December 2011: Scratching, squeezing, hatching and latching...

[LittleMissHumbuggery]

...and those of us left are doing a fair bit of bitching:o

I wonder if we could get a [pompoms] going on? Do we have the energy for a campaign?

Right, come on! We're a third of the way through the month and Nickelbabe needs new recruits for her advent thread. Get squeezing:o

Well done lmf, a clean house is yours! I hoovered and decluttered lots of upstairs today, feel virtuous if decidedly non-labouring (arse.)

This week has felt decidedly surreal and a bit disjointed, I have a feeling of limbo about at as despite all efforts I'm just a bit obsessed fixated. Thanks girls for putting up with my frequent whinges!!

Still, the DDs seem happy enough now (we had a sticking, jigsaw and practicing magic-tricks day) and apart from being a bit embarrasingly rude to various relatives who are still ringing up, we're doing OK really. hot thai curry for dinner and plan to drool over Sherlock on the telly. Hope you're all hanging in there for our first day of 2012!

The very muddy walk saved the day here, they all came back wet, muddy and having had lots of fun. Went straight into the bath then we had hot chocolate.

The living room is almost back to normal after the Christmas onslaught of toys!

aethel joining you in the drooling! Well, when DD1 eventually goes to sleep!

I'll be drooling tomorrow, that Mr Cumberbatch certainly is easy on the eye:)

Just had a weepy hormonal moment for no reason. As you do. Going to bed now, and going to try to keep busy for the rest of the week. Not got mental energy for tears.

Hi all, had a day on the futon skin-to-skin but it didn't really help bf, she crawls up my chest as soon as I put her on me skin-to-skin to get to my breast but can't get to the nipple and gets massively frustrated and bawls crying. But it was nice to snuggle up together and hang out. She is so soft and cute and gorgeous, I am beginning to be totally in love with her. It took me a good ten days though, the baby blues really knocked me for six. I am feeling a lot more normal again the past few days and have not cried for a couple of days after spending the first week/ten days bawling for half the day. And I am just loving mini-mopsy so much now. Is lovely.

I had a cocktail today - had been longing for it throughout the whole 9 months so decided to give in to the temptation today after a feed. Really enjoyed drinking it but it gave me a killer headache. I clearly am just so unused to the booze that my body can't cope. Have drunk masses of water and taken paracetamol to no avail so will have to go to bed.

Here's to a wonderful 2012 and fingers crossed not TOO many sleepless nights, and that we all cope wonderfully and can enjoy our babies instead of being sleepless zombie wrecks!

If you can take them, ibuprofen are much better for headaches and are out of your system quicker than paracetamol. Hope you feel better soon:)

Morning all.

I have had about >--< much sleep. I might possibly be grumpy. There may need to be a gigantic milky coffee when I have to go out later.

I want my abdomen back! It was fat and flabby, but it didn't care how inlaid on it and it didn't launch elbowed protests at stupid hours of the morning!

Onwards?

well just got 5 hrs sleep bless him once he's down he stays down long may it continue, night feed a bit late as a consequence hopefully can get another hour once he's finished.

Mopsy it seems we have the opposite problem Danny latches within seconds but I just can't satisfy him he can be in the breast 15 minutes each side and scream the house down if I take him off and it doesn't matter what time of day I express I only get drops. The most I've managed to get out at any time is 4ml not even half an ounce part of me thinks with all the time breast express and then bottle takes (with all the bottle prep and sterilisation) I should just give up as how much benefit can he be getting from the breast when production is seemingly so minimal. I've given it until 17th jan as it's my birthday and if there's been no improvement by then I'm hanging up the pump.

Midwife saw him today he's almost bak to birth weight and they weighing again on Thursday when we going to review the BF situation.

Morning Ladies

By 5pm yesterday I felt totally shattered it's not sky thats keeping me awake it's DP snoring & groaning when sky wakes for a feed that's keeping me awake .

Another chillout day here as back to normality tomorrow.

We're using DP's last day of holiday to go to the Tate. There is an Alice in Wonderland exhibition on which DD1 will love! DP will then go back to work feeling artistically inspired

Energetic for aethel and lmf in the hope that I pass some energy on to you both!

Hope everyone who needs a restful day has one.

Tell him to put up and shut up Darcies I've every sympathy for broken sleep but he made the antagonist too:o

Thanks msB I'm headed out with the kids as they're spending the day with their dad. I'm picking up a chair and finishing of my daughtwr'a room today. Enjoy the Tate, the exhibition sounds good:)

LMF Thanks

MsB Enjoy the Tate

Morning! All is static this morning: not a single twinge overnight (just the usual bump ache and backache) so at least I got a bit more sleep. Today is more tidying, getting the DDs stuff pre-prepared for school and taking off and nuking the Christmas decorations from orbit (it's the only way to be sure).

Darcies my sympathy for your DP's whinges: I'd be tempted to offer him an airbed in the lounge with only the slightest trace of sarcasm... Or if he's no help at all maybe a pair of foam earplugs from tescos....

I'm near a tesco with a good fish counter Darcies Yell if you need a haddock:o

Morning all, no twinges or false contractions aethel? = baby will be here by lunchtime.
We're prepping today for our house move tomorrow. We've paid for thru packing service, so I'm really just hiding/throwing out crap, and sorting between stuff we'll need in the rented house, and stuff that can stay in boxes til we buy our "real" house.
I've lived here for 15 years. It's going to be sad when I hand over the keys on Wednesday.

I feel the same figgy. minimopsy bf for 30 mins, but then takes 80-90ml of ebm and formula. So how much can age be getting off me in the 30 mins? Doesn't seem like it cd be more than a few ml. At least she's getting the ebm but it's exhausting & time consuming and husband is back to work tomo. My mum is coming on we'd for a wk so think will persevere while I have her support but when she leaves if bf isn't established will have to stop. Without my husband's help feeding wd literally have no time to do anything else. It's a tough decision though.

Darcies sorry to hear about grumbly husband :(

Hope the final babies get a wiggle on today!

Good luck with the packing Oi!

Happy hiding Oi Glad you went for packing service. I never have and it is something I swear I'll do next time as I detest packing up!

I have returned from town, with all the stuff on my list. I am having fifteen minutes with my book then I am going to do some more jobs. Trying to stay upright but am just so very tired now, all I want to Sonia lie down and try to sleep >_

I can't remember how long we were supposed to wait after a cs to have a bath, but tonight's the night. I have to have one last dip in my lovely huge bath before we move. (the bath in the rented house is just normal ).
Oh am going to become a "in my old house, we had..." snob. !!! (just for ref my "old" house, where I am now, is a 2 bed terrace ).

Savour the space Oi

mopsy when I was at the BFing clinic they calculated in theotu how much milk Hawwa was getting from me, I looked it up and the general rule seems to be weight of baby in lbs * 2.4 or 2.5, then divide that by the number of feeds you give a day. www.lowmilksupply.org/supplementing-howmuch.shtml and www.leron-line.com/updates/Estimating_a_mothers_supply.pdf. The lady said the first aim is to be only giving breastmilk (directly or by expressing), the second aim is to work on the latch.

Bath sounds lovely oi, enjoy!

We had a great day at the Tate, DD1 loved it, DD2 was terribly impressed by a sculpture called "Humpty fucking Dumpty" and made me sing the nursery rhyme while we looked at it, much to the amusement of other people! Miri was much cooed over by people in the cafe, the food is amazing and works out pretty cheap as the DDs meals are free.

Am planning tomorrow like a military operation for DP's return to work and HV first visit!

I am now the proved/happy owner of a dishwasher, or i will be next Wednesday

I'm trying to get organised for 2012 lol

I have made a rountine chart for the children and a chore rota for DH and I.

Does anyone know of a good website for ideas of things to do and make with a 3 yo? I need some cerative ideas on things i can do each week with Air to help bring on his speech.

Happy new year everyone! I hope you all had a great Christmas. Am hoping that anyone still waiting (sorry I've lost track) has a smooth ride when your bundles of joy decide to arrive!

I haven't posted since i announced the arrival of our little Ollie. I did say I would post our birth details but I have been a little traumatised from it so haven't been able to bring myself to. It wasn't that bad but I think because it was so not what I wanted (failed induction with days trapped in hosp followed by an assisted delivery with only gas and air then more days stuck in hosp) I am finding it hard to deal with it!

The last two weeks have been tough, it's been much harder trying to establish breastfeeding and not panic about every little thing than I ever imagined! I have now caught up on some sleep so am feeling much more positive but hoping Ollie has put on some weight when he's checked this week.
I've been trying to keep up with the thread and it's been so reassuring to read how others are getting on and overcoming similar difficulties as well as the numerous tips on how to manage!

Congratulations air on the dishwasher! I'm going to miss mine! Sniff!!
benny the first two weeks are tough! Especially bfing. Frustrations about getting a latch + cracked/blistered nipples (so you are desperately trying to get a latch, and desperately dreading getting a latch at the same time.) Plus add to that lack of sleep and a traumatised body, and maternity pads. And then add in Christmas. And visiting people/ receiving visitors. And trying to keep the house in order.
It does get easier. The only downside really is the amount of time spent bfing. Oh and Alistair has got a bit of a cold. Snotty nose andbits of coughs and sneezes. He's been great today though. Apart from hour+ long distracted feeds.
he's starting to take more interest and time in the world around him, rather than just feeding and sleeping.
And he's so strong, it's incredible. I continue to be amazed by him!

air I will dig out my pre-school home ed links for you, there will be loads of ideas on there, I'll pm you when I manage to wrangle the computer from DD1!

benny good to 'see' you! I'm glad that things are going better now and that Ollie is gaining weight.