Feb 2008 - The Final Thread - Get a Blardy Move on Jaysthird, princessllama and tyaca!!!!!!

[Egg]

Wonder how many posts we will get before we can start the post natal one.

Come on girls, keep getting jiggy and eating those curries.

yup Rozzy, 2, 1 and 0 !! i cant wait till they are 3,2,1.....not that i am wishing away Coopers first year of his life, but whilst i LOVE all my kids to bits, i am not really a baby Mum...[shush dont tell everyone, i will be lynched] for me the fun begins at about 9-10 months! Then i really will have my hands full !

I have a bouncy chair, its one of those ones that has the vibrating setting, Cooper seems to love it, and fals asleep almost straight away!

What are people doing with their LO's in the evening? With all of mine i have kept them down stairs in their Moses baskets till about 6 -8 weeks then i start and put them to 'bed' upstairs. But i always try and get them to sleep by 7 [ish] so that i can implement a bedtime routine ASAP....do i sound like a 1950's Mum or what!

Happy easter everyone.

haven't read all posts but thanks for info on godparents, will see what vicar says. Was going to spend some time on here but ds is screamimg and he was only fed two hours ago, perhaps he's growing extra today!

Enjoy the rest of the week end!

Jaysthird it does have a vibrating function but I didn't have it on tonight. It has water sounds which he seems to like and did fall asleep in it eventually without any crying so very impressed. Definitely getting easier here - he's actually falling asleep whilst not attached to my boobs - I don't feel like he's using me as a dummy quite so much. I know what you mean about it being more fun as they get older - although I've not been finding my 5 year old much fun lately (selective hearing) although he's been a star since Thursday so I'm not regretting our decision to have a third quite so much . I hate to think what it's going to be like when I have 3 teenage boys to contend with - I think alcohol will be my friend.

just updated my profile and changed my name!

lol @ alcohol comment...totally with you on that one Rozz....!

Hello everyone, another of my sporadic postings! Congratulations princess if I haven't said so already. Sounds like you did a fantastic job! Agree with Slacker about the nappies. Try one the next size up - you'll need them eventually anyway. DD only used 1 pack of Size 1 before moving up to size 2. Also there is variation in shape etc between brands. I prefer Pampers at the moment, but with DS went through a stage when only Tesco own nappies didn't leak. Trial and error, I'm afraid.

Jays - wow I too didn't realise you had 3 so close in age. DS had a bad tongue tie, and I couldn't get anyone to recognise it or do anything about it locally. I eventually found out about Dr Griffiths at Souhampton General, who snips them with scissors & no anaesthetic. Rang his secretary, and found a HV willing to fax a referral. Got appt same week, in & out of hosp in less than 1 hr including waiting time, consultation, snip, feed etc. Cost £50 - money very well spent! DO NOT WAIT MONTHS if you are having trouble feeding. Find out if there's anyone else you could see locally, or consider travelling further afield like we did (we live 3+hrs drive from Southampton). Very best of luck!

As for us, DD is 4 weeks old today, and she is doing really well, but I had hoped to have recovered more (physically) by now. I'm still in a lot of pain with my stitches (just finished anti-b's for infection), there's still a big open sore for me to sit on - ouch! It is improving though. Also, despite BF DS with very little pain/problems, esp after tongue tie sorted, i am still having real problems feeding DD. I have one breast & nipple that's really sore. We've had nearly 2 weeks of thrush treatment now (DD oral thrush, me nipple thrush) and have just started the medication for breast thrush too. Poor DD hasn't had a 'normal' poo yet cos I've been pumping her full of chemicals from a few days old . Also DD is really fussy at the breast and has started making weird noises & hurting me when feeding. Will be trying to find a local BF counsellor once bank hol weekend is over. I really don't want to give up BF cos I know how it can work so well. I feel as though I'm wishing this stage away, and not enjoying DD as much as I could, due to wanting all the pain to be over, but that makes me so, so sad because I will NOT be doing this again.

love the new name jay ... it can be read the wrong way, tho' to sound like you're just plain exhausted

v interested to hear about your bedtime routine. i'd be interested to hear what other people's routines are. all info v gratefully received.

Anyone know- is it possible that I am just not producing milk? I tried expressing and got 1oz. LO is latching on and sucking but if I can't express any does it mean LO is sucking nothing..... Arghhh.

pobletsmum- hope things get better for you.

Jay- like your new name. It is strange when you know that you are finished with children making I was hoping number 2 for me would make me think that it was enough! I am not 100% sure that I am but I would definitely wait until DD1 is at school. Respect for you for 0,1 and 2 I am struggling with 0 and 1.5.

Are we moving to the postnatal section soon?

Well its a sunny day out there but I bet its cold.

LOL at new name jay!

Samsmam - if lo is settling between feeds and gaining weight I'd say you must be producing enough milk. Personally I've never had a huge amount of success with expressing - haven't tried this time but with ds2 I would sit for ages expressing but not getting very much. He was gaining lots of weight though so definitely producing enough milk.

Lovely day here

Gosh Jay, thought of BF in public with errant toddlers in tow is a logistical nightmare, understand fully why it is only possible to do that at home. My friend who has 3 under 3 says she actually can't leave the house with all three together on her own, it's just impossible.

Poblet, sorry to hear you are having post op difficulties not to mention the thrush probs.

Tyaca - as far as routines go, don't shoot me but I am sort of trying to follow Gina's - it worked pretty well for DS1 and DS2 seems to be falling into it quite well, except for the evening bit where he doesn't want to go down at 7, but I can't complain as he sleeps more than her suggested nap times which are 1 hour in the morning at 9, then 2 1/2 hours at 11.30/12, then 1 hour at 4, so I don't mind him being a bit more wakeful then. Besides, we get to see him smiling and gurgling then which of course is lovely. We have been doing what you do Jay, having him settle in his moses basket by the sofa and then when he's asleep moving him into bedroom (we're in a flat so it's easy). Like you say, the earlier you can cultivate that all important 7pm bedtime the better, as by the time they're crawling or toddling you are so exhausted and drained by a full on 12 hours that you absolutely NEED them to be asleep then. What are others doing?

Oh my f*ing god! Jay I had no idea you were almost in the same boat as me! Except I think yours could be even harder, although you sound v relaxed. I knew you had a small gap between last two but did not realise DS1 was only just 2 as well!

Tried to read all posts but just popping on quickly. Had busy weekend with family here since Friday.

My "routine" is to try to feed DTs by 7:30am latest in morning (7am works better but not always possible with DS1 needing attention / milk etc too). Then feed every 3.5 to 4hrs during day, so at 11am ish, 3pm ish and then to try to get last "day" feed in at 6:30pm. Then get DTs in bed about 7pm. It is starting to fall into place but they don't always sleep solidly for this bit. Then get them up for feed at 10/10:30pm ish. Then they go to bed and are not fed until they wake, which is anything from 2am to 5am but usually around 3:30/4am. Trouble is when they feed later in night, ie 5am, they are not ready for a feed at 7/7:30am so they don't take much. Try to ensure they only have a small feed in night if poss.

Sorry, garbled....

Will go back and read what everyone else is up to.

Oh and congrats to princess, I love the name Ferdie.

oh sleep times I also pretend to follow Gina's sleep times in day, but apart from the lunchtime one it never works as I just can't keep them awake. They often fall asleep again straight after first feed at 7:30ish and sleep on and off most of morning. It's impossible to keep two babies awake as well as look after DS1. I can wake them up, but the only way to keep them awake is to make them uncomfortable, ie too cold or something, which is just plain mean, so they nod off again. I often put them under the activity arch in a vain attempt to keep them awake, but if they are dead set on sleeping they just sleep under there too .

Jay mine were sleeping in bouncy chairs downstairs for the 7-10pm stretch (or not sleeping quite often) but just this last week am taking them up to bed after last feed instead to get them used to it or I fear I will end up with them down here when they are 3 years old.

Samsmam, what time of day are you expressing? Has LO just fed? Can't believe you are not producing milk or LO would be looking very poorly and skinny and sleepy (she says, as though she knows what she is talking about). I used to find that at 3am I could get a full bottle out, but at some times in day I could only get an oz or two.

Hi all, haven't posted for a while cos lo has been really unsettled, feeding constantly and never sleeping, this has been going on about three weeks and i am knackered, If I have one more professional tell me you can't overfeed a breastfed baby! before I've finished explaining my difficulties then i will go dangerous. So please tell me if my baby is feeding like sometimes for over 2 hours on and off but mainly on, which i think is mainly for comfort, and is already 11 pounds at 6 weeks, birth weight 7lb.5 small parents, then is that excessive? he is bigger than all the 3 month babies at the groups. How big was/is yours at 6 weeks?

My god Cosima you should be patting yourself on the back if LO has gained so well so early on. Feeding for over two hours at a time does sound quite excessive and no wonder you are exhausted! Have you thought about using a dummy - as you say this might give you a breather if he is just suckling for comfort. I'm no breastfeeding expert but I did read somewhere that 45 mins - 1 hour is about the normal time for a feed using both breasts and he's clearly getting masses from you with such good weight gain.

Mine at 7 weeks is 11lb (birth weight 7lb 1) and I stopped BF at 5 weeks.

I probably should have done this sooner, but could never get my head round the idea of pumping my boobs, but if you've got a lot of milk (which it sounds like) expressing could be a good option so at least someone else can feed LO and give you a break.

Cosima, DS1 used to often feed for 2 hours at a time. It was one of the reasons I started using formula at 3 months as I was constantly feeding him and was exhausted. I tried to stop him sooner but he SCREAMED if I stopped him before he was finished, and it was easier just to let him get on with it. I watched a lot of tv back then.

As for weight gain, I am not sure. DS2 was born at 5lbs 4 and weighed 11lbs 3 at nearly 9 weeks, so it doesn't sound like your DS is ridiculously large as mine is "considered" to be 6 weeks when 9 weeks because he was 3 weeks early, so same weight as yours at 6 weeks, if that makes sense? Or even if you consider mine to be 9 weeks and 11lbs 3, he started off 2lbs smaller than yours, so it still kind of works out the same I think.

Am rambling again!

I know nobody believes in those weight charts (well I quite like them...), but I am pretty sure without checking that your DS would be about on 75th centile for that weight, which is perfectly normal.

Am quite chuffed as both babies still asleep and have been in bed since about midday! DS1 has been in bed since 1:30. I tried sleeping but gave up. Got to feed babies soon.

Beany, hope your DS1 is being a bit better now. Mine seems to have some days when I would gladly consider infanticide and then others when he is a sweetheart. I have to keep trying to tell myself he is only little and still learning a lot. Not looking forward to tomorrow with all three DCs on my own again after a few days with lots of people around.

Princess, I echo what others have said about nappies. Had to move DS2 onto size 2 nappies well before he actually reached 11lbs (forgot what an overlap there is from size 1 to size 2 anyway, I guess it is to cover short fat babies and long thin ones etc). Since moving him to size 2 he has only leaked once in about 5 weeks and that was when we forgot to change his nappy before a feed yesterday so he went for about 8 hours in the same one and had two feeds during that time. DDs nappies never leak apart from when she has a big liquid poo!

brilliant. thanks for the advice once again you have saved my neurosis from escalating. Egg when i read your posts i am amazed . you are like a super breed of mummy!

Cosima DS has had the same weight gain (only feeds about 10 mins on each side though) - he was 7lb 4 at birth and 11lb4 at 6 weeks.

Jay- good lord Respect to you.

Samsmam sometimes when I express it takes a long time for the let-down - there'll be about an ounce and then it stops, but just keep pumping gently for a while (watch telly to switch off) and then a second lot can come through. Sometimes my boobs can feel really full but only an ounce comes out to start with. If you're worried that LO sucking on empty boobs if you look closely at the throat you should be able to see swallowing, or pull her off quickly (and carefully!) and see if there's any milk in her mouth or dripping out.

Pobletsmum - yikes. Sounds like things are a little difficult. Hope it improves.

We've had the PILs here over the long weekend and DS has had so much stimulation and is smiling loads - at last. Here he is last night it's quite long but don't know how to edit it (or how to keep my finger out of the lens )

Thanks omy I've got a fab friends support network but find it hard to ask for help??

Anyway, there's loads worse off than me (doesn't make you feel any better tho does it??!!) Hats off to all of you with 2 or 3 or more (!!) - we're definitely stopping at one!

Have just started putting LO in cot for some naps (6 weeks and 3 days) but want to keep him by our side overnight - that's OK isn't it?

Am going through a bit of a panicky stage of wondering whether we're doing stuff right or not...are we playing enough, stimulating enough, cuddling enough?? It's my OCD coming out in different ways which isn't great...so much advice, so much pressure...

PK, how you doing??

Gill you video is fab- Malcolm is absolutley gorge!!! you must be so proud-

jo - try to relax, if lo is happy and healthy you MUST be doing it right - remember there is noo right or wrong, just whats right for you and your family!

LO now in cot, not moses basket (last night was second night) - he slept frpm 10pm until 7am! Why do i still feel knackered!!!? Sleep deprivation must have a cumulative affect!!

I love the videos Gill - one cute little fella!

Jo - you have to block your ears - everyone will have advice for you, but you will learn to trust your instincts. It gets easier. As for sleeps, your arrangements sound just fine .

Managed a trip to the shops today without ending up in tears with the pain - yippeeeee! I think I'm turning the corner at last. I'm tired, but fortunately DS will be at nursery tomorrow so I'll have a peaceful day to enjoy DD. Aaaaahhhhhhh! Thank goodness she sleeps a lot - I struck lucky ths time!

Wow ginger - isn't Toby doing well sleeping all night! How are DD1 & DD2 coping with the addition to the family?

Lucky you ginger!!

Gill - Malcolm is lovely!

Andrew is 6 weeks old today - DS1 very excited for some reason and told his nursery teacher 'fact Andrew is 6 weeks today' - not sure where the 'fact' came from.

Jo - there's no right or wrong - as long as you and lo are happy that's all that matters.

I've finally uploaded a picture of our 3 boys onto my profile. DS1 at the back who's 5, DS3 in the middle at 2.5 weeks and DS2 in the front aged 3.

Hope everyone is doing ok!

More gorgeous boys rozzy! Lovely pic!

Evening all! Coupe is currently asleep in his moses basket - with us in the living room though! bedtime routine goes a bit like this....
4.30 - 5 dinner
5-6 story and night garden time
6-7 bath time,milk and sleep!

this is the only 'real' routine i have but boy i stick to it as much as humanely possible both DD1 and DS1 go down without any hassle at all now [pheweeee emotion!]

As for feeding routine, with DS1 i BF for only 3 mths - he was fed on demand, which could have been every hour at one stage but he suffered with bad reflux and it all got too much for me in the end.. trouble was because he was in an 'on demand' routine, he wanted the same thing on formula...i prob got through 10 bottles a day, only about 2ozs each time though..it was sheer hell!

This time, i am trying to go for the 3-4 hourly feeds. Although with Coopers tongue tie its proving a bit difficult - his latch breaks all the time and he finds it exhausting work, as do i! hoping the lactation counselor ( coming tomorrow ) can help me out!

Ginger - fantastic news re LO sleeping that much, i have fingers crossed Cooper will be like that!

Gill great videos, its so lovely how we can capture magic moments!

Rozzy, you have a lovely brood there, its such a joy to see them all together like that, i have got one pic on my profile of my three...although i have to do something to activate it i think.... will work on it and let you know when its working

Jo, like others have said, go with your instincts, theres really no right or wrong with this baby malarky, and as time goes on you will find you have a different set of 'problems' to worry about and all the ones you have now will have disappeared! Keep up the good work

off to grab me a bath, hope everyone else is ok and managing to juggle babies, toddlers, partners/hubbys and life!!!

Oh, when are we 'moving?'