October 2013: The Fourth Trimester - the bit no one warns you about!

[roxvox]

Stats sheet here

New arrivals here

Key:
SC - still cooking (pre EDD)
SFW - still f*ing waiting (post EDD)
OWT - on way to theatre (CS)
IP - induction in progress
SWIL - somewhere in labour
LIT - lost in transition

Read everything this morning but didn't have time to post. at exercise comment! Remember 9 months on, 9 months off.

Just survived my first solo outing meeting nct girls for coffee. Bit if a disaster, couldn't get pushchair in boot or figure out how to take wheel off to make fit, so decided to walk but took ages getting rain cover on, couldn't find boots so wore wellies, raincoat, summer dress and leggings and looked a mess, tried to express quickly before going out and nipple bled everywhere for first time so have a little bit of pink expressed milk and one huge, rock hard sore boob that I need to empty now somehow now I am home :(. Deciding if pump or baby will be gentlest option. Was half an hour late despite leaving an hour and a half to get ready! Agh! Good to know I can walk a mile or so quickly again though and glad I didn't give up.

Sorry impatient... Dr Google says the tremors are excess electrical impulses caused by a (normal) immature neurological system and nothing to worth about. So that's good :)

Cyrus and I have done our first cat trip together all by our selves. Went to visit work and he was a sleeping angel. He's still sleeping which is unusual for him during the day!
I swaddled him for the first time last night at bed time after his bath (1st one and he loved it) and bed time feed. Was amazing. Straight to sleep. So swaddled all night and he slept even better than usual. Just used a square soft cotton cot sheet thingy. I'm sure most of you have tried it but really good for settling if restless and fussy. Didn't know how to but just copied a you tube video! Xx

Yes Ready! Swaddling was a revelation with DD.. It's great!

We swaddle here too! We have these lovely soft anais anais Muslins that are perfect and I'm sure it helps them sleep. I did hear on the radio the other day though that it isn't recommended anymore.
Baby B did his first poonami today I'd forgotten all about explosive pooing!

we've just been to baby buddies, were H slept the whole time even when his big cousin was climbing all over him!! it was a nice group and all the mums seemed lovely so was good. We've been out somewhere every day this week so I haven't lacked adult interaction too much!!

I really wish we could swaddle but A loves having her hands near her face. I've tried doing a just body swaddle, but it doesn't have the calming effect I had hoped!

rox same here, no way I could take H's hands away from him, he's always using them!!

Same here with the hands, it's hands everywhere even when feeding.

Speaking of hands who else has tried cutting finger nails? Omg what a challenge I caught her skin with the baby clippers and drew blood she wailed like a banshee.

Hi all, I'm a major lurker at the moment (always read, usually at night feeds)
Just wanted to say hi to everyone.
Flyer I was told with their nails to not use scissors/clippers but just pick them off when sharp to avoid bleeding.
Happy everyone's LO seem to be gaining weight, and feeding starting to settle.
Just a tip to anyone who has an old breast pump from their last child. I emailed medela to ask where I could buy new tubing for my breast pump (as it looked a bit old) and they posted me one for free! Just worth asking if you need anything!

I filed Thomas' nails yesterday. They aren't long but very sharp and had some rough edges. There was a file in a kit from MIL so presumed they were ok to use. When he was born there were some sharp bits hanging off that I just bit or peeled off. I love baby grows with the fold over integrated scratch mitts so he doesn't scratch my boobs or pincer grip my nipples when feeding.

Hi all

Kiwee 36 hrs left xx

We swaddle here too. Aden anais large muslins are great. Used them for ds 3 yrs ago and still going strong. Also got some as v generous pressie from neighbour. Don't do hips up tightly though as not good for hip development. For babies that like hands you could put arms up so hands can pop out top but arms still close to body??

Legally thanks for bath tips. And like everyone else said you, wicked, cazboldy and mon are amazing for looking after your kids and still having time to come on here and support /advise us all.

Sorry have to post and run. Mega poo situation

Mrs H...... Amelie does that too with one of her legs. My others did it too so I wasn't worried about it when she it.

Amelie is the only one of mine that doesn't like to be swaddled, my other 3 loved it! I bought the big muslins for nothing!

chickie......it's nice to keep up with everyone here, it helps to keep me sane.

Thanks for the bath tips last night pseudo and all the other usefull tips legally I brought a bath support today so hopefully that will make things easier when I bath them together.

flyer H is 3 weeks today and has worn real clothes twice I've got quite a few outfits simular to the one someone posted on Facebook so its like an outfit but simular to a babygro at the same time X

Mrs HN M has the same tremor thing. Just spotted it now while changing nappy :). Hadn't really thought about it before!

Roofio well done on going out with H. And orange good job on your solo outing!and ready too, I guess cat trips count too.

Gt I hope today was ok for you? Are you allowed out of the house now?

How're you getting on clapham??

Sorry if I've forgotten anyone.

Have I missed slippy s birth announcement? And dontworry was getting induced yesterday??

Glad to hear that C is not the only one with treasures. Mum will be reassured

Have put the close carrier sling into action today - C was feeding every 1.5 hours (or less ) but I suspected it might actually be wind. So having carried him around the house and seen him settle I wrestled him into the sling and he's been asleep for an hour, quite happy, which enabled me to get some dinner done - in fact I made double and will put one in the freezer. Hurrah!

Btw, I really recommend those foil or plastic takeaway cartons - good size for two portions and the foil ones just get chucked away when they have been in the oven. They stack well in the freezer too. I got mine from Amazon for a few quid for 25 or so.

Ha! Tremors not treasures. He sometimes has treasures for us in his nappy, but no treasures of any other kind sadly.

flyer N seems better today and his weight is still fine. No real explanation but almost seems like a reaction to a sustained growth spurt where he put on over a pound/500g in 5 days. I think maybe id lost track of a 'normal' feeding day. I've taken to weighing his nappies to reassure myself that he is taking on liquid which is reassuring if paranoid I think I'm just suffering from a bit of anxiety. I panicked that if broken his arm earlier but the bend turned out to be his wrist and there was nothing I did that could of really hurt him.Also I studied science and work in finance so I think I'm struggling to adjust to the vagaries of a baby i like the reassurance of graphs!

Oops car trip!! Thanks chicki!x

I read all of your comments over the past few days about loving your new baby, but feeling sad about losing the life you had before and I really didn't get it. Today I had to delete some pictures on my iPhone to make some space and I found loads of pictures of just DH and I hiking or out for a drive or having ploughmans in a pub and I suddenly get it. I wouldn't change A for the world, but I feel like DH and I don't have time for each other at the minute and I really miss that so much. Doesn't help that he's been the other side of the country and won't be back until late tomorrow, so I can't even cuddle him and make myself feel better!

Today must just be an emotional day for me. Suddenly find myself crying and in a state of panic about something bad happening to my little girl. New Mums should be banned from watching the news.

Hi everyone. So much to catch up on.

I was going to ask about nail clipping as well. Like you flyer I drew blood when I cut M's last week, and now she needs them doing again! The big toe nail ones also look like they are growing into the skin at the top of the toe, so I don't know what to do about them. I don't remember having this problem with DD1.

rox I know exactly what you mean about watching the news. Over the last 4 years (since I had DD1) I have been really sensitive to news stories and also violent scenes in films etc, whereas I wasn't before. Not that I didn't care, obviously, just that I didn't associate with it.

DD1 is in bed and M is fussing a bit, but i can see the glass of wine at the end if the tunnel

rox. Crying here too, DH just back from work and had to go immediately out again with only time for a kiss each. Haven't managed to do anything this afternoon and will be on my own until 10

Mrs H I just joined you in the vom down my cleavage club.

I've had that too rox, just the thought of something happening to her brings tears to my eyes.

It's bloody daytime TV that sets me off. I noticed it from when I started mat leave, it all seems to be based around illness, accidents, crime, terminal illness, health problems, murder, rape, child/animal abuse. I've actually stopped watching anything before 12:30 and watch catch up instead because it really unsettles me.

I too wouldn't have given things a second thought before.