December 08 - a few babies under the tree still need unwrapping!

[EffiePerine]

New thread ladies. I have a feeling I will be talking to myself a lot

I am back! I don't know how you all manage to keep up with this thread and post messages (I can see for some of you its during the middle of the night though!)

Firstly a massive congratulations to all the new mums! Once the little ones arrive its hard to believe they were never here.

My little Xavier is four weeks old now and I can't believe how quickly the time has passed. He is already bursting out of his newborn size babygrows - I want him to stay little forever!

I can sympathise with the mums with wind/colic/crying as we have had a bit of that. Used infacol for a few days and also reduced my dairy and chocolate intake and things seem to be better but as we did all three at once I am not sure which worked.

In addition to the things people have already mentioned (tummy rubs, bicycle legs etc) I have found sitting on a birthing/fit ball and gently moving up and down to work wonders as does walking up and down the stairs. Both of course are extremely annoying after a while but, hey, not as annoying as the crying.

I have tried to put Xavier onto Gina f's routine from the first week. Some days it works and some days forget it but I have found some of the tips really useful like:

• giving nighttime feeds in quiet, dim room
• trying to keep him awake for a while after a feed
• at the evening and first night feed, feeding for a while, changing the nappy and then giving him a bit more before putting down

Have made a few more notes of responses to people's posts but for now I will run as I can hear DS stirring.

KMP, I have that bum crack thing as do all of my kids! No one has ever mentioned or commented on it to me or them. I'm no paediatrician but I wouldn't worry.

HTH.

oh that's reassuring does it look just like on the photo? - i know if there are the dimple things it can indicate other problems in rare cases, but it's def not a dimple just an extended crease - i don't have one but will inspect DH tonight - thanks for your reply! if anyone else has it please let me know!

WG - I'm quite worried about your DH. Can you persuade him to see the GP? I think he needs to.

HV has been - Phoebe has put on another 10oz since last monday, so has gone from 7lb 3 at birth to 8lb 10 now! And she's just over 3 weeks old! I'm sure she could afford to eat less frequently...if only she understood!

KMP - not sure about the crease thing - does JJ's DH know? Isn't he a GP?

Can I join the tired club and have a moan about DP? Big hugs to verso though as you sound like you are really going through it.
It was his first day back at work today after he made the decision not to take any paternity leave. Then when I suggested he dropped DS1 off at the childminders he said he would not be ready in time. So I have had a hectic morning running around trying to get 2 children ready and then dealing with snow and ice on the roads. To make matters worse DP showered this morning in the shower that he knows will wake DS1 so after being up 5 times in the night with very hungry girl the last time at 7 and hoping to get 1 hour before DS woke up then he was woken with noisy shower at 7.30am. DP comment yesterday was "well you knew what you signed up for"
I go through the same emotions as others on this thread, he can be really helpful and then really ignorant of how hard it is for me. My breasts are sore ands I really need sleep yet every time I come into a room he is not playing with DS but playing games on the computer. DS was really down yesterday and cried this morning for no reason. He told me 2 nights ago that he was sad, but did not know why. I keep trying to have 1 to 1 time with DS (how is it going Trace?)but could do with some more saupport from DP in this department. It is so hard when I have Samantha surgically attatched to my breast to play with DS. He` has been so caring to his little sister but is not quite himself. I have decided To put him in to the
this week so he can have a bit of a normal routine and selfishly so that I can catch up on some sleep and have some time with Sammy-Jo.
DP has just phoned to tell me that on sat when his parents are here that he has a school hockey match away and will be away from 1-6pm. My day jsut gets worse!
Sorry about the me post. I do feel alot better getting it off my chest . I seem to vary in emotions from rage to sadness. I am really missing my Dad and have cried most days, I can't seem to talk to my brother or my nan without breaking down. I know I am not the only one who lost someone recently and so big hugs to others.
I have only just realsised that I have not posted my birth story. I will type it and post it later. I do not know how to put pics on my profile so I will put them on the email list.
I hope everyone has a better day and night. I am hoping Sammy- Jo will sleep a little longer as I could do with a quick nap.
Catch up later
Simmo x

WG - about the wheezing... what does it sound like? A wheeze is like a whistle/ squeak with the 'out' breath. I think I'd get a wheeze checked out - especially if there are any other symptoms like flaring nostrils, increased breathing rate, bigger tummy movements than normal with breathing, if she's more pale than normal or feeding less/ getting more tired with feeds. A common cold virus can really knock a newborn so it's maybe best to get her checked if you're worried - go with your instinct. Perhaps you could mention your DH while you're there (sorry - I'm persistent aren't I?!!)

wg agree with Trace that it might help your dh to see the gp.

Simmo sympathies to you to with your dp and hugs to ds. We had a similar problem in the beginning where ds1 would say he was sad & just wasn't himself, but he's back to his normal self now. I think once they get back into their routine it does help.

I've found a couple of ways to still play with ds1 while feeding ds2. He's got a tea set & some play food, so I ask him to make me a cup of tea & something to eat. He also has a doctor's set so I set up his teddies before & he examines them etc. We've done libraries as well with his teddies (he reads them stories). This means I can feed/change ds2 but still be involved with ds1. I am still relying on CBeebies as well though! Hth anyone!

Kmp both mine had funny little indents at the top of the cracks with ds1 it freaked me out and I was sure he has occult spinabifida so I got him checked by one of the paeds at work and they said it was completely normal. So I'm sure it's fine esp if the paeds has done the check.

WG the wheeze is prob nothing if there are no other symptoms but can't hurt to get it checked. Babies have very small airways in comparison to the rest of their bodies so it doesn't take much to make them sound wheezy or snuffly. But a gp can have a listen with a stethoscope in case it is something further down the airway.

Also I had some osteopathy on my neck which was amazing I hurt it during ds1s birth (most people hurt their underbits I did my neck) and nothing else worked it was quite miraculous. I had a friend whose son had severe colic and C O would help a few days after the treatment but didn't completely cure it.

In Australia we have trassillian (sp) centres where women can go with their babies if they are having any problems either sleep or feeding or whatever. I think they are attached to hospitals though. I think we could hire a big cottage in Wales or Barbados and live there together for a while oh and get a housekeeper and a fulltime masseuse and manservant (slave).

Oh and ditto for the restless halfmoon night and continuing into a restless day though asleep on me now. But on the up side I put him on his tummy for the first time on his playgym and he lifted his head up straight away. I'm sure ds1 didn't do that until at least 5-6 weeks.

Right I'm on a mission to sort out our front room and ds1s bedroom I'm moving all the toys from the front room to his bedroom up til now the frontroom has been a playroom but it's becoming a toy tip. So I'm going to try to transfer Jordy to his cot.

Oh and well done on the glam dancing LT I am feeling very unglam, I went to Primark to get some cheap jeans to see me through winter and the largest size they had 16 went no where near fitting me! I used to be an 8!!! (at Gap)

mm this kind of discounts my earlier post re winding

ARGHHHHH!!!!!

DH phoned work today to make sure they both had the same date for him returning to work. We thought it was Friday and they said it was today. He was told that his paternity leave and the 2 weeks the factory was shut were seperate. So he had 8 days of his paternity leave then the factory shut for 2 weeks and he had the other 6 days after the 2 week shut. But apparently not and he has to go to work tomorrow. I cried and cried as I don't feel ready for him to go back. I was expecting him to be back on Friday so had a few days to get DS1 back into his routine.

I am very very

Oh thanks veggie makes me feel better. Were they like the pic on the link I posted or more like dimples? And did it go away in time? Sorry if this is hard 2 read as I'm on blackberry on tube with ds strapped to me!

They were more like a little indent not quite a dimple kind of bigger than they and as they are half Chinese they are very hairy babies so the indent was full of dark hair and the mongolian blue colouration but I think that is mainly due to proximity as most blue spot are on the old B Hind. Also kmp did you see my post on getting the passports?

oh ok thanks veggie, did you see the link i posted with the picture (not of my ds though) but his is very similar - not as pronounced though and my ds has no hair there at all.. did the dints dissapear at all later? My dh thinks it's normal but guess i could take him in there and let the paeds at his work look at them to make me feel better
i saw a reply u did re: the passports yes- thanks, did you see my follow up one? lol i asked about where to do app for cit by decent etc (says i need an Aust cit to verify photos or something?) but didn't see your reply to that one?
Kayz sorry about your dh and work mine went back today too and thought it might be tough as dog is also sick and it's snowing but i managed to navigate the bus and tube to get ds registered today so he's now official and it was really easy using the carrier as he just nods off in it and slept the whole time!

I had to actually look at ds1 bott bott to double check (he is now 3) but nothing there now. It did look more like a dint than the photo. I'm fairly sure it is find but if you access to someone even if they think your a bit mental for being worried about it get it checked to put your mind at ease. I was lucky were I worked as all my colleagues are paeds specialists I had our paeds neuro checking him cos I was sure his head was too small and his fontanelle had closed up too quickly, he was very sweet about it and did a little check for me.

Google citizenship by decent Australia and all the details are there it's 110AUD I have to admit DH does all that do actually but I can get more info from him he did say it's all very straight forward.

I have finally got ds2 down for a nap he has been awake all day DH has been very sweet and sorted out ds1s bedroom so now most of his toys are upstairs in his room. Poor thing he is working from home loads but ends up doing stuff for me. Mum has been great too and taken ds1 out for a play and a long walk. Buy now ds2 is down and I have some freedom I'm gonna try to do some other tidying as the house feels really untidy.

I'm struggling with tidying & cleaning as well. I was never a domestic goddess but I don't like having an untidy house. Unfortunately, ds2 just does not want to be put down. I might get 5 minutes of him in his moses basket or bouncy chair but then he wants to be picked up again. I know I should enjoy it while it lasts, especially as ds1 was the opposite, but I can't get anything finished & it's leaving me feeling frustrated.

Afternoon all - kmp re the bottom thing, DH reckons it's nothing to worry about and he does lots of new baby checks.

Managed to get out of teh house and to teh bf clinic where of course dd fed like an angel with no battling but got a couple of handy hints for avoiding wind. Apparently infacol doens't have any evidence to back it up (??) and it's mostly helpful in that parents feel they're doing something to help their baby, and thus are calmer about feeding which has a good knock-on effect on the baby's feeding (breast or bottle) and they take in less wind. Cunning huh?!

• check that the latch is complete and there's no gap visible at all at the side of the baby's mouth

• when you're winding, make sure the baby's back is completely straight - just patting them on the back on your won't work if their bent over a bit.

• the lifting up under the arms method is usually very reliable - which is why when I pick up dd and stand up with her she often lets fly.

• carrying upright ina sling really helps as the movement jiggles everything upwards

hello ladies justa quick nod of solidarity to all those having really bad nights. Joscelyn does not sleep for more than 2 hours at a time, day ir night and appears constantly hungry. Her favourite position is asleep on my chest and i quite often give in at about 4am and leave her there so she can sleep and i can doze for a few hours. She is also quite windy but i have found if a feed her lying down, and then leave her to go straight to sleep she does not need winding and sleeps quite soundly. I really didnt want her to sleep in our bed because i never sleep soundly when sharing but noramally at that point im too tired and cold to sit up andtry ti settle her.

ZJ my lo also has a cold and is snuffly and sneezy, what you are doing is right and you can also get saline solution drops to helo clear out their nose if they are blocked.

severak of you mentioned grobags, are they the same as sleeping bags/? I was temoted to get one because of te sub-zero temperatures but the 0-6months ones look huge, they would swamp Joscelyn, also they look too big to fit into moses basket, am i looking at the right thing?

DP going back to work tomorrow so got to do the whole school,nursry, playgroup drop off in the morning, i am so dreadung it, but we all seem to be going through the same issues at the same time, makes me feel better to know im not alone xx on that point LT you woud think i would have to be capable to have 4 children, but believe me i feel less then capable heading into this week, it will be nothing shrt of a miracle if i get my kids in the right clothes, to the right place, at the right times, in the morning!!

thanks Veggie I'm assuming I can get it done at the office in London? I will take another look at the website for the Aust consulate in London. I'd rather not have to send everything to Australia - although might have to if I have to have an Aust citizen in a specific field of work witness the photo!
JJ tell your Dh thanks - did he look at the photo on that link? my dh is also medical but i'm still needing about 100 opinions!

Reban Grobags are a brand of sleeping bag. Have a look on their [[http://www.bumpto3.com/category.aspx?DISPLAYCAT=sleep&CAT=Products&CATGRY=baby_sleeping_bags website]. They say the 0-6 months are for weights over 7lb

try again!

Message withdrawn

I think I'll have to give the sling I've got a go tomorrow. It might be the only way I get things done. But then again DS2 is a wonderful sleeper during the day.

HV is coming in the afternoon to weight DS2 again. I'm hoping he has put on a decent amount of weight. I really hope I won't have to take him every week, I used to hate it with DS1.

Feeling better about DH going back to work. I'd rather he was off until Friday as DS2 is being registered on Thursday and I'd like to do it together but it's not important.

Hope we all have good nights tonight, especially as DH's alarm will be going off at 5 in the morning.

I tried Cranial Osteopathy with DS because he had a traumatic birth, forceps, badly bruised head and shoulder etc. It seemed to do the job, just hadone session and he was far less cranky afterwards, easier to settle and less windy. It might be all in my mind, but it worked for us. I am considering taking DD to see if it helps with wind. DH and I also have regular normal Osteopath sessions for bad backs/shoulder and it is brilliant.
Jam, interesting link to chat on winding. I have to say that usually Tiktok is my breastfeeding guru, and I see where she's coming from with the blue lip thing, but both of my babies get it and it disappears after winding. Also don't agree with not winding. DD flails her arms and legs and screams in pain (all three of these go together, so not normal baby movements) and I am hardly just going to leave her to sort it herself, especially when it can go on for 4 hours sometimes. Every midwife/ mother/ expert seems to have a different opinion on everything from breastfeeding to nappies, and every baby is different so there is no one solution. It annoys me when people try to tell you how to do things, advice is great, but that's all it should be, not to be taken as definite answers.

Sorry, slight rant there. [Over emotional, tired mum emoticon]