Due April 2009 - Chapter 32: Shake your pom poms, Shake your pom poms, Shake your pom poms!!!

[BabyBolat]

Hope no one minds I gave Nutty the vote after her epic birth!

thanks for the congrats everybody. I will try and get on and read back on the posts over the next couple of days to get to know everybody!
purplemonkey, I'm not changing DD at night unless she has one of those window rattling BF poos that you can't mistake for anything! - but saying that her skin is very clear at the moment. DS is 2 and has been a dreadful sleeper (slept through for last 4 nights, yay!) so this time I'm not doing the night nappy changes unless I absolutely have to. Are you using any barrier cream? if so, could you put extra on? I'm not using cream yet with DD - I honestly can't remember when it's ok to start using stuff on them and as her skin is ok, am putting it off as long as I can - she's hardly had any baths either - not in a being neglected way, but DS was bathed every night at this stage to help him get into a bedtime routine - didn't make any difference, so I'm giving myself an easier time of it this time!
springy, I'm getting a bit of a break at the moment, DD seems to feed on and off for about 4 hours from getting up, then sleep for a couple of hours, then the same again until bedtime. Ds is being really good bless him (helped by as much balamory and bob as he wants to watch at the moment!). and only another few growth spurts to get through over the next few months . at least I've managed to find a nursing bra with underwires on figleaves last night, which actually does my cup size, yay, so am waiting for it to arrive with fingers crossed that it fits me, after wearing very unsupportive bras for a year with DS!

hi everyone. have had a skim read to try and catch up - seems like a lot of people are having a hard time of it. definitely agree Bleu deserves the extreme breastfeeding medal, and springy - so sorry for you having to deal with dh being like this just now.

frekkles - i really really feel for you - i was so unbelievably frustrated by saturday when the contractions started (after a day or two of tightenings like you describe so hopefully thats another good sign) - sooo hope it happens for you really soon. induction is definitely not a failure in any way, and at least then the end is in sight.

so ds2 finally arrived on Sunday night. Named him Angus Andrew. Birth was probably a good one in the overall scheme of things but didnt feel like it at the time. Tens machine worked till about 4-5cms dilated then on to gas and air which was fantastic for a few hours. Decided agaisnt waterbirth cause the whole thing just was taking so long, I didnt want to slow it down any more. Contractions had started on the Saturday and had been 3cm dilated on Tuesday so when I was examined at about 10.30 on the sunday morning and was still only 3-4cm dilated, I really couldnt believe it - just couldnt work out what all those contractions had been for.

Anyway, gas and air and DH got me through it to about 6pm when I was starting to think I really couldnt do it any more, and mw said I was 9 -10cm but there was a lip so couldnt push until it went, but that because I'd had 3 internal exams already, they wouldnt look again for an hour and then it would have to be a doctor that did it (dont understand why but never mind). she then left for a bit - contractions were reaaaallly intense by then and then finally i knew i had to push. was panicking a bit as the mw had said not to but I just thought - i cant not push so i did. mw came back in with another to check the lip had gone (dont know what they could have done if it hadnt cause that baby was coming out) and after a good few pushes, wee Angus arrived.

So overall - I guess it was good - no tears etc - just hoped it would be a bit shorter this time and was sooo much more intense at the pushing stage than ds1. but i guess thats the bit that nature helps you forget in time.

At one point not long before pushing - was quite out of it on gas and air - only way I could cope with it) and had in my head that I had to tell dh a poem about a keyboard having qwertyuiop along the top line - cant for the life of me think what i was going on about now - and dh couldnt work it out either. the midwife started a story about her sister in law to change the subject - i think she thought i was losing the plot - which i was but so? wish i could remember the poem now .

have to say - and i hope those with unsupportive dh's just now wont throw things at me, that dh is and has been such an amazing person through this whole thing. Couldnt have been more supportive with me getting pixxed off at not going into labour, then amazing during labour - ok he had to be shouted at a few times to get off the chair, get on the chair, get out of my way, stop tapping his pen (think even the mw was scared of me at that point ), stop telling me 'ride the wave of pain' etc etc - but overall he did everything i asked him to do and said tghe right things at the right time and now he is looking after ds1 and me and ds2 and i'm not really sure how to show him how much i appreciate it all. will need to think of something good.

oh and one more thing - had never understood what people on mn were going on about when they talked about mooing - I'd had a fairly quiet birth with ds1 - went quite internal and didnt make much noise.

with ds2 - i was very very loud and at one point breathing in the gas and air, then breathing out - i finally got it - i was definitely mooing for a good hour or two this time .

and boff - that salary expectation is ridiculous. like your alternative idea.

Just popping in while MIL does my ironing (why was I so mean about her? I do know, but feel bad now that she is helping out so much).

Alex is wriggling up in his bed, can hear him on the monitor, so have to go soon...

Frekkles, sorry this last stage is so long.

Conker congratulations! Good Scottish name that...

Boff, I am now seriously considering moving to the UK and nannying. I earn far, far less than that, FGS.

Right, he's now crying.

Hang in there everyone!!!

Congratulations Conker and Beth

BB - both the implant and the injection are progesterone only.

www.fpa.org.uk/Shop/Sexualhealthprofessionalspublicationsandresources/contraceptivechoices

I also rather annoying can't take combined pill because it puts my BP up. I also don't want to take mini pill because I don't think it's reliable enough (remembering to take it at the same time every day just isn't going to happen and I don't want to get pg for at least 2 years!). I intend to get an implant I think - I don't see what the advantage is of a Merina coil over the implant (other than it lasting for longer, but I probably will want to get pg again anyway within 3 years!). Anyone care to enlighten me?

Nutty I wouldn't get sterilised if you are even slightly unsure about it. It isn't even as if it is more reliable than the other longer term methods.

Boff it does seem to me that I want £100k a year, it doesn't mean I'm going to get it though. Those salaries are just ridiculous and as you say they don't even seem to have very good cvs!.

HV has been. Hugo has gained 2oz in last week. Sounds like not v.much ??

He's gone from being almost 91st centile at birth to 9th now. HV did not seem overly concerned at the mo'. She asked all the obvious Qs. He is perfectly well in himself, so I'm not too worried, plus I don't see that there's much I can do other than watch and wait. Little Frog is basically stuffing his face whenever he's awake anyway! Perhaps I will decamp to bed with him for a couple of days again.

Wonder how Trista is doing?

I'm quite about this obsession with measuring weight. If Hugh had just had a poo/wee and it was before he had fed this could easily make a difference of another 3oz. I think your attitude towards it is right, unfortunately despite knowing the theory I am too neurotic to be laid back .

OK - AIBU to let Hannah sleep in her vibrochair ? It's probably really bad isn't it but she was crying in her Moses basket, she was crying on me then I put her in the chair and off she went.

Don't see why it's bad. Surely better to sleep there than not at all? And probably not as bad as sleeping in car seat. Also, unlikely she'll be there for hours??? Vibro-massage perhaps good for muscle development??

You could be right about the nappy contents - cleared out a heavy wee one just before she came. HV said to weigh him each week, but I might leave it a fortnight.

The other thing is that when they have a growth spurt it takes up lots of energy and therefore I think that can make the actual weight gain lower.

Is 3 weeks a spurty time, generally? In which case, it's a shame they don't measure length routinely with weight as he seems to be a long thin baby! Length won't be measured until 6 weeks (though I will get tape measure out...)

Blimey its quiet here this afternoon!

ju they should messure length too.

3 weeks is a growth spurt.

can't flippin type!

DD2 gone from 6lb14 to 8lb9 in two and half weeks ! yay for chocolate=eating bf mothers ;)

Sorry - very very quick catch up - have a child attached to my boob and dinner burning!

Springy ((hugs)) hope DH has pulled his socks up this afternoon! grrrr!!!

Conker - welcome Angus - great birth story

Brett / Juw - thanks for the tips re po contraception

Beth - welcome back! great to hear from you again!

Juw - yep 3 week spurt! and right about the poo - I always make sure I feed Kara just before the weigh in!
2oz is better than 0 and a lot better than a loss - he is going the right way!!!

Boffin - poo for feeling poorly and those salaries are ridiculous - think the agency are taking the piss! I know that is too much - if you advertised privately you could get it for half that!

Auld yay for MIL!

sorry if I missed anyone -

Just been out for a 3 hour walk with Kara - was lovely until he decided he had had enough and screamed for ages until I was forced to BF in the park and get him home asap - he was not happy but he has just fed and is going to sleep (I hope) so I can rescue the lasagne I am making for dinner (think I am going to have to start the white sauce again - and throw away the saucepan!

brett - sure chair is fine!

Sorry for the confusion everybody. Maybe I will have to remind everybody that I am soon2be at the start of a lot of my posts for now? Serves me right for choosing a name that would only temporarily make sence! This one should be perminant!

My MW came back today (The horrible one but she was ok today). About 20 mins after I went upstairs for a nap for the first time since DD2 was born! I knew that would happen! I hadn't actually got to sleep yet anyway as Talia was needing my attention. She has discharged us, which I am OK about but a bit wary as Talia is still Jaundiced. I guess that is what the heath visitor is for. I am dreading the time when I actually have to go to the heath clinic on my own to get them weighed - going to be manic with 2 to sort out! Although Elouise hasn't been weighed since before christmas so I do need to do it. Talia is above her birth weight now too which is good.

Have been out sorting the garden out the rest of the day. Didn't plan to, but took DD out for some air and realised how nice the weather was (and what a bombsite the garden was!) so we all stayed out there and have got it tidied and mowed etc. Was nice and hopefully all the fresh air will help us all sleep tonight!

Have just had a bath with both DDs and was lovely until it was time to get out and then it was a bit hectic, even with DHs help. DH has now gone out for the evening to watch football at a friends. I am suprised that Talia likes her baths already, hasn't cried once. DD1 used to scream the place down when she was this small!

BB, Mirena coil apparently has fewer side effects than implants, if I remember correctly what my mw said. She raved about them. Also with implants they have to cut you open to remove them and you get a new slight scar on your arm each time.

Re: nanny salaries, the agencies keep telling me 'you won't find anyone if you pay less than x' and 'they are so expensive because they have so much experience'. Having checked the job spec and salary we are offering on MN with the nannies on here, part of me knows this is bollocks (temping is not proper experience IMO, nor is two years job hopping particularly substantial experience), and part of me panics and feels very poor indeed. I can only assume that agencies have a tendency to forget who they are meant to be representing, and talk the salaries up to silly levels. One agent didn't even know if the hourly rate she was quoting me was meant to be before or after tax. I mean, how can you not even have a record of something as basic as that????

I did actually burst into tears last night about all this and DH gave me a long lecture about how this is a shared enterprise and I am no longer a single parent, etc, but I was not at my most rational, with a virus beckoning.

Auld, I will join you as a supernanny if this nonsense carries on. If experience and qualifications accrue income at this stratospheric rate in the childminding industry, we simply must be worth £100k each already!!

Conker, congrats, great choice of name, DS2 is called Angus too. Mainly because giving birth to him was like pushing out an enormous heifer.

Felix has just thrown up all over the British Educational Research Association newsletter. Says it all, really!

gaaaaah he will not let me put him down - snoring away until i let go of him and then tantrums!!!!

Blimey, DH phoned to speak to me while I was bathing DS1, and MIL concluded there must be a crisis or he'd never have called at that time, so she has gone to bed so that the two of us can eat together and talk about this problem she has imagined.
I did point out that DH has no idea when bathtime is and was probably not phoning for any significant reason, but she was convinced. Talk about over-reacting.
DH thinks it's hysterical...

Poor DS1 is behaving very badly, and I keep having to tell him off. I can't do much with him as have baby in my arms/on boob a lot of the time, and it's really getting him down, but his reaction is to behave so awfully that I can't let it slide. So our only exchanges are nagging/scolding ones. It's awful.

Oh BB, that sounds familiar. Though right now Alex is sleeping up in our room, and I can hear him making those funny laughing noises in his sleep, through the intercom.
When they "smile" in their junkie milk daze after a feed, are they smiles of bliss (so says MIL), or just odd muscle twitches (says my Mum and I kind of thought so too myself).

Oooh, noises getting less laughy and more whimpery.

Good night all!