub for a few hours with friends or go get their hair or nails done. I feel chained to my baby and he feeds up to every 1.5h and I would be so worried he was crying for a feed while I was out I wouldn’t enjoy myself. Yet the the thought of someone else being able to feed him who isn’t me almost makes me over protective of that being the one thing only I can do?

rambling now but I understand that torn feeling for something that shouldn’t make you feel guilty but does!

 

[littlepup]

With regards to your sling, what makes you think baby doesn’t like it? What sort of sling have you got?

Sorry only now coming back to this. I have a long stretchy fabric type but it is very, very long so it's a little difficult to tie.
She gets upset when I put her in but I feel like her legs mightn't be in the correct position or she's too low perhaps.
It could be partially however that the moment she comes near me she wants boob. She'll happily sit on others but me she wants to feed/comfort feed all the time apparently

 

[Stimpii]

Okay so mum tums, how do I dress it? Really struggling to find clothes that suit. It was winter last time I had my son I could wear big jumpers but it’s too hot now, also struggling to find dresses with buttons for breastfeeding

Anything high waisted. Or pulling in knickers with a dress.

I literally still live in leggings and a t shirt.

 

[Definitelyme]

@moimoi I’ve never woken any of my babies to feed them (they usually woke themselves and me ), I think a 5hr stretch at 5 weeks is absolutely fine, and I wouldn’t worry at all. Hope you werent too full and sore, that’s the bad part of them sleeping longer stretches!

I have a bit of a sensitive issue and don’t really know where appropriate to ask but you guys always give the best advice so apologies it’s not new baby related but toddler related..
my son is 2.5 and keeps waking up from his nap distraught and pulling at his nappy because he has an erection. I’ve tried taking the nappy off thinking it was painful against it but then he wanted it back on and was even more upset I took it off. At the moment I’m just letting him cry it out as I don’t know what to do. Has anyone else had experience with this? It’s just the last 2 weeks but I feel a bit useless

I think a quick chat with the HV or GP may help put your mind at rest, I’ve no experience of this at all, but it sounds really distressing for you both

 

[Pinkii]

Does anyone else’s baby just whine and get frustrated whatever position they are in?

she can’t seem to stay in any position for more than a few minutes and then gets whiney, tried flat, side, tummy time, bouncer, everything is short lived not sure if its reflux related, my eldest was like this but not till she was a bit older and probably felt restricted

 

[Lulu Goss]

Ladies what prams/travel systems do you have for your little ones and how much did you pay? I'm due in July and just started looking for a pram and there's just too much choice!

Haven’t had my baby yet (just like to be nosey on this thread to have a look at what I can expect once they’re here ) but we ordered our pram this week. I went for the joie versatrax travel system. It included all the bits for the pram, the carrycot, two car seats and the isofix base and was £500.

 

[moimoi]

Hi moimoi, I discovered a complete life saver just on the off chance when I was buying nappies in boots one day. The nuby rapid cool flask, it cools water to the correct temperature for a feed in 2 mins. NHS approved! No filter needed, doesn’t need charging and is lightweight to fit in your changing bag if you’re out and about!
£30!
We were doing the boiling the kettle and waiting for it to cool down, this was a huge faff especially during the first few weeks, a screaming baby at 11pm, 1am and beyond is not fun I’m gutted it didn’t release until he was 8 weeks old. I recommend this to all expectant parents now!

Nuby RapidCool Perfect Preparation Flask - Boots

Buy Nuby RapidCool Perfect Preparation Flask and Collect 4 Advantage Card Points when you spend £1.

www.boots.com

That looks amazing, thanks for sharing!

 

[OIM]

I think il have to invest in some of that, thank you. I think now the worlds opening up abit I need to look half decent and not like I’ve been dragged through a bush backwards
I haven’t tried a cup, they look fiddly and I’m super clumsy so can see myself dropping it everywhere and it looking like a bloodbath please say that periods start to get lighter as the months go on…

Two pregnancies in and my periods are defintiely heavier than pre babies. I remember with my first I had my first period after birth at Xmas and bled all over the mother in laws dining room chairs. I was absolutely mortified.

 

[mg89]

5.05am wake up this morning, wide awake and would not go down. Getting earlier by the day!!