January 2018 Babies Club

mojesius

Hi saggycraggy, I had 3 bad tears with stitches and daily baths definitely helped (no bubble bath or salts or anything)...after 3 weeks I'm off painkillers and starting to feel a bit normal.

As for the mastitis, one of my breasts was very suddenly engorged, felt like a lumpy rock within an hour and there was a sore area with very hard, white lumps. I tried expressing but only got 50mls out, then tried getting daughter to feed more often (she feeds every couple of hours and sometimes cluster feeds so hard to increase it). She was able to 'deflate' it more by the next morning after night feeds but I rang my GP anyway and they said to come in that afternoon. By the time I got to the doctor, the breast was starting to go red and felt hot. Seems to be worse at night. Gp said I caught it early so should clear up in a few days after antibiotics.

Other signs are fluey symptoms, temperature, pain in lymph nodes under arms, and feeling tired (which we always feel!). I went to bed at 8pm last night which was very early for me, but I was wiped.

If you think you have it at anytime, just go to the gp to be safe.

New farmers wife

I had an episiotomy too and 4 days later I was crippled, it hurt to do anything at all, even sit or lie down. The following day I think some stitches popped the relief was unbelievable! I only have one stitch which I'm considering going to get checked out bcos either side of that stitch is open.
How long before ye drove after episiotomy? I think I've just been over cautious about driving. DH has his paternity leave so I haven't needed to drive on on own!

bee06

I still haven’t driven 5 weeks later. The thought of sitting on the car seat makes my eyes water. For me I think a lot of it is in my head at this stage. I spent so long (3 weeks) in a lot of pain and being so careful that I’m finding it difficult to transition back for “normal” sitting etc. My little fella has his 6 week check on Friday so I’ll have to drive to the Gp but it’s only 5 mins away. Hopefully I’ll be much better again in a week!

Pocos

Regarding mastitis I’m currently on antibiotics for it too! Pretty much as another poster said it’s the flu like symptoms that come first! I woke up at 2am last Saturday morning thinking I had the flu! Felt aches, high temperature and a rotten headache! Baby girl had woken and I literally cried for an hour as I am exclusively breast feeding so I had to get up with her but I was SOOOO tired! That was the beginning of my symptoms.. not until lunchtime on Saturday did I think it was mastitis! It was my husband who mentioned I had complained Friday night about a pain in one of my boobs!

So my experience with mastitis its like the flu with a red sore and engorged breast which is sore to touch! And the flu with a 3 week old baby! Not nice!

Antibiotic took about 3 days to kick in! Was pretty miserable for a few days! Get the antibiotic ASAP! I went to care doc on the Sunday morning and probably should have went sooner..

saggycaggy

Awe God girls the mastitus sounds horrendous, and like with the pain down below you just want to feel normal so you can look after your baby.
We had our bathroom done up last year and had wet room style shower in and bath taken out.....I'd kill for a bath right now:(

We were back in the Rotunda for the heel prick test today so the bit of walking has me banjaxed now and then in there we were told the public health nurse could have called around and done it at home yesterday!!
Anyway done now and I'm back in the couch -rest rest rest:p

Pocos

Saggycraggy yes the mastitis is pretty rough I’ll be honest! But we got through it! Husband was great so that helped a lot! Some say it’s the bodies way of telling you to slow down too!

God I’ll be honest I had an episiotomy and a 3a tear! I was given ten days of prescription pain killers which I got on the way home from hospital and I really didn’t feel much pain! Then when painkillers were gone a little bit of pain but not to the point where walking hurt! Did you get any meds? Madness sending you home sore and unable to walk with a newborn baby!!! Maybe ring your doctor and explain you are in a lot of pain! I was on diafene (probably not correct spelling!) 3 a day for ten days! They worked brilliantly!

bee06

Pocos wrote: »

Saggycraggy yes the mastitis is pretty rough I’ll be honest! But we got through it! Husband was great so that helped a lot! Some say it’s the bodies way of telling you to slow down too!

God I’ll be honest I had an episiotomy and a 3a tear! I was given ten days of prescription pain killers which I got on the way home from hospital and I really didn’t feel much pain! Then when painkillers were gone a little bit of pain but not to the point where walking hurt! Did you get any meds? Madness sending you home sore and unable to walk with a newborn baby!!! Maybe ring your doctor and explain you are in a lot of pain! I was on diafene (probably not correct spelling!) 3 a day for ten days! They worked brilliantly!

You were lucky! I was taking 2 Difene and 8 paracetamol a day for the first two weeks and was still in pain.

Saggycaggy, did you say your PHN was coming to weigh the baby soon? If so ask her to check your stitches just to make sure they aren’t coming apart and there is no infection. Could you get a sitz bath somewhere? It wouldn’t be the same as a real one but might help.

My husband used to get up in the middle of the night to take the baby out of the crib and put him back in because I couldn’t get into or out of bed holding him.

saggycaggy

Thanks girls, I guess it's only been 5days so I should expect the pain and discomfort....the midwife was stitching for a good while!
I'll double check with the public health nurse on Monday too. Thanks!
It's great to get first hand advice from you ladies who are going through it too.

New farmers wife

I have the same, 2 difene and 8 paracetamol, but once the tightness went last Monday the pain eased.
I had really bad baby blues on my first baby, it lasted weeks and weeks. This time I just have wobbles every now and again, like this morning I felt like she worst mother in she world as our daughter was totally looking for attention, running through all her toys kicking them around the floor, knocking stuff to the ground as she passed, really not like her but then again the mother in law gave her two biscuits about 8.30 this morning before she even had breakfast.
Of course I'm feeling under the weather, aches, pains, sore throat and a cold!

shesty

She wants your attention farmerswife, just expect any and all behaviour over the next few weeks!Plus having MIL there is something outside the ordinary.you kind of have to mix kindness and firmness to acknowledge the massive change in their lives but hold firm on the ground rules all the same.It's really tough, I found the first eight weeks or so very hard, awful guilt.Until I eventually realised I had to forgive myself and just do my best for both of them.They do accept it easier if they realise you are somewhat understanding of them, but it's such a hard balance.

New farmers wife

shesty wrote: »

She wants your attention farmerswife, just expect any and all behaviour over the next few weeks!Plus having MIL there is something outside the ordinary.you kind of have to mix kindness and firmness to acknowledge the massive change in their lives but hold firm on the ground rules all the same.It's really tough, I found the first eight weeks or so very hard, awful guilt.Until I eventually realised I had to forgive myself and just do my best for both of them.They do accept it easier if they realise you are somewhat understanding of them, but it's such a hard balance.

Thanks shesty, it's a tough one when you go from guilt to giving out to hugs and snuggles. The weather has been so bad that she's missing out on being outside. So I reckon any good days we need to go to the park or put little man in the pram and go outside and play. She's the best in the world, today was pure divilment!
It's gas really you could give out and next thing you know you're in the horrors laughing at her!

shesty

I know, my elder needs a good run every day.It settles after the first six weeks or so when your body has recovered a bit and you can get out more wih her!

FirstTimeMom

Can anyone say how flexible Holles Street are with visiting times? I know it says 6-8pm online for anyone other than partners!

New farmers wife

How are all the mammy and babies doing?

donkey10

New farmers wife wrote: »

How are all the mammy and babies doing?

Great so far! Little man is 3 weeks old at this stage. He is starting to stay up a good few hours diring the day like 5/6. Hes sleeping through for a straight 5 hours at night and would have a quick feed and then go back for anothet 4 hours. Hope thats normal for his age!

Have got in 2 long walks so far his week . Stitches seem to be healing well. Although yesterday when passing stools i noticed some blood im hoping its not haemorids

New farmers wife

My little man has been sleeping anywhere between 3.5-6 hours at night, like your boy it's a bottle, nappy change and straight back down.

When I had a tear on my girl I started passing blood but I had a tiny little like a paper but tear, I got a prescription but the cream was going to be like €100, it cleared up by itself.

donkey10

New farmers wife wrote: »

My little man has been sleeping anywhere between 3.5-6 hours at night, like your boy it's a bottle, nappy change and straight back down.

When I had a tear on my girl I started passing blood but I had a tiny little like a paper but tear, I got a prescription but the cream was going to be like €100, it cleared up by itself.

Ya i thought it strange coz hadnt noticed it before now. So u ended up not gettjng it?

Thats really good its great when they get a food run at it at least we are not as exhausted then. I prefer them to be up during the day

New farmers wife

My girl never slept during the day until she was 6 months and went into her cot in her own room. She'd sleep if you were willing to sit under her. Then she started sleeping 12 hours and has done so since then.
He's awake the last two hours, trying to doze off but has only just done so now.
I need to go buy bottles the weekend.

Yeah I never bought the cream, I just persevered, I went on holiday then and it cleared up. It was really painful but such a tiny little cut!

Pocos

New farmers wife wrote: »

How are all the mammy and babies doing?

5 weeks old and starting to sleep longer at night. Starting to get into some sort of rhythm but still completely winging it!

I hope everyone else is doing well! Great all the babies sleeping 6 hours! That’s amazing!

saggycaggy

FINALLY getting around to replying here!! The baby is constantly stuck to me and hard to reply on phone so I'm grabbing a few mins now
All going great here, he's just over 2 weeks old and back above his birth weight and sleeping and eating loads.
The Dr checked out my stitches too and all healing well, I feel 100 times better than even this time last week.
Anyone had many growth spurts with their little ones? I think mine is going through one and was feeding for hour and hours yesterday so I'm stuck to the couch, hard when I've 2 others to look after too!

mojesius

Good to hear you're doing well. Mine had her first growth spurt at 1 week and another last week at 4 weeks. Literally from the Ireland v France rugby game until Tues of that week she was glued to me. But, since then she has settled a lot. Longer naps, more alert/curious and LOVES the bath. Think we saw a proper smile this morning with her nana... it's all paying off

Can't imagine how difficult the bf must be, especially the cluster feeding with two other kids. You have my respect as I found going to get a cup of tea a major challenge.

Toots

My little one decided to scream from midnight to 2am last night (I slept through it, my lovely hubby took her into the living room to try and calm her down) then she slept from 2am until 7.45 this morning! My alarm went off at 6.30 to feed her and I nearly had a heart attack when she was still asleep, I thought there was something wrong with her, but I think she was just exhausted from all the crying. We reckon it was wind, because my hubby was saying if he kept her upright she'd fall asleep, but as soon as he lay her down she'd start bawling again. I'm hoping it was just wind and not colic - my little boy had colic and it was awful. He'd cry from 6pm til 10pm every night, you could set your watch by him.

Other than that, she's doing great. She's back above her birth weight again - was 4.71kg at birth, then dropped to 4.6kg when the PHN was out last week, and had her 2 week check today and is up to 4.84kg, and the breastfeeding is going well. We had a lactation consultant out on Monday which was definitely a huge help, just to know we were doing it right and to get some tips etc. I expressed all my milk last time, so with the bottle I was able to see exactly how much my son was taking, whereas when they're taking it directly from the boob there's no way to tell how much they've taken and I was worried she wasn't getting enough.

I haven't had pain from my stitches since about 2 days after we got home from the hospital, but my pelvis is really achy. I wonder if I'm going to need to go to physio to get it sorted out or if it'll ease off after a couple of weeks and keeping up the pelvic floor exercises.

rainbow kirby

I have similar pelvic pain Toots, front of it hurts like hell if I'm in the car for too long or if I sit on a hard chair. Never had anything like it after my older son was born so it's a bit strange this time...

Toots

rainbow kirby wrote: »

I have similar pelvic pain Toots, front of it hurts like hell if I'm in the car for too long or if I sit on a hard chair. Never had anything like it after my older son was born so it's a bit strange this time...

Same, I didn't have this last time around at all. I dunno if it's just having had a second baby has taken it's toll on my skeleton :pac: or perhaps it's just strained from carrying around a ten and a half pound baby! My husband did mention earlier on that last time round I had an episiotomy and was in pain from the stitches for weeks afterwards, so maybe I had the pain in my pelvis too but the pain from the stitches was worse so I didn't notice as much, whereas I only had a very small tear this time so I'm noticing the pelvic pain because there's no pain from the stitches.

donkey10

My fella was having difficulty sleeping a few nights in a row so we ended up putting him into the bed with us. Stupid i know but it was either that or have him go to sleep in my arms and i was afraid when i drifted off that he might fall.

We have the chicco next to me and started realisibg the other day that he was too cold in it. When he was put in after drifting off in my arms he would wake up 5 mins later.

Now i wrap a small cellular blanket around him wheb feeding, and lie a furry blanket on the matress underneath him and cover with a larger cellular. Its amazing the difference when i realised he was cold. Would never have thought it as the room is 19/20 degrees but the furry blanket underneath him and wrappin him really made all the difference

heldel00

Oh jesus girls I'm after having a horrendous 2 weeks. Long story short i was with a consultant orthopaedic surgeon yesterday. I have a viral infection in the nerve in my shoulder. The pain has been horrendous.
GP has me on a morphine based tablet, a nerve pain blocker and difene suppositories. That is not even killing the pain just dulling it. Its a different kind of pain. I couldn't even describe it.
The scary part was that i lost complete power in my shoulder last Friday and ended up in A+E on Saturday morning. They put me on a drip with a painkiller in it and wanted to admit me but i refused.
Worst bit is that i can't do anything for my little dolly. I'm completely helpless. My arm is flapping around me as if i had had a stroke. My husband had to take time off work and my mam is here when he can't be. I can't stay on my own with the children in case anything happened.
Have a real case of Mammy guilt. If i even want to lift her up for a cuddle i have to grab her by the buttons on her babygro and lift her like a sack of spuds.
I'm so lucky that she is a great little baby and my 2yr old is a dream toddler. She is sleeping until 6/6:30am every night but I'm walking the floors with the pain. It's a disaster!!!
(That ended up being not such a short story but i needed to rant!)

Toots

Ah jesus, that's awful, you poor thing! Is there anything else they can give you to try and help get rid of the virus, like antiviral meds or anything? Or have they told you how long it's likely to last?

heldel00

No meds for it I'm afraid. He showed me an exercise to do to bring the power back to my shoulder. Wouldnt even prescribe stronger painkillers in case i took a reaction and wouldn't be able to see him in a hurry. I argued that surely thats what a+e is for!!! Could last weeks or months. I had acupuncture today but no relief as of yet. Maybe I'm expecting a bit much too soon?

Toots

Hmm, I'm not sure, a lot of accupuncture things I looked at said they could take up to 24 hours before you feel the full effect. Have they suggested seeing a physio? Although I suppose if it's pain from a viral infection a physio might not be able to do much for the pain, but perhaps could help getting a bit of the strength back. I think the thing with the painkillers is if you take a bad reaction to them, it can get very serious very fast. My hubby's aunt got prescribed some really strong painkillers for a nerve problem (sciatica I think) and suddenly became very unwell, to the point that an ambulance was called because she was in such a state.

heldel00

Yeah i suppose he is being cautious and rightly so. He doesn't know my medical history and is really just there to deal with the physical end of things. I'll go back to GP in the morn and see what they can do for me.