are you there ellasmum1 ?

[happyathome]

hi,it's happyathome.
just wondered how you,your family and the pregnancy is going.noticed you said you were going for a scan.how did it go?
hope your DD is getting on at school well,too.
i lost interest in trying for a second,over the last 2-3 months,and then surprised myself this month and something deep inside was making me go for it.so guess,i've got the 2 week wait now.although,i have had what i thought to be usual pmt,but can't be sure.
i almost regretted trying,when it was too late,but i think it's just nerves.
would love to hear how your'e getting on.
take care x

thanks for message.Everything much better now.Extremely exhausted and still weak,but scar only a minute amount of dried looking blood on dressing.Midwife said leave off dressing,but i don't want to risk another burst again just yet.Just got up and about round the house this last couple of days.Feel BRILLIANT for that.Bit more strength/stamina now.Appreciating SOoooo much my non-pregnant body again,enjoying all the things i couldn't do for months without heaving myself round like a fliperless walrus when pregnant.No more heartburn,restless legs,better deeper comfier sleep,no more hourly wee/drink night trips(Jack bothers us only once or not at all in the night...slept for 5 or oner night 6 hours...not normal for newborn?!!...,mind you no wonder,he eats all the portions of all the babies in britain during the day...i'm a total hostage,but i'm so happy,i don't mind.So blessed to have 2 wonderful children.He lost 13 oz altogether,so been having to express bottles as top ups e.t.c....anyway it's worked...he's gained 3 oz this week YAY!!.
Needs to still get up to birth weight of 9lbs 1.Apart from that he's really healthy and content,only reaaly cries for milk..nothing else.I am starting to do more chores today(washing etc),so fab not to be reliant on everyone all the time.
Anyway better go,milk-face wants more.Thanks for tip about shields.My midwife agreed and so just use them now to take off initial OUCH of latch(got better with that though)/engorgement ouch and then take off and he carries on feeding naturally.Midwife coming tuesday to weigh him again.Cross fingers for me please!.Midwife discharged me though and first health visitor visit last week and one this week to come.
Please chat again soon and let me know how you are getting on too.
love from Happy and Jack x

ps/mastitis cleared up now i think so much better...really pleased my breastfeeding survived through it...Jack 3 weeks on Sunday(and my breastfeeding too...bit better than feeding my DD for 3 days.Did you do longer or as much as you wanted this time,how did it go?).Have a good weekend.
BTW i still use 'DD' instead of daughters real name just in case i know anyone from RL on mumsnet.Not that i have a dark side,but i'm just very private person,wouldn't want RL friends to know all that i tell people on mumsnet.They would probably figure if i said * and Jack.Couldn't resist though saying Jack to you though,because though you would be amused,as your boy is Jack too and we've had so many spooky similarities have'nt we?!.Also feel same about photos on public forums.Like yours,if you feel fine to put them on then that's ok isnt' it(still don't know how to anyway though...computer old 2nd hand one too,not up to date).
Anyway,to help,i'm brunette 9st12now(12 st at birth),homemummy type not into fashion or hair or anything,quite ordinary and my daughter is a georgeous strawberry blond(even looks a bit like your Ella) and
Jack looks like his dad mostly,strawberry blond,despite his weight,small features like feet and a very button nose and kissable lips,and his hair is medium thick and straight.You can use your imagination like mills and boon now eh?!.
OOOOH sun's coming out...think i'll go walking for first time with pram on a long hike up the street today...can't wait any longer for my new loola pram fix(hope i'll like it,scatred by dodgy reviews).
take care
love happy x

pps/i meant i weighed 12 stone just before Jack was born.Not me...i was 7lb 12
how i lost that i dont know...breastfeeding??!!been eating well the past fortnight at least,not in hospital though,even though food good there....miraculous.Pre-preg was 10st7 ish and never below for years...2nd chance at parenthood...new body to go with it YAY
definately bye now.
happy x

bump

Hi there, sounds like things are getting better for you- so pleased! Wow what a weight loss!- I got back to pre preg weight too a few weeks after Jack's birth but unfortunately have put on about 10 lbs over xmas!!! think its coz I'm not working so sit around eating too much. Have just put Jack down for a sleep, hes really grumpy, not himself today, don't know if its teething or whether he has an ear infection or something.Had to give him nurofen earlier.
Going back to work in 3 weeks- feel sad and more guilty about going back than i did with ella.Prob just coz i've enjoyed it all more this time.Has been so nice being a proper sahm!
This time I breastfed for 13 weeks. Just felt to restricted after that, Jack so big and heavy!! Only did 4 weeks with Ella as I was so stressed with her reflux and crying all the time etc.
Must say though, I really hoped bottlefeeding would encourage Jack to sleep longer at night but He has still never slept through properly 8pm till 8am. Ella was by this age. looks like i'm going to be nightfeeding well after returning to work.
Supposed to be moving him into his own room this week but feel very torn about it, will really miss having him beside me(in his cot), but want to do it before start work.
So funny that this thread starts with you saying you've lost interest in trying for a second- and look at us now!!! Ella and Jack both still have colds, one after another this winter. Can't wait for summer. Praying for a good one this year as dh's job under threat so no hol for us (again) this year.
Have had to turn ella's room upside down this morning because I couldn't find our cordless house phone and I knew she'd prob hidden it! Eventually found it in a zip pocket of a bag in her wardrobe! Shes going through a very mischeivous sneaky secretive phase at the moment. very annoying! she keeps taking the christmas tree decs out of storage and hiding them in her room too. Weird! Will take me all blinking day to tidy her room now!
Hows your dd doing? xx

hi,
nice to read your post as always.
had a bad week with DD at home all week.Bad virus.Rash head to foot,fever,tiredness,doctor said throat inflamed,no antibiotics though.Worse than virus was that she is very clingy which is totally not her,been very guilt inducing to have to divide my time for the first time really since i came home.Hope your two are better soon and out of the 'cold' cycles.Nasty aren't they?!.DD one after another too.Sorry you have to go back to work and don't want to.Hope you adjust well anyway and that it goes smoothly.I return to my Sunday morning job beginning of March.Just have to see how feeding pans out though(enough expressed so i can leave Jack e.t.c.)...it's exhausting and Jack wanting feed nearly every hour today,but i'm still managing to BF and latching becoming easier/nearly painless now.Scar still not 100% healed.Midwives seeing me next week to decide what to do about it.Hardly any blood leakage today though.
Oh no about Ella's sneakiness.DD been through patches like that and always going off with our pads/pens especially.
Hope your DH's work becomes more stable soon.My DH working from home now and also unsure of future,so know how you feel.
take care.will post again soon.
love happy x

ps/Jack gained another 4 oz so very happy!..now 8lb7...needs to get up to birthweight of 9lb 1oz

hi,
hope your'e ok.how's things going?
my scar still playing up.now infected.still dicharging(and even bleeding again!).Had silver nitrate this week.Don't know if it worked though.Jack well though and now up to 10lb1(pound up from birth)!.
Hope your'e two are well and of course you and DH.
take care
happy x

Hi, have been thinking about you- sorry to hear about your scar, what a nightmare for you.
I have been back to work for 2 study days, do my first shift saturday. Enjoyed mixing with more people. felt like a real break as I have hardly gone out since having jack with the weather and having little cash!

Jack absolutely fine with mother in law, and today with dh 9-5. Hes having some purees now, was taking them really hungrily but now not v interested.Just taking it at his pace.
Hes now 24 weeks and just over 21 pounds.
Really need to move him into his own room soon, as i'm sure hes waking more due to being disturbed when we go to bed( far too late!).He sometimes has one feed , other nights still two. Would sooo love a full nights sleep!!
Ella ok, been a bit teenagey/cheeky recently again so having to be very firm! Have to get her party organized, having it at home(1st time) for 6 children. Hello kitty theme. She adores hello kitty!
She has started loving much more grown up tv- stuff on disney channel like High school musical/hannah montana. Does your dd love these things. Gosh your dd will be 7 this year- that sounds so grown up!! Feel like I've always had 2 children now, love them both to bits. How are you feeling? xx

hi,
hope you are all ok.glad work didnt feel too bad.
we are all ok.my scar has healed now thank god.been out too a few times so feeling more human.had postnatal check,but was only bp,look at scar and have to do seperate blood appointment to check iron.Jack fine.Smiling now and even nearly laughing and making noises.Really cute.Hope your kids are fine and Ellas party went well.My DD obseesed with high school m too and make up and handbags and re arranging her room just now{eh...at 6 and 3 quarters).gotta go J crying.hardly sleeping lately.worried will he get all he needs?...lucky if he even has 1 hour in the day and about 9 at night.pumping milk now as i type...not easy manual pump so best go
take care will catch up soon.back to work tommorow morning for me.
bye
love happy xxx

Hi, hope you are ok, something about your message sounded a bit flat- you're probably so tired!! This is the worst bit now, the novelty wears off a bit and its a hard, long slog when babies have no routine.
Jack went through that phase of hardly having any naps at all at same age but by around 12 weeks on it got better.
By 4 months he had a predictable routine and that made life far far easier!!
Ella's party was quite stressful, but she loved it. A few of them were in tears at various intervals, they all just can't be nice to each other for very long!!
Hope your return to work went ok?
Jack getting v frustrated not being able to move now, roll on crawling!
Hope to hear from you soon, take care of yourself, ((((hugs))))) x

hi,
just saw your post.not been on mumsnet since my last post to you.so,so busy,only the odd hour here and there for myself and usually use it for chores or to spend with DD.like you say hard and tired and slightly less excitement adrenaline like at the start.but still very happy to have him.glad we chose this.although exhausted,quite content.thanks for reassurance about routines.something to look forward to.i'm still feeding-still going well.
glad Ellas party went well.yes they fall out a lot at parties.did do especially at that age,when my DD went to them.a year makes a big difference to their maturity though.bet Ella will be a lot easier to deal with next year,or even in another 6 months.my DD was.Glad your Jack well too.hope he gets moving soon for yours and his sanity.My work was good.nice welcome back and a gift presented to me.took Jack and DD.they made a fuss of them.hope your work is going well.
gotta go again Jack bawling again.thought he was in nod land,but alas no!!-won't stop snacking...won't go 3 hrs...more like constant feeding.was that the case for you?....every half hour more like
take care and hugs to you
happy xxx
will try to check in to mumsnet sooner next time.miss my mumsnetting

How are you Happy? Long time no speak!
We're all well but busy. Ella quite good/nice at the moment, Jack is smiley and adorable but STILL has never slept through. Still has a bottle 1-2 times a night. don't know why i don't have it in me to be firm about it this time round!!
I will soon be back at work 4 days a week(currently 3).
am really tired alot of the time.
Its such hard work being a mum isn't it?!
But I love them both to bits. And they adore each other so far too.
Anyway, hope you are finding things getting easier now, hope to hear from you soon ,xx

hi again,
just discovered your post.great to hear from you again.one of my rare moments on mumsnet these days.glad you all well.we are.going smoothish just now.you were right.things do get a lot easier at 4-5 months.Our Jack a lot more predictable now.Wakes somewhere between 5-30 and 6-30,goes to sleep somewhere between 8-30 and 9-0 mostly.Hardly ever wakes in the night anymore.Helps keep my sanity as he only has tiny sleeps in the day{mainly in bouts of 20min or so...reaaly lucky to get a full hour).Just crash at night.HUGS to you to cheer you up...you must be tired to the point of collapse with night bottles and work.take my hat off to you for stamina!!...hope he packs in the night feeds soon...it must be hard though...my Jack makes me feel so guilty if i make him wait for a feed...just can't do it either with those big begging eyes can you.Still breastfeeding,but only because i only work Sunday,so,still do-able,but in your situation,think i would have been on bottles by now.sO HARD,BECAUSE IT'S USUALLY ONLY ABOUT 2HRS between feeds .My goal is six months to try and prevent Ezcema(don't know if it will as i was BF and have Ezcema and also i have given him a handful of formula cartons in recent weeks on an emergency basis...might have spoilt the protection?!).He took to them fine.Was going to mix feed ,but only a month to my goal of exclusive BF,so i'm put off using formula just now.aLSO FAMILY HELPS A LOT,JUST COULDN'T HAVE KEPT GOING WITHOUT THEM I THINK,BUT FEEL VERY GUILTY THAT I FEEL LIKE I'M NEGLECTING dd,with all the feeding.
DD good.Just started dance lessons(pop and cheerleading) and swimming lessons.Likes them both.Still dotes on Jack.Glad Ella's good too.
Best go,promised myself an earlier night.
take care
happy xx

Ah well its not that bad- Jack wakes for a bottle 1 -2 times per night but only for 10 mins while he drinks it, then straight back to sleep. I'm getting good at almost doing it sleepwalking!!
Work is lovely at the moment, and dd still nice.
Really trying to enjoy her as have been listening to horror stories at work from people with teenage dd's!!!
So sad to think she'll only be so cuddly for a short time!
Jack just turned 9 mths and is spending all day every day trying to crawl. He hasn't mastered it yet but can certainly move round the room a bit now,so it won't be long!!
Will have to do some babyproofing, not to mention hoovering up more often!!
Have booked to go to tenerife in october so now have something to look forward too- can't believe Jack might be walking then!!
My favourite thing is when Ella makes Jack laugh, its just the loveliest feeling!!He just adores her.
Back to school for ella tomorrow- better go sort the uniform out!hope to hear from you sooner this time! x

Hi, just to let you know I've updated my photos! x

how you doing?.sorry it's been so long.very rarely been on mumsnet lately.how's Jack and Ella.we're ok apart from Jack getting mild/moderate ezcema from around 5 months and having to do hydrocortisone and emollients now.first summer with two been a bit stressful...oh the guilt of sharing yourself and long boring hours for DD whilst sorting Jack.not done much either...again due to J,but DD is loving him to bits!!.J not sitting unsupported for very long and not crawling etc yet.What's your J up to?.DD not looking forward to school new teacher(stricter)
take care x

how are you ellasmum1?
still think about you and hope Ella and Jack are ok.What's new for you...how's life now?.i've felt a bit depressed lately.if you want the whole story,it is a thread i started in mental health called 'confused about my'..
hope you've been happy and work ok too and that you enjoyed summer.Has Ella settled back into school ok?. my DD has and likes her new teacher.can't believe she's a junior now and our Jack is just rocking on all fours and sometimes does commando crawling for a few centimeters.started waving when we say hello this week and says 'grandad'...well that's what it sounds like.growling noises at his sister...she starts it.
hope you find this thread again.J more of a regular bedtime now,so i've started mn a little more now.
take care xx

Hi Happy! Can't believe I suddenly decided to check this thread(at work on night shift,its quiet at the mo!) and you posted last night,spooky!
Lovely to hear jack nearly crawling-it just gets more lovely from then on- although our house is suffering!!
Our Jack is nrly 13 months and started walking a couple of weeks before 1st birthday!! He walks really well now, he crawled from 10 mths and still does a bit.
We go on holiday to Tenerife a week today.
V excited except also nervous about how 4 hr flight will be with 2 kids!!
I have been very up and down with depression lately, so finally went and changed from sertraline tablets I had been on since pregnant with jack, to citalopram(what i was on before pregnancy), and so far so good -I feel much better and more optimstic.
I will have a look at your other thread shortly.
Ellas ok at school,says she loves year 2.Think shes enjoying the more grown up feel to the lessons.
The school holiday was hard work though-felt like it was endless and she got soo bored despite us going out quite alot, and going over to ireland for a few days.
She rarely got to sleep before 11pm during the hols, but lay in alot in mornings till 9 or 9.30 so i wasnt sure if that wasnt better than her sleeping from 8.30 but getting up at 6am!
She has been very up and down with some horrendously brattish behavior at times, but some days is back to being lovely again.
Its hard work isn't it! Jack is just a complete joy at the moment, and Ella loves him and he her. He laughs alot and is very laidback most of the time.
He has broken our lamp in the lounge and ripped up catalogues and telephone directories and loves clearing any surfaces/shelves he can get to in minutes- hes worse than ella ever was in that respect!
My sister tells me thats boys for you, so be warned!
We have 3 stair gates up now -bottom of stairs & top, and one blocking kitchen and dining room- the last one was to save our sanity as I couldn't bear to stack the bookshelves one more time!!
He started going through the night without bottles from 10 mths, and just wakes occasionally now if he wants a dummy or something,but goes back off v quickly.
He used to get up at 8am ish but since walking now gets up about 6.20am so thats hard- the other week I was up from that time till 9am the next day because i had to work a 12 hr night shift that day!! Knackering!
But hes so worth it- he is so affectionate and comes up to you for cuddles all the time,I will be so sad when both of them grow out of that!
The only thing I'm slightly concerned about is that he doesn't say much yet in the way of proper words, but will just have to keep waiting and encouraging!
V impressed by your jack saying grandad though!!.
Right better do some work, love it here still but am moving to a postnatal high risk type ward in jan so that will be mega horrible change from what i do now.
Lovely to hear from you- hope it might be more regular now, will try and add a few more recent photos v soon, xxxx

wow....cant' believe it either.how weird.thought it would be ages before i heard from you again.glad your'e all ok.sorry about your depression though,although sounds like you've got on top of it again.if you waver though,chat/moan all you want to me,i'm all ears.
my other thread sounds really down doesn't it,but maybe so because i had,and still have hormone up and downs.not started af yet.anyway,i muddle through,but will probably visit gp if it gets worse.Jack's skin is a lot better now again,so that has lifted my mood.
Your Jack sounds energetic.can see mine being like that... he is like that on his back....destructive...and quite innocently vicious at times and far too much energy.No doubt Ella will keep having ups and downs,they seem to post year 2.My DD still having them at year 3 and it's always when i feel down/get shouty/tired...is that so for you?...we'll just have to make most of cuddly bits eh?!.
loved your newest photos...really cute.would love more.
would talk forever tonight,but i'm knackered tonight.Have to be up for Jacks antibiotics at midnight and again at 6 OMG.Even without them,he still wakes for milk at 2 or 3 and again at 5 or 6 and can take 1/2 hr or more to settle afterwards.Unpredictable,which makes routines/medications e.t.c. hard to fathom...any ideas or stores of wisdom ?!
will try to speak soon.oh no about your job!!...hope it's not too bad.
Don't worry about your Jack talking...sure it will happen in it's own good time.My J doesn't actually say grandad,just mouthed a bit that way with the same tones so sounds very similar.My friend's boy never said much compared with my DD as a baby/toddler,but he sure has caught up now!!.
Probably because your a good mum and see to his every need promptly...being a typical mini-man he probably doesn't see the need to communicate much yet because you understand him anyway.I've tried basic sign language with J since he was about 6/7 months i thinkand now i THINK he understands the few signs i've used and even tried them lately..i use MILK,do you want to come up,do you want FOOD/TO EAT,SISTER,MUMMY,if i say HELLO he waves back,NAPPY,ALL GONE,DRINK,MORE repeated myself till blue in the face,but think it's sinking in now.The book said they will communicate when they feel it necessary,so maybe same with words.My J still not sitting up firmly yet and now 8 1/2 months.has the strength too i think,but doesn't stay up for long/balance well..i worry about that too.
bye xx

Thanks for the reply, what a shame j wakes for bottles again- you must be tired. Hope he drops it soon like our J did!
How come you are giving antibiotics in the night?
Anytime Jack has had them I just gave them 4 hrly during the 12 hrs he is up- and they always worked ok.
Glad you are managing ok with the mood/hormone thing.
You know,reading through this thread is such a lovely record of our pregnancies/babies' first year- i think I'll have to print it and keep it to show kids when they are having their own!
Its great because I always wanted to write one of those pregnancy diaries but never got round to it!
Don't worry at all about jack not sitting up yet- my friend's baby boy was hardly moving or sitting at 11 mths but by 13 mths was walking around fine! Some just do it all at once, can't wait for Jack to talk though!

Ella loves to play with Jack upstairs with her friend, and they run from room to room shrieking and he chases after them and shrieks with excitement! They're all mad!
Anyway I'm at work again waiting for a labouring woman to come in!
Love 'n hugs to you and familyxx

hi,
just been bawling as can't get anti b's into J...took it in a bottle with a little water with varying success,but won't at all just then so tried syringe...crying/screaming because he is tired but i can't afford to wait another 2 hrs.Left it last night.Kept setting clock,then when it went off,got back in bed and fell asleep.DH out of it too..Scared his infection will return if i don't do it propely.How did you do anti-b's.Did J take them and how?.Pharmacist said i had to do them every 6 hrs or so,including waking him.But it's crazy isn't it,because we have little sleep as it is and the odd time he doesn't go back off then wants milk which he can't have with them(empty stomach and all that).Another pharmacist said food with it isn't too much of an issue...why do we get such confusing/conflicting health advice about our kids???!!.Horrible though pinning them down and all that isn't it...goes againest motherly instinct to soothe them...cant take it with my pmt...maybe haven't got hormones under control.Hope your work night wasn't too hard.Did that woman have her baby/ok?.
Yeh,i was thinking that too about this thread.same here.no printer at home still yet,so maybe later.
take care.glad Ella friend and J having fun.
something for me to look forward to...J walking
hugs to you and everyone too
xx

how many doses a day of anti-bs is j on?
j had a chest infection a few weeks ago,it was 3 x a day- we gave 1 first thing, 1 at lunch and one b4 bed,with a nurofen syringe. never in the night or he'd spit it everywhere!

hi
thanks for reply.4 a day!!...5 ml at a time...finished bottle.just hope i got enough in him and also bottle just finished at 6 days+,not 7,so hope infection's gone!
hope you ok today.best go J having wobbler and may scratch himself too much
xx

hi,
hope you're all ok at that end. jack's skin is a bit better today.went back to docs again yesterday and a stronger steroid/antibiotic cream,but it's getting on top of it anyway..
hope work's not too busy for you.doing anything exciting at weekend.we aren't.can't seem to get going with J now.at least 11 am before we ever get the basics done.is it me?.do you find it hard to get out with your J ?.and how did you get on with weaning.how did you do it.i'm holding back a lot on foods.J only had basic veg and fruit as don't want to send ezcema crazy.health pros said just introduce anyway,but,i have a list of foods to avoid before he's one and my mummy side says maybe they are right?!!...a lot of things i feel just as wound up over.thought i would be more relaxed with him but i'm not.were/are you ? and what with?
how are you yourself now.how's your moods?...remember if you want a moan/ears...i'm here.
take care and have a good weekend
hugs from
happy and family xx