January 2014 Thread 17 - and the final babies will be here any day now!

[Frizz1986]

Thought i would start up the last thread before we move over to postnatal thread.

Also, re having 2, you're all legends! I only vaguely remember it, but it was killer.

They won't remember any time they had to cry for a few minutes while you tended to the other one. And it will get easier, honestly. Especially if when the weather improves and you can get out of the house.

Meredith has celebrated being 4 weeks old by sleeping all day. So we might be in for a fun night! At least DH can lend a hand tonight -- he's got another driving test tomorrow, so he's working from home.

Arghhhhhh massive rant alert! I need to vent before I kill someone!

Just had a massive argument with DP. He's doing an open uni degree and every assignment he leaves until the last minute and ends up having a work solidly for a few days before the deadline. I told him before Sylvie arrived that there is no way he can keep doing that as he can't pull an all nighter when there's a baby to look after. 'Oh yes ill get it done early when I'm on paternity leave as I've got 4 weeks off.' Has he fuck got it done early! It's got to be in tomorrow and as usual he's left it all to the last minute and only started it on Monday. So he's been coming home from work, complaining he's starving, then sitting down on the sofa with the telly on and doing his work. I've been rushing around like a headless chicken making sure tea is cooked, housework is all done, all the washing is done and looking after a baby who won't stop crying!! All of this on hardly any sleep. We didn't go out and do anything the past 2 weekends because he said he needed to do his work but he's just sat and played his ps4 or watched telly. He spent his whole paternity leave playing his ps4 and occasionally looking after Sylvie instead of doing his work. He said he would get it done by tonight then send it off tomorrow and we had plans to go up to his parents this weekend and go to the beach and other stuff and he's just turned round and said he's asked for an extension and is going to do his work this weekend. I said I wasn't happy as we had plans and this will be the third weekend where I'm sat in the house looking after Sylvie on my own, and he's turned it round on me saying I make him feel like shit making remarks like that!!!!! Arghhhhhh I could scream!!! I do all of his washing, make sure he's got clothes for work clean, make all of Sylvie's bottles up and feed her, change her, settle her when she's crying even though I'm in the middle of cooking his fucking dinner and he's sat about a meter away from her. I've not even managed to have a bath for 3 days because I haven't had time! He can go fuck himself. Oh and he said 'I'm trying to do something so we have a better future' as a comeback when we were arguing. I DONT CARE, DONT LEAVE IT ALL TO THE LAST MINUTE FFS!!!!!

I've left him downstairs with Sylvie and run myself a bath and I'm staying here until bedtime. Wanker.

Sorry that was long but I'm so angry.

I also second that those of you with more than 1 must be super woman!!

felix I really don't think men understand do they. We only came home today and my dh has gone to a colleagues house to discuss a crisis which I really don't think is great for paternity leave. Especially if he's only taking a week. Said he'd be 45 minutes and that was over hour and half ago and Henry has been screaming for most of it

Ive resorted to topping up with small amount (5ml) formula from a syring twice today as had to wet/ dirty nappy all day. I did have plenty of colostrum which seems to have gone and he just screams if I try and bf (although has the occasional suckle). Midwife coming tomorrow so will ask then

Also think he has bad wind/ tummy ache

Oh, felix, what a twat. I am furious on your behalf. I hope you have an easy night with Sylvie. And accidentally kick DP in the knackers every time you turn over in bed.

MrsV, keep trying to BF. It'll all help with your supply, even if it's not for long.

Yikes fleix, I'd be furious. No advice as if probably comit murder but I'm ready to murder people a lot at the moment

Alice had her first trip on a bus today, to the gp's for stronger pain drugs for me. We then got caught in the lunch time rain walking home, so wet so cold. I really need to learn to stand up to my mum as she 'suggested' we walk not bus to get the exercise.

Up with Alice who has started to get frustrated at the breast, keeps refusing and almost thrashing her head around when I try.

felix grrr he's being a knob. And you can't have been making him feel that bad since he still hasn't got on and done it.

Alex and I just slept a three hour stretch I think! He was on my chest but still, it's nice to see some improvement!

My toddler is two tomorrow! It has gone so quickly.

felix I would def accidentally wake him all night. Men are shocking sometimes. They have no idea how much it takes to look after a newborn. I would want to punch him in the face and goodies.
I give Dh one chore each weekend. He has chosen ironing the past 2 weekends but hasn't done it and is now being arsey as he has no shirts left. Well if you did the ironing at the weekend instead of painting your models!
They claim they have no time for things but have spent loads of time doing what they want, they just don't have time for things you want to do.

Men!
Hope everyone having issues whips them into shape. They need to realise that it's a full time job looking after a newborn so they need to take responsibility for chores etc.

DH is away with work on what he let slip was a bit of a jolly but since his parents are here all is forgiven and it's good for his career so hopefully means I can have a career break!

My best Christmas present was a slow cooker - it's meant I can shove stuff in when I get a chance in the morning and it's ready during the carnage that is bedtime and fussing hours. Never thought I'd get excited over a kitchen gadget. what has my life come to!!??

Happy birthday to Tarkatoddler!

I love my slow cooker, pidgy!

felix what a twat!

happy birthday tarka

ds1 woke up at 5.45 and, as agreed, we let him cry. He wanted to come into our room. He's too tired when he wakes up and doesn't nap. It's not good. He yelled until 7 for mammy and daddy. He even tried baby Henry! We got him when the alarm went off and he was fine. He was just yelling becusee he was pissed off. His dad has given in to him for the past month.

happily my mom is here so we've had some good fun just hanging out

Thanks everyone. I felt so much better after ranting about it last night! We're still not talking we never argue either so it's not nice when we do. Sylvie was really good last night and slept from 1 until 4, then woke up at 7.30, but even if she does cry he just turns over and covers his head with the duvet

Happy birthday to your toddler for tomorrow Tarka!

Has anyone heard from angel? I don't think I've seen her since we moved over a thread?

Sorry to hear about painful dh/dp's. Mine hasn't quite recovered from the birth I don't think. He is someone who likes his 8 hours sleep so he is finding it particularly tough. Last night was the first night he had to be involved in caring for Xander overnight. Xander had a fairly good night, waking every hour or so, but we normally got him settled within 10 minutes. Dh was getting really frustrated that he was waking so often, he thought that he would go 3-4 hours unbroken at this stage! I am delighted as I actually managed about 2.5 hours sleep last night, the most I have managed since baby was born. Dh is acting like it was the worst night of his life.

Amazing how perspectives can be so different eh?

tarka happy birthday to you toddler

pidgy i love my slow cooker too. Wish i had one that fried stuff too as i have tonfry off onions etc before putting them in so it still involves some effort. I think my sister has one that does it all.

merry glad you got some sleep. My dh is the same with wanting sleep. If he wakes through the night his eyes are so so red! He is ok with a bit less sleep but i dont think he can deal with broken sleep. He actually woke up last night when she cried though and held her for 40mins until he could get her back to sleep. He sounded annoyed this morning but at least now he knows what i deal with EVERY night!

I just went on a walk with pooch then dropped her off at home and went back out to the shops (obv with bubs as well)
Feeling motivated!

space i think angel must be due to be induced soon. Maybe things are happening instead

Hi all, I am feeling merry again as the horrendous growth spurt seems to be over and I have survived without formula. I did use infacol last night fr the first time and the result was amazing...an immediate cough/burp/bark and she was relaxed again straight away. She was fussy as usual from six m until eleven pm, and ended up falling asleep in our bed, but she went in til half four!!!!!! I on the other hand woke up every hour to check she was ok (she has a runny/stuffy nose). I have managed to squeeze out volumes of green snot (using that squeegee thing you put in their nostril and squeeze, it sucks the snot out). Anyhow, having three children under the age of five at home today is manageable, hurrah hurrah. Have baked a batch of cookies and made fish chowder for lunch, and done the laundry.ni am woman, hear me ROAR.

Tomorrow I will probably be back to feeling like death warmed up. So must celebrate these good days properly.

Felix, if it makes you feel any better, my dh says he will help Friday and sat nights, but in all honesty he is so tired by then he is comatose. He will get out of bed and help when I have been up and down like a yoyo and do things like 'accidentally'leave the monitor on so he can hear her crying through a nappy change / singing lullabies to settle her etc. it's not easy, and for first baby I do think most men have the idea that since they don't have boobs they are redunant. Not true!

felix your DP is being a twat. He needs a stern talking to, this is unacceptable. His 'I'm working for us for the future' is nice, and admirable, but it's irrelevant to his sharing the load.
My DH just took Alex from 10-12 as she screamed 12-2, slept till 4, fed for an hour, slept for 20 mins, fed the other side, slept for an hour etc etc.I fed her 9-10 then napped while he looked after her, even though he was awake for the screaming too. Tell your DP this, and what others are saying, shame him into pulling his socks up.
Oh, and hope it was an ace bath!

mythree woohoo! Want to come and bake cookies here?

Alex is so restless, even asleep. She squirms and squeaks hrs whole time, then wakes herself up unless you soothe her through it. Growth spurt? Wonder Weeks book/app says this is first developmental leap and to be expected, any thoughts?

Hope your dh mans up soon felix

Well done Frizz on your outings.

We are driving down to London at the moment. First long car journey with Olivia. Hoping she just sleeps through most of it and times her feeding/changing with access to service stations but that is probably hoping for too much! Will be nice to see my family as none of them have met her yet. It's my grandad's funeral tomorrow so not the best of circumstances.

Glad you got some sleep mythree. I'm mighty impressed you are managing with three today!

humpty the wonder weeks were spot on with ds1. It was brilliant's

nature good luck with the drive and tomorrow.

frying good to know! thank you. Suggests we have a few more days to suffer...

Mythree you are Wonder Woman! A bit more sleep makes you feel amazing doesn't it

Nature hope the funeral goes as well as it can for you all.

It's so difficult with babies going through growth spurts! When are they actually due to have them? I know there was one around 3-4 weeks but not sure about the rest.

I think DP has realised he's being a twat and he just text to say he's got an early finish today so make sure I'm ready and he will take me for a look round the shops. I'm excited to get out the house!

Sylvie was crying in pain this morning and it was the worst she's ever been I remembered frying (I think!) suggested using a cotton bud dipped in Vaseline up the bum to help get things moving so I gave it a go and she pooed straight away and was so much happier!!!! Her poos are still really soft so I don't know why she's struggling so much but it was a revelation.

I'm attempting to bath her on my own in a second and I'm terrified. Does anyone have any tips? I have only done it with DP so far. I have a baby bath, and also one of those plastic bath supports so I dunno wether to put her in the support in the normal bath and use the shower head to wash her.

felix he is being a twat. As everyone on this thread probably knows my DP was a right knob on occasion but he has really stepped up with Cal and DS1. None of his computer games have made an appearance and he has taken DS1 out while Cal naps so I can get some time to myself. You need to shame him.

I would go completely left field btw and wash her in the kitchen sink. It'll be easier on you, a better height and less of a faff.

mythree I think you might be my hero. I'm very slowly adjusting to having two (have managed laundry, making soup and bread today) but DS1 has a stinking cold and cough atm so he's not at his best.

nature thinking of you and your family and wishing you luck for tomorrow's drive.

humpty could you try swaddling her? Cal often wakes himself up, flinging his hands and arms up so I wrap him up a little and it seems to work

Managed to get out the house today for a bit which was lovely. DS1 got a much needed haircut and so did I. I feel much better and am back in my pjs now watching the big bang theory whilst Dp and DS1 go to granny and granddad's to show off his new hair.

I used the bath support in the big bath and sprayed her with the shower head and it was dead easy! I don't know what I was so worried about I'm too scared to do it in the kitchen sink in case she's too slippy!

humpty I second the swaddling tip from enormous. It's been a bit of a revelation for me and seems to be the only thing that keeps Lara asleep when I'm not holding her. Sometimes her arms are inside, sometimes outside but think it's the feeling on being snug and cocooned she likes.

Hv came round again today to redo hearing test. Unfortunately she failed again in one ear so we have to have a more detailed test done. :-(
Hoping it's just wax and nothing more sinister.